-
Articles/Ads
Article A MASONIC TRIAL. ← Page 2 of 2 Article GRAND LODGE OFFICERS. Page 1 of 1 Article APPARENT INEQUALITY OF MASONIC PUNISHMENTS. Page 1 of 1 Article APPARENT INEQUALITY OF MASONIC PUNISHMENTS. Page 1 of 1 Article AMERICAN FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Masonic Trial.
to be part of Freemasonry . But circumstances alter cases . When the Law Courts and our leading journals are mado th » medium for advertising ( ho thirty degw pretensions of litigious disputants , it is surely time to repudiate all connection with counterfeit Masonry , and to as publicly declare , ou the authority of our Constitutions , that " Masonry consists of three dag rees and nn nuo'c . "
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , H .
Grand Lodge Officers.
GRAND LODGE OFFICERS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BUOTIIKI ; , —I have road the letter of your correspondent , " A LONDON AND COLONIAL P . M ., " with much interest , but I am afraid the inequality in tho representation iu Grand Lodge of country and foreign Lodges on tho one hand , and London Lodges on tho other , is irremediable , except by tho adoption of a course whioh ,
I believe , has been moro than once suggested , bnfc for which no sufR . cienfc reason , I think , can be shown . I mean the division of the Metropolis into a number of districts , each with a separate organisation , such as is possessed by our Provinces and Districts abroad . Bufc what reason can fairly be assigned for such division ? The Lodges in the London district havo many advantages which are nofc
shared by those in the country . They can attend Grand Lodge with tho smallest amount of inconvenience . They aro at hand to vote on important questions . Many argue that they have too great a voice in the government of our Institutions . The Bed-apron Lodges all hail from Loudon , and though , as I have heard Bro . Frederick Binckes say more than once , a Grand Steward is neither fish , flesh ,
fowl , nor good red herring , it is a much coveted office , and iu tho absence of any higher representative of Grand Lodge , ho is competent to return thanks for tho Grand Officers Pasfc and Present . Again , Metropolitan members form tho bulk of tho Board of General Purposes and tho Colonial Board , while in tho Lodge of Benevolence their presence , as compared with thafc of couufcry brethren , is
overwhelming . If , then , tho Metropolis has not the same number of representatives on tho dais , it certainly enjoys some counterbalancing advantages such as thoso I have enumerated . In the country or abroad a Provincial or District organisation is desirable , if nofc absolutely necessary . Ifc wore too much to expecfc our Grand Master and his Officers to run all over fche country , and
therefore ho issues his patents to certain brethren , each of whom acts as his representative in a particular Province or District , and confers local honour on deserving brethren in that Province or District , just as the G . M . confers honour on deserving members of tho whole Craft . Ifc docs seem absurd thafc a Province with only four or five
Lodges shonld have as many P . G . Officers as ono thafc can boast of forty or fifty . But fche same absurdity will be noticeable in a small Lodge where every member is an Installed Master or Officer . Ifc strikes mo on tho whole that London has no great cause to grumble . There may nofc be so many of thorn entitled to wear the purple , but their influence in tlio inner lifo of Frccmasonrv far exceeds that of
the country and abroad , unless a means were found for bringing together the representatives of all tho Lodges in tho two latter , and that is never likely to happen . In fine , ifc scents fco mo to bo the better policy to leave things as thoy arc . Fraternally yours , A PROVINCIAL .
Apparent Inequality Of Masonic Punishments.
APPARENT INEQUALITY OF MASONIC PUNISHMENTS .
