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Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. ← Page 2 of 4 Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. Page 2 of 4 →
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United Grand Lodge.
there was any intention to make use of the Grand Master in order to stifle debate or to bring forward the name of the prerogative in order to diminish the just rights and liberties of Grand Lodge . Such a course of proceeding could only proceed from , or at least through the brethren who sit in this chair which I now occupy . It has been my good fortune often during the last two years that that worthy brother mentioned to sit in this chair , and I
think there is not one brother in this Grand Lodge can say that I have ever been guilty of wishing to curtail the liberties of Grand Lodge —( hear , hear , and cheers)—or even by word or hint or inuendo to bias unfairly the course of discussion . I think that was a charge lightly and not very discreetly thrown out , and therefore I will say no more on the subject . Now , brethren , the question which I have to consider , or which rather I have had
to consider within the last five minutes , has been this—what is the question which has been raised in this way and on which a decision is needed ? The worthy brother who raised it did not justify or formulate it in any way . It is rather , as I gather , a general and uneasy feeling in Grand Lodge that something has been done which in some degree militates against their ancient rights . Now , if that be so , 1 am the last man living who would
wish to prevent the full and free discussion of it ; but it must not be discussed hastily by a side wind in an indirect manner and without full knowledge on the part of all who attend that discussion of what they have to discuss . And therefore if it rested on that ground alone I should feel it incumbent on me for the sake of Grand Lodge whose interests are as dear to me as they are to any person in this room , yet as much as for the sake of
the Grand Master whose chair I have the honour to fill to-night , and whose position and prerogative I am bound to guard as far as they are to be guarded , I should feel it incumbent upon me to prevent discussion arising hastily , indirectly , on an important question ; but I say if there be such a feeling in Grand Lodge as that I have indicated and if a fair case can be made out , let it be discussed
here fully and fairly at the first convenient opportunity . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) There are two questions , as I gather . First of all the question of precedence itself , whether the precedence adopted upon the last occasion was right or wrong ; secondly , who has the right to authorise the precedence and to vary it ? Those , as I understand , are the two questions which have been raised , but indirectly raised . It will be for Grand Lodge
on a future day , if it thinks well , to consider them . Meanwhile , apart from this , I consider it right to rule that the only question which is before me , is whether the proceedings of the last Grand Lodge have been correctly reported , and as such believing that they are correctly reported , and , in fact , having heard nothing to the contrary from any person on
this side Grand Lodge , I must for the present put aside the question that has been raised , leaving it to be discussed probably at some future day . Therefore we shall proceed to the business . The question , therefore , is that the minutes of the Grand Festival of the 25 th April be confirmed . The motion was carried item . con .
The election of the Board of General Purposes , the Colonial Board , and Committee of Management of the Benevolent Institution was then taken , and scrutineers of votes appointed . Bro . G . P . BRITTEN asked the G . M . whether papers , which had been put into brethrens' hands on entering the hall , directing them how to vote , were issued with the knowledge or authority of the Board of General Purposes . The EARL of CARNARVON said the practice was irregular and he should be very glad to see it discontinued , but he had no further power in the
matter . Sir J . B . MONCKTON said the Board of General Purposes had nothing to do with the list . He had himself received one , but had not voted for it in its entirety . Bro . A . E . GLADWELL said it would be a satisfaction to know who paid for the printing . The following recommendations of the Lodge of Benevolence were then confirmed on the motion of Bro . J AMES BRETT , P . G . P ., seconded by Bro . G . P . BRITTEN :
£ s . d . The Widow of a brother of the Chislehurst Lodge , No . 1531 , Chislehurst ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Wellesley Lodge , No . 1809 , Sandhurst , Berkshire ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Albion Lodge , No . 0 , London ... ... 100 o o
The Widow of a brother of the Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 403 , Nottingham ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Mount Lebanon Lodge , No . 73 , London ... 100 o o A brother of the Lodge of Fidelity , No . 3 , London ... ... 150 o o The Widow of a brother of the Britannic Lodge , No . 33 , London 50 o o The report of the Board of General Purposes , which we printed in our last issue , was then taken as read , and received , and ordered to be entered
on the minutes . Sir J B . MONCKTON then rose and said : Most Worshipful Grand Master , it is my pleasing duty now , which I will discharge as briefly as possible , to move in the terms of the notice of motion placed upon this summons , viz .: That the recommendations of the Board of General Purposes with reference to the
suggested scheme of reconstruction and enlargement of the premises at Freemasons ' Hall be referred back to the Board for execution under the direction of the Grand Superintendent of Works . The circumstance of the fire that has taken place recently in the Temple is of course well-known to the whole of the brethren , and no doubt lamented by them as much as by the Board of General Purposes . It is also probably
notorious that various suggestions have been made in one place and another , viz ., in the public press with reference to the reconstruction of the Temple , the Board of General Purposes , M . W . Grand Master , of course felt it their duty to lose no time in giving their close and careful atention to the whole position in order that it might be brought preliminarily before Grand Lodge with all possible speed . I need scarcely say that
having no sort of power or authority to take any actual step in the direction of reconstruction we thought that at the same time we shall be bad men of business and Grand Lodge would have thought so had we not in some sort made enquiries of an entirely general character as to what should be likely to be for the benefit of the Craft if carried out . Those matters and the result of those enquiries are referred to in the somewhat lengthy report
that is now in the hands of the brethren , and it is hardly needful that I _ go through them again . I would say that in briefly considering the propriety or rather the expediency of removing our time honoured position to another site we had many points before us , but more especially those affecting the personal convenience of brethren , and secondly the interests of the Craft in a pecuniary and financial sense . We recollected that our that our property
United Grand Lodge.
