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Ar00903
1 ^ ng » - y "? g I ## ^ ^ ww ' ir wv * w * RiW & 3 r && mM . SATURDAY , DECEMBER 8 , 1 S 83 . » __
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinionsexpressed by ourcorrespondents . but we wish in aspirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . 1 .
THE ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The extraordinary circular published in your last issue upon the subject of the election of a Grand Treasurer appeared at first blush to be a hoax ; but enquiries lead to the painful conclusion that it is seriously meant . Beginning with " We , the undersigned " —thoutrh there
are no undersigned—it proceeds by regular gradations to set forth what " We think , " " We further urge , " " We desire to express , " " We deprecate , " " We by no means desire , " " We believe , " " [^ disclaim , " " IVehavelearned , " and so on , until one wonders whether the three tailors of Tooley-street are yet alive . Without being hypercritical , however , and without caring to know who are the undersigned , the circular may be
denounced at once as unworthy of brother Masons . Jesuitical and specious to a degree , the purport of it is to promote strife amongst , and to proclaim war against , law-abiding members of the Order . The authors of it deprecate the splitting up of the Craft into parties , yet they earnestly appeal to the brethren to combine with them for unlawful purposes , viz .: 1 . To override the Constitutions of the Order , which provide that a Grand Treasurer shall be elected annually . 2 . To nullify the decision of Grand Lodge in March last ,
affirming the principle that the brother elected shall occupy the position for one year only . 3 . To prevent the Craft exercising their ri ght of making free choice year by year of a successor to the office . After the admission that " personally he is unknown to many of us , " their kind patronage of the present Grand Treasurer , by recommending him for re-election , is , to say the least , in questionable taste , though quite in keeping with the rest of the circular .
He was chosen the willing champion of the principle of an annual transference of the honour , and he cannot now turn his back upon it . He was entrusted with the office for 12 months and no longer , and will , one would think , be loyal to his supporters , and firmly decline to allow himself to be again nominated .
The unwary and the unreflective may possibly be induced to append their names to the circular , but the great body of the Order will be sure to be found true to the healthy principle they so warmly espoused at the last election . — Yours fraternally , N . B . HEADON , P . M . and Treas . 1426 . December 3 rd .
To the hditor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I shall be obliged if you will find space in your columns for the following remarks concerning the circular you published last week on the subject of the election of Grand Treasurer . No doubt there are many brethren to whom , as to myself , it would be a matter of indifference whether Bro . Allcroft or any other member of the Craft ,
provided he is in all respects worthy of the honour , is elected to the office in March next , were it not that there is' a grave principle at stake , a principle which Grand Lodge , when , in March of the current year , it preferred Bro . Allcroft over Bro . _ Lieut .-Col . Creaton by a " large majority , " unquestionably accepted . The too obvious design of the framers of the circular you have made public is to destroy that principle , while the ulterior effect of it , if successful , will
be to make Grand Lodge ridiculous in the eyes of all men of sense . For these reasons I crave your indulgence , even if in formulating views , which I have good reason to know are shared by very many of my fellow Masons , it should happen that I trespass too considerably on your kindness . At the outset , 1 find myself somewhat in a difficulty . The circular begins impressively with the words "We , the undersigned , " but . there are no undersignatures , and all I am able to gather as to the responsible authorship of the
said document is that Bro . Frank Richardson , a Past Grand Senior Deacon , is desirous of receiving the names of brethren who are prepared to support the candidature of Bro . Allcroft for the office of Grand Treasurer , when it becomes vacant in March next ; and include them among those of " the following members of Grand Lodge , " whose signatures are conspicuous by their absence . But this does not justify me in setting down Bro . Richardson as being either the sole author of the circular , or a chief instigator of the movement the success of which it is intended to
promote . But passing this by , it is at least a source of satisfaction to me , and doubtless to all who are of my way of thinking , that the framing of the circular should have been placed in such utterly incompetent hands . Had the writer possessed only an ordinary amount of sense and tact , he would so have veiled his true purpose as to have mystified the general body of Craftsmen into the belief that he . ' was
seriously concerned for the future welfare ot English Freemasonry , and that he really and truly believed that danger would follow if a line of policy were continued in 188 4 and following years which had been successfully inaugurated in this current year of grace . However , through his want af skill in handling difficult and delicate subjects , he has succeeded in making itapparentin every line be has written that the main ournose of his present mission is to
deprive the general body of English Freemasons of the one Nfiht and privilege—beyond that of electing thair own Grand Master—they have always possessed , but never , for sufficient reasons , asserted until the present year . To put 0 , e matter in the most favourable light , it was but a sorry contrivance to commence an appeal to the brethren tore-elect jro . Allcroft as Grand Treasurer by setting forth that" we , Jn : undersigned , have heard with concern that there is an Wention pn the part of some of our London brethren to
Original Correspondence.
