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Article THE MASONIC MIRROR. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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The Masonic Mirror.
to the issuing of their last report , which was laid before Grand Lodge at the quarterly communication holden on Wednesday , the 7 th of September last , they received letters from the Most Worshipful Bro . Thomas Douglas Harington , then Grand Master of Canada , and from the Ri ght Worshipful Bro . W . C . Stephens , tho representative of the Grand Lodge of England at the Grand
Lodge of Canada , communicating tho welcome intelligence that the Grand Lodge of Canada had , by a resolution passed on the 15 th July last , formally and fully recognised tho St . George's Lodge ( No . 440 ) , Montreal , holding under the Grand Lodge of England , as a regular lodge , and that fraternal intercourse would he immediately resumed with its officers and members .
The Board therefore recommend for the adoption of Grand Lodge the following resolution , viz . : — "That the Grand Lodge of Canada having at length recognised the St . George's Lodge ( No . 410 ) , Montreal , this Grand Lodge expresses its satisfaction at the termination of the differences which have existed on the subject , and earnestly hopes that
in future the utmost harmony and brotherly love may prevail between the Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Canada , as well as between the brethren of the several Canadian lodges and of those lodges in Canada remaining under the constitution of this Grand Lodge . " The Board have also to report that they have had under their
consideration a letter from a brother at Melbourne , addressed to the President of the Board of General Purposes , and referred by that Board to the Colonial Board . The question raised iu the said letter is , whether a Provincial Grand Master has the power to grant a dispensation to brethren ( petitioners for a new lod ge ) to meet as a lodge , and transact all the ordinary business of a lodge , such as initiating candidates , & c , previous to their petition for a warrant being received and granted by the Most
Worshipful Grand Master . The Board are of opinion that no power is vested in a Provincial Grand Master by the " Book of Constitutions " enabling him to grant a dispensation to brethren to meet as a lodge , and transact tiny Masonic business ; neither can Masonic meetings for initiation , or for other Masonic transactions , be held without a warrant granted by the M . W . Grand Master being in the
custody of the Master of the lodge , unless the brethren are acting under a dispensation from the M . W . Grand Master himself , or from the Provincial Grand Master on the prayer of the petition for such warrant having been first granted by the Grand Master . The Colonial Board arc unanimous in their view of the law on the subject as embodied in the " Book of Constitutions , " but
they are of opinion that it may bo worthy of tho consideration of Grand Lodge—seeing that it has been the practice for many years past for all Provincial Grand Masters in the colonics to grant dispensations , authorising the petitioners for a new lodge to meet as a lodge , and make , pass , and raise Masons , and transact all the Masonic business that may come before
themwhether there should not be au alteration of the law with a view to meet any inconvenience that may exist in _ the colonies on the subject . The Colonial Board have finally to report that their attention has been drawn to the subject of " honorary members " in consequence of certain questions having been submitted to them by
the Albion Lodge ( No . 19 G ) , Barbadoes . The Board having consulted the Grand Registrar in the matter , beg to state that they coincide with him in opinion that the "Book of Constitutions" does not in any way recognise honorary members of private lodges . When that book speaks of members it means onl y those brethren who are regularly contributing members to tho funds of the lodge to which they may belong . Such brethren only ought to be returned to Grand Lodge as members of private
lodges . The status of an honorary member must be strictly confined to the lodge which so elects him , and can iu no way g ive him any position in the Craft outside the door of his lodge . He cannot therefore hold any office in the lodge or vote upon any subject which might , even remotely , affect the Craft at large —in short , that his status and privileges as an honorary member
entitle him to attend the meetings of the lodge , and partake of its refreshments , without the necessity of being introduced by a subscribing member . Honorary members have no other rights or privileges whatever . ( Signed ) X S . S . HOPWOOD , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , November 2 nd , 1 SGL
REPORT or COMMITTEE ON GEASD L ODGE PBOPERTY . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient , Free , and Accepted Masons of England . The circumstances relating to a proposed agreement for a lease of the future Tavern premises having been stated at length at the last meeting of Grand Lodge , and having been printed
