Supreme Grand Chapter Of England.

DEATH OF THE LATE QUEEN . After Grand Chapter had been opened , and before the minutes of the Convocation of November , igoo , were read , Comp . J . T . MORLAND , acting M . E . G . Z ., said •Com janions , before we proceed to-night with the business of the evening , I am sure it will be your feeling that some reference should be made to what must be in every one ' s

thoughts—the loss that has fallen not only on this kingdom , but on the whole civilised world , by the death of our late Sovereign Queen Victoria . I have been unexpectedly called upon to occupy the chair this night , and therefore I have not had time or opportunity to put in proper form the expression of those feelings I should like to have placed before you ; but I understood that it has been arranged that a special meeting of

Grand Lodge of England shall shortly be called to pass a vote of condolence and a loyal address to the Most Excellent the Grand First Principal who is now King , and it is not expected that addresses should be passed by lodges to be presented to the Grand Master , but it will be left to Grand Lodge of England to express the feelings of the Masons of

England and throughout the world . We should not , however , I know like this meeting to pass to posterity without some mention being made of the sad event which has overtaken us , and therefore I mention these few words without putting any formal resolutions , because I know the companions would not like to separate without some reference being made in their Grand Chapter to the great loss we have all sustained .

All the companions rose and continued standing during the remarks of Comp . Morland . The minutes of the convocation of November , 1900 , having been read and confirmed , Comp . STRACHAN , K . C , moved that the sympathetic reference of Comp . Morland be entered on the minutes of Grand Chapter .

Comp . FRANK RICHARDSON , G . D . C , seconded the motion , which was put from the chair , and carried , all the companions standing .

REPORT OP THE COMMITTEE OP GENERAL PURPOSES . This report was taken as read , and ordered to be received and entered on the minutes , on the motion of Comp . Sir G . D . HARRIS , seconded by Comp . FRANK RICHARDSON .

A NEW CHAPTER . On the recommendation of the Committee of General Purposes , a charter was granted for a chapter to be attached to the St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 1817 , Shoeburyness , to be called ( he St . Andrew's Chapter , and to meet at the Cambridge Hotel , Shoeburyness , Essex ; and on the same recommendation permission was given to remove the following chapters r

The Chapter of Brotherly Love , No . 3 29 , from the Chough Hotel , to the Masonic Hall , Yeovil . The Chapter of Rectitude , No . 581 , from the Wheatsheaf Hotel , to the Exchange Hotel , Manchester . The Albion Chapter , No . 9 , from the Ship and Turtle Tavern , Leadenhallstreet , to the Frascati Restaurant , Oxford-street , London .

The Stone of Friendship Ezel Chapter , No . 287 , from the White Lion Hotel , to the Brookfield Hotel , Stockport . The West Kent Chapter , No . 1297 , from the Crystal Palace , to the Hotel Cecil , Strand , London . The Highgate Chapter , No . 1366 , from Bjale's Restaurant , Holloway , to the Frascati Restaurant , Oxford-street , London .

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN R . A . CHAPTER . Comp . Sir G . D . HARRIS then brought up the following report * . The Committee beg further to report that they have received from the Past First Principals and companions of the Western Australian Royal Arch Chapter , No . 1033 , formerly attached to the Fremantle Lodge , No . 1033 , a petition , in which it is stated that , in consequence of the action taken by the District Grand

Lodgeof We .-tern Australia , in declaring itself a Sovereign Grand Lodrje , and the chapter having consequently been severed from the lodge to vvhich it was attached , the petitioners had taken active steps with a view to the tormation of a Supreme Grand Chapter for VVestern Australia ; and that at a meeting of the chapter resolutions were carried , declaring such chapter to be the Supreme Grand Chapter of Western Australia , and declaring who should be the several Grand Principals ; and resolving that a petition praying for recognition be adopted and The Western Australian Arch

forwarded through the First Principal of " Royal Chapter , " to the First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Chapter of " England ; " and praying the Supreme Grand Chapter of England to recognise ihe Supreme Grand Chapter of Western Australia as a regular and Independent Sovereign Body , having jurisdiction throughout the Colony of Western Australia , and that the Principals of the Supreme Grand Chapter of England would be pleased to will and signify that it is not its intention to grant for the future any Warrant for a new Royal Arch Chapter in that jurisdiction .