is situated where we now stand . We remembered that even if it where thought in every other respect desirable that our Temple , as we _ call it , should be removed , that we should leave behind us a very important legal part of our property in the shape of Freemasons' Tavern and the premises adjacent to it ; and it needed no skilled advice , although we received it , to assure us that we should have very
considerably injured and irremediabl y destroyed that property if such a step were recommended and afterwards taken . The only spot which has anything to recommend it other than our own location is the Thames Embankment . There is no doubt a certain amount of convenience connected with the railways on the Thames Embankment , that probably would to some superficially seem to be an available space , as said in the report ; but we
found it would be attended by such enormous financial cost , as to be practically impossible . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) I know it was suggested by enthusiastic brethren that the moment a notice went out to the Craft for a whip of £ 1 a head it would be responded to immediately . Of course , that was hardly likely to be adopted ; and I thought , and the Board thought , it would not be a very dignified thing for the Craft to do under
the circumstances . We addressed ourselves , therefore , in order that we might be prepared to come to Grand Lodge with something like a suggestion—I cannot call it more—to the local circumstances in which we were placed . We have submitted this much—and there is no harm in my saying so—that both the firm of Messrs . Spiers and Pond , who are lessees of where we now stand , and Mr . Bacon , the lessee next door , are
willing to enter upon equitable negociations . ( Hear , hear , and cheers ) . That we have ascertained beyond doubt ; and as men of capital and men of business , we have a right to consider that , if I am entitled to mention this to Grand Lodge , to go beyond that , as I said just now , was impossible . We then felt ourselves at liberty to avail ourselves of the opinion of the Grand Superintendent of Works , whose professional standing is so high
that his opinion is bound to be listened to with as much respect as that of any man in London . ( Hear , hear . ) The result of the discussion we had with him , and the advice he gave us in very generai terms , are set out in the report before you . That report dates necessaril y as far back as the 22 nd of May , in order to be read y for the Board of Masters , but I am enabled to say here , for myself , and with the full concurrence of the Board of General
Purposes , that since that time we have been so little idle that wc have narrowed matters so far as to enable me to say this much to Grand Lodge . We firmly believe—we have every reason to believe as men of business , that if Grand Lodge decides to double the size of its present hall—the financial results are what you desire to look at—the financial cost will be to the Craft something under £ 500 a year . Looking at our
present property , and looking at the probable cost , and working out the figures all round , I feel confident , and I stand here to have recorded what I say—that in order to double the size of the Temple and make it convenient for the accommodation of twice the number of persons , viz . 750 it now holds , that is , 1500 , the cost to the Craft will be £ 500 a year more than it now stands at . Thereforebrethrenwe come
, , to Grand Lodge with the suggestion—I may call it , alternativebecause if the Grand Lodge determines not to rebuild but to reinstate , we have only to bow respectfully—we come with these two alternative schemes . We are , you may be sure fully insured ; the insurance companies will reinstate us . Let them , if you please . If you decide to rebuild let us carry it out either by the new Board of General
Purposes which you have elected to-day , or b y the addition of some brethren who may be appointed on a motion of Bro . Raynham W . Stewart , to give additional confidence to Grand Lodge . I do not know that I can say more . We were able to go into no distinct and absolute detail . I can add very little if anything to what is stated in the report , and I shall perhaps best suit the convenience of the brethren if I now content myself with simply moving :
That the recommendation of the Board of General Purposes with reference to the suggested scheme of reconstruction and enlargement of the premises at Freemasons ' Hall be referred back to the Board for execution under the direction of the Grand Superintendent of Works . ( Cheers ) . Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEWART , P . G . D ., said he had great respect for the report of the Board , and there were many points in it which he agreed withBut while
. lamenting the destruction of the Temple he thought they should erect in its place a building worthy of the name of the Craft , worthy of their Grand Master , and capable of meeting the wants of the brethren , not only those who might be with them now , but who might come after them . Because now Grand Lodge was , if he might use the expression , like a bear garden . They wanted a hall which would accommodate 1500
persons , and then they would be able to meet the wants of the brethren . What he wanted was a Committee to act with the Board of General Purposes , because it was a real question of the Craft after all what money should be laid out , what report should be brought up to Grand Lodge recommending a good scheme that would meet with the approbation of Grand Lodge . In doing that he would call attention to what they were doing that