propose a new candidate for election to the office of Grand I reasurer in March next , and to follow the same course in succeeding years . " When in March last Bro . Allcroft was proposed as a fit and proper candidate for the officeof Grand Treasurer in opposition to Bro . Lieut .-Col . Creaton , Bro . G . P . Britten , the latter's seconder , is reported to have said " he was very sorry to hear that there was a talk of some opposition to his ( Lieut .-Col . Creaton ' s ) re-election . " Yet
Bro . Britten ' s sorrow was unavailing to divert Grand Lodge from its purpose of electing a new Grand Treasurer in place of the old one . Again , another brother , whose name was not furnished , remarked that "it was well known that every Master of a Freemasons' lodge was anxious to wear the purple , and the collar of Grand Treasurer was the only collar the Craft had it in its power to bestow . There were men equally worthy with Col . Creaton
to wear that collar in Grand Lodge that night , and he , therefore , said it should be handed down from one to the other . " And this view was reiterated by Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C , who felt that " provided this office was a sinecure , provided that neither the solvency nor anything else in connection with the brother was brought into question in the slightest degree , and that it was purely an honorary office , then he thought that the only collar that was at
the disposal of Grand Lodge should be so placed at their disposal and fresh blood should be constantly imported into it . " The result of the discussion was that Grand Lodge elected Bro . Allcroft as Grand Treasurer " by a large majority , " a majority so decisive that the Earl of Lathom , M . W . G . M . in the chair , declared that " a poll" —which was demanded by Bro . Britten— " was quite unnecessary . " By thus resolving Grand Lodge accepted the principle that ,
as the office of Grand Treasurer was a purely honorary one , it was desirable that " new blood should constantly be imported in to it . " Therefore , I repeat , the unknown author , who was probably present on the occasion referred to and his co-signatories to the circular , whose signatures are wanting , can have no real reason for being surprised that a body of brethren who successfully enunciated an important principle in 1 S 83 should be so far forgetful of their consistency
and self-respect as not to reassert its application in 1 S 84 and succeeding years . The second and third paragraphs relate to Bro . AHcroft ' s qualifications for the office , and enumerate the reasons why it must be undesirable to remove him . We are told that Bro . Allcroft" is a brother who commands the good opinion of all ; he is a man of good means and position , has been a most liberal contributior to our Charities , and has not
only the leisure , but the inclination also to assist in this work . " There is only one fault to find with this statement , and it is that , in my opinion , if fails to describe adequately the merits of Bro . Allcroft , It is true he does not stand alone in the category of those whom the Craft must esteem it a privilege to honour ; but , while I rejoice to say there are others equally with him worthy of having distinction conferred upon them , it is beyond all question there are
none more worthy . But this beingso , lmay I venture to ask the anonymous author andhis friends what grievous injury , Bro . Allcroft has done them that they should have singled him out to be , as it were , the peg on which they may hang out in public their pitiful and groundless disappointments ? With justice may our respected brother exclaim " Save me from my friends , " and for reasons which the signatories to this circular , in their eagerness to wipe out the remembrance of
their defeat last March , appear to have lost sight of altogether . It is proposed , though Bro . Allcroft " does not come forward of his own accord , " to put him in nomination for re-election as Grand Treasurer , in which case one of two things must happen . Either he is elected , and so violates the understanding , implied or actual , between him and his supporters in March ; or , he is defeated , in which case , as the ex-champion of a principle to which he will have since
proved _ faithless , he brings a certain amount of discredit upon his hitherto unsullied fame . The supporters of this circular must be wilfully blind if they cannot see this , and Bro . Allcroft will be unture to himself if he consents to be made the tool of a disappointed party in Grand Lodge . As to the duties devolving upon the Grand Treasurer , every one knows that the changes which have taken place since 1 S 7 S have converted the office from one of grave
