Half Yearly Meeting Of Mark Masters .

the matter . Tho Deputy Grand Master desired to express Ins very great satisfaction at tlie facts laid before them by the Grand Reg . The minutes were then confirmed . Bro . Barker , W . M . of the Newcastle and Berwick Lodge , and Grand D . C , rose in pursuance of his notice , to propose a resolution having for its object the more full representation of County Lodges in this Grand Lodge , which he proposed to effect by allowing each Lodge to appoint some Bro ., resident in or near London , to act as its proxy or representative in Grand Lodge ; the Master and

AVardens generally residing at too great a distance to enable them to attend the meetings . Bro . Payne seconded the proposition the more readily , because his Lodge had especially deputed him to bring tins very matter under their consideration , Bro . Beach concurred in tho principle , but feared it could not be carried out to the extent proposed ; the power ought to be restricted to voting on specific questions , such as the election of Grand

Master and the general Board . Bro . Barringer , P . M . of No . 3 , thought it could not be entertained ; it was against the book of Constitution . Bro . Portal , Grand Chaplain , concurred with the S . G . W ., and although he was a strong advocate for a more effectual representation of the County Lodges , both in Craft and Mark Masonry , he did not think he could go to the extent proposed by the resolution , and he would suggest they should content themselves on this occasion with the evident approval of the general princileand that the

p , motion should be withdrawn with a view to another of which all could approve , being brought forward on a future occasion . Bro . ltidgway , Grand Reg ., suggested they had not only to consider how each Lodge might best secure its vote on any point being recorded , they had also as a matter of general policy and as the best means to knit together the several Lodges , to show how desirous they were to confirm the confidence now felt in this Grand Lodge by those Lodges working at a distance . Bro . Burrell fully concurred in these remarks , and he also felt

that as much as possible should be left to Provincial Grand Lodges . The Deputy Grand Master said he would depart from the usual course adopted by those who occupied the chair in order to express the great gratification he felt at tho complexion this discussion had assumed . It must be evident that a feeling less selfish could not hare been evinced , and the County Lodges must see clearl y how agreed the London Brethren were in their desire to secure them additional benefits . He had , however , grave doubts as to the propriety of agenoral proxy . He would speakfrotn his knowledge of the working

of the proxy system in the House of Lords . It was there circumscribed with great jealousy . No more than two proxies could be held by one peer , they must be delivered in a particular manner , and could only he used on particular occasions . In this Grand Lodge it appeared that whilst the general principle was recognized , great doubt had been expressed as to the details of its working ; would it not , therefore , be better to withdraw the motion and appoint a small Committee to submit one to be more fully considered on a future occasion ?

Bro . Cossens , S . W . of the Porchester Lodge , Newbury , thought that where the officers of a Lodge did not take the trouble to attend the Lodge , they deserved to lose their votes : he had come specially from Berkshire to attend this Grand Lodge , and should endeavour as often as possible to do so . He hoped that the anticipated increase in the number of Lodges in Berkshire , would justify him in expecting shortly a Provincial Grand Lodge of their own . Bro . Barker was fully satisfied with the manifest acceptance by Grand of the

Lodge principle of his motion . Desiring to remark that the word representation more clearly conveyed his meaning than the word proxy , ho would ask permission to withdraw his motion and propose instead that the appointment of a small Committee thereon , be left in the hands of the Earl of Carnarvon . His Lordship promised to undertake tho task , and the motion was agreed to be withdrawn . After the transaction of sundry other business the Grand Lodge was closed .

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At a meeting ofthe EMULATION LODGE OF IMPROVEMENT , held Nov . 29 , Br Havers spoke as follows upon Masonic parties : — United and faithful , we may boldly defy difficulties-disunited and unfaithful , we shall become an easy prey to designing men The danger we have to guard against is a danger from within , and not a danger from without . ( Hear , hear . ) Internal disunion and not external aggression is what we have to fear . We have a cause common lo one and all—and in that cause we must labour . In private Lodges nothing so certainly and so speedily ensures decay and ruin as the existence of •' ¦ party" within it ; and just so it is with the

