-
Articles/Ads
Article THE FREEMASONS' LEXICON. ← Page 9 of 9 Article THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM. Page 1 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Lexicon.
records of Freemasonry . He regarded them as the only pure source from which a true knowledge of the end and aim of Freemasonry could be obtained , and a true judgment of its value formed . He communicated his convictions upon those subjects to the lodges in Hamburgh and some neighbouring states , and thus induced them at the commencement of this century to introduce the ancient ritual , with a few unimportant modifications , made to lessen the objections of other lodges as much as
possible . The words ivhich had been introduced upon the continent he abided by . In the course of sixteen years , or at the time of His death , thirty-six lodges wrought by this ritual . It must also have afforded him great satisfaction to have been informed , a short time before his death , that the Brethren in England had taken the same views of Freemasonry as himself , and that this had occurred without any attempt to force his opinions upon them . Many of the landmarks in this portion of the Order were introduced by him .
The Grand Lodge Of England, And The Representative System.
THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND , AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM .
( Continued ji-om p . 4 . 10 , vol . v . ) 11 By a certain class of statesmen , and by all men of harsh and violent dispositions , measures of conciliation , adherence to the spirit of laws , regard to ancient privileges , or to those rules of moral justice which are paramount to all positive right , are always treated with derision . " —HALLA . M ' S MIDDLE AGES . IN my previous letters I have confined myself as nearly as possible to the first words of the "law masonic , " or Book of Constitutions—the
intentions of the clause , its origination ( in its present form ) , the present difficulty , its apparent impossibility , and the necessity of its operation being adapted to suit the altered circumstances of the extension of the fraternity , from the date of its enactment to now . I have slightly alluded to the injustice entailed upon the masonic body , by the restrictions placet ! upon those who should be allowed to attend Grancl Lodge , who are nominally rulers ; and the contradictions that present themselves in the practice of the theory of our representative system . It will be admitted by all who have given any thought to the subject , that legislative assemblies are appointed for the purpose of altering , revising , and abolishing
incongruous laws , and for the further purpose of establishing such new laws for the future , as are or will be required to meet the altered wants of society , otherwise a code of laws once established , would only require executive instead of legislative bodies ; but of all the duties such bodies are called upon to perform , not any are so difficult , so frequently avoided , and so continually postponed , as making laws for their own improvement , and modelling themselves in a manner desired by their constituents , or the laws by which they were originally created . Yet no
doubt can be entertained , that the first task of the representative , should be to inquire if the assembly , of whieh he has become one , is formed in a manner consonant with the constitution ; such appears to be the view of the subject taken b y our House of Commons , for among the first duties ofthe members , are those of declaring their qualifications , forming committees for investigating petitions against the return of members , and such other business as is connected with their own formation .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Lexicon.
records of Freemasonry . He regarded them as the only pure source from which a true knowledge of the end and aim of Freemasonry could be obtained , and a true judgment of its value formed . He communicated his convictions upon those subjects to the lodges in Hamburgh and some neighbouring states , and thus induced them at the commencement of this century to introduce the ancient ritual , with a few unimportant modifications , made to lessen the objections of other lodges as much as
possible . The words ivhich had been introduced upon the continent he abided by . In the course of sixteen years , or at the time of His death , thirty-six lodges wrought by this ritual . It must also have afforded him great satisfaction to have been informed , a short time before his death , that the Brethren in England had taken the same views of Freemasonry as himself , and that this had occurred without any attempt to force his opinions upon them . Many of the landmarks in this portion of the Order were introduced by him .
The Grand Lodge Of England, And The Representative System.
THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND , AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM .
( Continued ji-om p . 4 . 10 , vol . v . ) 11 By a certain class of statesmen , and by all men of harsh and violent dispositions , measures of conciliation , adherence to the spirit of laws , regard to ancient privileges , or to those rules of moral justice which are paramount to all positive right , are always treated with derision . " —HALLA . M ' S MIDDLE AGES . IN my previous letters I have confined myself as nearly as possible to the first words of the "law masonic , " or Book of Constitutions—the
intentions of the clause , its origination ( in its present form ) , the present difficulty , its apparent impossibility , and the necessity of its operation being adapted to suit the altered circumstances of the extension of the fraternity , from the date of its enactment to now . I have slightly alluded to the injustice entailed upon the masonic body , by the restrictions placet ! upon those who should be allowed to attend Grancl Lodge , who are nominally rulers ; and the contradictions that present themselves in the practice of the theory of our representative system . It will be admitted by all who have given any thought to the subject , that legislative assemblies are appointed for the purpose of altering , revising , and abolishing
incongruous laws , and for the further purpose of establishing such new laws for the future , as are or will be required to meet the altered wants of society , otherwise a code of laws once established , would only require executive instead of legislative bodies ; but of all the duties such bodies are called upon to perform , not any are so difficult , so frequently avoided , and so continually postponed , as making laws for their own improvement , and modelling themselves in a manner desired by their constituents , or the laws by which they were originally created . Yet no
doubt can be entertained , that the first task of the representative , should be to inquire if the assembly , of whieh he has become one , is formed in a manner consonant with the constitution ; such appears to be the view of the subject taken b y our House of Commons , for among the first duties ofthe members , are those of declaring their qualifications , forming committees for investigating petitions against the return of members , and such other business as is connected with their own formation .