in the quarterly communication papers , it now only remains for the Committee formally to report , that , acting under the authority of the resolution of Grand L"dge in June last , they have agreed to let the Tavern premises , which will consist of a portion of the present building , together with all that part of the new buildings intended to be erected to the eastward , and
including the new Great Hall , new dining-rooms , & c , to Mr . Shrewsbury , on behalf of a company , on lease for 21 years , upon the following terms , viz .: — A Premium of £ 5 , 000 to be paid down . An Annual Rent for tho 1 st ,: 2 nd , aud 3 rd years of £ 1 , 200 4 th year 1 , 300
5 th „ 1 , 400 6 th & 7 fch years 1 , 500 and then increasing by £ 50 per annum until it reaches £ 1 , 800 per annum . The lease is being prepared , and will in due course be presented to the trustees for execution . ..: The Committee desire it to be understood , that no pari of the
Masonic buildings is included in this lease , but that the whole of the new Freemasons' Hall , including board and lodge rooms , offices , coffee-room , library , and present Great Hall , will not only be entirely distinct from the Tavern externally , but will be retained for the sole aud exclusive use of the Fraternity . The Committee beg further to report , that the work of the now buildings has been proceeded with as rapidly as
circumstances would permit . Believing that there is some misapprehension on the part of many of the brethren in reference to the apparent progress of the works , the Committee desire to make it understood that the work has been carried on in the manner originally pointed out , and not from choice , but from necessity . This necessity arises from t \ yo causes : —1 st , that
the Executive Department could not bo removed from its present occupation until new offices were provided ; and 2 ndly , that any other arrangements would have involved the entire stoppage of the business of the tenants , and have thus entailed not only serious loss upon them , but great inconvenience to the Craft at large .
The Committee have therefore carried on and have nearly completed all that part of the budding which comprises the Executive-offices , Board-rooms , and the majority of the Lodgerooms . They have taken advantage of the recess to remove and rebuild ( with tho necessary alterations ) the Tavern staircase and the grand staircase , formerly loading to the Great Hall ; to remove the floors of the Glee-room and largo room
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
to the issuing of their last report , which was laid before Grand Lodge at the quarterly communication holden on Wednesday , the 7 th of September last , they received letters from the Most Worshipful Bro . Thomas Douglas Harington , then Grand Master of Canada , and from the Ri ght Worshipful Bro . W . C . Stephens , tho representative of the Grand Lodge of England at the Grand
Lodge of Canada , communicating tho welcome intelligence that the Grand Lodge of Canada had , by a resolution passed on the 15 th July last , formally and fully recognised tho St . George's Lodge ( No . 440 ) , Montreal , holding under the Grand Lodge of England , as a regular lodge , and that fraternal intercourse would he immediately resumed with its officers and members .
The Board therefore recommend for the adoption of Grand Lodge the following resolution , viz . : — "That the Grand Lodge of Canada having at length recognised the St . George's Lodge ( No . 410 ) , Montreal , this Grand Lodge expresses its satisfaction at the termination of the differences which have existed on the subject , and earnestly hopes that
in future the utmost harmony and brotherly love may prevail between the Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Canada , as well as between the brethren of the several Canadian lodges and of those lodges in Canada remaining under the constitution of this Grand Lodge . " The Board have also to report that they have had under their
consideration a letter from a brother at Melbourne , addressed to the President of the Board of General Purposes , and referred by that Board to the Colonial Board . The question raised iu the said letter is , whether a Provincial Grand Master has the power to grant a dispensation to brethren ( petitioners for a new lod ge ) to meet as a lodge , and transact all the ordinary business of a lodge , such as initiating candidates , & c , previous to their petition for a warrant being received and granted by the Most
Worshipful Grand Master . The Board are of opinion that no power is vested in a Provincial Grand Master by the " Book of Constitutions " enabling him to grant a dispensation to brethren to meet as a lodge , and transact tiny Masonic business ; neither can Masonic meetings for initiation , or for other Masonic transactions , be held without a warrant granted by the M . W . Grand Master being in the
