"Your Committee notice with satisfaction the observations of the M.I.G. M. on the proposed Council of Rites, and believing as we do that the existence of so many Grand bodies not only leads to a great deal of confusion, but also the waste of much valuable time, we think that if the proposed scheme can be carried out, of bringing under one Grand Body the Orders of Red Cross of Rome and Constantine, Royal Ark Mariners and our own Grand Council, much good would accrue to Masonry in general, and to this special department in particular. The titles of the officers of Subordinate Councils were changed so as to correspond with the recommendation of the New York Convention, as given in a previous chapter. The election of Grand Officers resulted as follows: M. I. Companion Daniel Spry, Most Illustrious Grand Mas ter. R. I. Companion David McLellan, Deputy Grand Master. R. I. Companion S. B. Harman, Grand Principal Conductor of the Work. R. I. Companion Hugh A. Mackay, Grand Treasurer. R. I. Companion James B. Nixon, Grand Recorder. R. I. Companion W. M. Somerville, Grand Captain'of Guard. R. I. Companion Gibson Cook, Grand Lecturer. R. I. Companion John L. Dixon, Grand Sentinel. INSPECTORS-GENERAL OF DIVISIONS. R. I. Companion James O'Connor, London Division. The Grand Master then appointed and invested the following: V. I. Companion J. G. Burns, Grand Master of Ceremonies. V. I. Companion Robert McKay, Grand Conductor. V. I. Companion John Dumbrille, Grand Organist. GRAND STEWARDS. V. I. Companions Wm. Brydon, Geo. Watson, James Thompson, H. A. Baxter, D. Campbell, and John O'Donnell. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. V. I. Companion Thomas Sargant, Toronto. The Divisions or Districts of Grand Council were again changed under the following rule :— "That the Divisions of this Grand Council shall correspond in extent to the present Districts of the Grand Chapter; and when a Division has two or more Councils, it shall be entitled to an Inspector-General; and until such time as a Division has the necessary Councils to entitle it to such offer, it shall be under the government of the nearest Inspector-General." The proposition to form a Grand Council of Rites was adopted by the following resolution :— "That this Grand Council approves of the formation of a Grand Council of Rites for the Dominion of Canada, composed of the Grand Council of R. and S. Masters, the Grand Conclave of Rome and Constantine, and the Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners, and hereby authorizes and instructs the M. Ill. the Grand Master to take all necessary steps, in connection with the other bodies interested, to perfect the same. The National work of the New York and New Orleans Conventions, with the additions of the Degrees of SuperExcellent Master and Red Cross of Babylon, was adopted as the work of Grand Council. CHAPTER XXVI. THE PROGRESS OF THE RITE-THE PROPOSAL TO MAKE THE CRYPTIC DEGREES A PRE-REQUISITE TO KNIGHTHOOD-THE RED CROSS DE GREE. HE Sixth Annual Assembly met on the 29th of August, 1876, in the Council Chamber of Adoniram Council, Toronto, and was but fairly attended by representatives outside of the city. Adoniram Council was represented by R. Ill. Companions Geo. Watson, Wm. Brydon, John Ross Robertson, Joshua G. Burns, J. B. Nixon, M. I. Companions Daniel Spry, F. J. Menet, N. Bigelow, and Thos. Sargant; Zabud Council, at Bradford, by Ill. Companions H. S. Broughton and Gibson Cook; Enoch Council, London, by Ill. Companion James O'Connor, and Nineveh Council, St Thomas, by Ill. Companion Robert McKay. The Chair was occupied by Most Illustrious Companion Spry. In his address he spoke of the condition of Cryptic Masonry in the jurisdiction. He said: "In rendering you an account of my official conduct during the past year, it affords me much gratification to be enabled to state that the Cryptic Rite continues steadily to advance, extending itself to all parts of the Dominion, and has even winged its flight to our prairie province, Manitoba. The Subordinate Councils are generally well conducted, and the returns, which will be laid before you, will show the steady progress which is being made. You are quite aware that I have always urged upon the attention of Grand Council the desirability of being extremely cautious in the admission of members to our Councils, urging upon the officers of these subordinate bodies, who are in the habit of assembling with us, the necessity of selecting with great care from among those who ask to be admitted to the secrets of the Ninth Arch, those who possess the necessary intelligence to enable them to become earnest and faithful workers in our Order. In many Councils I find that these teachings have not been without effect, and that the result of such caution has been to admit only those who have attained some position in the other grades of Masonry. Adhering to the same advice, I have not countenanced the opening of Councils in localities where I considered there did not exist a field sufficiently wide to justify me in the granting of dispensations. The multiplications of Councils will bring no strength to Grand Councils, nor aid in the proper extension of an Order that possesses so many charms, unless the Companions selected to preside over them are possessed of ability of the highest order to enable them to thoroughly and intelligently understand and impart the work. " Two new Councils had been added to the number during the year-one at Winnipeg and another at Perth. The former, Cyrus Council, was opened by dispensation granted on the 28th of September, 1875, to Ill. Comp. Rev. William Clarkson Clarke, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba; William Nassau Kennedy, Grand Treasurer (the late Col. Kennedy of the Canadian Nile contingent of 1884), and John H. Bell, Grand Secretary. The Council at Perth, known as Morris Council, was opened on the 3rd