Interloping Brethren.

his other Officers . On their arrival Lodge was open in the third degree , and from a supposition that the Deputy Grand Master had been summoned for an earlier hour and had been detained , which , however , was quite a mistake , M . Ms , were order to retire and had done so . The order

had been given by the W . M ., repeated by Brother W . B . Edwards acting as I . G ., and loudly proclaimed by Bro . Clark , the Tyler , that none but I . Ms , should be admitted and then Grand Lodge was announced and received , amongst the number being two who were only M . Ms ., and one whom ,

after the Deputy Grand Master had been received with honours , at once retired in obedience to his manifest recognition of his duty and his cognizance of the imminence of and preparedness of the Lodge for , a Board of Installed Masters being opened . One Brother not entitled , however ,

still remained , and was wearing the Grand Lodge regalia with the Master ' s Level upon it , so that there was no outward or visible sign by which he could have been recognised as not an I . M ., and it is noteworthy that the very next day orders were issued that the Master ' s insignia should be

removed from these aprons , a tardy recognition of duty , seeing that in these very columns we had repeatedly pointed out the impropriety of allowing them to be worn . The Worshipful Master then proceeded to open a Board oi Installed Masters , asking the T . W . if he was an I . M ., and

requiring him to secure proofs that all the Brethren present were I . Ms . These proofs were given and repeated in the report of the J . W . to the W . M ., and were admittedly copied by the Grand Lodge Officer , who was improperly present and who has since acknowledged that he knew he had no

right to be there , and that knowing this he endeavoured to copy the Ss . given ! ! ! When the ceremonies closed , and not until then , it was ascertained that this unforunate circumstance had occurred , and a Board of I . Ms , was opened and the Brother solemnly obligated never to reveal what had

improperly become known to him . The iJeputy Grand Master made a report to the Grand Master , and the latter referred the matter to the Board of General Purposes , and the day after its next meeting " all the town was agog " with the fact that the Victorian Naval and Military Lodge

was to be summoned to answer a charge . So much for the supposed secrecy of the Board ' s proceedings ! A whole month went by and the Lodge heard nothing , and at its next meeting it was resolved to report the circumstances to the Board of General Purposes , showing that the Lodge in no

way shirked its responsibilities or shrank from the fullest investigation . The next step was that uie W . M . and all the Past Masters who were present on the occasion were summoned to appear before the Board to answer an apparent breach of their obligation , and in Tune the matter was

investigated , the Brother who had been improperly present censured , and the Lodge admonished to be more careful " ! ! Against this admonition by a unanimous vote of its members the Lodge appealed , and on Wednesday night last week the decision of the Board was upheld . No other result was

expected by the Lodge , which desired that the fullest publicity should be given to all the facts of the case which are amply stated in our report . The matter suggests some thoughts however which should not be overlooked . The Brother ' s confession that he knew he had no right there

and that he tried to copy the Ss . showed that the Lodge ' s precautions in opening the Board of Installed Masters were sufficient , nor must it be forgotten that every effort was onl y lately made by the Board of General Purposes to prevent that ceremony being carried out , and it was only saved by

the determined opposition in Grand Lodge of P . Ms , of this very Lodge . That it was quite evident that M . Ms , could see and understand that the Lodge was ready to proceed in a Board of Installed Masters was proved by the retirement of one of the Grand Heralds , and lastly that no proofs are

sufficient to prevent such an occurrence as this if Brethren be . " weaK enough "—very kind words those—to remain when they know they are not entitled to be present , unless the S . and W . be taken from each individual present before proceeding . The Victorian Naval and Military Lodge has

undoubtedly done another inestimable service through its sufferings , to the Craft in general , and it was most amusing to hear the advocates for the Board arguing that the question should have been asked whether all present were Installed

Masters when they themselves admit that there is no ritual to require it , and they themselves have done their best to prevent that full ceremony which requires that it should be asked . For years past , and until this paper carried the

Interloping Brethren.

better plan in the face . of a wide-spread opposition , Boards were opened with a gavel stroke , and such a question was not heard once in a hundred times . The President of the Beard and some outside most sympathising but officious Brethren have expressed regret that the appeal had been brought ,

and thought the Lodge would have done well to let the matter drop . There are many people of this calibre , for advice is cheap , but the Lodee thought , and has been

confirmed in its opinion , that the widest publicity—even in the face of a foregone conclusion as to the result—was the best thing possible in the interests of the Craft in general , and they have succeeded in making possibilities well and widel y known .

Lodge Representation And Proxies.

LODGE REPRESENTATION AND PROXIES .

IN view of the desire frequently expressed by Brethren throughout the Provinces—and often endorsed by Metropolitan Masons—that some change should be made in the system

of electing our Grand Treasurer year by year , the following remarks of the Grand Master of Canada should be carefully studied . It will , of course , be recognised that part of what he says is somewhat irrevelant so far as English Freemasonry is concerned , but on the other hand his comments may teach

us what to avoid , when the question comes to be considered , and we feel sure it must be , as to what is best to do , in order to ensure an equitable and popular means of voting , for the one elective Office in the English Grand Lodge which can be competed for by ordinary members of the Brotherhood .

WHILE , my Brethren , laying no claim to any special wisdom by reason of my occupancy of the exalted position you have placed me in , it is nevertheless within my province , as well as in the line of my duty , to present to you such suggestions on any subject as may appear to me worthy of

your consideration . In inviting your attention to the present system of proxies which obtains in this Grand Lodge 1 am doing nothing original . My immediate predecessor urged very strongy a year ago . the propriety of considering the apportionment of the voting power on the floor of Grand

Lodge , as between the Past Masters and the direct representatives of the Lodges . He spoke strongly of the abuse of the proxy system , and in an interesting statistical table demonstrated that during toe preceding fifteen years , 25 per cent , of the Lodges represented at our annual

communications were so represented by proxy . The table does not indicate what proportion of such proxies were held by Past Masters of the Lodges—information which would have been of much value . Opinions will probably differ very widely as to the advisability of any- action having for its

object the curtailment of the voting powers of Past Masters . I am by no means prepared to admit that the time is even mgh when there should be any interference with the status of these Brethren in Grand Lodge . In the vast majority of cases the Past Masters , who devote the time and expense

necessary in attendance at Grand Lodge meetings , are men of ripe experience , of much more than ordinary skill in the Craft , and of ability to contribute to our deliberations valuable expressions of independent judgment . Though technically they may not be fresh from the electoratethey

, nevertheless owe their rank and position to their Brethren , and naturally represent local opinion on subjects of Masonic interest and importance ; while the newlv elected Master who attends Grand Lodge , it may be for the first time , feels

a diffidence , or is restrained by excess of modesty from urging his views on matters which , in his opinion , should be discussed . We all know from observation , how readily and how forcibly the more experienced Past Master will air a grievance , ventilate a fad , or criticise the administration of

the business of Grand Lodge . Rightly or wrongly , I confess to having always entertained a stron ? predilection in favour of maintaining the present rights and privileges of those Brethren who have done the work and acquired the experience implied by the rank of Past Master . Indeed , many

years ago I had the privilege of moving the resolution amending the Constitution , so as' to enable Past Masters to vote for District Deputies , and I have yet to learn that on the whole such change has not worked beneficially . But as

to proxies , without going into any argument in detail , there seems to me room for improvement of our system . It is not a seemly thing that any Brother should come to Grand Lodge armed with or controlling proxies sufficient to ensure