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Article THE MASONIC MIRROR. ← Page 3 of 5 →
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The Masonic Mirror.
that when they communicated with the Grand Lodge in England they would not do so in vain , and that they would consider every fact that they put forth . He , therefore , asked the patient attention of Grand Lodge to each of the different allegations contained in the memorial , and invited their careful consideration . The first allegation in the memorial was , that there were three separate jurisdictions with three different
modes of working . That , no doubt , was a great and grave difficulty , but it was one under which they had all laboured for many years , but there was some probability of ^ that at no very distant period being adjusted ; but , at tbe same time , the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland looked with jealousy in giving up the rights and mode of
working of their lodges in our colonies . If there was to be but one jurisdiction the other two must give way , and they could neither form or make new lodges . He had a strong conviction that the day might arrive when even those difficulties would be surmounted , but how would the question be affected by the formation of another constitution ? Would the other lodges
come in and form part of this independent Grand Lodge ? He believed that they would not , and that the formation of another Grand Lodge would only lead to further complications and further difficulties . He had ' recently been told by a brother that the colonies had an opportunity of electing their own Provincial Grand Lodge , and he entirely agreed with him
that for years they have nominated their own Provincial Grand Master , and from a certain period no Provincial Grand Master had been appointed by their chief ( the Earl of Zetland ) , except at the desire of the brethren in the colony themselves . He had been told that if a brother in Victoria was excluded from a Scotch or Irish lodge , he might get admitted into another but the same thing existed in this country , for a man who was
excluded from an English lodge had nothing to do but to walk over the border anel cross the Tweed , and he would be at once admitted in Scotland . Even in this country , brethren who were excluded from one lodge had nothing to do but cross a river and gain admission into another lodge . He now approached another allegation in the memorial , which stated that , although there had been lodges in Victoria for upwards of
twenty years , they had no charitable institution . Now , he regretted that they had not—he regretted that they had at the present time no magnificent Masonic Charitable Institution , but there had been no shortcomings on the part of the Grand Lodge to prevent them . They coulcl show them examples that were worthy of imitation , for let them look at Devonshire , at
Yorkshire , or at Lancashire , and in all those counties they were raising splendid charitable institutions of their own ; anel ho would ask had the Grand Lodge of England done anything to prevent them from having similar institutions in Australia ? They had , however , a right to partake of the funds of the Grand Lodge of England , although they paid nothing to the Board
of Benevolence from the Colonies , and with the exception of paying £ 1 17 s . Gd . for the initiation and registration fee on the admission of a member , were never called upon to contribute a shilling to Grand Loelge . But he felt sure that it would be the last thought of Grand Lodge to attempt to make a profit out of the colonial lodges . He wished to point out to Grand Lodge the
amount of contributions received from colonial lodges , and particularly those of Australia . For the last twenty-two years the averageamountpaidby all thelodgesof Australia was only £ 26 per annum . ( Hear , hear . ) Ho . now approached the last and most important allegation in the memorial , in which it was stated that they desired to form themselves into an independent Grand Lodge . Now , his own opinion was that the foundation of a new Grand Lodge was an unmitigated evil , and if they
sanctioned an independent Grand Lodge in Victoria , they could not deny the same privilege to Western Australia , Queensland , New Zealand , and Tasmania . If it was right on the present occasion , after being in existence for twenty-two years , that they should sanction their daughter lodges in Victoria throwing off their allegiance , they must clothe same as regarded other lodges in the same country ( hear , hear ) , and then they
would have six separate constitutions ; but some lodges might decline to join and remain under their present banner of the Grand Lodge of England . If there was to be a separate constitution , the man who was residing in Perth might have to travel 2 , 700 miles to his Grand Lodge ; and as there were no roads , the complication would become more serious , and
therefore he said that the man of Perth would be more shut ont from his Grand Lodge if established in Victoria , than he was at present with England . He held in his hand a paper , which contained in detail the steps which the brethren in Victoria hail taken to effect the object which was embodied in the memorial , and a circular was issued by the brethren who had signed it .
