The Grand Lodge Of Wyoming.

with the ancient laws of the Craft as they have been handed clown to us from time immemorial . But as time goes on , and the State of Wyoming gains in strength , and as its Grand Lodge becomes proportionately more influential , the laws it is

now enacting , and the decisions of its successive Grand Masters when endorsed by the Grand Lodge , will , as regards the former , become part of the complex laws of Masonry in the United States , and , as regards the latter , will be taken as precedents for the cmidanee of future American Grand Masters .

It seems desirable , therefore , that we should very narrowly criticise the acts of a youthful and , no doubt , aspiring Grand Lodge like this of Wyoming , in order that where it does what seems reasonable and in

accordance with the best traditions of the Craft , it may receive every possible encouragement , and where it pursues a policy which seems directly opposed to those traditions , a salutary outside influence may , as far as possible , be brought to bear in

order to divert it from its dangerous proclivities . We referred last week in our Notes to the regulation which , according to the review of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Wyoming at this Communication in the Voice of Masonry for the current

month , it passed against the liquor traffic , or rather against accepting as candidates for admission into its lodges those engaged in that traffic . We pointed out that however strong and justifiable may be its opposition to the vice of intemperance ,

however anxious its members may be to reduce that vice to a minimum , where the traffic in liquor is sanctioned by the law of the land , it will not do for any body of Freemasons to set itself . above that law . A lodge or a Grand Lodge may do what it

likes by precept and example " to restrain , as far as possible , the crime of intemperance , " but it becomes perilous in the extreme when it is declared an offence against Masonry for a brother to engage "in the manufacture or sale of intoxicants , "

when that manufacture and that sale are sanctioned by the law . We imagine that any Masonic body which expelled a member for being engaged in this manufacture and traffic would find itself , to use a familiar expression , " in a

tight corner , " in the event of the expelled member , not having been guilty of any offence against the law of the land , invoking the aid of the law in order to bring about his restoration to the rights and privileges of

which he had been improperly deprived . Every lodge , as we pointed out last week , is justified in denying admission to its membership any candidate for initiation or joining , but to us it seems very questionable if a lodge is legally justified in

expelling a member who is merely following an occupation which is sanctioned by the law . Passing from this to a matter of far less importance we are given to understand by our contemporary that Bro . KUYKENDALL , Grand Secretary , in his report on

Correspondence denounces the Representative system in very strong terms , affirming that " no duties "—the words we are quoting are those of thc reviewer , not of Bro . KUYKENDALL" can be assigned a Grand Representative without infringing

upon many of the powers guaranteed the Grand Master under constitutional enactment or making the first-named merel y the agent of the latter , who alone , save the Grand Lodge , has , or can have , power and authority to perform any binding act a

Grand Representative might be delegated to undertake under a defined duty of the position . " We are not quite sure that we understand what all this means , but we take it to be in condemnation of the Representative System which , as far

as our judgment goes , is not only harmless in itself , but must in the nature of things be calculated to promote a kindly and fraternal feeling between the Grand Lodges , which exchange Representatives . We have never heard

that a Grand Representative has the right of interference in the internal government of the lodge he is accredited to . When two Grand Lodges exchange Representatives , it is a sign that they are on friendly terms , and that each is in general

sympathy with the Masonry practised by the other . Other subjects appear to have been referred to at considerable length by Bro KUYKENDALL in his Report , and in the case of one of them

we are very much inclined to agree with him—that of recognising newl y-established Grand Lodges . Bro . KUYKENDALL is reported as having expressed himself to the following effect

The Grand Lodge Of Wyoming.

"We believe the true and safe policy is to withhold recognition in all cases until all questions of doubt have been settled . Hurried recognition heretofore has caused more than one Grand Lodge to eat humble pie , " and he cites the case of Bro . PARVIN , of Iowa , in respect of the " Mexican Masonic problem , " arguing

that though it may be true , as Bro . PARVIN says , that in Mexico ' the charters of the Women ' s Lodges have been recalled and that women are no longer eligible as candidates for Masonry , and are not allowed to visit lodges or be recognised as Masons , ' " yet , that " a body of Masons which so far departed from the

original plan of Masonry as to make Masons of women ( not accidentally ) , and grant them chartered rights , may in equally as erratic a manner return to them that of which they have been deprived . " What else is recorded of Wyoming and its doings does not call for comment .

