Eights Of The Wardens Of Private Lodges.

of doing all that a Worshipful Master may , or is entitled to do . The Grand Lodge of Florida , in 1858 , lays down , as its 4 th rule , that , " in the absence of the Master , the duties of his office devolve upon the Senior Warden ; and , in liis absence , upon the Junior AVarden . "

There is certainl y no difficulty about the matter in the last quotation , for there it expressly states the duties of the AV . M ., in his absence , devolve upon the Senior , first , ancl then the Junior AVarden .

The reports of the Grand Lodges of the various States of America are full of such decisions . It is a recognised rule in various countries , and the Grand Lodge of England is the only body of the kind that never takes the trouble to define its laws , but issues a Book of Constitutions , which , in numerous instances , is at total variance with all the rules and rep-ulations of the Craft from the

earliest times , tacitly ignoring one of its ancient charges , which , inconsistently enough , is bound up with it , and ordered to be read at every installation ; viz ., " that it is not in the poiver of any body of men to make innovations in the bod y of

Masonry ; " and yet , year after year , century after century , the Grand Lodge of England has been the greatest innovator in the body of Masonry , rejecting the old laws , ancl substitutin g for them vague and imperfect definitions , such as that on this

very question , showing that it is an absurdit y to leave to one officer the declaration of what is the law of the Craft , when it should be the duty of a permanent Committee , with the Grand Registrar for Chairman , to meet regularl y ancl decide , from

the old Constitutions , all points of Masonic law submitted to them . They should also be required to take notice of all amendments proposed , and see if they are iu accordance Avith . the laws of the Craft ; and , if not strictl y so , to have power

to prevent " any man from making innovation in the bod y of Masonry , " such as has been done at some previous time , ivhen , to tickle the vanity of the Past Masters , the just ri ghts , powers , and privileges of Lodge AVardens have been abrogated , and the unalterable constitutions of the . Craft infringed .

AVe are aware , however , that there is one Grand Masonic body which does not take this view of the question , as in Ireland the AVardens of a private lod ge have no rights in the absence of the Master

Eights Of The Wardens Of Private Lodges.

or a Past Master of that or some other lodge , as , without the presence of such an officer , the lodge cannot be opened . This is at least consistent ; which it is not to give an officer the power of opening a lodge , and then to lay it down as a law that he can do nothing but close it .

The Threatened Secession Ebom The Supreme Gbandboyal Aech Chapter Oe Scotland.—No. Ii.

THE THREATENED SECESSION EBOM THE SUPREME GBANDBOYAL AECH CHAPTER OE SCOTLAND . —No . II .

( From our own Correspondent . ) AVe last week broke silence upon a subject which continues to be a source of anxiety to all who feel an interest in the prosperity of Capitular Masonry under the Scottish Constitution . According to promise , we now present , in extenso , the much-maligned "

Decisions , " the pronouncing of which lias been employed as a - peg upon which to hang an accumulation of wrongs supposed to have been perpetrated by Grand Chapter upon certain magnates of the western metropolis , who , like the Ephesian silversmiths of old , finding their " Craft in danger to be set at nought , "

have endeavoured to excite a tumult among those engaged in " aiding in the Lord ' s work" throughout the western districts , ancl with what success remains to be seen .

The Grancl Committee having given a decision adverse to the claim preferred by the Prov . Grand Superintendent , of unlimited power in Boyal Arch matters within the provinces forming the AVestem District , Dr . Arnott dissented , and appealed to Supreme Grancl Chapter , which appeal would , in the

ordinary course of procedure , have come on for consideration at the Grancl Quarterly Communication on the third AVednesday of June last ; hut for reasons best known to the Doctor ancl his advisers , it was resolved by tfie Prov . Grand Chapter party , to take advantage of the Prov . Grancl Superintendent ' s

position as Past First Grand Principal , ancl have a special meeting of Grand Chapter , before which the arguments in sirpporfc of their appeal should be heard . Accordingly , Dr . Arnott addressed the following letter to Comp . Mackersy , Grand Scribe E , who summoned Grand Chapter to meet at Edinburgh on the 23 rd of

May last - . — " Glasgow , 17 th May , 1862 . "Sm , —B y virtue of the power conferred upon the First Grancl Past Principal by Cap . viii ., sec . 2 , of the Laws , I hereby request you to call a meeting of the Supreme Chapter in terms of that same law . " 1 . To consider whetherwhen a remit is made b

, y the Supreme Chapter to a Companion to report on any subject , he is prevented from taking such steps as ought to be taken by the Supreme Chapter itself , to procure the information he may deem necessary . " 2 . To consider the petition for disjunction of Ayrshire from the province of the West of Scotland , and