MASONIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5251, 16 December 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

MASONIC.

On the 28th of December last, Mr Malcolm Murray Irving, 33rd degree, by dispensation from tho Supreme Council of Scotland, admitted Mr Xtobcrt Pater Son to the same degree, and some discussion took place on tho subject in our columns. It was stated that the Supreme Council of Egypt was a recognised body of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Site, and that the Supreme Council of New Zealand, holding their charter, found that body was a lawfully constituted one. Since then the Supreme Councils of the World have arranged to recognise the Supreme Council of Egypt, provided it declared null and void the illegal acts it had given effect to—namely, a charter, to New Zealand, and making members of the 33rd degree in Scotland. The following is the manifesto published by the Supreme Council of Egypt, agreeing to declare thefr acts as above illegal:— Obdo Ab.Ciiao. Ad Univorsi Terrarum Orbis Sumrni Architeefci Gloriam. Grand Orient of Egypt. Suprome Council of the Thirty-third and Lass; Degree of the Ancient aad Accepted Scotish Kits. ' Valley of the Nils. Orient of Alexandria. No. 152 Subject. DECBEE. We, S. A. Zola, Sovereign Grand Oommander, Grand Master of the Supreme Council of the Thirty-third and Last Dame of Ancient and Acsopted Scottish Rite for Egypt and its Dependencies, Valley of tho Nile. , ~

As the Supremo Council of Egypt, anxious always to propagate the highest principles of the Rife, by our Decree, No. 45, of 16th October, 1875, and subsequently No. 69. of 20th March, 1876', exalted to tho Thirtythird Degree, several distinguished" Masons liviug in Wow Zealand, and granted to them patents by which they could constitute in tbas valley a Supreme Council of tho Thirtythird Degree, and that bceauae that terri. Tory was considered freo and not subject to any regular Supremo Council.

As tho Supreme Council of Egypt, moved by the same principle, by imaus of several of our Decrees eralSod to bhe 33rd Degree several Masons residing ;Jn Scotland, and that because the Supreme Council of Scotland had been represented to m as an irregular and illegitimate body. We being now satish'od and convinced of tho legal and ■ legitimat3 ■ existence o£ the Supreme Council of. EugUiud, Ireland, and Scotland, of the right of the firafc or of all the throe over Now Zealand cotmdered as a dependency of the British drown, and' ia consequence being oatisfeJ of the grave error into which wo had, to their injury, involuntarily fallen, hiving consulted tho Giv.nd Constitutions of 1786, Wishing, as much as iv in lies, that tho most perfect harmony should rei«n among all the Supremo Councils of the two hemispheres. ' . .

Requiring for un, and foi'all the' Masonic powers, the moat scrupulous reciprocity in questions relative to territorial jurisdictions, D firing, ab >ye all, that any, wen tho least pretoxb of schism or division on our part may D 3 avoided with the imivorsal Masonic brotherhood. Ihvin; heard the opinion of the active rrie'nli;:vs of the ftupcmuu Uouuoii. in its o»ra !\:«nc, .-'iUVO dtcfcsd htkl do d erte—

Astiive i. Our Dricre3, No. 45, i.f i,];e lKih._Oot»bor, 1875, ctad No. 69, of 25th March, IS7S, E,V., by which iirioro were raised to the Thircy-ikird Decree Siver&l Masons living in New Zealand, and acoord. ing to them tho power co constitute them. selves into a Supremo Council of th« Thirtythird Decree, is definitely abrogated. 2. All our Decrees by which several Minono Jiving in Scotland wero c-:calttd in alwenco to the 33rd ° are .■nnulJod.

3. AH the p.neats, tli tho (linlomas, and all the oertiiio?t(.s rtiinit.'.ed, bo "it 6o Now Zealaud, be it to Scotland, in absence an:l relating to tho Ancient aud Accepted Scottish Kite, are dsiewd fi-om ihi raeisfcry of the Supremy Council and dechuwl null.

4. The present shall bo o-jirimtiuiaated to the parties interested immodiate'-y to tho Supremo Council; of both hoi-iisphsvos, and shall be published by meaus of our Oincial BuHotiu.

Given from tb.2 Gr.w.l Orient of Cairo,, Valley of the Nile, uhis Sta day Tioti A.M. SG3S, Vulgo the 7th fc>ei..teml>.sr, IS7B. (Signed) s. A. Zola., 33° Soy. G. Commanctor. F. W. 0 Di)i, 33° General Grand Chancellor.