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Article PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST LANCASHIRE. ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. Page 1 of 1 Article THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. Page 1 of 1
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Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Lancashire.
Bro . R . WYLIE next moved that too guineas be voted from the Provincial Grand Lodge fund to tha West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution . Colonel TURNER , P . P . G . T ., in seconding the motion , took the opportunity of stating that the officers of the West Lancashire Educational Institution would onl y be too glad to have the support of the brethren to a greater extent than they had at present .
Bro . R . MARTIN next moved that a committee be appointed , consisting of a member from each lodge , for drawing up bye-laws tor merging the management of the Fund of Benevolence in the Charities Committee . This was seconded by Bro . H . S . Alpass , and was agreed to , the following brethren being appointed . by the committee : Bros . H . S . Alpass , R . Wylie , J . B . Mackenzie , R . Martin , Henry A . Tobias , Cottam , Pilkington , Bagot , C . R . Holmes , D . J . Finney , and R . Brown .
the following brethren were elected on the Committee of the Hamer Benevolent Fund : Bros . J . F . Carefull , Coxon , R . Wylie , and John Beesley , George Morgan was re-elected Treas . ; H . H . Smith , Sec ; and A . D . Hesketh , Auditor . A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Bro . R . Wylie for his unwearied efforts in connection with the charity .
A special court of governors of the West Lancashire Educational Institution was then held , at which the alterations of the bye-laws recommended by the Committee were approved of . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed , the brethren members of Provincial Grand Chapter , attending the meeting of the same , which was opened on the conclusion of the Provincial Grand Lodge .
A banquet took place in the evening , to which upwards of 300 sat down , and which was catered by Mrs . Dickenson , Bro . Kenj'on , of the Shelley Arms , suppl ying the wines . After the usual loyal toasts , "The Health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . of England , " was proposed by Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of LATHOM , and responded to by Bro . ALPASS , P . G . S . B .
The toast of " The R . W . Prov . G . M . of West Lancashire , Bro . Earl of Lathom , " was proposed by Bro . Col . T . WILSON , P . P . G . S . W . West Lancashire . The gallant colonel pointed out to the brethren present that the Earl of Lathom not only set the brethren an example as a good and loyal Mason , but as a husband and father , his geniality and good nature being
worth y the appreciation of all . He pointed out the rapid strides made by the Craft since the present Grand Master had held office , and stated that the warmest thanks of all the brethren were due to the right hon . brother . The toast was received with great enthusiasm , and on the R . W . Prov . Grand Master rising to respond he met with an overwhelming ovation .
His LORDSHIP thanked the brethren for having attended the Prov . Grand Lodge so numerously that day . He congratulated the brethren on the highly satisfactory balance-sheet which had been presented in connection with the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution , and the balance of £ 1700 showed that many active and zealous brethren had been workingfor the interests of the noble Charity . He never lost an opportunity of bringing
the special feature of the Institution before brethren in other provinces when he had the opportunity , because , whilst greatly admiring the London Chanties , he considered the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution most fully met the circumstances of all the children who partook of its advantages . His lordship , after making an appeal on behalf of the Hamer Benevolent Fund , concluded by stating that he intended to hold the next annual Provincial Grand Lodge at Ulveraton . .
" The D . G . M . of West Lancashire and the Prov . Grand Officers , Present and Past , " proposed by Bro . GIBSON SINCLAIR , W . M ., was responded to by Bro . Councillor POOLE , P . G . S . VV . " The Masonic Charities , " was acknowledged by Bro . R . MARTIN , P . M . I 1 S 2 , one of the Hon . Secretaries of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution .
Other toasts followed , and a choice and most enjoyable musical programme , given by Bros . D . J . Davies , W . Quayle , W . Lewis , D . Williams , H . J . Nicholls , D . Keith , J . A . Muir , R . N . Hobart , O . J . Rowlands , and J . P . Bryan , P . G . O ., greatly enhanced the pleasures of the festivities .
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .
( Continued from page tfoj . ) This resolution , however , did not find favour with the M . W . Grand Master . The minutes of the meeting of the General Committee held on the nth September contained the following letter from Bro . W . H . White , Grand Secretary , together with a statement by the Duke of Sussex in reply to the memorial 1 Freemasons' Hall , London , 30 th August , 1 S 39 .
VV . Brother , —I am commanded by the M . W . Grand Master to state to you , in reply to your letter of the 3 rd July , requesting an audience with his Royal Highness with certain brethren on the subject of the Annuity Institution for Infirm Masons , that he wishes you and the Committee therein nominated to meet me , that I may read his Royal Highness ' s answer to the application .
