The Grand Lodge Property.

THE GRAND LODGE PROPERTY .

LONDON , SATURDAY , DTECTET & BTER 20 , 1862 .

The Committee recently appointed to consider howbest this property can be laid out for the advantage of the Craft , so that suitable accommodation may be given for the performance of our ceremonies , ^ irrespective of the Tavern—with all requisite offices for tie business of the Order—coffee rooms , library ,

lecture rooms , & c , and tbe placing the Tavern on a footing second to none in London , must also bave their attention directed to tbe limitations necessary to be placed on the use of tbat portion to be dedicated to Masonic purposes .

It is -well known that under tbe Englisb Constitutions , Ancient Ereemasonry is declared to be confined to three degrees , including the " Royal Arch ; but tbat other degrees are worked , such as tbe Masonic Knights Templar , tbe Ancient and Accepted Eite , & c , tbe members of winch must be Freemasons before they

can be admitted into them is equally notorious . "Whether these degrees , or any of them , are to be permitted to be worked within a Masonic Temple , tbe property of Grand Lodge , must be determined . "Which way tbe question may be decided is a matter

of indifference to us , and we venture to say equally so to the supreme bodies of the Orders to which we have alluded , as they will well know how to provide for themselves , should it be determined that they cannot meet in Great Queen-street .

The Supreme Grand Council of tbe Ancient and Accepted Eite have already ignored the existence of the Tavern and tbe property by removing its Grand East to Ludgate-liill , and Grand Conclave will not be slow in following their example if they are to be subjected to tbe petty annoyances which

are now uniformly thrown in tbeir way . 2 fow , let us examine under what circumstances the Knight Templars have , for tbe last thirty years , met in the Hall or Temple , and see , at all events , if it is not sufficient to give them a prescriptive

right to some attention and indulgence . The late Grand Master of England of Craft Masonry , H . E . H . tbe Duke of Sussex , was Grand Prior , and afterwards Grand Master of tbe Knights Templar and the Grand Conclave regularly met and

conducted their business in the Grand Lodge Property , occupying the Temple for that purpose ever since it was built . On the death of H . E . H ., when Earl Zetland was elected Grand Master of Craft Masonry , Colonel Tynte , a very dli Mason and Provincial

Grand Master , was elected Grand Master of the Knight Templars , and was allowed tbe free use of the Temple , tbe approaches thereto , and tbe Grand

Master ' s room , without let or hindrance—nobody ever dreaming tbat the Masonic Knights Templar were in any way desecrating the Property . A few months since , Colonel Tynte was called to rest with bis fathers . Sir Knight Stuart , who is honoured

with tbe confidence of the Earl of Zetland , was elected to succeed Mm , from whicli time a series of petty annoyances were commenced— -first , the use of tbe Grand Master's and robing rooms could no longer be allowed , and nowtheTenrple maybe used , but the only

convenient access to it shall not ; but the Sir Knights are compelled to intermingle with the guests of the Tavern , because the door of the library—best known as the black-hole—cannot be opened to them . Any one who has ever been in this so-called library , must

know tbat it is the dullest and darkest room in the whole building , and we can find no reason for its having been appropriated to the purpose of a library , excepting to drive brethren from seeking access to its treasures , which has been most effectually

accomplished , especially as it is only open to the brethren during those hours when business men cannot possibly attend it .

"We are sometimes informed that tbe Temple having been consecrated to Masonry—when we know notcannot be let for other than Masonic purposes . But has any one ever yet put forth the same plea on behalf of the back staircase and library , which is nothing but an anteroom to tbe Temple . Then , again , is the

meeting of the Grand Conclave of Masonic Knights Templar a "Masonic purpose ? " If not , why is the meeting allowed to take place iu the Temple at all ? And if so , why is it to be deprived of free access to it ? Again , is the dirty brown

holland which covers the dais , and which appears never to have been made acquainted with the virtues of soap and water for tbe last quarter of a century at least been consecrated ? And if not , why is it held so sacred tbat that , even must not be

removed , on occasion ofthe meetings of a body of brethren Avithin the Temple without special permission , and tbat permission being as difficult to obtain , as it would be to get a dispensation from the Grand Master to set aside some of our most cherished landmarks .

"We are not going to enquire from whom emanates tbe orders relative to the letting or nonletting of the Temple , or the amount of accommodation which may or may not go with the permission . Suffice' it for , us to know that there is an anomaly which ought to be

removed ; and if the Board of General Purposes cannot do so , the new Committee on the Grand Lodge Property must , and if they have not already got the powezv as we believe they have , they must seek it from the Grand Lodge itself .