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Article MASONIC AFFAIES IN CANADA. ← Page 4 of 11 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Affaies In Canada.
state of the base before him . He wished me to draw up a statement , for the Grand Master , of the Masonic affairs in Canada . I did so . I do not think I omitted any argument or position ; it was acknowledged , —but though I begged that great haste might be used , nothing was done for several weeks . A . meeting was at length summoned of a few selected to consider the matter , It was found the day did not suit some one , so it was put off . After the consultation , nothing was resolved on . The Grand Registrar , who is very reasonable , declares that it is impossible to constitute the Prov . Grand Lodge into a Grand Lodge by any act of the Grand Lodge of England , though of course the recognition of it would be another question , & c . '
" Your lordship cannot fail to see there was lukewarmness in some quarters , at a time when Canada was looking with excessive anxiety for some kind of action at home ; so much so that the regular communication of the Prov . Grand Lodge had been put off for a month to afford time , and enable the Grand Lodge to take np the business at its own meeting at the beginning of June . You will also , I think , agree that a very high officer did hot absolutely discourage ' recognition . ' We were well aware here , that Grand Lodge could not constitute us a Grand
Lodge , and every memorial has asked for ' recognition' accordingly ; and we have endeavoured throughout to make our independent formation as agreeable and affectionate towards the mother country as we could do , under the trying circumstances involved in the course we were compelled to adopt . To the last we turned to the mother Grand Lodge with a yearning affection—clung to her constitutions —elected her chief Brother to preside over us—and begged her to consider that we had fought her battles , and retained our allegiance—in spite of neglect ,
carelessness , and silence—until self-respect would allow of no further adherence as dependents , and we had been taunted and ridiculed for what was called our slavish servility . But Grand Lodge never manfully grappled with the question at issue—has not up to this moment . She never defined the law of the matternever gave instruction or encouragement—never attempted to inflict punishment on the Lodges and Brethren who had unceremoniously severed their connexion
with her , never denounced them ; but left us here to fight and disagree , to break friendships , to sever Masonic connections of long standing ; in short , to do what Grand Lodge up to this moment has not had the moral courage or pluck to do . And for what end ? To preserve intact a tie , founded upon oldjmemories and reminiscences , which a large proportion of Brethren , being native Canadians , never had any particular reason to treasure up in their hearts . Grand Lodge would lose through £ the pocket , the Brethren here were likely to suffer in spirit , heart , and
affection . I could dilate upon this topic ; but must again refer to the paragraph of your lordship ' s letter which is now under notice . I must do your lordship justice . You did denounce the Independent Grand Lodge as ' rebellious , ' although Grand Lodge has never yet enunciated a dignified opinion at all . But why did you call that body ' rebellious V Because it had thrown off 'its allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England , and that without returning the warrants it held . ' Your lordship tells me that you recommended no course of action then ; you give
no opinion now . May I ask why you did not do so , or cause Grand Lodge to act , instead of placing the Brethren in a false position here , and compelling them to assume the initiative ? More than two years have elapsed since the formation of the Independent Grand Lodge of Canada , and the then loyal Brethren cannot point to one single letter of decided advice or instruction at this moment , as to the course they were to adopt towards that body . Not one single charter has
ever been demanded , not one single seceding Brother has been suspended from Masonic privileges , not one atom of Masonic law has been brought to bear , and even your lordship ' s term of ' rebellious '—if we are to believe the only printed periodical that comes regularly to this province , viz ., the Freemasons' Magazine , published in London -was not suffered to be uttered by you in Crand Lodge without a sneer 1
* ' Your lordship states that you have felt astonishment , not unmingled with indignation , at the course pursued by the late Prov . Grand Master of Upper Canada ,, in demanding the warrants of the Lodges m your name . Will you be pleased to state what he ought to have done i I was by Sir Allan MacNab's side , and can
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Affaies In Canada.
state of the base before him . He wished me to draw up a statement , for the Grand Master , of the Masonic affairs in Canada . I did so . I do not think I omitted any argument or position ; it was acknowledged , —but though I begged that great haste might be used , nothing was done for several weeks . A . meeting was at length summoned of a few selected to consider the matter , It was found the day did not suit some one , so it was put off . After the consultation , nothing was resolved on . The Grand Registrar , who is very reasonable , declares that it is impossible to constitute the Prov . Grand Lodge into a Grand Lodge by any act of the Grand Lodge of England , though of course the recognition of it would be another question , & c . '
" Your lordship cannot fail to see there was lukewarmness in some quarters , at a time when Canada was looking with excessive anxiety for some kind of action at home ; so much so that the regular communication of the Prov . Grand Lodge had been put off for a month to afford time , and enable the Grand Lodge to take np the business at its own meeting at the beginning of June . You will also , I think , agree that a very high officer did hot absolutely discourage ' recognition . ' We were well aware here , that Grand Lodge could not constitute us a Grand
Lodge , and every memorial has asked for ' recognition' accordingly ; and we have endeavoured throughout to make our independent formation as agreeable and affectionate towards the mother country as we could do , under the trying circumstances involved in the course we were compelled to adopt . To the last we turned to the mother Grand Lodge with a yearning affection—clung to her constitutions —elected her chief Brother to preside over us—and begged her to consider that we had fought her battles , and retained our allegiance—in spite of neglect ,
carelessness , and silence—until self-respect would allow of no further adherence as dependents , and we had been taunted and ridiculed for what was called our slavish servility . But Grand Lodge never manfully grappled with the question at issue—has not up to this moment . She never defined the law of the matternever gave instruction or encouragement—never attempted to inflict punishment on the Lodges and Brethren who had unceremoniously severed their connexion
with her , never denounced them ; but left us here to fight and disagree , to break friendships , to sever Masonic connections of long standing ; in short , to do what Grand Lodge up to this moment has not had the moral courage or pluck to do . And for what end ? To preserve intact a tie , founded upon oldjmemories and reminiscences , which a large proportion of Brethren , being native Canadians , never had any particular reason to treasure up in their hearts . Grand Lodge would lose through £ the pocket , the Brethren here were likely to suffer in spirit , heart , and
affection . I could dilate upon this topic ; but must again refer to the paragraph of your lordship ' s letter which is now under notice . I must do your lordship justice . You did denounce the Independent Grand Lodge as ' rebellious , ' although Grand Lodge has never yet enunciated a dignified opinion at all . But why did you call that body ' rebellious V Because it had thrown off 'its allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England , and that without returning the warrants it held . ' Your lordship tells me that you recommended no course of action then ; you give
no opinion now . May I ask why you did not do so , or cause Grand Lodge to act , instead of placing the Brethren in a false position here , and compelling them to assume the initiative ? More than two years have elapsed since the formation of the Independent Grand Lodge of Canada , and the then loyal Brethren cannot point to one single letter of decided advice or instruction at this moment , as to the course they were to adopt towards that body . Not one single charter has
ever been demanded , not one single seceding Brother has been suspended from Masonic privileges , not one atom of Masonic law has been brought to bear , and even your lordship ' s term of ' rebellious '—if we are to believe the only printed periodical that comes regularly to this province , viz ., the Freemasons' Magazine , published in London -was not suffered to be uttered by you in Crand Lodge without a sneer 1
* ' Your lordship states that you have felt astonishment , not unmingled with indignation , at the course pursued by the late Prov . Grand Master of Upper Canada ,, in demanding the warrants of the Lodges m your name . Will you be pleased to state what he ought to have done i I was by Sir Allan MacNab's side , and can