The M . W . Grand Master has been induced to adopt this course to avoid all further misstatements and misapprehensions , which hitherto have always attended such communications , although it has been the constant desire of his Royal highness to be most explicit on every point . —I have , & c , ( Signed ) W . H . WHITE , G . S . To the W . Bro . R . T . Crucefix , Treas ., & c .
The Grand Master ' s reply is as follows : Soutlmick Park , Fareham , 26 th August , 1839 . Gentlemen and Brothers , —Having received from Bro . Crucefix a note communicating to me various resolutions which had been passed atdifferent meetings by several brethren who have at heart the establishment of some Institution calculated to relieve Decayed and Aged Masons , I fc-1 it incumbent upon me to repeat the statement which I first
made upon that subject at the Grand Festival in the present year . On that occasion I stated that as to an Asylum or a Building I could not and never would lend either the sanction of my name or my pecuniary assistance , inasmuch as I was convinced that it would be a useless expenditure , a waste of money , without the slightest chance of any profitable or beneficial result therefrom , but that if such project were given up and then
the brethren were disposed to form a plan fur granting Annuities which were to be taken solely from the interest of moneys collected , and not break in upon the capital , that to such a proposition I would listen . Since that time a proposition was made to me to receive a deputation on the subject , which I left unanswered in consequence of seeing a circular which the Committee had in the interim circulated , and which had misrepresented the statement I have here made , without any communication to me .
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
In the paper now communicated to me it is stated " that the sum of ^ 2000 shall be the nucleus of a Fund for the erection of the Asylum . " This I have no hesitation in saying is completely at variance with my statement . From the who ' e tenor of the paper it is clear the same disposition and inclination on the part of some individuals as to the erection of an Asjlum still remains . Now without
imputing motives to any one , there can be no doubt the Craft will be misled in supposing that I have given a silent consent tosuch a plan , which 1 am equally determined as before to resist ; therefore , unless it is clearly understood that the intention of erection an Asylum is totally abandoned , I feel myself under the necessity of declining any communication upon the subject .
I hope this will be deemed a fair answer to the application made to me , and as such I wish it to be communicated to those brethren who passed the resolutions upon which the request of an interview with me has been grounded and which I con ^ quently decline ; but to show that this determination has been taken in conformity 'Vith those opinions which have actuated the whole of my conduct in this tiansaction , I will further add , that until next April , if it please God to spare my life , I will take no further step ; but should have made advance in
the brethren at that time no the matter , I shall think myself at liberty to state my own plan , when 1 have no doubt the brethren will see which is the most feasible , and when I shall call upon the Fraternity for that assistance which I have never found them unwilling to afford when useful objects are proposed for their consideration ^ ( Signed ) Augustus F ., G . M ., To Bros . R . T . Crucefix , ] . C . McMullen , J . C . Bell , and Z . Watkins .
It was agreed that the Grand Master ' s communication should be laid before the Quarterly General Meeting on the gth October , there and then to be dealt with in such manner as might seem best to the brethren present ; and it was so dealt with , a long and elaborate exposition being prepared , in which were set forth the reasons why the subscribers to the Asylum felt themselves unable to adopt the course proposed by his Royal Highness . In this document it was , in the first place , explained for what reasons it was
considered desirable that such an Institution should be established . It was pointed out that , in the Grand Master ' s letter addressed to , and read in , Grand Lodge on the 6 th December , 1837 , "on that occasion the Grand Master declared , as to the matter proposed , that he was not unfriendly ; but in his situation as Grand Master he could not at present give to it the sanction of his name , and thus recommend it to the Grand Lodgeand the
Craft at large ; that such assent could not be obtained from him until he was satisfied that such a sum had been collected as would meet the expenses for the erection and furnishing the buildings which were proposed , as likewise give reasonable hope that some provision would be funded which , with a little addition , might enable the inhabitants of those dwellings to maintain themselves without a severe call upon the existing funds of the Grand
Lodge . " It was shown that his Royal Highness had further remarked that the brethren were annually called upon to furnish a certain number of Stewards to manage dinners for those two establishments ( the Girls' and Boys ' Schools ) , which became very irksome and expensive , and that "it would be both imprudent and improvident to impose an additional burthen upon the lodges by a call for a third Board of Stewards on the formation of
a new Institution , " the brethren having been previously cautioned " not to allow their good feelings to carry them away , and by a hasty vote peril the Charitable Institutions already existing . " Yet , these protestations notwith standing , it was argued that the Grand Lodge had unanimously agreed to " recommend the contemplated Asylum for the worthy Aged and Decayed Freemason to the favourable consideration of the Craft . " Under these
