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Article THE FREEMASONS' QUARTERLY REVIEW. ← Page 5 of 8 →
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The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
Grand Master is not at a premium . The Wardenships of the present year are doubtless filled by estimable Brethren : the one is a most liberal contributor to all the Charities , the Asylum not excepted—the other is a barrister of high attainment and leading practice , but a Mason of very brief standing . The resignation of the late Grand Registrar left the office open to the acceptance of Bro . Dobie , and seldom has an appointment been welcomed with greater sincerity . The other new appointments are
conferred on Brethren of sufficient merit in themselves , but they must be naturally sensible that their own preferment has been secured at the cost of many elder Brethren , who have long aud faithfully served the Craft , and who feel that the sentiment written in the Constitutions , " that all preferment among Masons is grounded upon real worth and personal merit only , " has been again in their case most unworthily disregarded . In the case of Dr . Rowe there may be some exception ; but it is
questionable whether the exception was not owing to the solicitation oi private interest rather than to his own unquestionable merit . The appointment of Bro . Wm . Tucker , of Cory ton Park , to the Provincial Grand Chair of Dorset , has no other drawback than inexperience ; but as he brings with him zeal , activity , and industiy , what will not youth accomplish in its endeavour to promote the objects of Freemasonry ?
THE CASE OF MRS . FIELD . —The petition of this amiable lady—the widow of Bro . Robert Field—which was recommended to the Grand Lodge almost unanimously , by the Lodge of Benevolence , for a grant of Fifty Pounds , was brought under consideration at the last Quarterly Communication , aud was referred ( on an amendment by the Grand Registrar ) to the Board of General Purposes , for further consideration as to its merits . The plea offered was , that such was the practice in
similar cases . Such is not the fact . The practice has invariably been to deal with the question in Grand Lodge , and Grand Lodge only . The Board of General Purposes is not a Lodge of Benevolence . Let any one deliberately examine into its powers , and it will he seen that unless in cases requiring an examination into matters that Grand Lodges cannot , for want of time , enter into , the Board can have and ought not to have any jurisdiction . We had hoped that the uncalled-for interference of the Board into the affairs of the Lodge of Benevolence , some time since ,
and whicli was so significantly and successfully opposed , would have taught a different lesson ; but we find that there is amongst certain members of it much of the old leaven . We regret , for the widow ' s sake , the delay that has been caused , but we regret more that the mover of the grant should have given way ; he , of all others , should have known better ; he may probably plead that the alarm of fire led him to adopt the suggestion—still we cannot and do not exonerate him . The recommendation was according to law—sanctioned by the Lodge of
Benevolence—and if any objection could have been taken , it should have appeared in Grand Lodge , and not be left , unconstitutionally , to a secret conclave . At this rate , we may have the high office of Grand Master dwindle into that of " puppet , " and the Board of General Purposes and the members of Grand Lodge realise the fable of the Fox and tho Getse .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
Grand Master is not at a premium . The Wardenships of the present year are doubtless filled by estimable Brethren : the one is a most liberal contributor to all the Charities , the Asylum not excepted—the other is a barrister of high attainment and leading practice , but a Mason of very brief standing . The resignation of the late Grand Registrar left the office open to the acceptance of Bro . Dobie , and seldom has an appointment been welcomed with greater sincerity . The other new appointments are
conferred on Brethren of sufficient merit in themselves , but they must be naturally sensible that their own preferment has been secured at the cost of many elder Brethren , who have long aud faithfully served the Craft , and who feel that the sentiment written in the Constitutions , " that all preferment among Masons is grounded upon real worth and personal merit only , " has been again in their case most unworthily disregarded . In the case of Dr . Rowe there may be some exception ; but it is
questionable whether the exception was not owing to the solicitation oi private interest rather than to his own unquestionable merit . The appointment of Bro . Wm . Tucker , of Cory ton Park , to the Provincial Grand Chair of Dorset , has no other drawback than inexperience ; but as he brings with him zeal , activity , and industiy , what will not youth accomplish in its endeavour to promote the objects of Freemasonry ?
THE CASE OF MRS . FIELD . —The petition of this amiable lady—the widow of Bro . Robert Field—which was recommended to the Grand Lodge almost unanimously , by the Lodge of Benevolence , for a grant of Fifty Pounds , was brought under consideration at the last Quarterly Communication , aud was referred ( on an amendment by the Grand Registrar ) to the Board of General Purposes , for further consideration as to its merits . The plea offered was , that such was the practice in
similar cases . Such is not the fact . The practice has invariably been to deal with the question in Grand Lodge , and Grand Lodge only . The Board of General Purposes is not a Lodge of Benevolence . Let any one deliberately examine into its powers , and it will he seen that unless in cases requiring an examination into matters that Grand Lodges cannot , for want of time , enter into , the Board can have and ought not to have any jurisdiction . We had hoped that the uncalled-for interference of the Board into the affairs of the Lodge of Benevolence , some time since ,
and whicli was so significantly and successfully opposed , would have taught a different lesson ; but we find that there is amongst certain members of it much of the old leaven . We regret , for the widow ' s sake , the delay that has been caused , but we regret more that the mover of the grant should have given way ; he , of all others , should have known better ; he may probably plead that the alarm of fire led him to adopt the suggestion—still we cannot and do not exonerate him . The recommendation was according to law—sanctioned by the Lodge of
Benevolence—and if any objection could have been taken , it should have appeared in Grand Lodge , and not be left , unconstitutionally , to a secret conclave . At this rate , we may have the high office of Grand Master dwindle into that of " puppet , " and the Board of General Purposes and the members of Grand Lodge realise the fable of the Fox and tho Getse .