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Correspondence.
discussed not only in relation to other Grand Lodges , but as regards the undoubted rights of Lodge Hiram , which is not to be " boycotted " or blotted out of existence without a full and free consideration of its claims to an impartial heariug . 4 . There comes in here the very serious question of the original
contract , when Hiram Lodge joined tho Grand Lodge in 1789 . There must always be two or more parties to a contract , aud there is an express or implied contract , as iu this case , where Hiram Lodge , dating from 1750 and working by a legal Warrant , merged its individuality in a more modern body in 1789 .
No doubt it is difficult to say what a Grand Lodge can or cannot do , but Hiram Lodge has a legal and equitable claim , " ex debito jnstitia ., " and all Masonio precedent . Hiram Lodge can fairly say , " By such a resolution against onr original agreement yon break the contract and compnct we entered into mutually about one hundred
years ago , and I therefore fall out respectfully from your roll , aud fall back on my original Masonio life and source , —Oxnard ' s unitnpeaohed and unimpeachable Charter , " And here I pause to-day . I might say a good deal more now , or may say it during the
discussion . We now are only at the beginning of it , bnt I leave a good deal to say on a more convenient season . I will only add that , in my opinion , if Hiram Lodge is compelled , either by harsh treatment or what jurists term "force majeure , " to fall back on Oxnard ' s Charter , it is still a legally warranted and working Lodge . Fraternally yours , LEX .
THE LANDMARKS OF FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In answer to Bro . Brennan I would just refer him to Bro . Sadler ' s recent interesting work , " Masonio Facts and Fictions , " as therein he will see , despite his assumptions and views
on the subject matter and Mackey ' s landmark , that before 1717 , and after for a long while , many Lodges must have worked " Warrantless , " and yet were held by the Grand Lodge of 1717 " good and worthy Masons , " and received into favour , and acknowledged , without question as to their Freemasonry when they joined the Grand Lodge . Yours fraternally , THE WRITER OF THE ARTICLE .
We reproduce the following from the Sydneij Morning Eerald , 8 th August 1887 . — FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the Eerald . SIR , —As there are many English Masous who have been , or may shortly be , called upon to vote for or against the formation of a Grand Lodge in this colony , and many of whom are ignorant of the reasons why the Grand Lodge of England has refused to recognise
the Grand Lodge of New South Wales as a legally-constituted body of Masons , and who may also wish to know whether the formation of a Grand Lodge in this colony , and an amalgamation , would be legal and beneficial or otherwise to the English Masons , I think it my duty to give them any information I can on the subject ; and I may here
remark that what I have to say with respect to English Masons will also be applicable to Scotch and Irish Masons . The origin of the New South Wales Constitution briefly was this . In the year 1877 there were 8 G Lodges in this colony ; 13 of these held that , according to Masonio law , any three or more Lodges in a
district where is no Grand Lodgo could form themselves into onewhich they did , and then applied to tho Grand Lodges of England , Ireland and Scotland to recognise them as a legally-constituted body of Masons . All the Grand Lodges refused to recognise them , holding that it was au absurd thing to state ( amongst English Masons
at all events ) that three Lodges thus form a Grand Lodge , because if it were so the minority could rule the majority . For instance , if we had bad at that time 300 Lodges in this district , and only three of them chose to form themselves into a Grand Lodge , the remaining 297 Lodges would then have to come in and be ruled by these three
Lodges , or else become irregular . Moreover , the laws for the government of Masons were fully set forth in the Book of Constitution , and not only was so much power therein given , but that therein ( amongst other things ) every Master was required to promise to conform to the edicts of the Grand Lodge , and admit that no Lod ^ e could
be opened without the consent of the Grand Master , and that no countenance ought to bo given to any irregular Lodgo or to any person initiated therein . The Grand Lodge of England ( which is the parent of all Grand Lodges ) at the tamo time stated that they wero qaifco willing to give
the necessary permission to form a Grand Lodge in this colony at any time the majority of Masons may desire one . On the arrival of Lord Carrington in this colony , the New Sonth Wales Constitution presented him with an address , when lie informed them that he , DS an English Mason , conld not reeogms > them as Masons . Afterwards
at a banquet given to him by the English and Scottish Masons , he said he would like to see an amalgamation of all tho Masons in this colony , if it could be done in a legal and constitutional manner . I have thus endeavoured to si-ow without comme . t , a . far . is T can all the facts connected v-i _ , t _ the histor * of the New South Wales
Constitution . J . he next qne-tion every English Mason should consider is , What advantage will the English Masons obtain from the formation of a Grand Lodge in this colony . Afc present our District Grand Master and our District Grand Lodgo enjoy practically all the powers and privileges of a Grand Master and Grand Lodge . The Diatriob Grand Master cart grant diapsnsa . ioriiS and issue warrants for
Correspondence.
