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Article PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES. ← Page 4 of 5 →
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Provincial Grand Lodges.
No wonder that architects and men of science keep ] aloof fcom seeking office when they see such appointments as these . We a , re aware that there are few Provincial Grand Masters who attend more assiduously to their duties than the B > , W * Bro , Henry Ctarles Vernon , and we can hardly believe that he could have been acquainted
with the fact that Bro . Morris was not an architect ; the appointment no doubt having been made on the recommendation of the Lodge to which that worthy Brother belongs . Even if there were no architect a member of the order in ^ the province—which , however , is not the case —we should look upon such an appointment as a mockery of the Graft ; and whilst there could be * no particular harm inflicted upon it by allowing the office to remain in abeyance , actual ridicule is thrown upon it by
appointing brethren w ^ ho are manifestly ignorant of the duties they may be called upon to fulfil . Suppose , for instance , the brethren of Worcestershire were to determine on building a Masonic Hall in Worcester , who should be consulted with regard to it but the Grand Superintendent of Works—and who would place any confidence in the designs of the present holder of the office . There are certain offices
which should always be held by brethren of corresponding professions , such as Registrar by a member of the law ( a barrister for choice ); Chaplain , by a minister of the Gospel ; Superintendent of Works , by an architect 5 and Organist , by a professor of music , who can preside at the organ ; and if such persons are not to be found within the province , then the offices should be allowed to lie in abeyance .
A second abuse is one which we trust is of rare occurrence , though we are aware that instances exist—viz ., the appointment of brethren to Prov . Grand Office , in direct violation of that clause in the Book of Constitutions , which says , "No brother can be appointed a Prov , Grand Warden unless he be the Master or Past Master of a Lodge , nor a Prov . Grand Deacon unless he be a Warden or Past Warden of the Lodge , " If the law be wrong , let it be repealed , but whilst it
continues law , it should be rigorously adhered to . And yet we know a Prov . Grand Lodge in which , a short time since , the Junior Deacon of a Lodge was appointed Prov . Grand Deacon , whilst a Warden of the same Lodge was given a subordinate office—that , we believe , of Sword Bearer . Can this be right ? In another province we hear that Provincial Grand Offices become almost life appointments , vacancies only being filled up oh the death
or resignation of the holders , thus shutting the door against all preferment amongst junior brethren—a practice which was so eloquently denounced by Bro . Roxburgh , the G . Beg ., at the recent Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk \ and of which Bro . Martin , the late D . Prov . G . M ,, emphatically evinced his opinion by voluntarily , even against the advice of many of his friends , resigning his distinguished position , in order that he might not stand in the way of others enjoying that position which he had himself so well filled , and upon which he had conferred so much honour . There is yet one other point to which we will allude , and which jp
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial Grand Lodges.
No wonder that architects and men of science keep ] aloof fcom seeking office when they see such appointments as these . We a , re aware that there are few Provincial Grand Masters who attend more assiduously to their duties than the B > , W * Bro , Henry Ctarles Vernon , and we can hardly believe that he could have been acquainted
with the fact that Bro . Morris was not an architect ; the appointment no doubt having been made on the recommendation of the Lodge to which that worthy Brother belongs . Even if there were no architect a member of the order in ^ the province—which , however , is not the case —we should look upon such an appointment as a mockery of the Graft ; and whilst there could be * no particular harm inflicted upon it by allowing the office to remain in abeyance , actual ridicule is thrown upon it by
appointing brethren w ^ ho are manifestly ignorant of the duties they may be called upon to fulfil . Suppose , for instance , the brethren of Worcestershire were to determine on building a Masonic Hall in Worcester , who should be consulted with regard to it but the Grand Superintendent of Works—and who would place any confidence in the designs of the present holder of the office . There are certain offices
which should always be held by brethren of corresponding professions , such as Registrar by a member of the law ( a barrister for choice ); Chaplain , by a minister of the Gospel ; Superintendent of Works , by an architect 5 and Organist , by a professor of music , who can preside at the organ ; and if such persons are not to be found within the province , then the offices should be allowed to lie in abeyance .
A second abuse is one which we trust is of rare occurrence , though we are aware that instances exist—viz ., the appointment of brethren to Prov . Grand Office , in direct violation of that clause in the Book of Constitutions , which says , "No brother can be appointed a Prov , Grand Warden unless he be the Master or Past Master of a Lodge , nor a Prov . Grand Deacon unless he be a Warden or Past Warden of the Lodge , " If the law be wrong , let it be repealed , but whilst it
continues law , it should be rigorously adhered to . And yet we know a Prov . Grand Lodge in which , a short time since , the Junior Deacon of a Lodge was appointed Prov . Grand Deacon , whilst a Warden of the same Lodge was given a subordinate office—that , we believe , of Sword Bearer . Can this be right ? In another province we hear that Provincial Grand Offices become almost life appointments , vacancies only being filled up oh the death
or resignation of the holders , thus shutting the door against all preferment amongst junior brethren—a practice which was so eloquently denounced by Bro . Roxburgh , the G . Beg ., at the recent Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk \ and of which Bro . Martin , the late D . Prov . G . M ,, emphatically evinced his opinion by voluntarily , even against the advice of many of his friends , resigning his distinguished position , in order that he might not stand in the way of others enjoying that position which he had himself so well filled , and upon which he had conferred so much honour . There is yet one other point to which we will allude , and which jp