Ar00701

It is to be noticed , however , that the Grand Chapter expended during the year the sum of £ 2 13 s . in charity , fourninths of which may be considered as chargeable to their profits ; and with respect to an item of £ 12 , paid " to scribe E ., for performance of extra duties , " it may fairly be considered as connected with his unfortunate zeal , and mis-directed energy in regard to the notorious Kent and Florence

Nightingale Lodge cases , both of which were established by means of the false certificates already alluded to as exposed . Whatsoever sums , however , may reduce the above gross p rofit of £ 81 10 s ., it is very evident that money has been the prominent result , if not the ostensible object with this Grand Chapter in their Masonic invasion of England . It is evident also that their pretensions in respect to

numbers and influence are absolutely insignificant , and when we remember in addition to these facts , the very important revelations which have lately been made public regarding the positive lack of authority , legitimacy , and antiquity of this Scotch Grand Chapter , it simply excites our wonder that such parties could have been so infatuated as to challenge criticism in the manner they have done .

Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

[ Published by the permission of the M . W . the G . M ., upon the Publisher ' s responsibility for the accuracy of the report . ~ \ QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION . —The quarterly convocation of Grand Lodge was held at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , Dec . 1 st , the M . W . Grand Master the Eight Hon . the Earl of Zetland , presiding , supported by Bros . Sir Lucius Curtis , Prov . G . M . for Hampshire , as D . G . M . ; Col . Brownrigg , S . G . W . ; Wyndham Portal , J . G . W . ; S . Tomkins , Grand Treas . ; RoxburghG . Keg . ;

, Gray Clarke , G . Sec . ; Crohn , G . Sec . German Correspondence : P . Scott , S . GD . ; Hopwood , J . G . D . ; Moore and Ward , G . Chaplains ; Jennings , G . D . C . ; Woods , Asst . G . D . C . ; Gooch , G . S . B . ; Farnfleld , Asst . G . Sec . ; Horsley , G . Org . ; Smith , G . Purs . ; Hall , Pait G . Reg ., and Prov . G . M . for Cambridgeshire ; Dobie , Past G . Reg ., and Prov . G . M ., Surrey ; Bowyer , Prov . G . M ., Oxfordshire ; Fleming , Prov . G . M ., Isle of Wight ; Bagshaw , Prov . G . M ., Essex ; Beadon , Pattison , W . H . SmithDobree

, , Dundas , Hebeler , and Sirr , Past Grand Wardens ; Sir J . W . Hayes , Past G . Chap . ; W . H . White , Past G . Sec . ; Lotter , Faudell , Udall , T . R . White , Hervey , Nelson , Havers , Jones , Wilson , J . N . Tomkins , Past Grand Deacons ; Le Veau , Evans , Biggs , and Masson , Past Grand Sword Bearers ; Breitling , Past G . Pursuivant . The Grand Master apologized for the absence of the Deputy Grand Master , Lord Pamnure , who would have been present had

it not been for the severe indisposition under which he was labouring . THE MINUTES . —The minutes of the previous quarterly communication were then read ; and on the question being put— . Bro . Mason rose to call attention to a resolution of the last Grand Lodge . He said that he did so with considerable reluctance and with very great pain ; but lie considered that , on the part of a Freemason , a sense of duty and a determination to

perform it , should take the precedence of all other feelings . He considered that the bulwark of Freemasonry was the Book of Constitutions , and so long as they adhered to that they would be sure to be right . But if it should be permitted to any member of Grand Lodge to choose for himself what part of the Book of Constitutions he would obey and what part of it he would reject , they would have nothing safely to depend upon—their sheet anchor would be gone , Wt e ^ er . y Freemason vi \\ o \\ ad Masonry at heart

would ever be anxious to adhere to the landmarks of the Order . He would contend for the maintenance of their laws in all their integrity , as laid down in the Book of Constitutions . Now at the last Grand Lodge there was a resolution proposed , and a vote was passed , of which no notice had been given . Had he been present , he did not know but that he should have concurred in the pro . priety of that vote , for he held the Grand Master in hi gh respect and esteem , and he believed that his lordshi p was respected and