the opening of Lodges . The District Grand Lodgo makes its own rule ., electa and appoints its own boards and committees , and hears and decides all Masjnic complaints , subject to an appeal by the dissatisfied party to the Grand Lodge of England , where it will receive the calm and able consideration of some of Great Britain ' s cleverest
and most able statesmen and lawyers , and should an error have been committed , it will be by them rectified . Tho Grand Lodgo of England has always shown towards our District Grand bodge the love of a parent for its offspring , and it is only recently wo have again had evidence of this fact by the
conferring of Grand Lodgo honours on our Present and Past Deputy District Grand Masters and our present District Grand Secretary . Now , I would ask every English Mason why do we want to alter this state of things , and what benefit would we derive by severing ourselves from the Lodge of that Grand old
country from which we havo all sprung , and of which we so justly feel proud , and obtaining a Grand Lodge here ? We should elect our own Master , but this we practically do now , for we nominate our District Grand Master , and then the Grand Lodge appoints him . We should make our laws ; but should wo derive any benefit by doing
that ? Can wo in any way improve upon those at present promulgated by the Grand Lodge of England ? We should not have to send any fees to the Grand Lodge of England , but all we send them now is 7 s 6 d ( out of every initiation fee of at least £ 6 6 s ) , to pay for tho registration of the Mason aud his certificate , and for which , if we
had a Grand Lodge in this colony , wo could not get for less than 30 s . Our funds , which amount to about £ 18 , 000 , would have to be equally shared with the other Constitutions . I consider , from the above facts , that it will be evident that no benefit will be obtained by the formation of a Grand Lodge , bnt ,
notwithstanding this , if the majority of the Masons think that the formation of a Grand Lodge in this oolony be desirable , and that it should include the present self-styled Grand Lodge of New South Wales , why let us remember " that to err is human , to forgive
divine , " and if the members of the New South Wales Constitution choose to return to us , like the Prodigal Son . and confess their fault , let ns afc once ( with the consent of the Grand Lodge of England ) forgive them , and receive them as Brethren aud be formed into one Grand United Lodge .
In conclusion , let me remind every Mason of the noble example of our Grand Master H . A ., who iu the hour of trial remained firm and true to the trust reposed in him , and whioh , I hope , every . Mason will likewise do , and fully consider the duties he owes to the Grand Lodge of England , before giving a vote upon the important matter that is ,
or shortly may be , submitted to him ; that he will reject any union with the New South Wales Constitution unless upon the conditions I have above mentioned ; that he will not be so base or vile as to forget his obligation , and consent to join or become a member of this self-styled New South Wales Constitution , but will remain loyal and
true to his vow and promise , and until a Grand Lodge can be formed npon the conditions above mentioned ; that ho will still trust himself to the guidance of his noble and revered old chief , Right Worshipful
Brother Williams , who has spent a lifetime in fighting the battles of Masonry in this colony , and reared it from its iufancy to its present majestic proportions . I am , & c . E . C . Sydney , 5 ih August .
Royal Arch.
ROYAL ARCH .
