of fellowship was extended to him? He was as much a Mason at the first as at any other degree, and could receive a Grand Lodge certificate just as well. The men it was proposed to admit by this law were those who had no settled abode for the time; if they had, the law was not required; if they had not, they could get the remaining degrees at the port they happened to be at a month after their admission, and so on. He could not see any necessity, and therefore, could not concede any alteration.

Bro. BURMESTER spoke on the subject.

Bro. H. C. SIRR was an Irish Mason, and could speak of the great respect the Grand Lodge of Ireland, which he once had the honour to represent, entertained for the Grand Lodge of England. They did not wish the English Masons to come down to them; on the contrary, they had so high an opinion of the English Book of Constitutions, and the way it was observed, that they were anxious to raise theirs to the same standard. He could not believe they were serious in wishing at once to get rid of so important a feature, which compelled every man to give some proof of his proficiency. He did not see either that a man was less a Mason for being initiated in an Irish Lodge in one of our colonies, than in Scotch or English Lodges; but he certainly considered it dangerous to get rid so easily of one of our landmarks.

The GRAND MASTER then ordered two letters to be read that had been received from the Provincial Grand Masters of the Bahamas and Nova Scotia, and one from Captain Mathew, the governor of the former—all soliciting the relaxation of the law.

Bro. PHILIPE found, after all, the case rested upon two letters, the contents of which he could not agree with. Because Lodges happened to exist where several degrees were jumbled together, were we without reason to do the same? Why not rather induce the Irish and Scotch Lodges to put themselves on a footing with ourselves, than, without consulting or advising with them, come to their standard? If we gave way, Freemasonry was gone. Our ceremonies were impressive, our obligations important; deprive them of their regularity, and what did they become? What, indeed, would become of Masonry? It would become less and less intellectual. The laws for the Colonies could not with any justice be withheld from the Provinces, and then to London was but a step.

66

Bro. CRUCEFIX entered into the question of the proposed relaxation in the law, which he altogether denounced, not merely as dangerous to the Craft, but as the first step to its extinction as a great universal system of Unity;" it was the sacrifice of high consistency to a mean expediency. It was so threatening in its character as to call for the energetic opposition of every true friend to the Order. What, after all, did the friends to this unholy contemplation urge? Why, that because the Scottish and Irish Grand Lodges were so relax in their ritual, the Grand Lodge of England should descend from its high estate! It had been attempted to show, that a week's study was equal to a month's; he was of a different opinion, and having given the attention of many years, the most important of his life, to the study of the Craft, and having thrown his mind and his heart into its mysteries, he could not more thankfully acknowledge the blessings he had derived than by opposing, with all his power, this encroachment on its stability. Let this proposed motion be carried, and he would prophetically declare the citadel itself must capitulate. “Let us have,” said the Brother," but a few determined supporters of Masonry; but as to such as would join us. under the circumstances proposed, I would not willingly accept a whole army of them."

Bro. RULE, G.P., was a Scotch Mason; he was made in a Lodge over which his father had presided many years, and he received his degrees all in one night; and what did he think of it, would they suppose?-he knew nothing at all about it the next day. It was extremely bad, and doing away with the respectability of the society. "Indeed," said Bro. Rule, very excited, “it will be no better than a free and easy, an Odd Fellowship, or whatever else you call some of those societies; a man will get in to have a good dinner, pay for it, and say or think all the rest is humbug."

R. W. Bro. JENNINGS, at great length, supported the motion, and attempted to show it was of no consequence to have all the ceremonies performed eight days from each other; for, if a man did not learn something of Masonry in eight days, he would not in twenty-eight.

Bro. J. C. MORRIS, S. G. W., could say he would not yield to Bro. Crucefix, or any Brother, in love of the Craft, or in supporting the landmarks; but having been Deputy P.G.M. of Madras, he had found the inconvenience of not being permitted to grant a dispensation upon the time allowed for each degree.

Bro. John SAVAGE did not agree that any necessity for alteration existed. It was an important landmark that was sought to be abolished; but if even he were to suppose such a thing desirable, which he did not, the proposal did not at all meet it. We were informed men could get three degrees in one day, and to counteract that, we were to make them wait eight days. They would no more wait eight days than twenty-eight. Either we must do the same as the Scotch and Irish Lodges, or they would have the preference from those who had hitherto given it to them. Why not make them all they wanted at once-anything. If this were done, they might depend they had arrived at the beginning of the end of Masonry.

