Western India.

cation of the 15 th July , 1861 , was informed by letter dated 6 th September , 1861 , that the Prov . G . M . was afforded much pleasure at the pleasing prospect of the re-opening of Lodge Faith , and trusted soon to hear throug h his zealous exertions that it had been placed in a permanent working order , and requested that certain dues owing to the Grand Lodge for some time past for warrants , books , & c , may speedily be forwarded to the Grand Lodge . Instruction was also requested as to how the box of books received from Bro . Laurie for the lodge was to be forwarded .

Tiie Secretary Lodge Hope , Kurrachee , was informed by letter dated the 21 st November , 1861 , in reply to his reference of the 30 th October , that no dispensation was needed for the initiation of Ensign Plummer , of Her Majesty's 4 th Regiment , aged 19 years , under the following amendmend to Section II . chap . xxxi . of the Constitution of the -Grand Lodge of Scotland ,- — " Every candidate shall be at least eighteen years of age before being entered an apprentice . "

Received a letter from the Secretary Lodge St . Andrew in the East , dated the 12 th December , 1861 , requesting that the Grand Lodge of Scotland be moved to send a speedy reply to Bro . F . F . Otto ' s appeal anent the sentence of suspension for six months from all Masonic , privileges passed against him by Lodge St . Andrew in the East , as well as to the question of his recognition as P . M . of Lodge St . Andrew in the East , referred to in paragraph 6 of the printed summary of the proceedings of the

Provincial Grand Lodge , dated the 10 August , 1 SG 1 . Received a letter from the Secretary Lodge St . Andrew in the East , Poona , of the 12 th December , 1861 , requesting that the Grand Lodge Secretary be addressed to forward Bro . Joseph Hillier ' s M . M . Diploma without delay , Bro . Hillier having been raised so far back as 17 th September , 1849 . Informed in replythat the G . Secwould be addressed regarding the first reference

. on the subject of Bro . F . P . Otto's appeal , and that the lodge should itself address the G . Sec . requesting Bro . J . Hillier's M . M . diploma . Received a letter from the Secretary , Lodge Hope , Kurrachee , forwarding for the approval of the Prov . G . M ., a revised copy by-laws for the government of the said lodge , and acknowledsing receipt of Bro . MaeCormack ' s past office certificate ; stating at

the same time that the usual fee for registration of the same would be forwarded . The by-laws approved of , with one exception , and that the lodge include in their revised by-laws a list of the recognisedOffice-bearers of a lodge—vide Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , —not omitting the much important

offices of Depute and Substitute Masters . Received a letter from the Secretary Lodge St . Andrew in the East , Poona , dated the 20 fch December , 1861 , forwarding for the approval of the Prov . G . M . of Western India , a revised copy of their by-laws , and a certificate of Past Mastership for Bro . J . D . Swiney . The Secretary in reply was requested to state why the important offices of Depute and Substitute Masters were omitted in the list of Office-bearers in the revised of

copy their by-laws . That Section IL , Chap . XXI . of the Constitutions required no such qualification for the occupancy of the chair in the East as that laid down in clause 2 of " Election of Office Bearers , " of their revised by-laws , viz ., "No brother who has not been a Master Mason for 12 months , and a member of this lodge for three months , can be put in nomination for the chair . That the

Worshipful Master on the day of his installation shall appoint the Seniorand Junior Wardens , Secretary , Senior and Junior Deacons , Inner Guard , and Steward , & e . " That by the Constitutions , Section XIX ., Chap . XXL , the W . M . had not the prerogative of appointing the Office-bearers , that they should be " elected by the lodge , " and that under the foregoing reasons the Prov . G . M . would much wish to see clause

2 of the revised by-laws substituted by one more in accordance with the laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . The certificate of Bro . Swiney ' s past office , returned registered , and fee for the same requested to he submitted . Received a letter from Bro . W . M . Hearn , Secretary of Lod <* e Victoria , Belgaum , dated the llth January , 1862 , reporting that Bro . Frederick Gillespie , who had heen raised on the 7 th October 1861 had not up to that date paid for his third degreeor

