Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00200
W ' p . svish lo nsk our P . ro . IlniKRT a question . Wo knosv him to benn honest man , and for the information of our Anglo-Saxon brotherhood , sve think it svell , as this statement has been openly made both in Paris and England , to invite him fraternally and courteously , if he thinks svell , to reply to our not unnatural queries . We have heard for some time of
progressive alterations for the svorst in the French ritual . We have received accounts of open impiety , irreligion , and even svhat sve may term Atheistic profanity .. The Figaro of Paris makes the follosving statement , svhich has appeared in a Roman Catholic paper in London , ' and svhat sve want to knosv of Bro . HUBERT , ! S it true '* ' is * it approaching to truth !** is it
likely , is it possible to have happened ? Until sve hear from him sve suspend our osvn commentary : " Here in France the sect is simply an atheistic church ,-svith dogmas of ils osvn , svhich every candidate is bound to accept , as is the convert svho holds dosvn his head for Baptism and recites the Creed of Pope Pius IV . An English Protestant , svho had been for a long svhile
a Freemason at home , svas insitcd to attend the meetings of a certain lodge in Paris . He had alsvays believed that Masonry svas a semi-religious sect , in svhich vencr ' ation of the Great Architect of the 1 r niversc ssas fruitful in philanthropy and charity of all kinds . The conversion and resignation of ihe Marquis of RIPON had unsettled him ; but the thought that the
Prince of WAI . ES svas his successor , and that thc 'Established Church tolerates , if it does not encourage Masonry , consoled him . The follosving is his narration of thc ceremony of initiation , aparl from the usual secret rites , svhich he refused to reveal . ' I svas amazed , ' he said , ' to find that the lirst question asked of Ihe neophyte svas svhether he
believed in ihe existence of GOD , Some hesitation svas shosvn in the anssver , and one of the presiding Masons svas asked to explain to him that Masonry svith the true ring about it necessarily implied the abolition of all monarchy , and above . all , the destruction of the delusis'e idea of GOD in the svorld . The candidate svas next asked svhether he had
allosved his children lo" be baptized . He anssvercd in tho affirmative . He was then told that if he svould be true to the Craft he svould have to promise that his next children svould not receive Baptism , and that those already Baptized svould not be permitted to receive their First Communion . The candidate submitted that his svife svas a devoted Roman Catholic , and that his
children svould consider him a tyrant if he obeyed the behests of thc sect . To this the reply svas that svomen svere alsvays obscurantists , and that ho must be master in his osvn house . The neophyte svas asked to pledge
himself to die svithout a priest and to be " civilly interred . He asked for time to reflet , and afterwards joined an English Lodge . ' This is Continental Masonry 1 " * «
IT has been suggested that Past Master ' s certificates should be issued by Grand Lodge . Wc can see no " a priori" reason against such a proposal , except its novelty , as it svould certainly add to the funds of
Grand Lodge in a most unobjectionable form , and sve might give up then all Fees of Honour and Charity Medals , Sec , to the Fund of Benevolence , svhich wants strengthening . We are inclined " pace " our authorities to deem the matter svell svorthy of careful consideration .
» THE report of Bro . R . P . HARDING , Auditor for 1883 , is both satisfactory and striking . The receipts of the Fund of Benevolence amount to £ 11 , 312 125 . 3 d . Of this amount , £ 1410 95 . ind . represent dividends on £ ' 47 , 016 ios . fid . ; £ 7615 4 s . Sd . arc thc contributions of lodges to tlu Fund ; £ 14283 .
represent tsvo small items of fees of honourand ' . lhe Calendar ; £ 2134 ps . gd . svere borrosved from Fund of General Purposes . Per contra , £ 8364 14 s . 8 d . svas given in charity ; £ 2112 17 s . 7 d . svas paid back to General Purposes -, £ Soo svas given to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ; and £ 55 is the sum for printing summonses at each monthly meeting of the Board .