PATRIOTIC CHAPTER , No . 51 . ^ PHE annnal meeting of this Chapter took place on Thursday , JL 10 th November , and passed off" with very great dclat . The chief business of the evening was the installation of the Principals—Comps . Richard Clowes as Z ., George Harrison as H ., andT . G . Mills as J . —and the ceremony was most ably performed by the retiring M . E . Z ., Comp . Juo . J . C . Turner P . P . G . O . The Officers of the
Chapter were invested as under : —Comps . John J . C . Turner P . P . G . O . I . P . Z ., T . J . Railing P . Z . P . G . S . B . Eng . Prov . G . S . E . S . E ., A . S . B . Sparling S . N ., W . P . Lewis P . Z . Treasurer , J . T . Bailey P . S ., Poppletoo and Osmond A . S ., Mnnson Janitor . At the close a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Comp . Turner for the ability he had
displayed in performing a most difficult ceremony , and a suggestion of fcho V . E . Z . that he should be presented by subscription with a I ' . Z . ' s jewel was cordially agreed to . Comp . Turner suitably acknovvl' dged tho compliment . At the close of the business between 30 and 40 Companions dined together afc the . Three Caps Hotel , under
tho genial presidency of the M . E . Z ., who said he should , in proposing the toast ? , sot an example of short speeches , which he trusted those who responded wonld follow , in order that the Companions might enjoy tho musical pi'ogramme . This was carried out , and a
most , charming selection of vocal and instrumental music was rendered by Miss Louisa Distin , Madame Helen Heath , Bro . Henry Taylor , Comp . Theodore Distin , Mr . Theodore J . Distin , and Comp . G . F . Smith .
We propose to reprint , iu onr next issue , a letter from Jji'o . Drumrnond , from the Masonic Token , Portland , Maine , U . S ., which has been forwarded to us re the Gould-Yorston contiDversy .
Ad01003
_ * il ! _ E ? -A-. 3 properly carried out and personally attended ia London or Country , by Bro . G-. A . HUTTON " , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand , W . C . Monuments erscted . Valuations made .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
discussed not only in relation to other Grand Lodges , but as regards the undoubted rights of Lodge Hiram , which is not to be " boycotted " or blotted out of existence without a full and free consideration of its claims to an impartial heariug . 4 . There comes in here the very serious question of the original
contract , when Hiram Lodge joined tho Grand Lodge in 1789 . There must always be two or more parties to a contract , aud there is an express or implied contract , as iu this case , where Hiram Lodge , dating from 1750 and working by a legal Warrant , merged its individuality in a more modern body in 1789 .
No doubt it is difficult to say what a Grand Lodge can or cannot do , but Hiram Lodge has a legal and equitable claim , " ex debito jnstitia ., " and all Masonio precedent . Hiram Lodge can fairly say , " By such a resolution against onr original agreement yon break the contract and compnct we entered into mutually about one hundred
years ago , and I therefore fall out respectfully from your roll , aud fall back on my original Masonio life and source , —Oxnard ' s unitnpeaohed and unimpeachable Charter , " And here I pause to-day . I might say a good deal more now , or may say it during the
discussion . We now are only at the beginning of it , bnt I leave a good deal to say on a more convenient season . I will only add that , in my opinion , if Hiram Lodge is compelled , either by harsh treatment or what jurists term "force majeure , " to fall back on Oxnard ' s Charter , it is still a legally warranted and working Lodge . Fraternally yours , LEX .
THE LANDMARKS OF FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In answer to Bro . Brennan I would just refer him to Bro . Sadler ' s recent interesting work , " Masonio Facts and Fictions , " as therein he will see , despite his assumptions and views
on the subject matter and Mackey ' s landmark , that before 1717 , and after for a long while , many Lodges must have worked " Warrantless , " and yet were held by the Grand Lodge of 1717 " good and worthy Masons , " and received into favour , and acknowledged , without question as to their Freemasonry when they joined the Grand Lodge . Yours fraternally , THE WRITER OF THE ARTICLE .
