Freemasonry In British North America.

FREEMASONRY IN BRITISH NORTH AMERICA .

The lodges of Nova Scotia have folloAvod the example of the Canada lodges , by declaring their independence of the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom and creating a Grand Lodge of their OAVII . The folloAA'ing details respecting * this movement

are given in a recent issue of the Boston Freemasons' Monthly Magazine : — " Since the acquisition of Nova Scotia by Great Britain in the Peace of Paris in 1793 , that province , like all the other British provinces , has

been held to be Avithin the concurrent jurisdiction of the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland , and Ave had supposed the relation Avas agreeable and profitable to all parties , allowing for some inconveniences incident to the secondary

poAver to which the lodges in all the provinces are necessarily subjected , and their great distance from the parent bodies . But hoAvever this may have been in times past , and however successfully the system of Provincial Graud Lodges may have

worked , when the lodges in the province were few and the members not numerous , our brethren in Nova Scotia have recently come to the conclusion that they can best subserve their own interests , and ensure the future prosperity of the

Order , by declaring their independence of their ancient mother , and ' setting up an establishment ' for themselves . They took this hint from their Canadian brethren ; and as secession worked well in that case , Ave do not know any reason why it

should not prove equally successful in theirs . It is true that the Grand Loclge of Canada had to struggle hard for its existence , and our brethren in Nova Scotia may be subjected to the same trials . But such struggles and trials are incident to alt

new enterprises . We are not inclined to discuss the legality of the movement . We did that in the Canada case . An obvious good may be some apology for a doubtful proceeding . CroniAvell and his folloAvers thought so in their day , and so

did our fathers in theirs . But this is a matter winch , will doubtless be amicably adjusted by the parties more immediately interested in it . In the meantime , we content ourselves by announcing the fact , that ten of the lodges iu Nova Scotia

have united and organised an independent Grand Lodge in that province , 'in order , ' they say , 'to ensure the rights and privileges which , the growing interest of the Craft imperatively demand * and having duly and regularly installed their officers

according to ancient usage , ' they respectfully and earnestly request the Grand Lodges of this country to recognise them , regarding such recognition as ' essential to their future prosperity . ' This is , of course , a request with which each Grand Lodge

will comply or not , according to its OAVU sense of propriety , and Avith a due regard to its relations to the Grand Lodges of Great Britain . It is certainly desirable that those Grand bodies should first be heard in a matter of so much importance

to them . The ten lodges in question derived their existence from them , and they Avere bound to them by ties of allegiance and obligation . These , so far as we are informed , have been abnegated and severed by the act of one party

only , and that the subordinate . Still ., many of the Grand Lodges did not hesitate to recognise the Grand Loclge of Canada , when organised in exactly the same Avay and on the same principles ; and they may not be indisposed to adopt a different course toAvards their brethren in Nova

Scotia . The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , iu the former case , thought that it was bound in good faith to await the action of the Grand Lodge of England . If it should determine to pursue the same policy iu the present instance , it Avill not be

from any want of kindness toAvards their brethren in Nova Scotia , but from a sense of duty to the great principle involved , and the respect Avhich it can never cease to entertain for its venerable and

honoured parent . " The neiv Graud Lodge is held at Halifax , and its principal officers are Bros . William H . Davies , M . D ., Graud Master ; William Taylor , D . G . M . ; . Robert J . Romans , S . G . W . ; A . K . Mackinlay ,

J . G . W . ; William Garvie , G . Treas ., * 0 . J . Macdonalcl , G . Sec . " We fully coincide with the opinion of onr Trauslantic contemporary , that " the Grand Lodges of Great Britain should first be heard in

a matter of so much importance to them . " A Grand Lodge cannot be established simply by issuing a " declaration of independance ; " its existence as a Masonic central authority is entirely dependant on its recognition as such by the other

previously established Masonic ruling bodies throughout the world ; the very universality of our Institution and joint responsibility among all Masonic lodges of the globe , precludes the existence of any Grand Lodge in its own right . The transformation of a Provincial Grand Lodge into an independent Masonic poAver must be considered