-
Articles/Ads
Article THE APPEAL OF BRO. JOHN LEE STEVENS ← Page 5 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Appeal Of Bro. John Lee Stevens
given , upon which the most implicit reliance might be placed ; but he would be content to have reference made to the evidence taken by the AVorshipful Brother R . AV . Jennings , (! 1 ) under the authority of the Board , and he called upon the Board to produce it . Brother B . BOND CABBELL , P . G . S . W ., and President of the Board of General Purposes , denied that the evidence had been taken by the authority of the Board . " The INDIVIDUAL who had said so had stated that lohich was not true !! . ' "
Brother UDALL . —As a member of the Board of General Purposes I confirm the statement of Brother Stevens . I know that at the last meeting of the Board it was said by the President that the evidence taken by BROTHER JENNINGS belonged to the Board ; and so much so was it so considered at a previous meeting of the Board , that before giving the evidence which had been applied for by one of the suspended Brethren , the sanction of the Board was obtained , and the seal was then broken , and Brother Jennings allowed to copy part of the evidence .
Brother R . W . JENNINGS , A . G . D . C ., interrupting him , " It's all a mistake M . W . Grand Master . " * Brother THE HON . Fox MAULE , M . P ., P . G . W ., wished to observe , that , as the select committees of the House of Commons had been referred to , that the evidence heard before them was not again heard by the Plouse . But the hon . member forgot the distinction between a select committee , and a Board of General Purposes ; and the very important fact that the evidence taken before such committees is printed for the use of every member of the House , before final legislation . Brother STEVENS . —Most Worshipful Grand Master , I am informed by a worthy Brother that there is a precedent in my favour . Evidence was
heard by Grand Lodge in the appeal of Brother Dr . Witney of Bath . THE GRAND MASTER . —Aye , but that was a provincial appeal . Brother STEVENS . —I am unable , Most Worshipful Grand Master , to perceive any distinction , or why a provincial Brother should enjoy a privilege which is denied to me . THE GRAND MASTER said he had listened to all the arguments that had been used , and he must determine that the objection ofthe Grand Registrar was a very proper one . Fvidence must not be gone into to support the appeal , but the Brother must
confine himself to the limits pointed out by the Grand Registrar ! Brother STEVENS declared that he deeply regretted the decision to which the Most Worshipful the Grand Master had come , however warranted by the opinions of his legal advisers . He would not quarrel with the judgment of the Grand Master , but this he would say , that the laws , and their practice beyond the walls of that hall , had been repeatedly violated in the proceedings of ihe Board of General Purposeswhich would never admit of
, their application in his favour ; and that NOW the laws and their practice beyond the walls of that hall , according to the DICTA ofthe GRAND REGISTRARS , were unjustly brought in , to his disfavour , and MADE TO SUPERSEDE THE MASONIC LAW ! This was an utter violation of every principle of Freemasonry ; and he felt it to be a duty he owed to himself , and a duty he owed to the Craft at large , that he should not sanction by HIS presence SUCH A PERVERSION OF JUSTICE . But before he retired , he begged to set the Grand Lodge right upon the order of precedence . The discussion had been confined entirely to the
second subject of appeal ; the first had not been alluded to at all ; he would , however , save the time of the Grand Lodge by giving up the first ; and , protesting against the decision which had prevented his entering into ihe facts , in sustainment ofthe second , he would retire , and leave the Grand Lodge to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Appeal Of Bro. John Lee Stevens
given , upon which the most implicit reliance might be placed ; but he would be content to have reference made to the evidence taken by the AVorshipful Brother R . AV . Jennings , (! 1 ) under the authority of the Board , and he called upon the Board to produce it . Brother B . BOND CABBELL , P . G . S . W ., and President of the Board of General Purposes , denied that the evidence had been taken by the authority of the Board . " The INDIVIDUAL who had said so had stated that lohich was not true !! . ' "
Brother UDALL . —As a member of the Board of General Purposes I confirm the statement of Brother Stevens . I know that at the last meeting of the Board it was said by the President that the evidence taken by BROTHER JENNINGS belonged to the Board ; and so much so was it so considered at a previous meeting of the Board , that before giving the evidence which had been applied for by one of the suspended Brethren , the sanction of the Board was obtained , and the seal was then broken , and Brother Jennings allowed to copy part of the evidence .
Brother R . W . JENNINGS , A . G . D . C ., interrupting him , " It's all a mistake M . W . Grand Master . " * Brother THE HON . Fox MAULE , M . P ., P . G . W ., wished to observe , that , as the select committees of the House of Commons had been referred to , that the evidence heard before them was not again heard by the Plouse . But the hon . member forgot the distinction between a select committee , and a Board of General Purposes ; and the very important fact that the evidence taken before such committees is printed for the use of every member of the House , before final legislation . Brother STEVENS . —Most Worshipful Grand Master , I am informed by a worthy Brother that there is a precedent in my favour . Evidence was
heard by Grand Lodge in the appeal of Brother Dr . Witney of Bath . THE GRAND MASTER . —Aye , but that was a provincial appeal . Brother STEVENS . —I am unable , Most Worshipful Grand Master , to perceive any distinction , or why a provincial Brother should enjoy a privilege which is denied to me . THE GRAND MASTER said he had listened to all the arguments that had been used , and he must determine that the objection ofthe Grand Registrar was a very proper one . Fvidence must not be gone into to support the appeal , but the Brother must
confine himself to the limits pointed out by the Grand Registrar ! Brother STEVENS declared that he deeply regretted the decision to which the Most Worshipful the Grand Master had come , however warranted by the opinions of his legal advisers . He would not quarrel with the judgment of the Grand Master , but this he would say , that the laws , and their practice beyond the walls of that hall , had been repeatedly violated in the proceedings of ihe Board of General Purposeswhich would never admit of
, their application in his favour ; and that NOW the laws and their practice beyond the walls of that hall , according to the DICTA ofthe GRAND REGISTRARS , were unjustly brought in , to his disfavour , and MADE TO SUPERSEDE THE MASONIC LAW ! This was an utter violation of every principle of Freemasonry ; and he felt it to be a duty he owed to himself , and a duty he owed to the Craft at large , that he should not sanction by HIS presence SUCH A PERVERSION OF JUSTICE . But before he retired , he begged to set the Grand Lodge right upon the order of precedence . The discussion had been confined entirely to the
second subject of appeal ; the first had not been alluded to at all ; he would , however , save the time of the Grand Lodge by giving up the first ; and , protesting against the decision which had prevented his entering into ihe facts , in sustainment ofthe second , he would retire , and leave the Grand Lodge to