Masonrt In Jersey.

MASONRT IN JERSEY .

LOWDOUT , SATURDAY , NOVEHBE ' R 28 , 1 S 03 .

At the nest meeting of Grand Lodge , a most important appeal from twelve or fourteen brethren , who Lave been suspended froin their Masonic privileges by the Provincial Grand Master , will have to be adjudicated upon , and we regret , knowing as wedo that many of the brethren suspended are most zealous , upright , and conscientious Masons , to add that we are convinced the decision of the Provincial Grand

Master must be upheld . It is , however , a recognised priuciple in Freemasonry that foreign jurisdictions are not to be established in any country having a governing body of its own ; and any lodge established under a foreign jurisdiction must be held to be irregular , and its members refused all Masonic

privileges , by the brethren of the Grand Lodge of the country in which it is attempted to be introduced . This is even admitted by the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland , and though all claim the right to establish lodges in British

possessions and colonies , they have always forborne from interfering with lodges in either of the three kingdoms united under the British Crown , excepting- that which they immediately represent . The cause of the present dispute has arisen out of a direct violation of the principle of non-interferance with the jurisdiction

of another country by the Council of the French Eite Ecossais , who have established a new lodge in Jersey , without consulting the Grand Lodge of England or of Ireland , both of which have lodges in the island . We believe that the first cause of this act arose from a

desire of some of the brethren to do away with the custom of obligating the brethren on the volume of the Sacred Law , as required by tlie Constitutions of each of the three Grand Lodges we have named , and instead thereof obligating on the diploma of the lodge , as practised in some places abroad .

Accordingly , a few months ago it was proposed to establish a French lodge in Jersey—that is to say , one not merely working in the French language under English jurisdiction , as La Cesaree , but one totally independent of the Grand Lodge of England ,

deriving its authority from France . In pursuance of this , application was made to the " Grand Orient du Eite Ecossais " in France , from which a warrant was obtained . The Provincial Grand Master , under the English Constitution , on receiving information of

the matter , sent a protest against such a proceeding to those English Masons who were instrumental in it , representing that it was an infringement of the prerogative of the Grand Lodge of England , and a violation of articles in the " Book of Constitutions , " to introduce a lodge under foreign

authority in territory under its jurisdiction ; moreover , that a Past Master of an English lodge would violate his obligation by rendering assistance to the project , or participating in it . This failed to produce the desired effect , and a new lodge , bearing the title of Les Amis de 1 'Avenir ( No . 169 ) , was in due course

consecrated and opened . Invitations to be present on the occasion were forwarded to the Provincial Grand Master , and also to the Masters of the different English lodges iu Jersey , as well as to the Worshipful Master of a lodge under Irish warrant , all of whom

declined acceptance , alleging various causes for such a course , but most of them pleading the 13 th clause oi the " Antient Charges and Eegulations , " subscribed to by every " Worshipful Master , on his installation , as one among other reasons . The Provincial Grand Master put himself iu communication with the Most Worshipful Grand Master of England on the subject ,

on which , by order of the latter , a letter was addressed by the Grancl Secretary to M . Viennet , who is at the head of the Supreme Council of the "Grand Orient du Eite Ecossais" in France . Wo reply having been received to this letter , after a considerable interval , the Grand Master sent positive instructions

to the Provincial Grancl Master , among which was , as a preliminary step , to summon before him the principal brethren , members of English lodges , who had taken part iu forming the new lodge , and to make certain definite inquiries from them , with directions

how to act under such circumstances as might occur , Four brethren were , therefore , ordered to meet the Provincial G-rand Master , to which no response was given . A second summons was issued , on which only one presented himself . The other three were , there

fore , suspended for contumacious behaviour , since which it has become necessary to extend the suspensions to ten or a dozen more of the brethren .

That such a course should ever have become necessary we deeply regret ; but we look upon it that the Grand Master and the Provincial Grand Master had no other course to pursue—the lodge established under the Grand Orient du Eite Ecossais being as clearly illegal in the English jurisdiction , as the Lodge

of Memphis , established here some few years ago , and against which the Craft were solemnly warned by the Grand Lodge of England . Injustice to the brethren now under suspension we publish the following letter , though we altogether

dissent from the arguments of Bro . Desmoulins : — TO THE EDITOR 01 ? THE FKEEMASOXS * VtfAOAZIXE AWT ) XASONIO SIIKH 0 H . DEAU SIR AND BROTHER , —In your last numbers you have published successive acts of suspension of myself and of fourteen Jersey brethren , together with tho proceeding of both Lodges—Saint Aubin ' s and Cesareeagainst myself and my friends . As , owing to that very suspension , we could not attend the meetings of which your correspondent thought right to forward you the reports , we had no opportunity to present our defence ,