Grand Lodge Of Emergency.

masonry . Any resolution on the subject could do no good ; all that Grand Lodge could offer was their deep and sincere sympathy , and that was all he hoped would be offered . The XV . Pro ., the Rev . G . PORTAL did not desire to impugn the statement of their Grand Chaplain , but he was bound to say that his own experience led him to the conclusion that the greatest misapprehension prevailed in some Roman Catholic countries , and he would instance France , as to what were the principles of Freemasons . When he was in Franco he mixed freelwith Roman Catholicsand

y , he' found , whenever he avowed himself to be a Freemason , that Roman Catholics shrank from him as if he wove an adder or some venomous reptile ; they said that it was his principle , as a Freemason , to stir up divisions wherever he went , ( loud and general laughter , in which the Rev . Bro . himself joined , ) this of course he denied . He knew that in our own country , Freemasons who were Roman Catholics , wore exposed to inconvenience on that account . Knowing thiswhen he saw a Roman Catholic at one of their Provinical

, Lodges , he asked him how he managed to continue a member , considering the objection of the Roman Catholic . Priesthood to the Craft ? Ho replied , " Oh , my priest is a good follow and lie lots us do as ive please in the matter . " Now he was of opinion that if a Statement were sent to foreign parts , showing the principles of Masonry , that Masons feared God and did not interfere in politics or religion—that statement might be shown by their Roman Catholic Brethren to their priesisand they might tell their priests

, they were not so black as they were painted , thus doing good and possibly disarming opposition . R . W . Bro . Lord PANMUIIE thought the Grand Lodge would fall into a serious mistake if they carried the motion . Whoever was persecuted tor hii opinions , was worthy of sympathy ; if they hold those opinions conscienciously they we ' re worthy of the sympathy of

all good men . If they were persecuted for holding the principles of Freemasonry , then he held that the persecutors wore guilty of a great crime ; but he did not think the sorrows of their Forei gn Brethren could be relieved by remonstrance . If the Grand Lodge had authority ovw those who wore the persecutors of Freemasonry , then he said it would be proper to remonstrate , and to interfere , to put oppression down ; but if they found they had no power over the oppressor , then they but made the persecution worse by interference . By the motionit was proposed to tell the world what all the world

, knew , and with respect to the principles of Masonry , he was aware that Roman Catholics had access to their secrets and knew them as well as any mason present . It was not necessary therefore to tell any class of Roman Catholics what the principles of Masonry were . If they attempted by a solemn resolution , and a solemn declaration of principles , to turn the tide of persecution , what would they do ? Why , they would give those very persecutors the means of putting on the Grand Lodge of Englanda direct and palpable insult

, , open , , in the face of the whole world . ( Cheers . ) Was that advisable ? He thought not , and therefore he must give his vote against the motion , on account of the position in which it would place them . XV . Bro . the Earl of CARNARVON , for one , could not acquiesce in the cold expression of mere sympathy , that was given to their Roman Catholic Brethren for the oppression they sustained . He would wish the Grand Lodge to put themselves right in the matter , and would leave the resolution in their handsHe " had been accused

. of bringing forward an inefficient measure , he had brought forward a measure that he thought the least objectionable , and most likely to be found readiest of adoption . He would simply leave the Grand Lodge to affirm or reject the motion ; believing that , if carried , it was calculated to afford benefit and solace to their suffering brethren abroad . The motion was put and declared to be lost .

TUB ADJOURNMENT OF GRAND LODGE . Bro , JAMES MASON , P . M ., No 168 , moved , "Any meeting of the Grand Lodge may , by a resolution of a majority of the members present at such meeting , and on a motion , of which no previous notice need be given , be adjourned , from time to time , for the discussion of and adjudication on any motion or other matter respecting which due communication shall have been previously made to the General Committee , and all undisposed of business on the agenda paper of the Lodge , at which any such Resolution for an adjournment shall be adopted , may be '

brought forward and disposed of at any such adjourned meeting . " There was much dissatisfaction at the mode in which the business of Grand Lodge was done—lie did not say that this was well founded , but it ought not to be disregarded , and it was the duty of all to join as one man , in the promotion of the interests of Masonry by supporting any motion that would have the effect of promoting their interests . He contended that more time ought to be given to the discussion of important motions than was afforded bv the time limited to the holding of Grand Lodge . W . Bro . WAURKN seconded the motion , observing that the present motion arose out of a motion to the same effect which he made last year , and which the Grand Master declared illegal . He must say