To tlie Editor of the FKEKMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I see from the agenda paper for the Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge , on the 1 st of September , thafc the Board of General Purposes report thafc the Angel Lodge , No . 51 , of Colchester , has been fined two guineas for having passed a brother to the second degree after an interval of
twenty-seven days from his initiation , or within the period prescribed by the Constitutions , an order to fche effect that the brother be re-obligated in thafc degree of necessity accompanying the fine . Lodge Unanimity , "No . 113 , Preston , has also been subjected to a fine of cqnal amount for having , in 1875 , initiated a brother for less than the regular fee , and for having likewise omitted to return his name
for registration . Now , it seems to mo either that ia tho former case fche punishment is excessive , or else that in fche latter ifc is most ; inadequate . Both these Lodges , and especially No . 51 , which was warranted in 1873 , are , to use n , familiar expression , old enough to know better" than to violate t ' ito lav . - , and tho older a Lodgo tho stricter should ifc be in its atteiilion fco even Hie minntoofc details of
its conduct . It is quite right that , in order to secure uniformity , a minimum interval of time should bo fixed for advancing a brother from an inferior to a higher degree , bufc in this case , though the strict letter of the law was undoubtedly broken , its spirit was as undoubtedly observed . Ifc is easy to see how FO trifling an error might havo been committed . Tho Lodge may havo thought that a particular mouth had thirty-one days , whereas ifc was blessed with
onlythirty , or , owing to somo public holiday falling on the regular day of meeting , the W . M . may have directed an adjournment till the d ; , y before instead of tho day after . At all events ., whatever may have been the cause of tlio slip , no one can charge tho Lodge with having been guilty of indecent bristo in passing tin ' s brother from Hie first io the second degree . Nor , I think , will any ono bo bold enough to ttuggesfc that the brother was less fit for such advancement afc the cud of twouty .-ov'ttn than of twenty-eight day ;; . Ifc will require that
Apparent Inequality Of Masonic Punishments.
the wisdom of Solomon should bo added to thafc of fche Board of General Purposes to make any one outside the charmed circle of fcho latter believe that tho slightest amount of harm could possibly have resulted from so trivial a shortcoming . Limits , of course , aro made in order to bo observed , not broken , but in this case tho reobligation , with the mildest of admonitions would havo sufficed ,
unless , indeed , tho Lodge has been guilty of frequent irregularities in tho past , wheu a ( inc would be comprehensible . In tho second case , the offence committed is far more serious . A minimum fee of three guineas is fixed for initiating a candidate into Freemasonry , and one need not go very far for a reason for this . It is obvious , too , that Masonry would be a very different kind of a body from what it
is , it it wero left fco the option of private Lodges to register their members or not in Grand Lodge . No one , therefore , can assort that a Lodge which has been found guilty of these two irregularities has been too seriously punished by a fine of two guineas . But where is tho equality between this double offence of Lodge No . 113 and tho mild slip committed by Lodgo No . 51—that the samo amount of fine
should ho inflicted in both cases?—unless , as I havo just said , tho latter has been frequently unmindful of its duties . I trust that if you find space for the insertion of this letter in your next issne , thero will bo found elsewhere in yonr columns some explanation of this apparent inequality of punishment . Grant me room for a few more linos , in order to call the attention
of your readers to these two offeuces and the punishments by which they have been respectively followed , and tho very serious offence of which tho Alexandra Lodge , No . 1511 , or a considerable portion of its members , has been guilty , as shown in tlie trial to which yon referred in your article on the " Sacredness of tho Ballot . " May I f . sk through the medium of your columns , if the Board of General Purposes , while fining Lodges Nos . 51 and 113 two guineas a piece
for the offences proved against them , intends allowing No . 1511 , of Hornsea , to go unscathed for fche very serious crime of disclosing a ballot ? If the observance of our Constitutions is to be anything else than ii farce aud a make-believe , and if tho fines inflicted in the cases reported by tho Board of General Purposes aro deserved , what punishment should overtake the Alexandra Lodge far its utterly uu-Masonio conduct as proved before Mr . Justice Bowon ?
Fraternally yours , FIAT JusiTm . Loudon , 28 fch August 1 SS 0 .
American Freemasonry.
AMERICAN FREEMASONRY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHKONICI . E . DEAR Sni AND BROTHER , —lam not moro anxious than Bro . Hughan to prolong a controversy which , as far as I am concerned , has boon strictly defensive of the views you stated on the subject of Freemasonry in the United States in your earliest issues and ou which , it seems to me , any well informed Brother is able to formulate an
opinion of his own . J will only ask you , therefore , to accord me a littlo space for a few final remarks on the question . I promise I will do my best to steer clear of anything of a particularly controversial character . 1 . I think you may fairly be said to have established your case as regards tho general aspect of American Masonry . Bro Hughan says ,
" The article , , did not select any of the many Grand Lodges for rebuke , nor were any excepted from the friendly criticism . " Herein is the merit of your article , which , by tho way , has lately been corroborated from American sources . It would havo been unkind had you selected any Grand Lodges for rebuke , ifc would havo been invidious had yon excepted any from the friendly criticism . Ifc is
merely a matter of opinion , but I think tho only way of dealing with fche subject was to write without cither selection or exception , especially as Bro . Hughan's own specification of four out of some forty , eight Grand Lodges proves the truth both of his defence of the particular four Lodges and your general assertion as regards the whole forty-eight . He would have had a far stronger case had he been able to point to twenty or even ten out of the whole number .
