Bro: R. F. Gould, anent M: W: Bro: Lord Petre, G: M: of England, 1772-76, are of more than limited application:

"Lord Petre was succeeded as G: M: by the Duke of Manchester, who was invested by the ensigns of his office on May 1, 1777; after which the former nobleman returned thanks for the honors he had received from the Society, and assured the Brethren of his attachment to its interests. Nor were these mere idle words. The amiable character of Lord Petre, and his zeal as a Mason, may, to use the words of a contemporary, be equalled, but cannot be surpassed. He was a Catholic but held his religious faith without bigotry, and by his liberality and worth won the esteem of all parties. He was generally regarded as the head of the Catholic body in this country (England), and, therefore, his continuing to preside for five years over a branch of the Society against which the thunders of the Vatican had been launched in 1738, and again in 1751, affords conclusive proof that in England, towards the close of the eighteenth century, the two Bulls issued by Roman Pontiffs against the Freemasons had been devoid of any practical result.'" "Lord Petre was present at, and presided over, many meetings of the Society after the termination of his tenure of office. He died July 3, 1801, and after his decease it was ascertained that he expended annually £5,000 ($25,000) in charitable benefactions."

In vain are all attempts to extinguish, or even to obscure, such beacon lights in Freemasonry as Lord Petre, Grand Master in England, and the Hon. Claude Dénéchau, Grand Master in Lower Canada!

Reminiscences.-1792-1822. It will have become apparent to the attentive reader, that much good Masonic 'work' was done by the Lodges and Chapters in Quebec, Montreal, in the towns, and even in the forest settlements, during the régime of the Ancients' in Lower Canada.

It will also have been clearly manifest that many distinguished fathers and founders of British Canada, as also not a few notable French Canadian gentlemen, were zealous Freemasons during the era of Royal Masonic Rule, when peculiar environments contributed so much publicly to demonstrate the conspicuous benefits of genuine Masonic fraternity. May their successors ever prove themselves to be worthy descendants of such worthy sires. During his extended researches the writer has met with what appeared to be either independent Lodges of Ancients,' or occasional voluntary assemblages of scattered Brethren for the purposes of mutual Masonic instruction and Masonic social intercourse.

At least one of these is said to have been held at a principal northern 'Post' of the Hudson's Bay Company, and another in what is now the St. Francis District in the Eastern Townships. Of the former, vague traditions. only have reached the writer: but the memories of some of the veteran H. B. 'factors' still alive may yet transform these traditions into actual verities. Of the latter, a veteran, some years since passed away, had distinct remembrance of Lodge' meetings having been held during the early years of the present century in the 'garret' or 'chamber' of a farmer's house, situated in the old Township of Shipton, about two miles. south of the present Town of Richmond, and upon or near what was formerly the extensive farm of the late Postmaster General Stayner.

It is fervently hoped that these passing remarks may awaken Masonic memories of Auld Lang Syne' among the now grand-fathers; and also that they and others may be induced thereby to make diligent search among their muniment-stores for the now precious Masonic records of 'ye olden times' in Lower Canada, or in the last century Province of Quebec !

1823. The extant Minutes of some of the Ancient' Lodges in the Eastern Townships show that many of the Brethren were very much opposed to the dissolution of the 'G: L: of A: Y: M: at Quebec,' its transformation by England into a Prov. G: L: for the District of Quebec and Three Rivers, and the establishment of a second Prov. G: L: in Lower Canada for the City and District of Montreal, the Borough of William Henry and the dependencies. (?)

They wished to remain "Ancient York Masons" under the Grand Lodge of Lower Canada, at Quebec, founded by the Duke of Kent, which they deemed to be just as much a G: L: as any in the neighboring States, and they very much objected to the payment of certain 'registration' and other double annual,' 'initiation,' and 'admission' fees to the G: L: of England. Many also seemed to think it to be a great hardship to deliver up' their 'Ancient' Warrant from Quebec, and to take in lieu thereof a local Dispensation and afterwards a new Warrant from England! Some of the fathers' deeply lamented, and not a few of the sons' have never ceased regretting, the loss of their original Warrants!

It is clear also from the records that some were much opposed to surrendering the right to confer the mark and other additional degrees, as had been done under the sanction of their 'Ancient' Warrants. Hence many of the Brethren became unaffiliates.

After several meetings of No. 14' of 'Caldwell Manor' fame, to consider the L. C. dismemberment movement inaugurated by No. 12, the result was that only about one-fourth of the members decided to become enregistered in England and petition for a new Warrant therefrom!

It may here be remarked that the peculiar and much bespoken English modern 'rights of minorities' in foreign jurisdictions would from the above scarcely appear to have been 'invented' 70 years ago!

Old Golden Rule No. 19, U: A: Y: M:, Stanstead, as will be seen hereafter, proceeded with great caution and circumspection in regard to the territorial disseverance movement, but finally many of the members, seemingly with much reluctance, gave in their adhesion thereto; although they appear never to have forgiven themselves for having surrendered (and) forever lost) their original 'Ancient York' Warrant from the G: L: at Quebec.

In after time, however, the sons of dear old No. 19, 'Ancients.' made ample amends! Forty-six years thereafter, 1869, they were among the foremost in the movement to 're-unite' the Craft in Lower Canada (Quebec) under a G: L:, the constitutional regularity of whose formation cannot rightfully be impugned.

As the original Minutes of many of the Ancient' Lodges have been irrecoverably lost, it may never be fully known what others of the 'fathers of Antient York Masonry in Lower Canada' thought and said about these and other like matters. It can readily be imagined, however, that it was quite a trial for some of them to give up their Ancient' Warrants, their 'Ancient name, their Ancient' work, and their Ancient' right to make Mark, Excellent, Super-Excellent, Council, Chapter, and Templar Masons, under the sanction of their Warrants, as several of the excellent Lodges in the Eastern Townships were known to do even at that early day! Of such, more anon in loco.

Some of the remaining records of 'ye olden time' tell not a little of such and such like Masonic affairs; and years ago, some of the then Veterans of the Craft in the Eastern Townships related to the writer much that their fathers in Masonry told them of Masonic affairs when brave, hardy British and American pioneers, a century or so ago, were levelling the primeval forests along the frontier and in other parts of Lower Canada, when Brethren would often go many miles on foot, or on horseback, through the forests along the blazed-tree trails,' to attend Lodge meetings in the 'garret of the log-house' of the Master, or of some other true and trusty Brother.

Among such Brethren, Masonry was Masonry ; and Masonic fellowship, work and refreshment were realities. It is, indeed, more than pardonable in these veterans of four-score years to speak enthusiastically of the 'good old times' in Masonry which they and their fathers enjoyed!