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Article PROVINCE OF BERKS AND BUCKS. ← Page 2 of 2 Article GRAND OFFICERS AND PROV. G. OFFICERS. Page 1 of 2 Article GRAND OFFICERS AND PROV. G. OFFICERS. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Province Of Berks And Bucks.
as ifc gave him an opportunity of testifying to the zeal displayed by the Officers throughout the Province . The Lodges were divided by distance , bnt the members had but one aim , and that was to advance the interests of Freemasonry . With the toast of the Visiting Brethren of the surrounding Provinces was associated the name of Bro . Edgington W . M . 1321 . To tho Provincial Grand
Chaplain-Brother Garry—was entrusted "Tho Masonio Charities . ' Our Reverend Brother expressed the gratification he had experienced at receiving his collar as a Provincial Grand Officer at Aylesbury , where , in earlier life , he had hold an appointment . The great salt of Freemasonry was its Charities , and all joined in one grand effort to sustain them . Pointing to our Charities , we could
disarm the criticism of the outer world ; at the least , it would be conceded we were a truly charitable society . To his mind tho most noble of all decorations a Mason could wear was the Charity jewel . Bro . W . Biggs , in responding to this toast , regretted he had not the eloquence of either Bro . Binckes or Bro . Terry . However , he assured the brethren he felt it a great honour to be associated in any connection
with the Masonio Charities . He referred to the regular support given to the Institutions generally by the Province , details of which could be found in our published returns , with whioh he had been much interested . He referred to the organisation that existed for judiciously applying the votes , and made an urgent appeal to the members to support the Institutions . For the next toast—the Prov .
Senior and Junior Grand Wardens and Grand Officers appointed this day—Bro . Taylor replied ; and Bro . Poulton W . M . Buckingham Lodge , did a like agreeable duty in response to the toast—the W . M . Officers and Brethren of Buckingham Lodge , No . 591 . Bro . Bradley , the esteemed Secretary , replied for the compliment paid the Provincial Grand Treasurer and himself , and in the course of his
remarks made some admirable suggestions , which the Grand Master recommended the members of his Province to adopt , and advised the Prov . Grand Secretary to have put into print , that they might more generally be understood . A special toasfc was introduced by the Right Worshipful Chairman , who complimented Bro . Dick Radclyffe on the success that had attended his efforts , both on this
and previous occasions , at decorating with floral devices their banquet tables . Sir Daniel also made happy reference to Bro . Radclyffe ' s efforts to aid the deserving Pupils of onr Schools , and complimented him on the result—indirect though it might be—of those efforts , whioh , he stated , must have caused him immense labour and no little expense .
The toasfc thus gracefully introduced met with a hearty reception , and was suitably acknowledged by Bro . Dick Radclyffe . One or two other toasts followed , special praise being given to the musical brethren—Bros . Hales , Charubin , Martin , & c . —who contributed to the enjoyment of the meeting . In due course , the Tyler's toast was given , and the brethren separated .
Grand Officers And Prov. G. Officers.
GRAND OFFICERS AND PROV . G . OFFICERS .
We have been requested to publish the following correspondence which , it will be seen , deals with a question of some importance to the Craffc in the Provinces .
1 . —BRO . NEWMARCH TO THE GRAND REGISTRAR . Cirencester , 14 th May 1881 . DEAB SIK AND V . W . BROTHER , —I feel sure that yon will kindly permit me ( otherwise I should not write to you ) to bring before you a question which was discussed , though in a perfectly friendly and
fraternal spirit , at Gloucester last Thursday , as to the precedence of Grand Officers aud of Provincial Grand Officers within the particular Province of the latter ; to state which question and the arguments on it , clearly , I should perhaps mention facts which are otherwise donbtless familiar to you as the Grand Registrar .