The Committee of General Purposes having very fully considered the petition , recommend that the prayer be not granted . Comp . Sir GEORGE HARRIS , in moving "That the prayer of the petition be not granted , " said : It may be in the recollection of the companions present that at a meeting of Grand Lodge on the 7 th of March , 1900 a resolution was passed recognising and acknowledging as a

, Sovereign Body the then newly-formed _ Grand Lodge of Western Australia . It had been represented to this Grand Lodge that all but one of the lodges in Western Australia formerly under the English Constitution had joined the new Grand Lodge . It appears that at the date of recognition there was only one Royal Arch chapter under the English Constitution in West Australia , lt was known as "The West Australian

Chapter , " and had been attached to " Thc bremantle Lodge , " which was one of the ; lodges which had joined the new Grand Lodge of Western Australia . The lodge having seceded , the chapter practically ceased to exist , or , at any rate , its existence was suspended until it could be attached to another lodge under the English Constitution . It was under these circumstances that the chap'er determined to constitute itself into a Supreme G . Chapter , and to ask the Supreme G . Chapterof England to recognise it as followed the of tne

such . In taking this step the chapter only precedent Royal Arch Chapter meeting at the Tu-k ' s Head Tavern , London , which in the year 1767 formally constituted itselt into one of the Supreme Grand Chapters which , at the Union in 1 S 17 , became the present Supreme Grand Chapter . The Committee have been advised by the Grand Registrar that it is not competent for a single chapter to constitute itself into a Supreme Grand Chapter , and , acting under his advice , they recommend that the prayer of the petition be not granted .

Comp . J STRACHAN , K . C , Grand Registrar * . Most hxcellent , I second the proposition put before you by the President of the Committee of General Purposes ; but it must be distinctly understood that whatever has

Supreme Grand Chapter Of England.

taken place has been only as to one chapter constituting itself into a Supreme Grand Chapter . If it was composed of several chapters it ought to be recognised . But when it applies to the Supreme Grand Chapter as a representative body it is not such a body . One chapter cannot be a representative body . Under the circumstances of Grand Chapter of Australia having refused to recognise this Supreme Grand Chapter , I second the proposition that the recognition

be not granted . Before sitting down I ought to say that the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Western Australia , in a conversation I had with him when he came over here , said that if this application had been made , and if he had been in the colony at the time , he would have taken some steps . We had conversation as to what might be done in the way of carrying on the work of Royal Arch Masonry in that colony , and I think a modus will be arrived at in a short time . The motion was carried , and Grand Chapter was closed in ancient and solemn form .

A Risk We All Run.

A RISK WE ALL RUN .

In these peaceful days of law and order an Englishman seldom expects to have to defend his house as a castle , and few Freemasons anticipate the possibility of having to use the authorised weapons to repel the attacks of would-be intruders into their lodges . The brethren of a well-known lodge in West Yorkshire had , however , their ideas of the safety of their privacy rudely dispelled a few nights ago . The lodge had met for instruction , and

the brethren , leaving the Tyler only in the ante-room , were in full work , when they were surprised to hear sounds of a struggle , and as though some one was throwing the furniture about , proceeding from the ante-room . These sounds were followed by the crash of breaking glass , but as no alarm was given , and the lodge had almost finished the work in hand , the

brethren remained in their places . The W . M . restrained the expression of his sentiments with regard to what he doubtless thought the disorderly conduct of those brethren who , not content with coming too late for the work , were disturbing that love and harmony which should at all times characterise Freemasons by brawling in the ante-room .

