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bility of providing a "Masonic bed" in the new Prince Edward Island Hospital.

The Grand Lodge adopted resolutions upon the action by the Grand Lodge of Washington in re negro Masonry, substantially the same as those enacted by the Grand Lodge of Maryland.

Receipts, $275.95; disbursements, $243.31, and balance on hand, $151.80. Next Annual Communication, Charlottetown, June 24, 1900.

M.. W.. JOHN A. MESSERVEY (Charlottetown), Grand Master, and R.. W.. NEIL MACKELVIE (Summerside), Grand Secretary, re-elected.

29th Communication.

QUEBEC.
MONTREAL.

January 25, 1899.

M.. W.. E. T. D. CHAMBERS, Grand Master, the representatives of fifty Lodges, and New York by M.'. W.. M. M. TAIT.

The Grand Master delivered an able and interesting address, in which he took occasion to direct attention to the remarkable growth of the Fraternity within the past ten years, notwithstanding the peculiar circumstances operating against Freemasonry in this Province. Two new Lodges had been created by dispensation. One link of the official chain had been detached by the death of R.. W.. and Rev. T. H. LLOYD, Grand Chaplain. The Grand Master paid a well-earned compliment to R.. W.. BRO. WHYTE, who had acted as chairman on correspondence during the official term of the Grand Master. No question about the soundness of the opinion "that charges of unmasonic conduct should be preferred against any member of a Lodge who had openly threatened that a candidate would be rejected."

It appearing that M.. W.. BRO. WALKEM, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada-appointed as mediator-had been unable to effect any arrangement with the Grand Lodge of England relative to the three English Lodges in Montreal, still continued on the register of the Grand Lodge of England, it was decided to file the correspondence, and that the thanks of the Grand Lodge be tendered to the M.. W.. Brother for his efforts. It seems singular to us that the three Montreal Lodges should persist in their course; it should be their pride to join their interests with that of the Grand Lodge of Quebec, as one great Masonic family. The Grand Master, with great moderation and good judgment, placed the situation in the right light.

"The Grand Lodge of Quebec has long and strenuously endeavored, by all the means at her disposal, to attain the end to which M.. W.. BRO. WALKEM's efforts were directed. The sovereignty of this Grand Lodge is so firmly established and so universally recognized that its dignity can no longer be affected by circumstances over which it has no control, or a division which it has done its best to heal. I am thankful to say that our relations with our brethren of the English Lodges in this city are at present those of amity, peace, and fraternity. Nothing further would seem to re

main to us than to await with patience the healing effects of time. Animated by the same zeal, moved by the same impulses, devoted to the same objects, bent upon the same beneficent mission, and combated by the same hostile influences as we are, our brethren of the English Lodges in Montreal are still separated from us; though to them the dividing line may appear but the narrow veil of jurisdictional sentiment. While wishing them well we can not conceal the fact that there are obstacles enough to the progress of the Order in Quebec without the added difficulty and paralyzing influences of a jurisdictional dividing line; and that the lessons of Freemasonry will be best both exemplified and taught by a perfect solidarity of all the Lodges, in addition to our present unity of sympathy and purpose.'

The Grand Lodge appropriated two hundred dollars for the purpose of securing from M.'. W.. BRO. GRAHAM copies of his " Outlines of the History of Freemasonry in the Province of Quebec."

The Grand Chaplain, R.. W.. H. A. BROOKE, delivered a discourse before the Grand Lodge.

Receipts, $2,682.44; disbursements, $2,223.58, and balance on hand, $1,909.07. Benevolent Fund, $11,547.52. Masonic Home Trust Fund, $700. Next Annual Communication, Montreal, January, 1900.

CORRESPONDENCE.

