Masonic Reform.

so as to permit the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West to elect their Grand Master . Did they think that the Grand Master of England would propose such a measure to the Grand Lodge , so to alter the constitution of Freemasonry ? He was not surprised that the Provincial Grand

Master would have nothing to do with it . It was so preposterous that he did not feel he could send an answer that could be respectful to that body , even if he could have regarded it as emanating from the Grand Lodge of Canada . He , therefore , had not sent any answer to that petition . He would

not be the person to come down to the Grand Lodge to ask them to alter the Constitutions of Freemasonry in this country , or to pass a law which should derogate from the prerogative of the Grand Master , or the dignity of the Grand Lodge . He did not act from any pride or feeling of his

own ; but he considered he was bound , by his obligation as Grand Master , to hand down the office he held to his successor without any detraction from the prerogative of the office , and it was his firm determination so to do ; and if the Grand Lodge should differ from him on that point , he should leave that chair to his successor unimpaired and unfettered . "

The Most Worshipful the Grand Master also called the petitioners rebellious brethren , and treated them as such . Now , while seeking for our reformation , we must take especial care to commit no act that could for a moment disturb the fraternal feelings which must always bind us in the

bonds of fellowship with our- rulers . We do not agree with the course of proceeding adopted by the brethren who have initiated a movement in favour of this reform , because they have made an appeal to the various lodges , under the different Constitutionsasking them to take into

considera-, tion the advisability of establishing a Grand Lodge of Victoria . We do not think a lodge has power to take such a subject into consideration . They hold their Masonic powers by a warrant granted by a Grand Lodge , and the Master of each lodge guarantees to preserve that warrant and transmit

it to his successor . If a lodge entertains any question which affect that warrant , or if a Worshipful Master permits such a question to be entertained , they not only act unfaithfully to the Constitution they hold their power from , but also exceed the powers conferred on them by that Constitution , and would well deserve the censure of the Most Worshi pful their Grand Master .

The proper course to be pursued would be to draw up a petition to the three Grand Lodges , and let every brother favourable to this most essential reform sign that petition as an individual Mason ; but it should not be signed by an brother as representative of a lodge .

Such a petition would be respectfully attended to , if presented to the Grand Lodges through the Provincial Grand Masters of the three Constitutions ; and such petition should set forth good

reasonable grounds for seeking the proposed reformation . There are many reasons which can be put forward . We will suggest a few : — That great inconvenience attends the administration of Masonic justice , on account of the distance between this colony and its ruling

powersthe Grand Lodges . That the powers conferred on Provincial Grand Masters exceed those of the Grand Masters , and may be used in a most arbitrary manner , to the detriment and injury of both the individual Mason and the Craft . That the . Provincial Grand Masterbeing appointed by the

, Grand Master at home , the brethren in the colony are deprived of all choice in their ruling power , ancl must obey a brother placed over them without then- wishes having been consulted . That no appeal lies from the decision of the Provincial Grand

Masters to the Provincial Grand Lodges ,, though appeal may be made from the decisions of the Grand Masters to the Grand Lodges . That the Provincial Grand Masters are not elected annually , but continue during the pleasure of the Grand Masters , although the Grand Masters themselves

must be annually chosen by their brethren . The anomaly of the position of Provincial Grand Master may not be felt in Great Britain , the fount of power being at home ; but in this distant colony what there is but a nominal authorityis madeby distancean unmasonic despotism .

, , , At home if the Provincial Grand Master does any act which aggrieves a brother , appeal can at once be made to the Grand Lodge ; but here , although appeal can be made , yet the brother who makes the appeal must be deprived of his Masonic privileges for an almost indefinite time .

The petition should also show that the sums of money which are remitted as Grand Lodge dues are of no benefit to colonial Masons , none having ever received any benefit from the Fund of Benevolence ; while on the other hand those sums retained here would supplement the brotherly relief afforded often to distressed brethren from our old

home country . The great evil of having three rival Constitutions should also be pointed out , and care should be taken to state how injurious it is to Masonry to have three separate Provincial rulers , three distinct Provincial Grand Lodges , and three different

modes of working ; and the attention of the Grand Lodge should be attracted to the greatest of the evils attending the perpetuation of those three powers , that , the rivalry which exists between thorn , makes thein grant warrants in a most indiscriminate manner ; thereby , although

increasing the number of Masons , greatly decreasing the respectability and utility of the Craft . While pointing out the grievances requiring redress , we should not omit to point out , for the consideration of the Grand Lodges , the many Masonic advantages we would obtain from a unity of Masonic rule . That if we were acknowledged as competent to govern ourselves , and a Consti-