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Article THE MASONIC MIRROR. ← Page 5 of 6 →
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The Masonic Mirror.
or to hold any other appointment Avhicli may interfere with the duties of the office during office hours . " The motion having been seconded , tho G . MASTER put the resolution , which was carried unanimously . ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION POR AGED FREEMASONS AND THEIE AA IDOAV 8 .
S . The Annual Report of the Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their AVidows will be laid before the Grand Lodge , and the following proposed alterations of the laws , which were agreed to at the annual generaf meeting of the Institution , held on Friday the ISth insfc ., will be submitted for the approval of Grand Lodge , viz .:
—" 1 st . To repeal Article 21 , page 9 , of the Rules aud Regulations , and substitute the following as Rule 21 : " A lodge , chapter , or Masonic society subscribing £ 50 in one or more payments during the space of three years , shall during its existence be entitled to ten votes for annuitants on the particular fund to which the donation is paid , and the Master or
First Principal of such lodge or chapter for the time being shall be a Vice-President of the Institution in right of such payment . A donation of £ 10 to either fund in one or more payments in two years shall entitle a lodge , chapter , or Masonic society to two votes during its existence , and a donation of £ 5 in one payment to two votes for fifteen years . " 2 ndty . To amend Rule 22 by adding , after the words
' either fund , " the words ' or partly to each fund , ' also hy striking out the Avords' within five years , ' and substituting the following , ' of not less than five pounds each . ' " 3 rdly . To amend Rule 1 ( Widow ' s Fund ) , by striking out the Avords ' and that the marriage took place three years previoasly to his ceasing to be a subscribing member to a lodge ,
and substituting the following , ' nor if the widow of an annuitant , unless the marriage took place three years , at least , previously to fche presentation of her husband ' s petition . '" Bro . LLEWELLYN EVANS said these resolutions had all been carried by the members of the Institution , bnt required confirmation by Grand Lodge .
The G . MASTER wanted to knoivwhat was meant by " Masonic society . " Bro . HDALL said it meant the member of any Masonic society , although it might be such a society as ivas not recognised b y Grand Lodge . He thou moved the first resolution . The G . MASTER pub the motion , which A \ -as carried
unanimously . Bro . UDALL , P . G . D ., then moved the second recommendation , Avhich Avas also carried . On moving the third resolution , Bro . Udall said the alfce ration had been suggested as the existing rule had been found to Avork prejudicially . The motion was then agreed to .
APPEAL PROM CAWNPORE . The next matter ivas to consider the appeal of Bro . Francis Joseph Jordan , of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 438 , Cawnpore , against his expulsion from Masonry by the District Grand Lodge of Bengal . The G . UEGISTBAK , said this Avas a troublesome and
complicated case to explain to the Grand Lodge , and it appeared that the Grand Lodge of Bengal had made ifc a condition that Asiatics might he admitted into Freemasonry if they could bring testimonials to their good character , but there ivas a by-law passed which prevented them from being so initiated unless ivith the dispensation of the District Grand Master ; but this by-law had not been acted upon since 1 S 63 . One of the Asiacicprinces ivas desirous of entering Freemasonry in Hong Kong , and he
was proposed by one Past Master and seconded by another , aud upon this the attention of the AVorshipful Master ivas called to the by-law , but as he considered it was opposed to the "Book of Constitutions , " an application ivas made to the District Grand Master for a dispensation . The Asiatic was proposed , balloted for , and accepted ; he Avas of good character and his father was
an Areh Mason . The dispensation did not arrive , but a telegraphic message refusing ifc . As the candidate had come a considerable distance for the purpose of being initiated , it was thought that if he was sent back Avithout being so initiated ifc would be detrimental to him in his social position , and as the by-laiv Avas in contravention of the "Book of
Constitutions , " the AVorshipful Master took the advice of his Past Masters , and initiated him into Freemasonry . He was justified in doing so , for the ancient charge said— " A man is obliged by his tenure to obey the moral laAV , and if he rightly understand the art he will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious libertine . He , of all men , should best