esteemed by every member of Grand Lodge . ( Applause . ) But however greatly the Grand Master was esteemed , their esteem for Freemasonry itself ought to be still greater , and they ought not to break through the laws laid down for them , to please or gratify any individual , whatever his rank or his position . He mentioned this because he wished not to be misunderstood . He had not the slightest ill feeling , but had always borne his testimony to the gentlemanlike bearing which characterised the conduct of the

Grand Master . Still the motion to which he referred ought to have been submitted to the Board of Masters , which had not been done . As it was a vote of confidence in the Grand Master , he should have voted for it , had he been present ; but inasmuch as it was a resolution proposed , and a vote passed irregularly , improperly , and illegally , he objected utterly and entirely to that vote being recorded upon the minutes . He referred to the Book of Constitutions , page 19 rule 8 as an authority for tbe view he took of

, , the matter . Bro . Savage called attention to that portion of the minutes which referred to the non-confirmation of a part of the minutes by the especial Grand Lodge in which it was proposed to confer additional votes on the Masters of Lodges , owing to the two grants of iglOO each to the charities . He made his objection on this ground—he maintained that it was not competent for Grand Lodge to refuse to confirm one portion of a resolution while it did

eonfirm the other . It was a condition of these grants that the extra votes should be given to the Masters of Lodges . It was not competent to Grand Lodge to sever the two portions of the motion . When a vote of Grand Lodge was put for confirmation , it must be confirmed or rejected in its entirety . The Grand Master said that Bro . Savage had raised an important question , a question which was deserving of consideration , and it should have his earnest attention .

The Fcv . Bro . Portal called attention to what he maintained was a gross inacuracy in the published minutes of Grand Lodge , in which he was made to say , that " all cause for his motion would have been removed if the M . W . G . M . had called upon the Prov . G . Master for Bucks and Berks , or his deputy , to hold a Prov . G .

Lodge once a-year . " Now the Grand Master said he had called upon the Prov . Grand Master of Bucks and Berks to do so . He ( Bro . Portal ) denied that he had made such a statement , what he had said was , " That all cause for the motion would have been removed if the Prov . G . Master for Berks and Bucks , had obeyed his lordship's suggestion . " He thought that the Grand Secretary , or whoever it was that was responsible for these published minutes , ought not to make him say what he never said , and never dreamed '

of saying . ( Laughter , and cheers . ) The resolution confirming the minutes was then put and agreed to . BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE . —Bro . Symonds announced that his name appeared on the balloting paper for the Board of Benevolence without his sanction , and whoever had caused it to be put there had taken a most unwarrantable liberty , as he was not a candidate .

The following Brethren were appointed scrutineers : —Bros . Taperfey , No . 227 ; Michael , No . 117 ; Lowenstark , No . 1035 ; Goodwin , No . 78 ; Rogers , No . 13 ; Prescoe , No . 213 ; Harris , No . 223 , and two others whose names Bro . Jennings could not decipher in the list presented to him . NOMINATION OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER . — Bro . Crombie , amidst loud applause , nominated the Ri ght Hon . the Earl of Zetland as Most Worshipful Grand Master for the

ensuing year . It was needless , he said , to expatiate on his lordshi p ' s merits , which were well known to them all . There was one quality which could not be overlooked , and that was the courtesy and firmness with which he presided over their deliberations on those occasions , preserving that concord and harmony by which he trusted their meetings would always be distinguished . They were now commencing the fifteenth year of his lordshi ' s Grand Mastershipand he trusted that he would live

p , many years longer to preside over them in the same peace and harmony . He begged to nominate the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland as Most Worshipful Grand Master for the ensuing year . RECOGNITION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF CANADA WEST . The Grand Master : — " Brethren , I have a most important motion