The first person they addressed was the Provincial Grand Master for Ireland , in which he was asked to address the different lodges , under the constitution of Ireland , on the subject . In his answer to them , he stated that he was completely at a , loss to discover tho differences which they said existed amongst the different constitutions ; and although there might be rivalry
amongst them , yet they always extended the right hand of fellowship to their Scotch and Irish brethren , ancl he thought such a step as that proposed , would only tend to sow dissension and disaffection amongst the members of Grand Lodge . In the course of years , perhaps something of the sort might be necessary ; but at the present time , he looked upon it altogether as premature , and it would never be his intention to form a
member of that independent Grand Lodge . Those were the opinions of the Provincial Grand Master for Ireland , and they were worthy of deep consideration . They also communicated with the Provincial Grand Masters for England and Scotland , but the Provincial Grand Master for Scotland , like the one for Ireland , declined to have anything to do with it ; and the Provincial Grand Master for England said he would lay all the facts
before the Grand Master for England . His lordship replied to his communication on the 6 th of July , in which ha stated that if the plan proposed were adopted , it would tend to lower Masonry in Victoria and bring it into disrepute , for if granted to them there would he a claim on the part of New Zealand , Tasmania , Western Australia , and other
colonies , and there must be a Grand Lodge in each . He ( Bro . Havers ) was entirely of opinion that no case had been made out for Victoria , and that if granted must end in disaster . He thought every brother would agree with the opinions his lordship had expressed , and he would ask what must be the position of any installed Master who had breathed allegiance and fidelity
to the constitution , if when installed and sitting in his chair he allowed any brother to violate his obligation . If brethren wanted to throw off their allegiance , they must find some other arena for that purpose than open lodge , and ho rejoiced that Bro . Standish would allow not the discussion of such things in open lodgo , and he was glad to have the opportunity that
night of defending him when he could not be present to defend himself ; and as only 7 out of 41 lodges of Victoria had signed the memorial , the Grand Lodge of England could not entertain it . He ( Bro . Havers ) had been told hy some of the brethren , in Grand Lodge that it would be enough to meet this proposition with a simple negative , and that when his resolution stated that " Grand Lodge desires to express its strong disapprobation of any present attempt to found an independent Grand Lodge
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
that when they communicated with the Grand Lodge in England they would not do so in vain , and that they would consider every fact that they put forth . He , therefore , asked the patient attention of Grand Lodge to each of the different allegations contained in the memorial , and invited their careful consideration . The first allegation in the memorial was , that there were three separate jurisdictions with three different
modes of working . That , no doubt , was a great and grave difficulty , but it was one under which they had all laboured for many years , but there was some probability of ^ that at no very distant period being adjusted ; but , at tbe same time , the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland looked with jealousy in giving up the rights and mode of
working of their lodges in our colonies . If there was to be but one jurisdiction the other two must give way , and they could neither form or make new lodges . He had a strong conviction that the day might arrive when even those difficulties would be surmounted , but how would the question be affected by the formation of another constitution ? Would the other lodges
come in and form part of this independent Grand Lodge ? He believed that they would not , and that the formation of another Grand Lodge would only lead to further complications and further difficulties . He had ' recently been told by a brother that the colonies had an opportunity of electing their own Provincial Grand Lodge , and he entirely agreed with him
that for years they have nominated their own Provincial Grand Master , and from a certain period no Provincial Grand Master had been appointed by their chief ( the Earl of Zetland ) , except at the desire of the brethren in the colony themselves . He had been told that if a brother in Victoria was excluded from a Scotch or Irish lodge , he might get admitted into another but the same thing existed in this country , for a man who was
excluded from an English lodge had nothing to do but to walk over the border anel cross the Tweed , and he would be at once admitted in Scotland . Even in this country , brethren who were excluded from one lodge had nothing to do but cross a river and gain admission into another lodge . He now approached another allegation in the memorial , which stated that , although there had been lodges in Victoria for upwards of
