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Article TO THE PROVINCIAL MEMBERS OF GRAND LODGE. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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To The Provincial Members Of Grand Lodge.
addresses of Bros . It . G . Alston and Dr . Crucefix is recorded . The rejoinder , however , of the Most Worshipful Grand Master is not omitted . You are thus left to draw a very natural inference—that the argument was all on one side ; and that it was not worth your while to oppose the confirmation of the resolution . In the name of common sense , let us hear no more of esc parte and garbled reports . The resolution was" That the Most Worshipful Grand Master be
, authorized to confer on Provincial Grand Masters in the Colonies and foreign parts , a power of dispensation , in cases of urgency , for a brother to be advanced to a higher degree at an interval of one week , instead of four weeks . " It is said that for want of this indulgence , many join the Scotch and Irish lodges , because they can thus obtain all three degrees in a few days : often on the same day . But this is a very insufficient argument for such an innovation in the laws of the Grand Lodge of
England ; inasmuch as an Entered Apprentice is entitled to a certificate of his first degree ; which would enable him to he advanced in any place he might be removed to . And , in case of accidental misfortune or distress , he would receive assistance equally with a brother who had taken all his degrees , or even held high office in the Craft . The strongest advocates for this innovation , even the Most Worshipful Grand Master himself , admitted that they do not act from PRINCIPLEbut on grounds
, of EXPEDIENCY . Brethren , look well to this admission . For if you do not give a timely check to the secret influence which has so LONG , SO HANEFULLY , swayed the measures of Grand Lodge , rest assured further innovations will be made . Applications from some of the maritime Provincial Grand Masters have already been made for a similar
indulgence . This will be followed by a demand for a reduction of the initiation fees ; which , upon the plea of EXPEDIENCY , will be conceded . What ! brethren ! is the Grancl Lodge of England , ( after so ably and successfully maintaining the cause of our Jewish Brethren , upon motives of PRINCIPLE ) upon grounds of EXPEDIENCY to sacrifice the great bulwarks of our Order , and throw PRINCIPLE to the winds ? Is English Masonry to be brought clown to a level with all the spurious forms of bastard Masonry ? No ! let us rally round our standard : let us tell
these innovators , that " we seek no change ; ancl least of all such change as they would give us . " Amongst other pieces of " special pleading , " we were told at the last Grand Lodge that this measure is not an innovation ; that it is only a return to a practice which prevailed up to the time of the UNION . Be it so ; the argument is of no weight . Look at the state of confusion Masonry was in at that period . It was tiien considered necessary to
revise the working of our ceremonies , and remodel our laws . Can any one suppose that the restriction , now sought to be set aside , would have been introduced into our MAGNA CHARTA , without due conviction of its necessity ; without a firm persuasion that the then existing practice worked detrimentally ? 'The brethren entrusted with this work , possessed able heads , and honest hearts . They were not bitten with the fashionable nostrum expediency . They wished for no free trade in
Masonry . Upon the back of all the special pleading , came , what must have pained many to hear , a threat , that if the measure were not carried , the Most Worshipful Grand Master would resign . I trust there was not a brother present wanting in feelings of proper respect to the noble head of the Order ; but does he expect that we are to give up our private judgment aud conviction , and be no better than serfs ? It is high time
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Provincial Members Of Grand Lodge.
addresses of Bros . It . G . Alston and Dr . Crucefix is recorded . The rejoinder , however , of the Most Worshipful Grand Master is not omitted . You are thus left to draw a very natural inference—that the argument was all on one side ; and that it was not worth your while to oppose the confirmation of the resolution . In the name of common sense , let us hear no more of esc parte and garbled reports . The resolution was" That the Most Worshipful Grand Master be
, authorized to confer on Provincial Grand Masters in the Colonies and foreign parts , a power of dispensation , in cases of urgency , for a brother to be advanced to a higher degree at an interval of one week , instead of four weeks . " It is said that for want of this indulgence , many join the Scotch and Irish lodges , because they can thus obtain all three degrees in a few days : often on the same day . But this is a very insufficient argument for such an innovation in the laws of the Grand Lodge of
England ; inasmuch as an Entered Apprentice is entitled to a certificate of his first degree ; which would enable him to he advanced in any place he might be removed to . And , in case of accidental misfortune or distress , he would receive assistance equally with a brother who had taken all his degrees , or even held high office in the Craft . The strongest advocates for this innovation , even the Most Worshipful Grand Master himself , admitted that they do not act from PRINCIPLEbut on grounds
, of EXPEDIENCY . Brethren , look well to this admission . For if you do not give a timely check to the secret influence which has so LONG , SO HANEFULLY , swayed the measures of Grand Lodge , rest assured further innovations will be made . Applications from some of the maritime Provincial Grand Masters have already been made for a similar
indulgence . This will be followed by a demand for a reduction of the initiation fees ; which , upon the plea of EXPEDIENCY , will be conceded . What ! brethren ! is the Grancl Lodge of England , ( after so ably and successfully maintaining the cause of our Jewish Brethren , upon motives of PRINCIPLE ) upon grounds of EXPEDIENCY to sacrifice the great bulwarks of our Order , and throw PRINCIPLE to the winds ? Is English Masonry to be brought clown to a level with all the spurious forms of bastard Masonry ? No ! let us rally round our standard : let us tell
these innovators , that " we seek no change ; ancl least of all such change as they would give us . " Amongst other pieces of " special pleading , " we were told at the last Grand Lodge that this measure is not an innovation ; that it is only a return to a practice which prevailed up to the time of the UNION . Be it so ; the argument is of no weight . Look at the state of confusion Masonry was in at that period . It was tiien considered necessary to
revise the working of our ceremonies , and remodel our laws . Can any one suppose that the restriction , now sought to be set aside , would have been introduced into our MAGNA CHARTA , without due conviction of its necessity ; without a firm persuasion that the then existing practice worked detrimentally ? 'The brethren entrusted with this work , possessed able heads , and honest hearts . They were not bitten with the fashionable nostrum expediency . They wished for no free trade in
Masonry . Upon the back of all the special pleading , came , what must have pained many to hear , a threat , that if the measure were not carried , the Most Worshipful Grand Master would resign . I trust there was not a brother present wanting in feelings of proper respect to the noble head of the Order ; but does he expect that we are to give up our private judgment aud conviction , and be no better than serfs ? It is high time