-
Articles/Ads
Article GOEEESPOIDENCE. y ← Page 4 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Goeeespoidence. Y
properly to govern themselves ; but further than this the good of the Order does not authorize us to admit the postulate . Examine it closely as an abstract principle , and the consequences which , if strictly followed , would flow from it . Thus , the right to form a sovereign Masonic authority , for the interests of the Craft , depends on the will of the civil government under which it is located , and not upon the ancient constitution and usages of the Order . By this doctrine the Masons of Canada , having no prospect of
any redress of their grievances but by civil revolution , would be driven of necessity to a violation of their obligations by being " concerned in plots and conspiracies against the government of the country in which they live . " It is the boast of British statesmen that , the sun never sets upon the British Empire . . Wherever the navy or army of Britain may carry the sword of conquest , the authority of the G ; M . of England would follow ; and suppose Great Britain succeeded in the conquest of any foreign country , and reduced it to the state of a province , the
Grand Lodge which may have then been in existence would necessarily be divested of its independence , and reduced to the condition of a Provincial Grand Lodge , subject to the authority and control of the Grand Lodge of England . How can such doctrine , I would respectfully ask , square with the sublime principles of Ereemasonry , which are the same in all climes , and under all forms of government , neither allied to the church nor influenced by the state—universal , unchangeable , and eternal 1
Again , what precedents are there for the establishment of Grand Lodges , and upon what ground have they been formed hitherto ? Take some of the Grand Lodges in the United States , for instance , which have in almost every case emanated from Great Britain . Has any single Grand Lodge now in existence thereand there is one , I believe , in every state of the Union—given as a reason for its formation the severance of the political tie ? Not a single one . And three of these—Georgia , Massachusetts , and Virginia— -were established several years prior to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 , by which the independence of the United States was recognized by Great Britain . ,
The Grand Lodge of Georgia , emanating from the Grand Lodge o f England , was constituted December , 1776 . The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , in March , 1777 . There was at that time another Grand Lodge in Massachusetts , known as the St . John ' s Grand Lodge , chartered by the Grand Lodge of England in 1733 , which had exercised ,, and continued to exercise , the functions of a Grand Lodge , until its union with the present Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , in 1792 .
Virginia , holding from five separate authorities , Grand Masters of England , Scotland , and Ireland , Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , and of America ; organized September , 1786 . Pennsylvania , from Boston and Grand Lodge of England , formed September ,
1786 . N " ew York , constituted a Provincial Grand Lodge by the Duke o f Athole , September 5 , 1781 ; organized September ^ 1787 . South Carolina , in 1787 . New Hampshire , July , 1789 . Rhode Island , June , 1791 . Maryland , May , 1794 . North Carolina , 1797 . Delaware , about 1806 . Vermont , October , 1794 . All of the above obtained their charters directly or indirectly from the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland . All were organized without the consent of the parent body , and the only reasons given to the world for the formation of
each were , the convenience and interests of the Craft ; and I fearlessly venture the assertion that not a particle of evidence can be produced that the change in the political government was ever regarded by the Provincial Grand Lodges as a justifying cause for asserting Masonic independence , either during the time when they were struggling for their independence as a nation , or after the Treaty of Paris , when that independence was recognized by Great Britain . It is readily admitted that all communication being cut off between the Provincial Grand Lodges and the parent bodies by the revolutionary war , a necessity arose which would seem to justify an independent action ; but it is a remarkable fact that onl y three Provincial Grand Lodges during that time asserted independence , all
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Goeeespoidence. Y
properly to govern themselves ; but further than this the good of the Order does not authorize us to admit the postulate . Examine it closely as an abstract principle , and the consequences which , if strictly followed , would flow from it . Thus , the right to form a sovereign Masonic authority , for the interests of the Craft , depends on the will of the civil government under which it is located , and not upon the ancient constitution and usages of the Order . By this doctrine the Masons of Canada , having no prospect of
any redress of their grievances but by civil revolution , would be driven of necessity to a violation of their obligations by being " concerned in plots and conspiracies against the government of the country in which they live . " It is the boast of British statesmen that , the sun never sets upon the British Empire . . Wherever the navy or army of Britain may carry the sword of conquest , the authority of the G ; M . of England would follow ; and suppose Great Britain succeeded in the conquest of any foreign country , and reduced it to the state of a province , the
Grand Lodge which may have then been in existence would necessarily be divested of its independence , and reduced to the condition of a Provincial Grand Lodge , subject to the authority and control of the Grand Lodge of England . How can such doctrine , I would respectfully ask , square with the sublime principles of Ereemasonry , which are the same in all climes , and under all forms of government , neither allied to the church nor influenced by the state—universal , unchangeable , and eternal 1
Again , what precedents are there for the establishment of Grand Lodges , and upon what ground have they been formed hitherto ? Take some of the Grand Lodges in the United States , for instance , which have in almost every case emanated from Great Britain . Has any single Grand Lodge now in existence thereand there is one , I believe , in every state of the Union—given as a reason for its formation the severance of the political tie ? Not a single one . And three of these—Georgia , Massachusetts , and Virginia— -were established several years prior to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 , by which the independence of the United States was recognized by Great Britain . ,
The Grand Lodge of Georgia , emanating from the Grand Lodge o f England , was constituted December , 1776 . The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , in March , 1777 . There was at that time another Grand Lodge in Massachusetts , known as the St . John ' s Grand Lodge , chartered by the Grand Lodge of England in 1733 , which had exercised ,, and continued to exercise , the functions of a Grand Lodge , until its union with the present Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , in 1792 .
Virginia , holding from five separate authorities , Grand Masters of England , Scotland , and Ireland , Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , and of America ; organized September , 1786 . Pennsylvania , from Boston and Grand Lodge of England , formed September ,
1786 . N " ew York , constituted a Provincial Grand Lodge by the Duke o f Athole , September 5 , 1781 ; organized September ^ 1787 . South Carolina , in 1787 . New Hampshire , July , 1789 . Rhode Island , June , 1791 . Maryland , May , 1794 . North Carolina , 1797 . Delaware , about 1806 . Vermont , October , 1794 . All of the above obtained their charters directly or indirectly from the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland . All were organized without the consent of the parent body , and the only reasons given to the world for the formation of
each were , the convenience and interests of the Craft ; and I fearlessly venture the assertion that not a particle of evidence can be produced that the change in the political government was ever regarded by the Provincial Grand Lodges as a justifying cause for asserting Masonic independence , either during the time when they were struggling for their independence as a nation , or after the Treaty of Paris , when that independence was recognized by Great Britain . It is readily admitted that all communication being cut off between the Provincial Grand Lodges and the parent bodies by the revolutionary war , a necessity arose which would seem to justify an independent action ; but it is a remarkable fact that onl y three Provincial Grand Lodges during that time asserted independence , all