Supreme Grand Chapter.

Comp . J . S . CUMBERLAND opposed the amendment . He thought it was a very good reison for altering thc time as proposed . He presumed that any chapter would have the posver so to frame its by-lasvs that they could not be compelled to take in a brother at the end of a month ,

but might delay him for three or four months as they might think . proper . The proposed alteration svould enable brethren going to the Colonies to take the Arch Degree before going . There would be another acls-antage ; a brother would like to take his R . A . Degree in the chapter attached to his

mother lodge . Comp . P HILBRICK , G . Reg ., doubted svhether it would be in the posver of any chapter to make a by-law to the effect mentioned by Comp . Cumberland . Comp . C UMBERLAND sincerely hoped the amendment would be negatived ,

otherwise a stumbling bloc | j would be placed in the way of a Master Mason takino * the R . A . Degree . Surely if a brother was good enough to be made a Master Mason he was good enough to have the Royal Arch . VVhen he svas there give him the final conclusion of the matter . If he was not fit to be a Royal Arch Mason in a month he would not be in twelve : months , or at all .

Comp . MCINTYRE NORTH , P . 7 .. 1275 , seconded the amendment , he said , for several reasons . The resolution passed at the last convocation svas utterly opposed to the regulations laid dosvn for their guidance by the sainted Duke of Sussex and other authorities . At the convocation of May last the highest authority , after parading the King of Prussia for" Grand Chapter ' s

edification , laid down ex cathedra that it was the thin end of the wedge they had to dread ; he insinuated ( hit even to lojk at the regulations and ritual would oversvhelm the svhole fabric , and all interference svas sternly prohibited . At the next convocation the minutes were confirmed . Two chapters were reprimanded for exalting candidates before the expiration of the tsvcls * e

months , and in that day ' s agenda paper they found that the Committee had not only ordered tsvo chapters to bi reprimanded for the same offence , but one was fined a guinea in addition . If the compinions confirmed the minutes , were they to confirm the action of the Committee or no ? Would not these tsvo chapters be justified in moving for a commission de lunatico

inqnirendol But the sanity or insanity of the Committee was of small moment compared with the effect the resolution of the last convocation might or mig ht not have on the power of Freemasonry . A most posverful speech was made on that occasion by that excellent companion who thought that " he who fights and runs away , shall live to fight another day . " In it a

nameless one said , " Well , about a month after I was made a Master Mason , I took the Mark Degree , and then the Allied Degrees , and other Degrees , and I have been at some considerable expense in Masonry , and nosv at the tsvelve months I do not feel I can afford to go further into thc Order . " Was that reckless style of extravagance to be encouraged or curbed ? Was it the

true spirit of Masonry that they should enter into competition with those \> ery respectable but illegitimate so-called Degrees ? The success of the Freemasonry of to-day was without a parallel , but its future would greatly depend on the wisdom of those who held the helm in this flood time of prosperity . The question was this , who were fit and proper persons to be made Royal Arch

Masons ? Were they to encourage , by the resolution passed at the last convocation , that spirit in the brethren which was as long lived as Jonah ' s gourd , or the crackling thorns under the pot , or a spirit like unto that svhich animated our ancient brethren , slow in grosvth , but steady and firm in principle , a spirit which would enable their Order to stand for ages like unto

a stately oak , a shelter for those who fainted under the heat and burden of the day ? If intoxicated with success , they strove to extend their influence b y illegitimate means and by encouraging unworthy motives , then the writing would soon appear on the wall ; but if they continued on the lines laid dosvn b y the wisdom of their ancient brethren , the future prosperity ofthe Order would

be assured for years to come . He contended that the resolution passed at the last convocation was a retrograde movement , which ss'ould tend to the discredit of Royal Arch Masonry , and that if any alteration at all was made , it should be done after consideration by a regularly appointed Committee , and not b y a hasty discussion in convocation .

