Colonial Grand Lodges.

COLONIAL GRAND LODGES .

Bro . WHYTEHEAD , in the letter of his we published last week , has done good service by calling attention to thc difficulties in which we find ourselves whenever a new Colonial Grand Lodge is established and suggesting a means by which those difficulties may in future be avoided . Whether his proposed new Article of Constitution is sufficient to meet the necessities of the case may be open to doubt , but it is a distinct advantage that such a

proposition should have been made by a brother of eminence and authority in the Craft . As our readers are aware , when a scheme is on foot for the establishment of a Grand Lodge in one of the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown , the question whether a lodge shall take part in the formation of such a body is one that may not be discussed in open lodge .

Hrethren may meet together informally and determine among themselves whether or not they will cast in their lot with the proposed new body . They may agree beforehand that the decision arrived at by a majority of those present at such informal gathering shall be considered as binding upon the whole body ; but unless the whole of the members of the lodge meet

together and so determine , or unless those absent from thc meeting subsequently agree to accept its decision , that decision has no force or validity on the lodge as such ; and as the law now now stands , a minority of the members , provided it consists of at least three , may retain the warrant , and carry on the duties of the lodge . Here' is the law in full as quoted in

Iiro . WHYTEHEAD s- letter : "Should the majority of any lodge determine lo retire from it , the power of assembling remains with the rest of the members ; but should the number of members remaining at any time be less than three the warrant becomes extinct . " With a view to putting- an end to the difficulties which have arisen from this state of the law , and are

tolerably certain to arise again , Bro . WHYTEHEAD proposes that a new Article of Constitution shall be adopted , by which it shall be lawful in the first place to discuss in open lodge the question whether or no , when it is in contemplation to constitute a local Grand Lodge in one of our Colonies and Dependencies from the Masonic material already existing there , the lodge

shall join the new order of things or remain in allegiance to the present body which created it ; and , in the second place , that the decision of threefourths , not of the whole lodge , but of those present at the meeting at which the question is considered , shall be binding on all thc members . Will it ellect all thc good that is necessary if we are to be spared the unseemly

squabbles in which we have engaged from time to time , not alone in consequence of the provisions of our Article 219 of the Book of Constitutions , but likewise because , so far as we know , there is no power extant under our Constitutions by which all the lodges in a Colony or Dependency which

is desirous of establishing its independence of the Grand Lodges of the I ' riited Kingdom can be called upon to surrender their allegiance to lhe Grand Lodge which created them , and become constituent members of the new local drganisation . It must be remembered that this is not

anew question , but an old one which has latterly recurred in a more acute form . It cropped up for the first time when Canada claimed its Masonic independence nigh 40 years ago , and when at length our Grand Lodge wgan to see the advisability of recognising accomplished facts , it agreed to recognise the independence of the Grand Lodge of Canada , on

conation that English lodges which desired to remain in their old allegiance , would have full liberty to do so . This condition was accepted by the Canadians , and all went well for a time , nor do we think anyone would " ave imagined that after the establishment between the high contracting Parties of such an agreement , any differences could have arisen respecting the

wa ges which had remained m their allegiance to our Grand Lodge . But a , * en or so years later , a schism broke out among the Masons of Canada , * "h the result that the Grand Lodge of Quebec was established as the su Preme authority over thc lodges in the Province of Quebec , while the ^ 'Prcmacy of the Grand Lodge of Canada was restricted to the Province of "tario . A short while later , and the Grand Lodge of Quebec applied for

eeo f ? nition to our Grand Lodge . The latter at once expressed its readiness 0 accede to the request of the former , on the one condition , that the status ¦ J " of its lodges in Montreal , which had held themselves aloof from the Grand ° dge of Canada at the time of its establishment , should be left un'Curbed . This condition , however , the Grand Lodge of Quebec declined

¦ acce pt > and hence during thc 18 years or thereabouts that have since Psed , there has been an entire absence of fraternal relations between the itn ° rant' 'J ° dgesi while at one time it seemed as though a state of war was I " "' "ent , and , in fact , itwas imminent so far as the acts of the Grand in V ? ° ^ 2 ^ could make it so . And all because the three English lodges ' 'ontreal we ' re resolved to exercise the rights they enjoyed , both in-

Colonial Grand Lodges.

herently under their respective warrants and also by treaty with the Grand Lodge of Canada , of which the lodges in the Province of Quebec had originally formed part ! Since then other ' Colonial Grand Lodges have been formed / and our Grand Lodge has in every case stipulated , as in that , of the Grand Lodge of Canada , that the condition precedent of its

recognising the new body should be the absolute freedom of its lodges to remain in their old allegiance if they so desired . Nor , so far as our knowledge goes , has this stipulation given cause of offence to the newly-formed Colonial Grand Lodges . In Nova Scotia there is still one English lodge remaining on the roll of our Grand Lodge , and between it and the lodges under the