custody of the Master of the lodge , unless the brethren are acting under a dispensation from the M . W . Grand Master himself , or from the Provincial Grand Master on the prayer of the petition for such warrant having been first granted by the Grand Master . The Colonial Board arc unanimous in their view of the law on the subject as embodied in the " Book of Constitutions , " but
they are of opinion that it may bo worthy of tho consideration of Grand Lodge—seeing that it has been the practice for many years past for all Provincial Grand Masters in the colonics to grant dispensations , authorising the petitioners for a new lodge to meet as a lodge , and make , pass , and raise Masons , and transact all the Masonic business that may come before
themwhether there should not be au alteration of the law with a view to meet any inconvenience that may exist in _ the colonies on the subject . The Colonial Board have finally to report that their attention has been drawn to the subject of " honorary members " in consequence of certain questions having been submitted to them by
the Albion Lodge ( No . 19 G ) , Barbadoes . The Board having consulted the Grand Registrar in the matter , beg to state that they coincide with him in opinion that the "Book of Constitutions" does not in any way recognise honorary members of private lodges . When that book speaks of members it means onl y those brethren who are regularly contributing members to tho funds of the lodge to which they may belong . Such brethren only ought to be returned to Grand Lodge as members of private
lodges . The status of an honorary member must be strictly confined to the lodge which so elects him , and can iu no way g ive him any position in the Craft outside the door of his lodge . He cannot therefore hold any office in the lodge or vote upon any subject which might , even remotely , affect the Craft at large —in short , that his status and privileges as an honorary member
entitle him to attend the meetings of the lodge , and partake of its refreshments , without the necessity of being introduced by a subscribing member . Honorary members have no other rights or privileges whatever . ( Signed ) X S . S . HOPWOOD , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , November 2 nd , 1 SGL
REPORT or COMMITTEE ON GEASD L ODGE PBOPERTY . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient , Free , and Accepted Masons of England . The circumstances relating to a proposed agreement for a lease of the future Tavern premises having been stated at length at the last meeting of Grand Lodge , and having been printed
in the quarterly communication papers , it now only remains for the Committee formally to report , that , acting under the authority of the resolution of Grand L"dge in June last , they have agreed to let the Tavern premises , which will consist of a portion of the present building , together with all that part of the new buildings intended to be erected to the eastward , and
including the new Great Hall , new dining-rooms , & c , to Mr . Shrewsbury , on behalf of a company , on lease for 21 years , upon the following terms , viz .: — A Premium of £ 5 , 000 to be paid down . An Annual Rent for tho 1 st ,: 2 nd , aud 3 rd years of £ 1 , 200 4 th year 1 , 300
5 th „ 1 , 400 6 th & 7 fch years 1 , 500 and then increasing by £ 50 per annum until it reaches £ 1 , 800 per annum . The lease is being prepared , and will in due course be presented to the trustees for execution . ..: The Committee desire it to be understood , that no pari of the
Masonic buildings is included in this lease , but that the whole of the new Freemasons' Hall , including board and lodge rooms , offices , coffee-room , library , and present Great Hall , will not only be entirely distinct from the Tavern externally , but will be retained for the sole aud exclusive use of the Fraternity . The Committee beg further to report , that the work of the now buildings has been proceeded with as rapidly as
circumstances would permit . Believing that there is some misapprehension on the part of many of the brethren in reference to the apparent progress of the works , the Committee desire to make it understood that the work has been carried on in the manner originally pointed out , and not from choice , but from necessity . This necessity arises from t \ yo causes : —1 st , that
the Executive Department could not bo removed from its present occupation until new offices were provided ; and 2 ndly , that any other arrangements would have involved the entire stoppage of the business of the tenants , and have thus entailed not only serious loss upon them , but great inconvenience to the Craft at large .
The Committee have therefore carried on and have nearly completed all that part of the budding which comprises the Executive-offices , Board-rooms , and the majority of the Lodgerooms . They have taken advantage of the recess to remove and rebuild ( with tho necessary alterations ) the Tavern staircase and the grand staircase , formerly loading to the Great Hall ; to remove the floors of the Glee-room and largo room