The Provinces.

had always been given without reference to politics , and that the majority of Prov . Grand Masters were opposed to the Grand Master in politics . He looked upon the office of Prov , Grand Master as far more important than that of Grand Warden . A Grand Warden was generally a member of one of tho Houses of Parliament , and tho sphere of his duties was in London , where he had little influence . While the Grand Wardens had no power in their hands , the Prov . Grand Masters had the appointment of all tho Prov- Grand Officers , as well as the general direction of Masonic affairs in the provinces

, and therefore the opportunity of showing favouritism if they desired it ; and yet he believed that the politics of the majority of the Prov . Grand Masters were opposed to those of the Grand Master . He had looked over the list of appointments to the office of Grand Warden , and he did not feel that there had been any preponderance given to one party over another . Now , the first appointment made by the Earl of Zetland was that of a nobleman opposed to him in polities , Earl Howeas Deputy Grand MasterThe next Deputy Grand

, . Master , Lord Yarborough , was so attentive to his duties , and so liberal a supporter of their charities , that he had been looked upon by the Craft as the future Deputy Grand Master , long before he was appointed . Then , with regard to Lord Panmure , he was sure there was hot one of them who did not rejoice that a man of such great administrative talent and of so distinguished a position , had been induced to accept the office of Deputy Grand Master . He , for one , though differing with that noble lord in politicsfelt proud that so

distin-, guished a nobleman and statesman should be placed in tho position he held . Then , with regard to other appointments , one of the last was that of a Brother who had been initiated in that province , and who they esteemed most highly—Bro . Wyndham Portal , who was made a Grand Warden . That Brother was considered a liberal conservative . He had not always been so denominated , and though now a progressive reformer , he certainly never could be considered to belong to the same school of politics as Lord Zetland ( Cheers ) He

. . would now proceed to notice the action of the Grand Master in Grand Lodge- Bro . Portal had brought forward some few questions which it was held were opposed to the landmarks of the Order , and Considered they had not been fairly treated in Grand Lodge , but they must remember that the Grand Master was not solely responsible for that . They could hardly expect a man to give up his whole time to the Craft , and he believed that it would have been hardly possible to find a nobleman who would have given up more of his time to

Masonry , and who was move devoted to its interests , than Lord Zetland . ( Cheers ) . They knew that the sovereign of a kingdom must mainly depend on the advice of his ministers with regard to the course of his government . So must the Grand Master also , in a great degree , depend upon his ministers-, for he could not go continually about amongst the private Lodges , as could other members of the Craft . Though in some instances he might think that Lord Zetland had listened too much to the opinions of others , yet he thought on the wholethey had reason to be entirely satisfied at the

man-, ner in which the noble Lord filled his high position . He ( Bro . Spiers ) though he might have regretted some of the decisions come to in Grand Lodge , had felt , as an old conservative , that the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge had a right to take farther time for reflection if they desired to do so . He certainly would not say that he had been satisfied with the management of their colonial affairs ; but when a Colonial Board was moved for , it was at once acceded to , and that most gracefully —( cheers)—and the Grand Master appointed its first

president from amongst those who led the opposition : indeed , he believed that it was through the exertions of Bro . Burlton that the Board was established . No doubt the Craft had reason to complain of the long period in which Bro . White had been allowed to hold the position of Grand Secretary ; but they all knew how difficult it was to persuade men that the time had arrived wdien they ought to retire from the active duties of life , and give way to younger and more active menThough he believed it would have been more for the

. interest of the Craft if Bro . White had retired eight or ten years earlier , yet now that the remedy had been applied through the recommendation of the Grand Master himself , they should speak of Bro . White only with respect , for there could be no doubt of the valuable services which he for many years rendered to the Order—and that he was a man of more information , and of greater Masonic knowledge , than any other man in the Craft . ( Hear , hear ) . A great deal had been said about Canadaand the great loss which this country and tlie