2 and 3 . Ifc is Bro . Hughan's misfortune , nofc his fault , that ho has not seen what has attracted your attention in corroboration of your views , and your recent extract from the Masonic Advocate confirms the views laid down by the veteran Moore in his Masonic Messenger . I am not surprised at the long interval thafc has elapsed between your article and the reply . The truth is nofc always palatable even among men who are presumed to bo so high-minded as
Freemasons . 4 . I must thank Bro . Hughan for his complimentary expressions to myself , and I am pleased beyond measure that he so earnestly abjures all connection , on the part of Freemasonry , with relief associations or benefit , societies . Coming from so authoritative a source thus abjuration will be of especial value among our American brethren ,
v / ho have many warm friends in this country , bufc uono who tako so d'jej ) an interest iu thoir doings as Bro . Hughan . If American Masons iu sundry jurisdictions see no other way of seeming themselves against the unfortunate contingencies of a rainy day than by starting ono of these Societies , I , for one , say let them do so , bufc i . hc . 'V must , not , call this True Masonrv . Moreover , if thoy make up
thoir minds fo ruthlessly enfc down all mileage and similar expenses , thyy will havo ample funds available for tho relief of necessitous brethren without setting up a Belief Society . I havo already said thafc no one believes tho American Mason is less open-handed or liberal-minded than his fellow-countrymen who aro not Masons .
[ am sure : that i'ro . Tlughttn ' s statement about the kindly aid afforded lo distressed Fnglish brethren by American Lodges is strictly accurate . When Admiral Hope unsuccessfully attacked the Takti forts d .-. riug tho last Chinese War , the American Commodore on the station ; . nt out his boat : ; to rescue our wounded fellow-countrymen from kb-owning . "Blood , " he uud , " way thicker tbau water , " aud not
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Masonic Trial.
to be part of Freemasonry . But circumstances alter cases . When the Law Courts and our leading journals are mado th » medium for advertising ( ho thirty degw pretensions of litigious disputants , it is surely time to repudiate all connection with counterfeit Masonry , and to as publicly declare , ou the authority of our Constitutions , that " Masonry consists of three dag rees and nn nuo'c . "
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , H .
Grand Lodge Officers.
GRAND LODGE OFFICERS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BUOTIIKI ; , —I have road the letter of your correspondent , " A LONDON AND COLONIAL P . M ., " with much interest , but I am afraid the inequality in tho representation iu Grand Lodge of country and foreign Lodges on tho one hand , and London Lodges on tho other , is irremediable , except by tho adoption of a course whioh ,
I believe , has been moro than once suggested , bnfc for which no sufR . cienfc reason , I think , can be shown . I mean the division of the Metropolis into a number of districts , each with a separate organisation , such as is possessed by our Provinces and Districts abroad . Bufc what reason can fairly be assigned for such division ? The Lodges in the London district havo many advantages which are nofc
shared by those in the country . They can attend Grand Lodge with tho smallest amount of inconvenience . They aro at hand to vote on important questions . Many argue that they have too great a voice in the government of our Institutions . The Bed-apron Lodges all hail from Loudon , and though , as I have heard Bro . Frederick Binckes say more than once , a Grand Steward is neither fish , flesh ,
fowl , nor good red herring , it is a much coveted office , and iu tho absence of any higher representative of Grand Lodge , ho is competent to return thanks for tho Grand Officers Pasfc and Present . Again , Metropolitan members form tho bulk of tho Board of General Purposes and tho Colonial Board , while in tho Lodge of Benevolence their presence , as compared with thafc of couufcry brethren , is
overwhelming . If , then , tho Metropolis has not the same number of representatives on tho dais , it certainly enjoys some counterbalancing advantages such as thoso I have enumerated . In the country or abroad a Provincial or District organisation is desirable , if nofc absolutely necessary . Ifc wore too much to expecfc our Grand Master and his Officers to run all over fche country , and
therefore ho issues his patents to certain brethren , each of whom acts as his representative in a particular Province or District , and confers local honour on deserving brethren in that Province or District , just as the G . M . confers honour on deserving members of tho whole Craft . Ifc docs seem absurd thafc a Province with only four or five
Lodges shonld have as many P . G . Officers as ono thafc can boast of forty or fifty . But fche same absurdity will be noticeable in a small Lodge where every member is an Installed Master or Officer . Ifc strikes mo on tho whole that London has no great cause to grumble . There may nofc be so many of thorn entitled to wear the purple , but their influence in tlio inner lifo of Frccmasonrv far exceeds that of
the country and abroad , unless a means were found for bringing together the representatives of all tho Lodges in tho two latter , and that is never likely to happen . In fine , ifc scents fco mo to bo the better policy to leave things as thoy arc . Fraternally yours , A PROVINCIAL .
