Canada.

were living in , and to remark that , notwithstanding the many changes ivhich had taken place across the wide Atlantic , yet , that upon the dim horizon of the future , portentous clouds loomed up . Since then a mighty struggle has commenced , one which deluges Europe with blood , and shakes it to its centre . AVho can foresee the end , or s : iy that this , our native land , shall escape the tide of war . Be it , therefore , our duty , my brethren , to be prepared for every emergency , so that ivhether we he called upon to repel the foreign foe , or to perform the peaceful duties that more immediately pertain to our Order , our motto may ever be , ' ready , aye , ready . '

" Within the last few weeks the soil of Canada has been polluted by tbe tread by a band of lawless invaders the vyy pariahs of society , such men , in fact , as the great and terrible war in the neighbouring States was but too likely to produce , and whose objeot in life is to prey on society . It matters little whether it be by appropriating the bard-earned savings of the poor Irish servant , or by deliberate theft and rapine . A more criminal raid was never heard of in the history of modern

nations . Tlie idea of assisting Irish independence by a murderous onslaught on the peaceful inhabitants of a remote and happy British province , is too absurd to be entertained . Plunder ivas the object , and may the just lows of our country mete out to them a just reward . Deeply is it to lamented that any of our brave and gallant volunteer . ' , ' the flower of the youth of Canada , ' should have fallen by such ignoble hands . Be it our dutymy brethrento cherish their memory by an ever

, , green remembrance , and like them let us ever be prepared at our country ' s call , to shed our heart's best blood in her defence "If there is one duty more strongly inculcated by Freemasonry than another , it is loyalty . With political questions , we , as a body , have nothing to do , but to be true and loyal to our Sovereign and country is , as you are well aware , not only our paramount duty , but our highest privilege , and yet there are those whoeither in consequence of having been refused

, admittance into our lodges , or because the see of Rome has lately issued a silly document against Freemasonry , have not hesitated foully to Slander us in public prints , and to class us with Fenians and other subverters of the peace of society , forgetting naturally that the uncle and father of our gracious and most loved Queen , was a Grand Master of our Order , itself a sufficient guarantee , were any necessary , for our loyalty . But , brethren , I am not here as an apologist for Freemasonry—it

needs no apology—its acts speak for themselves , and by those acts I am willing that it should bo judged . Nor should I have alluded to these foul slanders , but that I feared as a prominent member of the Craft had noticed them in the- public prints , that my silence might be misconstrued . I am at all times much opposed to rushing into print on Masonic matters , but in this instance I was particularly so , for I deemed it beneath my notice as your Grand Master to pay the slightest attention to such palpable calumnies .

" From present appearances , there is every reason to believe that the great question of Confederation of the British North American provinces will , within a few short weeks , be accomplished . Let us then carefully consider the position iu which this Grand Lodge will be placed by that event . A strong feeling is , I am given to understand , entertained hy many prominent Masons in the sister provinces in favour of a Grand Lodge for the whole of British North America , with a Provincial Grand

Lodge under her in each province . With these views , as yon are well aware from the remarks I made at the Toronto Masonic Banquet last July , I fully concur ; being persuaded that such : i confederation would prove of ineuleable benefit to our Order , and place us in the foremost rank of the Grand Lodges of the world—not even second to our honoured aud revered parent , the Grand Lodge of England . Ponder well , then , my brethren , thc advisability of uniting witli our brethren of the Maritime

Provinces for this purpose . And if on due deliberation you concur in my views , lot a committee be appointed by this Grand Lodge ivhose duty it shall be to invite the lodges in the sister provinces , by their delegates , to meet them at some central place , and there prepare the necessary steps to receive them into this Grand Lodge , which may then be called together for the purpose of ratifying their acts aud declaring itself the Grand Lodge of British North America . Refine closing this

part of nly address , I ivould draw your attention to tbe important fact that so soon as the confederation of these provinces takes place , the Grand Lodge of Canada is necessarily placed in precisely the same position in regard to the sister provinces as

