-
Articles/Ads
Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. Page 1 of 1 Article THE BENEVOLENT FESTIVAL. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
United Grand Lodge.
UNITED GRAND LODGE .
r 1 "AHE proposal from the Grand Master , to be submitted - * - to Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communication on Wednesday next , to the effect that one thousand guineas be voted to the Indian Famine Fund , is one that will be
sure to meet the approval of the Brethren , who may be relied upon to unanimously agree to the vote , which , let us hope , will * go some little way towards alleviating the distress prevailing among our fellow creatures in India .
Most of bhe other business on the agenda is of a purely formal character . The re-election of the Grand Master will
simply provide another opportunity for expressing the gratification of the Graft that the Prince of Wales is to continue in his position as our ruler , while the withdrawal
of Bro . Major Clifford Probyn , who was nominated for election to the office of Grand Treasurer , will leave the field open to Bro . Alderman W . V . Morgan , and no contest will take place for that much coveted appointment .
We do not know whether the letter that appeared in our issue of the 13 th inst ., in regard to the admission of Foreign Brethren into English Lodges , has had the effect of arousing the Board of General Purposes to action , or whether it is
merely a coincidence , but that Board suggests an addition to the Book of Constitutions that will go a certain distance towards putting the matter right for the future , as it is proposed to make it compulsory for a Brother joining from
another Constitution to " declare in open Lodge his adhesion to fche Book of Constitutions , and promise due obedience to the Grand Master , and the Rules and Regulations of Grand Lodge , " the fact of his having made the declaration to be recorded on the Lodge Minutes .
This proposed addition to the Laws is , however , somewhat vague , and hardly covers the point at issue , in fact it might be held to have no reference to the particular case referred to , which , it will be remembered , was that of a Mason joining
an English Lodge from one in Paris . The proposed rule is meant to refer to " Every Brother who has been initiated into Masonry in a Regular Lodge not under the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of England " and the question that now arises is
whether a Lodge in Paris is a " Regular " Lodge in the sense here referred to ? The Grand Lodge of England has not recognised the Grand Orient of France since its departure , some years since , in fche direction of atheism , and such being
the case it seems probable that a Lodge in Paris would not come under the designation of " Regular . " How , then , is an English Lodge to act under such conditions ? . It would almost appear compulsory for a member of a Lodge
not strictly " regular" to be properly initiated , passed and raised in an English Lodge , before he became fully qualified as an English Mason . Now that a new Law is to be introduced it
would seem to be a favourable opportunity to deal with the matter in its entirety , and perhaps the question will be discussed on that basis . Other proposals to be submitted have reference t * o the future establishment of independent Grand Lodges .
The Benevolent Festival.
THE BENEVOLENT FESTIVAL .
THE pleasurable anticipations with which we last week looked forward to the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution were fully realised on Wednesday , when , under the presidency of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught
a total of upwards of £ 18 , 197 was announced as the result of the efforts of a large Board of Stewards working from different Lodges throughout the metropolis and the Provinces .
This total ranks as the third highest ever received on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , being some £ 1 , 300 short of last year ' s amount , which in its turn held second place only to the result of the Jubilee celebration , which was an
event of such special exception as to place its result far beyond the range of ordinary years for any purposes of comparison . On the whole , then , the Graft has reason to be particularly pleased with this year ' s total , especially if due
allowance is made for the many special funds before the benevolent members of the community , in connection with the celebration of the Queen ' s record reign and other matters . London has this year changed places with fche Provinces
which were collectively to the front in 1896 , the amount of the metropolitan returns now being £ 10 , 083 , as compared with £ 8 , 115 sent up from the Provinces and Foreign Stations . It is somewhat strange to note that the London total of 1897 is
within a few pounds of what was last year announced from the Provinces , as it shows how very closely the two great divisions of the English Craft keep side by side in the great cause of Benevolence .
Below we give a report of the proceedings at the Festival itself , with a summary showing the number of Stewards and totals sent up from fche different districts into which English
Freemasonry is divided , while elsewhere in this issue we print details of the full Board of Stewards , with the amount contributed by each to the general total .
Before closing these remarks we take the opportunity of congratulating all who were associated with the Festival on the eminently satisfactory result of the efforts put forth on behalf of the Old People of the Craft . To our mind the position taken
up this year by London is in itself evidence of very hard work on the part of Bro . Terry , as Secretary , and those associated with him in advocating the claims of the Institution at our Lodges . Many of the Provinces are so splendidly organised that one or
more Stewards may often be relied upon as a matter of course , but this is not the case in all , while as regards the metropolis it is very far from what happens , the probability being that the
majority of the London Stewards had to be personally canvassed for . It is therefore particularly gratifying to have so fine a total as £ 10 , 000 odd sent up at the hands of the London Stewards .
The Anniversary dinner took place at Freemasons' Tavern , and was very numerously attended , the large hall being filled to its utmost capacity , while the resources of the establishment were severely taxed to supply the requirements of the company . H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught was supported on the dais by several present and past Grand Officers , and was most e nthusiastically received by the whole of the Brethren who were present ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
United Grand Lodge.
UNITED GRAND LODGE .
r 1 "AHE proposal from the Grand Master , to be submitted - * - to Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communication on Wednesday next , to the effect that one thousand guineas be voted to the Indian Famine Fund , is one that will be
sure to meet the approval of the Brethren , who may be relied upon to unanimously agree to the vote , which , let us hope , will * go some little way towards alleviating the distress prevailing among our fellow creatures in India .
Most of bhe other business on the agenda is of a purely formal character . The re-election of the Grand Master will
simply provide another opportunity for expressing the gratification of the Graft that the Prince of Wales is to continue in his position as our ruler , while the withdrawal
of Bro . Major Clifford Probyn , who was nominated for election to the office of Grand Treasurer , will leave the field open to Bro . Alderman W . V . Morgan , and no contest will take place for that much coveted appointment .
We do not know whether the letter that appeared in our issue of the 13 th inst ., in regard to the admission of Foreign Brethren into English Lodges , has had the effect of arousing the Board of General Purposes to action , or whether it is
merely a coincidence , but that Board suggests an addition to the Book of Constitutions that will go a certain distance towards putting the matter right for the future , as it is proposed to make it compulsory for a Brother joining from
another Constitution to " declare in open Lodge his adhesion to fche Book of Constitutions , and promise due obedience to the Grand Master , and the Rules and Regulations of Grand Lodge , " the fact of his having made the declaration to be recorded on the Lodge Minutes .
This proposed addition to the Laws is , however , somewhat vague , and hardly covers the point at issue , in fact it might be held to have no reference to the particular case referred to , which , it will be remembered , was that of a Mason joining
an English Lodge from one in Paris . The proposed rule is meant to refer to " Every Brother who has been initiated into Masonry in a Regular Lodge not under the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of England " and the question that now arises is
whether a Lodge in Paris is a " Regular " Lodge in the sense here referred to ? The Grand Lodge of England has not recognised the Grand Orient of France since its departure , some years since , in fche direction of atheism , and such being
the case it seems probable that a Lodge in Paris would not come under the designation of " Regular . " How , then , is an English Lodge to act under such conditions ? . It would almost appear compulsory for a member of a Lodge
not strictly " regular" to be properly initiated , passed and raised in an English Lodge , before he became fully qualified as an English Mason . Now that a new Law is to be introduced it
would seem to be a favourable opportunity to deal with the matter in its entirety , and perhaps the question will be discussed on that basis . Other proposals to be submitted have reference t * o the future establishment of independent Grand Lodges .
The Benevolent Festival.
THE BENEVOLENT FESTIVAL .
THE pleasurable anticipations with which we last week looked forward to the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution were fully realised on Wednesday , when , under the presidency of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught
a total of upwards of £ 18 , 197 was announced as the result of the efforts of a large Board of Stewards working from different Lodges throughout the metropolis and the Provinces .
This total ranks as the third highest ever received on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , being some £ 1 , 300 short of last year ' s amount , which in its turn held second place only to the result of the Jubilee celebration , which was an
event of such special exception as to place its result far beyond the range of ordinary years for any purposes of comparison . On the whole , then , the Graft has reason to be particularly pleased with this year ' s total , especially if due
allowance is made for the many special funds before the benevolent members of the community , in connection with the celebration of the Queen ' s record reign and other matters . London has this year changed places with fche Provinces
which were collectively to the front in 1896 , the amount of the metropolitan returns now being £ 10 , 083 , as compared with £ 8 , 115 sent up from the Provinces and Foreign Stations . It is somewhat strange to note that the London total of 1897 is
within a few pounds of what was last year announced from the Provinces , as it shows how very closely the two great divisions of the English Craft keep side by side in the great cause of Benevolence .
Below we give a report of the proceedings at the Festival itself , with a summary showing the number of Stewards and totals sent up from fche different districts into which English
Freemasonry is divided , while elsewhere in this issue we print details of the full Board of Stewards , with the amount contributed by each to the general total .
Before closing these remarks we take the opportunity of congratulating all who were associated with the Festival on the eminently satisfactory result of the efforts put forth on behalf of the Old People of the Craft . To our mind the position taken
up this year by London is in itself evidence of very hard work on the part of Bro . Terry , as Secretary , and those associated with him in advocating the claims of the Institution at our Lodges . Many of the Provinces are so splendidly organised that one or
more Stewards may often be relied upon as a matter of course , but this is not the case in all , while as regards the metropolis it is very far from what happens , the probability being that the
majority of the London Stewards had to be personally canvassed for . It is therefore particularly gratifying to have so fine a total as £ 10 , 000 odd sent up at the hands of the London Stewards .
The Anniversary dinner took place at Freemasons' Tavern , and was very numerously attended , the large hall being filled to its utmost capacity , while the resources of the establishment were severely taxed to supply the requirements of the company . H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught was supported on the dais by several present and past Grand Officers , and was most e nthusiastically received by the whole of the Brethren who were present ,