We reproduce the following from the Sydneij Morning Eerald , 8 th August 1887 . — FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the Eerald . SIR , —As there are many English Masous who have been , or may shortly be , called upon to vote for or against the formation of a Grand Lodge in this colony , and many of whom are ignorant of the reasons why the Grand Lodge of England has refused to recognise
the Grand Lodge of New South Wales as a legally-constituted body of Masons , and who may also wish to know whether the formation of a Grand Lodge in this colony , and an amalgamation , would be legal and beneficial or otherwise to the English Masons , I think it my duty to give them any information I can on the subject ; and I may here
remark that what I have to say with respect to English Masons will also be applicable to Scotch and Irish Masons . The origin of the New South Wales Constitution briefly was this . In the year 1877 there were 8 G Lodges in this colony ; 13 of these held that , according to Masonio law , any three or more Lodges in a
district where is no Grand Lodgo could form themselves into onewhich they did , and then applied to tho Grand Lodges of England , Ireland and Scotland to recognise them as a legally-constituted body of Masons . All the Grand Lodges refused to recognise them , holding that it was au absurd thing to state ( amongst English Masons
at all events ) that three Lodges thus form a Grand Lodge , because if it were so the minority could rule the majority . For instance , if we had bad at that time 300 Lodges in this district , and only three of them chose to form themselves into a Grand Lodge , the remaining 297 Lodges would then have to come in and be ruled by these three
Lodges , or else become irregular . Moreover , the laws for the government of Masons were fully set forth in the Book of Constitution , and not only was so much power therein given , but that therein ( amongst other things ) every Master was required to promise to conform to the edicts of the Grand Lodge , and admit that no Lod ^ e could
be opened without the consent of the Grand Master , and that no countenance ought to bo given to any irregular Lodgo or to any person initiated therein . The Grand Lodge of England ( which is the parent of all Grand Lodges ) at the tamo time stated that they wero qaifco willing to give
the necessary permission to form a Grand Lodge in this colony at any time the majority of Masons may desire one . On the arrival of Lord Carrington in this colony , the New Sonth Wales Constitution presented him with an address , when lie informed them that he , DS an English Mason , conld not reeogms > them as Masons . Afterwards
at a banquet given to him by the English and Scottish Masons , he said he would like to see an amalgamation of all tho Masons in this colony , if it could be done in a legal and constitutional manner . I have thus endeavoured to si-ow without comme . t , a . far . is T can all the facts connected v-i _ , t _ the histor * of the New South Wales
Constitution . J . he next qne-tion every English Mason should consider is , What advantage will the English Masons obtain from the formation of a Grand Lodge in this colony . Afc present our District Grand Master and our District Grand Lodgo enjoy practically all the powers and privileges of a Grand Master and Grand Lodge . The Diatriob Grand Master cart grant diapsnsa . ioriiS and issue warrants for
Correspondence.
the opening of Lodges . The District Grand Lodgo makes its own rule ., electa and appoints its own boards and committees , and hears and decides all Masjnic complaints , subject to an appeal by the dissatisfied party to the Grand Lodge of England , where it will receive the calm and able consideration of some of Great Britain ' s cleverest
and most able statesmen and lawyers , and should an error have been committed , it will be by them rectified . Tho Grand Lodgo of England has always shown towards our District Grand bodge the love of a parent for its offspring , and it is only recently wo have again had evidence of this fact by the
conferring of Grand Lodgo honours on our Present and Past Deputy District Grand Masters and our present District Grand Secretary . Now , I would ask every English Mason why do we want to alter this state of things , and what benefit would we derive by severing ourselves from the Lodge of that Grand old
country from which we havo all sprung , and of which we so justly feel proud , and obtaining a Grand Lodge here ? We should elect our own Master , but this we practically do now , for we nominate our District Grand Master , and then the Grand Lodge appoints him . We should make our laws ; but should wo derive any benefit by doing
that ? Can wo in any way improve upon those at present promulgated by the Grand Lodge of England ? We should not have to send any fees to the Grand Lodge of England , but all we send them now is 7 s 6 d ( out of every initiation fee of at least £ 6 6 s ) , to pay for tho registration of the Mason aud his certificate , and for which , if we
had a Grand Lodge in this colony , wo could not get for less than 30 s . Our funds , which amount to about £ 18 , 000 , would have to be equally shared with the other Constitutions . I consider , from the above facts , that it will be evident that no benefit will be obtained by the formation of a Grand Lodge , bnt ,
notwithstanding this , if the majority of the Masons think that the formation of a Grand Lodge in this oolony be desirable , and that it should include the present self-styled Grand Lodge of New South Wales , why let us remember " that to err is human , to forgive
divine , " and if the members of the New South Wales Constitution choose to return to us , like the Prodigal Son . and confess their fault , let ns afc once ( with the consent of the Grand Lodge of England ) forgive them , and receive them as Brethren aud be formed into one Grand United Lodge .
