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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 2 of 14 →
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Provincial.
tional principle and conduct , if not to those placed in office as our leaders ? Strict and stern discipline ancl obedience are parts of masonry , and for tbe violation ' of which the hi ghest can offer no justifiable reason or plausible excuse : even ignorance would fail ; for ignorance in an elevated situation , by being more conspicuous , becomes the more censurable .
Past prov . grand officers are rarely to be met with in this division ; and when they do appear , they are regarded as comets . It is amusing that even the furnishers of grand clothing complain that they have fewer orders for this division , than any other ; which assertion is fully verified at our provincial grand meetings . The paucity of grand officers is reall y pitiable , a mere wretched sprinkling . In any other county such meetings afford pleasure , and gratification ; for there you see that more than a limited few have gained honourable distinctionand retired with their
, blushing honors upon them . It seems almost incredible , but is not the less true , that at the last provincial grand meeting , held at Lancaster , there were not even a sufficient number of grand officers to occupy the various chairs , ancl not even a single past grand officer of this division . It should not have been so .
Now , sir , with a view to remedy this evil , I woulcl suggest that no unqualified brother should be chosen for even the humblest office , much less to a superior one ; a matter that has not been sufficiently attended to ; and that no brother should retain an office for longer than two years ; he might then be advanced to a superior office , or retire as a past grand officer : thus making way for others equally deserving . In a short time we should have a respectable display of past grancl officers , and thus
labour , perseverance , and amiability woulcl meet with their proper reward , ancl the greatest incentive would be held out to those who toil in the field of nature and of science . It has been far from my object in this letter to say or even insinuate anything prejudicial to the character of any of the provincial grand officers in particular ; for doubtless the talents , ancl virtues they possess , are fully appreciated as they deservebthe brethren who know them .
, y It is the system , not the individual now under consideration . I have confined my remarks to this one abuse ; would that it were isolated . Perhaps in your next number , I shall be able to furnish you with a few observations on some other existing abuses , and causes , detrimental to a flourishing condition of Masonry . A MASTER . MASON .
Liverpool , March 1848 . OXFORD . —In December last the brethren of the Alfred Lodge assembled to instal the W . M . Elect , Bro . James Wyatt , jun . The ceremony was performed hy the late W . M ., R . J . Spiers , in a very masterly and impressive manner . At the conclusion of the ceremony , the W . M . appointed his officers for the year . At the banquet the W . M . Bro . James Wyattpresidedsupported
, , , by the late Master , Bro . R . J . Spiers , the Past Masters , the officers , and a large attendance of the brethren of the Alfred Lodge , with several members of the Apollo Lodge . The CHAIRMAN gave the usual loyal toasts— " The Queen and the Craft , " " Queen Dowager , Prince Albert , and the rest of the Royal Family . " Next followed " The Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetland . " " The Prov . Grand Master of Oxfordshire , Bro . Rev .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
tional principle and conduct , if not to those placed in office as our leaders ? Strict and stern discipline ancl obedience are parts of masonry , and for tbe violation ' of which the hi ghest can offer no justifiable reason or plausible excuse : even ignorance would fail ; for ignorance in an elevated situation , by being more conspicuous , becomes the more censurable .
Past prov . grand officers are rarely to be met with in this division ; and when they do appear , they are regarded as comets . It is amusing that even the furnishers of grand clothing complain that they have fewer orders for this division , than any other ; which assertion is fully verified at our provincial grand meetings . The paucity of grand officers is reall y pitiable , a mere wretched sprinkling . In any other county such meetings afford pleasure , and gratification ; for there you see that more than a limited few have gained honourable distinctionand retired with their
, blushing honors upon them . It seems almost incredible , but is not the less true , that at the last provincial grand meeting , held at Lancaster , there were not even a sufficient number of grand officers to occupy the various chairs , ancl not even a single past grand officer of this division . It should not have been so .
Now , sir , with a view to remedy this evil , I woulcl suggest that no unqualified brother should be chosen for even the humblest office , much less to a superior one ; a matter that has not been sufficiently attended to ; and that no brother should retain an office for longer than two years ; he might then be advanced to a superior office , or retire as a past grand officer : thus making way for others equally deserving . In a short time we should have a respectable display of past grancl officers , and thus
labour , perseverance , and amiability woulcl meet with their proper reward , ancl the greatest incentive would be held out to those who toil in the field of nature and of science . It has been far from my object in this letter to say or even insinuate anything prejudicial to the character of any of the provincial grand officers in particular ; for doubtless the talents , ancl virtues they possess , are fully appreciated as they deservebthe brethren who know them .
, y It is the system , not the individual now under consideration . I have confined my remarks to this one abuse ; would that it were isolated . Perhaps in your next number , I shall be able to furnish you with a few observations on some other existing abuses , and causes , detrimental to a flourishing condition of Masonry . A MASTER . MASON .
Liverpool , March 1848 . OXFORD . —In December last the brethren of the Alfred Lodge assembled to instal the W . M . Elect , Bro . James Wyatt , jun . The ceremony was performed hy the late W . M ., R . J . Spiers , in a very masterly and impressive manner . At the conclusion of the ceremony , the W . M . appointed his officers for the year . At the banquet the W . M . Bro . James Wyattpresidedsupported
, , , by the late Master , Bro . R . J . Spiers , the Past Masters , the officers , and a large attendance of the brethren of the Alfred Lodge , with several members of the Apollo Lodge . The CHAIRMAN gave the usual loyal toasts— " The Queen and the Craft , " " Queen Dowager , Prince Albert , and the rest of the Royal Family . " Next followed " The Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetland . " " The Prov . Grand Master of Oxfordshire , Bro . Rev .