United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Convocation of the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall , London . The Earl of Warwick , R . W . Dep . G . Master , presided . Bro . VV . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . Master for Hants and the Isle of Wight , acted as Dep . G . Master ; and Bro . Earl Carrington as Past G . Master ; Bro . Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . W ., as S . G . W . ; and Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . G . W ., as J . G . W . Among other brethren present were

Bros . Dr . Balfour Ccckburn , Prov . G . M . Guernsey and Alderney ; John Strachan , Q . C G . Reg . ; R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C , Pres . Bd . Gen . Purps . ; W . Lake , Asst . G . Sec , acting for the G . Sec ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . F . Norman Lee , Chaplain to the Forces , P . G . Chap . ; Richard Eve , P . G . Treas . ; George Everett , P . G . Treas . ; S . Cochrane , P . G . Treas . ; Robert Grey ( who later in the evening acted as S . G . W . ) ; Frank Richardson , James Lewis Thomas ,

G . Pitt Lewis , Q . C . ; G . Kupferschmidt , Asst . G . Sec . for German Correspondence ; Dr . Laurance , P . G . D . ; ] . H . Matthews , President ot the Board of Benevolence ; Dr . Mickley , Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , P . G . C . ; W . F . Lamonby , F . R'W . Hedges , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . G . ; J . M . McLeod , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B . ; C . E . Keyser , P . G . D . ; W . H . Cummings , G . Org . ; T . H . Gardiner , and Lennox Browne .

Grand Lodge having been opened in due form , the minutes of the last quarterly communication of June 7 th were read by the Asst . G . Secretary , and confirmed . The Earl of WARWICK said he understood that there was a message from the Most Worshipful Grand Master , which the Grand Registrar would now communicate to Grand Lodge .

Bro . JOHN STRACHAN , Q . C , G . Reg ., then rose and said : Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master , I have the honour to bear a message from his Royal Highness the Grand Master to this effect : his Royal Highness has been recently pleased to appoint under the title of District Grand Master of Egypt and the Soudan , the Right Honourable Lord Kitchener , Past Grand Warden of England . ( Loud cheers . )

On the motion of Bro . J . H . MATTHEWS , President , seconded by Bro . H . G ARROD , Junior Vice-President , the Report of the Board of Benevolence for the months of June , July , and August was adopted , and the following recommendations of grants were confirmed :

A brother of the Sidney Lodge , No . S 37 , Sidcup ... £ 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Union Lodge , Carlisle ... 50 0 o A brother of the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 1572 , London ... 75 o o A brother of the Fortitude Lodge , No , 2 S 1 , Lancaster ... 75 0 o A brother of the Welchpool Lodge , No . 99 S , Welchpool ... 50 o o A brother of the Royal Kensington Lodge , No . 1 G 27 ,

London ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Prince Arthur Lodge , No . 1570 , Liverpool ... ... ... ... 50 0 o A brother of the Clapton Lodge , No . 13 C 5 , London ... 100 o o

On the motion of Bro . R . L OVELAND LOVELAND , Q . C , President , seconded by Bro . W . J . MASON , Vice-President , the Report of the Board of General Purposes was taken as read , and ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . On Bro . LOVELAND LOVELAND moving , and Bro . W . J . MASON seconding , that the Report be adopted , the Deputy Grand Master rose .

The Earl of WARWICK said Lord Carrington had spoken to him before the meeting of Grand Lodge about addressing a few words to the brethren , and he asked them to listen to him for a short time . He was sure Lord Carrington thoroughly understood that there would be no motion made upon it , and he trusted there would be no discussion upon the motion that Ihe report be adopted . Lord Carrington was one who was closely connected with tr e Colonies , and had a thorough knowledge of them . He was sure he would obtain the greatest attention .

Bro . THOS . FES-N , acting J . G . Warden , thought the usual course was if anyone wished to speak on the proposition that the report of the Board of General Purposes should be adopted that first of all the Presidentofthe Board brought forward the proposition and made a statement . He thought , on this occasion , as the report was rather a strong one , the proper course to be adopted was that he should do so .

