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Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article PROPOSED ANNUITY TO BRO. FARNFIELD'S WIDOW. Page 1 of 1 Article EARLY HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
mistake as to suppose the members of our ancient and benevolent society would bo desirous of voting £ 1 , 000 for such an object as tho Rev . Bro . Simpson contemplates . I know many aro anxious to spend money they have never earned , and to devote it to purposes foreign to tho objects for which tho sums havo been contributed , but I have yet to learn that the strange fancy of an individual is to be the law
A THANKOFFERING . To the Editor of TnE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . TOWER OF O BSERVATION , 27 th May 1876 . DEAR SIR AND BRO ., —I am surprised to noto tho contents of Bro . John Constable's letter iu tho FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE of to-day . Really , I had no idea that a Grand Officer would make such a serious
for the Grand Lodge ; and I trust Bro . Constable s timoly warning will direct the attention of the English Craft to Bro . Simpson ' s most unmasonic motion . Surely , when eleven widows were denied annuities this month , and last month many dear boys and girls wero refused admission into our Institutions , from want of funds , there are many ways to devote £ 1 , 000 as a thanksgiving offering for tho safety of our M . W . Grand Master without adopting anything like Bro . the Rev .
R . J . Simpson's suggestion . Already Lodges aro objecting to such a shameful waste of our money as tho proposition contemplates . We hardly fancy it will have a seconder , and at all events we feel almost snro it will bo negatived , as it deserves , without a division . Lot us remember tho proposition does not come from ono of the mauy generous supporters of our Charities , for they know well how wo want the money for our own distressed and destituto orphans , who plead for our aid . I am , Dear Sir , yours , & c . PAST MASTER .
DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens would do well to take note of Bro . Constable's letter in the last number of the " FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . " In it he directs attention to a highly important proposition to bo submitted for consideration at the next meeting of Graud Lodge . One thousand pounds is to bo voted as a
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE .
thankoffering to be applied to some charitable object in India . . Nothing so easy as to be liberal and charitable with other people ' s money , or at any rate when it does not affect our own pockets . His Reverence whoso name appears in connection with this motion could not have given tho matter serious consideration . He shonld have reflected that" Charity begins at home , " and that any superfluous funds tho Graud Lodge is
able or willing to dispose of might be much more judiciously , and with greater advantage , bestowed upon either of the Masonic Institutions . It is scarcely necessary to point out that Masonic funds aro ( with rare exceptions ) intended for strictly Masonic purposes . This rule was laid down by Bro . Havers , and endorsed by a majority in Grand Lodge assembled at the timo when this same Bro . John Constable asked for a vote
of £ 100 towards raising a fund for tho purpose of endowing the " Freemasons' Life Boat . " Tho whole of tho Grand Officers then prosent voted with the majority . It would bo irrelevant to this matter to question the jnstice of the opinion that to stretch forth a helping hand to ameliorate the deadly casualties at sea was not a " strictly Masonic object . " Logically , however , £ 1 , 000 cannot justly
be voted to an Indian Charity when £ 100 was refused towards ono of the most deserving benevolent objects in England . I therefore trust tho brethren will perceive tho desirability of attending the meeting , and see that the funds are not mis-applied and diverted from their legitimate channel by any pressure which might be brought to bear by sycophantic or even over sincere and gushing loyalty . Tho plea urged
by Bro . Havers and others against Bro . Constable ' s motion must surely hold good in this instance . Our own Charities stand in sore need of all the help they can possibly get . And even if it were not so , and if Grand Lodge had tho power to apply tho fund upon other than " strictly Masonio purposes / ' would it be necessary to go all the
way to India to mako this " Thankoffering ? " Is there no real poverty , sickness , distress aud starvation in its most literal and horrifying sense at home ? I only hope the reverend proposer will bo induced to withdraw his motion , as I fear he will meet with but little support . Yours fraternally , MISTER YARDLEY
Masonic Jurisprudence.
MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S Cr . i . oNiCLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . —I read the question ;; ' a country P . M . " in yonr last number but one , and would have replied to it last week if I had not expected that some brother with more experience and authority than mvself would have answered it .