When the lodge was , however , duly closed , and the brethren trooped out eager for an explanation of the unseemly disturbance , a curious story was told them . It appeared that shortly after the lodge was opened a brother had arrived , and , fortunately , instead of entering the lodge had stayed in the ante-room chatting with the Tyler . Someone was then heard to enter the

building and come up the stairs , and a young man entered the ante-room . He was known to the two brethren there , and told them he had com 5 to see his father who was in the lodge and that he was also going in . The Tyler told him that his father was not in the lodge , and , in fact , was not a Freemason ; but the visitor expressed his determination to enter , and , dodging

the Tyler , who by the wiy had not taken his weapon from inside the lodge where it was usually kept , made for the door . The other brother , however , seized the cowan , and , with the assistance of the Tyler , managed to eject him from the ante-room ; but only after a violent struggle in which the W . M . ' s umbrella , which had been seized by the intruder , had been hopelessly smashed .

Not content with his ejectment , the intruder deliberately smashed the lamp hanging in the hall downstairs , and frightened the aged housekeeper nearly ont of her wits . The fact that this unseemly visitor turned out to be suffering from intermittent madness would probibly not have availed to prevent serious

trouble if he had been able to force his way into the lodge ; and it is obvious that any lodge which does not sit wilh locked doors—and that means practically every lodge in England—is Uable to such an intrusion unless the outer guard is something more than a mere formality . It is a common practice amongst us to elect as Tyler some brother of advanced years and iallen fortunes .

In view of the circumstances above narrated , it is a question whether such a course is wise , however commendable it may be from the point of view of Masonic Charity . It would seem that , if we are really to guard our secrets from the attacks of the insidious , we must be prepared to have some one in the ante-room who is ready and able to offer a more than nominal resistance to any intruder . P .

Instruction.

Instruction .

ISLINGTON LODGE , No . 14 / 1 . The usual weekly meeting was held on Tuesday , the 5 th inst ., at the Coe ' t Tavern , Hichbury , when there were present * . Bros . H . J . May , WM- E P Fischer , S . W . j Dr . C . M . Simpson , J . W . ; W . Hancock , P . M ., Preceptor : ' A . Hard Asst

F . yment , P . M ., . Preceptor ; C . M . Coxon , P . M ., P . P . G . D . Herts , Treas . r J . Duncan , P . M ., Sec . ; A . E . Turner , S . D . ; C . Nicole , J . D . ; E . Lucas , LG . ; J . Birks , P . M . ; E . J . Harrison , P . M . ; C . J . Field , S . Cload , E . H . Yaxley C . S . H , 5 , ' . U * R * Maskall > w * Lee > A * No = ' . 0 . MereJew , F . H . Johnsos , A . Williams , and H . C . Kerly .

The lodge was opened , and the minutes read and confirmed . The ceremjr . y of initiation was then rehearsed , Bro . Lee being the candidate . The ceremony "I passing was afterwards rehearsed , Bro . Cload being the candidate . Bros . W . Ut and H . C . Kerly were elected members of the lodge . Bro . Fischer was elected VV . M . for the ensuing week , and appointed the ollicers in rotation . The lodee was then closed .

BRONDESBURY LODGE , No . 2 G 9 S . „¦„ The usual W ( | ekly me <*'' tiS of this lodge of instruction was held at the Earl Dsrb > * , Kilburn , on Monday , the 4 th instant , when there were present Bros . Horstead , W . M . i Golby , S . VV . ; Woods , J . VV . ; Dunaway , S . D . ; Knapp , J . D . ; Lewis . I * ., ; . i . Urilymen '' - M-, Preceptor ; Campbell , P . M ., Treasurer ; Bore , W . M ., Secretary ; Giwthrop , P . M . ; Clements , P . M . ; SpiegalPM Palmer ,

. .. ; Cook , Marks , Butler , Grover , Rocheller , G . Coxen , Morris , Wade , H . Coxsn , Cowley , and M . Clements . The lodge was opened in due form , and the minutes of the last meeting read anJ confirmed . The ceremonies of initiation and passing were rehearsed . Bros . Wad-- * . P . M ., and Cowley were elected members of the lodge . Bro . Golby was elected VV . Mfor the ensuipg week and appointed the officers in rotation . The lodge was then cbseJ .