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Article THE FREEMASONS' QUARTERLY REVIEW. ← Page 6 of 8 →
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The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . —The " scratching " ( the term is not our own , but appears on the printed paper , ) for the Board has taken place , and it was right merrie to observe the earnestness with which certain advocates for certain parties pressed their suit . To such an extent was it carried , that one member , high in office , in open Grand Lodge , scratched his paper from a scratched list handed to him for the purpose . This we say was done in Grand Lod and
open ge , it compels us to remark , not merely on the indelicacy , but on the impropriety of the Grand Officers voting at all for the Board of General Purposes , being themselves , as a class , so over-represented—viz ., by the Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , the Grand Wardens , and eleven other Grand Officers , while the entire body have the power to return only fourteen members . What would the profane world think of these things ? Aye , but would they believe it possible that besides this
enormous influence ofthe Grand Officers , the body at large is not left entirely to its own choice in the election of the fourteen members , but is controlled by the votes of the purple ? And look at the result . The elevations to the purple , it is pleaded arise out of the Board . No doubt it has been so frequently ; but from what class of that Board , —from the independent supporters of public principle , or from those who oppose it ? This year may prove an exception , for it has so happened that the members of Grand Lodge below bar have not only returned their fourteen entirely independent of purple influence , but have elected a " non-purple " as their Vice-President . Yet , alas . ' for the Widow Field , her case is deferred for further information .
THE FIRE IN FREEMASONS' HALL—ARREAR OP BUSINESS . —The alarm caused by the lire in the Hall was very serious , and the Grand Lodge on the sudden closed its meeting . This fire was speedily extinguished by the Fire Brigade . It arose from a large gas tube , which having become red-hot , ignited a beam nearly facing the newly-erected statue of H . R . H . the late Duke of Sussex , on which the stream of gas was made to shed a brilliant light . It was providential that no
further damage was sustained than what a very few pounds will replace . But we tremble as we think of the probable devastation whicli mi ght have been made had one hour longer elapsed . The magnificent Hallunequalled—unsurpassed—to have become a ruin , together with the adjacent property . And now that the danger has passed , we may , without offence , express our surprise that so large a stream of gas was allowed so near the beams—to say the least it was incautious—and does not reflect much credit on the foresight of those on whom the responsibility devolved . Thankful , sincerely so , that it is no worse . We say no more .
And next as to the arrear of business , which , in consequence of the sudden closing of Grand Lodge , is great ; and which , in addition to the business of the current quarter , will make it altogether impossible to be concluded at the next sitting . We presume that an especial Grand Lodge will be convened ; indeed nothing can be clearer than that if it be found necessary to have further aid in the Grand Secretary ' s Office on account of increased duties to perform , it must necessarily follow that there must be an increased business in the Grand Lodge itself , whicli will render itnecessary not only to hold , occasionally , au especial Grand
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . —The " scratching " ( the term is not our own , but appears on the printed paper , ) for the Board has taken place , and it was right merrie to observe the earnestness with which certain advocates for certain parties pressed their suit . To such an extent was it carried , that one member , high in office , in open Grand Lodge , scratched his paper from a scratched list handed to him for the purpose . This we say was done in Grand Lod and
open ge , it compels us to remark , not merely on the indelicacy , but on the impropriety of the Grand Officers voting at all for the Board of General Purposes , being themselves , as a class , so over-represented—viz ., by the Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , the Grand Wardens , and eleven other Grand Officers , while the entire body have the power to return only fourteen members . What would the profane world think of these things ? Aye , but would they believe it possible that besides this
enormous influence ofthe Grand Officers , the body at large is not left entirely to its own choice in the election of the fourteen members , but is controlled by the votes of the purple ? And look at the result . The elevations to the purple , it is pleaded arise out of the Board . No doubt it has been so frequently ; but from what class of that Board , —from the independent supporters of public principle , or from those who oppose it ? This year may prove an exception , for it has so happened that the members of Grand Lodge below bar have not only returned their fourteen entirely independent of purple influence , but have elected a " non-purple " as their Vice-President . Yet , alas . ' for the Widow Field , her case is deferred for further information .
THE FIRE IN FREEMASONS' HALL—ARREAR OP BUSINESS . —The alarm caused by the lire in the Hall was very serious , and the Grand Lodge on the sudden closed its meeting . This fire was speedily extinguished by the Fire Brigade . It arose from a large gas tube , which having become red-hot , ignited a beam nearly facing the newly-erected statue of H . R . H . the late Duke of Sussex , on which the stream of gas was made to shed a brilliant light . It was providential that no
further damage was sustained than what a very few pounds will replace . But we tremble as we think of the probable devastation whicli mi ght have been made had one hour longer elapsed . The magnificent Hallunequalled—unsurpassed—to have become a ruin , together with the adjacent property . And now that the danger has passed , we may , without offence , express our surprise that so large a stream of gas was allowed so near the beams—to say the least it was incautious—and does not reflect much credit on the foresight of those on whom the responsibility devolved . Thankful , sincerely so , that it is no worse . We say no more .
And next as to the arrear of business , which , in consequence of the sudden closing of Grand Lodge , is great ; and which , in addition to the business of the current quarter , will make it altogether impossible to be concluded at the next sitting . We presume that an especial Grand Lodge will be convened ; indeed nothing can be clearer than that if it be found necessary to have further aid in the Grand Secretary ' s Office on account of increased duties to perform , it must necessarily follow that there must be an increased business in the Grand Lodge itself , whicli will render itnecessary not only to hold , occasionally , au especial Grand