circumstances , the Committee had gone on soliciting contributions until a sum of over £ 2000 had been raised ; and in the meantime , until a sufficient amount had been raised for the erection of a building , as well as to demonstrate the utility of the scheme , the Committee had resolved on setting aside annually a sum equal to the interest on their investments , in order to provide annuities for deserving destitute brethren . Rules and regulations had also
been framed , to which no serious objections had been raised , and which might be " fairly presumed to be sufficient to preserve the benefits of the Institution to worthy and deserving objects . " It was further set forth that , though the Committee were unable to discover in what way they had , in any circular issued by them , misrepresented his Royal Hi ghness ' s views , they had ever been most anxious to conform to his wishes , as was evidenced by
the resolutions they had framed for the purpose of giving effect to his Royal Hi ghness ' s suggestions as to granting annuities and for deferring for a time the erection of the Asylum . Nevertheless the subscribers conscientiously held fast to their opinion that " the building of an Asylum , as soon as their funds will permit of its erection and endowment , will be hi ghl y advantageous to Freemasonry . " But not content with this they fun her argued that " the
sum at present vested in the names of their Provisional Trustees having been subscribed upon the faith that the Asylum should be eventually erected , " they did not consider there could exist any " right to appropriate the money so subscribed to any other purpose and that to attempt to do so would be to act in breach of faith towards those who made the members of this Institution Guardians of their bounty for that especial purpose ; " and they even ventured
to express their belief that his Royal Highness would respect them the more highly on account of the motives which actuated them " in declaring their inability to divert the application of such money from the object of the donors . " They concluded by suggesting that , as this Institution had partially adopted the principle of granting annuities , "to establish another Chanty foi granting annuities or pensions only .... would be to divide the interests
and resources of Freemasons , and weaken and embarrass the efforts of both , independently of its injurious tendency on the other two Masonic Charities , the Girls' and Boys' Schools ; and although the fears entertained by his Royal Highness in his letter of the 6 th December , 1837 , that a third Charity and Board of Stewards would probably interfere with the prosperity of the
two ( then ) existing Charities , have not been fulfilled in the progress of the Asylum for worthy Aged and Decayed Freemasons by reason of the latter Charity differing so greatl y in its objects from those previously in existence ; yet that a fourth Charity , for granting annuities , being a part ot the object of this Institution as now in operation , would not only embarrass , but in all probability peril the Charitable Institutions already existing . " [ To be continued ) .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Lancashire.
Bro . R . WYLIE next moved that too guineas be voted from the Provincial Grand Lodge fund to tha West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution . Colonel TURNER , P . P . G . T ., in seconding the motion , took the opportunity of stating that the officers of the West Lancashire Educational Institution would onl y be too glad to have the support of the brethren to a greater extent than they had at present .
Bro . R . MARTIN next moved that a committee be appointed , consisting of a member from each lodge , for drawing up bye-laws tor merging the management of the Fund of Benevolence in the Charities Committee . This was seconded by Bro . H . S . Alpass , and was agreed to , the following brethren being appointed . by the committee : Bros . H . S . Alpass , R . Wylie , J . B . Mackenzie , R . Martin , Henry A . Tobias , Cottam , Pilkington , Bagot , C . R . Holmes , D . J . Finney , and R . Brown .
the following brethren were elected on the Committee of the Hamer Benevolent Fund : Bros . J . F . Carefull , Coxon , R . Wylie , and John Beesley , George Morgan was re-elected Treas . ; H . H . Smith , Sec ; and A . D . Hesketh , Auditor . A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Bro . R . Wylie for his unwearied efforts in connection with the charity .
A special court of governors of the West Lancashire Educational Institution was then held , at which the alterations of the bye-laws recommended by the Committee were approved of . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed , the brethren members of Provincial Grand Chapter , attending the meeting of the same , which was opened on the conclusion of the Provincial Grand Lodge .
A banquet took place in the evening , to which upwards of 300 sat down , and which was catered by Mrs . Dickenson , Bro . Kenj'on , of the Shelley Arms , suppl ying the wines . After the usual loyal toasts , "The Health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . of England , " was proposed by Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of LATHOM , and responded to by Bro . ALPASS , P . G . S . B .
The toast of " The R . W . Prov . G . M . of West Lancashire , Bro . Earl of Lathom , " was proposed by Bro . Col . T . WILSON , P . P . G . S . W . West Lancashire . The gallant colonel pointed out to the brethren present that the Earl of Lathom not only set the brethren an example as a good and loyal Mason , but as a husband and father , his geniality and good nature being
worth y the appreciation of all . He pointed out the rapid strides made by the Craft since the present Grand Master had held office , and stated that the warmest thanks of all the brethren were due to the right hon . brother . The toast was received with great enthusiasm , and on the R . W . Prov . Grand Master rising to respond he met with an overwhelming ovation .