Bro . STRACHAN , Q . C , G . Reg ., said , in order that there nvght be no misunderstanding in regard to the matter , he might say that there was no discussion on the motion for the adoption of the report , for the simple reason that the Board having dealt with the subject of charges of irregularities by the lodge , their report was final , unless it was appealed from by one of the parties to the proceedings . Therefore , there would be no such

motion , if he mig ht say so . Lord Carrington had spoken to him as to the course he supgested , and he understood there could not be a motion on the matter . His lordship was a brother who took much interest in all that concerned Freemasonry within the Australian Colonies , and he wished to make a few remarks . It might not be necessary to have a discussion on what their brother brought f jrward .

Bro . THOS . FENN said it was matter for Grand Lodge to decide . It was a matter brought before Grand Lodge by the report of the Board of General Purposes . Bro . STRACHAN said he had carefully lcoked to see what was the law on the subject , and as the constitutional adviser of Grand Lodge , he might say that in 1 893 Grand Lodge settled the question of the recognition of the Cambrian Lodge . But that was not the question as it came up now . The

question which catne up arose upon certain irrtgularities committed by the Cambrian Lodge which constituted a Masonic offeree . The lodge was summoned to show cause , and the law said that on such a matter being entertained by the Board of General Purposes they might deal with it either b ^ deleting everything that the lodge had done or they might proceed to dtal with the lodge by fine or suspension and their decision would be final unless appealed from . He ( the Grand Registrar ) could not go beyond the Constitutions , and by the Cons . itutions that was the law .

The Earl of WARWICK said the point seemed to him , although he could not bring a legal mind to bear upon the question , whether tlie decision of Ihe Board of General Purposes is final or not , Tney were advised by the Grand Registrar that it was final . They always suppoited their legal

-dv .-er and he thought it would be a dangerous precedent to open the ' luestion . If they took such a course he thought they would find themselves 'n difficulties . Therefore , thc course he adopted before putting the motion was to ask Lord Carrington , as a matter of courtesy to say a few words to them , and with all deference to their brother , the Junior Grand Warden , to

United Grand Lodge.

whom he bowed on the occasion , he thought it was a course they ought to adopt to support their legal adviser on this subject . He therefore asked Lord Carrington to say a few words to them . Bro . Lord CARRINGTON said he took advantage of the courtesy of the Earl of Warwick and the Grand Lodge to say a few words , and they should be few , on the final stages of this matter—a matter which was of the

most paramount importance . He apologised for not bringing the matter btfore Grand Lodge before , but he saw the matter for the first time on its appearing in the summons which was sent to him for this meeting of Grand Lodge . He hoped he was not out of order—the question before them was of the most absolute and vital importance as concerning the welfare of the Craft . He might say when he was first sent out to New South Wales in

1 SS 5 , he had a distinct message from the Grand Master to heal , if he possibly could , the eMffetences which unhappily existed in Freemasonry in the Colony , and when he got there he found those differences very acute indeed . He nted not go into the differences before that time , but a kind Providence sent out Lord Carnarvon to New South Wales , and by his courtesy , geniality and tact , and by his inducing them to give way a little

on both sides , a m dits vivendi was arrived at , a sovereign Masonic body for N ew South Wales was f ormedand all the warrants of the different lodges were handed in to that Sovereign Grand Lodge which soon afterwards becamerecognised by the Grand Lodgeof England . When the recognition was granted this Grand Lodge elected him as representative of the Grand Lod ge of England in that Grand Lodge , and he was made the first Grand Master . There

were then 4400 Master Masons who assisted in that ceremony , and he believed it was the most enthusiastic meeting of Freemasons that had ever taken place in the Colony . The first act of that Grand Lodge which showed the excellent Masonic feeling which existed in New South Wales was that the Prince of Wales was requested to be the Patron of the new

