Divided Jurisdiction.

DIVIDED JURISDICTION .

LONDON , SATUMDAT , MARCH 26 , 1864

By the mail just arrived from India we have received the folloiving correspondence upon a subject which has already occupied a considerable portion of our space , and upon which it is not our intention at present to make any special remarks .

But we give to the correspondence Somewhat more than usual prominence , inasmuch as Bro . Judge suggests a plan by which the evils of divided allegiance to the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland , which now

exists in the Colonies , may be in some degree mitigated , if not wholly removed , and which we think worthy of serious consideration by those in authority . No doubt , in the first instance , some difficulties would be found to exist in bringing

about a friendly relation betAveen the three Grand Lodges , but by earnest endeavours , each to meet the other for the general good of Freemasonry , all difficulties would soon be made to disappear , and the power of the three Grand Lodges in

union would be much greater than it can ever be , whilst they exist , as at present , so far removed from each other , that scarcely anything but mere nominal relations exist between them . On this

subject , however , we shall have something more to say hereafter : — TO THE EDITOR OE THE EREElU-SOKS' JI 1 . SA . ZO . E J _ 3 SD JSASOIHC HTJ-BOB . DEAE SIE AS "_ BEOTHEE , —By the mail before last I sent ; you a printed copy of the correspondence and the resolutions of the District Grand Lodof Bombay

ge upon the subject of the un-Masonic charges made against me by E . "W . Bros . K . B . Barton , G . R . Ballingall , and Bro . G . A . Summers , all hailing from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and by the last mail I wrote to you on the subject . I now send you a copy of the letter and

accompaniments sent hence by the present mail by the R . W . Master of Bombay and the District Grand Lodge of Bombay under Englaud to the Grand Secretary for submission to the Grand Lodge of England . Tou will perceive that the resolutions of the District

Grand Lodge of Bombay under England were passed on the 2 nd December last , and were communicated officially to the Provincial Grand Lodge of "Western India under Scotland on the 10 th of the same month , and that no reply beyond a bare aeknoivledginent of the receipt of our Provincial Grand Secretary's letter ,

has up to this time been received from the Provincial Grand Lodge of "Western India , though eleven weeks instead of three have elapsed since the said resolutions were communicated to them , and they held a meeting of their Provincial Grand Lodge on the 26 th December last . In conclusion , I would most strongly urge you for the good of the Craft in the colonies and in India to

advocate a single government for each province . The best plan of all would be a Supreme Grand Lodge for England , Scotland and Ireland to be elected by the present Grand Lodges . It would have so little to do that it would not meet more than once a year . "Under this Supreme Grand Lodge might be placed all the colonies and Indiaso that lodges in the colonies and

, India would not be English , Scotch or Irish lodges , but simply British lodges , and there would never ba more than one Provincial Grand Master and District Grand Lodge in any colonial or Indian province . Tou , who in England live at home at ease , and are never troubled with the jealousies engendered by

conflicting jurisdictions , cannot conceive the boon this would be to us poor exiles . I am so attached to tha Grand Lodge of England , the Grand Lodge of my native land , that I would never forsake her , but others are not equally patriotic , and a Grand Lodge for India has more than once been proposed to me . Of course I

rejected the idea , but others are not equally patriotic , and if some proper steps are not taken I should not be at all surprised to see India separating herself from , the Grand Lodge of England , as Canada has dona and as Australia is threatening to do . "What is

wanted m the colonies and m India is one head or Provincial Grand Master , and one District Grand Lodge for each province and the entire abolition of the names and distinctions of English , Irish and Scotch Masons . AVe don't want , and the most peaceable amongst us deprecate , national and tribal , or sectarian rivalrybut we wish to substitute for it

, rivalry in Masonic work and lore alone in our lodges . I have drawn up a mere outline of our requirements , because I did not like to bore you with a long letter , but if England , Scotland and Ireland wish to retain the Masonic allegiance of India and the colonies I am quite certain that they cannot do better than as

I have roughly pointed out . I have the details all worked out , but it would ba mere waste of time to send them to you before tha Grand Lodges agree to adopt the general plan suggested by me for governing India and the colonies . Tours truly and fraternally , G . S . JUDGE .

Bombay , 27 th February , 1864-. District Grand Lodge of Bombay and its Territories , Bombay , 10 th December , 1863 . ( No . 83 )

V . "W . Bro . Marriott , Prov . G . Secretary of the Provincial Grand Lodge of "Western India under Scotland , Bombay . V . "W . SIE AND BEOTHEE , —I am directed by the R . "W . the Prov . G . Master of Bombay under England to forward the annexed resolutions , * which were

unanimously passed at the last half-yearly communication of the District Grand Lodge of Bombay and its Territories under England , held on the 2 nd instant , together with a letter from the Deputy Prov . G . Master of Bombay , under England , R . "W . Bro . G . S . Judge , of the 25 th November last , f in reply to your predecessor ' s letter to me of the 17 th October last , and to request you to be good enough to lay the same