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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 6 of 25 →
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Provincial.
The REVEREND DOCTOR then rose and spoke as follows : —¦ " AVorshi pful Sir and Brethren . —I rise on this occasion with great diffidence , on account of the peculiarity of my present situation . It will not , however , be too much for me to say , that I am overwhelmed with gratitude by the kind expression of your sentiments towards me . On no former occasion has the expression of similar sentiments been so peculiarly gratifying to my mind . As a member and office-bearer of the
Witham Lodge , I feel proud of the transactions of this day ; because they are calculated to invest Freemasonry with new charms in the eyes of the Brethren , and new dignity in the estimation of the world . The " Worshipful Master has thought proper to allude to a recent event , in which I am personally interested ; and which I am free to say , has not left me without regret;—regret , be it observed , not for the loss of the office , which I can assure you was no sinecure , but at the manner in
which it has been effected . Had the removal taken place , as I think it ought to have done , at a Provincial Meeting , the transaction would have excited little attention or remark , because the P . G . Master has an undoubted right to change his officers at his discretion;—but an open and undisguised dismissal , on a specific charge , for an alleged offence which occurred six months before , was an ungracious act —( cheers ) ; an act totally inconsistent with my years , my Masonic experience , and my rank in life —( cheers ) . 1 refrain , however , from any uncharitable remarks , although I think the transaction will not add to the popularity ,
or redound to the honour of the P . G . M . But , lest there should be any misunderstanding on the subject , any misconception of motives , or any misrepresentation of facts , I shall now read the letters in which the P . G . Master ' s will and pleasure were made known to me . You will all recollect that , at the last P . G . Lodge at Boston , motions were made by Bro . Nicholson , Bro . Goodacre , and Bro . Saffery , on behalf of Bro . Barton . The P . G . M . referred to me on the propriety of entertaining these motionsand I gave it as my inion that they could not be discussed at
, op that meeting ; because the P . G , by-laws provided that , before any motion could he received in P . G . Lodge , one month ' s notice in writing should be given to the P . G . M ., or his Deputy , for transmission to the Masters of all the private Lodges within the province . Some Brother present then proposed that a P . G . Lodge should be convened , at the distance of one month from that meeting , for the express purpose of discussing these important motions . This was subsequently overruled
by the P . G . M . himself , who recommended that the usual spring P . G . Lodge should be convened at Lincoln , and the questions determined there . This recommendation met with the concurrence of tbe Brethren , and assumed the form of a resolution of Grand Lodge . In pursuance of this decision , I received an intimation from the AVitham Lodge , early in the spring , that the Brethren were desirous of knowing at what time I intended to summon the P . G . Lodge . I forwarded this request to the P . G . M ., and begged to know what were his commands . In the course of a few posts I received the following reply : —
' 5 , Albemarle St ., 4 th March , 1842 . * MY DEAR SIR . —I was at Gloucester when yours ofthe 28 th reached London . I confess I feel uncomfortable on the subject of it . I do not know , at this distance of time , whether I can attend ; and , if I do not , you would have to officiate for me . Now , it will probably have occurred to you , that I am placed in . a very painful situation in consequence of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
The REVEREND DOCTOR then rose and spoke as follows : —¦ " AVorshi pful Sir and Brethren . —I rise on this occasion with great diffidence , on account of the peculiarity of my present situation . It will not , however , be too much for me to say , that I am overwhelmed with gratitude by the kind expression of your sentiments towards me . On no former occasion has the expression of similar sentiments been so peculiarly gratifying to my mind . As a member and office-bearer of the
Witham Lodge , I feel proud of the transactions of this day ; because they are calculated to invest Freemasonry with new charms in the eyes of the Brethren , and new dignity in the estimation of the world . The " Worshipful Master has thought proper to allude to a recent event , in which I am personally interested ; and which I am free to say , has not left me without regret;—regret , be it observed , not for the loss of the office , which I can assure you was no sinecure , but at the manner in
which it has been effected . Had the removal taken place , as I think it ought to have done , at a Provincial Meeting , the transaction would have excited little attention or remark , because the P . G . Master has an undoubted right to change his officers at his discretion;—but an open and undisguised dismissal , on a specific charge , for an alleged offence which occurred six months before , was an ungracious act —( cheers ) ; an act totally inconsistent with my years , my Masonic experience , and my rank in life —( cheers ) . 1 refrain , however , from any uncharitable remarks , although I think the transaction will not add to the popularity ,
or redound to the honour of the P . G . M . But , lest there should be any misunderstanding on the subject , any misconception of motives , or any misrepresentation of facts , I shall now read the letters in which the P . G . Master ' s will and pleasure were made known to me . You will all recollect that , at the last P . G . Lodge at Boston , motions were made by Bro . Nicholson , Bro . Goodacre , and Bro . Saffery , on behalf of Bro . Barton . The P . G . M . referred to me on the propriety of entertaining these motionsand I gave it as my inion that they could not be discussed at
, op that meeting ; because the P . G , by-laws provided that , before any motion could he received in P . G . Lodge , one month ' s notice in writing should be given to the P . G . M ., or his Deputy , for transmission to the Masters of all the private Lodges within the province . Some Brother present then proposed that a P . G . Lodge should be convened , at the distance of one month from that meeting , for the express purpose of discussing these important motions . This was subsequently overruled
by the P . G . M . himself , who recommended that the usual spring P . G . Lodge should be convened at Lincoln , and the questions determined there . This recommendation met with the concurrence of tbe Brethren , and assumed the form of a resolution of Grand Lodge . In pursuance of this decision , I received an intimation from the AVitham Lodge , early in the spring , that the Brethren were desirous of knowing at what time I intended to summon the P . G . Lodge . I forwarded this request to the P . G . M ., and begged to know what were his commands . In the course of a few posts I received the following reply : —
' 5 , Albemarle St ., 4 th March , 1842 . * MY DEAR SIR . —I was at Gloucester when yours ofthe 28 th reached London . I confess I feel uncomfortable on the subject of it . I do not know , at this distance of time , whether I can attend ; and , if I do not , you would have to officiate for me . Now , it will probably have occurred to you , that I am placed in . a very painful situation in consequence of