Ar00400

by that body . We believe that there is a growing desire among the Craft in England not to be behind their Colonial Brethren in the power of self-government ; and sure we are , that while the present system of centralization is both injurious to the development of Masonry , and to the character of those who aspire to its honours , the contrary policy , to which Masonry forms the sole

exception in this country , would tend at once to invigorate the Institution , and to strengthen all the higher qualities of its individual members .

Ar00402

IT has often been asserted by the maintainors of things as they are , that Masonry is after all nothing more than a convivial association , with a little spice of charity , just to give it a respectable appearance ; and that the less Masons trouble themselves with business , —or as it is usually termedwith questions about

, which there may be differences of opinion—the better . It is on this ground that Pr . G . Masters think themselves justified , as has lately been the case in HAMPSHIRE and SOMERSET , in preventing the transaction of anything but the usual childish routine of unmeaning compliment . We need scarcely say that this estimate of the duties

and responsibilities of Masons , is one from which we entirely dissent ; believing as we do that the Order is of little use , excepting in so far ' as it teaches us that which Englishmen alone are permitted to exercise—the art of self-government . For this reason we hail with very great satisfaction the interest that is being taken by several Lodges in

the Provinces , in the appointment of the BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . That body , one half of which is nominated by the G . M ., and the other by the Masters and Wardens of all Lodges on the register , is entrusted with the supervision of the finances of the Order , as well as with its discip line . It surely requires no argument to showthat any system of voting whichin

, , effect , disfranchises all the Country Lodges , and places the election in the hands of a few London Lodges , or worse still , hands it over to the Grand Registrar , and his friends , at solemn luncheon assembled , is an outrage upon all fairness and decency . Yet such is , and always has been , the result of having but one polling place ,

and that in London . The consequence is , that the appointment to seats at the board becomes a part of the patronage of the G . M . ' s advisers , and a means of perpetuating that system of servility which is at present one of the disgraceful characteristics of Masonry , especiallin the Metropolis . On the contrary , if the

y Country Lodges were enabled to exercise that power which the Constitutions give them , and to elect onehalf of the Board from among themselves , they would be able , by their independent suffrages , to return some distinguished brother from every Province in turn , who would really represent the wishes and wants of

his constituents . We should then have no more of the scandalous waste of Country Funds , with which the London G . L . amuses itself , whenever it wishes to prove its devotion to the Executive . Our money instead of being squandered in decoration and ventilation ,

patching up worn out organs , building a club house for the Londoners , and other such pleasant playthings , might then go to the support of our Charities , while the Provincial Mason would then be spared those constant appeals to his private liberality , which press most unfairly upon those who are put to a vast expense in order to attend in London , to watch over those finances ,

which , if properly applied , would more than satisfy all charitable claims upon the Craft . We believe then , that when , by the introduction of voting papers , we have a Board that really represents the Country , we shall have taken a step—and that a very important one—towards bringing English Masonry into closer accord with the general progress of the nineteenth century .

Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

[ Published by the permission of the M . W . the G . M ., upon the Publisher ' s responsibility for Hie accuracy of the report ^] Q . UARTEIU . Y COMJlUtUCATION . THE quarterly communication of Grand Lodge was holden in the Great Hall , on Wednesday last , the 7 th instant , the R . W . D . G . M ., Lord Panmure , presiding as Grand Master , supported by Bros . Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis , D . Prov . G . M . for Hampshire , as D . G . M . ; Hall , Prov . G . M . for Cambridgeshire ; Ramsay , Prov .

G . M ., Bengal ; Col . Burlton , Past Provincial Grand Master , Bengal ; Lord de Tabley , S . G . W . ; Co ! . Bvownrigg , P . G . W ., as J . G . W . ; Savage , S . G . D ; Slight , J . G . D . ; F . Roxburgh , G . Reg . ; S . Tomkins , G . Treas . ; W . G . Clark , G . Sec . ; Rev . A . Ward , G . Chaplain ; Rev . —Moore , P . G . Chaplain ; E . G . Pocock , G . S . B . ; Jennings , G . D . of Cers . ; A . W . Woods , P . G . D . of Cers . ; Farnfield , Asst , G . Div . of Cers . ; Daukes . G . Supt . of Works ; Horsley , G . Org . ; Smith , G . Purs . ; Adams , Asst . G . Purs . ; Fred . Dundas , P . G . W . ; Pattison , P . G . W . ; Rev . Sir J . W . Hayes , P .

Prov . G . Chaplain ; W . P . Scott , P . G . D . ; Hervoy , P . G . D . ; Havers , P . G . D . ( President of the Board of General Purposes ); Hopwood , P . G . D . ; Faudell , P . G . D . ; J . N . Tomkins , P . G . D . ; Nelson , P . G . D . ; S . B . Wilson , P . G . D . ; Masson , P . G . S . B . ; Spiers , P . G . S . B . ; Udall , P . G . S . B . ; Evans , P . G . S . B . ( President of the Colonial Board ); Patten , P . G . S . B . ; & c , & c . The Grand Lodge having been opened in ample form , and the minutes of the last quarterly communication read—Bro . MADDEN , on the motion that they be confirmed , rose and said , that as the immediate Past Master of the Lodge of Concord ,

No . 49 , he wished to explain how it was that the Lodge had ceased to meet , and to expose itself to the sentence of erasure passed upon it at the last meeting of Grand Lodge . It so happened that the house in which the meetings of the Lodge used to be held in the time of Bro . Cruccfix had been pulled down , and the house erected in its stead was devoted to other purposes . In the mean time Bro . Crucifix . died and the Brethren dispersed , but he ( Bro . Madden ) was at present busily engaged in finding out their addresses , and having the support of many influential brethren he was ready to

pay the fees and do all that was necessary to resuscitate the Lodge and save its number . The warrant had , in the confusion of Bro . Crucefix ' s papers , unfortunately been mislaid , but no effort on his part would be spared to recover it ; he therefore hoped that Grand Lodge would allow No . 49 to remain on the register . The President of the Board of General Purposes was sure Grand Lodge would be ready to give Bro . Madden every assistance , under the peculiar circumstances he had mentioned . Bro . Madden ' s coursehoweverwas not to ask Grand Lodge to rescind a

reso-, , lution at which it had once arrived , but simply to move that the confirmation of so much of the minutes as referred to the erasure of No . 49 be deferred until such time as Grand Lodge had further considered the question . Bro . MADDEN having moved in the spirit of Bro . Havers ' s suggestion , and the motion having been duly seconded , the original motion so modified was put and carried .

INVESTITURE OF ASSISTANT GRAND TUliSUIVANT . The DEPUTY GRAND MASTER then called Bro . Thomas Alexander Adams to the dais , to which he was conducted by the Grand Director of Ceremonies , when addressing him , the noble lord said he felt great pleasure in investing him with the insignia of the important office of Assistant Grand Pursuivant . His selection for that