that ho thought the necessity for adjourned meetings of Grand Lodge to be imperative . Some remedy was needed to enable dropped motions to bo more promptly discussed . The present was an anomalous state of things which required to be remedied by some such motion as that now before Grand Lodge . W . Bro . J . H . STEEIIIKC would move his motion by way of amendment . It was to this efiect—that G . L . should adjourn to a day to lie fixed by the G . ill . It couid not be denied , tiiat the members of Grand Lodge required more opportunities of mcctin , ' : ;

for business , than they at present possessed . Provincial Masons were not satisfied with the present state of tilings . They came lon ^; distances , and were frequently sent back again , with their motions unconsidered * . XV . Bro . BINCKES seconded the amendment . Looking at the amount of the receipts , it must be inferred that a largo increase ot business had taken place , and that therefore a case was made out for more meetings of Grand Lodge . R . W . Bro . HALL would view the success of this motion with

apprehension . He objected to make Grand Lodge the arena of debate and of angry passions . No one could read without a blush , what had occurred recently within those walls . After much more to the same effect , and a glowing eulogium upon the excellence of the M . W . the G . M ., —the meeting became impatient ; and XV . Bro . BINCKES protested against W . Bro . Hall talking against time . W . Bro . ARIA repudiated the idea , that the motion had any reference to the Grand Master : he repudiated the charge of desiring

by the motion , to undermine the power of the Grand Master . W . Bro . T . TAYLOR denied that the business of Grand Lodge had increased , and saw no advantage in encouraging wider discussion . If the motion were carried , it would exclude Provincial Lodges , from taking part in discussions . R . XV . Bro . Lord PASMUUE , of the two motions before G . Lodge , preferred the last . When he heard the first motion read , he entertained serious apprehensions that one of their fundamental laws iras

to be overturned ; for if it were carried , it went at once to deprive the Grand Master of authority , that had been advisedly given to him . It would sanction the adjournment of Grand Lodge from day to day : it would in fact turn Grand Lodge from the specific purpose for which it was created , into a Masonic parliament . It would " not benefit the Craft to have discussion to such an extent . If the motion were carried , it would inconvenience members of Country Lodges , who would be kept in town eight or ten days , according to " the term

of adjournment , in order that fc ' liey might attend the adjourned meetings . Would it not be far better to let matters stand as they were , rather than to deprive the Grand Master of his constitutional power ? Would it not be better , first to test his willingness to call as many Grand Lodges as might be needed , before proceeding to change the existing law ? If the motions on the paper could not be got through that night—he would be the first to ask the Grand Master , to fix a day to hold a Lodge to go through them ; and if the Grand Master should refusethen he would be willing to transfer that power to

, Grand Lodge . It would be better to continue to regard with respect and reverence constituted authority—rather than to seek to change the laws day by day , to suit imaginary purposes and to redress imaginary grievances . W . Bro . MASON said , ihere were many meetings of Grand Lodge at which the Grand Master was not present , and it might fairly become a question whether the Acting G . Master should not have the power of adjournment when the state of the business required it .

He was satisfied that as adjournment would only occur for the discussion of important questions , it would bo for the advantage , and give satisfaction , to the whole body of Grand Lodge . The M . W , GRAND MASTER would briefly state his opinion of the motion . It had been urged , if this power of adjournment were conceded , that no adjournment would take place without just cause . The Worshipful Brother might be right in his supposition , but he would ask whether any considerable number of members had ever

expressed a wish in vain to him to summon a Grand Lodge ? He had never hesitated to summon a Grand Lodge as long as ho had filled that chair , when asked to do so by a competent ' number of brethren . He thought such a resolution as that before the Grand Lodge was , in reality , a motion of want of confidence in the G . M .. and , if carried , it would be an inducement for members of G . Lod ^ e to bring forward additional motions that were not required for the good of the Craft in generalBy such means Grand Lodge would

. ultimately become , as the Noble Brother had said , a mere Masonic parliament anil , instead of quarterly , tliero would be weekly communications , which would be inconvenient to Brethren In the country , who would be asked to come up to Grand Lodge every week or fortnight to attend the adjournments . If this vote indicating u want of confidence , were passed , lie should feel tumble to hold his position ; and he very much doubted whether any nobleman or gentleman , who had other business to engage them , would undertake the office o ' t'Grand . Uastc-r Tlio vote was put and lost ; and after the transaction o £ some unimportant business , at 11 o'clock the Lodge adjourned .