The June Number Of The "Voice Of Masonry."

and on account of it was not permitted to occupy a seat m the House of Peers . But he loved Masonry , . . . ant ! spared no time nor moans in propigating its tenets . ' " Now , it is true that Viscount Montn , (? ne wis a Catholic ,

and was therefore ex' -hided from the House of Lords , but it is not true that he signed the charter of St . John ' s Lodge ; and as he never entered the Grand Lodge after the day of his installation , viz ., 19 th April 1732 , he could

not have loved Masonry , and there is certainly no evidence of his having taken pains to propagate its tenets . True , his neglect of Masonry may not have been duo to his religion , for the Duke of Norfolk , also a C itholic , who was

G . M . in 1730 , continued to visit the G . L ., and Lord Peters , another Catholic , was Grand Master of England from 1772 to 1777 . But whatever motives Viscount Montague had for deserting the Institution , he certainly

could not have cared about propagating its tenets . It is possible that some facts about Viscount Montague may be known to Bro . Diehl that are unknown to me ; if so , I hope

he will inform me about them . If , however , his opinion was due to a flash of imagination , unless I am mistaken in his character , he will surely acknowledge his mistake at the earliest opportunity .

I shall only add that there are two communications by Lux E Tenebrce in the same number of the Voice of Masonry , which require correction as usual , but space will not allow me to lengthen this communication .

POSTSCRIPT . —Since the above was in type , I happened to recollect the following facts , which will further illustratatc the subjects discussed in the above paper . First , in 1860 , the Rev . Bro . Kerr of Clinton , Canada

West , delivered an oration upon an old Masonic MS . or pre-1717 Masonic ritual of a Lodge in Scarborough , Yorkshire , dated 1505 . After modernizing the language of the MS . he sent the address and the MS . to Bro . Leon

Hyneman , who printed them in his Journal , August 1860 . In 1873 Bro . Hyneman sent me the two papers referred to , and asked whether these would not destroy my theory about Masonry being a modern institution . On the day I

received the papers I sent to Bro . Hughan , and wrote both to Hyneman and Hughan my reasons for believing that the said MS . was written , not in 1505 , but in 1705 . This caused , at my instigation , a correspondence between

Hyneman and the Rev . Bro . Kerr ; for some months the MS . was missing , but it was finally recovered by Bro . Kerr , who presented it to the Grand Lodge of Canada , and it was printed verbatim in the Craftsman , and the editor remarked ,

viz . : " There is reason to believe that the figure has been altered , a microscopic examination showing a difference in the colour of the ink between that part of the figure which

makes a good seven and that part which has been added if the seven has been transformed into a five . It is a very awkward and unsymmetrical five as it stands ; remove the

part supposed to be added and a very good seven remains . " ( See the Freemason , London 1873 , p 761 ; the Craftsman , 1874 , pp 24 , 33 , 56 , and 89 ; also Gould ' s History , Vol . /

JL v . pp oy . u . ; We see now that even dated Masonic MSS . should not be admitted as evidence without great caution . And , second , I have a dim recollection of having read somewhere ( I believe that it was from the pen of the late

C . W . Moore ) , that Viscoxmt Montiente ' s love for Masonry induced him to unite the Grand Lodge seal with his crest or coat of arms . Now , if the above was the source whence

Bro . Diehl drew his inference of " Bro . Montague ' s " love for Masonry , then , I can assure him that there is not a particle of truth in it .

A special meeting of the House Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys took place at the Institution at Wood Green , on Saturday , the 8 th instant , for the Purpose of bidding farewell to the former Matron , Miss

Hall , and formall y inducting into office the newly appointed House Steward and Matron , Mr . and Mrs . Dove . In taking leave of Miss Hall , after her long and efficient services as Matron , the Committee wove most cordial in the expression

of their thanks , the members , both collectively and individall y , giving utterance to the wish that she mi ght be spared for many years to enjoy the rest to which , by reason ot her onerous and responsible duties during 22 years , and the admirable manner in which she had fuffilled them ' , she was justl y entitled .

Consolidation Of Lodges.

CONSOLIDATION OF LODGES .

HPHE Grand Lodge of Kentucky , at its meeting in J . October last , in view of the largo number of weak feet a plan under which two or more Lodges could be

Lodges under its jurisdiction , took the initial step to perconsolidated into one , by the adoption of the following resolution : —

Resolved— " That a Committoo of three bo appointed to digest a constitutional amonclmonfc for the consolidation of weak Lodges , and report the same at the next Grand A . nnual Communication of the Grand Lodge . "

The Committee appointed consists of Bros . Rob . Morris Past Grand Master , Henry B . Grant Assistant Grand Secretary , and S . O . Graves . In the consideration of this subject this Committee have discovered what appears to

them to be an insurmountable barrier in the way of such consolidations , and have addressed a circular letter to " the most experienced Masonic writers of the day , " asking their

views upon the subject . A copy of this letter now before us has been carefully considered , and we are asked to give our opinion editorially . As the subject is one of general interest to Masons Ave will comp t y with their request .

The Committee start out with the premise that a consolidation can be effected only by the clo ^ e ballot . " Their argument is that " No Grand Lodge can force a person into the membership of the humblest Lodge against the

wishes of the humblest member . " We are ready to admit the correctness of this proposition , but cannot sec its application in the consolidation of Lodges , unless there are

more than seven members of one of the Lodges opposed to a proposed consolidation . A proposition to consolidate two or more Lodges into one is simply a proposition to the members of each of these Lodges to surrender their

charters and enter into a new organisation . Any Lodge has a right to surrender its charter , in the manner prescribed by the Grand Lodge under which the charter is held , provided seven members are not found voting against

such surrender . If less than seven members vote against a consolidation they are left in the same condition as the same number would be by voting against the surrender of the charter of their Lodge . They simplv become

nonaffiliated m either case , and are entitled to a certificate from the Grand Lodge , which will enable them to petition any other Lorlge for affiliation . They are not obliged to

seek membership m the new Lodge formed by a consolidation unless they choose to do so . On the other hand , all who voted in favour of the consolidation are enrolled as

members of the new Lodge thus formed . No brother has been deprived of any of bis rights , nor has any Mason been forced info a Lodge " against the wishes of the humblest member . "

A plan similar to the one we have outlined was adopted by the Grand Lodge of Indiana in 1879 , and revised in 1882 , to which we call the attention of this Committee . Three short sections cover the whole ground . Since their

adoption b y the Grand Lodge several Lodges have been consolidated under them peacefully and harmoniously . The process is a simple and practical one , and easily

understood . The Grand Lodge of Indiana in this , as in many other regulations , has taken the lead in common sense legislation for the government of Lodges . Other Grand Lodges can profitably follow her example .

The monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was held on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Hall , under the presidency of Bro . Raynham W . Stewart . After the confirmation of the

minutes , the death of one male annuitant was reported . A vote of thanks was passed to the Supreme Council 33 deg . for their annual presents of tea and tobacco to the residents at the Asylum , and then the new petitions for admission

to the Institution were considered . Ei g ht ( five male , and three female ) wore approved , and their names added to the list for the May election . The application of a widow for

the half of her late husband ' s annuity was granted . After the transaction of other business , tbe proceedings were brought to a conclusion .

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