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Article UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND. ← Page 7 of 8 →
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United Grand Lodge Of England.
Bro . WYI . D , ill . P ., seconded the object of Bro . Humfrey , and agreed with him in tlie general view of the case . He ( Bro . W . ) was a representative in the Grand Lodge of England ofthe Grancl Lodge of one of the United States of America , and was clearly satisfied that General Cooke was entitled to tbe rank he had attained ; as to the question of assumption , the United States swarmed with persons assuming to have
titles . Bro . CRUCEFIX thought that the Grand Secretary had not complied with the Book of Constitution , which directed that a summons should be issued , ancl if disregarded , a peremptory summons should follow . Now why was a period of more than six weeks suffered to elapse before a letter was sent b y the Liverpool mail ? In his own ( Dr . C . ' s ) case , of memorable accounthe was served personallynor would the myrmidons
, , of masonic law be content without personal service . But he should at once intimate his opinion that the Grand AIaster had not used due caution in the case ; an hour would have put his lordship in possession of all that had been stated to the Grand Lodge , aye , and still more . He ( Dr . C . ) had also receiveci letters from New York , where the general had many friends , although he had also many opponents ; but it was the opinion of even those who differed with himthat while the
appoint-, ment of representative was not acceptable to the Grand Lodge of New York , that the expulsion , as contemplated , was most oppressive and undignified . He ( Dr . C . ) should go farther and state , that to the want of caution on the part of the Grand Master was to be attributed all the trouble ancl anxiety caused by this " vcxata questio . " Was the liberality of General Cooke , for Brevet Alajor-general he was , ( however
objectionable to many ) of the State of Illinois , to pass for nothing ? were our charities to benefit by the bounty of an individual , and then to cast in the teeth of such an individual , not only his errors , but our own follies ? He implored of Grand Lodge to dismiss all prejudice , ancl to give the brother the benefit of a favourable construction of motives—let them remember that as yesterday was , to-day is , so to-morrow is to come , and with it will bring either repentance for misjudgement , or satisfaction for a charitable consideration of the brother ' s case . His
correspondence led him to advert to the title of chancellor of the university of Ripley , as used by General Cooke , whose vanity no doubt led him to be amerced in a heavy fee for the same . The university as yet did not exist , yet fees of honour , as M . D ., D . D ., LL . D ., and even chancellor , were a source of profitable emolument to some hopeful scheme hereafter to be developed . The General ' s vanity was not proof against the temptation ; but the Grand Lodge of England
could boast its prototypes , for to his ( Dr . C . ' s ) knowledge instances could be shown where vanity was a visible contrast to common sense . He should vote with Bro . Humfrey . In sober sadness it was to be regretted that want of caution was too evident in the executive ; the entrustment committed to the Grand Aiaster was of the highest character , and should be held as a sacred charge . Bro . FOSTER WHITE thought that the dignity of Grancl Lodge would
be best consulted by forbearance and discretion . To say there had beeu no error would be altogether wrong , but to visit error witli so serious a penalty was still more so ; charity should prevail . As one who had taken much pains to investigate the subject , he had arrived at such conclusion . Rev . Bro . Cox adverted to the correspondence as read by Bro . It . G . Alston , and commented thereon .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
United Grand Lodge Of England.
Bro . WYI . D , ill . P ., seconded the object of Bro . Humfrey , and agreed with him in tlie general view of the case . He ( Bro . W . ) was a representative in the Grand Lodge of England ofthe Grancl Lodge of one of the United States of America , and was clearly satisfied that General Cooke was entitled to tbe rank he had attained ; as to the question of assumption , the United States swarmed with persons assuming to have
titles . Bro . CRUCEFIX thought that the Grand Secretary had not complied with the Book of Constitution , which directed that a summons should be issued , ancl if disregarded , a peremptory summons should follow . Now why was a period of more than six weeks suffered to elapse before a letter was sent b y the Liverpool mail ? In his own ( Dr . C . ' s ) case , of memorable accounthe was served personallynor would the myrmidons
, , of masonic law be content without personal service . But he should at once intimate his opinion that the Grand AIaster had not used due caution in the case ; an hour would have put his lordship in possession of all that had been stated to the Grand Lodge , aye , and still more . He ( Dr . C . ) had also receiveci letters from New York , where the general had many friends , although he had also many opponents ; but it was the opinion of even those who differed with himthat while the
appoint-, ment of representative was not acceptable to the Grand Lodge of New York , that the expulsion , as contemplated , was most oppressive and undignified . He ( Dr . C . ) should go farther and state , that to the want of caution on the part of the Grand Master was to be attributed all the trouble ancl anxiety caused by this " vcxata questio . " Was the liberality of General Cooke , for Brevet Alajor-general he was , ( however
objectionable to many ) of the State of Illinois , to pass for nothing ? were our charities to benefit by the bounty of an individual , and then to cast in the teeth of such an individual , not only his errors , but our own follies ? He implored of Grand Lodge to dismiss all prejudice , ancl to give the brother the benefit of a favourable construction of motives—let them remember that as yesterday was , to-day is , so to-morrow is to come , and with it will bring either repentance for misjudgement , or satisfaction for a charitable consideration of the brother ' s case . His
correspondence led him to advert to the title of chancellor of the university of Ripley , as used by General Cooke , whose vanity no doubt led him to be amerced in a heavy fee for the same . The university as yet did not exist , yet fees of honour , as M . D ., D . D ., LL . D ., and even chancellor , were a source of profitable emolument to some hopeful scheme hereafter to be developed . The General ' s vanity was not proof against the temptation ; but the Grand Lodge of England
could boast its prototypes , for to his ( Dr . C . ' s ) knowledge instances could be shown where vanity was a visible contrast to common sense . He should vote with Bro . Humfrey . In sober sadness it was to be regretted that want of caution was too evident in the executive ; the entrustment committed to the Grand Aiaster was of the highest character , and should be held as a sacred charge . Bro . FOSTER WHITE thought that the dignity of Grancl Lodge would
be best consulted by forbearance and discretion . To say there had beeu no error would be altogether wrong , but to visit error witli so serious a penalty was still more so ; charity should prevail . As one who had taken much pains to investigate the subject , he had arrived at such conclusion . Rev . Bro . Cox adverted to the correspondence as read by Bro . It . G . Alston , and commented thereon .