responsibility and trust into a purely honorary one , which any worthy and qualified brother may justly aspire to fill . This simple truth was fully recognised by Grand Lodge when it elected Bro . Allcroft as successor to Bro . Creaton ; but our circular writer and his friends [ refuse to see this , and decline to accept gracefully as men and brothers the inevitable consequences of their late defeat . To the paragraph that follows there are equally grave , if
not graver , objections . It represents it as being " very undesirable that a yearly canvass should be made , that the Craft should be divided into parties , and ( new ) elements of discord introduced by the efforts of different sections to secure the election of their particular candidate . " As regards a yearly canvass , I would point out in the first place - that it is not an inherent necessity of a yearly election ; and , in the next , that even if it were , that is no
reason why English Masons should differ so widely from the rest of their countrymen as to be unable to carry on a disputed election without introducing among themselves the elements of discord . Again , I would ask my unknown friend if , when he speaks of the possibility ofithe Craft being divided into parties , he wishes it to be understood that differences of opinion among Masons as to the eligiblity of a candidate for office or on any other subject are forbidden .
Are they all bound to follow in the direction indicated by any brother who , like him ( the said unknown ) elects to set himself up as a leader in their midst ? In other words , are Masons when they become entitled to sit in Grand Lodge and take part in its deliberations bound to si nk their individuality and become the followers , tools , or slaves of any one who has assurance enough to step forward and dictate a policy ? Why , may 1 be permitted in all innocence
to ask , may the circular-writer with all the ( selfassumed ) authority of an absolute ruler , proclaim the policy of his choice without detriment to the peaceful progress of the Craft , while another , who enjoys no such literal distinctions , must not even dream or proposing a rival policy ? Again , let me inquire of my worthy brother
what are the " old elements ot discord already existing among the members of Grand Lodge , if a yearly canvass is likely to introduce " new " elements of the same unsatisfactory character ? I have always laboured under the impression , and I believe my impression has not been without reasonable justification , that there is a good deal of fraternal feeling among Freemasons , so that , whether they disagreed as to the merits of a particular policy , or
Original Correspondence.
accepting the policy , joined issue as to the best means for giving effect to it , they readily agreed to differ , and as readily accepted the result , no matter in whose favour it declared itself . Paragraph five begins by stating that "in no other instance in Masonry is it usual or would it be considered advantageous to change the Treasurer every year . " It then goes on to " express a very decided opinion that it is
improper as well as impolitic for any section of Grand Lodge to call upon any brother to pledge himself that , if elected , he will only serve for one year ; " and it concludes by deprecating " the splitting up of the Craft , which must inevitably arise if such a course of action is pursued . As regards the first of these allegations , I would point out that " in no ether instance in Masonry " the duties of
are a Treasurer merely nominal , the office a purely honorary one . In Provincial Grand Lodges and in private lodges , the position of Treasurer is one of great trust and responsibility . He is mostly a brother who has already won high distinction in the lodge or lodges of which he is a member , and , though his . election to the Treasurership may confer additional honour ,
it likewise places upon him a serious and responsible charge . The office of Grand Treasurer is one of great dignity ; but it involves no expenditure of time and entails no responsibility whatever . There is then no parallelism between the " other instances in Masonry , " in which it is the rule to elect a Treasurer , and Grand Lodge . Then , though it may be highly improper for any section of Grand
Lodge to bind a brother to observe any particular line of conduct , no amount of argument will persuade me that , when a brother has allowed himself to be put forward as the nominee or champion of a particular policy , his quondam opponents , because in the meantime they have learned to appreciate his high qualities , are justified in thrusting him unasked into a position of antagonism to his quondam
