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PERRIER=JOUET&Co's. CHAMPAGNES. FINEST VINTAGE RESERVE-CUVEES . THE FAVOURITE MASONIC BRAND . Agent—A . BOURSOT , 9 , Hart Street , Hark Lane , London .

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ROYALEXCHANGE ASSURANCE . INCORPORATED A . D . 1720 . Funds in Hand Exceed - - £ 5 , 250 , 000 Claims Paid Exceed - - £ 42 , 000 , 000 FIRE , LIFE , SEA , ACCIDENTS , BURGLARY , EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY , ANNUITIES . The Corporation will act as : — EXECUTOR OF WILLS , TRUSTEE OF WILLS AND SETTLEMENTS . Apt > ly for full Prospectus to lhe Secretary . Head Office : —ROYAL MCHAME , lOIDOI , E . C .

The Problem Of Grand Lodge.

The Problem of Grand Lodge .

THE M ASONIC ILLUSTRATED .

THE remedy for the congestion of business in the Imperial Parliament was , to some extent , found in the measures of devolution which resulted in the establishment of County Councils , District and Parish Councils . Some corresponding procedure will have to be resorted to , to relieve

the congestion in Grand Lodge . It is not so much a congestion of business that is complained about as a congestion of brethren . It is agreed b y all who have carefully studied the matter that there will have to be a serious curtailment , and probably before long , of the right to sit

and speak in Grand Lodge , which is at present claimed by some 40 , 000 brethren . It is also anticipated , and with reason , that any such proposal will occasion much outcry , and it is worth considering how the 35 , 000 brethren who would be disfranchised can possibly be placated .

The right to sit and speak in Grand Lodge is not a landmark . The right to be represented and to instruct representatives is , and no proposal that has ever been made would affect this right . But the former has never seriously been challenged , and it behoves those AVIIO would make any

alteration in the constitutions to show very good cause for their action . We would suggest that a considerable enlargement of the powers of Provincial Grand Lodges might be well worth considering in this connection . It is difficult to find out what are the exact functions of Provincial Grand Lodges . The Constitutions say a good deal about the

Provincial Grand Master , who is , after all , but the alter ego of the Grand Master ; but they say very little about the Provincial Grand Lodge . One might imagine that its position would be determined by a simple rule of three sum . As the Grand Lodge is to the Grand Master , so is the

Provincial Grand Lodge to the Provincial Grand Master . This is far from being the case . Beyond the attainment of the Provincial purple , no outlet for the ambition of the ambitious brother is found . He may sit in the Provincial Grand Lodgeand speak as long as he can persuade his

, hearers to listen to him , but he is conscious all the time that in no way is he influencing the fortunes of the Order . Were it otherwise , the ordinary brother Avould be content with the Provincial arena , and would not be disturbed by any suggestion that his rights in Grand Lodge should be revised .

Grand Lodge elects its own Grand Master annually . Provincial Grand Lodge has no voice in the selection of its ruler . Grand Lodge devolves no one of its powers to the inferior assembly . Anything in the shape of admonition or discipline must come from the Provincial Grand Master , not from the ProA-incial Grand Lodge , although the latter might be asked to advise ; but this last is not mandatory .

At this point it may be convenient to notice the differences which exist between the Provincial and the District Grand Lodges . In the first place , Provincial Grand Lodge cannot meet at all unless summoned by the Provincial Grand Master . But District Grand Lodge fixes its own times for its statutory meetings without necessarily

consulting the convenience of its ruler . The District Grand Lodge may exercise , either by itself or through a recognised Board , most of the powers of the Board of General Purposes —that is , it may hear and dispose of Masonic complaints , and may further decide upon all matters Masonic affecting the

interests of either lodges or brethren . This is a very large order indeed , and in view of the curious questions that sometimes come before Grand Lodge on appeal , it might be desired that Article 106 went a little more into detail .

There are other questions , happily infrequent , in the disposal of which the District Grand Lodge can exercise powers which in England are the exclusive prerogative of Grand Lodge . It can remove a lodge from the register , and it can remove brethren from the roll . Whilst District Grand Lodge has thus the power of destroying , the District Grand Master

on his part has the power of creating . He can issue warrants , and he can issue Grand Lodge certificates . These are very marked differences between the two bodies Ave are comparing , and we cannot help thinking that if they were all put upon the same plane , a good many of the 40 , 000 odd members of Grand Lodge would be content to accept the proposed restriction of their present rights Avithout

murmuring . If by some such procedure as that indicated , or by any other process , Grand Lodge is reduced from 40 , 000 members to , say 4 , , who are they to be ? The landmarks say they must be representatives , not of lodges , but of brethren . They certainly must not be ex-officio members , for lodge offices

last but for one year , and Grand Lodge would then be a body with no continuity and with no permanent membership , save what is often disrespectfully called the official ring , that is , the Past Grand Officers . It is one of the most undesirable features of the present system that Grand Lodge can so

seldom reflect the feeling of the Avhole Craft . The great majority of members regard a visit much in the same way that the pious Muslim regards a pilgrimage to Mecca , a thing that ought to be accomplished at least once . It may be very proper in the brother ' s OAVH interests that he should

see how things are clone at headquarters , but he is not only a spectator or a learner when he puts in his one visit . He has a vote , and without the slightest knowledge or appreciation of the importance of issues involved , may be called upon to take his share in determining matters that may concern

the very existence of the Craft . Whatever alteration may in the future be made in the constitution of Grand Lodge , there are three points bound t <> be observed , and their observance will do much to facilitate