Your Chronicle of last Saturday fulfils my expectation , but it is with somo surprise that I find all your correspondents maintain that it is allowable for a W . M . to vacate his chair in favour of a brother who is not the I . P . M ., or failing him the senior P . M . present . I admit that the Master can ask for , and use the assistance of any qua , Med . brother during tb . 9 wPiking of the ceremonies ; but lis canaot
give up his chair to him . The moment tho W . M . leaves his chair he is to all intents and purposes absent , and his authority ceases until hia resumption of his proper position . If the W . M . wishes to avail himself of the talents of any brother out of tho regular succession ho may allow him to work tho degrees from a chair at his side , but ho cannot place him in the chair itself—to do this would bo as irregular and
illogical as for tho speaker of tho Honso of Commons or the Chairman of any other meeting to depute bis authority to any ono else not regularly appointed to take his placo in case of need . The P . M . ' s aro in effect vice-chairmen , and tho W . M . cannot supersede their authority by an appointment of his own .
I should not have ventured to opposo the opinion ot such eminent brethren aa your correspondents of last week if I waa not anxious to elicit further remarks upon thia very important point of Masonio Jurisprudence . Yours fraternally , P . M . 425 .
Proposed Annuity To Bro. Farnfield's Widow.
PROPOSED ANNUITY TO BRO . FARNFIELD'S WIDOW .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I seo that Bro . Henry Greene P . M ., No . 256 , will move a resolution in Grand Lodge on Wednesday next to tho effect that an annuity of £ 100 be granted to Mrs . Farnfield during pleasure , in token of tho eminent services rendered by her late husband as Assistant Grand Secretary and Secretary to tho
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . It may seem churlish in any one to question tho propriety of such a motion , bat it occurs to me that Bro . Greene , from a motive which is very honourable , is ohlivioiis of tho recognition those services havo already evoked , both from Grand Lodge and tho governing body of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , as well as of one or two other not unimportant
circumstances bearing upon the case . That our late Bro . Farnfield , with a family of ten children to maintain and educato , may havo experienced some financial pressure at times is not improbable . When incapable , however , of further active duty , Bro . Farnfield received handsome superannuations in respect of both tho offices he had filled , and during the latter part of his life he must have been
relieved of the necessity of supporting so numerous a family of children . All of them happily survive him , to cherish their remaining parent in the timo of her bereavement . Of tho seven sons , all aro either well provided with means—so I am told , at least—or following some honourable occupation . Of tho three daughtors , one is married , while the remaining two aro over twenty-ono years of age .
That Mrs . Farnfield and her unmarried daughters aro not as favourably circumstanced as they were in Bro . Farnfield's lifetime is most likely . It is only the very few who do not suffer pecuniarily , in a greater or less degree , when tho father dies . In Masonry , theoretically if not practically , the sons aro supposed to support their parents when no longer able , through ago , infirmity , or misfortune ,
to support themselves . If tho seven sons of tho lato Bro . Farnfield are not in a position to assist their mother and unmarried sisters , then great credit is duo to Bro . Greene for bringing tho caso of tho widow under the notice- of Grand Lodge , and I dare- say Grand Lodgo will not prove itself unmindful of the zeal and energy displayed by their lato Assistant Secretary during a service extending over forty years . But the woll-to-do sons of so excellent a man and Mason
should never allow their mother and sisters to be dependent on tho bounty of Grand Lodge , when it is in their own power to support them honourably . Considering the very largo number of deserving cases which are being constantly brought under tho notice of Grand Lodge , I think it most important that all the circumstances connected with each should bo made public . Otherwise , I repeat , it must seem churlish to question a motion of so delicate a natnre as Bro . Greene ' s . Fraternally yours , " Q . "
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . I observe , from the agenda paper of Grand Lodge , that it is the in . tention of Bro . Greene to move , That an annuity of £ 100 per annum be granted to the widow of our late Bro . Farnfield , during the pleasure
of Grand Lodge . Permit me to enquire if tho children of our late brother are aware of this step ? I scarcoly think they are . Yours fraternally A PAST MASTER .
Early History Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
EARLY HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND .
To tlio Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Can nothing be done to discover the whereabouts and character of the minutes of tho Provincial Grand Lodge of Minister , which are alluded to b y Bro . M . Furnell in an article entitled " The Traditions and Recorded History of tho Irish
Constitution , inserted m tho freemason ' s Calendar , Dublin , 18-18 ? Bro . Furnell states that those records preserve tho important facta that the Hon . Colonel James O'Brien waa G . M ., Springetb Perm D . G . M ., A . D . 1726 . Also that in 1728 , Robert Lougfield was D . G . M ., nn . l iu 1730 , Colonel William Maynard was G . 3 L , aud Thomas Riggs D . G . M . The archives of the Grand Lodgo state that , 3 rd February 1728 , the Order assisted Lord Carteret in laying the foundation stono of tho Parliament House , DuMin , Qur , Peunall ' s Constitutions of 1730 are
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
mistake as to suppose the members of our ancient and benevolent society would bo desirous of voting £ 1 , 000 for such an object as tho Rev . Bro . Simpson contemplates . I know many aro anxious to spend money they have never earned , and to devote it to purposes foreign to tho objects for which tho sums havo been contributed , but I have yet to learn that the strange fancy of an individual is to be the law
A THANKOFFERING . To the Editor of TnE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . TOWER OF O BSERVATION , 27 th May 1876 . DEAR SIR AND BRO ., —I am surprised to noto tho contents of Bro . John Constable's letter iu tho FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE of to-day . Really , I had no idea that a Grand Officer would make such a serious
for the Grand Lodge ; and I trust Bro . Constable s timoly warning will direct the attention of the English Craft to Bro . Simpson ' s most unmasonic motion . Surely , when eleven widows were denied annuities this month , and last month many dear boys and girls wero refused admission into our Institutions , from want of funds , there are many ways to devote £ 1 , 000 as a thanksgiving offering for tho safety of our M . W . Grand Master without adopting anything like Bro . the Rev .
R . J . Simpson's suggestion . Already Lodges aro objecting to such a shameful waste of our money as tho proposition contemplates . We hardly fancy it will have a seconder , and at all events we feel almost snro it will bo negatived , as it deserves , without a division . Lot us remember tho proposition does not come from ono of the mauy generous supporters of our Charities , for they know well how wo want the money for our own distressed and destituto orphans , who plead for our aid . I am , Dear Sir , yours , & c . PAST MASTER .
DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens would do well to take note of Bro . Constable's letter in the last number of the " FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . " In it he directs attention to a highly important proposition to bo submitted for consideration at the next meeting of Graud Lodge . One thousand pounds is to bo voted as a
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE .
thankoffering to be applied to some charitable object in India . . Nothing so easy as to be liberal and charitable with other people ' s money , or at any rate when it does not affect our own pockets . His Reverence whoso name appears in connection with this motion could not have given tho matter serious consideration . He shonld have reflected that" Charity begins at home , " and that any superfluous funds tho Graud Lodge is
able or willing to dispose of might be much more judiciously , and with greater advantage , bestowed upon either of the Masonic Institutions . It is scarcely necessary to point out that Masonic funds aro ( with rare exceptions ) intended for strictly Masonic purposes . This rule was laid down by Bro . Havers , and endorsed by a majority in Grand Lodge assembled at the timo when this same Bro . John Constable asked for a vote
of £ 100 towards raising a fund for tho purpose of endowing the " Freemasons' Life Boat . " Tho whole of tho Grand Officers then prosent voted with the majority . It would bo irrelevant to this matter to question the jnstice of the opinion that to stretch forth a helping hand to ameliorate the deadly casualties at sea was not a " strictly Masonic object . " Logically , however , £ 1 , 000 cannot justly
be voted to an Indian Charity when £ 100 was refused towards ono of the most deserving benevolent objects in England . I therefore trust tho brethren will perceive tho desirability of attending the meeting , and see that the funds are not mis-applied and diverted from their legitimate channel by any pressure which might be brought to bear by sycophantic or even over sincere and gushing loyalty . Tho plea urged
by Bro . Havers and others against Bro . Constable ' s motion must surely hold good in this instance . Our own Charities stand in sore need of all the help they can possibly get . And even if it were not so , and if Grand Lodge had tho power to apply tho fund upon other than " strictly Masonio purposes / ' would it be necessary to go all the
way to India to mako this " Thankoffering ? " Is there no real poverty , sickness , distress aud starvation in its most literal and horrifying sense at home ? I only hope the reverend proposer will bo induced to withdraw his motion , as I fear he will meet with but little support . Yours fraternally , MISTER YARDLEY
Masonic Jurisprudence.
MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S Cr . i . oNiCLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . —I read the question ;; ' a country P . M . " in yonr last number but one , and would have replied to it last week if I had not expected that some brother with more experience and authority than mvself would have answered it .
