Robert Leslie.

meet a line in favour of you . There it is only said that you direct how such a Dispensation may be obtained . Ancl as to the private law ( which ought to be your guide ) it expressly forbids you . " It is true that the Grand Secretary being th ° proper custos

of thc Grand Seal , the G . M . has often ( though not always ) allowed him ( the G . S . ) liberty of granting a Dispensation for immediate making of a new brother in case of emergency . But such makii ' ig must be in a Warranted Lodge and not elsewhere .

Neither is this done by Right , but by Courtesy only . And the power thus given extends no further than that of making a Freemason ( in a Regular Lodge ) a few days sooner than the stated time . A matter of no great consequence to the Craft .

"Of like contemptible complexion is your filling up the number of davs and agreeing to immediate meetings and proceedings on dispensations before the dispensations arc signed or even presented to the G . M . or bis Deputy . If these and such

like proceedings be the effects of want of skill in your office , In the name of God why such obstinacy and strenuous postponing the appointing a deputy who might assist you . _ For certain I am sure lhat vou stand in great need of an Assistant . I have

seen many new lodges constituted but none so Hat as No . 221 . Should you ask why 1 did not cause * it to be belter performed , I answer that my attention as G . M . rendered me incapable of doing the Grand Secretary ' s duty . And yet I did much more than my share and was loath to blame you for not doing many

parts of your duty , upon a supposition that you had not an Opportunity of studying them . But though I hold you excusable ; in this , yet I think you otherwise in not complying with the orders of the Grand Lodge , whicb was ' That thenceforth there

should be two Secretaries' I say this was the lirst motion made ; ( and carried unanimously ) after lhe dismission of Bearblock ( though strange lo tell ) omitted in your records . " Again :

" Who gave you authority lo negotiate with Mr . Serjeant ( for No . 7 ) in such a manner as to induce him to range the names of the Masons designed to compose his Lodge under the Title of Lodge No . 7 , whicb list he presented to mc

as the list of Lodge No . 7 ? Am I to suppose that Mr . Serjeant or any Freemason in his senses would attempt such a step without having something which he considered as an authority for what he was doing ? No , Sir , I cannot suppose any such

thing . " And had I been otherwise , your Man ( when he presented a certain paper of yours ) cured me effectually by telling me in the most peremptory manner that tbey have agreed wilh Mr . Leslie for No . 7 ancl ' Master and Wardens must be installed

this evening , Mr . Leslie having engaged lo attend . ' Those were his words verbatim , therefore needs no further comment . " But there is no need lo go into further details . The Grand Secretary read his reply , the space left for which is blank , ancl then the Deputy G . Master submitted to the Grand Committee

a scries of 19 epiestions , lo each of which he requested an answer These answers completely justified the position taken up by the Deputy ; but , very naturally , they were concerned at such a difference having arisen between these Grand Officers , and accordingly they appended the ; following resolution : —

" That it is with great concern this Committee sees a difference subsisting between such officers of tbe Grand Lodge , and from the < good opinion they have of both Parties , hope and strongly Recommend that any matter heard before this Committee will be lost in Oblivion , and that they will as Men and Masons pursue the great work for which they was respectively

Robert Leslie.

elected ; as any difference , even of sentiment between a D . G . M . and Grand Secretary would injure the noble Fabric of the Ancient * Craft . " The ' D . G . M . and thc Grand Secretary having been called , and thc Resolution read to them , they gave their assent thereto , and Grand Committee was closed , " and

apparently , there was an end of the matter . But Dermott was a very difficult man to cope with , and notwithstanding the ; resolution above quoted ancl the recommendation it contained for the differences between him and Grand Secretary Leslie to be buried in oblivion , he ' seems to have determined upon oustiner