Apparent Inequality Of Masonic Punishments.
APPARENT INEQUALITY OF MASONIC PUNISHMENTS .
To tlie Editor of the FKEKMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I see from the agenda paper for the Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge , on the 1 st of September , thafc the Board of General Purposes report thafc the Angel Lodge , No . 51 , of Colchester , has been fined two guineas for having passed a brother to the second degree after an interval of
twenty-seven days from his initiation , or within the period prescribed by the Constitutions , an order to fche effect that the brother be re-obligated in thafc degree of necessity accompanying the fine . Lodge Unanimity , "No . 113 , Preston , has also been subjected to a fine of cqnal amount for having , in 1875 , initiated a brother for less than the regular fee , and for having likewise omitted to return his name
for registration . Now , it seems to mo either that ia tho former case fche punishment is excessive , or else that in fche latter ifc is most ; inadequate . Both these Lodges , and especially No . 51 , which was warranted in 1873 , are , to use n , familiar expression , old enough to know better" than to violate t ' ito lav . - , and tho older a Lodgo tho stricter should ifc be in its atteiilion fco even Hie minntoofc details of
its conduct . It is quite right that , in order to secure uniformity , a minimum interval of time should bo fixed for advancing a brother from an inferior to a higher degree , bufc in this case , though the strict letter of the law was undoubtedly broken , its spirit was as undoubtedly observed . Ifc is easy to see how FO trifling an error might havo been committed . Tho Lodge may havo thought that a particular mouth had thirty-one days , whereas ifc was blessed with
onlythirty , or , owing to somo public holiday falling on the regular day of meeting , the W . M . may have directed an adjournment till the d ; , y before instead of tho day after . At all events ., whatever may have been the cause of tlio slip , no one can charge tho Lodge with having been guilty of indecent bristo in passing tin ' s brother from Hie first io the second degree . Nor , I think , will any ono bo bold enough to ttuggesfc that the brother was less fit for such advancement afc the cud of twouty .-ov'ttn than of twenty-eight day ;; . Ifc will require that
Apparent Inequality Of Masonic Punishments.
the wisdom of Solomon should bo added to thafc of fche Board of General Purposes to make any one outside the charmed circle of fcho latter believe that tho slightest amount of harm could possibly have resulted from so trivial a shortcoming . Limits , of course , aro made in order to bo observed , not broken , but in this case tho reobligation , with the mildest of admonitions would havo sufficed ,
unless , indeed , tho Lodge has been guilty of frequent irregularities in tho past , wheu a ( inc would be comprehensible . In tho second case , the offence committed is far more serious . A minimum fee of three guineas is fixed for initiating a candidate into Freemasonry , and one need not go very far for a reason for this . It is obvious , too , that Masonry would be a very different kind of a body from what it
is , it it wero left fco the option of private Lodges to register their members or not in Grand Lodge . No one , therefore , can assort that a Lodge which has been found guilty of these two irregularities has been too seriously punished by a fine of two guineas . But where is tho equality between this double offence of Lodge No . 113 and tho mild slip committed by Lodgo No . 51—that the samo amount of fine
should ho inflicted in both cases?—unless , as I havo just said , tho latter has been frequently unmindful of its duties . I trust that if you find space for the insertion of this letter in your next issne , thero will bo found elsewhere in yonr columns some explanation of this apparent inequality of punishment . Grant me room for a few more linos , in order to call the attention
of your readers to these two offeuces and the punishments by which they have been respectively followed , and tho very serious offence of which tho Alexandra Lodge , No . 1511 , or a considerable portion of its members , has been guilty , as shown in tlie trial to which yon referred in your article on the " Sacredness of tho Ballot . " May I f . sk through the medium of your columns , if the Board of General Purposes , while fining Lodges Nos . 51 and 113 two guineas a piece
for the offences proved against them , intends allowing No . 1511 , of Hornsea , to go unscathed for fche very serious crime of disclosing a ballot ? If the observance of our Constitutions is to be anything else than ii farce aud a make-believe , and if tho fines inflicted in the cases reported by tho Board of General Purposes aro deserved , what punishment should overtake the Alexandra Lodge far its utterly uu-Masonio conduct as proved before Mr . Justice Bowon ?