supporters . It is only a man ' s enemies who would willingly force him into such a dilemma . As to the splitting up of the Craft , I have already suggested that Masons are not the men I take them for if they cannot engage in a disputed election even once a year without introducing among themselves the elements of discord . _ As regards the stress laid on the fact that the Grand
Treasurer is an ex officio Trustee of the Charities and the services he is able to render in the latter capacity , 1 venture to say that Bro . Allcroft , like Bro . Creaton befora him , will be equally capable of helping forward our Institutions , whether he takes rank in Grand Lodge from March next as Grand Treasurer or Past Grand Treasurer . It is but the other day he regretted his duties were so light ,
but , in spite of this , the circular would have us believe they must be very important , if not very onerous . Which is the more trustworthy of these rival views , 1 must leave it to your readers to judge . 1 fear I have written , even on asubject of such importance as this is , at an inordinate length , but the tenour of this anonymous circular must be my apology . Its one care
is that the brother who may be elected Grand Treasurer in March next shall be acceptable in the eyes of the writer and those with whom he is acting and of whom , for aught I know to the contrary , he may be the mouthpiece . I am battling for the principle which was advocated by the supporters of Bro . Allcroft , when they proposed him as a candidate for the Treasurership , and was accepted by Grand
Lodge when it elected their nominee in preference to a brother of equal merit and greater experience . Its author places the issue at stake on the narrow ground of personal qualifications , though he knows full well the personal qualifications of Bro . Allcroft , as was the case in March last with those of Bro . LieuL . Col . Creaton , are entirely
beside the question . 1 claim to place it on the broad and generous ground of principle , and if this letter even in the slightest degree helps to make this and the nature and importance of the principle involved somewhat clearer than heretofore to the readers of the Freemason , my letter will not have been written in vain . —Faithfullv and fraternally
yours , TENAX PROPOSITI .
LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF LODGES " To the Editor of the "Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , Bro . Horder , of Cardiff , calls attention to what hasalwaysappeared to meadefectin Craft Masonry , viz ., the absence of a rule to allow a member to pay a lump sum to secure him life membership of a certain lodge .
the payment of a composition for life is allowed in all the other Degrees of Freemasonry , and I can sec no objection to any brother paying a sum in order to keep his name on the books of his lodge as a non-active or country member . Through sudden misfortune a worthy Mason may not be able to pay the £ 3 3 s . or £ 5 5 s ., the annual subscription , and is in consequence lost to the Craft for ever . —Yours fraternally , OBSERVER .
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In reply to letter in to-day's Freemason there are several lodges in Aberdeen "where the members arc allowed on payment of a lump sum ( ten years' annual contributions ) to become life members . " —Yours fraternally ;
ALEX . INKSON Mc CONNOCHIE , PM ., P . G . Treasurer , Aberdeen City , ... . Prov . Grand Lodge 74 , Umon-st ., Aberdeen , 1 st Dec .
THE ALLOCUTION OF THE GREAT PRIOR OF CANADA . To the Editor of the " Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , I trust you will permit me some little space in the columns of the Freemason to reply to the very cutting criticism on mv last "Allocution " delivered before the
Great Priory of Canada , which appeared in your issue of the 25 th August , 1 SS 3 , but only very lately seen by me . The history of Freemasonry is necessarily hard to find , the snows of time having obliterated the footprints of our ancient brethren , and the only chance we have of recovering the " back track " is by careful enquiry and fraternal
co-operation in suggestive thoughts . The theory of Bro . Carson , of Ohio , U . S . of America , appears to me to commend itself very closely indeed to my mind , and for the following reasons , viz . : The earliest published records of Freemasonry , Stone Masons , & c , are in A . D . 1400 ; those in Germany , 1450 ( see Steinbrennar ' s History , p . 84 , published in New York by Macoy and Sickles in 1 S 64 ); and in Scotland , 1437 ( see Greenlears
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00903
1 ^ ng » - y "? g I ## ^ ^ ww ' ir wv * w * RiW & 3 r && mM . SATURDAY , DECEMBER 8 , 1 S 83 . » __
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinionsexpressed by ourcorrespondents . but we wish in aspirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . 1 .