Bro. Dr. MACKENZIE said, we were going downwards; on the Continent, months, not days, were required before a Brother was advanced, and proof of his having exerted himself to deserve the advancement should be given. The multiplicity of OB. to be taken in one day, should in itself warn them how they approached to the system where that was adopted, for no man could know, in the hurried manner it was proposed to advance him, the nature or importance of his OB. A division being called for, there appeared for the proposition of the Grand Master .

Against it

Majority

90

49

41

Bros. Mitchell, Rackstraw, Crucefix, P. Hardwicke, &c., moved for various grants, on the Report of the Board of Benevolence being read; among which were two of fifty pounds and one of thirty.

Bro. Crucefix presented to the Grand Lodge, on the part of Bro. R. Spencer, P. M. of Lodge No. 329, two copies of the engraving of the statue of his late R. H. the Duke of Sussex, M.W.G.M. The thanks of the Grand Lodge were voted to Bro. Spencer for the gift. Grand Lodge was closed in ample form, and solemn prayer.

GRAND CONCLAVE OF ENGLAND AND WALES.

COMMITTEE OF GENERAL PURPOSES, 1st Oct.-Present, Sir Knights Crucefix, Claydon, and Wackerbarth.

There being no report from the Sub-committee appointed to consider of the costume, &c., the subject could not be entertained.

Some correspondence was read; in particular, a letter from Jersey, on the subject of a warrant for an Encampment; which, of course, was respectfully referred to the Supreme Grand Master.

A report was given of a Masonic Templar having been munificently relieved by the Chapter of Observance with twenty pounds, but whose certificate was not returned to him, by reason that it was considered to be informal, if not a forgery. The certificate was produced to the Committee, and was an exact copy of the certificates formerly issued by the Grand Conclave, and the assumed seal of which body was attached; but it appeared to this Committee that either such certificate and seal must have been surreptitiously obtained, or that the certificate itself was altogether a forgery.

The Committee then directed that the certificate should be impounded, and that the Commander of the Encampment, No. 15, at Newcastle-onTyne, should be written to on the subject, detailing all circumstances, and requiring his explanation thereon.

It was suggested that the inonth of October was altogether an inconvenient time for the meeting of the Committee.

The Committee then adjourned.

C

SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND AND

COUNCIL

WALES.

THE Supreme Council of Sov. Gr. Insp. General of the 33rd and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Rite, assembled by regular convocation at their Grand East at the Freemasons' Hall, London, on the 9th of December, instant.

After the discussion of affairs relating to the administration of the Supreme Council, and the reception of a highly satisfactory statement of the financial affairs of the Supreme Council from the Ill. Grd. Treas. Genl. H. E., the Supreme Council constituted itself a Sovereign Chapter of Grand Elected Kts. K. H. of the 30th degree.

SUPREME

The Most P. Sov. Gr. Commander, R. T. Crucefix, on the throne. The Ill. Bro., Henry Udall, Gr. Treas. Genl., occupied the Chair of President of the Sovereign Chapter of Kts. K. H. The Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret of the 32nd degree, and the Grand Inquisitors Commanders of the 31st degree, then present, took their seats according to their respective rank and dignity in the Order.

VOL. V.

3 P

The Sov. Chapter of Kts. K. H. having been opened with the accustomed ceremonies, the Excellent and Perfect Brethren, Sir John Stephen Robinson, Bart., of Rokeby Hall, Ireland, and Stephen Henry Lee, were introduced, and, with the ancient and accustomed solemn ceremonies, received and admitted to the exalted degree and dignity of Grand Elected Knights K. H.

The Ill. Gr. Sec. Genl., D. W. Nash, then read to the assembled Members of the Holy Empire such decrees and ordinances of the Supreme Council, touching its constitution and organization, as the Supreme Council deemed advisable to be made known to the Members of the Holy Empire; and announced that the choice of Representatives to and from the Supreme Council of the 33rd degree for the Northern Masonic District and Jurisdiction of the U. S. of North America, and to and from the Supreme Council of the 33rd degree for France, and this Supreme Council, had been fully arranged and confirmed; that on the part of the Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic District and Jurisdiction of the U. S. of North America, the Illustrious Brother, Edward A. Raymond, Gr. Treas. Genl. H. E., had been appointed Representative of this Supreme Council, and on the part of the Supreme Council for France, the Illustrious Brother Bugnot; and that on the part of this Supreme Council, the Illustrious Brother, Henry Udall, Gr. Treas. Genl. H. E., had been appointed to be the Representative of the Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic District and Jurisdiction of the U. S. of North America, and the Illustrious Brother Henry Beaumont Leeson, Gr. Chanc. H. E., to be the Representative of the Supreme Council for France.