twenty years , they had no charitable institution . Now , he regretted that they had not—he regretted that they had at the present time no magnificent Masonic Charitable Institution , but there had been no shortcomings on the part of the Grand Lodge to prevent them . They coulcl show them examples that were worthy of imitation , for let them look at Devonshire , at
Yorkshire , or at Lancashire , and in all those counties they were raising splendid charitable institutions of their own ; anel ho would ask had the Grand Lodge of England done anything to prevent them from having similar institutions in Australia ? They had , however , a right to partake of the funds of the Grand Lodge of England , although they paid nothing to the Board
of Benevolence from the Colonies , and with the exception of paying £ 1 17 s . Gd . for the initiation and registration fee on the admission of a member , were never called upon to contribute a shilling to Grand Loelge . But he felt sure that it would be the last thought of Grand Lodge to attempt to make a profit out of the colonial lodges . He wished to point out to Grand Lodge the
amount of contributions received from colonial lodges , and particularly those of Australia . For the last twenty-two years the averageamountpaidby all thelodgesof Australia was only £ 26 per annum . ( Hear , hear . ) Ho . now approached the last and most important allegation in the memorial , in which it was stated that they desired to form themselves into an independent Grand Lodge . Now , his own opinion was that the foundation of a new Grand Lodge was an unmitigated evil , and if they
sanctioned an independent Grand Lodge in Victoria , they could not deny the same privilege to Western Australia , Queensland , New Zealand , and Tasmania . If it was right on the present occasion , after being in existence for twenty-two years , that they should sanction their daughter lodges in Victoria throwing off their allegiance , they must clothe same as regarded other lodges in the same country ( hear , hear ) , and then they
would have six separate constitutions ; but some lodges might decline to join and remain under their present banner of the Grand Lodge of England . If there was to be a separate constitution , the man who was residing in Perth might have to travel 2 , 700 miles to his Grand Lodge ; and as there were no roads , the complication would become more serious , and
therefore he said that the man of Perth would be more shut ont from his Grand Lodge if established in Victoria , than he was at present with England . He held in his hand a paper , which contained in detail the steps which the brethren in Victoria hail taken to effect the object which was embodied in the memorial , and a circular was issued by the brethren who had signed it .
The first person they addressed was the Provincial Grand Master for Ireland , in which he was asked to address the different lodges , under the constitution of Ireland , on the subject . In his answer to them , he stated that he was completely at a , loss to discover tho differences which they said existed amongst the different constitutions ; and although there might be rivalry
amongst them , yet they always extended the right hand of fellowship to their Scotch and Irish brethren , ancl he thought such a step as that proposed , would only tend to sow dissension and disaffection amongst the members of Grand Lodge . In the course of years , perhaps something of the sort might be necessary ; but at the present time , he looked upon it altogether as premature , and it would never be his intention to form a
member of that independent Grand Lodge . Those were the opinions of the Provincial Grand Master for Ireland , and they were worthy of deep consideration . They also communicated with the Provincial Grand Masters for England and Scotland , but the Provincial Grand Master for Scotland , like the one for Ireland , declined to have anything to do with it ; and the Provincial Grand Master for England said he would lay all the facts
before the Grand Master for England . His lordship replied to his communication on the 6 th of July , in which ha stated that if the plan proposed were adopted , it would tend to lower Masonry in Victoria and bring it into disrepute , for if granted to them there would he a claim on the part of New Zealand , Tasmania , Western Australia , and other
colonies , and there must be a Grand Lodge in each . He ( Bro . Havers ) was entirely of opinion that no case had been made out for Victoria , and that if granted must end in disaster . He thought every brother would agree with the opinions his lordship had expressed , and he would ask what must be the position of any installed Master who had breathed allegiance and fidelity
to the constitution , if when installed and sitting in his chair he allowed any brother to violate his obligation . If brethren wanted to throw off their allegiance , they must find some other arena for that purpose than open lodge , and ho rejoiced that Bro . Standish would allow not the discussion of such things in open lodgo , and he was glad to have the opportunity that
night of defending him when he could not be present to defend himself ; and as only 7 out of 41 lodges of Victoria had signed the memorial , the Grand Lodge of England could not entertain it . He ( Bro . Havers ) had been told hy some of the brethren , in Grand Lodge that it would be enough to meet this proposition with a simple negative , and that when his resolution stated that " Grand Lodge desires to express its strong disapprobation of any present attempt to found an independent Grand Lodge