Nova Scotian Constitution the friendliest relations existed , and , we presume , still exist . In New South Wales there is the case of the Cambrian Lodge , No . 656 , Sydney ; but here the difficulty which has arisen has nothing to do with the said stipulation , but is due to a misunderstanding re Article 219 and other matters . In Victoria , also , there is the Combermere

Lodge , No . 752 , Melbourne , which remains on the roll of our Grand Lodge in consequence of the usual stipulation as aforesaid . But as in the case of Canada the stipulation we made with that Grand Lodge did not enable us to keep clear of the difficulties which have arisen between us and Quebec , so we may as well recognise boldly that other and . similar difficulties may arise

with other Colonial lodges . Hence we fully appreciate the advisability of adopting some such a course as Bro . WHYTEHEAD has suggested in reference to Article 219 , our only doubt , as we have said before , being as to its sufficiency . Perhaps , other of our readers may feel inclined to favour tis with their opinions on the matter .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of English Freemasons was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall , iGreat Queen-street , W . C , when about 400 brethren assembled . The Earl , of Mount Edgcumbe , Deputy G . M ., presided ; Bro . W . A . F . Powell , Prov . G . M . Bristol , acted as Deputy G . M ., and Bro . C . T . O . King , of Monrovia , West Africa—a native of West Africa—M . W . G . M . nf Liberia , sat in the PastG . M . 's chair . Bro . the Rev . R . P . Bent , M . A ., P . G . C , acted as

S . GAV . ; Bro . the Right Hon . A . Akers-Douglas , M . P ., J . G . W ., was in the J . W . chair ; and there were also present Bros . F . A . Philbrick , O . C ., G . Reg . ; Thomas Fenn , P . B . G . P . ; E . Letchworth , G . Sec . ; Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) , G . D . C . ; Richard Eve , P . G . Treas . ; D . P . Cama , P . G . Treas . ; George Everett , P . G . Treas . ; S . Cochrane , G . Treas . ; Col .

Somerville Burney , R . C . Sudlow , Dr . Strong , Major George Lambert , Robert Grey , P . B . B . ; Henry Smith , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M . West Yorkshire ; W . F . Smithson , P . G . D . ; C Belton , C . E . Keyser , J . E . Le Feuvre , T . Hastings Miller , R . Loveland Loveland , James lerry , Sec . R . M . B . I . ; and A . A . Pendlebury , A . G . Sec .

After the formal opening of Grand Lodge , the minutes of the Quarterly Communication of June 7 th were read by the GRAND SECRETARY . Before the minutes were put for confirmation , a BROTHER rose and said that at the last communication Bro . ' the Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C , acting as J . G . W ., moved the previous question , and by the minutes , it did not appear that the motion was seconded . He ^ begged to say that he , seconded the motion .

lhe Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE said he begged the brother ' s pardon for not having observed it at the time ; his sight was not quite so quick as it should have been . The minutes were then put and carried . The Earl of MOUNT EDGCI ' SIBF . then rose and said : Brethren , I have first of all to express , on behalf of the Pro Grand Master , his great regret at not being present here to-day , owing , I am sorry to say , to continued indis-.

position . I think you would consider I was failing in my duty to you if , in his absence , I did not give you an opportunity ol showing at this , the first time , we could do so , on your own behalf and and on the behalf of the Craft at large , our share in the national rejoicing at the event of the marriage of the son of our Grand Mastcr , and our sincere hope that that union may be a source of great gratification to his parents , to himself , and to his bride , and also a blessing to the country at large . ( Applause . ) I therefore ask you to support me in moving this address :

To his Royal Highness Albert Edward Prince of Wales , K . G ., & c , & c , & c , & c , Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Freemasons of England . May it please your Royal Highness , We , the officers and members of the United Grand Lodge of Antient

Free and Accepted Masons of England , in Quarterly Communication assembled , beg leave on behalf of the several lodges and brethren under the English Constitution , to offer to your Royal Highness our most hearty and fraternal congratulations on the auspicious marriage of his Royal Highness the Duke of York , K . G ., to her Serene Highness the Princess Victoria Mary of Teck .

We sincerely rejoice with all England at a union so calculated to increase the happiness of the Royal Family of these realms , and we pray that the blessing of the Great Architect of the Universe may rest upon the bride and bridegroom , and that your Royal Highness may for many years to come be privileged to witness the domestic felicity and unclouded prosperity ot the newly-married pair . . Sealed by order of Grand Lodge this 6 th day of September , 18 93 .