Your Chronicle of last Saturday fulfils my expectation , but it is with somo surprise that I find all your correspondents maintain that it is allowable for a W . M . to vacate his chair in favour of a brother who is not the I . P . M ., or failing him the senior P . M . present . I admit that the Master can ask for , and use the assistance of any qua , Med . brother during tb . 9 wPiking of the ceremonies ; but lis canaot
give up his chair to him . The moment tho W . M . leaves his chair he is to all intents and purposes absent , and his authority ceases until hia resumption of his proper position . If the W . M . wishes to avail himself of the talents of any brother out of tho regular succession ho may allow him to work tho degrees from a chair at his side , but ho cannot place him in the chair itself—to do this would bo as irregular and
illogical as for tho speaker of tho Honso of Commons or the Chairman of any other meeting to depute bis authority to any ono else not regularly appointed to take his placo in case of need . The P . M . ' s aro in effect vice-chairmen , and tho W . M . cannot supersede their authority by an appointment of his own .
I should not have ventured to opposo the opinion ot such eminent brethren aa your correspondents of last week if I waa not anxious to elicit further remarks upon thia very important point of Masonio Jurisprudence . Yours fraternally , P . M . 425 .
Proposed Annuity To Bro. Farnfield's Widow.
PROPOSED ANNUITY TO BRO . FARNFIELD'S WIDOW .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I seo that Bro . Henry Greene P . M ., No . 256 , will move a resolution in Grand Lodge on Wednesday next to tho effect that an annuity of £ 100 be granted to Mrs . Farnfield during pleasure , in token of tho eminent services rendered by her late husband as Assistant Grand Secretary and Secretary to tho
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . It may seem churlish in any one to question tho propriety of such a motion , bat it occurs to me that Bro . Greene , from a motive which is very honourable , is ohlivioiis of tho recognition those services havo already evoked , both from Grand Lodge and tho governing body of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , as well as of one or two other not unimportant
circumstances bearing upon the case . That our late Bro . Farnfield , with a family of ten children to maintain and educato , may havo experienced some financial pressure at times is not improbable . When incapable , however , of further active duty , Bro . Farnfield received handsome superannuations in respect of both tho offices he had filled , and during the latter part of his life he must have been
relieved of the necessity of supporting so numerous a family of children . All of them happily survive him , to cherish their remaining parent in the timo of her bereavement . Of tho seven sons , all aro either well provided with means—so I am told , at least—or following some honourable occupation . Of tho three daughtors , one is married , while the remaining two aro over twenty-ono years of age .
That Mrs . Farnfield and her unmarried daughters aro not as favourably circumstanced as they were in Bro . Farnfield's lifetime is most likely . It is only the very few who do not suffer pecuniarily , in a greater or less degree , when tho father dies . In Masonry , theoretically if not practically , the sons aro supposed to support their parents when no longer able , through ago , infirmity , or misfortune ,
to support themselves . If tho seven sons of tho lato Bro . Farnfield are not in a position to assist their mother and unmarried sisters , then great credit is duo to Bro . Greene for bringing tho caso of tho widow under the notice- of Grand Lodge , and I dare- say Grand Lodgo will not prove itself unmindful of the zeal and energy displayed by their lato Assistant Secretary during a service extending over forty years . But the woll-to-do sons of so excellent a man and Mason
should never allow their mother and sisters to be dependent on tho bounty of Grand Lodge , when it is in their own power to support them honourably . Considering the very largo number of deserving cases which are being constantly brought under tho notice of Grand Lodge , I think it most important that all the circumstances connected with each should bo made public . Otherwise , I repeat , it must seem churlish to question a motion of so delicate a natnre as Bro . Greene ' s . Fraternally yours , " Q . "
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . I observe , from the agenda paper of Grand Lodge , that it is the in . tention of Bro . Greene to move , That an annuity of £ 100 per annum be granted to the widow of our late Bro . Farnfield , during the pleasure
of Grand Lodge . Permit me to enquire if tho children of our late brother are aware of this step ? I scarcoly think they are . Yours fraternally A PAST MASTER .
Early History Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
EARLY HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND .
To tlio Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Can nothing be done to discover the whereabouts and character of the minutes of tho Provincial Grand Lodge of Minister , which are alluded to b y Bro . M . Furnell in an article entitled " The Traditions and Recorded History of tho Irish
Constitution , inserted m tho freemason ' s Calendar , Dublin , 18-18 ? Bro . Furnell states that those records preserve tho important facta that the Hon . Colonel James O'Brien waa G . M ., Springetb Perm D . G . M ., A . D . 1726 . Also that in 1728 , Robert Lougfield was D . G . M ., nn . l iu 1730 , Colonel William Maynard was G . 3 L , aud Thomas Riggs D . G . M . The archives of the Grand Lodgo state that , 3 rd February 1728 , the Order assisted Lord Carteret in laying the foundation stono of tho Parliament House , DuMin , Qur , Peunall ' s Constitutions of 1730 are