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Article QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION. ← Page 10 of 12 →
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Quarterly Communication.
Bro . FAUDEL begged to set Bro . M'Mullen right in his reading of Masonic law ; he had stated that which was not quite correct , we could ancl did initiate private soldiers , the Book of Constitutions distinctly provided for it . Soldiers could be initiated b y law 12 , page 62 , and law 2 , page 75 ; corporals and upwards , by the present regulations , ancl servants , as serving brethren , or by dispensation . If once admitted they were always Masons ; the Brother ' s casethereforewent for nothing .
, , Bro . DOBIE thought the words " free agent , " or '' free" only , met the case . Bro . R . G . ALSTON , Jun ., was sorry to differ from his Right Worshipful relative . It was of importance to have " free men" only , and the question must be put as distinctly as possible . He knew the late Grand Master had intended , if life had been spared him , to have entered into the subject .
Dr . CRUCEFIX had often addressed Grand Lodge , but never on a subject of deeper importance than that now under consideration . During the earlier part of his Masonic life the nation had willed the emancipation of the slave . The words " free birth" or " free born" became from that very moment mere matters of history , ancl he felt with numerous other Brethren that not a moment was to be lost in removing from the
Masonic ritual that which could no longer , with the semblance of decency , be continued . The law of the land hacl given freedom to millions and was Masonry to permit ( calling itself free ) the appearance of a disgraceful serfdom ? —( cheers ) . Pie addressed a letter to his Royal Highness the late Duke of Sussex on the subject , feeling that he could no longer as a ruler in the Craft use words in contradiction to the law of God and the ordinances of the realm—( sensation ) . He would read the reply he received from the Grand Secretary ' s officewhich was as
follows;—, " August 25 . 1836 . —In reply to your inquiry as to a definition ofthe term "free born , " it is considered that a candidate who is at the time of being proposed for initiation his own master and capable of governing his own actions , and being otherwise qualified as required by the laws and regulations of the Craft , is admissible into our Society . " The terms ' free born' and' bondman , ' as mentioned in the ancient chargeshad reference only to the custom of Eastern nationstherefore
, , the usual-form of words , as now addressed to every candidate for initiation WHICH WAS INTRODUCED ONLY AT THE PERIOD OF THE UNION OP THE TWO FRATERNITIES , might , ivithout infringement ofthe landmarks of the Order , be adapted to the occasion by omitting the latter part of the compound word , inquiring ' ARE YOU A FREE AGENT , AND OF MATURE AGE ? '
" Tins slight deviation in a word , from what may be the general practice , may not be deemed important , while the main principles of the Craft are adhered to . " From the receipt of that letter he ( Dr . C . ) had invariably conformed to the words it contained ; and he felt an inexpressible satisfaction that the time had arrived when Grancl Lodge was about to sanction the suggestions of the late illustrious Grancl Master —( cheers ) . Many brethren spoke upon this subjectat last about half-a-dozen
, small coteries were found each discussing it in private . The M . AV . Grand Master , with the Brethren on his right and left ; the President and Vice-Presidentof the Board of General Purposes at the Grand Secretary ' s table ; ancl several small parties about the hall . It was at last decided to have the words altered to ' free man , ' which was carried by acclamation .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Quarterly Communication.
Bro . FAUDEL begged to set Bro . M'Mullen right in his reading of Masonic law ; he had stated that which was not quite correct , we could ancl did initiate private soldiers , the Book of Constitutions distinctly provided for it . Soldiers could be initiated b y law 12 , page 62 , and law 2 , page 75 ; corporals and upwards , by the present regulations , ancl servants , as serving brethren , or by dispensation . If once admitted they were always Masons ; the Brother ' s casethereforewent for nothing .
, , Bro . DOBIE thought the words " free agent , " or '' free" only , met the case . Bro . R . G . ALSTON , Jun ., was sorry to differ from his Right Worshipful relative . It was of importance to have " free men" only , and the question must be put as distinctly as possible . He knew the late Grand Master had intended , if life had been spared him , to have entered into the subject .
Dr . CRUCEFIX had often addressed Grand Lodge , but never on a subject of deeper importance than that now under consideration . During the earlier part of his Masonic life the nation had willed the emancipation of the slave . The words " free birth" or " free born" became from that very moment mere matters of history , ancl he felt with numerous other Brethren that not a moment was to be lost in removing from the
Masonic ritual that which could no longer , with the semblance of decency , be continued . The law of the land hacl given freedom to millions and was Masonry to permit ( calling itself free ) the appearance of a disgraceful serfdom ? —( cheers ) . Pie addressed a letter to his Royal Highness the late Duke of Sussex on the subject , feeling that he could no longer as a ruler in the Craft use words in contradiction to the law of God and the ordinances of the realm—( sensation ) . He would read the reply he received from the Grand Secretary ' s officewhich was as
follows;—, " August 25 . 1836 . —In reply to your inquiry as to a definition ofthe term "free born , " it is considered that a candidate who is at the time of being proposed for initiation his own master and capable of governing his own actions , and being otherwise qualified as required by the laws and regulations of the Craft , is admissible into our Society . " The terms ' free born' and' bondman , ' as mentioned in the ancient chargeshad reference only to the custom of Eastern nationstherefore
, , the usual-form of words , as now addressed to every candidate for initiation WHICH WAS INTRODUCED ONLY AT THE PERIOD OF THE UNION OP THE TWO FRATERNITIES , might , ivithout infringement ofthe landmarks of the Order , be adapted to the occasion by omitting the latter part of the compound word , inquiring ' ARE YOU A FREE AGENT , AND OF MATURE AGE ? '
" Tins slight deviation in a word , from what may be the general practice , may not be deemed important , while the main principles of the Craft are adhered to . " From the receipt of that letter he ( Dr . C . ) had invariably conformed to the words it contained ; and he felt an inexpressible satisfaction that the time had arrived when Grancl Lodge was about to sanction the suggestions of the late illustrious Grancl Master —( cheers ) . Many brethren spoke upon this subjectat last about half-a-dozen
, small coteries were found each discussing it in private . The M . AV . Grand Master , with the Brethren on his right and left ; the President and Vice-Presidentof the Board of General Purposes at the Grand Secretary ' s table ; ancl several small parties about the hall . It was at last decided to have the words altered to ' free man , ' which was carried by acclamation .