Tbe Masonic Fraternity , under its Constitutions , is governed by a central body styled " Tlie Grand Lodge , " consisting of a Grand Master , a Pro Grand Master , a Deputy Grand Master , Grand Wardens , and other Officers , whose rank is established and set forth in the Constitutions ; and , the Fraternity in the country being
divided into Provinces , each Province has and is governed by a Provincial Grand Lodge , presided over by a Provincial Grand Master , who is empowered to appoint for his Province a Deputy and other Grand Officers ( except the Treasurer , who is elected ) , these Prov . Grand Officers bearing similiar names , with the prefix " Provincial "
and performing within their particular Districts similar dnties to those which Grand Officers bear and perform in the Grand Lodge . The Grand Master , or Pro Grand Master , and in their absence the Deputy Grand Master , have " authority to preside in any Lodge ;" and , if attended by Grand Wardens , such Grand Wardens act as
Wardens of the Lodge visited dnring the presence of the Grand Master , or Pro , or Deputy Grand Master . In like manner , a Provincial Grand Master , and , iu his absence , his Deputy , " may preside in every Lodge he visits within the District ; " and , on each occasion of a visit by a Provincial Grand Master , his Wardens , if present , may act Wardens of that Lod
as particular ge during his presence . Provincial Grand Masters are ex-officio members of the Grand Lodge , and have a stated rank in it . Deput y Provincial Grand Masters and Provincial Grand Officers , however , are not , by their appointments , members of the Grand Lodge , nor do they take any rank out of their district .
But . as to the rank and position of Deputy Provincial Grand Masters , iind Provincial Grand Officers within their own particular Provinces , the Constitutions run as follows : —As to the Deputy Prov . Grand Master : " He is invested icith tho rank of a Deput y Grand Master within the Province , and presides , unless the Provincial Grand Master be present , in any Lodge he may visit within the District . " And as to Provincial Grand Officers : ! J" Such Officers are to be re-
Grand Officers And Prov. G. Officers.
spectively invested in the Provincial Grand Lodge , and shall possess , within their District , the rank and privileges of Grand Officers . " At a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire , presided over by its own Provincial Grand Master , attended by his Prov . Grand Officers , certain present aud past Officers of the Grand Lodge attended , and a question arose with reference to the rank and
precedence of snob Grand Officers , as between them and the Prov . Grand Officers of Gloucestershire , at the meeting in question . On the part of the Officers of the Grand Lodge it was contended , that they , of whatever grade , took precedence of the Provincial Grand Officers of whatever grade : while , for the Provincial Grand Officers of Gloucestershire , ifc was maintained that they , being within
their own district , possessed there the rank of Grand Officers ( see Con . stitutions above quoted ) , and that consequently , in the Lodge in question , their Deputy Grand Master and Grand Wardens took precedence of Grand Officers of lower rank than Wardens , and thafc each of their subordinate Provincial Grand Officers took precedence over Grand Officers of lower respective ranks : and that , as between
Officers of the same nominal rank in the Grand Lodge and in fche Prov Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire , oi the Provincial Grand Lodge in question , at Gloucester , the Provincial Grand Offices of Gloucester , shiro , being within their own District , ranked there as Grand Officers of the grade they respectively held , equally with Officers of the
Grand Lodge of the like grades respectively ; precedence in these cases being governed by the seniority of their respective appointments . If nofc troubling you too much , I shonld esteem a reply , stating your opinion upon tho questions raised , a favour . Believe me to remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Very truly and fraternally yonrs ,
GEO . FRED . NEWMARCH , Past D . P . G . M . Gloucestershire The V . W . Brother J 3 NEAS MCINTYRE , Q . C ., M . P ., Grand Registrar . 2 . —THE GRAND REGISTRAR TO BRO . NEWMARCH .
1 Park Square West , Regent ' s Park , N . W . 21 st May 1881 . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have been very much pressed with court work during the past week , and consequently have nofc been able before this to reply to yonr letter of the 14 th instant . Tour argument in favour of the precedence of Provincial Grand
Officers in their respective provinces is doubtless very specious , bufc I cannot bring myself to think that your views are correct . I have always thought that the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England are Grand Officers of England in every Province thereof , and in each Province take precedence of the Provincial Grand Officers , in like manner as the M . W . G . M ., by whom they are appointed
I am a Past Senior Grand Warden of a Province , but in that Province my Provincial rank has always been subordinated to my position as a Grand Officer of England . The great authority in matters of precedence is SIR ALBERT WOODS , who , as Garter King-at-Arms , is I think , better versed in questions of this kind than any one I have met with . I remain , yours faithfully and fraternally ,
„ 3 NEAS J . McINTYRE G . F . NEWMARCH , ESQ ., Past D . P . G . M . Gloucestershire . 3 . —BRO . NEWMARCH TO THB GRAND REGISTRAR .