Grand Lodge , and nothing could be more satisfactory than the feeling that there was between the mother country and the colony of New South Wales . Unfortunately , there was one lodge , the Cambrian Lodge , which stood out of joining the new Grand Lodge . The Cambrian Lodge met , and the question before it was whether they should join the new Grand Lodge . There were 10 on one side and 10 on the other . There was a

deadlock , the Master gave his casting vote , and the warrant was handed in to the new Grand Lodge , so that the lodge was not absolutely unanimous for joining the New South Wales Constitution . The 10 members who would not come in took possession of the original warrant , and they petitioned Grand Lodge of England to recognise them as a lodge working direct under the Grand Lodge of England . He thought that was the most unfortunate thing which ever happened . There

were , he thought , 1 S 5 working lodges then in Australia . In 18 S 9 he installed the Sovereign Grand Master of the great Colony of Victoria , which was on the best of terms with the mother country . He installed another Grand Master in Tasmania in the next year , and he believed New Zealand had a Grand Lodge of its own , and South Australia had an independent lodge of their own . The feeling of the Colonies to the

mother country he couid not describe to them j but the feeling there towards the Masons of England was as good and as true as it could be . His wish was , and the wish of every Englishman also was that nothing should be done to disturb the grand cordial feeling which existed between the mother country and the Colonies at that time . He most deeply deplored and regretted the decision which had been come to . He did not say that they

were not right , or that what they had done was not most legal . There was no accusation or charge against anybody . He had no doubt that everything had been done that ought to have been done , but he did say that the lodge , after it got its warrant back , was guilty of grave irregularities . Those grave irregularities had occurred , but th * Board of General Purposes had condoned them , They said that owing to

the difficulties that there were they excused those irregularities , and they had recognised the lodge , and sent out certificates to the brethren , and put down the lodge on the register as 656 among the lodges of England . The agenda paper said " this is a way out of a difficulty , and a troublous occurrence has been swept away "—he did not use the words as they occurred on the paper . He did know the feeling of Australia , and he thought that

grave troublous times were yet to come , if he did not misunderstand the feeling of the Colony , and he feared this might be the beginning of dark and troublous times which might destroy and upset the entente cordiale which had hitherto existed , and which he did not wish to see impaired . He could not say anything more which would undo it . It had been done ; the Bjard of General Purposes had put the matter before them , and said that all had

been done that could be done , and it had to be ratified . It remained f jr him only to say that he thought that he should have been guilty of gross cowardice towards the brethren in Australia if he had not risen to place his views against that which had been done . He thought it was a mistake , and that it was likely to lead lo grave consequences , but he c mid not but pray to T . G A O . T . U . that there nrght yet be found a modus vivendi . The Cumbrian Lodge did not , he thought , number more than 30

or 40 members , but 1 e did hope that the friendship of the new Grand Lodge towards this country might not be impaired , but that some modus vivendi might be found . He had to thank the R . W . Dep . G . Master and the Grand Lodge for having allowed him , although out of order , to make that statement , but , representing as he did the Colony of New South Wales , he could not help saying that such a mistake as this should not have been made without some notice being taken of it from the chair . He again thanked the Earl of Warwick and the Grand Lodge for the patience with which they h ^ d listened to him .

Bro . JOHN STRACHAN , Q . C , G . Reg ., said it would be better at all times that the laws they had passed should be read to the brethren assembled on the points under their notice . His ruling was challenged , and it was said to be better to abide by the advice they gave . He should read the two sections which referred to such a matter as was then before them . Rule 272 said that the Board cf General Purposes " has authority to hear and

determine all subjects of Masonic complaint or irregularity respecting lodges or individual Masons when regularly brought before it , and generally to take cognisance of all matters relating to the Craft ; " and Rule 273 said " the Board may proceed to admonition , fine , or suspension , according to the laws ( that was when punishment was determined on ) , and its decision shall

be final unless an appeal be made to Grand Lodge . " The next was who were entitled to appeal . " But should any case be of so llagrant a nature as to require theerasureof alodgeor the expulsion of abrother the Board shall make a special report thereon to the G . Lodge . " And that would require to be adopted by Grand Lodge before it could bs of any validity . He was sure Bro . Lord Carrington would pardon him for suggesting that the Board of