, , , his monthly subscriptions to tbe lodge , and' that he was moreover guilty of gross disrespect to the chair . Informed in reply that under the provisions of Section III ., Chap . XXI ., of the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , tho lodge had its means of recovering Bro . Gillespie ' s raising fee , and with regard to the " gross disrespect to the chair " on the part of the

said brother , that the letter under acknowledgment was wanting in minutia . to enable ' the Provincial Grand Lodge to give an opinion in the matter , but that under Section VI ., of the chapter quoted , the lodge itself had the power of calling the offending brother to account , and reporting eventually the result to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Western India . The Secretary was at the same time reminded of the non-compliance with the instructions of the Provincial Grand Lodge regarding

the forwarding of the returns aud fees due to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Western India . Read the following letter from the Grand Secretary to the - "Grand Lodge of Scotch Masonry in Western India : — " Grand Lodge of Scotland , Grand Secretary ' s Office , Freemason's Hall , 98 , George-street , Edinburgh , 18 th December , 1861 .

"E . W . Sir and Brother , —It is only within the last three weeks that I have received from Bro . Summers , yonr Provincial Grand Secretary , his letter to me dated 27 th May , 1861 , and transmitting proceedings of your Grand Lodge dated 16 th April and 10 th August , 1861 , and calling attention to certain paragraphs therein . I beg leave in the first place to state that there surely must have been some untoward circumstances attending the delay in transmitting the above documents here ,

which ought to be immediately investigated . Presuming from your taking active service in the Provincial Grand Lodge in the room- of Bro . Cartwright , and that you have changed your mind regarding the resolution you formerly came to , it is intended to confirm your appointment as Provincial Grand Master of Western India . In answer to paragraph 5 , the issue of-certificates by the Provincial Grand Lodge to past office bearers of daughter lodgesviz . Grand Lodge diplomasmay be endorsed

, , , by the Provincial Grand Secretary as to the rank or title the party bore in the lodge , provided evidence to that effect be furnished by the Master of said lodge . —Answer to paragraph 6 : According to the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of England , the Depute or Substitute Masters , unless already Past Masters , could not govern a lodge and confer degrees ; but , as the Grand Lodge of Scotland has not yet recognised the Past Master's

degree , the Depute and Substitute Masters are , according to the authorised ritual , as duly installed as the B . AV . Masters , and equally competent , in his absence , to govern the lodge , and confer degrees . An explanation is requested as to paragraph 7 , regarding twelve parchment certificates for office bearers sent to St . Paul , Mbow , and returned ; as nothing but Grand Lodge diplomas from hence can be granted to any one . —Paragraph 12 : The amount of £ 4 6 s . from Neemuch never yet received . It is .

particularly requested that all returns and fees due to Grand . Lodge be transmitted here , within one month after St . John ' sday , 27 th December , and the Provincial Grand Secretary should notify this immediately upon receipt to all the lodges in the province . I should like to hear from you by return mail on the subject of your commission , that no time may be lost in sending it out . —I am , It . W . dear sir and brother , yours truly and fraternally ,

( Signed ) " W . A . LATJEIE , Grand Secretary . "The E . W . Dr . G . B . Ballingall , Acting Provincial Grand Master of Western India . " Wrote a letter to the Secretary to the Grand Lodge of Scotland on the llth February , 1862 , forwarding copy of a letter from the Secretary of Lodge St . Andrew in the East , Poona , and requesting early replies to the appeals made by Bro . F . F .

Otto , noticed in paragraph 4 of this summary . Noticed also that the majority of the lodges , as per note , * working in Western India , had reported that they had received no acknowledgment of their returns of intrants and fees , & c , for a considerable time , and that even in some instances diplomas since 1857 were still wanting ; the Prov . G . M . of Western India hoped that these omissions only required to be brought to the notice of the Grand Lodge to be rectified .

Wrote a letter to the Secretary to Lodge Perseverance , Bombay , dated the 13 th February , 1863 , informing him that a communication had been made to the Grand Lodge Secretary on the subject of the non-receipt of the Grand Lodge Diplomas . Wrote a letter , dated the 13 th February , 1863 , to the Secretary of Lodgo Perseverance , Bombay , forwarding for the favourable consideration ofthe lodge an appeal for pecuniary aid from the widow of the late Bro . W . J . Kenderdine .