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Article THE CONSEQUENCES. ← Page 2 of 5 →
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The Consequences.
there was error in my conduct , he was bound to have squared his own con . duct by tbe principle laid down for its moral government . That the Grand Master has been also unmindful of his obligation " to promote peace and cultivate harmony , " as inculcated by the SECOND ancient charge . That by a partial bearing to the opinion of a newly-appointed Grand
Officer , very far my junior in Masonry , tbe Grand Master has prevented fail discussion upon the most important subject , that of appeal , whereby I am shut out from communion with my Lodges ; and thus the THIRD ancient charge is violated . That by such partial conduct the FOURTH ancient charge is also disregarded , for I have been " put to shame , " and " the Royal Craft despised . " That tlie Grand Master has not been "faithful to the Lord , " for I have been " put out of ' my work ,- " and thus the FIFTH ancient charge has been abused .
And that the general tenor of the SIXTH ancient charge has been disregarded , by reason that although I carried an appeal to the Grand Lodge against the unjust decision of the Board of General Purposes , I was ( through a mean artifice ) prevented from supporting it ; whereas if my appeal was iu reality defective , I ought to have had an opportunity afforded to me of remedying such defect by the aid of your law officers , past and present , who knew of the appeal , or by your Grand Secretary , who was advised with upon
it ; and erring thus , if error it were , not merely a want of justice , but the prevention of justice has intentionally been inflicted on me . Beyond these declarations I must be permitted to call the attention of your Royal Highness to the memorable scene of the 29 th of April in the Grand Secretary's office , wherein you threatened me with a power beyond the Masonic law , and expressed that threat in language so unusual and unexpected from a Brother of your exalted rank and station , as was calculated to lower the respect due to thc person of your Royal Plighness , and above all to the dignified office of the Graud Master .
And your Royal Plighness will not be surprised to learn that I have resigned my membership in every Craft Mason ' s Lodge , with which I have for so many years exchanged congenial sentiments of intimacy and attachment , and worked with untiring zeal ; leaving to my late helpmates in the goodly work to put upon my conduct their own construction , whether it be of my dishonour or of my innocence .
Had I not taken this step , I could not have availed myself of the otdy means left me to maintain my self-respect , viz . the opportunity of returning into the hands of your Royal Highness , as I hereby do , the distinction of a Grand Officer , a distinction which as 1 have never sullied by thought , word , or deed , I will not retain after I have assured myself that to do so would rob me of an independent spirit , and might render me despicable in the estimation of my fellows . My only distinction now among the Craft , will be that I suffer for the Craft . AVith my resignation of an office unsought for by me , and which I solemnly
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Consequences.
there was error in my conduct , he was bound to have squared his own con . duct by tbe principle laid down for its moral government . That the Grand Master has been also unmindful of his obligation " to promote peace and cultivate harmony , " as inculcated by the SECOND ancient charge . That by a partial bearing to the opinion of a newly-appointed Grand
Officer , very far my junior in Masonry , tbe Grand Master has prevented fail discussion upon the most important subject , that of appeal , whereby I am shut out from communion with my Lodges ; and thus the THIRD ancient charge is violated . That by such partial conduct the FOURTH ancient charge is also disregarded , for I have been " put to shame , " and " the Royal Craft despised . " That tlie Grand Master has not been "faithful to the Lord , " for I have been " put out of ' my work ,- " and thus the FIFTH ancient charge has been abused .
And that the general tenor of the SIXTH ancient charge has been disregarded , by reason that although I carried an appeal to the Grand Lodge against the unjust decision of the Board of General Purposes , I was ( through a mean artifice ) prevented from supporting it ; whereas if my appeal was iu reality defective , I ought to have had an opportunity afforded to me of remedying such defect by the aid of your law officers , past and present , who knew of the appeal , or by your Grand Secretary , who was advised with upon
it ; and erring thus , if error it were , not merely a want of justice , but the prevention of justice has intentionally been inflicted on me . Beyond these declarations I must be permitted to call the attention of your Royal Highness to the memorable scene of the 29 th of April in the Grand Secretary's office , wherein you threatened me with a power beyond the Masonic law , and expressed that threat in language so unusual and unexpected from a Brother of your exalted rank and station , as was calculated to lower the respect due to thc person of your Royal Plighness , and above all to the dignified office of the Graud Master .
And your Royal Plighness will not be surprised to learn that I have resigned my membership in every Craft Mason ' s Lodge , with which I have for so many years exchanged congenial sentiments of intimacy and attachment , and worked with untiring zeal ; leaving to my late helpmates in the goodly work to put upon my conduct their own construction , whether it be of my dishonour or of my innocence .
Had I not taken this step , I could not have availed myself of the otdy means left me to maintain my self-respect , viz . the opportunity of returning into the hands of your Royal Highness , as I hereby do , the distinction of a Grand Officer , a distinction which as 1 have never sullied by thought , word , or deed , I will not retain after I have assured myself that to do so would rob me of an independent spirit , and might render me despicable in the estimation of my fellows . My only distinction now among the Craft , will be that I suffer for the Craft . AVith my resignation of an office unsought for by me , and which I solemnly