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Article TO THE GRAND LODGE OF IRELAND. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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To The Grand Lodge Of Ireland.
In the dedication thereof to the Right Hon . George , Lord St . George , Bro . Pennell observes" These Constitutions , my Lord , were first compiled from the ancient records of Freemasons , and adapted to the use of Lodges in Great Britain , by the learned James Anderson , A M . " This Book of Constitutions was introduced under the sanction of his Lordship ' s perusal and approbation .
According to the sublime principles of Freemasonry , none are excluded from its privileges but the infidel ; whoever acknowledges the omnipresence of the TRUE AND LIVING UNIVERSAL GOD —MOST HIGH , no matter under what ineffable name—provided he compass the ordeal laitl down , is eligible for admittance : the Jew , Mussulman , and Hinduall can claim their right to preparation . I findhowever , that Brother Pennell , in this first printed Book of
, Constitutions , limits the test of admission to that of Christianity—hence the error became fundamental . Pure Freemasonry ever was and is " UNIVERSAL , " restricted to no religion whatever , but embracing all . In cases of doubt it was declared in this Book , that " The Grand Wardens , or any others , in case of difference , are to go by concert to the Grand Master , who can easily decide the controversy by virtue of his great authority . "
There are many other points of importance , but for brevity ' s sake I content myself with what is extracted from Pennell . It appears then that in 1730 the constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Ireland were founded on those of England , as arranged by Anderson ; how long they continued thus is uncertain , for the Irish Masonic records
are very defective ; but I find in 1772 the following in the Ahiman Rezon ( the Book of Constitution of the Athol Masons of England ) ; it appears in page lvi of the introduction : — " Extract of the resolutions of the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland and Scotland , as under ; Sept . 2 , 1772 . " The Most Noble Prince John Duke of Athol , G . M . —Laurence Dermott , Esq ., D . G . M . in the chair . —Read a letter from Brother Thomas CorkenD . G . Sec of Irelandto L . DermottEsq . D . G . M .
, , , , of this Grand Lodge , setting forth the state of the Craft in that kingdom ; ancl having taken the same into consideration , " Resolved— ¦ ' That a Brotherly connexion antl correspondence has been and will be found productive of honour and advantage , "' & c . ; and then follow orders for the transmission of information , & c , for the mutual production of Grand Lodge certificates ; and on the 5 th November 1772 the Grand Lodge of Ireland reciprocated these relations
, , , and thus became in alliance with the Athol Grand Lodge of England . I cannot discover the cause why you disallied yourself from the former connexion with the original Grand Lodge , ancl adopted the Athol , and with that their Ahiman Rezon : it surely could not be from a desire to support seceders from the Grancl Loelge of England . I merely draw your recollection to the fact that you did so dissociate from the oneand associate with the other ; in which alliance you continued
, probably until the union of the two English Societies in 1813 ; although I find in 1820 that you still continued the title of Ahiman Rezon to your Constitutions , as appears by your sanction to Brother Downes , the printer thereof ; and this title is still further observed in the last edition , printetl by Bro . W . Underwood in 1839 . This persistance in the Athol title of your Constitutions is unwise ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Grand Lodge Of Ireland.
In the dedication thereof to the Right Hon . George , Lord St . George , Bro . Pennell observes" These Constitutions , my Lord , were first compiled from the ancient records of Freemasons , and adapted to the use of Lodges in Great Britain , by the learned James Anderson , A M . " This Book of Constitutions was introduced under the sanction of his Lordship ' s perusal and approbation .
According to the sublime principles of Freemasonry , none are excluded from its privileges but the infidel ; whoever acknowledges the omnipresence of the TRUE AND LIVING UNIVERSAL GOD —MOST HIGH , no matter under what ineffable name—provided he compass the ordeal laitl down , is eligible for admittance : the Jew , Mussulman , and Hinduall can claim their right to preparation . I findhowever , that Brother Pennell , in this first printed Book of
, Constitutions , limits the test of admission to that of Christianity—hence the error became fundamental . Pure Freemasonry ever was and is " UNIVERSAL , " restricted to no religion whatever , but embracing all . In cases of doubt it was declared in this Book , that " The Grand Wardens , or any others , in case of difference , are to go by concert to the Grand Master , who can easily decide the controversy by virtue of his great authority . "
There are many other points of importance , but for brevity ' s sake I content myself with what is extracted from Pennell . It appears then that in 1730 the constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Ireland were founded on those of England , as arranged by Anderson ; how long they continued thus is uncertain , for the Irish Masonic records
are very defective ; but I find in 1772 the following in the Ahiman Rezon ( the Book of Constitution of the Athol Masons of England ) ; it appears in page lvi of the introduction : — " Extract of the resolutions of the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland and Scotland , as under ; Sept . 2 , 1772 . " The Most Noble Prince John Duke of Athol , G . M . —Laurence Dermott , Esq ., D . G . M . in the chair . —Read a letter from Brother Thomas CorkenD . G . Sec of Irelandto L . DermottEsq . D . G . M .
, , , , of this Grand Lodge , setting forth the state of the Craft in that kingdom ; ancl having taken the same into consideration , " Resolved— ¦ ' That a Brotherly connexion antl correspondence has been and will be found productive of honour and advantage , "' & c . ; and then follow orders for the transmission of information , & c , for the mutual production of Grand Lodge certificates ; and on the 5 th November 1772 the Grand Lodge of Ireland reciprocated these relations
, , , and thus became in alliance with the Athol Grand Lodge of England . I cannot discover the cause why you disallied yourself from the former connexion with the original Grand Lodge , ancl adopted the Athol , and with that their Ahiman Rezon : it surely could not be from a desire to support seceders from the Grancl Loelge of England . I merely draw your recollection to the fact that you did so dissociate from the oneand associate with the other ; in which alliance you continued
, probably until the union of the two English Societies in 1813 ; although I find in 1820 that you still continued the title of Ahiman Rezon to your Constitutions , as appears by your sanction to Brother Downes , the printer thereof ; and this title is still further observed in the last edition , printetl by Bro . W . Underwood in 1839 . This persistance in the Athol title of your Constitutions is unwise ,