Brevet Rank. An Irregularity In Kent.

BREVET RANK . AN IRREGULARITY IN KENT .

ZOXDON , SATURDAY , JULY 10 , 1862 .

WE must call attention to the proceedings of the Provincial Grand Lod ge of Kent ,, which appears in another column , where it will be seen , that , hi direct violation of the decision of the United Grand Lodge in December last , Bro . Cooley , Prov . G . D . C .,

has been raised to the dignity of P . Prov . G . Warden . At Grand Lod ge on the 4 th of December , in order to settle a difficulty which had arisen as to whether the power given in the previous June by Grand Lodge to the Grand Master , of

granting brevet rank for distinguished services , extended to Provincial Grand Masters , and which , it was evident , was never intended to apply to them , it was moved by the President of the Board of General Purposes to add to the ori ginal resolution : —

"Provided that nothing herein contained shall empower Prov . Grand Masters to make similar appointments in their respective provinces . " And the M . W . Grand Master , in speaking on the subject , said" He was perfectlindifferent in regard to the matter

y , for he had no jealousy whatever of the Prov . G . M . ' s , but it _ was only right and just that the reasons of the original resolution should be fully understood . If under the resolution the Prov . G . M . ' s were to have the power of conferring these honours , they would become invested with a right which had never been intended for them . It was principally with the view of enabling the Grand Master to confer

distinctions upon eminent Masons in the provinces , but who were unable to attend Grand lodge , that the resolution had been originally adopted , but that object would be defeated if the disposal of these honours were to be placed in the hands of the Prov . G . M . ' s , who would then have so great a power as to vnder it unnecessary for the Grand Master to see-h to confer honours upon the provincial brethren . "

After some discussion , in which the limitation was even supported by country brethren , the resolution for confining the power to the M . W . Grand Master , was carried by a large majority . This was only in December last , and confirmed

m March of the present year . We are , therefore , surprised that the Provincial Grand "Master should have been led by his advisers , so earl y as Jul y , to take a step and make an appointment which cannot be maintained .

"We do not blame Viscount Holmesdale , he is out young in Masonry , and confesses he knows but little about it ; but if his Deputy could not Warn him . f the illegalit y of the act , we are astonished there was not one brother to be found in

Brevet Rank. An Irregularity In Kent.

Kent sufficientl y acquainted with the masonic history of the last six months to advise him that the appointment was illegal . The R . W . Prov . G . Master may , if he wish to do so , reward Bro . Cooley , on the first opportunity , by making Mm a Prov . Grand Warden ; bnfc the present appointment must be immediately quashed ,

The Threatened Secession From The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.

THE THREATENED SECESSION FROM THE SUPREME GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF SCOTLAND .

{ From our ov : n Correspondent . ) The MAGAZINE of the 7 th June , contained a report of the proceedings of Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , from which it appeared that , in consequence of the judgment given by that body in the case "AKilwinning Chapter ( No . SO )

yr , ar / ainst the Provincial Grand Chapter of the "Western Districts , " the Provincial Grand Principal 2 . had . verbally tendered his resignation of that office . It was also reported in the MAGAZIKB that , at a subsequent meeting of Supreme Grand Chapter , Dr . Walker Arnott had communicated in writing his adherence to

the said resignation , and that the same had been accepted by Grand Chapter . Having in these reports exhibited the salient points of the matter in dispute , we presume our readers will sufficiently understand the question . without- necessitating the recapitulation of what has already been reported in these pages .

Erom what fell from the lips of Comp . Arnott , in Grand Chapter , on the night of the 23 rd May last , we were quite prepared for what has followed on the settlement of the business upon which the Ayr and Glasgow brethren went to Edinburgh ; but that we might not be chargeable with taking advantage of the excited state into which Dr . Arnott fell during the

closing remarks with which he favoured Grand Chapter , and lest , also , the Doctor , on a calm review of the whole matter , might be led to alter what appeared to us a hastily-formed resolution , and to withdraw his resignation , we refrained from publishing in our report any allusion to the threats of secession which that Companion threw in the teeth of Grand

Chapter ; neither , for the same reasons , did we make any reference to the most extraordinary and highly objectionable letter which he had addressed to Comp . Lord James Murray , which was read to the meeting , and in which , among other absurdities , was preferred against his Lordship a claim of several pounds sterling ,

in shape of damages , for the trouble the Prov . Grand Superintendent had been put to in consequence of the Grand Committee having sustained as relevant certain clauses of the complaint which the Ayr Kilwinning Chapter had lodged against him . The reading of that letter called forth the marked disapprobation of Grand "

Chapter , and after making an apology to Lord James-Murray for having addressed to him such an injudicious epistle , Dr . Arnott begged to be allowed to withdraw it , to which request his Lordship , with the consent of Grand Chapter , acceded , and the matter was allowed to drop . But Dr . Arnott has not only resigned the Prov-