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  • June 14, 1862
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  • THE FREEMASONS' BUILDINGS:
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, June 14, 1862: Page 11

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Page 11

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Freemasons' Buildings:

THE FREEMASONS' BUILDINGS :

A G IUKD PAxroamtiG EXTKAVAGAJIZA , IN RHYME , AS rEKFOlOIED AT TlIB ItOYAIi ClUM THEAT 1 U 3 , GEEAT QUEEN STREET , JUNE 4 th , 1862 . Er THE GRAND BARD ( Self-appointed ) . Graud Lodge cloth often present rum sights When its decks are cleared , for brotherly fights ,

But of all the melees , without rhyme or reason , Commend me to that of the last this season . Brother Stimpson , from Birmingham , first took his seat . « - 'To afford , on the organ , a musical treat , But his left baud was thick ancl his right did so squeak , That we ' ve all got the horrors , to last us a week . The minutes were mutter'd , by Grand Sec . Clarke ,

"Whose reading left most of the Craft in the dark , Whilst "his cleric , " who sat by him , could have been better heard , But , of course ! he'd no right to utter a word .

The Particular Purposeless Board scrutineers Were charg ' c ! to do duty , sans favours or fears ; And the late Grand Pursuivant , Adams , hy name , Will take rank at next meeting!—Why not at that same ? Then came a great bore—that Colonial Board ; Por its President mumbled so , none could afford To sit cracking tbeir ear-drums to catch what he meant

, And in meaningless twaddle was an hour , or so , spent . The Grand Audit report was then read and received , And its statements set forth just what all had believed , The Benevolence Board , too , 'twas pleasing to see , Granted money , to brethren ancl widows , so free . Next came the chief matter that Masons desire ,

Proposed by the President , Bro . Mclntj-re , Who needlessly told his dismay when he'd seen Bro . Meymott ' s own letter in THE MAGAZINE . He felt it his duty to repel that attack , Which had made the board smart from their head to their back , And to prove that they wished to have their own way in it , Proposed its reception , and to call it a minute .

Bro . Lloyd , in a sensible speech , urged the need Of a special discussion , before they agreed To pull down the property , all but the Hall , Ancl find themselves then just beginning the ball . Bro . Stebbing objected the plan to discuss , And thought they'd receive " the report without fuss ; But Lloyd said its merits he did not then enter on ,

Por he felt they were doing what tbey ought not to venture on . The report raised a question of building and leasing , Which he took to mean much revenue ceasing ; The funds of Grand Lodge would be thus dissipated , And involve the Craft deeply if they did as 'twas stated . Up rose the Grand Master , who said he was willing To appoint a Grand Lodge , when they might do their milling ; The report on the minutes , so he had a notion , No reference had to Brother Lloyd ' s motion .

Next spoke Brother Meymott , as he'd been referred to , Por writing a letter showing what lie demurred to In the printed report , which was false ancl unfair , And in which he , and others , had not had a share . Brother Jennings , in accents not pleasing or kind , Tried hard to make Grand Lodge believe—what a blind \—That the board who adopted that document had

The credit of what had been done—good or bad ! His remarks were intended to be Meymott ' s stopper , But Gregory saw that tbe dodge was improper , And pray'd the Grand Master his rule to let slack , So that Meymott might answer this double attack . The Grand Master replied , and made matters no better , He'd not seen the " MAO . " nor read Meymott ' s letter : Then Meymott replied—the report he'd disown it , , Because when amended he'd never been shown it .

The Freemasons' Buildings:

Brother Jennings , irate , and with great aggravation , Called the letter " a tissue of misrepresentation ; " And Gregory thought such terms un-masonic , Was cheered hy Grand Lodge ; ancl Jennings got one—ironic . The Grand Master then gave the brethren his leave To ask Brother Warren his right to receive

And print such a letter ? A course nothing less than To worm out the secrets , well-kept by each press-man . The Grand Sec / s eyes sparkled with glee and delight , He thought they'd caught Warren and pin'd him down tight ; But boast , as he may , that THE Miaaon he'll snub , " He'll make no new friends by that " tale of a tub . " The hint so well ivenby Jennings was taken

g , To catechise Warren ; but he was not shaken ; He answered out boldly ; he naught had to fear ; And the brethren chimed in with a hearty good cheer . 'Midst loud cries of " Ob ! " much cheers and great laughter , Jennings sank in his seat and held his tongue after ; And the Grand Master said it deserved reprehension If a member of Grand Lodge its business dare mention .