The report on Correspondence (116 pp.) by R.'. W.. WILL H. WHYTE is a good review of the proceedings of fifty-eight Grand Lodges, including New York for 1898, which has pleasant notice. With this report our brother steps aside to allow M.. W.. BRO. CHAMBERS to resume his old position. We beg to assure R.. W.. BRO. WHYTE he carries with him the respect and fraternal regards of the New York Committee. We concur in the following:

"We note several more American jurisdictions are talking of legislating against the non-affiliate. The trouble seems to us to be in some jurisdictions allowing the non-affiliate the right of partaking in Lodge privileges, functions, etc., as if he was still a contributing member of the Lodge, and in confounding the rights and privileges in the Fraternity and Lodge membership. In this jurisdiction the dimitted Mason (he can only get a dimit if he is clear on the books and no charges pending) is in good standing with the Fraternity at large, but he has no standing as regards Lodge privileges, which were granted him upon payment of certain yearly dues or assessments. He has no right to take part in any Lodge ceremonial, assembly, or funeral rite. He is not entitled to Lodge burial, nor has he any claim to the Charity Fund of the Lodge, but we claim that as long as he conducts himself uprightly he has a claim upon each individual member of the Fraternity through the five points of fellowship. This, we think, is the rule in all British Grand Lodges. With all kindliness we remark that all compulsory legislation in the nature of endeavoring to force nonaffiliates to pay dues to some local Lodge looks to us despotic, arbitrary, and mercenary, and not in accord with the principles of brotherly love."

M.. W.. B. TOOKE (Montreal), Grand Master, and R.'. W.'. J. H. ISAACSON (Montreal), Grand Secretary, re-elected.

FOREIGN GRAND LODGES.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND.

The proceedings of the United Grand Lodge of England for the year 1899 are before us.

Quarterly Communication, March 1, 1899.

The Grand Lodge of Peru having abrogated Grand Master DAM'S decree of June 17, 1897, and ordered the restoration of the Volume of the Sacred Law to its place upon the Masonic Altars and in the Ritual, action was had upon the following resolutions and duly carried:

"1. That this Grand Lodge hails with the greatest satisfaction the reversal, by the Grand Lodge of Peru, of its decree of the 13th of June, 1897, by which decree the Volume of the Sacred Law was removed from the Altars and from the Rituals of Lodges under its jurisdiction.

"2. That this Grand Lodge welcomes the return of the Grand Lodge of Peru to its place among those supreme Masonic Bodies which acknowledge a belief in the Great Architect of the Universe and the presence in Lodges of the Volume of His Sacred Law, as essential Landmarks of the Craft.

"3. That so long as the Grand Lodge of Peru, and the Lodges holding thereunder, respect those ancient Landmarks, and practice pure Masonry, they are entitled to recognition by English Masons as true and lawful Masonic Lodges or Bodies."

Annual Grand Festival, April 26, 1899.

The Hon. Earl AMHERST, Pro-Grand Master on the throne, and among the visitors, M.'. W.'. JOHN C. SMITH, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Illinois.

Due announcement was made of the re-election of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as Grand Master. This being the twenty-fifth anniversary of his installation as such, he had in commemoration thereof conferred the honorary title of Past Grand Rank upon twenty-five brethren.

In the evening the Grand officers and brethren participated in the customary banquet, prepared by the Grand Stewards.

A donation of seventy pounds was made for the purchase of coals for the residents in the Masonic Institution at Croydon.

Quarterly Communication, September 6, 1899.

The appointment of R.'. W.'. Lord KITCHENER, Past Grand Warden, as District Grand Master of Egypt and the Soudan was announced.

Under a resolution of this Grand Lodge, June 7, 1893, that brethren who adhered to their allegiance to this Grand Lodge, instead of joining the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales should be entitled to recognition, it is alleged that Cambrian Lodge, No. 656, had occupied that position since that date. There appears, however, to have been some irregularity of procedure on the part of said Lodge, which, after due consideration by the Board of General Purposes, had been condoned, and the matter came before the Grand Lodge for its approval, and to further substantiate the fact that Cambrian Lodge, No. 656, located within the jurisdictional lines of the

United Grand Lodge of New South Wales, continues under the English Constitution.

If memory serves us right the affairs of this Lodge and its relation to the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales had been a prominent subject of discussion and the occasion of quite a difference of opinion.