Fraternally yours , FIAT JusiTm . Loudon , 28 fch August 1 SS 0 .
American Freemasonry.
AMERICAN FREEMASONRY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHKONICI . E . DEAR Sni AND BROTHER , —lam not moro anxious than Bro . Hughan to prolong a controversy which , as far as I am concerned , has boon strictly defensive of the views you stated on the subject of Freemasonry in the United States in your earliest issues and ou which , it seems to me , any well informed Brother is able to formulate an
opinion of his own . J will only ask you , therefore , to accord me a littlo space for a few final remarks on the question . I promise I will do my best to steer clear of anything of a particularly controversial character . 1 . I think you may fairly be said to have established your case as regards tho general aspect of American Masonry . Bro Hughan says ,
" The article , , did not select any of the many Grand Lodges for rebuke , nor were any excepted from the friendly criticism . " Herein is the merit of your article , which , by tho way , has lately been corroborated from American sources . It would havo been unkind had you selected any Grand Lodges for rebuke , ifc would havo been invidious had yon excepted any from the friendly criticism . Ifc is
merely a matter of opinion , but I think tho only way of dealing with fche subject was to write without cither selection or exception , especially as Bro . Hughan's own specification of four out of some forty , eight Grand Lodges proves the truth both of his defence of the particular four Lodges and your general assertion as regards the whole forty-eight . He would have had a far stronger case had he been able to point to twenty or even ten out of the whole number .
2 and 3 . Ifc is Bro . Hughan's misfortune , nofc his fault , that ho has not seen what has attracted your attention in corroboration of your views , and your recent extract from the Masonic Advocate confirms the views laid down by the veteran Moore in his Masonic Messenger . I am not surprised at the long interval thafc has elapsed between your article and the reply . The truth is nofc always palatable even among men who are presumed to bo so high-minded as
Freemasons . 4 . I must thank Bro . Hughan for his complimentary expressions to myself , and I am pleased beyond measure that he so earnestly abjures all connection , on the part of Freemasonry , with relief associations or benefit , societies . Coming from so authoritative a source thus abjuration will be of especial value among our American brethren ,
v / ho have many warm friends in this country , bufc uono who tako so d'jej ) an interest iu thoir doings as Bro . Hughan . If American Masons iu sundry jurisdictions see no other way of seeming themselves against the unfortunate contingencies of a rainy day than by starting ono of these Societies , I , for one , say let them do so , bufc i . hc . 'V must , not , call this True Masonrv . Moreover , if thoy make up
thoir minds fo ruthlessly enfc down all mileage and similar expenses , thyy will havo ample funds available for tho relief of necessitous brethren without setting up a Belief Society . I havo already said thafc no one believes tho American Mason is less open-handed or liberal-minded than his fellow-countrymen who aro not Masons .
[ am sure : that i'ro . Tlughttn ' s statement about the kindly aid afforded lo distressed Fnglish brethren by American Lodges is strictly accurate . When Admiral Hope unsuccessfully attacked the Takti forts d .-. riug tho last Chinese War , the American Commodore on the station ; . nt out his boat : ; to rescue our wounded fellow-countrymen from kb-owning . "Blood , " he uud , " way thicker tbau water , " aud not