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Article COEEESPOroENCE. ← Page 3 of 5 →
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Coeeesporoence.
therefore know little of our doings ; and as it is not likely that the Grand Lodge of Ireland is exempted from the popular charges against Irishmen , it may be thought that , with the impulsive and unreflecting generosity for which our nation is as frequently sneered at as admired , we took a headlong course , and , as usual wdth Irishmen , in a wrong direction . However , if this be the opinion of any , it is not in this instance more just than such sweeping prejudices are generally found to be . Laying aside all feelings of disappointinent or pique , the Grand Lodge of Ireland approached the discussion of the question with a very calm , dignified ,
and unprejudiced spirit . Its first step was to communicate with the Grand Lodges of England arid Scotland , asking what their decisions had been upon the subject . After waiting for a reply until it could not , in common courtesy , longer delay its answer to the Canadian declaration , the Grand Lodge of Ireland was obliged to set about making up its mind on the matter , without knowing how the Grand Lodges of England or of Scotland had acted , or would act . We had sought the aid of their opinions , but had never deemed ourselves incompetent to draw our own conclusions- —a difficult task , perhaps ; but we did not shrink from it .
Our historic records informed us , that in 1717 , a few Lodges , meeting in London , had established the Grand Lodge of England . Our own Grand Lodge had likewise originated in the universal consent of the Order in Ireland , And we knew that throughout the vast extent of the United State , Grand Lodges , inferior to none in the world in Masonic skill , talent , or utility , had been established in very recent times by the suffrages of the very bodies they were to rule . It seems rather late to doubt the legitimacy of this source of Masonic powers , existing de facto , and likely to exist , whether it pleases us or not . We also could not but feel that the Canadian Lodges ought best to know their own wants and
their own resources ; and that if the moment had arrived when they had attained strength and maturity to support themselves , it was an idle and childish attempt to keep them in a state of pupilage and dependence . Masonic subordination is intended for the benefit of the many , not to foster the pride of a few . Masonic rule is to unite men , not to force them into contention and dissension . And those who had the energy and spirit to take that final measure of declaring their independence , were not likely to heed the brutum fiihnen of our censures , or the weak and querulous complaints of our protests .
We therefore resolved to accede to the proposition of our Brethren , —because it was both reasonable and , as we deemed , consistent with usage , so far as usage existed to guide us . I need not descant upon the happy results which have followed , or the cordial and fraternal union which now exists between us arid our Brethren in Canada . The measure was not taken by the Grand Lodge of Ireland without the cordial assent of its Grand Master , the Duke of Leinster , who had carefully considered the question before it was submitted to the Grand Lodge by his Deputy Grand Master , and fully concurred in the decision . —I have the honour to be , Sir and Brother , your faithful Servant , M . Puknell , 33 rd Degree , 8 th December , 1857 . Frov . G . M . of North Munster .
MASONIC RITUAL .
TO THE EDITOR 0 ¥ THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIKllOK . Sin and Brother , —In my first letter on the subject of a Masonic Ritual , I distinctly stated that " the subject could not be fully discussed in your pages ; " for that reason I am not permitted to reply to Bro . L . L . P . No . I as I would wish . I shall not offer any opinion on the mindfulness of Grand Lodge on such a subject as this . The alluHion to a loop-hole is too trifling to notice . Does my Brother No . 1 suppose I could descend to such a low subterfuge ? As to my light proposal of " a cigar and a ckecrer" & c , my Brother would not YOL . III . 6 55
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Coeeesporoence.
therefore know little of our doings ; and as it is not likely that the Grand Lodge of Ireland is exempted from the popular charges against Irishmen , it may be thought that , with the impulsive and unreflecting generosity for which our nation is as frequently sneered at as admired , we took a headlong course , and , as usual wdth Irishmen , in a wrong direction . However , if this be the opinion of any , it is not in this instance more just than such sweeping prejudices are generally found to be . Laying aside all feelings of disappointinent or pique , the Grand Lodge of Ireland approached the discussion of the question with a very calm , dignified ,
and unprejudiced spirit . Its first step was to communicate with the Grand Lodges of England arid Scotland , asking what their decisions had been upon the subject . After waiting for a reply until it could not , in common courtesy , longer delay its answer to the Canadian declaration , the Grand Lodge of Ireland was obliged to set about making up its mind on the matter , without knowing how the Grand Lodges of England or of Scotland had acted , or would act . We had sought the aid of their opinions , but had never deemed ourselves incompetent to draw our own conclusions- —a difficult task , perhaps ; but we did not shrink from it .
Our historic records informed us , that in 1717 , a few Lodges , meeting in London , had established the Grand Lodge of England . Our own Grand Lodge had likewise originated in the universal consent of the Order in Ireland , And we knew that throughout the vast extent of the United State , Grand Lodges , inferior to none in the world in Masonic skill , talent , or utility , had been established in very recent times by the suffrages of the very bodies they were to rule . It seems rather late to doubt the legitimacy of this source of Masonic powers , existing de facto , and likely to exist , whether it pleases us or not . We also could not but feel that the Canadian Lodges ought best to know their own wants and
their own resources ; and that if the moment had arrived when they had attained strength and maturity to support themselves , it was an idle and childish attempt to keep them in a state of pupilage and dependence . Masonic subordination is intended for the benefit of the many , not to foster the pride of a few . Masonic rule is to unite men , not to force them into contention and dissension . And those who had the energy and spirit to take that final measure of declaring their independence , were not likely to heed the brutum fiihnen of our censures , or the weak and querulous complaints of our protests .
We therefore resolved to accede to the proposition of our Brethren , —because it was both reasonable and , as we deemed , consistent with usage , so far as usage existed to guide us . I need not descant upon the happy results which have followed , or the cordial and fraternal union which now exists between us arid our Brethren in Canada . The measure was not taken by the Grand Lodge of Ireland without the cordial assent of its Grand Master , the Duke of Leinster , who had carefully considered the question before it was submitted to the Grand Lodge by his Deputy Grand Master , and fully concurred in the decision . —I have the honour to be , Sir and Brother , your faithful Servant , M . Puknell , 33 rd Degree , 8 th December , 1857 . Frov . G . M . of North Munster .
MASONIC RITUAL .
TO THE EDITOR 0 ¥ THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIKllOK . Sin and Brother , —In my first letter on the subject of a Masonic Ritual , I distinctly stated that " the subject could not be fully discussed in your pages ; " for that reason I am not permitted to reply to Bro . L . L . P . No . I as I would wish . I shall not offer any opinion on the mindfulness of Grand Lodge on such a subject as this . The alluHion to a loop-hole is too trifling to notice . Does my Brother No . 1 suppose I could descend to such a low subterfuge ? As to my light proposal of " a cigar and a ckecrer" & c , my Brother would not YOL . III . 6 55