For the Fund of General Purposes lo end of 1 SS 3 the nmount begins with a balance of £ 1318 Hi . fid . Dividends amount to £ 678 6 s . Sd ., rents lo £ 2904 lis . od .. contributions of lodges to £ 7426 12 s . Sd ., and fees of honour to £ 106 13 s . fid . Three small items—sale of Book of Constitutions , charity medals , and . Grand Lodge reports—amount to £ 278 7 s . The Supreme
Grand Chapter contributes for salaries £ 474 7 s . *** d . The insurances amount to £ 8750 , and loan to Fund of Benevolence £ 2112 17 s . 7 d . ; in all £ 23 , 900 ns . gd ., the insurances making the amount larger than usual . On December 31 st , 1 S 8 3 , the stock of this fund amounted to £ 31 , 150 . Payments , including salaries ( £ 3392 ios . ) and repairs , all rates and
taxesand normal and abnormal expenses , amount to £ 7013 1 is . 8 d . £ 13 , 032 ios . have been invested . There is a balance in hand of £ 1357 12 s . Sd ., and £ 259 ifis . 3 d . in GRAND SECRETARY ' S hands , and the balance of £ 2134 9 s . gd . is represented by the amount overdrawn b y Fund of Benevolence , £ 2134 9 s . yd . Thus it svill be seen that our funds are flourishing and progressis-o .
# # WE are informed than an edict by the Grand Lodge of Quebec is in preparation , i ( not printed , as against the Montreal Lodges . The proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Quebec have been so absurd , that sve hardly have deemed it right to take notice of them , and the idea that such
and similar acts have any effect on English Masons , is so illfounded , that sve wonder any svriter in American or Canadian Masonic papers can take the trouble to svrite such utter " Bunkum . " Such a step on the part of the
Grand Lodge of Ouebec may lead to vcry serious consequences , but until it is officially before us sve need say no more . The Montreal Lodges have dqnc nothing to forfeit their Masonic position , or to disentitle them to their privileges as lasvful bodies of Freemasons under the English * jurisdiction .
* # WE notice the remarks of Bro . VAUX in the foreign correspondence ol ihe Giand Lodge of Pennsylvania as regards the three Montreal lodges ,
Ar00201
svith no little surprise and regret . What is there slated is merely an announcement of the MONRO Doctrine , and of American Stale rights as applied to Cosmopolitan Freemasonry . This novel and Masonically unsound doctrine may be perfectly good and right in America , svhere the exigencies of the States are overposvering . But it svill hot and
cannot be accepted by the English Grand Lodge . Only a short time back our GRAND REGISTRAR clearly laid dosvn the lasv on thc subject , on which ourGrand Lodge has ever acted . When Colonial bodies become Grand Lodges by the svish of an os-ersvhclming majority , our Grand Lodge ever demands a protection for the rights of the minority . The Foreign
Correspondence Committee of Pennsylvania has in addition forgotten the deliberate Concordat of the Grand Lodge of Canada , and unless sve are to hear of a Masonic doctrine of repudiation , both by the lasv of Masonry and the basis of an honourable understanding binding before the svorld and
Freemasons , sve in England shall uphold the legality of the Montreal Lodges in every respect . We shall again on both these grounds call attention to the subject shortly , for thc position of the Grand Lodgeof Ouebec as before ihe law must also be taken into account .
( : # # WITHOUT entering into any question further than thc actual bearing of these fesv lines , sve regret much to see in the Times of Thursday , a letter signed
" KARL BLIND , " as any such semi-apology for shameful ancl brutal attempted assassination in these dynamite and N'ihilislicdaysof outrage and cowardice , sve hold to be most alarming and dangerous . We repeat sve regret fo note such a communication appears in our leading English journal .
United Grand Lodge.
UNITED GRAND LODGE .
Thc follosving business is on the agenda for transaction at the Quarterly . Communication of Grand Lodge to lie held al Freemasons ' " " Hall on Wednesday next , ' 4 th June :--1 . The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 5 th March for confirmation .
2 . The minutes of the Special Grand Lodge of the 24 th April for confirmation , 3 . The minutes ofthe Grand Festival of the 30 th April for confirmation . 4 . Thc minutes of the Special Grand Lodge , at Peterborough , of the 7 th May for confirmation . , - ; . Election of members of the Board of General Purposes , fr . Election of members of thc Colonial Board .