A resolution to ratify the action of the Board of General Purposes elicited an extended and warm discussion, and it is disclosed that Cambrian Lodge was the only one of the English Lodges which was not unanimous in action, in giving an adherence to the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales. Its decision to do so was by a vote of eleven to ten, and the old warrant was handed to the new Grand Lodge. The minority of ten stood out, and by some method obtained possession of the original warrant and petitioned the Grand Lodge of England to recognize them as a Lodge working direct under the English Constitution. Possibly we may not have a correct understanding of all the facts appertaining to this case, but we should not be surprised if some trouble should grow out of the decision by this Grand Lodge in its fraternal relations with the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales.

The situation is suceinetly stated in the remark of one of the brethren:

"This Lodge is working under the Grand Lodge of England, and not under the Grand Lodge of New South Wales. The position is this: there is a sovereign Grand Lodge of New South Wales, and we have not any right to warrant any new Lodges in that territory; but this Cambrian Lodge is a Lodge which, according to the decision of this Grand Lodge, never went out of ours, but has stayed with us; just as we have in Victoria and New Zealand; we have Lodges there; and in New South Wales we have a Lodge not under that Grand Lodge. As the Lodges which remain under this Grand Lodge are in perfect harmony with the Grand Lodges of the colonies I have mentioned, I can not help thinking that a similar result will follow in New South Wales.

The Grand Lodge sustained the action of the Board of General Purposes.

Quarterly Communication, December 6, 1899.

The Right Hon. the Earl of Warwick, Deputy Grand Master, acting as Grand Master.

Twenty Lodges were formally ordered erased from the register of this Grand Lodge, "having either previously seceded, ceased to work, or had by the required majority, decided to place themselves under the jurisdiction of the newly recognized Grand Lodge of New Zealand."

An appropriation of one thousand guineas was made for distribution to such relief Transvaal War Funds as should be determined by the Board of Benevolence.

The disbursements through the Board of Benevolence the past year represent the sum of £7,103.

The balance sheet of the Grand Lodge at the date of December 31, 1898, shows general assets amounting to £231,112-of this sum £46,426 is to the credit of the Fund of Benevolence.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Grand Master, re-elected, and R.'. W.. EDWARD LETCHWORTH (London), Grand Secretary, reappointed.

SCOTLAND.

We have the proceedings of the Quarterly Communications of this Grand Lodge held during the year 1899.

It was noted that the theatrical performance, held under the patronage and presence of the M.'. W.. Grand Master and Lady SALTOUN, had added £80 to the Metropolitan District Fund of Benevolence.

It was reported that of the Metropolitan Lodges but one held its meetings in a licensed hotel, and the hope expressed that Masonic meetings in such places should be entirely discontinued. An effort is being made in that direction.

The Grand Secretary presented a tabulated statement of the number of entrants recorded on the books of the Grand Lodge in each year between 1800 to 1898, inclusive, showing a total of 259,397; an average of 2,620, as the yearly registration in the ninety-nine years, are embraced in the returns.

The Grand Visitations by the Grand Master and his associate officers have extended mention. We note in particular that of the celebration of the centenary of Lodge Ayr St. Paul, No. 204, in the Province of Ayrshire. The Grand Master, in his remarks at the banquet, alluded to the fact that R.'. W.'. MURRAY LYON, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, came from this Lodge and province twenty-two years before to take a difficult part at a most serious period in the affairs of this Grand Lodge, and that he was not only entitled to great credit, but very rightly denominated "the Grand Old Man of Scottish Masonry."

The Grand Lodge of Norway was recognized and representatives exchanged, and warrants granted for eight new Lodges. Representatives were also exchanged with the Grand Lodge of Frankfort-on-the-Main.

At the annual election of officers, the Marquis of Breadalbane was elected as Grand Master, but, having declined the honor, at a subsequent meeting the Hon. JAMES HOZIER, M. P., was nominated for the position.

Number of Lodges six hundred and two, but we have no means of ascertaining the membership.

R.. W.. D. MURRAY LYON (Edinburgh), Grand Secretary.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

We have the proceedings of this Grand Lodge at its several meetings for the year ending June, 1899.

The disbursements for relief during the year were £1,056. Five new Lodges added to the roster. The Grand Inspector of Workings reported

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