Provincial.

upon the present occasion , especially as those brethren who might not have been present had the opportunity of reading the reports of their meetings in the Magazine . The motion of which he had given notice for this evening was as follows : — " That a memorial be presented to the Board of General Purposes , asking them to take into their consideration the present representation of provincial Masons in Grand Lodge , with a view of affording them a fair share

in the election of all Boards connected with the Order , and requesting them to bring the subject before Grand Lodge . " Bro . Sherry proceeded to argue that it would be seen , on application to the Book of Constitutions , that the provincial Masons had not that share ( under present circumstances ) in the representation of Grand Lodge to which they were duly entitled . In the " Regulations for the Government of the Craft , " ( at p . 16 ) , occurred the following : —

" The public interests of the fraternity are managed by a general representation of all private Lodges on record , together with the Grand Stewards of the year , and the present and past Grand Officers , and the Grand Master at their head . This collective body is styled the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England , and its members rank in the following order , " & c . The Book of Constitutions also , in the course of its general

directions , provides that the Grand Master and Grand Treasurer , the Board of General Purposes , tho Colonial Board , and the Committee of Benevolence , are to be annually elected by Grand Lodge , that is to say , by the Worshipful Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens of every Lodge on the English register . In practice , however , ( said Bro . Sherry ) these elections are really in the hands of those members of Grand Lodge ( greatly predominating in the attendances ) who happen to be resident in or near London , whilst those at a distance are , for the most part , precluded , by the expense of the

journey and the claims of their business occupations , from being present in London and exercising their franchise . Under these circumstances a very great injustice is inflicted upon a large portion of the provincial Masons , indeed , on all those whose homes are at any distance from the metropolis , who , nevertheless , are so numerous as to constitute avast majority of the members of Grand Lodge , and from whom the greater part of its funds are derived . The

consequence is , that the virtual charge of the finances of Grand Lodge is thus invested in the power and management of those parties in whose appointment to office the chief contributors to those finances have practically no voice . The only means by which this widel y felt grievance could be remedied , in his ( Bro . Sherry ' s ) opinion , was the issue of voting papers ( hear , hear ) to the Masters of all Lodges , to be filled up in open Lodge by those members entitled to '

vote were they present in Grand Lodge ; and this in place of obliging the said members to poll in London if they exercise their privilege at all . Then , and then only , the brethren of every Lodge would have the opportunity of exercising their full share in the elections , as provided they are entitled to in the Book of Constitutions , ( p . 66 , clause 24 ) , where it says , " The majority of the mem . bers of a Lodge , when congregated , have the privilege of giving

instructions to their Master , the immediate Past Masters , and Wardens , before the meeting of the Grand Lodge ; because such officers are their representatives , and are supposed to speak their sentiments . " Having held the views he had expressed on the subject , he had lately made an application to the Grand Secretary in London and that officer had kindly sent him down some particulars , which showed the great distinguishable difference in the attendance of the London and the provincial brethren at Grand Lodge during the last two years . The returns he had received gave him the following details in this respect ;—

No . of No . of Quarterly Meetings . £ ¦< £ provincial ^ present . present . 1857—June 3 100 11 101 SeptembcT 2 191 7 19 S December 2 19 G 89 235 1858— March 8 178 42 220 June 2 148 30 17 S

September 1 104 11 116 December 1 212 40 252 1859—March 1 213 46 259 Junel 130 42 172 Totals .. ! 1522 26 S 1790

These figures showed that the attendance of the London Masons had been four-fifths more than that of the provincial brethren . He thought it was quite time something should he done to ensure to all an equal voice under equal opportunity of exercising it , such as vote by proxy would create , and for the purpose of bringing the question into the proper course of discussion , he had prepared the following memorial , which he would read to the Lodge : —

" To the Board of General Purposes , — "The memorial of the Worshipful Master , Past Masters , Wardens , and brethren of tho Lodge of ( Economy , No . 90 , in open Lodge assembled , — " Showeth—That , according to the Book of Constitutions , 'the public interest of the fraternity ( of Free and Accepted Masons ) are managed by a

representation of all private lodges on record , ' with the addition of a Grand Master , Grand Officers , « fcc ., and that this collective body is styled 'The United Grand Lodge of Ancient Tree and Accepted Masons of England . ' "The Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge are held in London , where the general business of the society is transacted , and the various Boards of Management are from time to time elected .

That , while in theory such representation is ' general , 'it is proved in practice to be only ' partial ; ' the proportion of the London brethren constituting more than four-fifths of the total attendance . That this inequality arises from the difficulties caused by distance and expense under which the members of country lodges labour as compared with brethren resident in the metropolitan district . " That , though of late years these difficulties have been partially obviated by the facilities afforded by extension of railway accommodation , yet the

expenditure of time and money still presents a serious obstacle to such an attendance of provincial brethren as is desirable . " That various plans have been devised with a view to promote such regular attendance , but the circumstances alluded to , and others which may be adduced , have only been attended with limited success . " That your memorialists are of opinion that , in the election of the various Boards of Management , some schemesbould be introduced by which the entire English Craft shall be fairly reqresented in Grand Lodge . They would ,

therefore humbly suggest that ' voting by proxy' be adopted . " Your memorialists , therefore , respectfully urge upon your "Worshipful Board to take this subject into your consideration , and also to submit the same to Grand Lodge . And your memorialists will ever pray , & c .

"Bated this 31 st of August , 1859 . " Bro . Durant , P . M „ said be begged to second the motion , and he could not conceive that any opposition could be offered to it either on the part of the M . W . Grand Master , or any of his officers . He thought the memorial was worded in such respectful terms that they could not take umbrage at it ; and more than that , he fancied

they would be glad to have the opinions of more of their brother Masons from the country , under the means proposed , to share in the management of the affairs of the Craft . He thought the memorial , with any little clerical error that may be apparent , corrected , should be sent to the Board to which it was addressed .