Cirencester , 24 th May 1881 . DEAR SIR AND V . W . BROTHER , —I thank you for your letter , but , as you characterize my argument in favour of the precedence of Prov . Grand Officers in their respective Provinces as " specious , " I must ask you to permit me to press you , as a lawyer , to say , whether the plain words of the Constitutions admit of any other true legal con .
struction than that I give to them . I quite agree with yon in this , " that the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England are G . Officers of England in every Province thereof , " but ( as it seems to me ) clearly onhj of the rank they may respectively happen to hold ; for example : a Grand Deacon is only a Grand Deacon , and if a Grand Deacon of England visits a Province in which a Provincial Grand Officer , of higher rank than a G . Deacon ,
say a Prov . G . Warden , of that Province is present , the latter , being by the Constitutions a Grand Warden in his own Province , ranks before G . Deacon , though he may be a G . D . of England . The case you put of the M . W . the G . Master ( forgive me for saying so ) is not , I think , in point . He is supreme , the head of the whole Craffc , the fountain of its hononr , with express power , by the Constitutions , to take precedence of , and even to supersede , -a Prov . G . M . Very truly and fraternally yours ,
GEO . FRED . NEWMARCH , The V . W . The Grand Registrar . 4 . —BRO . NEWMARCH TO THE GRAND REGISTRAR . Cirencester , 7 th June 1881 , DEAR SIR AND V . W . BROTHER , —A fortnight has elapsed since I
wrote my second letter to you , aud I have received no reply to it . If ifc was your intention to refer me to SIR ALBERT WOODS , I would remind you , that , fully admitting his authority on matters of precedence within his cognizance as Garter King-at-Arms , the question at issue between us is not one of them , bufc is a question to be decided ,
takes precedence in every Province of the Provincial Grand Master by whom the Provincial Grand Officers are appointed . Ifc appears to me that if your argument were pressed to its logical conclusion , that in his own Province the Provincial Grand Master wonld take precedence of the M . W . Grand Master of England .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Province Of Berks And Bucks.
as ifc gave him an opportunity of testifying to the zeal displayed by the Officers throughout the Province . The Lodges were divided by distance , bnt the members had but one aim , and that was to advance the interests of Freemasonry . With the toast of the Visiting Brethren of the surrounding Provinces was associated the name of Bro . Edgington W . M . 1321 . To tho Provincial Grand
Chaplain-Brother Garry—was entrusted "Tho Masonio Charities . ' Our Reverend Brother expressed the gratification he had experienced at receiving his collar as a Provincial Grand Officer at Aylesbury , where , in earlier life , he had hold an appointment . The great salt of Freemasonry was its Charities , and all joined in one grand effort to sustain them . Pointing to our Charities , we could
disarm the criticism of the outer world ; at the least , it would be conceded we were a truly charitable society . To his mind tho most noble of all decorations a Mason could wear was the Charity jewel . Bro . W . Biggs , in responding to this toast , regretted he had not the eloquence of either Bro . Binckes or Bro . Terry . However , he assured the brethren he felt it a great honour to be associated in any connection
with the Masonio Charities . He referred to the regular support given to the Institutions generally by the Province , details of which could be found in our published returns , with whioh he had been much interested . He referred to the organisation that existed for judiciously applying the votes , and made an urgent appeal to the members to support the Institutions . For the next toast—the Prov .
Senior and Junior Grand Wardens and Grand Officers appointed this day—Bro . Taylor replied ; and Bro . Poulton W . M . Buckingham Lodge , did a like agreeable duty in response to the toast—the W . M . Officers and Brethren of Buckingham Lodge , No . 591 . Bro . Bradley , the esteemed Secretary , replied for the compliment paid the Provincial Grand Treasurer and himself , and in the course of his
remarks made some admirable suggestions , which the Grand Master recommended the members of his Province to adopt , and advised the Prov . Grand Secretary to have put into print , that they might more generally be understood . A special toasfc was introduced by the Right Worshipful Chairman , who complimented Bro . Dick Radclyffe on the success that had attended his efforts , both on this
and previous occasions , at decorating with floral devices their banquet tables . Sir Daniel also made happy reference to Bro . Radclyffe ' s efforts to aid the deserving Pupils of onr Schools , and complimented him on the result—indirect though it might be—of those efforts , whioh , he stated , must have caused him immense labour and no little expense .
