-
Articles/Ads
Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 6 of 15 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
the groundless personal attack recently made upon him in Masonic Observer . As he had said , he was not going to defend that attack ; but if he was asked to say that it was groundless ^ he could not give his vote for the resolution . He felt that the Grand Master was entitled to their unqualified sympathy under the attacks wmich had been made upon Mm , as would be any person who had been attacked by statements which were untrue ; and his lordship having denied the truthfulness of the
statements in the paragraph in the Masonic Observer complained of , was entitled to their sympathy . But it was one thing to accord that sympathy—anct . it was another thing to say that there were no grounds for the statements made . Why it was notorious that both the late and present Deputy Grand Masters the late Senior Grand Warden the ^ Earl of Durham , and Junior Grand Warden Bro . Fen wick , were members of the same political party to which the Grand Master belonged . They were bound to accept the explanation of the noble lord , that in making
those appointments he was not influenced by political motives — they were bound to believe the Grand Master , that he did not even know the politics of many of his officers when he appointed them ; but they could not > therefore , say the charges brought against him were groundless . They might say that the charges were made under a false impression ; but with the facts he had mentioned before them , surely they could not maintain that they were groundless . So niuch-fbr that part of the resolution . They were next called upon to declare their confidence in ¦
Lord Zetland ' s ¦' "just and impartial administration . '' He could not consider , even admitting that political considerations had never guided him , that Lord Zetland ' s administration had been just and impartial , as he would endeavour to point out in a few words . He did not think there was much justice or impartiality in appointing Lord Durham to office ^ he never having filled a Master ' s chair , as was required by the Book of Constitutions . Then again , there were the Deacons
and other officers , if they were not appointed by the Grand Master or Deputy Grand Master he could not explain the manner of their appointment , unless it was conducted by a clique who selected them from a few favoured Lodges ; with which they were themselves connected , and who influenced the Grand Master in the business . It was always invidious to mention names —but why were men like Lord Carnarvon , Bro . Beach , Bro . Best , or Sir Edmund Lechmere , and others , never offered office ? He
did not know that ^ any of these Brethren would have accepted office ; but still its not being offered was a flagrant instance of the want of impartiality , and if they said that Lord Zetland was not to blame , they could only come to the conclusion that he did not act by himself , but allowed himself to be guided by evil counsellors . Again , he could not indorse the statementthat the administration of the affairs of the Craft was impartial , when he could scarcely recollect a single case where a resolution brought forward by an independent member of Grand Lodge , was not opposed by the executive . The first time he spoke in Grand Lodge was to second the motion
of Bro . Spiers for the publication of a pocket edition of the Book of Constitutions , of which up to that time a large portion of the Brethren were in ignorance . That was opposed by the executive on the ground that if men became acquainted with the Constitutions , it would lead to greater discussion in Grand Lod ^ e . He ( Bro . Portal ) next brought forward a motion , that a paper of the business should be placed in the hands of each member of Grand Lodge as he entered the room . Before that time they had been kept in ignorance of the business
to be brought before them until they were called upon to decide upon it This too was opposed by the executive . Why , what was Grand Lodge for if not for diseussion ? Well , that was carried , and then'Lorcl Carnarvon , being desirous that the country Brethren should know what business was to be transacted in Grand Lodge , moved that the business papers should he circulated amongst them prior to the time of meeting . That motion was also opposed by the executive—by
those by whom the Grand Master was surrounded , and it was with difficulty carried—so that it was owing to the exertions of the independent members that they were now acquainted with the business to be transacted in Grand Lod ^ e before it was brought forward . Then came the crowning monstrosity—the secession of the Canadian Lodges . That largo province was lost to Masonry , solely owing to tho neglect of the Grand Master , and yet they were now asked to express tluur confidence in him , Fourteen yeo , r « ago ,, when the Grand Master was called
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
the groundless personal attack recently made upon him in Masonic Observer . As he had said , he was not going to defend that attack ; but if he was asked to say that it was groundless ^ he could not give his vote for the resolution . He felt that the Grand Master was entitled to their unqualified sympathy under the attacks wmich had been made upon Mm , as would be any person who had been attacked by statements which were untrue ; and his lordship having denied the truthfulness of the
statements in the paragraph in the Masonic Observer complained of , was entitled to their sympathy . But it was one thing to accord that sympathy—anct . it was another thing to say that there were no grounds for the statements made . Why it was notorious that both the late and present Deputy Grand Masters the late Senior Grand Warden the ^ Earl of Durham , and Junior Grand Warden Bro . Fen wick , were members of the same political party to which the Grand Master belonged . They were bound to accept the explanation of the noble lord , that in making
those appointments he was not influenced by political motives — they were bound to believe the Grand Master , that he did not even know the politics of many of his officers when he appointed them ; but they could not > therefore , say the charges brought against him were groundless . They might say that the charges were made under a false impression ; but with the facts he had mentioned before them , surely they could not maintain that they were groundless . So niuch-fbr that part of the resolution . They were next called upon to declare their confidence in ¦
Lord Zetland ' s ¦' "just and impartial administration . '' He could not consider , even admitting that political considerations had never guided him , that Lord Zetland ' s administration had been just and impartial , as he would endeavour to point out in a few words . He did not think there was much justice or impartiality in appointing Lord Durham to office ^ he never having filled a Master ' s chair , as was required by the Book of Constitutions . Then again , there were the Deacons
and other officers , if they were not appointed by the Grand Master or Deputy Grand Master he could not explain the manner of their appointment , unless it was conducted by a clique who selected them from a few favoured Lodges ; with which they were themselves connected , and who influenced the Grand Master in the business . It was always invidious to mention names —but why were men like Lord Carnarvon , Bro . Beach , Bro . Best , or Sir Edmund Lechmere , and others , never offered office ? He
did not know that ^ any of these Brethren would have accepted office ; but still its not being offered was a flagrant instance of the want of impartiality , and if they said that Lord Zetland was not to blame , they could only come to the conclusion that he did not act by himself , but allowed himself to be guided by evil counsellors . Again , he could not indorse the statementthat the administration of the affairs of the Craft was impartial , when he could scarcely recollect a single case where a resolution brought forward by an independent member of Grand Lodge , was not opposed by the executive . The first time he spoke in Grand Lodge was to second the motion
of Bro . Spiers for the publication of a pocket edition of the Book of Constitutions , of which up to that time a large portion of the Brethren were in ignorance . That was opposed by the executive on the ground that if men became acquainted with the Constitutions , it would lead to greater discussion in Grand Lod ^ e . He ( Bro . Portal ) next brought forward a motion , that a paper of the business should be placed in the hands of each member of Grand Lodge as he entered the room . Before that time they had been kept in ignorance of the business
to be brought before them until they were called upon to decide upon it This too was opposed by the executive . Why , what was Grand Lodge for if not for diseussion ? Well , that was carried , and then'Lorcl Carnarvon , being desirous that the country Brethren should know what business was to be transacted in Grand Lodge , moved that the business papers should he circulated amongst them prior to the time of meeting . That motion was also opposed by the executive—by
those by whom the Grand Master was surrounded , and it was with difficulty carried—so that it was owing to the exertions of the independent members that they were now acquainted with the business to be transacted in Grand Lod ^ e before it was brought forward . Then came the crowning monstrosity—the secession of the Canadian Lodges . That largo province was lost to Masonry , solely owing to tho neglect of the Grand Master , and yet they were now asked to express tluur confidence in him , Fourteen yeo , r « ago ,, when the Grand Master was called