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Article COMESPOroEME ← Page 2 of 2
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Comesporoeme
which each party base their views . Clause 2 , page 67 / of the Book of Constitutions , under the head of Country Lodges , says , " Every country Lodge shall make a return , similar to that required to he made to the Grand Secretary , to the Prov . G . Master / ' & c . Page 64 , clause 25 , tells us what that return is . From this we see that the Past Masters of a Lodge consist of those Brethren who have passed the chair of that Lodge , and of all
members who claim to be entitled to attend the Grand Lodge as Past Masters , having served the office of Master in some other Lodge / of course , having joined the Lodge within twelve months of their leaving their former one . Now , why is that return , containing the two classes of Past Masters , to be made to the Provincial Grand Master , if the latter class are not members of his Provincial Grand Lodge ? Again , under the head of Provincial Grand Officers , page 50 , clause 3 , it says— " No Brother can be appointed a Provincial Grand Warden unless he be the Master or a Past Master of a
Lodge . " It does not state that the Lodge shall be in the province . But to be appointed a Provincial Grand Warden , he must be a member of the Provincial Grand Lodge . This certainly implies that Brethren who have passed the chair in other provinces , and have , within twelve months , become subscribing members of Lodges within that province , are members of the Provincial Grand Lodge .
The other side found their interpretation upon one clause only , in the Book of Constitutions , viz . : clause 2 , page 51 , under the head of Provincial Grand Lodges . They limit the meaning of-the words , " Past Masters / 7 and say that it includes only those Past Masters who have actually passed the chair of a Lodge in that province ; and that the others are Past Masters in
the Lodge , but not of the Lodge ; a puzzling distinction , certainly , — -Past Masters of the Lodge and in the province ; Past Masters in the Lodge and not of the province . Certainly , when at a private Lodge the health of the Past Masters is given , for services rendered to the Lodge , only those Past Masters who have filled the chair of that Lodge could stand up to return thanks . No Masons could or would take credit to themselves for
work which they had never performed . Nevertheless , all the Past Masters in that Lodge have the same privileges ; they have equally their votes , and can attend all installations . Now , is it not a pity , that the Book of Constitutions should be so worded , as to admit ofthe narrow-minded interpretation which prevails in some provinces . I believe it is that exclusiveness which exists in these provinces ,
admitting none as members of their Grand Lodges save those who have learned Masonry in the province , which causes so much difference in our working . If the Book of Constitutions did not bear a double interpretation —if it were distinctly laid down , that wherever business might call a Brother , he shall maintain his rank as a P . M ., if he joined a Lodge in that part within twelve months , it would be equally an advantage to the Brethren , to the Prov . Grand Lodge , and to the Craft in general .
I will give every Prov . Grand Lodge credit for believing , that it interprets conscientiously the Book of Constitutions ; certain , however , it is , that there is a great difference of opinion on many points . I have mentioned four Provincial Grand Lodges , two agreeing with you , the other two holding a contrary opinion . What is the custom in others I know not .
Would it not be desirable that the customs of all should be ascertained , and their reasons for adopting them ; and that then the opinion of the Craft at large should be taken , when doubtless that interpretation most advantageous would be adopted . Yours fraternally , A . ( P u ) ust , 1858 . . AL
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Comesporoeme
which each party base their views . Clause 2 , page 67 / of the Book of Constitutions , under the head of Country Lodges , says , " Every country Lodge shall make a return , similar to that required to he made to the Grand Secretary , to the Prov . G . Master / ' & c . Page 64 , clause 25 , tells us what that return is . From this we see that the Past Masters of a Lodge consist of those Brethren who have passed the chair of that Lodge , and of all
members who claim to be entitled to attend the Grand Lodge as Past Masters , having served the office of Master in some other Lodge / of course , having joined the Lodge within twelve months of their leaving their former one . Now , why is that return , containing the two classes of Past Masters , to be made to the Provincial Grand Master , if the latter class are not members of his Provincial Grand Lodge ? Again , under the head of Provincial Grand Officers , page 50 , clause 3 , it says— " No Brother can be appointed a Provincial Grand Warden unless he be the Master or a Past Master of a
Lodge . " It does not state that the Lodge shall be in the province . But to be appointed a Provincial Grand Warden , he must be a member of the Provincial Grand Lodge . This certainly implies that Brethren who have passed the chair in other provinces , and have , within twelve months , become subscribing members of Lodges within that province , are members of the Provincial Grand Lodge .
The other side found their interpretation upon one clause only , in the Book of Constitutions , viz . : clause 2 , page 51 , under the head of Provincial Grand Lodges . They limit the meaning of-the words , " Past Masters / 7 and say that it includes only those Past Masters who have actually passed the chair of a Lodge in that province ; and that the others are Past Masters in
the Lodge , but not of the Lodge ; a puzzling distinction , certainly , — -Past Masters of the Lodge and in the province ; Past Masters in the Lodge and not of the province . Certainly , when at a private Lodge the health of the Past Masters is given , for services rendered to the Lodge , only those Past Masters who have filled the chair of that Lodge could stand up to return thanks . No Masons could or would take credit to themselves for
work which they had never performed . Nevertheless , all the Past Masters in that Lodge have the same privileges ; they have equally their votes , and can attend all installations . Now , is it not a pity , that the Book of Constitutions should be so worded , as to admit ofthe narrow-minded interpretation which prevails in some provinces . I believe it is that exclusiveness which exists in these provinces ,
admitting none as members of their Grand Lodges save those who have learned Masonry in the province , which causes so much difference in our working . If the Book of Constitutions did not bear a double interpretation —if it were distinctly laid down , that wherever business might call a Brother , he shall maintain his rank as a P . M ., if he joined a Lodge in that part within twelve months , it would be equally an advantage to the Brethren , to the Prov . Grand Lodge , and to the Craft in general .
I will give every Prov . Grand Lodge credit for believing , that it interprets conscientiously the Book of Constitutions ; certain , however , it is , that there is a great difference of opinion on many points . I have mentioned four Provincial Grand Lodges , two agreeing with you , the other two holding a contrary opinion . What is the custom in others I know not .
Would it not be desirable that the customs of all should be ascertained , and their reasons for adopting them ; and that then the opinion of the Craft at large should be taken , when doubtless that interpretation most advantageous would be adopted . Yours fraternally , A . ( P u ) ust , 1858 . . AL