Comp . BEACH said that on a point of order , Comp . Le Feuvre could not now move that it be three months instead of of one month , but if his amendment was carried for non-confirming the minutes , he could then move the other part . As to the point about what was to be done with those chapters which had been admonished and lined , they were subject to the regulations

as they stood at the time the penalty was inflicted . With regard to the period of 12 months , he thought it svas rather long , but still , he considered that Grand Chapter had gone to the other extreme , and he would have recommended the substitution of three months . That period gave a candidate time to reflect on thc Degrees through which he had alread y passed . On a division the minutes were confirmed by 8 3 votes against (> z .

The following part of the recommendation of the Committee of General Purposes was then agreed to : ist . From Comps . Charles Henry Reid Todd , as '/ . ; William Fountain

Woods , as H . ; Charles Henry Cumberland , as J . ; and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Imperial Lodge , No . 1694 , London , to be called the Imperial Chapter , and to meet at Cloot ' s Restaurant , Victoria-street , London .

2 nd . From Comps . Frederick Ernest Pocock , M . D ., as ' / .. ; Lennox Browne , as H . ; Henry Walter Kiallmark , as J . ; and sixteen others for a chapter to be attached to the / Esculapius Lodge , No . 2410 , London , to be called the / Esculapius Chapter , and to meet at thc Criterion Restaurant , Piccadilly , London . 3 rd . From Comps . Samuel Gerard Kirchhoffer , M . A ., ist Grand Standard Bearer , as Z . ; Major Oswald lames Henry Ball , as H . ; Lieut .-

Supreme Grand Chapter.

Col . Stephen James Melville Jopp , as J . ; and seven others for a chapter to be attached to the Wellesley Lodge , No . 1 S 99 , Sandhurst , to be called the Welles ! ' *) ' Chapter , and to meet at the Wc lington Hotel , Crosvthorne , Berkshire . The foregoing petitions being in all respects regular , the Convnittee recommend that the prayers thereof be respectis'ely granted .

The Committee have likewise to report that they have received a memorial from the companions of thc Chapter Stone of Friendshi p Ezel , No . 287 , Stockport , Cheshire , praying for a charter authorising them to svear a centenary jesvel , in accordance with the Royal Arch Regulations , Rule 102 .

The memorial being in form , and the chapter having proved an uninterrupted existence of 100 ycars , the Committee recommend that the prayer thereof be granted . The Committee have also received memorials with extracts of minutes , for permission to remove the follosving chapters :

"The Elias Ashmole Chapter , " No . 148 , Warrington , from the Masonic Rooms , Sankey-street , to rooms in St . Austin ' s Chambers , Bold-street , in thc same town .

" I hc Prince Frede-ick William Chapter , " No . 753 , London , from Lord ' s Hotel , St . John ' s Wood , to thc Frascati Restaurant , No . 32 , Oxford-street , London . "The Bedford Chapter , " No . 282 , Tavistock , from the Private Room , Abbey , to the Freemasons' Hall , No . 84 , West-sirect , in the same tosvn . " The Alexander Chapter , " No . I 65 I , Nesvark-on-Trent , from the Saving ' s Bank , to the Masonic Hall , in the same tosvn .

The Committee being satisfied of the reisonablencss of the abos'e requests , recommend that the removal of these chapters be sanctioned . The Committee have likewise receis'ed the follosving applicitions , viz .: from the Shakespeare Chapter , No . 2 S 4 , Warsvick , ami fr ^ m the Trinity Chapter , No . 234 , Coventry .

1 . A memorial praying lhat the Shakespeare Chapter , No . 2 S 4 , maybe detached from Lodge , No . 284 , Warsvick , and attached to the Temperance Lodge , No . 739 , Birmingham , both lodges having given their consent , and that the chapter may be called thc Temperance Chapter , and meet at the Masonic Hall , Ncsv-street , Birmingham , Warsvickshire .