understand that God seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh at the outward appearance , but God looketh at the heart . A Mason is , therefore , particularly bound never to act against the dictates of conscience . Let a man's religion or mode of worship be Avhat it may , he is not excluded from the Order , provided he believe in the Glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth , and practise the sacred duties of morality ;"
Thus , according to the principles of Freemasonry they were bound to initiate him . Immediately they had initiated this brother into Freemasonry , the Master was called upon hy the District Grand Master to tell the Past Masters thafc they had acted with contumacy , and they were called upon to submit to the District Grand Master an expression of their contrition for what they had done , under pain of being suspended from
all their Masonic privileges . Two of the Past Masters gave in , but one of them stood by the Master , determined to support him in what he had done . This controversy having taken place , the District Grand Master placed the lodge under the ruling of the Senior AYarden , and there the Master made the first mistake , placed the lodge
in abeyance , Avhich he had no power to do . The District Grand Master then said the Master had acted Avith contumacy , and he expelled Bro . Jordan from the lodge , and it was against that expulsion that he now appealed . The correspondence was extremely lengthy , but those were the facts of the case . He ( the G . Registrar ) , should recommend that as the by-law was in
contravention of the Book of Constitutions , and opposed to the main principles of Freemasonry , and as the decision of the District Grand Master ivas wrong , that his decision be reversed and Bro . Jordan restored fco all his Masonic privileges . Bro . L . EA'AN'S seconded the motion , Avhich Avas put and carried unanimously , amidst great cheering .
THE LATE BRO . STEPHEN BARTON WILSON . Bro . J . C . FOESTEB , P . M . 162 , in bringing forward the motion of wliich lie had given notice , said he had great hesitation in rising to speak of the late Bro . Stephen Barton AVilson , Avhen he remembered the good that he had done for Freemasonry , no less for his having well served their charities
than for his untiring energy for the good of the Craft . He said , therefore , that he had great hesitation in bringing this subject forward from his own inadequacy to do justice to the case he was representing . It was amongst those whom he might call the junior members of the Craft that Stephen Barton AVilson Avas . peculiarly well known . That Grand Lodge was fully aware that for at least thirty years he had held the office of President of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
or to hold any other appointment Avhicli may interfere with the duties of the office during office hours . " The motion having been seconded , tho G . MASTER put the resolution , which was carried unanimously . ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION POR AGED FREEMASONS AND THEIE AA IDOAV 8 .
S . The Annual Report of the Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their AVidows will be laid before the Grand Lodge , and the following proposed alterations of the laws , which were agreed to at the annual generaf meeting of the Institution , held on Friday the ISth insfc ., will be submitted for the approval of Grand Lodge , viz .:
—" 1 st . To repeal Article 21 , page 9 , of the Rules aud Regulations , and substitute the following as Rule 21 : " A lodge , chapter , or Masonic society subscribing £ 50 in one or more payments during the space of three years , shall during its existence be entitled to ten votes for annuitants on the particular fund to which the donation is paid , and the Master or
First Principal of such lodge or chapter for the time being shall be a Vice-President of the Institution in right of such payment . A donation of £ 10 to either fund in one or more payments in two years shall entitle a lodge , chapter , or Masonic society to two votes during its existence , and a donation of £ 5 in one payment to two votes for fifteen years . " 2 ndty . To amend Rule 22 by adding , after the words
' either fund , " the words ' or partly to each fund , ' also hy striking out the Avords' within five years , ' and substituting the following , ' of not less than five pounds each . ' " 3 rdly . To amend Rule 1 ( Widow ' s Fund ) , by striking out the Avords ' and that the marriage took place three years previoasly to his ceasing to be a subscribing member to a lodge ,
and substituting the following , ' nor if the widow of an annuitant , unless the marriage took place three years , at least , previously to fche presentation of her husband ' s petition . '" Bro . LLEWELLYN EVANS said these resolutions had all been carried by the members of the Institution , bnt required confirmation by Grand Lodge .