In conclusion , let me remind every Mason of the noble example of our Grand Master H . A ., who iu the hour of trial remained firm and true to the trust reposed in him , and whioh , I hope , every . Mason will likewise do , and fully consider the duties he owes to the Grand Lodge of England , before giving a vote upon the important matter that is ,
or shortly may be , submitted to him ; that he will reject any union with the New South Wales Constitution unless upon the conditions I have above mentioned ; that he will not be so base or vile as to forget his obligation , and consent to join or become a member of this self-styled New South Wales Constitution , but will remain loyal and
true to his vow and promise , and until a Grand Lodge can be formed npon the conditions above mentioned ; that ho will still trust himself to the guidance of his noble and revered old chief , Right Worshipful
Brother Williams , who has spent a lifetime in fighting the battles of Masonry in this colony , and reared it from its iufancy to its present majestic proportions . I am , & c . E . C . Sydney , 5 ih August .
Royal Arch.
ROYAL ARCH .
PATRIOTIC CHAPTER , No . 51 . ^ PHE annnal meeting of this Chapter took place on Thursday , JL 10 th November , and passed off" with very great dclat . The chief business of the evening was the installation of the Principals—Comps . Richard Clowes as Z ., George Harrison as H ., andT . G . Mills as J . —and the ceremony was most ably performed by the retiring M . E . Z ., Comp . Juo . J . C . Turner P . P . G . O . The Officers of the
Chapter were invested as under : —Comps . John J . C . Turner P . P . G . O . I . P . Z ., T . J . Railing P . Z . P . G . S . B . Eng . Prov . G . S . E . S . E ., A . S . B . Sparling S . N ., W . P . Lewis P . Z . Treasurer , J . T . Bailey P . S ., Poppletoo and Osmond A . S ., Mnnson Janitor . At the close a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Comp . Turner for the ability he had
displayed in performing a most difficult ceremony , and a suggestion of fcho V . E . Z . that he should be presented by subscription with a I ' . Z . ' s jewel was cordially agreed to . Comp . Turner suitably acknovvl' dged tho compliment . At the close of the business between 30 and 40 Companions dined together afc the . Three Caps Hotel , under
tho genial presidency of the M . E . Z ., who said he should , in proposing the toast ? , sot an example of short speeches , which he trusted those who responded wonld follow , in order that the Companions might enjoy tho musical pi'ogramme . This was carried out , and a
most , charming selection of vocal and instrumental music was rendered by Miss Louisa Distin , Madame Helen Heath , Bro . Henry Taylor , Comp . Theodore Distin , Mr . Theodore J . Distin , and Comp . G . F . Smith .
We propose to reprint , iu onr next issue , a letter from Jji'o . Drumrnond , from the Masonic Token , Portland , Maine , U . S ., which has been forwarded to us re the Gould-Yorston contiDversy .
Ad01003
_ * il ! _ E ? -A-. 3 properly carried out and personally attended ia London or Country , by Bro . G-. A . HUTTON " , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand , W . C . Monuments erscted . Valuations made .