2 . A memorial praying that thc Trinity Chapter , No . 254 , Coventry , may be detached from the Lodi * e No . 254 . and attached to the St . Michael ' s Lodge , No . 1630 , Coventry , Warwick-hire , and that it be called thc St . Michael ' s Chapter—both lodges h ive given their consent . The Committee recommend lhat the prayers of these memorial-, be granted subject lo thc receipt of the con-ent of the Grand Superintendent in the case of the Trinity Chapter , No . 254 , Coventry ,

The follosving clupters having exalted candid tes before the cxpir ., lion of tsvelve months from the dates of raising , viz . :

The Fletcher Chapter , No . 1031 , Birmingham . The Chapter Harmony , No . 220 , Garston . in violation of Rule 73 of the Book of Royal Arch Regulations , the Committee ordered that the chapters be censured and the candidates re-obligated , and that the Chapter Harmony , No . 220 , Garston , be lined £ 1 is . also .

On Comp . ROBERT GREY proposing " That Grand Lodge having increased the salaries of the clerks in the office of the Grand Secretary , the Grand Chapter pay its proportion of the same , viz ., one-fourth , " Cump . J . E . LE FEI ' VRE objected . The receipts of Grand Chapter in two years had been £ 3200 , and the cost of the office £ 2100 , or two-thirds . Grand Chapter did not make the best use of its money . Last year it invested nothing , but it paid £ 150 lo the Benevolent Institution . Another special

grant svas 100 guineas to the same Institution on its Jubilee ; another was 100 guineas to the Shadsvell Clerke Fund ; the handsome sum of 10 guineas to the Boys' School , and the same handsome sum to the Girls ' . The expenses of the ofiice were largely out of proportion to the amount that should be paid for the management of the Royal Arch Degree . Thc present was not the time for increasing these ofiice expenses . Comp . RICHARD EVE , P . G . T ., rose to second Comp . Le Feuvre .

Comp . P . A . P / III . UKICK said the only question svas whether Grand Chapter should pay its proportion . Whatever resolution was come to , it would not affect the office salaries .

Comp . RICHARD EYE said that svas a cunningly-devised statement of the Grand Registrar . The expenses of Grand Chapter svere perfectly astounding , and that should be driven home to the minds of those present , and of every one throughout the country . With an income of £ 1600 a year they found £ 1000 for office expenses . They paid enough , and too much . He svould suggest the appointment of a Committee to enquire into the office expenses . He would not have the Committee of General Purposes , but a Special Committee to enquire , a > d report to next convocation .

Comp , I IIO . MAS FENN ventured to doubt the necessity of the Committee of General Purposes bringing this subject before Grand Chapter . Many years ago Grand Chapter agreed to pay a proportion—it used to be a fifth , it svas aftersvards a fourth , as the chapters svere a fourth in number of the lodges . When the Special Committee of Grand I . odge sat which enquired

into thc office expenses , he thought it as svell to has * e a member of the Royal Arch Committee on it , so that everything might be properly enquired into . That member did not object . Grand Chapter having once agreed to pay a fourth of ofiice expenses , that svould apply to the increase as well as the original sum .

Comp . EVE said Grand Chapter had never been asked about the increase . This showed the loose way everything was done . Grand Registrar tried to shut everyone up , but he ( Comp . Eve ) was not to be so easily shut up . He repeated that the salaries svere emirmous . Comp . Pmi . niucK denied the imputation as to shutting up . The idea

of shutting up discussion where Comp . live svas concerned was absurd . The Committee sat many days—months , and investigated the whole matter , and in Grand I . odge their recommendation svas carried , notwithstanding the opposition of Comp . Eve . The increases amounted to onl y £ 150 a year , and (" rand Chapter was recommended to pay a fourth of this sum .

After a fesv remarks from Comp . R . GREY , in which he said the Committee had looked at the matter as business men , the recommendation was carried b y 74 against 29 votes . Grand Chapter was then closed .