Untitled Article

Mason , with a view to reinstatement ; to consult or decide on , and compare works . I have no copy of the summons by me , but I believe I give you the spirit of it . Several of the eastern Lodges had previously decided on petitioning the Sup .

G . M . to appoint a separate Prov . G . M . for the eastern division of Canada-West , eight or ten of which petitions were then actually signed and in the hands of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 491 , Kingston , for transmission . On receiving the summons to attend Prov . G . L ., we naturally supposed that the western section of the province had taken the same view as ourselves ; and we went to Niagara fully instructed by our Lodge how to act in such a case ; but when the subject was brought up , it appeared that a discussion had taken place at last Prov . G . L . in London on the expediency of establishing a Canadian independent G . L ., but the

question was then postponed and the whole matter left over to the Emergent G . L . to be held at the Ealls , and the notice of motion contained in the summons was supposed to be sufficient to bring up the whole question . This was to a certain extent irregular , and objection was made on the part of those who had not been present at the previous meeting that they were taken by surprise , and that no business ought to be entertained at an emergent meeting but that specially mentioned in the summons ; but it was answered and decided that , while the Prov . G . L . was called together for a special object , even if they deviated from that

object ( which in this instance was denied ) and took up other matter , they had a perfect right so to do , as the summons contained a clause empowering them to take up and consider any subject the Prov . G . M . might bring or allow to be brought before them . Thus the whole subject was opened . This misunderstanding could never have happened , if the jurisdiction were so divided that every meeting of the Prov . G . L . could be held sufficiently near to each of its subordinate Lodges that all might be represented without inconvenience , and thus be intimately acquainted with all that is going forward . Lodges of Instruction

were also held when the Prov . G . L . was in session , by two of the Brethren in succession in the First and Second Degrees , but the attempt ( for it was only an attempt ) was of no avail . The body of the Prov . G . L ., when 100 to 150 Brethren are assembled and all strangers to each other , is not the place to illustrate , with any degree of advantage , the workings and ceremonies of our order ; had the two Brethren who presided visited any particular Lodge , and spent a whole evening or even two , with the members of that Lodge regularly called together

for instruction , their labours would have been appreciated , and much good might have resulted ; but proper persons cannot be found in this country who have leisure sufficient to devote to the duty of visiting all the Lodges where the district is so large , and it is very questionable if paid lecturers would answer the purpose ; but with a smaller field of operation , say from ten to fifteen Lodges , properly qualified and authorized lecturers could be more easily procured without having recourse to paid lecturers .

Masons in Canada are very zealous in the cause , and are naturally grieved at the many disadvantages under which they labour , and a vast deal of dissatisfaction exists against the Supreme Grand Lodge of England , whether justly or not , in every respect , it is not for me to say ; although , surely , it is easy to remedy the most of our grievances . The dissatisfaction is greatly increased by

many Irish and Scotch Masons , who , it would appear , are equally , if not more , neglected by their Grand Lodge than we are by ours . I have reason to believe that a convention of Masons in Canada will be soon called for the purpose of organizing and electing a Grand Master ; I should be sorry , indeed , to see such a step taken , but it looks as if everything was tending towards it . We have no active head in Prov . Grand Lodge to keep them right . The Grand Lodges , both of Scotland and Ireland , claim equal jurisdiction with that of England in the

province , charter Lodges therein , and never look any further after them . This is not Masonic : let there be an immediate arrangement that there be but one supreme jurisdiction in the province , and a proportionate number of Provincial Grand Masters ; let the Grand Lodge of England listen to our complaints and redress our grievances , and matters may go on smoothly , for our status , as an integral portion of the Supreme Grand Lodge of England , is , in my view , far superior to any we could have as members of a Canadian Grand Lodge . Let the right step be VOL . I . 4 e