7 . Election of a Grand Lodge Auditor . 8 . Election of members for the Committee of Management of thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons . ( Vide lists of names of the brethren nominated for the several Boards and
Committees belosv ) . 9 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in svhich are recommendations for the follosving grants : The svidosv of a brother of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 29 S , Rochdale £ 5 ° o o The svidosv of a brother of the St . John's Lodge , No . 90 , London ... 100 o o The svidosv of a brother of thc Lodge of Harmony , No . 29 S ,
Rochdale ... 75 o . o The svidow of a brother of thc Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . 19 , London 75 ° o The svidosv of a brother of the Lodge of I ' nanimity and Sincerity , No . 2 C 1 , Taunton 50 o o The svidosv of a brother of the Surrey Lodge , No . 416 , Rcigate ... 75 o o A brother of the Portland Lodtre , No . 1037 , Portland so o o
A brother ofthe Sutherland Lodge , No . 451 , Burslem 50 00 Thc svidosv of a brother of thc Victoria Lodge , No . 1056 , London ... so o o The svidosv of a brother of thc Phcenix Lodge , No . 257 , Portsmouth 50 o o A brother of the Fosvcy Lodge , No . 977 , Fosvey 75 o b A brother of the Atholl Lodge , No . 74 , Birmingham ... . ... ... 100 o o A brother of the Headon Lodge , No . Cih , Dulsvich 100 o o A brother of the St . Matthew ' s Lodge , No . 1447 , Barton-on-IIumber 150 o o The svidosv of a brother of the Westbourne Lodge , No . 733 , London 50 o o
Thc svidosv ofa brother of thc St . Peter's Lodge , No . 4 S 1 , Newcastleon-Tyne S . « " Thc svidosv of a brother of the St . Thomas' Lodge , No . 142 , London 50 o o A brother of the Stuart Lodge , No . 1632 , London 75 o o Thc svidosv of a brother ' of the All Souls' Lodge , No . 170 , Weymouth 50 o o The svidosv of a brother of the Granite Lodge , No . 132 S , London ... 50 o o The widosv of a brother of thc Royal Kensington Lodge , No . 1627 , London 15 ° o o A brother of the West Smithfield Lodge , No . 1 O 23 , London ... 50 o o
10 . REPORT or THE BOARD < IF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts , at the meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 16 th day of May inst ., showing a balance in the Bank of England of £ 5830 ios . id ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash £ 100 , and for servants' svages £ 100 , and balance of annual allowance for library £ 17 is . 2 d . ( Signed ) J B . MONCKTON , President .
Freemasons' Hall , London , VV . C , May 20 th , 1884 . At the meeting of the Board held on Tuesday , the 20 th of May , after the ordinary business had been disposed of , thc follosving resolution was passed : " The Board have heard svith great regret that Bro . Sir John Monckton has signified his wish not to be reappointed President for the ensuing year . While * tendering to him their best thanks for the able and efficient manner he has presided over them during the past year , and
for his unfailing courtesy to all the members , the Board desire to express their high appreciation ofthe distinguished services Bro . Sir John Monckton has rendered to the Craft-during the 10 years he has occupied the chair , and particularly of the . zeal and ability he has displayed in conducting the many arduous and important duties svhich during his period of office have been undertaken and successfully discharged by the Board and its various Committees . " ( "Signed ) RALPH Cr . uTT 0 . v > Vice-President .
11 . The annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widossis of Freemasons , dated the ifith May , 1884 , will be laid before Grand Lodge . 12 . Appeal of Bro . Thomas D . Marston , of the Lodge of- Hope and . Perseverance , No . 782 , Lahore , against a ruling of the District Grand . Master of the Punjab relative to the election of a joining member of that lodge by acclamation .
