Grand Lodge.

hear . ) Ho did not see why those Brethren , who had all along taken an interest in the property of the Craft , should be shut out from the consideration of the subject . There was a Brother who hart just left the seat beside him—he alluded to Bro . Beadonwho was . most competent to judge of such a matter . He would say the same of Brother Dobie , and of many other Brethren , members of Grand Lodge , but not members of the Board of General Purposes , and who wonld on tiiat account be precluded

from giving the Craft the benefit of their judgment , their experience , and their taste , in the selection of a plan for the proposed alterations . He thought that a committee of six should be appointed to meet a like number from the Board of General Purpose . " . Bro Havers said , he agreed to a great extent with what had fallen from Bro . Whitmore , and if he would name a few gentlemen , members of Grand Lodge , such as Bro . Cubitt and Bro .

Hardwicke , as a committee to confer with the Board of General Purposes it would be most happy to avail itself of their assistance . Ho hoped that the consideration of this question would be kept clear of party feeling in Grand Lodge . A Brother asked if the 150 guineas was included in the £ 300 . Bro . Havers replied in the affirmative , although the Grand Secretary intimated that it was not . Bro . Whitmore said , he had no objection to fall in with the

views of Bro . Havers , ami if time were given to him , he should make out a list of Breihren in whose judgment and good taste Grand Lodge would have every conSdence . Bro . Roxburgh would object to any such course being taken , as it would imply an antagonism between Grand Lodge and the Board of General Purposes , and would be . an insult to the members of the latter body , who were ready to devole time , trouble , and considerationupon the several plans which might be brought

, before them . When they did make a selection , i be scheme which they approved would be laid before Grand Lodge , and then every man would be able tojudge for himself . Bro . Gregory thought , the course suggested by Bro Whitmore unconstitutional , and read the Book of Constitutions to show that the management of everything connected with the building and furniture of the Craft was vested in the Board of General Purposes

only . Bro the Rev . G . R . Portal thought Bro . Gregory had strangely read the Book of Constitutions . There was no doubt that , ordinarily , the Board of General Purposes had the care of that building and " of the furniture of the Craft , but here was a special case requiring a special aptitude , and therefore it was but reasonable that a special body should be entrusted with tbe consideration of it . He questioned , too , the advisability of taking the designs from the

Craft only , and not throwing the competition open to architects generally . Why , for instance , should they exclude men like Scoit and Butterwortb from the competition , and so cut themselves off from getting tbe best design the profession could supply them . Indeed , he doubted if any architect of standing would submit plans to be decided upon bya bodyofmeninexperioncedin architectural matters as the members of theBoard of General Purposes were . He therefore thought the suggestion . of Bro . Whitmore a very proper

and wise one . With regard to what had fallen from Bro . Havers , in reference to a Masonic party in Grand Lodge , he would tell him that if he wished to establish one , and make it compact , united , and strong , he could not do better than continue to display his hostility to him and the Brethren who generally acted with him . ( Hear , hear ) . He had already , by his impertinences , driven one noble Lord from the room that night . The M W Grand Master called Bro . Portal to order . He did

think bis observations Masonic . Bro . Portal would willingly retract any observation that was / iot Masonic , but when tbe Earl of Carnarvon was leaving tbe room he told him ( Bro . Portal ) that he would not remain to be subject to such insolence . If there was a party in Grand Lodge , Bro , Havers was certainly not going the right way to disband and dissipate it . Bro . Savage doubted the propriety of referring the question to so large a body as tbe Board of General Purposes . All power was in tbe hands of Grand Lodge , and he thought they might very well select three or four competent Brethren to decide the matter .

Bro . Whitmore said he bad now a list of six members ready who should , he proposed , be associated with an equal number of Brethren selected from the Board of General Purposes , and so form a special committee for the consideration of the matter . The M . W . Grand Master suggested that it would be better if the Board of General Purposes were to appoint a sub-committee , who might call in the assistance of other members of Grand Lodge , Bro . Wyndham Portal , J . G . W ., thought all difficulty would be

got rid of if , in accordance with the Book of Constitutions , the Board of General Purposes were themselves to recommend to Grand Lodge the appointment of a special board . Bro . J . Hervey thought the proposal of Bro . Whitmore anything but complimentary to the Board of General Purposes . TheBoard would , of course , in a matter of this kind , appoint . a sub-committee , and as there were two architects of great experience on the board , they no doubt would be members of the committee , and in

iheir hands tbe matter would be safe . The board had no indisposition to have other Brethren associated with them for the determination of a question like the present , but he must say that he regarded the proposal of Bro . Whitmore as a motion of want of confidence in the Board of General Purposes . Bro . Barrett denied that either of the Brethren alluded to by the last speaker was an architect . Bro . Whitmore quoted the formation of the Colonial Board as

a precedent for his proposal . Bro . Havers had that morning seen Bro . Hardwicke , who was on a sick bed , and he had told him that he would at all times be most happy to give the Board his advice and assistance , and that they might command his services . He believed that the other Brethren , who were on Bro . Whitmore ' s list , w'ould bo ready to do the same thing . TheBoard of General Purposes was still deserving of the confidence of Grand Lodge , and until they forfeited that confidence , a subject like the present should not be taken out of their bands . With regard to the charge that he wished to create a party in Grand Lodge , so far from that being the case , no one , as Bro . Portal himself knew , had laboured harder to avoid

it . He denied that he had that evening at all referred to Lord Carnarvon , and he had made that statement in his lordship's presence , and it was one which ought to be enough between one gentleman and another . With regard to Bro . Portal himself , he had entertained the highest respect for him , and when on the Board of General Purposes , he had invited his counsel and assistance . He had , too , in writing under his hand received from him his consent to several things , which he afterwards opposed in

Grand Lndjje . What confidence then could he have in such a man . The M . W . Grand Master , after some consultation with the Brethren on the dais , told Bro . Whitmore that he could not put his proposal before Grand Lodge , as it was not strictly an amendment , but a motion interfering with the constitution of the Board of General Purposes , and as such required the usual notice . Bro . Whitmore said he must of course submit to the ruling of the M . W . Grand Masterbut he at the same time most earnestl

, y protested against it . An amendment was then moved and seconded , to tbe effect , that the further consideration of the question be postponed until the next Grand Lodge , and a division having taken place , it was lost by a large majority . The original motion was then agreed to . Bro . Havers then moved , "That in the scheme which they would have to consider , it would be desirable to proceed only with tile view of providing fitting and appropriate accommodation to be

devoted solely and exclusively to Masonic purposes . " Bro . Webb seconded the motion . Bro Savage thought it scarcely proper to determine a question of so much importance without proper discussion , a thing which they could not have at that late hour of the night ; he would therefore move that the farther consideration of tbe subject be postponed until next Grand Lodge . Bro . Havers hoped Bro . Savage would not press his amendment ,

as it . would render the other resoluiions inoperative . After some conversation the amendment was negatived and the resolution agreed to , after which , Grand Lodge was closed in ample form at twelve o'clock .