Masonic Laws.

lapse of one or tAvo years . The latter provision would afl'ord an opportunity of paying especial honour iu particular cases . The case of a Provincial Grand Master is far worse than the preceding , and tlie existing law not only mag operate prejudiciall yhut iu my opinion has done so .

, The appointment to tlie headship of a province is , iu the words of the "Book of Constitutions , " " a prerogative of the Grand Master , by whom a patent may be granted during pleasure . " - Thus a province has no voice in the election of the brother who is to rule over

them ; and those who have ever assisted in an attempt , to remove an existing Provincial Grand Master are aware hoAV difficult , . nay almost impossible , it is to effect a change , hoAvever urgent the need , oAving to the forms AA'hich must be complied Avith , and the barriers in the Avay of preventing the reception of evidence of impropriety or incapacity . Againa man

, may afc one period of his life be very suitable , and at another , through change of circumstances , be quite the contrary , yet , though COUSCAOIAS of it himself , his pride will not alloAV him to offer his resignation , and the appointment being at the pleasure of the Grand Master , he is naturally unwilling to take a step so

personall y unpleasant as the withdraAval of a patent . Thus matters go on Avith great dissatisfaction in the particular locality . In fact the Grand Master has the power to act arbitrarily and against the wishes of the lodges , both in the first appointment to the office , and in continuing a Mason therein , and may exercise

it almost unconsciously and without any intention to act counter to the general desire , which he has no opportunity of ascertaining . He may imagine himself correct iu his estimate of the Masonic fitness of au individual for the situation , but I maintain that qualities are required of which he can form no opinion , and that want of local knoAvledge of the feeling towards him in the district must render it difficult to ascertain I

-the success which is likely to attend his rule over the brethren . Under present circumstances a Prov . Grand Master may be upheld in his position at headquarters , notwithstanding any amount of unpopularity , misconduct , or incapacity . In the Mark degree such a state of things is impossible , or , if it exist , the fault lies iu

the brethren . The recommendation of an individual to the office of Prov . Grand Master proceeds from the province itself , the Grand Master having merely to ¦ decide on its propriety and to give his sanction . The tenure of office , as in ' the other case , is limited by laAv to three yearswhich ives a fair chance to other

emi-, g nent brethren of , in turn , arriving at the distinction ; and thus is preA-ented the danger of maintaining an obnoxious brother at the head of a province , contrary to the wish of those Avho compose it , ancl of whom scarcely any amount of impropriety on his part will enable them to get ridas is the case under the Craft

, jurisdiction . Such an arrangement appears to be eminently Avorthy ofthe consideration ofthe Craft Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England . Ifc would give great satisfaction in certain districts , which ifc is not desirable to name ; and no amount of self-satisfaction Avith their own doings should cause our

authorities to refuse to profit by the example of a department toAvards which they may not entertain the most fraternal feeling , if a change Avould conduce to general benefit . Tours fraternally , April 17 th , 1805 . P . M ., P . Z ., P . P . G . W .

Ar00703

THE MASONIC MIRROR ,

Masonic Mem.

MASONIC MEM .

Ifc will be seen by an official notice in our first page that a portion of the new buildings in Great Queen-sfcreefc is to be opened for Masonic purposes on the 1 st of May .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The annual Grand Lodge and Festival took place on Wednesday last , aud was most numerously attended . The time for opening the Grand Lodge was fixed for four o ' clock , and afc thafc hour there was a very full attendance of the brethren . Amongst those present were—Bros , fche Earl of Zetland , M . AV . G . M . ; John Fawcett , Prov . G . M . Durham , as D . G . M . ; Francis Alston ,

P . G . AV . as S . G . W . ; Frederick Pattison , P . G . W . as J . G . W . ; Samuel Tomkins , G . Treas . ; iEneas J . Mclnfcyre , G . Keg . ; J . LI . Evans , President of the Board of General Purposes ; W . Gray Clarke , G . Sec . ; J . R . Stebbing and G . Plucknett , G . D . ' s ; F , P . Cockerel ! , G . Snpfc . of Works j T . Fenn , Assist , G . Dir . of Cers . ; AV . Young , G . S . B . ; AV . Farnfield , Assist . G . Sec ;

Jas . Stimpson , G . Org . ; T . G . Dickie , G . Purst . ; J . Emmens , Assist . G . Purst . ; K . J . Bagshaw , Prov . G . M . Essex ; Colonel Bowyer , Prov . G . M . Oxford ; Lord De Tabley , Prov . G . M . Cheshire ; Lord Sherborne , Prov . G . M . Gloucestershire ; Geo . Cornwall Leigh , John Havers , R . W . Jennings , F . Dundas , and Algernon Perkins , P . G . W . ' s ; Revs . Sir J . Warren Hayes

and John Huyshe , P . G . Chaps . ; J . N . Tomkins , John Nelson , J . J . Blake , B . Head , J . Hervey , J . Savage , F . Slight , J . S . S . Hopwood , S . B . AVilson , and Jolm Udall , P . G . D . 's ; S . E . Nutt and N . Bradford , P . Assist . G . Dir . of Cers . ; A . A . Le Veau , AV . C . Walmisley , and B . J . Spiers , P . G . S . B . ' s ; and Jos . Smith , P . G . Purst .

Soon afterwards Bro . Havers , fche Chairman of the Building Committee entered and said , that as Grand Lodge would not be opened for three quarters of an hour , thafc if the brethren chose they could inspect fche whole of the new buildings which had been completed . The brethren gladly accepted the invitation , and , escorted by Bro . Havers , thoy visited the

four principal lodge rooms , to which the names of " Zetland , " " De Grey , " " Dalhousie , " and " Moira , " have been applied . Afc the present time they are entirely destitute of ornament , but are very neatly furnished , and although they are not so large as many of the brethren wero led to anticipate , yet they will no doubt be very commodious apartments for fche purposes

intended , and the entrance to each room has been so arranged as to be uniform , and leading to no difficulty whatever on entering tho lodge room . Another large apartment to which the brethren were conducted was the Board Room , iu which all future meetings of the Board of General Purposes and Board of Benevolence will be held . The light in this room is rather more

subdued than is agreeable , but as fche greater part of the meetings will take place in tlie evening , with an artificial light , that little drawback may not form any serious objection . There are rooms for the Grand Secretary , clerks , and waiting rooms for brethren having business at the oflice , and these will all be taken possession of on Monday next , as well as some of the

lodge rooms . Bro . Havers attended the brethren , to explain the uses of the different rooms , and to answer any questions respecting them . The brethren then returned to the Temple , and afc ten minutes past five o ' clock , the Right Hon . Burl of Zetland , M . AV . G . M ., entered , attended by the Grand Officers , and took hia seat on