night . The Board of General Purposes was not a fixed body . They were to-night electing a new Board . They would know what brethren would be elected on the committee and therefore if they had a committee there would not be the slightest ill-feeling towards the Board of General Purposes . Let them as men and brethren erect a building that would be an honour to the Craft and to the Grand Master . He therefore moved that
Having regard to the recent destruction of the Temple by fire , and the great increase of Masons , that it be referred to a Committee in conjunction with members of the Board of General Purposes to consider the advisability of rebuilding the Temple , or of acquiring a site to erect thereon a hall capable of meeting the wants of the Order . Bro . HAVERS said that it was only the strongest sense of duty , as well as a strong love for an institution which he had served for so many years , that
had brought him there on that occasion . But he felt he should be doing wrong to himself and to the brethren if he did not venture to trespass on their attention with a few remarks . When that hall was built Grand Lodge elected him ( Bro . Havers ) as the chairman of the building committee , and he might therefore be presumed to have some knowledge of the building and what was done , and what was the best way of doing it . He had been utterly amazed with the proposal now placed before Grand Lodee . Givintr
credit to the Board of all good intentions , let them ask themselves what was the proposal . It was that Grand Lodge should grant a sum of £ 30 , 000 or £ 35 i Ooo , plus the money received on the insurance , plus the money received from Messrs . S piers and Pond , to erect a building which was not yet even conceived . He asked himself , would you build a labourer ' s cottage , costing a couple ' of hundred pounds , without first seeing plans of that which was to be built ; certainly not . He would therefore call the attention of the Grand Lodge to what was done on the occasion to which he had referred . The
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
United Grand Lodge.
there was any intention to make use of the Grand Master in order to stifle debate or to bring forward the name of the prerogative in order to diminish the just rights and liberties of Grand Lodge . Such a course of proceeding could only proceed from , or at least through the brethren who sit in this chair which I now occupy . It has been my good fortune often during the last two years that that worthy brother mentioned to sit in this chair , and I
think there is not one brother in this Grand Lodge can say that I have ever been guilty of wishing to curtail the liberties of Grand Lodge —( hear , hear , and cheers)—or even by word or hint or inuendo to bias unfairly the course of discussion . I think that was a charge lightly and not very discreetly thrown out , and therefore I will say no more on the subject . Now , brethren , the question which I have to consider , or which rather I have had
to consider within the last five minutes , has been this—what is the question which has been raised in this way and on which a decision is needed ? The worthy brother who raised it did not justify or formulate it in any way . It is rather , as I gather , a general and uneasy feeling in Grand Lodge that something has been done which in some degree militates against their ancient rights . Now , if that be so , 1 am the last man living who would
wish to prevent the full and free discussion of it ; but it must not be discussed hastily by a side wind in an indirect manner and without full knowledge on the part of all who attend that discussion of what they have to discuss . And therefore if it rested on that ground alone I should feel it incumbent on me for the sake of Grand Lodge whose interests are as dear to me as they are to any person in this room , yet as much as for the sake of
the Grand Master whose chair I have the honour to fill to-night , and whose position and prerogative I am bound to guard as far as they are to be guarded , I should feel it incumbent upon me to prevent discussion arising hastily , indirectly , on an important question ; but I say if there be such a feeling in Grand Lodge as that I have indicated and if a fair case can be made out , let it be discussed
here fully and fairly at the first convenient opportunity . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) There are two questions , as I gather . First of all the question of precedence itself , whether the precedence adopted upon the last occasion was right or wrong ; secondly , who has the right to authorise the precedence and to vary it ? Those , as I understand , are the two questions which have been raised , but indirectly raised . It will be for Grand Lodge
on a future day , if it thinks well , to consider them . Meanwhile , apart from this , I consider it right to rule that the only question which is before me , is whether the proceedings of the last Grand Lodge have been correctly reported , and as such believing that they are correctly reported , and , in fact , having heard nothing to the contrary from any person on
this side Grand Lodge , I must for the present put aside the question that has been raised , leaving it to be discussed probably at some future day . Therefore we shall proceed to the business . The question , therefore , is that the minutes of the Grand Festival of the 25 th April be confirmed . The motion was carried item . con .