The G . MASTER wanted to knoivwhat was meant by " Masonic society . " Bro . HDALL said it meant the member of any Masonic society , although it might be such a society as ivas not recognised b y Grand Lodge . He thou moved the first resolution . The G . MASTER pub the motion , which A \ -as carried
unanimously . Bro . UDALL , P . G . D ., then moved the second recommendation , Avhich Avas also carried . On moving the third resolution , Bro . Udall said the alfce ration had been suggested as the existing rule had been found to Avork prejudicially . The motion was then agreed to .
APPEAL PROM CAWNPORE . The next matter ivas to consider the appeal of Bro . Francis Joseph Jordan , of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 438 , Cawnpore , against his expulsion from Masonry by the District Grand Lodge of Bengal . The G . UEGISTBAK , said this Avas a troublesome and
complicated case to explain to the Grand Lodge , and it appeared that the Grand Lodge of Bengal had made ifc a condition that Asiatics might he admitted into Freemasonry if they could bring testimonials to their good character , but there ivas a by-law passed which prevented them from being so initiated unless ivith the dispensation of the District Grand Master ; but this by-law had not been acted upon since 1 S 63 . One of the Asiacicprinces ivas desirous of entering Freemasonry in Hong Kong , and he
was proposed by one Past Master and seconded by another , aud upon this the attention of the AVorshipful Master ivas called to the by-law , but as he considered it was opposed to the "Book of Constitutions , " an application ivas made to the District Grand Master for a dispensation . The Asiatic was proposed , balloted for , and accepted ; he Avas of good character and his father was
an Areh Mason . The dispensation did not arrive , but a telegraphic message refusing ifc . As the candidate had come a considerable distance for the purpose of being initiated , it was thought that if he was sent back Avithout being so initiated ifc would be detrimental to him in his social position , and as the by-laiv Avas in contravention of the "Book of
Constitutions , " the AVorshipful Master took the advice of his Past Masters , and initiated him into Freemasonry . He was justified in doing so , for the ancient charge said— " A man is obliged by his tenure to obey the moral laAV , and if he rightly understand the art he will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious libertine . He , of all men , should best
understand that God seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh at the outward appearance , but God looketh at the heart . A Mason is , therefore , particularly bound never to act against the dictates of conscience . Let a man's religion or mode of worship be Avhat it may , he is not excluded from the Order , provided he believe in the Glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth , and practise the sacred duties of morality ;"
Thus , according to the principles of Freemasonry they were bound to initiate him . Immediately they had initiated this brother into Freemasonry , the Master was called upon hy the District Grand Master to tell the Past Masters thafc they had acted with contumacy , and they were called upon to submit to the District Grand Master an expression of their contrition for what they had done , under pain of being suspended from
all their Masonic privileges . Two of the Past Masters gave in , but one of them stood by the Master , determined to support him in what he had done . This controversy having taken place , the District Grand Master placed the lodge under the ruling of the Senior AYarden , and there the Master made the first mistake , placed the lodge
in abeyance , Avhich he had no power to do . The District Grand Master then said the Master had acted Avith contumacy , and he expelled Bro . Jordan from the lodge , and it was against that expulsion that he now appealed . The correspondence was extremely lengthy , but those were the facts of the case . He ( the G . Registrar ) , should recommend that as the by-law was in
contravention of the Book of Constitutions , and opposed to the main principles of Freemasonry , and as the decision of the District Grand Master ivas wrong , that his decision be reversed and Bro . Jordan restored fco all his Masonic privileges . Bro . L . EA'AN'S seconded the motion , Avhich Avas put and carried unanimously , amidst great cheering .
THE LATE BRO . STEPHEN BARTON WILSON . Bro . J . C . FOESTEB , P . M . 162 , in bringing forward the motion of wliich lie had given notice , said he had great hesitation in rising to speak of the late Bro . Stephen Barton AVilson , Avhen he remembered the good that he had done for Freemasonry , no less for his having well served their charities
than for his untiring energy for the good of the Craft . He said , therefore , that he had great hesitation in bringing this subject forward from his own inadequacy to do justice to the case he was representing . It was amongst those whom he might call the junior members of the Craft that Stephen Barton AVilson Avas . peculiarly well known . That Grand Lodge was fully aware that for at least thirty years he had held the office of President of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement ,