-
Articles/Ads
Article THE CANADIAN MOVEMENT. ← Page 2 of 11 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Canadian Movement.
Lodges , with differing results . The Grand Lodge of Ireland , and the Grand Lodges of Kentucky ; South Carolina , Louisiana , Iowa , the ' -. District of Columba , and some others , I am advised , agree with the decision made by "Vermont . The Grand . Lodges of England and Scotland , abroad , and those of Massachusetts , New
York , Missouri , and Virginia , at home , hold adverse opinions to ours . The Grand Lodges of Maine , Wisconsin , Connecticut , and some others , have the subject under consideration ; and some of the Grand Lodges of the United States , have not , so far as I am informed , yet taken it up for consideration ¦ at- all . ' .
'' It is not to be doubted , that if this Grand Lodge saw even specious reasons to sustain the opinion that its action had been premature on this important subject / it would , from a sense of duty , review it . Assuredly , if I bad been convinced ; or—even less than that—had I seen any strong reason to create doubt as to the entire correctness and soundn ess of our action of last year , I should feel it to be my duty now to recommend a new investigation . I have endeavoured to obtain all the information in my power , and to examine carefully and impartially
all the argument which has come to my hands during the year ; and so far from finding any weakening of my opinion , the result has been to strengthen and to confirm the judgment I had previously formed— that both as matter of duty , of honour , of policy , and of sound Masonicprinciple , the Lodges of Canada which assembled at Hamilton on the 10 th day of October , 1855 , and formed an Independent Grand Lodge for Canada , acted lawfully and right , and upon every correct principle of Masonic law , usage , practice , and precedent—as well as brotherhood—ought to be sustained by the Grand Lodges of the United States
¦ "¦ In the differences of opinion which have arisen out of the consideration of this subject , one Grand Lodge—out of great caution—has reviewed its action of last year . Massachusetts , with her aged Grand Lodge and her acknowledged Masonic bearing and talent , staggered the district of Columbia by her adverse action ; or rather , perhaps , shook the opinion of its Grand Master . A re-investigation was directed by that Grand Master , the chairman of the committee for the purpose being that enlightened , learned , and well-informed Mason , Brother Benjamin B .
. French , of the City of Washington . The result is before the Masonic world . A thorough re-examination of the subject confirmed a most intelligent committee in the former view taken by that Grand Lodge , and their views were confirmed by it , supporting the decision which bad been previously made . Brother French and his associates are among the most intelligent Masons of the United States , and they are Brethren who can never be justly charged with lending their sanction to lawbreaking or revolution in the Masonic world .
"When this subject was under consideration in our own Grand Lodge , at its last annual communication , I studiously withheld any expression of my own opinion ; nor was that opinion known beyond myself , until you , my Brethren , had , by a unanimous vote , extended the right hand of Masonic fellowship to the independent Grand Lodge of Canada . As I was not heard in argument then , I anticipate your willingness to . hear me patiently now , when the correctness of your action has been questioned elsewhere .
" Grand Lodges , as they exist at the present , and as they have existed from the year 1717 , are wholly new institutions . They are not institutions of ancient date , and have no odour of antiquity about them . In the olden time every single Lodge was wholly independent , and the privilege of practising the Masonic rites was inherent in Masons , when assembled together in due form , as individuals . The Charter obtained , not far from the beginning of the fourth century , ' from
the King and Council , ' by Saint Alban , empowered those M ' asons simply to hold a ' general council , ' which was called an c Assembly . ' That ' Council , ' or * Assembly' did not consist of members by delegations from Lodges . It was a general one , embracing the Craft , as it then existed , in England , at large ; and it was the duty of every Mason to attend it , if he lived within fifty miles of the place of assemblage , and had ' proper warning . '
" Nor was the gathering of the Masons at the City of York , under Prince Edwin , in 92 G , a Grand Lodge , in any fair modern understanding of those terms . It was a ' congregation' of Masons only , who composed a ' General Lodge / of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Canadian Movement.
