Knights Templar.

having previously been exalted to the Royal Arch degree . This , they believe , will greatly conduce to the increase of the number of the Order , especially in the colonies and , it will be borne in mind by Knights Templar , that there is nothing in the ceremonies or ritual of our Christian Order which is in any way connected with those of the Royal Arch , a degree of comparatively recent introduction and by no means co-extensive with

Masonry throughout the world . Tlie Order has heen increased by four new- encampments : ' 'TheHarconrt , " Surrey ; "TheWilliam Stuart , " Hants- ; "The Victoria , " Hong Kong ; and "The Coeur de Lion , " Montreal ; thus showing that oar principles are being spread , not only in England , but east and west in her dependencies .

The accounts have been audited and the balance in favour of the Grand Conclave , after payment of the purchase-money of a portion of the new furniture , is £ 307 2 s . Qd ., exclusive of £ 400 in Exchequer Bills . The illness of Sir Knight Hinxman prevented his completing the revision of the statutes . Owing to the assiduity and

perseverance of Sir Knight Meymott who undertook the difficult task of completing what another had begun , the altered statutes are in a very forward state , and it only remains for Grand Conclave to adopt or reject the four motions , mentioned in the summons , to enable the Committee forthwith to issue them in their amended form . Many of the alterations are merely

technical , and include the additions from time to time made by Grand Conclave since the last reprint . The important alterations have been circulated with the summonses . Negotiations have been entered into with the Masonic Union Company , Limited , for the use of the hall for any Grand Conclave meeting , together with the other rooms belonging to the company for the use of a committee room , at all meetings of the

Committee , and for the use of a room , or part of a room , at all times for the safe custody of the furniture and effects belonging to the Grand Conclave at the annual rent of £ 35 , such sum to include all costs for gas , locks , rates , and taxes . The appeal of Sir Knight Cameron mentioned in the notice paper involves a question in some degree similar to one oa which

the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master , by the advice of the Committee , had already expressed an . opinion , viz ., that the suspension of a brother in a Craft lodge , for alleged un-Masonic conduct , does not per se affect his position in Templar Masonry . In Sir Knight Cameron ' s case it appears that tlie Provincial Grand Conclave of Bengal have passed a by-law that the

suspension of a Craft Mason in a lodge working in the province under a Scotch Warrant is ipso facto a suspension of his privileges as an English Knight Templar . This is , it appears to the Committee , to resist the courtesies which exist and ought to exist between the various Masonic bodies acting under English and foreign jurisdictions , far beyond what is desirable , and they recommend that it should be intimated to the Provincial Grand

Conclave of Bengal that such a by-law cannot be sanctioned , and that its operation on Sir Knight Cameron must be taken as wholly void . It is not for this Grand Conclave to consider what might or might not , be the effect of proceedings properly instituted against Sir Knight Cameron , or how far he is liable to the charge , all that is necessary is to remit the matter to Sir Knight Sandeman , the Provincial Grand Master of the province

in which the alleged offence arose , unprejudiced by any opinion on the merits , with instructions to proceed according to the statutes , if he deem it necessary , or if the matter is properly and constitutionally brought before his tribunal . The Committee have received a memorial from the Knights of the Province of Worcester containing suggestions for several important alterations in the style , title , costume , an . d

decorations of the Order , on these matters they have not come to any fixed decision but they believe them worthy the due consideration of the Grand Conclave . Sir . Knt . Col . CLEEK moved that the report be received and entered on the minutes without adopting it . Sir Knt . MEr _ n . li then very lucidly explained tha matters which formed the proposed alterations in the statutes : —First ,

to alter the law which , at present , requires that every candidate for Knights Templary must be a Eoyal Arch Mason , and to extend the facilities of being elig ible to Craft Freemasons , after havingtaken the degree of a Master Mason . Second , that a permissive statute on the subject of costume might be included . Third , that a frater having served the office of Prelate in an

encampment , should be equally eligible with the captains for election as Eminent Commander . Sir Knt . Binckes moved that a Master Mason should be eligible for installation as a Knight Templar , without taking the Royal Arch degree , but after a probation of twelve mouths from the date of his third degree . Sir Knt . the Rev . John Huyshe stated

several objections against the proposal to do away with the Royal Arch membership installation as a Knt . Templar . He said that Grand Conclave had no power to make such a change . Thai Knts . Templar are , at present , actually protected by an Act of Parliament . That it would instead of more closely uniting tend to sever Freemasonry

and Templary , and concluded hy a powerful appeal to the M . E . and S . G . M . as to what he thought on the subject in conjunction with his own obligation ? The M . E . and S . G . M . had first thought favourably of the proposition , but since then he had changed his opinion . He had received memorials not to lower the standard of qualification , and , although he was told it would tend to increase their numbers , he would ask was that

desirable or what they wished ? If Master Masons were admitted the Order would lose some tinge of its respectability and be flooded by mere numbers , aud , consequently lie felt opposed toany such a change that struck at so fundamental a principle The V . H . and E . Dep . G . M . thought it was a very important , question and he was sorry for the decision of the M . E . and S . G . M . He should be sorry to contribute to any severance of either of

the degrees of Freemasonry , but it did not appear to him necessary to maintain the connection with Royal Arch Masonry which , latter , he could not see was more holy or peculiarly respectable than Craft Masonry . Sir Knt . Newall , said there was no step to Templary , though retaining the Royal Arch similar to that under the Supreme Grand Council . Sir Knt . Wright said as

Grand lodge had formerly relaxed the strings by abolishing the necessity of passing the chair before taking the Royal Arch , why could not they act in a similar way ? He knew of several Sir Knts , who , in ouder to become Templars , had taken the Royal Arch , but who never had entered a chapter since the day of their exaltation . Sir Knt . Spiers warmly supported the

proposition , arguing , from his knowledge of Oxford , that many were deterred from Templary because they had to wait twelve months before they took the Royal Arch , which was really nob necessary , and , therefore , he urged , should not be imposed . In Oxford many were unable to take the superior degree before they left ; and if it was desirable to induce men of high position

and liberal attainments , he thought one month was quite sufficient time to elapse between taking the degree of Master Masou and Knight Templaz-. Sir Knt . Barker said the old encampments where the Rose Croix was conferred never gave the latter but to a Knt . Templar ; but now , finding the Supreme Grand Council gave the former to Master Mason , he had heard no argument adduced why that which was done by one of the great powers in Freemasonry should not be done by another .