Next the brethren were asked to observe the board ' s plans , Which hnng up to view like two huge shatteradans , And then the Junior Grand Warden suggested Brother Lloyd make his motion , and not be molested . He did so , and showed what a pretty fine ravage The scheme would soon make ; but in popped John Savage , Whose enquiry was stopped , and Lloyd did proceed

To question the law on their own title-deed . He was followed in this by the limbs of the law , Ancl if tbere'd been time they'd have gone on to jaw About titles , and buildings in brickwork and stone , And finished when honest men came by their own . Then from freehold , and leasehold the matter soon ranged , To the law , called Masonic , how that could be changed ; But in that the Grand Registrars , hoth , were at fault , And the Grand Master too , so it came to a halt .

And there all might have stuck , for no one knew how To get out of the slough they were floundering in now But hush ! there's the voice of one " vigilant and true , " And in a few moments he'll pilot them through . Brother Havers , at first , told us , what we all saw That both the Grand Registrars knew not the law ; And lie quoted some precedents—where they'd done wrong

If their law was right—but not worth an old song . He urged all the good of the order to seek , By merging their schemes , without envy or pique , And throw the doors open to all those who chose To send in a plan or had aught to propose . He was also surprised , and the last man to wish , That the brethren , themselves , should cry out " stinking fish !"

No lawyer -was he , hut a man of plain sense , And thought it unwise with such questions to fence . They had sold to the Wesleyans land for their schools , And that body had built them , —nor were they such fools That they purchased their title without judgement or care , And in panics of that kind he never would share . He thenthough the subject miht he a digression

, g , Hoped each one would withdraw every hasty expression , And sat himself down , amidst general applause ; Common-sense having licked the small dabblers in laws . The scrutineers then were admitted , to state , The result of their counting , which stopped the debate ; The Grand Officer ' s rejected ; John Savage by name , Was returned by the craft ! very much to its shame .

After this came more talk , without meaning or use , But a clatter of words were much in abuse , And the Grand Master said as , he would , —then he wouldn't , Call a Special Grand Lodge , for he could , —though he couldn't .

Thus ended act one of this farcical play , When act two's to commence why no one can say ; And before the grand scheme can be finally carried , We'll all be " gone coons , " and our great grandsons married .

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1862-06-14, Page 11” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 7 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_14061862/page/11/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
THE GRAND LODGE PROPERTY. Article 1
MASONIC FACTS. Article 1
Untitled Article 3
FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE. Article 4
GRAND LODGE PROPERTY. Article 5
BLOCK PLAN OP THE PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE CRAFT. Article 7
ARCHITECTURE OF PALESTINE FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE CRUSADES. Article 8
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 9
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. Article 9
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 9
MORE IRREGULARITIES. Article 10
BRO. JENNINGS v. WARREN. Article 10
THE SELF-APPOINTED MASONIC PRESS CENSOR. Article 10
ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOR AGED MASONS AND THEIR WIDOWS. Article 12
METROPOLITAN. Article 12
PROVINCIAL. Article 12
CHANNEL ISLANDS. Article 16
SCOTLAND. Article 17
ROYAL ARCH. Article 17
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. Article 18
MARK MASONRY. Article 18
NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. Article 18
THE WEEK. Article 18
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Freemasons' Buildings:

THE FREEMASONS' BUILDINGS :

A G IUKD PAxroamtiG EXTKAVAGAJIZA , IN RHYME , AS rEKFOlOIED AT TlIB ItOYAIi ClUM THEAT 1 U 3 , GEEAT QUEEN STREET , JUNE 4 th , 1862 . Er THE GRAND BARD ( Self-appointed ) . Graud Lodge cloth often present rum sights When its decks are cleared , for brotherly fights ,

But of all the melees , without rhyme or reason , Commend me to that of the last this season . Brother Stimpson , from Birmingham , first took his seat . « - 'To afford , on the organ , a musical treat , But his left baud was thick ancl his right did so squeak , That we ' ve all got the horrors , to last us a week . The minutes were mutter'd , by Grand Sec . Clarke ,

"Whose reading left most of the Craft in the dark , Whilst "his cleric , " who sat by him , could have been better heard , But , of course ! he'd no right to utter a word .

The Particular Purposeless Board scrutineers Were charg ' c ! to do duty , sans favours or fears ; And the late Grand Pursuivant , Adams , hy name , Will take rank at next meeting!—Why not at that same ? Then came a great bore—that Colonial Board ; Por its President mumbled so , none could afford To sit cracking tbeir ear-drums to catch what he meant

, And in meaningless twaddle was an hour , or so , spent . The Grand Audit report was then read and received , And its statements set forth just what all had believed , The Benevolence Board , too , 'twas pleasing to see , Granted money , to brethren ancl widows , so free . Next came the chief matter that Masons desire ,

Proposed by the President , Bro . Mclntj-re , Who needlessly told his dismay when he'd seen Bro . Meymott ' s own letter in THE MAGAZINE . He felt it his duty to repel that attack , Which had made the board smart from their head to their back , And to prove that they wished to have their own way in it , Proposed its reception , and to call it a minute .