the Grand Lodge of England , Ireland , and Scotland , and may at any time elect lodges in either of them . " Early in thc month of March I received a communication signed by three brothers , styling themselves respectively Master , Grand Registrar , and Grand Secretary elect of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia , informing me that after due deliberation the Scottish Prov . G . L- of Nova Scotia had dissolved itself and that a convention of Scotti _ . li Masons had then been he'd , at ivhich

a Grand Lodge was formed and the officers thereof duly elected , and requesting me to nominate somo brother to proceed to Halifax to install the Grand Master . To this communication , I regret to say , I found it impossible to return a favourable answer , for , on carefully perusing the statement sent homo of the course pursued by our Nova Scotia brethren , I found their whole proceedings so irregular as to render , in my opinion , the legality of the formation of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia more

than doubtful , I therefore directed the Grand Sec . to acknowledge tlie receipt of their letter , to say that , taking into consideration the peculiar action of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia , in the proposed formation of a Grand Lodge for that province , the Grand Master of Canada did not feel justified in exercising his prerogative in installing their Grand Master , without first consulting the Grand Lodge of Canada at its next regular convocation , that had the movement to form a Grand Lodge been

participated in by the lodges hailing indiscriminately from other jurisdictions than the Grand Lodge of Scotland , the Grand Master would not have had the slightest hesitation in at once extending to them tlie right hand of fellowship , but he feared the simple fact of the English and Irish Leagues not having been formally invited or solicited to co-operate in the movement , although possessing equal rights with the Scottish Ludge , must prove fatnl to the speedy acknowledgment of the proposed

Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia . As this question is one that demands the most careful consideration , I shall recommend that a special committee bo appointed to enquire into the action taken by our Nova Scotian brethren , and to report to this Grand Lodge to-morrow evening . I last year drew the attention of the Grand Lodgo to the existing * want of uniformity of work in our subordinate lodges , and earnestli- endeavoured to impress upon it the necessity of immediately appointing one or

two Grand Lecturers to remedy tins evil , but as this would trench largely upon the funds of the lodge , it was not then thought advisable to act upon my advice ; another method was therefore adopted ivhich , I regret to say , has produced no beneficial results . Now , brethren , believe me , this is the falsest of all false economy , for nothing can be more calculated to lessen the love of our brethren for Masonry than a want of system , correctness , and uniformity of work . Why is it that we have

so many unaffiliated Masons in our midst ? Undoubtedly because they have either never been properly taught , or their young love has been cooled by the slovenly working of their lodges . Correct , then , this evil without loss of time ; let the necessary question be invariably put to the candidate , in the anti-room , before his initiation , rigidly enforce the law requiring the candidate to be well instructed in the preceding degrees before he is advanced higher , compel every Mason sent to pass an

examination as to his qualifications to fill the chair before be is installed into that high and responsible office , above all appoint a Grand Lecturer , ivho shall teach our lodges to be prouder of the correctness of their work , than accumulation of material , and I am satisfied that in less than a twelvemonth you will not only see a noble advancement towards perfect Masonry , but such a large increase in our roll of membership , by the return to our fold of tbe unaffiliatedas will ampl Grand Lod

, y repay ge the outlay I now recommend . Such of my official acts as may be deemed of sufficient importance to engage your attention , I shall now endeavour to enumerate ; I shall at any time hereafter be happy to afford such additional information on the subjects treated of as may be desired so far as may lie in my power . "In compliance with the resolution passed by the Grand Lodge , requesting me to take the necessary steps to get the consolidated statutes of Lower Canada amended so as to remove

the doubts which existed as to the standing of the Grand Lodge in Lower Canada , I proceeded to Quebec , and with the kind assistance of several gentlemen of both Houses , belonging to our Order , succeeded iu getting the amendment passed by the Legislature . " I have much pleasure in presenting our worthy Grand Pursuivant , Bro . Blondlieim , with the jewel of his office , as directed by resolution of Grand Lodge at its annual communication in 1863 . The jewel which was ordered by Grand Lodge