of April, 1876, by a dispensation granted on the 14th of March, to R. Ill. Comp. W. J. Morris, and recommended by R. Ill. Comp. George C. Longley, Inspector-General of the Ottawa Division. M. Ill. Comp. Spry, in continuing his address had something to say about the Cryptic Rite and the action of the New York Convention, which declared that the degrees should be made a pre-requisite to Knighthood. He referred to the subject in the following terms: 6 "In my address to Grand Council at the Annual Assembly held in 1874, I referred to a resolution that had been adopted by the New York Convention, declaring it to be the opinion of those present that the degrees of Royal and Select Master should be a pre-requisite to the orders of Knighthood, and I then gave expression to the opinion that it was not then advisable that we should take such action in this jurisdiction,' as I was of opinion that the Cryptic Rite should occupy an entirely independent position. While I still think that we should not forget the dignity due to ourselves as an important Grand body by humbly soliciting rights and privileges from those who are unwilling to concede them, I have no hesitation in now directing your attention to the consideration of a subject of such vast importance to Cryptic Masonry in Canada, so that at a future Assembly you may be prepared to take some decided action thereon, and after it has been fully discussed in all its bearings in the Subordinate Councils, and you have given it that considerate attention which its great importance demands, you may perhaps be prepared to ask the newly created Great Priory of the Order of Knights Templars of Canada to concede this great point to us by inserting a clause in its Constitution requiring all candidates for the orders of Knighthood to have taken the degrees of Royal and Select Master. The Masonic family of Canada is of too great importance and is too closely allied for our older and stronger bodies to treat us with neglect and apparent indifference without ultimately bringing discredit on themselves. Masonry is a vast system, and all the grades are so closely interwoven that whatever has a tendency to elevate and advance one branch must naturally assist in the progress of all the others. It is therefore our duty as earnest and zealous workers in the Ninth Arch, as firm advocates of a perfect system in Masonry that cannot be completed without the degrees conferred in the Council of Royal and Select Masters forming an important link, and as honest admirers of the important and useful lessons taught in these degrees, to use our utmost exertions to have them placed in their proper order in the regular line of Masonic progression.' He also brought to the notice of the Companions the position occupied by Grand Council regarding the degree of the Red Cross of Babylon. "I have also to bring under your notice the position now occupied by Grand Council regarding the Degree of Red Cross of Babylon. You are aware that it is regularly conferred in our Councils as a portion of our system, and that 'Preceptors of Knights Templars Preceptories have the power of communicating the degree in their Preceptories on Knights Templars only.' The Convent General of the Order of the Temple does not consider this degree has any connection with the Templar Order, and in order that Canadian Templars might be in possession of the degree a treaty stipulation was entered into some years ago by R. E. Sir Knight W. B. Hubbard, the then Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of the United States, and the V. H. and E. Sir Knight Colonel W. J. B, McLeod Moore, as the head of the Templar Order in Canada, by the terms of which, authority was given to E. Commanders of the Encampment in Canada to communicate the Order of Red Cross according to the American system or Rite, to enable Canadian Knights to visit the United States Commanderies. On the formation of the Grand Council of New Brunswick in 1871 the Grand Prior of Canada' approved of the degree being adopted by that Grand Council' as one of the degrees to be conferred in Councils of Royal and Select Masters, in order that it might be placed on a legitimate footing with other Canadian degrees,' and on making it known to the Grand Encampment of the United States that he had done so, the subject was referred to by the special Committee on Foreign Affairs' at Baltimore Session, held in 1871, who reported that they recognize the Knights of the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross made in Canada, under such authority as may be duly recognized there.' On the formation of Grand Council in the same year we gave Subordinate Councils full authority to confer the degree without obtaining any authority from the Grand Priory, as we were of opinion that we were justified in doing so, as our Warrants were obtained from New Brunswick. Subsequently, on my attention being directed to this omission, I addressed the Grand Priory officially, and in October, 1873, obtained his hearty approval of our proceedings (for full correspondence see page 22, p. p., 1873), the degree by this action having been placed under the control of an authorized body.' I think we are now justified in asking the Great Priory of Canada to withdraw the authority given Preceptors to communicate the degrees on Knights Templars, and I strongly recommend Grand Council to enter into correspondence with the Great Priory with the view of securing this object." And with regard to the formation of a Grand Council of Rite for the Dominion he said: "At the last Annual Assembly I was authorized and instructed to take all necessary steps, in connection with the other bodies interested,' to form a Grand Council of Rites for the Dominion of Canada. have, however, to report that although the Grand Imperial Council of Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine, and the Grand Royal Ark I |