( N . B . —The papers relating to this appeal . svill be in the Grand Secretary's . office till the meeting of Grand Lodge , and open for the inspection of the brethren during office hours . ) .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00200
W ' p . svish lo nsk our P . ro . IlniKRT a question . Wo knosv him to benn honest man , and for the information of our Anglo-Saxon brotherhood , sve think it svell , as this statement has been openly made both in Paris and England , to invite him fraternally and courteously , if he thinks svell , to reply to our not unnatural queries . We have heard for some time of
progressive alterations for the svorst in the French ritual . We have received accounts of open impiety , irreligion , and even svhat sve may term Atheistic profanity .. The Figaro of Paris makes the follosving statement , svhich has appeared in a Roman Catholic paper in London , ' and svhat sve want to knosv of Bro . HUBERT , ! S it true '* ' is * it approaching to truth !** is it
likely , is it possible to have happened ? Until sve hear from him sve suspend our osvn commentary : " Here in France the sect is simply an atheistic church ,-svith dogmas of ils osvn , svhich every candidate is bound to accept , as is the convert svho holds dosvn his head for Baptism and recites the Creed of Pope Pius IV . An English Protestant , svho had been for a long svhile
a Freemason at home , svas insitcd to attend the meetings of a certain lodge in Paris . He had alsvays believed that Masonry svas a semi-religious sect , in svhich vencr ' ation of the Great Architect of the 1 r niversc ssas fruitful in philanthropy and charity of all kinds . The conversion and resignation of ihe Marquis of RIPON had unsettled him ; but the thought that the
Prince of WAI . ES svas his successor , and that thc 'Established Church tolerates , if it does not encourage Masonry , consoled him . The follosving is his narration of thc ceremony of initiation , aparl from the usual secret rites , svhich he refused to reveal . ' I svas amazed , ' he said , ' to find that the lirst question asked of Ihe neophyte svas svhether he
believed in ihe existence of GOD , Some hesitation svas shosvn in the anssver , and one of the presiding Masons svas asked to explain to him that Masonry svith the true ring about it necessarily implied the abolition of all monarchy , and above . all , the destruction of the delusis'e idea of GOD in the svorld . The candidate svas next asked svhether he had
allosved his children lo" be baptized . He anssvercd in tho affirmative . He was then told that if he svould be true to the Craft he svould have to promise that his next children svould not receive Baptism , and that those already Baptized svould not be permitted to receive their First Communion . The candidate submitted that his svife svas a devoted Roman Catholic , and that his
children svould consider him a tyrant if he obeyed the behests of thc sect . To this the reply svas that svomen svere alsvays obscurantists , and that ho must be master in his osvn house . The neophyte svas asked to pledge
himself to die svithout a priest and to be " civilly interred . He asked for time to reflet , and afterwards joined an English Lodge . ' This is Continental Masonry 1 " * «
IT has been suggested that Past Master ' s certificates should be issued by Grand Lodge . Wc can see no " a priori" reason against such a proposal , except its novelty , as it svould certainly add to the funds of
Grand Lodge in a most unobjectionable form , and sve might give up then all Fees of Honour and Charity Medals , Sec , to the Fund of Benevolence , svhich wants strengthening . We are inclined " pace " our authorities to deem the matter svell svorthy of careful consideration .
» THE report of Bro . R . P . HARDING , Auditor for 1883 , is both satisfactory and striking . The receipts of the Fund of Benevolence amount to £ 11 , 312 125 . 3 d . Of this amount , £ 1410 95 . ind . represent dividends on £ ' 47 , 016 ios . fid . ; £ 7615 4 s . Sd . arc thc contributions of lodges to tlu Fund ; £ 14283 .
represent tsvo small items of fees of honourand ' . lhe Calendar ; £ 2134 ps . gd . svere borrosved from Fund of General Purposes . Per contra , £ 8364 14 s . 8 d . svas given in charity ; £ 2112 17 s . 7 d . svas paid back to General Purposes -, £ Soo svas given to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ; and £ 55 is the sum for printing summonses at each monthly meeting of the Board .