The Sov. Chapter of Kts. K. H. having been closed in due form, the Supreme Council constituted itself a Sov. Chapter of Princes Rose Croix, when all the Excellent and Perfect Brethren of that degree in attendance were admitted, and, with the Illustrious Brethren assembled, adjourned to the banquet-room.

THE CHARITIES.

As yet no reports have been received from either of the Schools, or the Benevolent Annuity Fund. We understand that, on the 14th October, five children were elected into the Female School; and it will be seen, by our report of the Especial Grand Lodge, that an additional sum of two hundred pounds per annum has been voted in aid of the Benevolent Annuity Fund. The vote abides the result of the Grand Lodge in March next as to confirmation.

ASYLUM FOR WORTHY AGED AND DECAYED

FREEMASONS.

"That this Grand Lodge recommend the contemplated Asylum for the Aged and Decayed Freemason to the favourable consideration of the Craft."-Unanimous resolution of Grand Lodge, Dec. 6, 1837.

The Committee of Inspection having made their final report, it was decided, at a Special General Meeting, held on the 28th October, that

the site selected for the erection of the Asylum at Croydon was in every respect desirable, and that the land should be purchased. The deposit has been paid, and the conveyance-deed is in course of preparation.

We had hoped to have given fuller particulars, but as the legal arrangements are not completed, this is not possible. We request the forbearance of our readers; meantime, several talented artists intend to compete in designs.

The Annual Ball in aid of the Asylum will, it is understood, take place in February: the list of Stewards is already numerous; and now that the certainty of the erection of the Asylum is beyond all doubt, additional interest will be imparted to the gratification of the evening. Fuller particulars of the ball will appear in our advertising pages.

THE REPORTER.

THE TESTIMONIAL TO BRO. SAVAGE.-The time fixed for the presentation to Bro. Savage is on Friday the 17th of March, on which occasion the Committee and their friends purpose to have a supper banquet, to which they publicly invite the attendance of such of the Craft as may be desirous to honour them by their company. The chair will be taken by Dr. Crucefix, who will be assisted by Bro. Mountain as Deputy, and a competent Board of Stewards to conduct the proceedings. We anticipate not merely a pleasant meeting, but that it will prove an instructive lesson, by the grateful manner in which a merited compliment will be paid to a most useful and faithful servant of the Craft.

EMULATION LODGE OF IMPROVEMENT, Nov. 19.-The anniversary festival of this distinguished Lodge was held. The attendance was not so numerous as we have seen on former occasions, but it lost nothing of its prestige under the presidency of Bro. Hervey, the treasurer. It was observed that a little of the " publicity" given to the anniversary of the Lodge of Instruction in the city might be advantageous, and the anniversary of 1848 is looked to in proof. The memory of Peter Gilkes was drank in silence. The general addresses were of no ordinary kind.

OAK LODGE (No. 225.)-The Worshipful Master, Bro. Pryer, has been supplied with so much work during the present season, as to be unable to continue his series of lectures during the ordinary meetings of the Lodge. At the meeting in October, besides passings and raisings, five gentlemen were initiated, and upon that occasion was presented the interesting circumstance of a father and son seeking admission into an universal Brotherhood-Cornelius Horne, Esq., manager of traffic of the South Western Railway, and his son Mr. Canille Horne, having then "been brought to the LIGHT." The latter had not attained his full age of twenty-one years, but the M. W. Grand Master, at the request of Bro. Pryer, kindly granted a dispensation to authorize his initiation. William Robert Burgess, Esq., nephew of the late Dr. Burgess, Bishop of Salisbury (who was a Brother of our Order), and Dr. Cotes and W. Critchett, Esq., were also initiated. It is needless to say, from the correct working of this Lodge, that the ceremonies were performed in the most imposing and effective manner, and that the candidates were deeply impressed with their solemnity. After the Lodge had adjourned to refreshment, the W. M., in proposing the health of the newly-initiated