THE ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The extraordinary circular published in your last issue upon the subject of the election of a Grand Treasurer appeared at first blush to be a hoax ; but enquiries lead to the painful conclusion that it is seriously meant . Beginning with " We , the undersigned " —thoutrh there
are no undersigned—it proceeds by regular gradations to set forth what " We think , " " We further urge , " " We desire to express , " " We deprecate , " " We by no means desire , " " We believe , " " [^ disclaim , " " IVehavelearned , " and so on , until one wonders whether the three tailors of Tooley-street are yet alive . Without being hypercritical , however , and without caring to know who are the undersigned , the circular may be
denounced at once as unworthy of brother Masons . Jesuitical and specious to a degree , the purport of it is to promote strife amongst , and to proclaim war against , law-abiding members of the Order . The authors of it deprecate the splitting up of the Craft into parties , yet they earnestly appeal to the brethren to combine with them for unlawful purposes , viz .: 1 . To override the Constitutions of the Order , which provide that a Grand Treasurer shall be elected annually . 2 . To nullify the decision of Grand Lodge in March last ,
affirming the principle that the brother elected shall occupy the position for one year only . 3 . To prevent the Craft exercising their ri ght of making free choice year by year of a successor to the office . After the admission that " personally he is unknown to many of us , " their kind patronage of the present Grand Treasurer , by recommending him for re-election , is , to say the least , in questionable taste , though quite in keeping with the rest of the circular .
He was chosen the willing champion of the principle of an annual transference of the honour , and he cannot now turn his back upon it . He was entrusted with the office for 12 months and no longer , and will , one would think , be loyal to his supporters , and firmly decline to allow himself to be again nominated .
The unwary and the unreflective may possibly be induced to append their names to the circular , but the great body of the Order will be sure to be found true to the healthy principle they so warmly espoused at the last election . — Yours fraternally , N . B . HEADON , P . M . and Treas . 1426 . December 3 rd .
To the hditor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I shall be obliged if you will find space in your columns for the following remarks concerning the circular you published last week on the subject of the election of Grand Treasurer . No doubt there are many brethren to whom , as to myself , it would be a matter of indifference whether Bro . Allcroft or any other member of the Craft ,
provided he is in all respects worthy of the honour , is elected to the office in March next , were it not that there is' a grave principle at stake , a principle which Grand Lodge , when , in March of the current year , it preferred Bro . Allcroft over Bro . _ Lieut .-Col . Creaton by a " large majority , " unquestionably accepted . The too obvious design of the framers of the circular you have made public is to destroy that principle , while the ulterior effect of it , if successful , will
be to make Grand Lodge ridiculous in the eyes of all men of sense . For these reasons I crave your indulgence , even if in formulating views , which I have good reason to know are shared by very many of my fellow Masons , it should happen that I trespass too considerably on your kindness . At the outset , 1 find myself somewhat in a difficulty . The circular begins impressively with the words "We , the undersigned , " but . there are no undersignatures , and all I am able to gather as to the responsible authorship of the
said document is that Bro . Frank Richardson , a Past Grand Senior Deacon , is desirous of receiving the names of brethren who are prepared to support the candidature of Bro . Allcroft for the office of Grand Treasurer , when it becomes vacant in March next ; and include them among those of " the following members of Grand Lodge , " whose signatures are conspicuous by their absence . But this does not justify me in setting down Bro . Richardson as being either the sole author of the circular , or a chief instigator of the movement the success of which it is intended to
promote . But passing this by , it is at least a source of satisfaction to me , and doubtless to all who are of my way of thinking , that the framing of the circular should have been placed in such utterly incompetent hands . Had the writer possessed only an ordinary amount of sense and tact , he would so have veiled his true purpose as to have mystified the general body of Craftsmen into the belief that he . ' was
seriously concerned for the future welfare ot English Freemasonry , and that he really and truly believed that danger would follow if a line of policy were continued in 188 4 and following years which had been successfully inaugurated in this current year of grace . However , through his want af skill in handling difficult and delicate subjects , he has succeeded in making itapparentin every line be has written that the main ournose of his present mission is to
deprive the general body of English Freemasons of the one Nfiht and privilege—beyond that of electing thair own Grand Master—they have always possessed , but never , for sufficient reasons , asserted until the present year . To put 0 , e matter in the most favourable light , it was but a sorry contrivance to commence an appeal to the brethren tore-elect jro . Allcroft as Grand Treasurer by setting forth that" we , Jn : undersigned , have heard with concern that there is an Wention pn the part of some of our London brethren to
Original Correspondence.