For the Fund of General Purposes lo end of 1 SS 3 the nmount begins with a balance of £ 1318 Hi . fid . Dividends amount to £ 678 6 s . Sd ., rents lo £ 2904 lis . od .. contributions of lodges to £ 7426 12 s . Sd ., and fees of honour to £ 106 13 s . fid . Three small items—sale of Book of Constitutions , charity medals , and . Grand Lodge reports—amount to £ 278 7 s . The Supreme
Grand Chapter contributes for salaries £ 474 7 s . *** d . The insurances amount to £ 8750 , and loan to Fund of Benevolence £ 2112 17 s . 7 d . ; in all £ 23 , 900 ns . gd ., the insurances making the amount larger than usual . On December 31 st , 1 S 8 3 , the stock of this fund amounted to £ 31 , 150 . Payments , including salaries ( £ 3392 ios . ) and repairs , all rates and
taxesand normal and abnormal expenses , amount to £ 7013 1 is . 8 d . £ 13 , 032 ios . have been invested . There is a balance in hand of £ 1357 12 s . Sd ., and £ 259 ifis . 3 d . in GRAND SECRETARY ' S hands , and the balance of £ 2134 9 s . gd . is represented by the amount overdrawn b y Fund of Benevolence , £ 2134 9 s . yd . Thus it svill be seen that our funds are flourishing and progressis-o .
# # WE are informed than an edict by the Grand Lodge of Quebec is in preparation , i ( not printed , as against the Montreal Lodges . The proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Quebec have been so absurd , that sve hardly have deemed it right to take notice of them , and the idea that such
and similar acts have any effect on English Masons , is so illfounded , that sve wonder any svriter in American or Canadian Masonic papers can take the trouble to svrite such utter " Bunkum . " Such a step on the part of the
Grand Lodge of Ouebec may lead to vcry serious consequences , but until it is officially before us sve need say no more . The Montreal Lodges have dqnc nothing to forfeit their Masonic position , or to disentitle them to their privileges as lasvful bodies of Freemasons under the English * jurisdiction .
* # WE notice the remarks of Bro . VAUX in the foreign correspondence ol ihe Giand Lodge of Pennsylvania as regards the three Montreal lodges ,
Ar00201
svith no little surprise and regret . What is there slated is merely an announcement of the MONRO Doctrine , and of American Stale rights as applied to Cosmopolitan Freemasonry . This novel and Masonically unsound doctrine may be perfectly good and right in America , svhere the exigencies of the States are overposvering . But it svill hot and
cannot be accepted by the English Grand Lodge . Only a short time back our GRAND REGISTRAR clearly laid dosvn the lasv on thc subject , on which ourGrand Lodge has ever acted . When Colonial bodies become Grand Lodges by the svish of an os-ersvhclming majority , our Grand Lodge ever demands a protection for the rights of the minority . The Foreign
Correspondence Committee of Pennsylvania has in addition forgotten the deliberate Concordat of the Grand Lodge of Canada , and unless sve are to hear of a Masonic doctrine of repudiation , both by the lasv of Masonry and the basis of an honourable understanding binding before the svorld and
Freemasons , sve in England shall uphold the legality of the Montreal Lodges in every respect . We shall again on both these grounds call attention to the subject shortly , for thc position of the Grand Lodgeof Ouebec as before ihe law must also be taken into account .
( : # # WITHOUT entering into any question further than thc actual bearing of these fesv lines , sve regret much to see in the Times of Thursday , a letter signed
" KARL BLIND , " as any such semi-apology for shameful ancl brutal attempted assassination in these dynamite and N'ihilislicdaysof outrage and cowardice , sve hold to be most alarming and dangerous . We repeat sve regret fo note such a communication appears in our leading English journal .
United Grand Lodge.
UNITED GRAND LODGE .
Thc follosving business is on the agenda for transaction at the Quarterly . Communication of Grand Lodge to lie held al Freemasons ' " " Hall on Wednesday next , ' 4 th June :--1 . The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 5 th March for confirmation .
2 . The minutes of the Special Grand Lodge of the 24 th April for confirmation , 3 . The minutes ofthe Grand Festival of the 30 th April for confirmation . 4 . Thc minutes of the Special Grand Lodge , at Peterborough , of the 7 th May for confirmation . , - ; . Election of members of the Board of General Purposes , fr . Election of members of thc Colonial Board .
7 . Election of a Grand Lodge Auditor . 8 . Election of members for the Committee of Management of thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons . ( Vide lists of names of the brethren nominated for the several Boards and
Committees belosv ) . 9 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in svhich are recommendations for the follosving grants : The svidosv of a brother of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 29 S , Rochdale £ 5 ° o o The svidosv of a brother of the St . John's Lodge , No . 90 , London ... 100 o o The svidosv of a brother of thc Lodge of Harmony , No . 29 S ,
Rochdale ... 75 o . o The svidow of a brother of thc Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . 19 , London 75 ° o The svidosv of a brother of the Lodge of I ' nanimity and Sincerity , No . 2 C 1 , Taunton 50 o o The svidosv of a brother of the Surrey Lodge , No . 416 , Rcigate ... 75 o o A brother of the Portland Lodtre , No . 1037 , Portland so o o
A brother ofthe Sutherland Lodge , No . 451 , Burslem 50 00 Thc svidosv of a brother of thc Victoria Lodge , No . 1056 , London ... so o o The svidosv of a brother of thc Phcenix Lodge , No . 257 , Portsmouth 50 o o A brother of the Fosvcy Lodge , No . 977 , Fosvey 75 o b A brother of the Atholl Lodge , No . 74 , Birmingham ... . ... ... 100 o o A brother of the Headon Lodge , No . Cih , Dulsvich 100 o o A brother of the St . Matthew ' s Lodge , No . 1447 , Barton-on-IIumber 150 o o The svidosv of a brother of the Westbourne Lodge , No . 733 , London 50 o o
Thc svidosv ofa brother of thc St . Peter's Lodge , No . 4 S 1 , Newcastleon-Tyne S . « " Thc svidosv of a brother of the St . Thomas' Lodge , No . 142 , London 50 o o A brother of the Stuart Lodge , No . 1632 , London 75 o o Thc svidosv of a brother ' of the All Souls' Lodge , No . 170 , Weymouth 50 o o The svidosv of a brother of the Granite Lodge , No . 132 S , London ... 50 o o The widosv of a brother of thc Royal Kensington Lodge , No . 1627 , London 15 ° o o A brother of the West Smithfield Lodge , No . 1 O 23 , London ... 50 o o
10 . REPORT or THE BOARD < IF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts , at the meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 16 th day of May inst ., showing a balance in the Bank of England of £ 5830 ios . id ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash £ 100 , and for servants' svages £ 100 , and balance of annual allowance for library £ 17 is . 2 d . ( Signed ) J B . MONCKTON , President .
Freemasons' Hall , London , VV . C , May 20 th , 1884 . At the meeting of the Board held on Tuesday , the 20 th of May , after the ordinary business had been disposed of , thc follosving resolution was passed : " The Board have heard svith great regret that Bro . Sir John Monckton has signified his wish not to be reappointed President for the ensuing year . While * tendering to him their best thanks for the able and efficient manner he has presided over them during the past year , and
for his unfailing courtesy to all the members , the Board desire to express their high appreciation ofthe distinguished services Bro . Sir John Monckton has rendered to the Craft-during the 10 years he has occupied the chair , and particularly of the . zeal and ability he has displayed in conducting the many arduous and important duties svhich during his period of office have been undertaken and successfully discharged by the Board and its various Committees . " ( "Signed ) RALPH Cr . uTT 0 . v > Vice-President .
11 . The annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widossis of Freemasons , dated the ifith May , 1884 , will be laid before Grand Lodge . 12 . Appeal of Bro . Thomas D . Marston , of the Lodge of- Hope and . Perseverance , No . 782 , Lahore , against a ruling of the District Grand . Master of the Punjab relative to the election of a joining member of that lodge by acclamation .
( N . B . —The papers relating to this appeal . svill be in the Grand Secretary's . office till the meeting of Grand Lodge , and open for the inspection of the brethren during office hours . ) .