The election of the Board of General Purposes , the Colonial Board , and Committee of Management of the Benevolent Institution was then taken , and scrutineers of votes appointed . Bro . G . P . BRITTEN asked the G . M . whether papers , which had been put into brethrens' hands on entering the hall , directing them how to vote , were issued with the knowledge or authority of the Board of General Purposes . The EARL of CARNARVON said the practice was irregular and he should be very glad to see it discontinued , but he had no further power in the
matter . Sir J . B . MONCKTON said the Board of General Purposes had nothing to do with the list . He had himself received one , but had not voted for it in its entirety . Bro . A . E . GLADWELL said it would be a satisfaction to know who paid for the printing . The following recommendations of the Lodge of Benevolence were then confirmed on the motion of Bro . J AMES BRETT , P . G . P ., seconded by Bro . G . P . BRITTEN :
£ s . d . The Widow of a brother of the Chislehurst Lodge , No . 1531 , Chislehurst ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Wellesley Lodge , No . 1809 , Sandhurst , Berkshire ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Albion Lodge , No . 0 , London ... ... 100 o o
The Widow of a brother of the Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 403 , Nottingham ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Mount Lebanon Lodge , No . 73 , London ... 100 o o A brother of the Lodge of Fidelity , No . 3 , London ... ... 150 o o The Widow of a brother of the Britannic Lodge , No . 33 , London 50 o o The report of the Board of General Purposes , which we printed in our last issue , was then taken as read , and received , and ordered to be entered
on the minutes . Sir J B . MONCKTON then rose and said : Most Worshipful Grand Master , it is my pleasing duty now , which I will discharge as briefly as possible , to move in the terms of the notice of motion placed upon this summons , viz .: That the recommendations of the Board of General Purposes with reference to the
suggested scheme of reconstruction and enlargement of the premises at Freemasons ' Hall be referred back to the Board for execution under the direction of the Grand Superintendent of Works . The circumstance of the fire that has taken place recently in the Temple is of course well-known to the whole of the brethren , and no doubt lamented by them as much as by the Board of General Purposes . It is also probably
notorious that various suggestions have been made in one place and another , viz ., in the public press with reference to the reconstruction of the Temple , the Board of General Purposes , M . W . Grand Master , of course felt it their duty to lose no time in giving their close and careful atention to the whole position in order that it might be brought preliminarily before Grand Lodge with all possible speed . I need scarcely say that
having no sort of power or authority to take any actual step in the direction of reconstruction we thought that at the same time we shall be bad men of business and Grand Lodge would have thought so had we not in some sort made enquiries of an entirely general character as to what should be likely to be for the benefit of the Craft if carried out . Those matters and the result of those enquiries are referred to in the somewhat lengthy report
that is now in the hands of the brethren , and it is hardly needful that I _ go through them again . I would say that in briefly considering the propriety or rather the expediency of removing our time honoured position to another site we had many points before us , but more especially those affecting the personal convenience of brethren , and secondly the interests of the Craft in a pecuniary and financial sense . We recollected that our that our property
United Grand Lodge.