[ Grand Lodge . ( Hear , hear . ) Nothing can or will be so ruinous . It checks progress , it embarasses the conduct of affairs , it hinders needful reforms , provokes contentions , and is directly opposed to the spirit and letter of our ancient laws . In such a socitly as ours , difference of opinion cannot fail to occur ; let us endeavour to conduct these differences to a peaceful and Masonic issue . ( Applause ) As a violation of our first princi ples , " party" should not be heard of or tolerated amongst us . ( Cheers . ) 1 do not believe—I cannot beiieve —I will not believe—that there is , or can be , an individual atnongs

us who would prefer his own personal interests to the interests of our noble institution —( hear)—who would sacrifice the interests and destroy the harmony of this noble institution to satisfy selfish ends . No such man is or can be amongst us ; if such a one there ever should be , I would proclaim him recreant throughout the length and breadth ofthe land , an enemy to our order , false lo his oath , and ( raifor to the society to which he has solemnly sworn fidelity . ( The speaker was here greeted with a tremendous outburst of applause andahearty round of "good fire . " ) Brethrensocietieslike nations

, , , have their periods of oifiiculty j and these , like storms , recur with some degree of seeming regularity . Pondering over some of our recent difficulties , and endeavouring lo explain to myself their ori gin and their causes , I have been reminded of a story which bears date anterior even to that claimed by Masonry . It relates that Jove , in one of his joyous moments over a bowl of nectar , determined to send a present to the poor mortals below . He commissioned

Momusthere were no Pickfords in those days —( laughter ) to be the bearer of his message , who descended from Olympus , carrying with him a large bundle , which , being opened , presented to the ' eyes of the gaping multitude mjrinds of—spectacles ! Now these spectacles were composed of different coloured glass , so that each one looking through only his own glasses , ' saw objects in a different colour from that in which they appeared to his neighbours ; and thence arose great diversity of opinion . Now , I really think thai some of these spectacles are in use amongst the Masonic fraternity in the present

day ; and heuce , iu surveying our Brethren , some look yellow , some green . others black , and some very blue . ( Laughter . ) It is to the use of these several glasses that I ascribe many of our recent difficulties . ( Hear . ) Ifwe would only look occasionally through our neighbour ' s glass , and get him , if he will , to take a peep through ours , and see . how we judge of each other's acls , depend upon it we should be none tbe worse , and Masonry would be all [ be belter for the exchange . ( Hear , hear . ) No feuds are so bitter as family feuds . Masons , we

know , can love each other with the love of brothers ; let us not emulate the quarrels of blood relations . Life is not too long for us to spend somuch of our time in bickering and quarrel . ( Applause ) Let us here , on this appropriate occasion , on this spot , consecrated for the time to the true work of Masonry—let us bury al ! onr animosities , let us resolve to work together in kindness and in brotherly love , to treat each other with courtesy and forbearance , and let the new year which is about to commence prove a new era in Masonic unity . ( Applause . )

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MASONIC OT 1 SEEVEK . Sir and Brother , The notice of motion standing in my name on the Agenda paper for last Grand Lodge—the object of which I fear has been misunderstood—was in my opinion rendered imperatively necessary by the grossly unfair manner in which the reports of the proceedings at the Quarterly Communications had been sent forth to the Craft in the authorised official publication . In that of March of the

present year I am made to appear as the utterer of a deliberate falsehood with regard to the report of the Board of GcnevalPuvposes , the accusation being given prominent place enough in the speeches of tlm two brethren who urged il , but not one word by way of explanation as to the grounds of my assertion , or of my ' justification thereof being permitted to me . Two other brethren have similar cause of complaint with myself , and at the meeting of G . L . on the 1 st instant , Bro . Rev . G . 11 . Portal made an appeal to tho M . W . G . M . on tlie same subject . Nowas Grand Lodge secures the

ser-, vices of a most able reporter , and as no one will for a moment believe that that worthy brother delivers anything but a most faithful transcript , the fault must rest with those who arrange the compilation . With the present position of affairs in G . L . the greatest care should be taken in observing the most perfect impartiality by those charged with the duty of preparing the Minutes for publication—and I hesitate in believing that such is not the case . It is , however , so strange that these errors are all on one side—and the