The Threatened Secession From The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.—No. V .

true that Dr . Arnott Avas informed that such a remit was made to him , but until he received the extract minute he AA as not in a position to act under it , and it shows clearly the indecent haste which characterised the Avhole proceedings , and

Avould give rise to the surmise , that there Avere other reasons connected Avith the harsh treatment of No . 80 Chapter Avhich do not appear on the surface . The supreme Chapter Avill judge whether , as alleged in the report , the books Avere " freely " given up by Companion Good , on looking to the

account of the transaction given by the Provincial Grand Scribe B himself in his letter to Dr . Amott , and Avhich has already been quoted . " The next matter referred to is the petition and complaint presented by the Chapter No . 80 , and Avhich it is made a subject of grievance , that the Committee ordered to be ansAvered '

notAvithstandmg * Companion Dr . Walker Arnott having , m his letter of 7 th April referred to , stated his opinion that a Provincial Grand Chapter or Provincial Superintendent has power to call for the books of any Chapter under its jurisdiction , at any time and in the manner deemed most suitable . '

If Dr . Walker Arnott ' s opinion Avas to be the k \ v by which the Order was to be governed , of course there would have been an end of the matter ; the Committee , however , preferred taking the Supreme Chapter Laws as their guide , and accordingly in terms of Cap . hi . sect . 2 they appointed a copy

, , of the petition and complaint to be served , and ansAvers lodged . These answers Avere lodged and then followed the minute lodged by Chapter No . 80 , to Avhich the reporters advert . The Committee by no means approved of the statements made in

this document , and they Avere clearly of opinion that the case of the Chapter No . 80 Avould have been much strengthened had they refrained from expressing themselves so strongly ; at the same time , the Committee could not help feeling that the Chapter had met A \* ith great

provocation—1 . By the seizure of their books in a Avay the Committee Avill venture to say Avas never before attempted by any ruling Masonic body ; and , 2 , by the rash and unguarded statements and insinuations made by Dr . Walker Arnott , as to the possibility of the members of the Chapter falsifying

their books . On these grounds the Committee felt that they could not comment severely upon the minute Avithout also noticing the causes Avhich occasioned it , and they pronounce the deliverance already quoted , AA'hich they thought at the time almost too favourable to Dr . Walker Arnott .

" The Report next goes on to allude to the special meeting called by Dr . Walker Arnott , and on this point the Committee wo aid onl y add to Avhat they have already said on this point , that in their opinion it Avould have been more manl y and more in accordance Avith their obligations as Royal Arch

Masons had the reporters attended that meeting and stated their vieAvs , instead of allowing Dr . Arnott to attend it alone and unsupported , and

then to hold illegal meetings , and endeavour to SOAV dissensions among the different Chapters . " In conclusion , the Committee would onl y shortly notice the six reasons of dissent Avith which this Report concludes : —

" " 1 . The Committee do not dispute that Dr . Walker Amott could have called for the books of any Chapter in his province at any time he pleased had he done so in a proper manner and in accordance Avith Cap . X . sect . 12 . But they do dispute the proposition that either Dr . Walter Arnottor

, the Supreme Chapter , could laAvfully send a messenger to the private dAvelhng-house of an Officebearer of a subordinate Chapter , and in the absence ofthe Fh'st Principal , and Avithout consent of that Chapter , under threats of suspension , carry off the Chapter ' s books .

" 2 . As already explained , '' Dr . Walker Arnott made the seizure of the books five days before he Avas in possession of the remit here referred to , but apart from this , a remit to report upon a petition by private members of the Order resident in Ayr , for the disjunction and erection of that

province , could not give Dr . Arnott right to seize the books of a Chapter , which was not petitioning , in the manner complained of .

" 8 . The petition and complaint against Dr . Walker Arnott cannot be held to be a part of the petition for disjunction of Ayrshire , although the reporters try to mix up the matters . Moreover , cap . xiii ., sections 2 and 3 , give the Committee no discretionary poAver in the matter .

" 4 . This reason is , to say the least of it , childish . The minutes , both of the Supreme Chapter and Committee are entered in one minute book , the minutes of the Committee are confirmed by the Chapter , and to become part of the actings of that body ; the extract , therefore , Avas correctly stated

to be an ' extract from the minutes of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland . ' " 5 . The Committee never heard of the relevancy of the prayer of a petition being sustained , —if the statements are found to be relevant and can be substantiated , then the prayer will be gi-anted ,

if not , it Avill be refused . It must stand or fall by the statement of facts . The Committee do not think the petition ought to have been at once dismissed . " 6 . The Supreme Chapter decided the matter after hearing all that Dr . Walker Arnott had to say upon the subject .

" With these remarks the Committee Avould leave the matter in the hands of the Supreme Chapter , to be dealt with as the Chapter may see fit . The Committee have made no observations on tlie A ery extraordinary resolutions adopted at the meeting held in GlasgOAV on 12 th Sept . inst . A

, simple perusal of these , as contained , in the copy of the minute of meeting in the Appendix hereto , Avill sufficiently sheAV the spirit of insubordination Avith AAdiich the parties present at the meeting Avere actuated .