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Article PROVINCIAL ← Page 5 of 23 →
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Provincial
to . These changes could not occur without the causes producing them being much canvassed in the locality where they occurred , and , by a natural sympathy , throughout the province . That they were commented on with great freedom and warmth was perhaps to be expected ; for while , on the one hand , there was manifested a determination to establis-h an autocratic rule , which , so long as it was confined to one Lodge , could be a matter of consideration for that Lodge only—but when it was endeavoured to subjugate other Lodges , and if it had been matters assumed
possible , the Provincial Grand Lodge itself , to the same power , a more dangerous aspect — consequently , there arose , on the other hand , an equally strong determination , and a perfectly justifiable one , not to acknowledge or submit to the individual authority which so anxiously sought to be in the ascendant . The spirit of contest , once openly recognised , failed not to gather votaries for either side of the question ; individuals were unhesitatingly attacked , not merely viva voce , but , in an evil hour , the pages of a well-known Masonic periodical became the vehicle for animadversion / and gave a wider currency to the state of confusion into which our local Masonic Craft was thrown , and strong
statements , eliciting strong counter-statements from month to month , marked the sure and certain progress of disunion . * " 'Fraternal regard was either clouded over , or dispersed to the winds , union was despised , unless to serve a party purpose , and faith , hope , and charity seemed to have bid farewell to the consecrated spots , where they Vould no longer appear in response to insincere invocations . It is but bare justice , however , to state that , amidst all this turmoil , an old Lodge was resuscitated , owing to the ahnost compulsory secession of several members from one of the Lodges to which I have referred . The
seceding members , who contributed to the revival of the old Lodge , saw at once the dangers they had escaped and the source of tliem , and determined hy all means in their power to discountenance the slightest approach to the production of any similar spirit of disaffection in their adopted Lodge ; and how well they have acted in so doing , how sincerely they have adhered to Masonic principles , is manifested by the number and unanimity of its members , and the The state of
fraternal spirit which they have ever shown towards other Lodges . confusion , distrust , and separation alluded to , could not last for ever . Brethren ere long began to feel that all the difficulties into which they were thrown , the personal quarrels which arose out of them , and the disgrace into which local Masonry was rapidly falling , arose from the restless spirit of one individual , to whom the honour , reputation , and usefulness of his own Lodge , had been intrusted , and to a certain extent the welfare of Masonry in general . To advocate certain
peculiar views was to make progress , to oppose them was to be undeserving or Masonic distinction or merit . But the period for a decided change was at hand . In the very zenith , as it may . be called of power , and as if blinded by success , he overstepped the limits of those laws which had been so often and . so rigidly enforced by him . From this moment his power declined ; the downward course was rapid , for in a few weeks he was no longer a member of any Masonic society in our city . It is painful to contemplate such a change ; it evokes no feelings of triumph . Still no true member of the Craft can cease to be sufficiently thankful in the breasts of
that it occurred at a period when there was still left remaining many—happy , very happy recollections of past hours spent in fraternal intercourse , when mutual regard and esteem was fostered , which no subsequent interest , no antagonism , had succeeded in wholly effacing . It is also a fit subject for congratulation that the W . Ms . who fill the chairs of the several Lodges in Bath have commenced their years of office with every manifestation of fraternal feeling . The past is to be forgotten , the future is to be brightened by renewed interchanges of brotherly regard . All the Lodges are again to be favoured spots for friendly intercourse , where eYery brother , without distinction , will meet on the level and part on the square . In this feeling the officers and members of each Lodge have
* One of the first steps o > f the present managers of the Freemason s Magazine , was to refuse to publish letters relative to disputes , which could have no general interest for the Craft , and might tend to strengthen disunion .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial
to . These changes could not occur without the causes producing them being much canvassed in the locality where they occurred , and , by a natural sympathy , throughout the province . That they were commented on with great freedom and warmth was perhaps to be expected ; for while , on the one hand , there was manifested a determination to establis-h an autocratic rule , which , so long as it was confined to one Lodge , could be a matter of consideration for that Lodge only—but when it was endeavoured to subjugate other Lodges , and if it had been matters assumed
possible , the Provincial Grand Lodge itself , to the same power , a more dangerous aspect — consequently , there arose , on the other hand , an equally strong determination , and a perfectly justifiable one , not to acknowledge or submit to the individual authority which so anxiously sought to be in the ascendant . The spirit of contest , once openly recognised , failed not to gather votaries for either side of the question ; individuals were unhesitatingly attacked , not merely viva voce , but , in an evil hour , the pages of a well-known Masonic periodical became the vehicle for animadversion / and gave a wider currency to the state of confusion into which our local Masonic Craft was thrown , and strong
statements , eliciting strong counter-statements from month to month , marked the sure and certain progress of disunion . * " 'Fraternal regard was either clouded over , or dispersed to the winds , union was despised , unless to serve a party purpose , and faith , hope , and charity seemed to have bid farewell to the consecrated spots , where they Vould no longer appear in response to insincere invocations . It is but bare justice , however , to state that , amidst all this turmoil , an old Lodge was resuscitated , owing to the ahnost compulsory secession of several members from one of the Lodges to which I have referred . The
seceding members , who contributed to the revival of the old Lodge , saw at once the dangers they had escaped and the source of tliem , and determined hy all means in their power to discountenance the slightest approach to the production of any similar spirit of disaffection in their adopted Lodge ; and how well they have acted in so doing , how sincerely they have adhered to Masonic principles , is manifested by the number and unanimity of its members , and the The state of
fraternal spirit which they have ever shown towards other Lodges . confusion , distrust , and separation alluded to , could not last for ever . Brethren ere long began to feel that all the difficulties into which they were thrown , the personal quarrels which arose out of them , and the disgrace into which local Masonry was rapidly falling , arose from the restless spirit of one individual , to whom the honour , reputation , and usefulness of his own Lodge , had been intrusted , and to a certain extent the welfare of Masonry in general . To advocate certain
peculiar views was to make progress , to oppose them was to be undeserving or Masonic distinction or merit . But the period for a decided change was at hand . In the very zenith , as it may . be called of power , and as if blinded by success , he overstepped the limits of those laws which had been so often and . so rigidly enforced by him . From this moment his power declined ; the downward course was rapid , for in a few weeks he was no longer a member of any Masonic society in our city . It is painful to contemplate such a change ; it evokes no feelings of triumph . Still no true member of the Craft can cease to be sufficiently thankful in the breasts of
that it occurred at a period when there was still left remaining many—happy , very happy recollections of past hours spent in fraternal intercourse , when mutual regard and esteem was fostered , which no subsequent interest , no antagonism , had succeeded in wholly effacing . It is also a fit subject for congratulation that the W . Ms . who fill the chairs of the several Lodges in Bath have commenced their years of office with every manifestation of fraternal feeling . The past is to be forgotten , the future is to be brightened by renewed interchanges of brotherly regard . All the Lodges are again to be favoured spots for friendly intercourse , where eYery brother , without distinction , will meet on the level and part on the square . In this feeling the officers and members of each Lodge have
* One of the first steps o > f the present managers of the Freemason s Magazine , was to refuse to publish letters relative to disputes , which could have no general interest for the Craft , and might tend to strengthen disunion .