Grand Lodge And Article 219.

subsequent to the case of New South Wales , and Bro . Lamonby , himself a P . M . of the Lodge , subsequently took up the challenge and reminded him of the case

of the Combermere Lodge , No . 782 , whose warrant had been removed in precisely the same way as tlie Cambrian Warrant , and where tho Grand Master of Victoria had , after recognition by the Grand Lodge of

England , ordered the Warrant to be restored under Art . 219 to the minority . This was a clear case in point which the Grand Eegistrar omitted to quote . And it is worthy of notice that he himself failed to quote a

single case where Grand Lodge had allowed a majority , even after cession , to surrender their Warrant against the wish of a loyal minority . Surely if it was a uniform practice he might have quoted one case where it had been done . Mere assertion is not proof .

Another point on which he laid emphasis was that the words " the brethren desiring to retain their allegiance , " which were in the Constitutions of 1853 , were omitted in 1883 as meaningless . We do not find on reference to our articles at the time on the

changes proposed in the Constitutions , or in the debates of Grand Lodge that anything was said to warrant this statement . Bro . Philbrick sarcastically told Grand Lodge that he did not recognise that those who now dissented from his view were on the

Sub-Committee . We would remind him that Grand Lodge , and not the Sub-Committee , finally settled the alterations , and that not all the alterations proposed by the Sub-Committee were assented to by G . Lodge . But if these words were meaningless ancl purposely

omitted in 1883 , why did Bro . Philbrick say , m June 1885 ,. that" this very distinct rule in the Book of Constitutions was made to protect the rights of the minority and of those who choose to adhere to their allegiance V The Grand Eegistrar tried to show that a majority

of the Cambrian Lodge were in favour of secession , and he went into details of figures as to two or three members ; but he failed entirely to controvert Brother Eve ' s argument that those who had not voted must in all fairness be counted in favour of the status quo ,

and that those who had seceded to an unrecognised Body must , on Bro . Philbrick ' s own showing , be considered as having lost , under Article 204 , all Masonic privileges , and therefore become incapable of being admitted into Lodge or voting on anyquestion ;

and that , therefore , the only possible majority in the Lodge—if majority affected the question—must be found amongst those who had not seceded . If Bro . Eve ' s contention were , as it seems to us it is , correct , it is clear that Bro . Philbrick ' s

statement" the truth was , the majority of the brethren , acting on the wish of the majority , got thc Warrant cancelled "—falls to the ground . For his statement that " By law a majority of the Brethren of a Lodge could determine whether they would secede or not" we

venture to think that he would find it simply impossible to adduce the slightest authority . But it is impossible to deal at length with all the extraordinary arguments with which he sought to defend an untenable position . The plain truth is , in

our opinion , —as evidently in the opinion of Grand Lodge—a mistake had been made , and a great injustice committed ; it should have been freely ancl frankly confessed , and the wrong remedied as far as possible instead of an attempt being made to prevent

the law to perpetuate an injustice . No power , it is true , can restore to our loyal brethren the five weary years during which they have been unable to work : but to take the line that because a wrong has been done therefore it must be

continued is a proposition to our mind as monstrously absurd as it is unjust ; and a remedy must be found and luckily is not far to seek . The original Warrant is in England . Bro . Baskett

produced it in , and ought formally to have produced it to , Grand Lodge . Grand Lodge was definitely affirmed that the alleged concellation was illegal .

Grand Lodge And Article 219.

why should not the defacing stamp ( which by the by bears no signature ) be cancelled by the Grand Master and returned to the Lodge' ? A friendly

intimation to the Grand Master of New South Wales of the decision of Grand Lodge and the action which had been taken upon it would , we feel sure , prevent

any soreness on the part of New South Wales , and the matter would at once be amicably settled , once and for all .

Masonry's Antiquity And Significance.

MASONRY'S ANTIQUITY AND SIGNIFICANCE .

( Continued from page 355 ) .

IN the year 1717 the Grand Lodge of England was organized , with a more restricted membership , ancl more limited powers than were formerly exercised by the General Assembly of all the Masons previously held afc London , or by the Assembly of Ancient Masons at York , where the first , and for many centuries the only , General

Assembly was held in England . Another Grand Lodge was formed at London in 1738 . It had perhaps as lawful a right to disregard the territorial jurisdiction of both York and London as the Grand Lodge of London bad

previously that of York . A mutual recognition took place in 1815 between these rival Grand Lodges , both acknowledging the legality of eacli other ' s membership , Officers , rights ancl privileges . And , since that time , those seemingly opposed

eyes" like the meteors of a troubled heaven , All of one nature , one snbstance bred , Have , in mutual well . beseeming ranks Marched all ono way , and been no more opposed Against acquaintance , kindred , allies . "

The first Grand Lodge in America was formed simply by a warrant from Lord Visconnt Montagu Grand Master of Masons in England , dated 30 th April 1733 , appointing Rig ht Worshipful Henry Price Grand Master in North America , with power to appoint Deputies , and also to

constitute Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons as occasion might require . Under this authority St . John ' s Grand Lodge in Boston was organised 30 th July 1733 ; and from this in part sprung the firsfc Lodges in Massachusetts ,

New Hampshire , Rhode Island , Connecticut , New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Maryland , Virginia , and North and South Carolina—also in Barbadces , Antigua , Newfoundland , Nova Scotia , Quebec , Surinam , and St . Christopher ' s .

The Grand Master of Ireland and Scotland also granted charters to Lodges in Virginia , and 30 th November 1752 he issued a dispensation to form St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 82 , at Boston .

In 1777 brethren who had been dispersed by the war of the Revolution , after the death of Grand Master General Joseph Warren , met and formed the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts . In 1792 the two Grand Lodges in thafc State united .

The Grand Lodge of the State of Mississippi is the lineal descendant of tho Grand Lodge of York , through both tho Ancients and the Moderns of England , as they wero termed—the Grand Lodges of York and of England—and

also from the Grand Lodge of Scotland and Ireland , which also held originally from York . The lasfc was known aa the Grand Lodge of all England , after the establishment of thafc of England .

In 1771 the Grand Lodge of Scotland chartered the Grand Lodge of North Carolina . This Grand Lodge chattered Harmony Lodge , No . 1 , of Nashville , Tennessee ; Tennessee Lodge , No . 2 , afc Knoxville , " Town of

Franklin ; " and Newport Lodge , No . 4—all in whafc b now the State of Tennessee . The Grand Lodge of Tennessee was formed by these Lodges ; and by thafc Grand Lodgo Andrew Jackson Lodge , No . 2 , at Natchez , and Washington Lodge , No . 3 , at Port Gibson , Mississippi , were chartered .

The Grand Lodge of Virginia was formed 30 th October 1778 , by Lodges which received charters from the Grand Masters of bofch Grand Lodges of London ; by the Grand Lodge of Scotland and Ireland , and by thafc of

Pennsylvania . The latter derived its authority from the Grand Lodge of England ; bufc there was ono of its Lodges—over which Benjamin Franklin presided—which was chartered in 1754 by the Grand Lodgo of Massachusetts , which was chartered by the Grand Master of England .