propose a new candidate for election to the office of Grand I reasurer in March next , and to follow the same course in succeeding years . " When in March last Bro . Allcroft was proposed as a fit and proper candidate for the officeof Grand Treasurer in opposition to Bro . Lieut .-Col . Creaton , Bro . G . P . Britten , the latter's seconder , is reported to have said " he was very sorry to hear that there was a talk of some opposition to his ( Lieut .-Col . Creaton ' s ) re-election . " Yet
Bro . Britten ' s sorrow was unavailing to divert Grand Lodge from its purpose of electing a new Grand Treasurer in place of the old one . Again , another brother , whose name was not furnished , remarked that "it was well known that every Master of a Freemasons' lodge was anxious to wear the purple , and the collar of Grand Treasurer was the only collar the Craft had it in its power to bestow . There were men equally worthy with Col . Creaton
to wear that collar in Grand Lodge that night , and he , therefore , said it should be handed down from one to the other . " And this view was reiterated by Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C , who felt that " provided this office was a sinecure , provided that neither the solvency nor anything else in connection with the brother was brought into question in the slightest degree , and that it was purely an honorary office , then he thought that the only collar that was at
the disposal of Grand Lodge should be so placed at their disposal and fresh blood should be constantly imported into it . " The result of the discussion was that Grand Lodge elected Bro . Allcroft as Grand Treasurer " by a large majority , " a majority so decisive that the Earl of Lathom , M . W . G . M . in the chair , declared that " a poll" —which was demanded by Bro . Britten— " was quite unnecessary . " By thus resolving Grand Lodge accepted the principle that ,
as the office of Grand Treasurer was a purely honorary one , it was desirable that " new blood should constantly be imported in to it . " Therefore , I repeat , the unknown author , who was probably present on the occasion referred to and his co-signatories to the circular , whose signatures are wanting , can have no real reason for being surprised that a body of brethren who successfully enunciated an important principle in 1 S 83 should be so far forgetful of their consistency
and self-respect as not to reassert its application in 1 S 84 and succeeding years . The second and third paragraphs relate to Bro . AHcroft ' s qualifications for the office , and enumerate the reasons why it must be undesirable to remove him . We are told that Bro . Allcroft" is a brother who commands the good opinion of all ; he is a man of good means and position , has been a most liberal contributior to our Charities , and has not
only the leisure , but the inclination also to assist in this work . " There is only one fault to find with this statement , and it is that , in my opinion , if fails to describe adequately the merits of Bro . Allcroft , It is true he does not stand alone in the category of those whom the Craft must esteem it a privilege to honour ; but , while I rejoice to say there are others equally with him worthy of having distinction conferred upon them , it is beyond all question there are
none more worthy . But this beingso , lmay I venture to ask the anonymous author andhis friends what grievous injury , Bro . Allcroft has done them that they should have singled him out to be , as it were , the peg on which they may hang out in public their pitiful and groundless disappointments ? With justice may our respected brother exclaim " Save me from my friends , " and for reasons which the signatories to this circular , in their eagerness to wipe out the remembrance of
their defeat last March , appear to have lost sight of altogether . It is proposed , though Bro . Allcroft " does not come forward of his own accord , " to put him in nomination for re-election as Grand Treasurer , in which case one of two things must happen . Either he is elected , and so violates the understanding , implied or actual , between him and his supporters in March ; or , he is defeated , in which case , as the ex-champion of a principle to which he will have since
proved _ faithless , he brings a certain amount of discredit upon his hitherto unsullied fame . The supporters of this circular must be wilfully blind if they cannot see this , and Bro . Allcroft will be unture to himself if he consents to be made the tool of a disappointed party in Grand Lodge . As to the duties devolving upon the Grand Treasurer , every one knows that the changes which have taken place since 1 S 7 S have converted the office from one of grave