His LORDSHIP thanked the brethren for having attended the Prov . Grand Lodge so numerously that day . He congratulated the brethren on the highly satisfactory balance-sheet which had been presented in connection with the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution , and the balance of £ 1700 showed that many active and zealous brethren had been workingfor the interests of the noble Charity . He never lost an opportunity of bringing
the special feature of the Institution before brethren in other provinces when he had the opportunity , because , whilst greatly admiring the London Chanties , he considered the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution most fully met the circumstances of all the children who partook of its advantages . His lordship , after making an appeal on behalf of the Hamer Benevolent Fund , concluded by stating that he intended to hold the next annual Provincial Grand Lodge at Ulveraton . .
" The D . G . M . of West Lancashire and the Prov . Grand Officers , Present and Past , " proposed by Bro . GIBSON SINCLAIR , W . M ., was responded to by Bro . Councillor POOLE , P . G . S . VV . " The Masonic Charities , " was acknowledged by Bro . R . MARTIN , P . M . I 1 S 2 , one of the Hon . Secretaries of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution .
Other toasts followed , and a choice and most enjoyable musical programme , given by Bros . D . J . Davies , W . Quayle , W . Lewis , D . Williams , H . J . Nicholls , D . Keith , J . A . Muir , R . N . Hobart , O . J . Rowlands , and J . P . Bryan , P . G . O ., greatly enhanced the pleasures of the festivities .
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .
( Continued from page tfoj . ) This resolution , however , did not find favour with the M . W . Grand Master . The minutes of the meeting of the General Committee held on the nth September contained the following letter from Bro . W . H . White , Grand Secretary , together with a statement by the Duke of Sussex in reply to the memorial 1 Freemasons' Hall , London , 30 th August , 1 S 39 .
VV . Brother , —I am commanded by the M . W . Grand Master to state to you , in reply to your letter of the 3 rd July , requesting an audience with his Royal Highness with certain brethren on the subject of the Annuity Institution for Infirm Masons , that he wishes you and the Committee therein nominated to meet me , that I may read his Royal Highness ' s answer to the application .
The M . W . Grand Master has been induced to adopt this course to avoid all further misstatements and misapprehensions , which hitherto have always attended such communications , although it has been the constant desire of his Royal highness to be most explicit on every point . —I have , & c , ( Signed ) W . H . WHITE , G . S . To the W . Bro . R . T . Crucefix , Treas ., & c .
The Grand Master ' s reply is as follows : Soutlmick Park , Fareham , 26 th August , 1839 . Gentlemen and Brothers , —Having received from Bro . Crucefix a note communicating to me various resolutions which had been passed atdifferent meetings by several brethren who have at heart the establishment of some Institution calculated to relieve Decayed and Aged Masons , I fc-1 it incumbent upon me to repeat the statement which I first
made upon that subject at the Grand Festival in the present year . On that occasion I stated that as to an Asylum or a Building I could not and never would lend either the sanction of my name or my pecuniary assistance , inasmuch as I was convinced that it would be a useless expenditure , a waste of money , without the slightest chance of any profitable or beneficial result therefrom , but that if such project were given up and then
the brethren were disposed to form a plan fur granting Annuities which were to be taken solely from the interest of moneys collected , and not break in upon the capital , that to such a proposition I would listen . Since that time a proposition was made to me to receive a deputation on the subject , which I left unanswered in consequence of seeing a circular which the Committee had in the interim circulated , and which had misrepresented the statement I have here made , without any communication to me .
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
In the paper now communicated to me it is stated " that the sum of ^ 2000 shall be the nucleus of a Fund for the erection of the Asylum . " This I have no hesitation in saying is completely at variance with my statement . From the who ' e tenor of the paper it is clear the same disposition and inclination on the part of some individuals as to the erection of an Asjlum still remains . Now without
imputing motives to any one , there can be no doubt the Craft will be misled in supposing that I have given a silent consent tosuch a plan , which 1 am equally determined as before to resist ; therefore , unless it is clearly understood that the intention of erection an Asylum is totally abandoned , I feel myself under the necessity of declining any communication upon the subject .