The toasfc thus gracefully introduced met with a hearty reception , and was suitably acknowledged by Bro . Dick Radclyffe . One or two other toasts followed , special praise being given to the musical brethren—Bros . Hales , Charubin , Martin , & c . —who contributed to the enjoyment of the meeting . In due course , the Tyler's toast was given , and the brethren separated .
Grand Officers And Prov. G. Officers.
GRAND OFFICERS AND PROV . G . OFFICERS .
We have been requested to publish the following correspondence which , it will be seen , deals with a question of some importance to the Craffc in the Provinces .
1 . —BRO . NEWMARCH TO THE GRAND REGISTRAR . Cirencester , 14 th May 1881 . DEAB SIK AND V . W . BROTHER , —I feel sure that yon will kindly permit me ( otherwise I should not write to you ) to bring before you a question which was discussed , though in a perfectly friendly and
fraternal spirit , at Gloucester last Thursday , as to the precedence of Grand Officers aud of Provincial Grand Officers within the particular Province of the latter ; to state which question and the arguments on it , clearly , I should perhaps mention facts which are otherwise donbtless familiar to you as the Grand Registrar .
Tbe Masonic Fraternity , under its Constitutions , is governed by a central body styled " Tlie Grand Lodge , " consisting of a Grand Master , a Pro Grand Master , a Deputy Grand Master , Grand Wardens , and other Officers , whose rank is established and set forth in the Constitutions ; and , the Fraternity in the country being
divided into Provinces , each Province has and is governed by a Provincial Grand Lodge , presided over by a Provincial Grand Master , who is empowered to appoint for his Province a Deputy and other Grand Officers ( except the Treasurer , who is elected ) , these Prov . Grand Officers bearing similiar names , with the prefix " Provincial "
and performing within their particular Districts similar dnties to those which Grand Officers bear and perform in the Grand Lodge . The Grand Master , or Pro Grand Master , and in their absence the Deputy Grand Master , have " authority to preside in any Lodge ;" and , if attended by Grand Wardens , such Grand Wardens act as
Wardens of the Lodge visited dnring the presence of the Grand Master , or Pro , or Deputy Grand Master . In like manner , a Provincial Grand Master , and , iu his absence , his Deputy , " may preside in every Lodge he visits within the District ; " and , on each occasion of a visit by a Provincial Grand Master , his Wardens , if present , may act Wardens of that Lod
as particular ge during his presence . Provincial Grand Masters are ex-officio members of the Grand Lodge , and have a stated rank in it . Deput y Provincial Grand Masters and Provincial Grand Officers , however , are not , by their appointments , members of the Grand Lodge , nor do they take any rank out of their district .
But . as to the rank and position of Deputy Provincial Grand Masters , iind Provincial Grand Officers within their own particular Provinces , the Constitutions run as follows : —As to the Deputy Prov . Grand Master : " He is invested icith tho rank of a Deput y Grand Master within the Province , and presides , unless the Provincial Grand Master be present , in any Lodge he may visit within the District . " And as to Provincial Grand Officers : ! J" Such Officers are to be re-
Grand Officers And Prov. G. Officers.
