Grand Lodge Of Emergency, Nov. 19.

Cambridge ; S . Bawson , Prov . G . M . of China ; Colonel Burlton , Prov . G . M . of Bengal ; Lord Goclerich , S . G W . ; Frederick Dundas , as J . G . W . ; Cox and Moore , G . Chaps ; Henderson , P . U . Keg . ; Dobie . G . Beg ; J . Havers , P G . S . D . ; J . Hcrvey , P . G . J . D . ; H . K . G . Potter , P . G . S . D ; H Faudel , P . G J . D . ; J . Parkinson , P . G . J . D . ; T . White , P . G . J . D . ; A . A . Le Voau , P . G . S . B . ; B . J . Spiers , P . G . S . B . ; T . Masson , P . G . S . B . ; J . Bigas , P . G . S . B . ; II . Parker , P . G . S . B . ; T . B . King , P . G . S . B . ; H . L . Crohn , Sec . for German Correspondence ; White and Farnfield ; B . W . Jennings

, G . Dir . of Cer . ; W . Eroding , P . G . Purs . The G . L . having been opened in due form , The G . SECRETARY read the Circular issued by the M . W . W . G . M ., convening the G . L . of Emergency , which was couched in the following terms : — " United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England .

" The Bight Hon . the Earl of Zetland , & c , & c , ftc , M . W . Grand Master . "W . MASTER—At the Quarterl y Communication on the ' 3 rd September last , time did not admit of all the business intended for that meeting being concluded , and an adjournment was made to that day month , when many Brethren assembled and proceeded to business ; but that latter meeting being in contravention of the Laws of the Craftthe MWGrand Master feels himself called

, . . upon , in the faithful discharge of his duty under the solemn obligation of office , to announce to the Brethren generally that any proceedings then adopted can have no operation . "The Grand Master , however , is unwilling that any inconvenience should result from unnecessary delay , and has , therefore , ordered that a Grand Lodge of Emergency be summoned for the 19 th of November next , to proceed with the business not disposed of at the Quarterly Communication on the 3 rd of September .

"You are accordingly hereby summoned to attend a Grand Lodge of Emergency , to be holden at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , the 19 th day of November , 1856 , together with your Wardens and Past Masters , at seven o ' clock in the evening , to proceed with the business not disposed of at the Quarterl y Communication on the 3 rd of September last . " The Grand Lodge to be opened at eight o ' clock precisely . " By command of the M . W . Grand Master , " Freemasons' Hall , " WILLIAM H . WHITE , G . S . . " London , 31 st October , 1856 . "

DECISION OF THE G . M . THAT THE G . L . HAS NO POWEE TO ADJOTJEN . The G . M . said : Brethren , I think it due to G . L . that I should now state my reasons more immediately for calling this G . L ., and I trust I shall be able to show you , in connexion with those reasons , that I have taken this step simply because , in my opinion , it was a step necessary to the faithful discharge of my duty . At the September Q . C . the GLpassed a resolution that the GLshould

, .. .. adjourn to the first of October ; and now I have to give my most decided opinion that such an adjournment was illegal . ( Hear , hear . ) And that whatever proceedings took place at such adjourned meeting are null and void . ( Hear . ) BrethrenI will nowstate my reasons for coming to this decision . By the Book of Constitutions , page 19 , art . 7 , the law states that there shall be 4 Quarterl y Communications . " Four grand lodges shall be holden , " for quarterlcommunicationin each viz the first Wed

y , year , ., on - " nesday in the months of March , June , September , and December , " at which none shall be present but the proper members , without | ( permission of the grand master . No visitor shall speak to any ^ question without leave of the grand master , nor shall he , on any occasion , be permitted to vote . " _ But there is not one word in the Book of Constitutions which proyules , which gives power to G . L ., - propria motu , to adjourn . The Isook of Constitutions , however , does provide for Lodges of