Leslie from his position , ancl in this he succeeded . But in the steps he took to this end " the noble Fabric of thc Ancient Craft" appears to have , undergone what at the *; time must have proved a somewhat trying experience . At the following September Communication the Dep . G . M-., who was in the

chair , " informed the G . Lodge that he would not Act nor advise or suffer the Grand Master to Act with the present G . Sec , who , he declared , incapable of his office , and if again Re-elected , he would request leave of the G . M . to resign his office . " This brought the CL Secretary to his feet , and he

expressed himself as being " astonished at such a declaration from the Deputy , " and said it was " as un-Masonical as it was un-Manly . " The Secretary went on to describe the conduct of the Deputy since the Resolution of 29 th March to bury the whole thing in oblivion , but the Deputy stood by his declaration , and

a Committee was appointed " to hear , inquire into , and report . " On Leslie being subsequently put in nomination for the Secretaryship , the Deputy left the chair , and Bro . Peter Fehr , J . G . W ., presided in his stead . Leslie , having been re-elected by show of hands , declined the oflice on the ground that "he did not wish

to press himself upon the G . L . as Sec , nor by any means to deprive the L . of tbe assistance of the Deputy . " As the confusion increased , the G . Secretary requested the Deputy to resume the chair , and on this being done , " beg ' cl leave to decline any contest for the office of G . Sec . " At a meeting of the

Committee in October the Deputy continued his opposition to Leslie ; and all his acts , and also to other matters that were brought forward , on the ground of its incompetency to deal with them . At the . regular meeting in December , Grand Lodge had the question of the Grand Secretaryship before it , and certain

brethren were nominated as candidates for the office , the election being fixed for the ( irst Wednesday in March , till when Bro . Leslie agreed to carry on the . duties , and in the course of the ; proceedings a resolution was proposed and carried neni . con .: " That the * Thanks of this R . W . G . L . be now given

to Bro . Leslie , U . S ., for his past ancl present conduct in his Office of G . S . " On the 27 th December a letter from the Deputy was read , in which he took Grand Lochge to task for the illegality of the course il had pursued , on which Grand Lodge passeel a vote of censure on the Deputy , and the- Earl of Antrim

was proclaimed G . M ., and the Wardens-elect installed . At a special communication on the 31 st January , 1785 , the squabblewas continued , and the Deputy , who was present , called upon the Secretary for his accounts , and objeeted to certain charges therein . But the vote of censure on the Deputy was taken off .

Al the March meeting the minutes of the ist December , 178 4 , were rescinded , when it was pointed out lhat they included a vole of thanks to Bro . Leslie for his conduct as G . Secretary , a fresh resolution in his favour was passed , ancl ultimately Bro . John McCormick , P . M . No . 6 , was elected without a contest as

G . Secretarv , vice Leslie ; resigned . Thus was Leslie forced into a position in which , the only alternative' to his own retirement from oflice was that of the Deputy

Ad02202

CHARINGCROSSHOSPITAL,STRAND, Treasurer-GEORGE J . DRUMMOND , Esq , 49 Charing Cross , S . W . This Hospital , sit unfed in flic mitre of Loudon , close to a district densely populated with the poor classes , nnd easily accessible from nil parts , having ; on tin average 25,000PATIEKTTS annually , more than hall' of which nre eases of accident ov emergency . £ 15 , 000 A YEAR HAS TO BE RAISED FROM VOLUNTARY SOURCES . Annual Subscriptions and Donations will lie "Tatefully received hy the Hankers , Messrs . DKUMMGXJ . ** , * J * 9 Charinu * Cross , S . W ., Messrs . Conns it Co ., f- <) Strand , and M . urri . v ' s BASK , Lm , 08 Lombard Street , City . ARTHUR E . READE , Secretary . FORM OF BEQUEST , " I ¦**!* . ¦ <••*** -l l-ei | ii <' .-itli l <> tin- Tmisimr nr TiviiKtircrn , for i )» - limi' l-riiii ** , of GIMKIKII Gneiss 11 IISPITAI , , Lim-lou , for tin ; use eif U \ : et Charily , ilie : sum of five * nl" Le- ^ tey Miny , In IK- paid mil ed my pure peix-iiul estate as SIKIII | ii ' tor my elee-ease an be' possible , "