Order Of The Secret Monitor.

ORDER OF THE SECRET MONITOR

THE following has been addressed to the W . Masters , Past Masters , and Brethren of the Councils and Lodges of the Allied Masonic Degrees . Whoreas the Sovereign College of the Allied Masonic and Christian Degrees for the United States of America , claiming jurisdiction over the Degrees of

Royal Ark Mariner , Knight of Constantinople , Brother of St . Lawrence , Secret Monitor , Grand Tilor of King Solomon , the Order of Holy Wisdom , & c ., Ac-. & 0 , > * terms of intimate relationship , and has mutually interchanged representatives with the Grand Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees of England , Wales , and the Colonies and Possessions of the British

Crown , claiming jurisdiction over the Order of St . Lawrence , Knight of Constantinople , Knight of the Red Cross of Babylon , Grand High Priest , Grand Tiler of King Solomon , & c , & c , & c , and whereas , the said Sovereign

College for the United States of America , has issued a rescript , dated 27 th May 1895 , proclaiming that the body styling itself the Grand Council of the Order of the Secret Monitor for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown is a spurious

body . Be it known that we , the Right Honourable Henry James Earl of Euston M . W . Grand Master of the Grand Council of the Allied Degrees of England , & c , do hereby call upon all regularly registered Members of the various Degrees owing allegiance to our Grand Council to withdraw from all

connection with the body styling itself the Grand Council , or Grand Conclave , of the Order of the Secret Monitor for the United Kingdom , & c , & c , and we do hereby prohibit and forbid any Brother or Companion of the

said various Degrees and Orders from holding Masonic Communion with any of the several Conclaves of the body styling itself the Grand Council , or Grand Conclave , of the Order of the Secret Monitor for the United Kingdom , & c , & c .

Further , by virtue of the letters patent granted us by the Sovereign Grand Master for the United States of America , v » e do hereby give and grant to each and every one of the Councils on the Roll of our Grand Council full power and authority to induct duly qualified candidates into the Degree of Secret Monitor , in accordance with the ritual authorised by the Sovereign Grand College of the United States of America .

And from the date hereof we do , under and by virtue of the hereinbefore stated letters patent , assume the Government in England , & c ., of the Degree known aa the Secret Monitor , and do hereby declare it to be one of the Degrees under the jurisdiction of the Grand Council of the Allied Masonic

Degrees of England , Wales , and the Colonies and Possessions of the British Crown , EUSTON , Grand Master . Dated this 15 th day oi June 1895 . C . F . Matier , Grand Secretary .

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO GRAND COUNCIL JUNE 1895 .

Your Executive Committee beg to Report : — 1 . That during the half-year they have issued fifty-three certificates in the first degree , seventeen in the second , and six in the third . 2 . In accordance with the instructions given at the last meeting of Grand Council , viz .:

That the question of extending the operations of this Grand Council to the United States of America , as desired by the Brethren ( Secret Monitors under American jurisdiction ) in Rockland , Maine , be referred to the new Executive Committee , with an instruction carefully to safe-guard the interests of the American jurisdiction in accordance with their letter of 13 th September 1892 , which reads ,

" The formation of Conclaves under your jurisdiction in this " country might involve a difficulty as to jurisdiction—this would not , " of course , apply to the degrees which are exclusively your own , but " only to the original degree , which as you no doubt are aware , origin" ated in the United States . " - Extract from letter of Grand Recorder General , Richmond , Virginia .

As soon as the petition of the Rocklands Brethren was received , your Committee forwarded the above resolution of Grand Council to the Grand Recorder General of the Sovereign College governing a degree of the " Secret Monitor " in the United States , and informed him that fifty American Secret Monitors had applied to the Grand Council for authority to work the higher degrees of this Order . Your Committee , at the same time , asked the Soverei gn College kindly to favour them as soon as possible , with any observations they might desire to make .

Throughout the whole of the correspondence leading up to the application of the Brethren in Rocklands , it is clearly laid down , on both sides , that the petitioners desired to form a Conclave , under this jurisdiction , in order that , being already Secret Monitors , they might have an opportunity of working the higher degrees of this Order . They expressed neither the

intention nor the desire to make Secret Monitors , under the authority of the warrant they were seeking , and in fact they proceeded , at the same time , loyall y to organise themselves into a regular Conclave , under their Home jurisdiction also , in order that there might be no difficulty or mistake concerning either .

Your Committee met on 23 rd January , and advised the G . S . Ruler to grant the prayer of the petitioning Brethren . After reading the whole correspondence , and considering the basis of the application , it appeared to S " * Committee that a clause specifically limiting the powers of the brethren , as above , was unnecessary , and consequently no such clause was inserted in the Warrant . Upon further consideration , however , your committee thought it desirable to insert such a proviso , and have mered a Warrant so altered to be prepared and exchanged for the original

Order Of The Secret Monitor.

A further letter from the Grand Recorder General was received on 2 nd February , and another on 6 th June , and the whole matter is still recoiving the careful consideration of your Committee , who entertain no doubt that this Grand Council and the American authorities of the degree wil bo found working together in perfect harmony .

3 . At their meeting in January your Committee appointed a sub-Committee , consisting of the G . S . R ., Bro . Philbrick , Bro . Lemon , Bro . Grand Treasurer , and Bro . Grand Recorder , to communicate with the Deputy Ruler of the Order Bro . the Earl of Warwick , and inform him o £ the unanimous vote of Grand Council desiring him to permit himself to be elected as the Ruler of the Order . Your Committee are pleased to report that their efforts were successful , and they feel assured that his lordship will be called to the chair by the heaity and unanimous vote of the Grand Council .

4 . Your Committee have pleasure in reporting the consecration of a new Conclave , near Todmorden , No . 25 , and another in Manchester , No . 26 . In consequence of the ill-health of the G . S . R ., the ceremony was kindly undertaken by Bro . Philbrick P . G . S . R , who was assisted by Bros . Tickle P . G . G ., Pakes G . V ., and the Grand Recorder .

5 . Your Committee are sorry to report the death of Bro . W . Blizzard Williamson P . G . B . B ., a Brother whose frequent attendance and genial presence had endeared him to all . 6 . Your Committee beg to report that after consultation with the late S . Rulers of Conclaves " Anglo American , " No . 6 , and " Penrose Dunbar , " No . 20 , they recommend Grand Council to give the former six months more time , in which an offort will be made to revive it , and in the case of the latter Conclave to cancel its warrant , No . 20 .

7 . They also recommend that the warrant , No . 4 , " True Friendship " bo cancelled . 8 . Bro . Baron de Ferrieres being unable to continue as Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year , your Committee recommend that Bro . J . Tickle be elected to the post , and ,

That a hearty vote of thanks be given to Bro . Baron de Ferrieres for the able manner in which he has discharged the duties of Grand Treasurer during his year of office .

9 . Your Committee have already considered certain proposed alterations in the Book of Constitutions , and desire that the various Conclaves may be notified that a new issue is in preparation , and that any suggestions they may forward will have careful consideration . W . G . LEMON P . G . S . R . Chairman . W . J . SPRATLING Grand Recorder .

At a local Masonic gathering held in England a short time since , the Rector of the parish was in the vice-chair as Junior Warden , and was supported on one side by his Churchwardens , and onthe other by a Mason who rejoiced in tho name of Church , whilst the vis-a-vis of the latter was named Halfpenny . Amid some amusement , the Rector , in the course of his remarks , said it was rather singular that the Rector should be there , along with the Wardens , the Church and the Offertory .

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