Iwnergency , and in page 21 , art 10 , you will find the G . M ., or in his absence , " the pro grand master , in his absence , the deputy ( | grand master , or , in his absence , the grand wardens , may sum-„ l on aIW hold grand lodges of emergency , whenever the good ( i of the craft shall , in their opinion , require it ; the particular fi reason for convening such lodge of emergency shall be expressed in the summons , and no other business shall ' be entered upon at that meeting . " Now , Brethren , you will observe by that law that special

instructions are given as to the mode of holding these G . Lodges of Emergency , but not a word is said about the power of adjourning . I may go farther and say that private lodges are governed by much the same laws as G . L ., and that no meeting of a private lodge can beadjourned ; butthemasterof aprivatelodge may and does convene lodges of emergency . I think it due to G . L . that I should explain whatl I consider to be the real state of the case . In June , 1853 , the G . M summoneda G . L . of Emergency owing to a pressure of business , and that special G . L . was called by command of the G . M . That is a

course which differs entirely from the course pursued in Sept . last , because the G . M . was not in the chair , but G . L . simply passed a resolution to adjourn the meeting , which they had no power to do . In 1854 ( April 26 ) the summons states that that being the day of humiliation , the G . Festival cannot be held , and that the G . M . had appointed the 29 th of that month and required the brethren to meet on the 26 th in order to adjourn till the 29 th of the same month . This adjournment was moved and seconded , and done by command of the G . M entirely . The G . M . had previouslfixed

y the day to which the adjournment should be made , and it was adjourned in consequence of his commands . I may state further , that looking over the minutes of G . L ., it appears to me that " adjourn" is a term which , when used with respectto G . L ., is the same as when used in the House of Commons . In that House the question is " that the House do now adjourn , " which means to the next legal day of meeting , and it is adjourned accordingly to the next day appointed by law for it to meet , and so when G . L . " adjourns , "

it means that it adjourns till the next Quarterly Communication . I am prepared to stand by my own decision on this point—that when G L . adjourns it adjourns to the next legal day , unless a G . L . of Emergency be called by the G . M . for special business , and on which occasion no other business can be done except such business as appears upon the circular convening that G . L . of Emergency . In 1854 ( June 7 ) the G . L . ( it is an error on the printer ' s part to say June 22 , for on that day no G . L . took place ) . I have taken some pains to ascertain the law of the case , and I find that in my

view of the law of the case , I am supported by the opinions of the present G Beg ., the past G . Beg ., and the G . Beg . before him . ( Hear , hear . ) In fact I have all the legal authorities with me . I think , therefore , that in accordance with the obligation which I have taken an oath to perform , viz ., to adhere to the ancient usages of the craft , and maintain the law as in my opinion it stands . I can only come to the painful resolution to determine that the meeting of certain members of G . L ., held on the 1 st Oct ., was an illegal meeting , and that all the proceedings thereat were

null and void , and I now call upon the G . See . to take up the business of this evening at the point at which it had arrived when the G . L . closed at its Quarterly Communication in September . ( Applause . ) BRO . HEARNE : PastD . P . G . M . of the Isle of Wight , M . W . G . M . with every deference—G . M .: I shall not allow the point to be argued . The G . SEC . then read the minutes of the proceedings and the Report of the Colonial Committee .

THE COLONIAL COMMITTEE . BRO . Col . BUKLTQN moved that this report be adopted , and spoke as follows : —I regret that this duty should not have fallen upon some one more capable of doing justice to it than I am ; but though I may . be somewhat plain in my speech , I hope you will excuse me , and allow me to speak with that frankness which becomes one gentleman towards another . I shall say nothing , disrespectful to you M . W . Siror to the hih position which hold

, g you . I shall say nothing to disturb the harmony of this meeting , or of the craft , which I deeply regret to say has been seriously disturbed of late . In rising to propose the adoption of this Beport , I am bound to do so because your lordship has summoned us here to do it , but it seems to me a question which has alread y been decided in a regular Grand Lodge ( applause ) ; and I do hope your lordship will allow me temperately to argue this point . ( Hear , hear . ) The G . M .: I cannot allow you to do soand I do hope that GL

, .. will support me in endeavouring to do my duty in expounding the law to the best of my ability , and I shall not submit , after so expounding the law , to have my decision controverted on the present occasion . I must beg the worthy brother , therefore , to confine himself to the question of this Beport , which is the only question before G . L ., and not to the law which I have laid down . ( Applause . ) BRO . BURLTON : The question is who has the power to make the