Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Grand Lodge Of England, And The Representative System.
the Grand Master of England for the time being , he having been elected to that high office by a majority of votes of the assembled members of the fraternity ; and such election having been confirmed at a subsequent meeting of the Grand Lodge , the Grand Master is placed in the chair as president or head of the meetings , and of the Brethren at large . This assembly has the sole power of making laws and regulations for the government of the Craftand of alteringabrogatingor repealing
, , , them , & c . ( see Book of Constitutions , page 23 , clause 14 . ) On looking at my former letter , it will be seen that the laws have been made to give the management of the affairs of the Craft into the hands of the members of the Craft themselves . Thus far I have confined myself entirely to the authorized copy of the laws published by order of the proper authorities . I presume that enough has been said to show that the Masonic fraternity is to be ruled by a constitutional or representative
government , and none other , with a head chosen by themselves ; and such representatives are selected by the votes of their respective Lodges ; very subscribing member to which , of whatever degree , having the elective franchise ; it is incumbent upon every such member to attend and vote ; and that it is of the greatest importance that he should do so , is proved by the duty he is called upon to exercise , for not only is the representative whom he elects the guardian of his interestbut he becomes the
, guardian of the interests of the whole fraternity , and legislates not only for his Lodge or province , but for the Craft at large , in virtue of his place in Grand Lodge . By another book , published by command of the Most Worshipful Grand Master , and under the sanction of the United Grand Lodge of England , it will be seen that the ramifications of the
Craft are so extensive and distant as to make compliance with the law impossible , and that a large portion , in fact a great majority of the Lodges , become disfranchised from the impossibility of acting up to the regulations . At page 73 of the " Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket-book for 1847 , " is a list of Lodges under the Grand Lodge of England , and subject to the laws above quoted ; the analysis is given at the conclusion of my last letter , and shows that but one hundred and ten Lodgesout of seven hundred and eihtylegislate how far all the
, g , ; Lodges have a voice in the making of their own laws , their own taxation , or in their own government , will at once be seen ; but the disfranchisement or impossibility to act up to the law is not desired by any individual or party , is not deemed necessary or desirable by those in possession of the privilege ; nor is it supposed to be advantageous—it is purely the effect of accidental circumstances , from the formation of laws convenientproper and effective at the time in which they were madeand
, , which have not been altered to accord with the altered circumstances of Freemasonry , and the extension of the Lodges and localities of the fraternity . Such alterations must , however , be made in Freemasonry in accordance with the landmarks of the Order , which in this as in all other cases must he kept holy and inviolate , but must from time to time be brought under the consideration of the entire body , as well as under the notice of the Grand Lodge . How this is to be effectedexcept
, by circular to every Lodge , 1 know not ; the expense and trouble of which I do not feel disposed to incur , nor do I consider that it is the province of any individual to take that responsibility upon himself ; the F . Q . R . seems therefore the shortest , readiest , and most public way of drawing attention to the various topics requiring investigation by the fraternity , and eliciting an opinion before it is mooted in Grand Lodge ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Grand Lodge Of England, And The Representative System.
the Grand Master of England for the time being , he having been elected to that high office by a majority of votes of the assembled members of the fraternity ; and such election having been confirmed at a subsequent meeting of the Grand Lodge , the Grand Master is placed in the chair as president or head of the meetings , and of the Brethren at large . This assembly has the sole power of making laws and regulations for the government of the Craftand of alteringabrogatingor repealing
, , , them , & c . ( see Book of Constitutions , page 23 , clause 14 . ) On looking at my former letter , it will be seen that the laws have been made to give the management of the affairs of the Craft into the hands of the members of the Craft themselves . Thus far I have confined myself entirely to the authorized copy of the laws published by order of the proper authorities . I presume that enough has been said to show that the Masonic fraternity is to be ruled by a constitutional or representative
government , and none other , with a head chosen by themselves ; and such representatives are selected by the votes of their respective Lodges ; very subscribing member to which , of whatever degree , having the elective franchise ; it is incumbent upon every such member to attend and vote ; and that it is of the greatest importance that he should do so , is proved by the duty he is called upon to exercise , for not only is the representative whom he elects the guardian of his interestbut he becomes the
, guardian of the interests of the whole fraternity , and legislates not only for his Lodge or province , but for the Craft at large , in virtue of his place in Grand Lodge . By another book , published by command of the Most Worshipful Grand Master , and under the sanction of the United Grand Lodge of England , it will be seen that the ramifications of the
Craft are so extensive and distant as to make compliance with the law impossible , and that a large portion , in fact a great majority of the Lodges , become disfranchised from the impossibility of acting up to the regulations . At page 73 of the " Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket-book for 1847 , " is a list of Lodges under the Grand Lodge of England , and subject to the laws above quoted ; the analysis is given at the conclusion of my last letter , and shows that but one hundred and ten Lodgesout of seven hundred and eihtylegislate how far all the
, g , ; Lodges have a voice in the making of their own laws , their own taxation , or in their own government , will at once be seen ; but the disfranchisement or impossibility to act up to the law is not desired by any individual or party , is not deemed necessary or desirable by those in possession of the privilege ; nor is it supposed to be advantageous—it is purely the effect of accidental circumstances , from the formation of laws convenientproper and effective at the time in which they were madeand
, , which have not been altered to accord with the altered circumstances of Freemasonry , and the extension of the Lodges and localities of the fraternity . Such alterations must , however , be made in Freemasonry in accordance with the landmarks of the Order , which in this as in all other cases must he kept holy and inviolate , but must from time to time be brought under the consideration of the entire body , as well as under the notice of the Grand Lodge . How this is to be effectedexcept
, by circular to every Lodge , 1 know not ; the expense and trouble of which I do not feel disposed to incur , nor do I consider that it is the province of any individual to take that responsibility upon himself ; the F . Q . R . seems therefore the shortest , readiest , and most public way of drawing attention to the various topics requiring investigation by the fraternity , and eliciting an opinion before it is mooted in Grand Lodge ,