Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

ZOXDOZT , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 1 , 1861 .

The proceedings at the Quarterly Cominxinieation of Grand Lodge , on "Wednesday evening , were not —with the exception of explaining the vote giving power to the M . W . Grand Master of appointing honorary Past' Grand Officers—productive of any great practical results , though

in the course of the eA'ening more than one rather important discussion took place . The first business , after the usual formalities had been gone through , was the nomination of the M . W . Grand Master for re-election , and to which there was of

courseafter the repeated expressions of opinion that any opposition , however honestly brought forward , - could only be regarded as a mark of disrespect to the M . " W . Grand Master—no objection . But we cannot let the opportunity pass without reiterating our conA'ietion that

repeated re-elections do not add to the strength of the Order , —ancl this we do , though fully admitting that the distinguished brother who holds the office has discharged his duties to the general satisfaction of the Craft . We speak only from principle , and that principle we feel bound to assert on every legitimate occasion . The Grand Master then brought forward a case ,

happily very rare m English Ereemasonry—the suspension of a brother from his Masonic duties and privileges , under circumstances which may lead to his expulsion from the Craft . It appears that a brother—whose name we refrain from publishing for the present , as he is to be summoned to next Grand Lodge to show cause why

he should not be expelled—is charged that he , being a resident of the Isle of Wight , and about to become a bankrupt , made use of the Masonic Hall , Newport , to which he had access , to conceal some of his furniture and goods , which were removed between twelve at night and

three in the morning , from his creditors ; and for this the Prov . Grand Master £ the Isle of Wight has suspended him from his Masonic duties . The Grand Lodge confirmed the suspension until next Grand Lodge , and Ave shall refrain from further comment , trusting that the

conduct of our brother is susceptible of explanationand we feel ourselves the more bound to this because the brother has hitherto held the highest character for uprightness and integrity , and through his Masonic career has shown himself to be a firm upholder of its principles and a liberal supporter of its charities . At the same time Ave feel that in taking the course of

summoning our unfortunate brother to appear before Grand Lodge , the M . W . Grand Master and his adA'isers haA T e been somewhat too precipitate—as a reference to the Board of General Purposes would have been equally efficient and more likely to elicit the truth , as

explanations might be more easily entered into before a Committee than they can before a body of two or three hundred men ; and we can even imagine a case where a person by removing his goods , instead of trying to

defraud his creditors , might be- endeavouring to protect the interests of the Avhole against the harsh proceedings of one . We regret , hoAvever , that he did not find a more appropriate warehouse than a Masonic Hall . Passing this painful subject , and the formal reception

of the Eeport of the Board of General Purposes , we come to the first resolution arising out of it ; and in order to make it intelligible , we will quote the paragraph from the Eeport of the Board : —

" The Board beg also to-report that their attention has been , directed to the resolution adopted by Grand Lodge at its meeting in June last , by Avhich the M . W . Grand Master was einpoAvered to appoint brethren of eminence and distinction to be members of Grand Lodge , with such rank aud distinction as he might think proper ; and to the resolution adopted at the same meeting of Grand Lodge , by which it

Avas resolved ' That at and after the Grand Festival of 1862 , tAvo additional Grand Deacons should be appointed . ' It has been stated to the Board that serious doubts exist as to whether the power given by those resolutions to the M . W . Grand Master , or a power similar thereto , has been , by suchresolutions , bestowed uponProvinoial Grand Masters . The Board having given the subject their best attention ,

consider that it is very desirable that any doubts that may be entertained should be removed as soon as possible , and for that purpose they beg leave to recommend the adoption of the folloAving proviso to be added to each of the before mentioned resolutions : — " ' Provided that nothing herein contained shall empower Provincial Grand Masters to make similar appointments in their respective provinces / "

Bro . Mclntyre , the President of the Board , in moving this proviso , stated that he did so because doubts had arisen in certain quarters- whether the giving the power to the Grand Master did not also confer it on the Provincial Grand Masters , in consequence of a clause in the

Book of Constitutions , which states , that " By this patent the brother is invested with a rank and power in his particular district similar to those possessed by the Grand Master . " Bro . Mclntyre argued , however , that the reading by which the Prov . Grand Masters were to take

advantage of the law giving power to the Grand Master to grant honorary rank , was fallacious , inasmuch as it was clearly laid down at the time the resolution was brought forward that it was to enable the Grand Master to

reward brethren who had done good service to Masonry , but who , in consequence of the distance they resided from the metropolis , were debarred from attending Grand Lodge and partaking of its honours , hy conferring upon them a distinction which should be more extensive than .

any Avhich could be given by the Prov . Grand Masters , inasmuch as it would give them rank throughout the whole Masonic jurisdiction of England ; whereas , any rank granted by a Prov . Grand Master , must be confined to his own district . The motion having been seconded , Bro . Stebbing wished its consideration to be

postponed , on the ground of some attack on the privileges of the Grand Master , which he states to be in meditation for next Grand Loclge , but the nature of which he did not designate . After a short discussion , the M . W . Grand Master explained that he had understood the proposed privilege to be confined to the Grand Master—not that he had any objection to share it