is situated where we now stand . We remembered that even if it where thought in every other respect desirable that our Temple , as we _ call it , should be removed , that we should leave behind us a very important legal part of our property in the shape of Freemasons' Tavern and the premises adjacent to it ; and it needed no skilled advice , although we received it , to assure us that we should have very
considerably injured and irremediabl y destroyed that property if such a step were recommended and afterwards taken . The only spot which has anything to recommend it other than our own location is the Thames Embankment . There is no doubt a certain amount of convenience connected with the railways on the Thames Embankment , that probably would to some superficially seem to be an available space , as said in the report ; but we
found it would be attended by such enormous financial cost , as to be practically impossible . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) I know it was suggested by enthusiastic brethren that the moment a notice went out to the Craft for a whip of £ 1 a head it would be responded to immediately . Of course , that was hardly likely to be adopted ; and I thought , and the Board thought , it would not be a very dignified thing for the Craft to do under
the circumstances . We addressed ourselves , therefore , in order that we might be prepared to come to Grand Lodge with something like a suggestion—I cannot call it more—to the local circumstances in which we were placed . We have submitted this much—and there is no harm in my saying so—that both the firm of Messrs . Spiers and Pond , who are lessees of where we now stand , and Mr . Bacon , the lessee next door , are
willing to enter upon equitable negociations . ( Hear , hear , and cheers ) . That we have ascertained beyond doubt ; and as men of capital and men of business , we have a right to consider that , if I am entitled to mention this to Grand Lodge , to go beyond that , as I said just now , was impossible . We then felt ourselves at liberty to avail ourselves of the opinion of the Grand Superintendent of Works , whose professional standing is so high
that his opinion is bound to be listened to with as much respect as that of any man in London . ( Hear , hear . ) The result of the discussion we had with him , and the advice he gave us in very generai terms , are set out in the report before you . That report dates necessaril y as far back as the 22 nd of May , in order to be read y for the Board of Masters , but I am enabled to say here , for myself , and with the full concurrence of the Board of General
Purposes , that since that time we have been so little idle that wc have narrowed matters so far as to enable me to say this much to Grand Lodge . We firmly believe—we have every reason to believe as men of business , that if Grand Lodge decides to double the size of its present hall—the financial results are what you desire to look at—the financial cost will be to the Craft something under £ 500 a year . Looking at our
present property , and looking at the probable cost , and working out the figures all round , I feel confident , and I stand here to have recorded what I say—that in order to double the size of the Temple and make it convenient for the accommodation of twice the number of persons , viz . 750 it now holds , that is , 1500 , the cost to the Craft will be £ 500 a year more than it now stands at . Thereforebrethrenwe come
, , to Grand Lodge with the suggestion—I may call it , alternativebecause if the Grand Lodge determines not to rebuild but to reinstate , we have only to bow respectfully—we come with these two alternative schemes . We are , you may be sure fully insured ; the insurance companies will reinstate us . Let them , if you please . If you decide to rebuild let us carry it out either by the new Board of General
Purposes which you have elected to-day , or b y the addition of some brethren who may be appointed on a motion of Bro . Raynham W . Stewart , to give additional confidence to Grand Lodge . I do not know that I can say more . We were able to go into no distinct and absolute detail . I can add very little if anything to what is stated in the report , and I shall perhaps best suit the convenience of the brethren if I now content myself with simply moving :
That the recommendation of the Board of General Purposes with reference to the suggested scheme of reconstruction and enlargement of the premises at Freemasons ' Hall be referred back to the Board for execution under the direction of the Grand Superintendent of Works . ( Cheers ) . Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEWART , P . G . D ., said he had great respect for the report of the Board , and there were many points in it which he agreed withBut while
. lamenting the destruction of the Temple he thought they should erect in its place a building worthy of the name of the Craft , worthy of their Grand Master , and capable of meeting the wants of the brethren , not only those who might be with them now , but who might come after them . Because now Grand Lodge was , if he might use the expression , like a bear garden . They wanted a hall which would accommodate 1500
persons , and then they would be able to meet the wants of the brethren . What he wanted was a Committee to act with the Board of General Purposes , because it was a real question of the Craft after all what money should be laid out , what report should be brought up to Grand Lodge recommending a good scheme that would meet with the approbation of Grand Lodge . In doing that he would call attention to what they were doing that
night . The Board of General Purposes was not a fixed body . They were to-night electing a new Board . They would know what brethren would be elected on the committee and therefore if they had a committee there would not be the slightest ill-feeling towards the Board of General Purposes . Let them as men and brethren erect a building that would be an honour to the Craft and to the Grand Master . He therefore moved that
Having regard to the recent destruction of the Temple by fire , and the great increase of Masons , that it be referred to a Committee in conjunction with members of the Board of General Purposes to consider the advisability of rebuilding the Temple , or of acquiring a site to erect thereon a hall capable of meeting the wants of the Order . Bro . HAVERS said that it was only the strongest sense of duty , as well as a strong love for an institution which he had served for so many years , that
had brought him there on that occasion . But he felt he should be doing wrong to himself and to the brethren if he did not venture to trespass on their attention with a few remarks . When that hall was built Grand Lodge elected him ( Bro . Havers ) as the chairman of the building committee , and he might therefore be presumed to have some knowledge of the building and what was done , and what was the best way of doing it . He had been utterly amazed with the proposal now placed before Grand Lodee . Givintr
credit to the Board of all good intentions , let them ask themselves what was the proposal . It was that Grand Lodge should grant a sum of £ 30 , 000 or £ 35 i Ooo , plus the money received on the insurance , plus the money received from Messrs . S piers and Pond , to erect a building which was not yet even conceived . He asked himself , would you build a labourer ' s cottage , costing a couple ' of hundred pounds , without first seeing plans of that which was to be built ; certainly not . He would therefore call the attention of the Grand Lodge to what was done on the occasion to which he had referred . The