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Article COHKESPONBENCE. ← Page 10 of 13 →
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Cohkesponbence.
United Grand Lodges of England , be granted , that power may be given us to elect our successors , subject to the approval or disapproval of the M . W . Grand Master of England ; in which case we should conceive the power granted rather to the body of Masons collectively than to any individual , —still holding ourselves amenable to the authority from which we receive that power , for the proper exercise of it .
Our distance from England renders it difficult for the M . W . Grand Master of Masons in England to know who in this country would be the most suitable person to fill the important office of Pro 4 . Grand Master . A knowledge of this induced us to recommend in our former petition such persons as we deemed suitable , and such as we considered would give general satisfaction to the Craft ; and for the same reasons we now take the liberty of recommending James Fitzgibbon , Esq ., for the office of Prov . Grand Master , formerly a member of the Grand Lodge of
Lower Canada . We conceive him to be a very proper person for the office , and well qualified to execute the duty pertaining thereto ; and from his correct moral deportment , and the high rank he holds in the esteem of the Provincial Government at York , from the zeal which he manifests in the interests of the Craft , and his general perseverance in any cause which he undertakes , we consider him peculiarly qualified to . fill the office to the satisfaction of the M . W . the Grand
Master of England and with honour to himself ; and we think his appointment would perfectly accorcL-withjthe feelings of every member of the Convention ; and from his station in life and general character , no person in our knowledge is better qualified to conciliate the feelings of our Niagara Brethren . Under these impressions we hope , that in the event of our petition being granted , his name may be inserted as first Prov . Grand Master .
We believe that , generally in the appointment of Prov . Grand Masters , power has not been given to the body of Masons over which they preside , to elect their successors ; but when our distance is taken into consideration , the complete disorganization of the Prov . Grand Lodge upon the death of the Prov . Grand Master , the probability of his neglecting his duty , and giving dissatisfaction to the Craft here , and the delicacy and difficulty of laying his conduct before the Grand Lodge of England , —when our present embarrassed situation is taken into consideration ,
m a great measure , perhaps arising from causes above hinted at , we natter ourselves that the Grand Lodge of England will view the subject as we do , and will , in the establishment of a second Prov . Grand Lodge in this province , guard against these evils . We do not feel a desire to trespass upon established usages , or in the least to infringe upon the rights or prerogatives of the M . W . the Grand Master of England , but we conceive that many arguments might be urged to illustrate the policy of establishing such a precedent in cases similar to ours .
And now , sir , permit us , through you , to draw the attention of the Grand Lodge of England to another subject connected with the formation of a Prov . Grand Lodge here , which , although it may be an extremely delicate subject on which to touch , yet we hope it may not be deemed improper to notice . We allude , to the fees required by the Grand Lodge of England from Prov . Grand Lodges . If I mistake not , 106 ' . 6 d . sterling is required for every initiation ; 2 s . 6 dL registry fees , and 2 s . annually from each member .
Permit me , sir , to state the peculiar situation of the Brethren in this province . Emigration from the mother country is rapidly pouring in here , and we have hitherto found among the emigrants many . Brethren and their families in distress in a land of strangers , and friendless could they not find the fraternal pressure of a Brother * s hand ; but this they have found , and their appeal has not been made in vain . We have relieved their necessities , and , as far as we could , consistentl y with our duties to ourselves and families , have administered to the relief of Brethren made under an authority whose countenance we have long been soliciting .
In proportion as we contribute to the support of the benevolent fund in linghind , ours will bo lessened . We do not wish to be released from the payment of the above fees , but if it he consistent with the policy pursued by the United Grand Lodge of England to appoint an agent in this province , into whose hands we can pay such amounts as are destined for the benevolent fund of England , for
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Cohkesponbence.
United Grand Lodges of England , be granted , that power may be given us to elect our successors , subject to the approval or disapproval of the M . W . Grand Master of England ; in which case we should conceive the power granted rather to the body of Masons collectively than to any individual , —still holding ourselves amenable to the authority from which we receive that power , for the proper exercise of it .
Our distance from England renders it difficult for the M . W . Grand Master of Masons in England to know who in this country would be the most suitable person to fill the important office of Pro 4 . Grand Master . A knowledge of this induced us to recommend in our former petition such persons as we deemed suitable , and such as we considered would give general satisfaction to the Craft ; and for the same reasons we now take the liberty of recommending James Fitzgibbon , Esq ., for the office of Prov . Grand Master , formerly a member of the Grand Lodge of
Lower Canada . We conceive him to be a very proper person for the office , and well qualified to execute the duty pertaining thereto ; and from his correct moral deportment , and the high rank he holds in the esteem of the Provincial Government at York , from the zeal which he manifests in the interests of the Craft , and his general perseverance in any cause which he undertakes , we consider him peculiarly qualified to . fill the office to the satisfaction of the M . W . the Grand
Master of England and with honour to himself ; and we think his appointment would perfectly accorcL-withjthe feelings of every member of the Convention ; and from his station in life and general character , no person in our knowledge is better qualified to conciliate the feelings of our Niagara Brethren . Under these impressions we hope , that in the event of our petition being granted , his name may be inserted as first Prov . Grand Master .
We believe that , generally in the appointment of Prov . Grand Masters , power has not been given to the body of Masons over which they preside , to elect their successors ; but when our distance is taken into consideration , the complete disorganization of the Prov . Grand Lodge upon the death of the Prov . Grand Master , the probability of his neglecting his duty , and giving dissatisfaction to the Craft here , and the delicacy and difficulty of laying his conduct before the Grand Lodge of England , —when our present embarrassed situation is taken into consideration ,
m a great measure , perhaps arising from causes above hinted at , we natter ourselves that the Grand Lodge of England will view the subject as we do , and will , in the establishment of a second Prov . Grand Lodge in this province , guard against these evils . We do not feel a desire to trespass upon established usages , or in the least to infringe upon the rights or prerogatives of the M . W . the Grand Master of England , but we conceive that many arguments might be urged to illustrate the policy of establishing such a precedent in cases similar to ours .
And now , sir , permit us , through you , to draw the attention of the Grand Lodge of England to another subject connected with the formation of a Prov . Grand Lodge here , which , although it may be an extremely delicate subject on which to touch , yet we hope it may not be deemed improper to notice . We allude , to the fees required by the Grand Lodge of England from Prov . Grand Lodges . If I mistake not , 106 ' . 6 d . sterling is required for every initiation ; 2 s . 6 dL registry fees , and 2 s . annually from each member .
Permit me , sir , to state the peculiar situation of the Brethren in this province . Emigration from the mother country is rapidly pouring in here , and we have hitherto found among the emigrants many . Brethren and their families in distress in a land of strangers , and friendless could they not find the fraternal pressure of a Brother * s hand ; but this they have found , and their appeal has not been made in vain . We have relieved their necessities , and , as far as we could , consistentl y with our duties to ourselves and families , have administered to the relief of Brethren made under an authority whose countenance we have long been soliciting .
In proportion as we contribute to the support of the benevolent fund in linghind , ours will bo lessened . We do not wish to be released from the payment of the above fees , but if it he consistent with the policy pursued by the United Grand Lodge of England to appoint an agent in this province , into whose hands we can pay such amounts as are destined for the benevolent fund of England , for