-
Articles/Ads
Article THE APPROACHING ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER. Page 1 of 2 Article THE APPROACHING ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Approaching Election Of Grand Treasurer.
THE APPROACHING ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER .
IP Freemasons remain in ignorance of the laws which govern the Order it cannot be for want of frequent admonition to make themselves conversant with the rules framed for the management of the Craft tendered
by their instructors , —the officials of Freemasonry . Throughout the ritual there are frequent references to the need for strict obedience to recognised authority , while one of the first duties enjoined on an initiate is the
study of the laws of Freemasonry , both those which teach the duties due to the Craft in general and those which refer to his individual Lodgo . Notwithstanding all this it frequently happens that the laws of the Craft , as laid
down in the Book of Constitutions , are virtually unknown to members of the Order , and it sometimes occurs that those who should be expected to know the most prove to possess the least knowledge on what we may term
popular Masonic questions . By popular we mean such subjects as the annual election of a brother to fill the office of Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of England , concorning the duties and acquirement of which it is strange
to find that many brethren possess either imperfect or incorrect knowledge . The same might also be said in regard to the Treasurership of Private Lodges , but for the present we shall confine our observations to the office of
Grand Treasurer . Up till within the last few years the Grand Treasurer of England , though annually appointed , was really a permanent Officer of Grand Lodge , as it was the custom to re-elect the same brother year after year , unless
death , resignation , or some other exceptional occurrence necessitated a change . Now it is a recognised rule in the Craft that the Grand Treasurer shall hold office for one
year only , and that this , the sole Grand Office which is filled by the popular vote , should be given , year after year , to a different brother , recognised by his fellow Masons as worthy of special distinction at their hands . The change
in the system was the result of strenuous exertions on the part of a number of brethren who felt the alteration was necessary , and has undoubtedly proved beneficial to the Craft , as well as a source of gratification to those who have
received such honours as attach to the appointment ; and we trust the system now in vogue may be the one always adopted in the future , rather than there should be a return to the old principle of virtual election for life :
further , that those who , in years to come , receive the coveted purple of Grand Office as a consequence of the change may prove themselves as worthy of the confidence reposed in them as those who have already filled it .
Much of what we have said above may appear superfluous to some of our readers , who may regard the annual change of Grand Treasurer as a recognised principle , but we are convinced there are many who do not so regard
it . As we have reason to know , there are some who , from the fact of their having a vote , must be advanced in the Craft , who do not know how or when the appointment is made , or by whom the Grand Treasurer is elected . For the
information of those who do not know , and for the guidance of those who do , we may state that the next election of a Grand Treasurer will take place at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge to be held on
The Approaching Election Of Grand Treasurer.
the 2 nd March , and that every member of Grand Lodgo then present will be called upon to vote for one or other of the two candidates who were nominated for the appointment in December last , in accordance with the rule of
the Craft governing the election . It therefore follows that every Master , Past Master , and Warden subscribing to a Lodge on the Register of the Grand Lodge of England has a voice in this important appointment , important
because it is the only one—other than that of the Grand Mastership itself—which is filled by the vote of tho Craft , and it is to be hoped that as many as can attend will be present at the meeting and record their vote on behalf of the candidate of their choice . So lone- as the office of Grand Treasurer has been looked
upon as one to be changed annually , it has been the hope of a section of the Craft that an actual contest for the office might be avoided , and that in lieu thereof it should become the custom to nominate but one brother each year for tho
appointment—always bearing iu mind that such nominee shall not already have filled the office . There are many reasons which might be urged in opposition to this course , as also many which might be brought forward in favour
of its adoption , but one thing is certain—this year , as ha . been the case during the last few years , there will bo a contest for the appointment . The principal objection to the proposed system of limiting the nomiuation to but one
brother appears to be that the appointmont would not then be an elective one of the whole Craft ; it would resolve itself into an office in the gift of a select circle , as some one , or some body of brethren , would have to decide on
the brother to be nominated , and the open character of the appointment would at once disappear , while in its place we should have one of the worst forms of selection .
At the present time any Mason may nominate any other , and it entirely depends on the candidate and his friends to decide what shall be clone when once the nomination is effected . There are now , as we have said above , two eligible candidates before the Craft for the next election ; this will take place on the 2 nd March ; one of them—Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P ., D . P . G . M . Worcestershire , & j . —has
publicly expressed himself as being averse to any canvass of the Craft , either by the candidates themselves or by their friends . He preferred to leave the Masonic claims of such as might be nominated to speak for themselves , without any
private or other influence being exerted in favour of the respective aspirants ; but as his fellow candidate for tho office on this occasion has commenced , and is carrying on an active canvass—both personally and by a
Committee—Bro . Godson's friends feel themselves impelled to move on his behalf , and we are thus in a position to make known to our readers points in connection with Bro . Godson ' s
candidature which we have long desired to publish , but in deference to his expressed view of the case , we have hitherto refrained from doing .
The honour of holding the post of Grand Treasurer of England is one of which any Mason mig ht , be proud , and although the office has been shorn of much of the responsibility which formerly attached to it , it is still one which
requires its holder shall be a Mason of di .-tin . tion , and at the same time a Brother who has done something to merit especial reward at the hands of his fellows . Such
qualifications are conspicuous in Bro . Godson , who has risen to high position in the Craft solely on account of merit displayed therein , and holds appointments outside
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Approaching Election Of Grand Treasurer.