I hope this will be deemed a fair answer to the application made to me , and as such I wish it to be communicated to those brethren who passed the resolutions upon which the request of an interview with me has been grounded and which I con ^ quently decline ; but to show that this determination has been taken in conformity 'Vith those opinions which have actuated the whole of my conduct in this tiansaction , I will further add , that until next April , if it please God to spare my life , I will take no further step ; but should have made advance in
the brethren at that time no the matter , I shall think myself at liberty to state my own plan , when 1 have no doubt the brethren will see which is the most feasible , and when I shall call upon the Fraternity for that assistance which I have never found them unwilling to afford when useful objects are proposed for their consideration ^ ( Signed ) Augustus F ., G . M ., To Bros . R . T . Crucefix , ] . C . McMullen , J . C . Bell , and Z . Watkins .
It was agreed that the Grand Master ' s communication should be laid before the Quarterly General Meeting on the gth October , there and then to be dealt with in such manner as might seem best to the brethren present ; and it was so dealt with , a long and elaborate exposition being prepared , in which were set forth the reasons why the subscribers to the Asylum felt themselves unable to adopt the course proposed by his Royal Highness . In this document it was , in the first place , explained for what reasons it was
considered desirable that such an Institution should be established . It was pointed out that , in the Grand Master ' s letter addressed to , and read in , Grand Lodge on the 6 th December , 1837 , "on that occasion the Grand Master declared , as to the matter proposed , that he was not unfriendly ; but in his situation as Grand Master he could not at present give to it the sanction of his name , and thus recommend it to the Grand Lodgeand the
Craft at large ; that such assent could not be obtained from him until he was satisfied that such a sum had been collected as would meet the expenses for the erection and furnishing the buildings which were proposed , as likewise give reasonable hope that some provision would be funded which , with a little addition , might enable the inhabitants of those dwellings to maintain themselves without a severe call upon the existing funds of the Grand
Lodge . " It was shown that his Royal Highness had further remarked that the brethren were annually called upon to furnish a certain number of Stewards to manage dinners for those two establishments ( the Girls' and Boys ' Schools ) , which became very irksome and expensive , and that "it would be both imprudent and improvident to impose an additional burthen upon the lodges by a call for a third Board of Stewards on the formation of
a new Institution , " the brethren having been previously cautioned " not to allow their good feelings to carry them away , and by a hasty vote peril the Charitable Institutions already existing . " Yet , these protestations notwith standing , it was argued that the Grand Lodge had unanimously agreed to " recommend the contemplated Asylum for the worthy Aged and Decayed Freemason to the favourable consideration of the Craft . " Under these
circumstances , the Committee had gone on soliciting contributions until a sum of over £ 2000 had been raised ; and in the meantime , until a sufficient amount had been raised for the erection of a building , as well as to demonstrate the utility of the scheme , the Committee had resolved on setting aside annually a sum equal to the interest on their investments , in order to provide annuities for deserving destitute brethren . Rules and regulations had also
been framed , to which no serious objections had been raised , and which might be " fairly presumed to be sufficient to preserve the benefits of the Institution to worthy and deserving objects . " It was further set forth that , though the Committee were unable to discover in what way they had , in any circular issued by them , misrepresented his Royal Hi ghness ' s views , they had ever been most anxious to conform to his wishes , as was evidenced by
the resolutions they had framed for the purpose of giving effect to his Royal Hi ghness ' s suggestions as to granting annuities and for deferring for a time the erection of the Asylum . Nevertheless the subscribers conscientiously held fast to their opinion that " the building of an Asylum , as soon as their funds will permit of its erection and endowment , will be hi ghl y advantageous to Freemasonry . " But not content with this they fun her argued that " the
sum at present vested in the names of their Provisional Trustees having been subscribed upon the faith that the Asylum should be eventually erected , " they did not consider there could exist any " right to appropriate the money so subscribed to any other purpose and that to attempt to do so would be to act in breach of faith towards those who made the members of this Institution Guardians of their bounty for that especial purpose ; " and they even ventured
to express their belief that his Royal Highness would respect them the more highly on account of the motives which actuated them " in declaring their inability to divert the application of such money from the object of the donors . " They concluded by suggesting that , as this Institution had partially adopted the principle of granting annuities , "to establish another Chanty foi granting annuities or pensions only .... would be to divide the interests
and resources of Freemasons , and weaken and embarrass the efforts of both , independently of its injurious tendency on the other two Masonic Charities , the Girls' and Boys' Schools ; and although the fears entertained by his Royal Highness in his letter of the 6 th December , 1837 , that a third Charity and Board of Stewards would probably interfere with the prosperity of the
two ( then ) existing Charities , have not been fulfilled in the progress of the Asylum for worthy Aged and Decayed Freemasons by reason of the latter Charity differing so greatl y in its objects from those previously in existence ; yet that a fourth Charity , for granting annuities , being a part ot the object of this Institution as now in operation , would not only embarrass , but in all probability peril the Charitable Institutions already existing . " [ To be continued ) .