, Craft had sustained by the withdrawal ofthe Canadian Lodges from English rule . Though he was sorry that the Canadians had separated from England in the way they had done , and great care would be required in adjusting their relations in future—he did not regret that Canada had established a Grand Lodge of her own . As the Colonies were now being taught to rely upon themselves , and to become independent of the government of the mother country , though we hoped still to be able to retain them as friends and allies—so did

he consider that the time had arrived when Canada should have a " independent Grand Lodge of her own , and no longer have to send t ° England for her certificates—nor called upon to send her the monies she has been accustomed to receive . The time had come when the Canadians should have the control over their own funds , and . he therefore did not regret that Canada had become detached from England—though he regretted that the separation had not taken place in terms of friendship . He confidently looked , however , to a return of friendshibetween the Masons of the two countrieswhen animosities

p , were forgotten—heat of temper allayed—and each party would be ready to concede something to the other . ( Cheers . ) He thought that they had a right to expect that those who had assisted in the separation , should now direct their attention to the best means of restoring peace and harmony between the Grand Lodges of the two countries . ( Cheers . ) What had taken place during the last two or three years had given him great pain , and certainly had not tended to exhibit to the Masonic world the British . Lodges as actuated by

loyalty to their chief—by charity—and brotherly love . ( Hear , hear ) . If the public saw them seeking every opportunity of opposing those in authority—if they saw them attributing bad motives one to another —how could they do otherwise than look upon the brotherly love and charity which they professed , as nothing more than a name—having no foundation in reality ? ( Cheers ) . Ho called upon them to support the Grand Master , by adopting the resolution , in its entirety ; and above allhe asked those brethren who had assisted in bringing things

, into their present position to consider the dangerous course they were pursuing—and to pause ere they forfeited the good opinion of the Brethren with whom they had hitherto acted , as well as that of the great body of the Craft . ( Cheers . ) Let them consider that the opinion of other persons might be correct as well as their own ; and stop , ere it was too late , in a course which was fraught with the

utmost danger to the prosperity of the Craft . ( Cheers , ) The Rev . R . Norman having been out of England , had listened with great attention to the observations which had fallen from Bros . Spiers and Portal . It appeared they all agreed in one thing , that nothing could be more unmasonic than the spirit exhibited in the paper of which they were complaining . There was a wide and decided difference between open manly criticism and anonymous slander . He by no means concurred in every act of the Grand Masterbut they were metnot to consider thatbut to

, , , express their warm sympathy towards him under the attacks to which he had been subjected in this periodical . Bro . Spiers had spoken as though they knew who were interested in the publication ; as though they knew the writer of the article complained of . He begged them to banish all such ideas from their minds , and speak only of the article itself . The question laid in a very small compass —the assertions in the Masonic Observer were either true or they were untrueIf truethe Grand Master was not fit to preside

. , oyer them ; and if untrue , they were bound to express their sympathy with tho Grand Master , and their determination to support him . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Spiers had drawn a distinction between the position of Provincial Grand Master and that of Grand Wardens , showing that the sphere of utility Of the former was wider and more extended , but that would be no excuse for political favouritism . Though the influence of a Grand Warden might be less extensive than that of a Provincial Grand Masterstill the same care should

, be exercised in his appointment . But it was denied that politics had had anything to do with the appointments , and they were bound asiMasonsto accept that denial . He could not but regret that the Canadian Masons had separated themselves from the English , for he knew that Freemasonry was nowhere more fully carried out than in Canada and the United States . The Masons there did not hold

their meetings in hotels , but they had buildings of their own , which were mostly of considerable size , and often of beautiful architectural proportions . He had spoken to many Masons , and he knew that , individually , the colonial Brethren held the kindest feelings towards their English Brethren—and he was very hopeful , from what he had seen , of the future prospects of Canadian Masonry . If the statements in the Masonic Observer were untrue , they ought to express their deep sympathy with the Grand Master , and he was sure that that sympathy would be nowhere more sincerely felt than among

the colonial Masons . In order to show to the colonies that the Masons of England were but one family they would cordially support the noble Brother whom they had placed at their head—even though he might occasionally err in his judgment , as all men would ; and , above all , they would support and protect him against coarse and unfounded anonymous personal attacks . ( Cheers . ) Brother Randall , Prov . G . Treas ., supported the motion in a speech of considerable warmth . Bro . the Rev . H . A . Pickard , would suggest whether , in order to show their feelings more strongly , they could not introduce some