THE APPROACHING ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER .
IP Freemasons remain in ignorance of the laws which govern the Order it cannot be for want of frequent admonition to make themselves conversant with the rules framed for the management of the Craft tendered
by their instructors , —the officials of Freemasonry . Throughout the ritual there are frequent references to the need for strict obedience to recognised authority , while one of the first duties enjoined on an initiate is the
study of the laws of Freemasonry , both those which teach the duties due to the Craft in general and those which refer to his individual Lodgo . Notwithstanding all this it frequently happens that the laws of the Craft , as laid
down in the Book of Constitutions , are virtually unknown to members of the Order , and it sometimes occurs that those who should be expected to know the most prove to possess the least knowledge on what we may term
popular Masonic questions . By popular we mean such subjects as the annual election of a brother to fill the office of Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of England , concorning the duties and acquirement of which it is strange
to find that many brethren possess either imperfect or incorrect knowledge . The same might also be said in regard to the Treasurership of Private Lodges , but for the present we shall confine our observations to the office of
Grand Treasurer . Up till within the last few years the Grand Treasurer of England , though annually appointed , was really a permanent Officer of Grand Lodge , as it was the custom to re-elect the same brother year after year , unless
death , resignation , or some other exceptional occurrence necessitated a change . Now it is a recognised rule in the Craft that the Grand Treasurer shall hold office for one
year only , and that this , the sole Grand Office which is filled by the popular vote , should be given , year after year , to a different brother , recognised by his fellow Masons as worthy of special distinction at their hands . The change
in the system was the result of strenuous exertions on the part of a number of brethren who felt the alteration was necessary , and has undoubtedly proved beneficial to the Craft , as well as a source of gratification to those who have
received such honours as attach to the appointment ; and we trust the system now in vogue may be the one always adopted in the future , rather than there should be a return to the old principle of virtual election for life :
further , that those who , in years to come , receive the coveted purple of Grand Office as a consequence of the change may prove themselves as worthy of the confidence reposed in them as those who have already filled it .
Much of what we have said above may appear superfluous to some of our readers , who may regard the annual change of Grand Treasurer as a recognised principle , but we are convinced there are many who do not so regard
it . As we have reason to know , there are some who , from the fact of their having a vote , must be advanced in the Craft , who do not know how or when the appointment is made , or by whom the Grand Treasurer is elected . For the
information of those who do not know , and for the guidance of those who do , we may state that the next election of a Grand Treasurer will take place at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge to be held on
The Approaching Election Of Grand Treasurer.
the 2 nd March , and that every member of Grand Lodgo then present will be called upon to vote for one or other of the two candidates who were nominated for the appointment in December last , in accordance with the rule of
the Craft governing the election . It therefore follows that every Master , Past Master , and Warden subscribing to a Lodge on the Register of the Grand Lodge of England has a voice in this important appointment , important
because it is the only one—other than that of the Grand Mastership itself—which is filled by the vote of tho Craft , and it is to be hoped that as many as can attend will be present at the meeting and record their vote on behalf of the candidate of their choice . So lone- as the office of Grand Treasurer has been looked
upon as one to be changed annually , it has been the hope of a section of the Craft that an actual contest for the office might be avoided , and that in lieu thereof it should become the custom to nominate but one brother each year for tho
appointment—always bearing iu mind that such nominee shall not already have filled the office . There are many reasons which might be urged in opposition to this course , as also many which might be brought forward in favour
of its adoption , but one thing is certain—this year , as ha . been the case during the last few years , there will bo a contest for the appointment . The principal objection to the proposed system of limiting the nomiuation to but one
brother appears to be that the appointmont would not then be an elective one of the whole Craft ; it would resolve itself into an office in the gift of a select circle , as some one , or some body of brethren , would have to decide on
the brother to be nominated , and the open character of the appointment would at once disappear , while in its place we should have one of the worst forms of selection .
At the present time any Mason may nominate any other , and it entirely depends on the candidate and his friends to decide what shall be clone when once the nomination is effected . There are now , as we have said above , two eligible candidates before the Craft for the next election ; this will take place on the 2 nd March ; one of them—Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P ., D . P . G . M . Worcestershire , & j . —has
publicly expressed himself as being averse to any canvass of the Craft , either by the candidates themselves or by their friends . He preferred to leave the Masonic claims of such as might be nominated to speak for themselves , without any
private or other influence being exerted in favour of the respective aspirants ; but as his fellow candidate for tho office on this occasion has commenced , and is carrying on an active canvass—both personally and by a
Committee—Bro . Godson's friends feel themselves impelled to move on his behalf , and we are thus in a position to make known to our readers points in connection with Bro . Godson ' s
candidature which we have long desired to publish , but in deference to his expressed view of the case , we have hitherto refrained from doing .
The honour of holding the post of Grand Treasurer of England is one of which any Mason mig ht , be proud , and although the office has been shorn of much of the responsibility which formerly attached to it , it is still one which
requires its holder shall be a Mason of di .-tin . tion , and at the same time a Brother who has done something to merit especial reward at the hands of his fellows . Such
qualifications are conspicuous in Bro . Godson , who has risen to high position in the Craft solely on account of merit displayed therein , and holds appointments outside