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Article to G THE ^ANI) OPMCEES. ← Page 2 of 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To G The ^Ani) Opmcees.
lay their grievances before the Most Worshipful Grand Master , and also occasionally make their strength felt in Grand Lodge , for in Masonic as in general government , nothing so much tends to bring about improvements in the routine of business as a little gentle pressure from without . The " Country P . M . " concludes his letter by the following pertinent inquiry : — " I may ask ' A . London'P . M . ' why the metropolitan Brethren are not satisfied with monopolizing the lion ' s share of honours in Grand Lodge , but must also , by joining country Lodges in the neighbourhood of Londoif for the sole purpose of obtaining rank as ProV . Grand Officers , exchide country Brethren feom the inferior
honours of Prov . Grand Lodge , which , he is willing to admit , do of right belong to them . " We agree with the " Country P . M . " that London Brethren should , as far as possible , abstain from taking Prov . Grand honours ; but we may also inform him that many of the country Lodges in the neighbourhood of the metropolis , would have long since ceased to exist , had it not been ' for the support rendered them
by London Brethren , whom it would therefore be unjust to debar from partaking in a share of the honours which a Prov . Grand Master may wish to confer upon those Lodges . There is , however , another point connected with this subject to which we wish to draw attention . By the Book of Constitutions it is provided that Prov Grand Officei ^ s ( other than the Prov . Grand Master and Deputy G-rand Master ) " must all be resident within the province , and
subscribing members to some Lodge therein ; but the Most Worshipful Grand Master may grant a dispensation for non-residence . A fee of two guineas for Grand Wardens , and one guinea for any subordinate officer shall be paid to the general fund of charity for such dispensation . " Now we should like to be informed how many of the London Brethren who disport themselves in Provincial Grand Lodge clothing
have obtained and paid for dispensations . We venture to assert —not one in five ; and an inquiry into the subject , with a strict enforcement of the fees ( even if a penalty were not added , as in all . justice it should be ) , would , we believe , materially add to the fund of charity . We throw out the matter for consideration , trusting that some brother may be found sufficiently independent to move in
Gfand Lodge for a return of all applications for dispensations to be allowed to hold office out of the province in which the parties reside , the number of dispensations granted , and the . amount of fees received thereon , say for the last five years . We may be wrong in our assumption , but we believe it is the exception , not the rule , to apply for such dispensations . Indeed , we never heard , hut of one such application being made—and that was refused .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To G The ^Ani) Opmcees.
lay their grievances before the Most Worshipful Grand Master , and also occasionally make their strength felt in Grand Lodge , for in Masonic as in general government , nothing so much tends to bring about improvements in the routine of business as a little gentle pressure from without . The " Country P . M . " concludes his letter by the following pertinent inquiry : — " I may ask ' A . London'P . M . ' why the metropolitan Brethren are not satisfied with monopolizing the lion ' s share of honours in Grand Lodge , but must also , by joining country Lodges in the neighbourhood of Londoif for the sole purpose of obtaining rank as ProV . Grand Officers , exchide country Brethren feom the inferior
honours of Prov . Grand Lodge , which , he is willing to admit , do of right belong to them . " We agree with the " Country P . M . " that London Brethren should , as far as possible , abstain from taking Prov . Grand honours ; but we may also inform him that many of the country Lodges in the neighbourhood of the metropolis , would have long since ceased to exist , had it not been ' for the support rendered them
by London Brethren , whom it would therefore be unjust to debar from partaking in a share of the honours which a Prov . Grand Master may wish to confer upon those Lodges . There is , however , another point connected with this subject to which we wish to draw attention . By the Book of Constitutions it is provided that Prov Grand Officei ^ s ( other than the Prov . Grand Master and Deputy G-rand Master ) " must all be resident within the province , and
subscribing members to some Lodge therein ; but the Most Worshipful Grand Master may grant a dispensation for non-residence . A fee of two guineas for Grand Wardens , and one guinea for any subordinate officer shall be paid to the general fund of charity for such dispensation . " Now we should like to be informed how many of the London Brethren who disport themselves in Provincial Grand Lodge clothing
have obtained and paid for dispensations . We venture to assert —not one in five ; and an inquiry into the subject , with a strict enforcement of the fees ( even if a penalty were not added , as in all . justice it should be ) , would , we believe , materially add to the fund of charity . We throw out the matter for consideration , trusting that some brother may be found sufficiently independent to move in
Gfand Lodge for a return of all applications for dispensations to be allowed to hold office out of the province in which the parties reside , the number of dispensations granted , and the . amount of fees received thereon , say for the last five years . We may be wrong in our assumption , but we believe it is the exception , not the rule , to apply for such dispensations . Indeed , we never heard , hut of one such application being made—and that was refused .