spectively invested in the Provincial Grand Lodge , and shall possess , within their District , the rank and privileges of Grand Officers . " At a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire , presided over by its own Provincial Grand Master , attended by his Prov . Grand Officers , certain present aud past Officers of the Grand Lodge attended , and a question arose with reference to the rank and
precedence of snob Grand Officers , as between them and the Prov . Grand Officers of Gloucestershire , at the meeting in question . On the part of the Officers of the Grand Lodge it was contended , that they , of whatever grade , took precedence of the Provincial Grand Officers of whatever grade : while , for the Provincial Grand Officers of Gloucestershire , ifc was maintained that they , being within
their own district , possessed there the rank of Grand Officers ( see Con . stitutions above quoted ) , and that consequently , in the Lodge in question , their Deputy Grand Master and Grand Wardens took precedence of Grand Officers of lower rank than Wardens , and thafc each of their subordinate Provincial Grand Officers took precedence over Grand Officers of lower respective ranks : and that , as between
Officers of the same nominal rank in the Grand Lodge and in fche Prov Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire , oi the Provincial Grand Lodge in question , at Gloucester , the Provincial Grand Offices of Gloucester , shiro , being within their own District , ranked there as Grand Officers of the grade they respectively held , equally with Officers of the
Grand Lodge of the like grades respectively ; precedence in these cases being governed by the seniority of their respective appointments . If nofc troubling you too much , I shonld esteem a reply , stating your opinion upon tho questions raised , a favour . Believe me to remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Very truly and fraternally yonrs ,
GEO . FRED . NEWMARCH , Past D . P . G . M . Gloucestershire The V . W . Brother J 3 NEAS MCINTYRE , Q . C ., M . P ., Grand Registrar . 2 . —THE GRAND REGISTRAR TO BRO . NEWMARCH .
1 Park Square West , Regent ' s Park , N . W . 21 st May 1881 . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have been very much pressed with court work during the past week , and consequently have nofc been able before this to reply to yonr letter of the 14 th instant . Tour argument in favour of the precedence of Provincial Grand
Officers in their respective provinces is doubtless very specious , bufc I cannot bring myself to think that your views are correct . I have always thought that the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England are Grand Officers of England in every Province thereof , and in each Province take precedence of the Provincial Grand Officers , in like manner as the M . W . G . M ., by whom they are appointed
I am a Past Senior Grand Warden of a Province , but in that Province my Provincial rank has always been subordinated to my position as a Grand Officer of England . The great authority in matters of precedence is SIR ALBERT WOODS , who , as Garter King-at-Arms , is I think , better versed in questions of this kind than any one I have met with . I remain , yours faithfully and fraternally ,
„ 3 NEAS J . McINTYRE G . F . NEWMARCH , ESQ ., Past D . P . G . M . Gloucestershire . 3 . —BRO . NEWMARCH TO THB GRAND REGISTRAR .
Cirencester , 24 th May 1881 . DEAR SIR AND V . W . BROTHER , —I thank you for your letter , but , as you characterize my argument in favour of the precedence of Prov . Grand Officers in their respective Provinces as " specious , " I must ask you to permit me to press you , as a lawyer , to say , whether the plain words of the Constitutions admit of any other true legal con .
struction than that I give to them . I quite agree with yon in this , " that the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England are G . Officers of England in every Province thereof , " but ( as it seems to me ) clearly onhj of the rank they may respectively happen to hold ; for example : a Grand Deacon is only a Grand Deacon , and if a Grand Deacon of England visits a Province in which a Provincial Grand Officer , of higher rank than a G . Deacon ,
say a Prov . G . Warden , of that Province is present , the latter , being by the Constitutions a Grand Warden in his own Province , ranks before G . Deacon , though he may be a G . D . of England . The case you put of the M . W . the G . Master ( forgive me for saying so ) is not , I think , in point . He is supreme , the head of the whole Craffc , the fountain of its hononr , with express power , by the Constitutions , to take precedence of , and even to supersede , -a Prov . G . M . Very truly and fraternally yours ,
GEO . FRED . NEWMARCH , The V . W . The Grand Registrar . 4 . —BRO . NEWMARCH TO THE GRAND REGISTRAR . Cirencester , 7 th June 1881 , DEAR SIR AND V . W . BROTHER , —A fortnight has elapsed since I
wrote my second letter to you , aud I have received no reply to it . If ifc was your intention to refer me to SIR ALBERT WOODS , I would remind you , that , fully admitting his authority on matters of precedence within his cognizance as Garter King-at-Arms , the question at issue between us is not one of them , bufc is a question to be decided ,
takes precedence in every Province of the Provincial Grand Master by whom the Provincial Grand Officers are appointed . Ifc appears to me that if your argument were pressed to its logical conclusion , that in his own Province the Provincial Grand Master wonld take precedence of the M . W . Grand Master of England .