Lodges , with differing results . The Grand Lodge of Ireland , and the Grand Lodges of Kentucky ; South Carolina , Louisiana , Iowa , the ' -. District of Columba , and some others , I am advised , agree with the decision made by "Vermont . The Grand . Lodges of England and Scotland , abroad , and those of Massachusetts , New
York , Missouri , and Virginia , at home , hold adverse opinions to ours . The Grand Lodges of Maine , Wisconsin , Connecticut , and some others , have the subject under consideration ; and some of the Grand Lodges of the United States , have not , so far as I am informed , yet taken it up for consideration ¦ at- all . ' .
'' It is not to be doubted , that if this Grand Lodge saw even specious reasons to sustain the opinion that its action had been premature on this important subject / it would , from a sense of duty , review it . Assuredly , if I bad been convinced ; or—even less than that—had I seen any strong reason to create doubt as to the entire correctness and soundn ess of our action of last year , I should feel it to be my duty now to recommend a new investigation . I have endeavoured to obtain all the information in my power , and to examine carefully and impartially
all the argument which has come to my hands during the year ; and so far from finding any weakening of my opinion , the result has been to strengthen and to confirm the judgment I had previously formed— that both as matter of duty , of honour , of policy , and of sound Masonicprinciple , the Lodges of Canada which assembled at Hamilton on the 10 th day of October , 1855 , and formed an Independent Grand Lodge for Canada , acted lawfully and right , and upon every correct principle of Masonic law , usage , practice , and precedent—as well as brotherhood—ought to be sustained by the Grand Lodges of the United States
¦ "¦ In the differences of opinion which have arisen out of the consideration of this subject , one Grand Lodge—out of great caution—has reviewed its action of last year . Massachusetts , with her aged Grand Lodge and her acknowledged Masonic bearing and talent , staggered the district of Columbia by her adverse action ; or rather , perhaps , shook the opinion of its Grand Master . A re-investigation was directed by that Grand Master , the chairman of the committee for the purpose being that enlightened , learned , and well-informed Mason , Brother Benjamin B .
. French , of the City of Washington . The result is before the Masonic world . A thorough re-examination of the subject confirmed a most intelligent committee in the former view taken by that Grand Lodge , and their views were confirmed by it , supporting the decision which bad been previously made . Brother French and his associates are among the most intelligent Masons of the United States , and they are Brethren who can never be justly charged with lending their sanction to lawbreaking or revolution in the Masonic world .
"When this subject was under consideration in our own Grand Lodge , at its last annual communication , I studiously withheld any expression of my own opinion ; nor was that opinion known beyond myself , until you , my Brethren , had , by a unanimous vote , extended the right hand of Masonic fellowship to the independent Grand Lodge of Canada . As I was not heard in argument then , I anticipate your willingness to . hear me patiently now , when the correctness of your action has been questioned elsewhere .
" Grand Lodges , as they exist at the present , and as they have existed from the year 1717 , are wholly new institutions . They are not institutions of ancient date , and have no odour of antiquity about them . In the olden time every single Lodge was wholly independent , and the privilege of practising the Masonic rites was inherent in Masons , when assembled together in due form , as individuals . The Charter obtained , not far from the beginning of the fourth century , ' from
the King and Council , ' by Saint Alban , empowered those M ' asons simply to hold a ' general council , ' which was called an c Assembly . ' That ' Council , ' or * Assembly' did not consist of members by delegations from Lodges . It was a general one , embracing the Craft , as it then existed , in England , at large ; and it was the duty of every Mason to attend it , if he lived within fifty miles of the place of assemblage , and had ' proper warning . '
" Nor was the gathering of the Masons at the City of York , under Prince Edwin , in 92 G , a Grand Lodge , in any fair modern understanding of those terms . It was a ' congregation' of Masons only , who composed a ' General Lodge / of