British Columbia.

A large province in Western Canada, with its capital at Victoria. March 19, 1858, the Grand Lodge of England warranted Victoria Lodge No. 1085 (later 783), but the warrant did not arrive to constitute the first lodge in British Columbia until Aug. 28, 1860. Union Lodge No. 1201 was formed Dec. 16, 1861. The Grand Lodge of Scotland warranted Vancouver Lodge No. 421 on Oct. 20, 1862. Other English and Scotch lodges followed and, on May 6, 1867, I. W. Powell, M. D. was deputized Provincial G. M. of British Columbia by the Grand Master of Scotland. On Sept. 10, 1867 the Grand Lodge of England deputized Robert Burnaby Provincial G. M. for the Colonies of Vancouver and British Columbia. By 1871, there were 4 English and 5 Scotch lodges of which Vancouver No. 421 was the moving body in proposing formation of a Grand Lodge Jan. 2, 1861. For some time, there existed a strange confusion of purpose among the English lodges, the English Deputy, the Scotch lodges and the Scotch Provincial, and even the Grand Lodge of Scotland, to such an extent that bad feelings were engendered, evidently with little justification. Finally the members, themselves, had to resolve the deadlock by a popular vote which approved the movement 194 to 28. Accordingly, the Grand Lodge was formed October 21, 1871 by representatives of all lodges, except Union (which joined soon after). I. W. Powell was installed Grand Master. The English Grand Lodge promptly recognized the new body, but the Grand Lodge of Scotland delayed until 1880. This Grand Lodge has jurisdiction over Yukon Territory as well as British Columbia.

British Columbia is thinly settled (there are only 133 lodges with about 20,000 members) and one-third of the lodges are in Victoria and Vancouver. The British Columbians are good internationalists, since millions of American tourists visit their province. The Grand Master of British Columbia often attends Communications of the Grand Lodges of Washington and Oregon, and even California.