Supreme Grand Chapter Of England.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ENGLAND .

The following is the business to be transicted on Wednesday , the 3 rd proximo : The minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation to be read for confirmation .

THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OV GENERAL PURTOSES . To the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England . The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 20 th October , 18 9 6 , to the 19 th January , 18 97 , both inclusive , which they find to be as follows :

To Balance , Grand Chapter £ 1102 311 By Disbursements during the „ „ Unappropriated Quarter £ 351 10 9 Account ... 217 19 8 „ Balance 1 304 7 3 „ Subsequent Receipts .. 531 17 7 „ „ Unappropriated Account ... 19 G 3 2 1 C 1 S 52 1 2 £ iS 5 z 1 2

which balances are in the Bank of England , Law Courts Branch . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following petitions : 1 st . From Comps . William Shurmur , as Z ; John H . Wildash , as H . ; William Harris , as J . ; and 23 others for a chapter to be attached to the Beaconsfield Lodge , No . 1662 , to be called the Philbribk Chapter , and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Walthamstow , Essex .

2 nd . From Comps . Richard Newhouse , as Z . ; William Fearnside Robinson , as H . ; Andrew Henry Baird , as J . ; and 22 others for a chapter to be attached to the Minerva Lodge , No . 2433 , Birkenhead . 3 rd . From Comps . James Hill , as Z . ; Sydney F . Mackway , as H . j Henry Baldy Buckeridge , as J . ; and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Skelmersdale Lodge , No . 1658 , London .

4 th . From Comps . James Speller , as Z . ; Walter Edward Sutton , as H . ; Reuben Loomes , as J . ; and pothers for a chapter to be attached to the Crusider ' s Lodge , No . 16 77 , London . The foregoing petitions being regular , the Committee recommend that subject to an alteration of the designation of the first-named chapter , it being borne by a neighbouring lodge which contemplates having a chapter attached to it , the prayers thereof be respectively granted .

The Committee have also' received memorials with extracts of minutes , for permission to remove the following chapters : The Harmony Chapter , No . 309 , from the Red Lion Hotel , to 31 , West-street , Fareham . The Fermor Hesketh Chapter , No . 1350 , from the County Hall , to the Masonic Hall , Merton-road , Bootle .

The Montefiore Chapter , No . 1017 , from the Cafe Royal , Regent-street , to the Trocadero Restaurant , Piccadilly , London . The Frederick Chapter of Unity , No . 452 , from the Masonic Hall , to the Public Hall , Croydon . The Committee , having satisfied themselves of the reasonableness of the requests , recommend that the removal of these chapters be sanctioned .

The Committee recommend that , inasmuch as the Albion Chapter , No . 2020 , Woodstock , South Africa , has never been consecrated , and has failed to reply to the summons sent to it by order of Grand Chapter , it be erased . The Committee recommend that the Philanthropic Chapter , No . 405 , Port of Sp : iin , Trinidad , which has made no return of work since 18 75 , be summoned to show cause why it should not be erased from the roll of chapters .

The Committee recommend that the Orion-in-the-Weit Chapter , No . 415 , Poona , Bombay , which has made no return of work since 1878 , be summoned to show cause why it should not be erased from the roll of chapters .

( Signed ) GEORGE DAVID HARRIS , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C . January 20 th .

Consecration Of The Commercial Travellers' Lodge, No. 2631.

CONSECRATION OF THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' LODGE , No . 2631 .

There was a very numerous and representative gathering of brethren an Wednesday , the 21 st instant , at the Alexandra Hotel , Liverpool , where the ceremony of consecration of the above lodge took , place under favourable auspices as to ils future success . The first W . M . is Bro . Thomas Salter

P . P . G . D ., who holds a prominent p rsition in h ' reemasonry , and an equally honourable place in the commercial world , with which he has been identified for many years , having had th ^ distinguished honour of occupying the post of Chairman at one of the Liverpool dinners in aid of the Commercial Travellers' Schools at Pinner . The Consecrating Officer was Bro . K . W ylie , Past G ; and Deacon , D . P . G . M ., and there were also present—