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Article MASONRY IN SCOTLAND.—No. 2. ← Page 4 of 6 →
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Masonry In Scotland.—No. 2.
to suit the convenience of more highly favoured proxies , or else to accommodate the paid servants of the Grand Lodge . The brethren will perhaps see the necessity of making a slight change . By way of variety we will now examine the last published " Roll of Members of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , " and to save trouble in the meantime ( only ) , we will compare it with another equally interesting documentcalledI suppose by way of joke" the Annual Circular" as
, , , , it never , at least that I have heard of , went the round of the lodges . The last one is far from polite to the first , for it does not believe what it says ; although there is only three months difference in their ages , there is some years discrepancy in point of truth in their statements ; any brother can prove this who will be at the trouble , and he will find that the roll is not the roll of the members of the Grand Lodge , it is not even a list of the Proxy Masters . He vvill observe a number of names
with stars at them , and in his simplicity think that they are members or brethren belonging to some higher Order , such as the Buff and Buckram Militia Templi ; if he looks a little more closely , he will discover that they are Proxy Masters and Wardens , who represent lodges that are in arrear , about fifty lodges , yet they are on the roll , and ofeo urse Members of the Grand Lodge ; they are more highly favoured than some others who are more regular in their paymentsbut who do not send proxies .
, They are , perhaps , allowed to remain upon the roll for the convenience of the Grand Secretary , who represents one of them ; it would be awful to lose a Grand Secretary . But we have several other grand offices to fill up , the representatives of some lodges who appear on the roll , without even the evil star at their names . Take , for example , our Grand
Director of Music , without his badge of masonic credit , I suppose that music takes the precedence of both our Grand Chaplains in the procession , each of whom are decorated with the star ; and in order to make both the long lists of lodges in the circular respectable , we find the reverend gentlemen ' s places carefully marked , one in each list , 346 and 135—so that , in fact , we have no Chaplains in the Grand Lodge . There is also another berth vacant , which at one time caused a considerable excitement and competition among our architectural friends—we must
include an Architect in the procession , which will now conclude with the appearance of a phalanx of Grand Stewards , headed by our friend of the turf , with his grand sword , but without his star ; not one of these office-bearers are members even of the Grand Lodge , and yet they are on the roll ; how many more may be in the same position , the Grand Clerk can tell , it is his duty ; and that is the way the work is done ; the brethren should also know as they pay the money . I think that this
argument has been proved , that the roll is not the " Roll of Members of the Grand Lodge , " even although it has a foot-note at the end of it , informing those who may chance to see it , very coolly , that it was made out according to rule 12 , chap . 11 , " and consequently does not contain the names of lodges from which proxy commissions have not been issued . " The country people , " who do not understand these matters , " will see that they have no business at the Grand Lodge ; I think it would be well
if some of them would try what they can do in the way of list making ; if they would only represent themselves , they would find in future that the roll would not be drawn up in such a careless , slovenly , and unbusinesslike manner , like the present one , which I am sure any lad who runs a writer ' s errands , would be ashamed to own the paternity of . The Masters and Wardens of such towns and provinces as Glasgow , Lauark-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonry In Scotland.—No. 2.
to suit the convenience of more highly favoured proxies , or else to accommodate the paid servants of the Grand Lodge . The brethren will perhaps see the necessity of making a slight change . By way of variety we will now examine the last published " Roll of Members of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , " and to save trouble in the meantime ( only ) , we will compare it with another equally interesting documentcalledI suppose by way of joke" the Annual Circular" as
, , , , it never , at least that I have heard of , went the round of the lodges . The last one is far from polite to the first , for it does not believe what it says ; although there is only three months difference in their ages , there is some years discrepancy in point of truth in their statements ; any brother can prove this who will be at the trouble , and he will find that the roll is not the roll of the members of the Grand Lodge , it is not even a list of the Proxy Masters . He vvill observe a number of names
with stars at them , and in his simplicity think that they are members or brethren belonging to some higher Order , such as the Buff and Buckram Militia Templi ; if he looks a little more closely , he will discover that they are Proxy Masters and Wardens , who represent lodges that are in arrear , about fifty lodges , yet they are on the roll , and ofeo urse Members of the Grand Lodge ; they are more highly favoured than some others who are more regular in their paymentsbut who do not send proxies .
, They are , perhaps , allowed to remain upon the roll for the convenience of the Grand Secretary , who represents one of them ; it would be awful to lose a Grand Secretary . But we have several other grand offices to fill up , the representatives of some lodges who appear on the roll , without even the evil star at their names . Take , for example , our Grand
Director of Music , without his badge of masonic credit , I suppose that music takes the precedence of both our Grand Chaplains in the procession , each of whom are decorated with the star ; and in order to make both the long lists of lodges in the circular respectable , we find the reverend gentlemen ' s places carefully marked , one in each list , 346 and 135—so that , in fact , we have no Chaplains in the Grand Lodge . There is also another berth vacant , which at one time caused a considerable excitement and competition among our architectural friends—we must
include an Architect in the procession , which will now conclude with the appearance of a phalanx of Grand Stewards , headed by our friend of the turf , with his grand sword , but without his star ; not one of these office-bearers are members even of the Grand Lodge , and yet they are on the roll ; how many more may be in the same position , the Grand Clerk can tell , it is his duty ; and that is the way the work is done ; the brethren should also know as they pay the money . I think that this
argument has been proved , that the roll is not the " Roll of Members of the Grand Lodge , " even although it has a foot-note at the end of it , informing those who may chance to see it , very coolly , that it was made out according to rule 12 , chap . 11 , " and consequently does not contain the names of lodges from which proxy commissions have not been issued . " The country people , " who do not understand these matters , " will see that they have no business at the Grand Lodge ; I think it would be well
if some of them would try what they can do in the way of list making ; if they would only represent themselves , they would find in future that the roll would not be drawn up in such a careless , slovenly , and unbusinesslike manner , like the present one , which I am sure any lad who runs a writer ' s errands , would be ashamed to own the paternity of . The Masters and Wardens of such towns and provinces as Glasgow , Lauark-