Ar00400

IT is high time that something definite were laid down as to the power of GRAND LODGE to deal with documents before it , without previous notice having been given of any intended motion . The present state of things is unsatisfactory in the extreme .

In order to prevent members of G . L . being taken by surprise , it is laid down at p . 20 of the Book of Constitutions , that a " General Committee , " ( ordinarily called " the Board of Masters , " ) shall meet before each G . L . and that all intended motions shall be communicated to them for their . information .

If this rule were adhered to , it is obvious that no motion could ever be made upon the reports of Boards , upon petitions and representations , or upon any communication whatever , except by the Masters of Lodges , who - alone , with those wearing the purple , are members of the General Committee , and hear these papers read , and

so all P . M . ' s and Wardens , and all Provincial representatives , would be practically unable to deal in G . L . with any document which was then for the first time brought before it . This would be so inconvenient , that it has always been customary to allow of motions being made upon any paper before G . L ., provided the paper itself had previously been communicated to the General Committee . An instance or two will suffice to show this .

In December 1856 , a communication was read from Lord NAAS involving the question of whether the Master of a Lodge had the right to refuse admission to a visiting Mason , if he considered him an improper character . There was considerable difference of opinion . upon this point , in G . L . ; and it was a question which might fairly demand a deliberate decisionand on which

, G . L . ought not to have been surprised into a vote without notice . And yet the GRAND REGISTRAR was permitted ¦ without any previous notice whatever , to move a resolution permitting a W . M . so to exclude whom he pleased . Again , in March last , on a petition being read from TASMANIAappealing against the arbitrary conduct of

, the P . G . M ., Lord PANMURE was permitted without any previous notice , to move a resolution approving of the conduct of that functionary . And at the last meeting of G . L ., an abusive attack was made upon ourselves , without any previous notice even at the Board of Mastersand sowithout any opportunity of defence

, , being afforded us : and a vote of confidence in the G . M . was then proposed , again without any notice whatever , —a proceeding highly calculated to " take the Brethren by surprise" ( to quote the words of the Book of Constitutions ) . Doubtless it was a sore temptation to the EXECUTIVE

to make up for the loss of their partridges , by having what we may term a " sitting " shot at us in G . L . ; but the proceeding was scarcely more constitutional than sportsmanlike . At the same meeting of G . L . at which these breaches of the law were allowed , certain letters were placed in the hands of the Brethren , purporting to be written "by the Grand Secretary to the Past P . G . M . of Quebec .

As these letters , which we print to-day , are known to have given great offence in Canada , and are , indeed , exceedingly vulgar and impertinent , Lord CARNARVON was anxious to take the opinion of G . L . upon them , as had been done without notice upon other documents , by Lord PANMURE and Bros . DOBIE and Sir L . CURTIS , previously . He was , however , refused permission by

the G . M . We are not surprised at this , though we must confess our inability to see the slightest distinction between the cases ; except , indeed , —which can of course have no influence with the G . M . or his advisers—that in one case the motion proceeded from a Brother below the Dais , in the other , from those upon it .

Ar00401

WE are happy to see that the PROVINCES are beginning to shew signs of vitality . Our Canadian brethren complain that "although they have been in theory governed by the GRAND LODGE of England , practically they have been under the

immediate controul of the M . W . GRAND MASTER , and a small body of London brethren . " This is perfectly true , and they have very properly adopted their only remedy—independent local organization . Are we content , however , to allow G . L . to be reduced to the avowed partisans of the G . M . and a score or two

of London masons ? If not , the Provinces must bestir themselves , must ascertain what they want , and put themselves to the trouble of attending four times a year in G . L ., however inconvenient such a course mav be .

The LODGE OF ECONOMY , No . 90 , Winchester , has set a good example in this respect , by subscribing towards the expenses of its representatives . If every Lodge within eighty miles of London would do the same , the existing abuses would be of short continuance . In the P . G . L . of WILTS ., w . e observe Br . BIGGS

directing attention to " our representative system . " His remarks are sensible , and worthy of being read , and we must express our earnest hope that when once the subject has been started , it will not be allowed to drop till something practical has been done . The first point surely is , for every Lodge within a few hours' distance

from London , to make arrangements for sending up one or two representatives to each G . L . ; and next , for the Provinces to insist upon voting for the G . M . and the Members of the Boards , without being taxed with their expenses to Freemasons' Hall ; that is , as Lord CARNARVON has suggestedby claiming their riht to vote

, g by ballot papers in then- respective Lodge rooms . Such papers to be verified , if need be , by the P . G . M . We are also glad to see that both in HAMPSHIRE and WILTSHIRE it has been determined that the interests of the Charities shall not be allowed to flag as heretofore . Nothing will be easier than to establish a Charities '

Committee in every Province , who should take charge of the subscriptions , and by a system of correspondence with each other , secure the election of Provincial candidates . But however much the friends of the Chari-