responsibility and trust into a purely honorary one , which any worthy and qualified brother may justly aspire to fill . This simple truth was fully recognised by Grand Lodge when it elected Bro . Allcroft as successor to Bro . Creaton ; but our circular writer and his friends [ refuse to see this , and decline to accept gracefully as men and brothers the inevitable consequences of their late defeat . To the paragraph that follows there are equally grave , if
not graver , objections . It represents it as being " very undesirable that a yearly canvass should be made , that the Craft should be divided into parties , and ( new ) elements of discord introduced by the efforts of different sections to secure the election of their particular candidate . " As regards a yearly canvass , I would point out in the first place - that it is not an inherent necessity of a yearly election ; and , in the next , that even if it were , that is no
reason why English Masons should differ so widely from the rest of their countrymen as to be unable to carry on a disputed election without introducing among themselves the elements of discord . Again , I would ask my unknown friend if , when he speaks of the possibility ofithe Craft being divided into parties , he wishes it to be understood that differences of opinion among Masons as to the eligiblity of a candidate for office or on any other subject are forbidden .
Are they all bound to follow in the direction indicated by any brother who , like him ( the said unknown ) elects to set himself up as a leader in their midst ? In other words , are Masons when they become entitled to sit in Grand Lodge and take part in its deliberations bound to si nk their individuality and become the followers , tools , or slaves of any one who has assurance enough to step forward and dictate a policy ? Why , may 1 be permitted in all innocence
to ask , may the circular-writer with all the ( selfassumed ) authority of an absolute ruler , proclaim the policy of his choice without detriment to the peaceful progress of the Craft , while another , who enjoys no such literal distinctions , must not even dream or proposing a rival policy ? Again , let me inquire of my worthy brother
what are the " old elements ot discord already existing among the members of Grand Lodge , if a yearly canvass is likely to introduce " new " elements of the same unsatisfactory character ? I have always laboured under the impression , and I believe my impression has not been without reasonable justification , that there is a good deal of fraternal feeling among Freemasons , so that , whether they disagreed as to the merits of a particular policy , or
Original Correspondence.
accepting the policy , joined issue as to the best means for giving effect to it , they readily agreed to differ , and as readily accepted the result , no matter in whose favour it declared itself . Paragraph five begins by stating that "in no other instance in Masonry is it usual or would it be considered advantageous to change the Treasurer every year . " It then goes on to " express a very decided opinion that it is
improper as well as impolitic for any section of Grand Lodge to call upon any brother to pledge himself that , if elected , he will only serve for one year ; " and it concludes by deprecating " the splitting up of the Craft , which must inevitably arise if such a course of action is pursued . As regards the first of these allegations , I would point out that " in no ether instance in Masonry " the duties of
are a Treasurer merely nominal , the office a purely honorary one . In Provincial Grand Lodges and in private lodges , the position of Treasurer is one of great trust and responsibility . He is mostly a brother who has already won high distinction in the lodge or lodges of which he is a member , and , though his . election to the Treasurership may confer additional honour ,
it likewise places upon him a serious and responsible charge . The office of Grand Treasurer is one of great dignity ; but it involves no expenditure of time and entails no responsibility whatever . There is then no parallelism between the " other instances in Masonry , " in which it is the rule to elect a Treasurer , and Grand Lodge . Then , though it may be highly improper for any section of Grand
Lodge to bind a brother to observe any particular line of conduct , no amount of argument will persuade me that , when a brother has allowed himself to be put forward as the nominee or champion of a particular policy , his quondam opponents , because in the meantime they have learned to appreciate his high qualities , are justified in thrusting him unasked into a position of antagonism to his quondam
