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Article TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF SUSSEX. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To His Royal Highness The Duke Of Sussex.
resolution , recommending the Aged Masons' Asylum to the favourable consideration of the Craft , and then at least all opposition on your part should have ceased . If the resolution did not accord with your opinions , it was your duty to request Grand Lodge to re-consider it ; or it would have been better to believe that the large number of Masons then assembled were right , and your Royal Highness mistaken , and to pay to Grand Lodge that deference which is clue to the Supreme Bodyby
, withdrawing any further opposition . You did not adopt either of these courses ; you adhered to your own opinion , and without any apology to Grand Lodge , opposed the Charity more vehemently than before . The natural effect of these proceedings was to alienate the affections of the Brethren to a very great extent , and your subsequent conduct has daily added to the number .
A ball was proposed to be held in January 1839 , for the benefit of all the Masonic Charities , the subscribers to the Asylum being its principal supporters . You took this occasion to write to Grand Lodge a letter , couched in language insulting to the supporters of the Asylum , declaring your determination to oppose the Charity with your utmost power . Up to this period , the supporters of the Asylum were most desirous
of obtaining your Royal Highness ' s approbation , and all their applications to yourself and Grand Lodge had been marked by the utmost deference to your opinions . They now saw that although every reasonable objection to the Charity had long been proved untenable , your
Royal Highness was still determined to oppose them , and confident as well of the justness of their views as the number of their friends , they determined to carry on the Charity even in direct opposition to your Royal Highness . They accordingly commenced the working of the Charity , by setting aside a certain annual sum , to be distributed in pensions to the Aged Masons , and elected five pensioners on the fund . To their great surprisethey heard from your Royal Highness in
, Grand Lodge , that you highly approved this course , and that if the Brethren would defer building the Asylum until a sufficient sum were set apart fox annuities , the Charity should have your support . Anxious as they had ever been to obtain your Royal Highness ' s favour ^ the supporters of the Asylum endeavoured immediately to meet your wishes , and agreed to a plan , which they were assured by those friends of your Royal Highness who were in communication with you , would
coincide with your Royal Highness ' s views , viz . deferring the building of the Asylum until a fund of 7 , 000 / . had been raised to support the annuitants , and they humbly requested your Royal Highness to meet a deputation of their number to arrange the details . If the Asylum supporters were surprised at your Royal Highness ' s promise of support , they were more surprised at the answer sent to their request , in which your Royal Highness declined to receive their
deputation , for fear of their misrepresenting your opinions , and declared that unless they immediately abandoned all idea of ever building an Asylnm , your Royal Highness would not onl y hold no communication with them , but would commence the formation of a fourth Charity , for granting
annuities alone . This uncourteous letter opened the eyes of the Asylum supporters they saw that your Royal Highness , for some reason which they could
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To His Royal Highness The Duke Of Sussex.
resolution , recommending the Aged Masons' Asylum to the favourable consideration of the Craft , and then at least all opposition on your part should have ceased . If the resolution did not accord with your opinions , it was your duty to request Grand Lodge to re-consider it ; or it would have been better to believe that the large number of Masons then assembled were right , and your Royal Highness mistaken , and to pay to Grand Lodge that deference which is clue to the Supreme Bodyby
, withdrawing any further opposition . You did not adopt either of these courses ; you adhered to your own opinion , and without any apology to Grand Lodge , opposed the Charity more vehemently than before . The natural effect of these proceedings was to alienate the affections of the Brethren to a very great extent , and your subsequent conduct has daily added to the number .
A ball was proposed to be held in January 1839 , for the benefit of all the Masonic Charities , the subscribers to the Asylum being its principal supporters . You took this occasion to write to Grand Lodge a letter , couched in language insulting to the supporters of the Asylum , declaring your determination to oppose the Charity with your utmost power . Up to this period , the supporters of the Asylum were most desirous
of obtaining your Royal Highness ' s approbation , and all their applications to yourself and Grand Lodge had been marked by the utmost deference to your opinions . They now saw that although every reasonable objection to the Charity had long been proved untenable , your
Royal Highness was still determined to oppose them , and confident as well of the justness of their views as the number of their friends , they determined to carry on the Charity even in direct opposition to your Royal Highness . They accordingly commenced the working of the Charity , by setting aside a certain annual sum , to be distributed in pensions to the Aged Masons , and elected five pensioners on the fund . To their great surprisethey heard from your Royal Highness in
, Grand Lodge , that you highly approved this course , and that if the Brethren would defer building the Asylum until a sufficient sum were set apart fox annuities , the Charity should have your support . Anxious as they had ever been to obtain your Royal Highness ' s favour ^ the supporters of the Asylum endeavoured immediately to meet your wishes , and agreed to a plan , which they were assured by those friends of your Royal Highness who were in communication with you , would
coincide with your Royal Highness ' s views , viz . deferring the building of the Asylum until a fund of 7 , 000 / . had been raised to support the annuitants , and they humbly requested your Royal Highness to meet a deputation of their number to arrange the details . If the Asylum supporters were surprised at your Royal Highness ' s promise of support , they were more surprised at the answer sent to their request , in which your Royal Highness declined to receive their
deputation , for fear of their misrepresenting your opinions , and declared that unless they immediately abandoned all idea of ever building an Asylnm , your Royal Highness would not onl y hold no communication with them , but would commence the formation of a fourth Charity , for granting
annuities alone . This uncourteous letter opened the eyes of the Asylum supporters they saw that your Royal Highness , for some reason which they could