Bro . Lloyd , in a sensible speech , urged the need Of a special discussion , before they agreed To pull down the property , all but the Hall , Ancl find themselves then just beginning the ball . Bro . Stebbing objected the plan to discuss , And thought they'd receive " the report without fuss ; But Lloyd said its merits he did not then enter on ,

Por he felt they were doing what tbey ought not to venture on . The report raised a question of building and leasing , Which he took to mean much revenue ceasing ; The funds of Grand Lodge would be thus dissipated , And involve the Craft deeply if they did as 'twas stated . Up rose the Grand Master , who said he was willing To appoint a Grand Lodge , when they might do their milling ; The report on the minutes , so he had a notion , No reference had to Brother Lloyd ' s motion .

Next spoke Brother Meymott , as he'd been referred to , Por writing a letter showing what lie demurred to In the printed report , which was false ancl unfair , And in which he , and others , had not had a share . Brother Jennings , in accents not pleasing or kind , Tried hard to make Grand Lodge believe—what a blind \—That the board who adopted that document had

The credit of what had been done—good or bad ! His remarks were intended to be Meymott ' s stopper , But Gregory saw that tbe dodge was improper , And pray'd the Grand Master his rule to let slack , So that Meymott might answer this double attack . The Grand Master replied , and made matters no better , He'd not seen the " MAO . " nor read Meymott ' s letter : Then Meymott replied—the report he'd disown it , , Because when amended he'd never been shown it .

The Freemasons' Buildings:

Brother Jennings , irate , and with great aggravation , Called the letter " a tissue of misrepresentation ; " And Gregory thought such terms un-masonic , Was cheered hy Grand Lodge ; ancl Jennings got one—ironic . The Grand Master then gave the brethren his leave To ask Brother Warren his right to receive

And print such a letter ? A course nothing less than To worm out the secrets , well-kept by each press-man . The Grand Sec / s eyes sparkled with glee and delight , He thought they'd caught Warren and pin'd him down tight ; But boast , as he may , that THE Miaaon he'll snub , " He'll make no new friends by that " tale of a tub . " The hint so well ivenby Jennings was taken

g , To catechise Warren ; but he was not shaken ; He answered out boldly ; he naught had to fear ; And the brethren chimed in with a hearty good cheer . 'Midst loud cries of " Ob ! " much cheers and great laughter , Jennings sank in his seat and held his tongue after ; And the Grand Master said it deserved reprehension If a member of Grand Lodge its business dare mention .

Next the brethren were asked to observe the board ' s plans , Which hnng up to view like two huge shatteradans , And then the Junior Grand Warden suggested Brother Lloyd make his motion , and not be molested . He did so , and showed what a pretty fine ravage The scheme would soon make ; but in popped John Savage , Whose enquiry was stopped , and Lloyd did proceed

To question the law on their own title-deed . He was followed in this by the limbs of the law , Ancl if tbere'd been time they'd have gone on to jaw About titles , and buildings in brickwork and stone , And finished when honest men came by their own . Then from freehold , and leasehold the matter soon ranged , To the law , called Masonic , how that could be changed ; But in that the Grand Registrars , hoth , were at fault , And the Grand Master too , so it came to a halt .

And there all might have stuck , for no one knew how To get out of the slough they were floundering in now But hush ! there's the voice of one " vigilant and true , " And in a few moments he'll pilot them through . Brother Havers , at first , told us , what we all saw That both the Grand Registrars knew not the law ; And lie quoted some precedents—where they'd done wrong

If their law was right—but not worth an old song . He urged all the good of the order to seek , By merging their schemes , without envy or pique , And throw the doors open to all those who chose To send in a plan or had aught to propose . He was also surprised , and the last man to wish , That the brethren , themselves , should cry out " stinking fish !"

No lawyer -was he , hut a man of plain sense , And thought it unwise with such questions to fence . They had sold to the Wesleyans land for their schools , And that body had built them , —nor were they such fools That they purchased their title without judgement or care , And in panics of that kind he never would share . He thenthough the subject miht he a digression

, g , Hoped each one would withdraw every hasty expression , And sat himself down , amidst general applause ; Common-sense having licked the small dabblers in laws . The scrutineers then were admitted , to state , The result of their counting , which stopped the debate ; The Grand Officer ' s rejected ; John Savage by name , Was returned by the craft ! very much to its shame .

After this came more talk , without meaning or use , But a clatter of words were much in abuse , And the Grand Master said as , he would , —then he wouldn't , Call a Special Grand Lodge , for he could , —though he couldn't .

Thus ended act one of this farcical play , When act two's to commence why no one can say ; And before the grand scheme can be finally carried , We'll all be " gone coons , " and our great grandsons married .

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