supporters . It is only a man ' s enemies who would willingly force him into such a dilemma . As to the splitting up of the Craft , I have already suggested that Masons are not the men I take them for if they cannot engage in a disputed election even once a year without introducing among themselves the elements of discord . _ As regards the stress laid on the fact that the Grand
Treasurer is an ex officio Trustee of the Charities and the services he is able to render in the latter capacity , 1 venture to say that Bro . Allcroft , like Bro . Creaton befora him , will be equally capable of helping forward our Institutions , whether he takes rank in Grand Lodge from March next as Grand Treasurer or Past Grand Treasurer . It is but the other day he regretted his duties were so light ,
but , in spite of this , the circular would have us believe they must be very important , if not very onerous . Which is the more trustworthy of these rival views , 1 must leave it to your readers to judge . 1 fear I have written , even on asubject of such importance as this is , at an inordinate length , but the tenour of this anonymous circular must be my apology . Its one care
is that the brother who may be elected Grand Treasurer in March next shall be acceptable in the eyes of the writer and those with whom he is acting and of whom , for aught I know to the contrary , he may be the mouthpiece . I am battling for the principle which was advocated by the supporters of Bro . Allcroft , when they proposed him as a candidate for the Treasurership , and was accepted by Grand
Lodge when it elected their nominee in preference to a brother of equal merit and greater experience . Its author places the issue at stake on the narrow ground of personal qualifications , though he knows full well the personal qualifications of Bro . Allcroft , as was the case in March last with those of Bro . LieuL . Col . Creaton , are entirely
beside the question . 1 claim to place it on the broad and generous ground of principle , and if this letter even in the slightest degree helps to make this and the nature and importance of the principle involved somewhat clearer than heretofore to the readers of the Freemason , my letter will not have been written in vain . —Faithfullv and fraternally
yours , TENAX PROPOSITI .
LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF LODGES " To the Editor of the "Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , Bro . Horder , of Cardiff , calls attention to what hasalwaysappeared to meadefectin Craft Masonry , viz ., the absence of a rule to allow a member to pay a lump sum to secure him life membership of a certain lodge .
the payment of a composition for life is allowed in all the other Degrees of Freemasonry , and I can sec no objection to any brother paying a sum in order to keep his name on the books of his lodge as a non-active or country member . Through sudden misfortune a worthy Mason may not be able to pay the £ 3 3 s . or £ 5 5 s ., the annual subscription , and is in consequence lost to the Craft for ever . —Yours fraternally , OBSERVER .
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In reply to letter in to-day's Freemason there are several lodges in Aberdeen "where the members arc allowed on payment of a lump sum ( ten years' annual contributions ) to become life members . " —Yours fraternally ;
ALEX . INKSON Mc CONNOCHIE , PM ., P . G . Treasurer , Aberdeen City , ... . Prov . Grand Lodge 74 , Umon-st ., Aberdeen , 1 st Dec .
THE ALLOCUTION OF THE GREAT PRIOR OF CANADA . To the Editor of the " Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , I trust you will permit me some little space in the columns of the Freemason to reply to the very cutting criticism on mv last "Allocution " delivered before the
Great Priory of Canada , which appeared in your issue of the 25 th August , 1 SS 3 , but only very lately seen by me . The history of Freemasonry is necessarily hard to find , the snows of time having obliterated the footprints of our ancient brethren , and the only chance we have of recovering the " back track " is by careful enquiry and fraternal
co-operation in suggestive thoughts . The theory of Bro . Carson , of Ohio , U . S . of America , appears to me to commend itself very closely indeed to my mind , and for the following reasons , viz . : The earliest published records of Freemasonry , Stone Masons , & c , are in A . D . 1400 ; those in Germany , 1450 ( see Steinbrennar ' s History , p . 84 , published in New York by Macoy and Sickles in 1 S 64 ); and in Scotland , 1437 ( see Greenlears