Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Iid I A.
and that those Companions were naturally of opinion , that if such were the case , the members of the Scotch Chapter should , in like manner , be refused admittance as visitors in our Chapters . Such an important step , apparently so fraught with serious consequences , no Chapter could have taken of its own authority ; and I have therefore availed myself of the earliest opportunity to remind Principals of Chapters , and all other Companions , that under Bye Law XVII . of the District Grand Chapter , all matters of complaint should be submitted to the Prov . Grand Superintendent , through the prescribed channel of communication .
In order to ascertain clearly the cause of the dissatisfaction I allude to , I have procured from the Scotch Chapter a statement , which is as follows : — "The mode of admitting an English Companion into our Chapter is thus : —he can either stay out until the candidates return , or come in and assist in opening the Chapter , and after the minutes of the previous Convocation are read and the ballot gone through , he can go out with the Officers who are sent to examine and prepare the candidates . All our candidates have to be examined outside , individually , in the several degrees of E . A ., E . C ., M . M ., Mark Master , Past Master ,
and Super-Excellent Mason ; then the Scribe and Senior Sojourner report them at the outer door , mentioning who and what they are , & c . On being admitted into the Chapter , each of the Officers of the Chapter separately examine the candidates in the degrees mentioned above . It is during this examination only that the English Companions have to retire , which is reasonable and fair , the degrees of Mark Master , Past Master , and Super-Excellent not being known to , or recognized by the Grand Chapter of England , and therefore are not worked in the English Chapters , consequently cannot be known to English Royal Arch Masons , unless they are affiliated to some Chapter which has the right , by its constitution ,
to confer those degrees , in which case they can of course be present , as ourselves . Neither can we recognize or acknowledge any Mason who may have obtained the secrets of any of the above-mentioned degrees otherwise than from a constituted authority under a R . A . Charter . The English R . A . Companion rejoins us the moment the candidates have completed the examination required of them ; and they continue in the Chapter in all the strictly Arch work . I trust this will explain to you our real position , and that it will satisfy every English R . A . Companion that there is nothing unreasonable , or unmasonic , in requiring them either to stay out or to return after certain degrees , of which they know nothing ,
are worked through . " This statement appears to me to be reasonable . It shows that in Scotch R . A . Masonry there are certain degrees indispensably preliminary to it , which are not recognized by the Grand Chapter of England ; and further , that according to their obligations , they cannot , while those degrees are being worked , admit any
Companion who has not received them in a regularly constituted Chapter . Surely no Mason , whether R . A . or Craft , can expect any Brother , Lodge , or Chapter , to act contrary to duty and to the allegiance due to supreme authority ! 1 think , therefore , that as our Scottish Brethren are at all times willing to admit us , in so far as pure Arch Masonry is concerned ( which is all that oar constitution recognizes ) , we ought to do the same as regards our Chapters , and thereby continue to reciprocate the good feeling which now happily exists between them and us .
I have only to add , that the Prov . Grand Superintendent has authorized me to say , that he fully concurs in the view taken by me ; and that it is his earnest wish that nothing may occur that is likely to cause any offence to our Brethren of the Scottish constitution . J . J . L . HOFF , D . Prov . Grand Supt . [ It is much to be regretted that a conference cannot be brought about between
the Grand Lod ^ e of England , Scotland , and Ireland , with a view of assimilating the working and practice of Masonry in each country . In Scotland , and we believe in Ireland , an English Brother is generally allowed to bo present throughout the subordinate degrees , not recognized in England , upon taking a Masonic obligation' to observe inviolate anything ho may see or hear , contrary to the practice of English Masonry . —El ) . EJf . < b M . llL ] "VOL . III . Y
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Iid I A.
and that those Companions were naturally of opinion , that if such were the case , the members of the Scotch Chapter should , in like manner , be refused admittance as visitors in our Chapters . Such an important step , apparently so fraught with serious consequences , no Chapter could have taken of its own authority ; and I have therefore availed myself of the earliest opportunity to remind Principals of Chapters , and all other Companions , that under Bye Law XVII . of the District Grand Chapter , all matters of complaint should be submitted to the Prov . Grand Superintendent , through the prescribed channel of communication .
In order to ascertain clearly the cause of the dissatisfaction I allude to , I have procured from the Scotch Chapter a statement , which is as follows : — "The mode of admitting an English Companion into our Chapter is thus : —he can either stay out until the candidates return , or come in and assist in opening the Chapter , and after the minutes of the previous Convocation are read and the ballot gone through , he can go out with the Officers who are sent to examine and prepare the candidates . All our candidates have to be examined outside , individually , in the several degrees of E . A ., E . C ., M . M ., Mark Master , Past Master ,
and Super-Excellent Mason ; then the Scribe and Senior Sojourner report them at the outer door , mentioning who and what they are , & c . On being admitted into the Chapter , each of the Officers of the Chapter separately examine the candidates in the degrees mentioned above . It is during this examination only that the English Companions have to retire , which is reasonable and fair , the degrees of Mark Master , Past Master , and Super-Excellent not being known to , or recognized by the Grand Chapter of England , and therefore are not worked in the English Chapters , consequently cannot be known to English Royal Arch Masons , unless they are affiliated to some Chapter which has the right , by its constitution ,
to confer those degrees , in which case they can of course be present , as ourselves . Neither can we recognize or acknowledge any Mason who may have obtained the secrets of any of the above-mentioned degrees otherwise than from a constituted authority under a R . A . Charter . The English R . A . Companion rejoins us the moment the candidates have completed the examination required of them ; and they continue in the Chapter in all the strictly Arch work . I trust this will explain to you our real position , and that it will satisfy every English R . A . Companion that there is nothing unreasonable , or unmasonic , in requiring them either to stay out or to return after certain degrees , of which they know nothing ,
are worked through . " This statement appears to me to be reasonable . It shows that in Scotch R . A . Masonry there are certain degrees indispensably preliminary to it , which are not recognized by the Grand Chapter of England ; and further , that according to their obligations , they cannot , while those degrees are being worked , admit any
Companion who has not received them in a regularly constituted Chapter . Surely no Mason , whether R . A . or Craft , can expect any Brother , Lodge , or Chapter , to act contrary to duty and to the allegiance due to supreme authority ! 1 think , therefore , that as our Scottish Brethren are at all times willing to admit us , in so far as pure Arch Masonry is concerned ( which is all that oar constitution recognizes ) , we ought to do the same as regards our Chapters , and thereby continue to reciprocate the good feeling which now happily exists between them and us .
I have only to add , that the Prov . Grand Superintendent has authorized me to say , that he fully concurs in the view taken by me ; and that it is his earnest wish that nothing may occur that is likely to cause any offence to our Brethren of the Scottish constitution . J . J . L . HOFF , D . Prov . Grand Supt . [ It is much to be regretted that a conference cannot be brought about between
the Grand Lod ^ e of England , Scotland , and Ireland , with a view of assimilating the working and practice of Masonry in each country . In Scotland , and we believe in Ireland , an English Brother is generally allowed to bo present throughout the subordinate degrees , not recognized in England , upon taking a Masonic obligation' to observe inviolate anything ho may see or hear , contrary to the practice of English Masonry . —El ) . EJf . < b M . llL ] "VOL . III . Y