Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
India.
way . Only one case was lying over from the proceedings of the previous meeting , namely , that of AA . Bro . J . R . Douglas , late Master of the late lodge Kilwinning in the East . It had then been resolved that Bro . Douglas should be requested to pay up the dues to the District Grand Lodge , or to show cause personally , at the next quarterly communication , why he should not be expelled . It had been observed at that meeting , that the question was not
one of pounds shillings , and pence ; hut that there had been a neglect of authority and a spirit of contumacy on the part of Bro . Douglas , which called for serious notice . That resolution had been communicated to Bro . Douglas . On the 22 nd instant , Bro . Douglas had informed the Prov . G . Treasurer that no further assets of the late Lodge Kilwinning in the East had come into his hands , hut that he had hopes of recovering some more of the outstandings . The Offg . Prov . G . M . was not disposed to treat Bro . Douglas with
harshness ; but he was anxious that the case should be finally disposed of , either immediately , or positively at the next Quarterly Communication . Perhaps it would be well to inform Bro . Douglas that the District Grand Lodge had nothing to do with his inability to realize the money . Every master of a lodge was responsible for such payments , and had it in his power to enforce the prepayment by candidates of the fees due to the District Grand Lodge , as well as to reserve the assessment on the money actually realized .
R . AV . Bro . ROBEBTS observed that it was not advisable that the District Grand Lodge should pass by without serious notice the nonpayment , by any lodge , of its legitimate dues , especially of the fees for initiation , passing , and raising . The case of Bro . Douglas had been so long before the District Grand Lodge , that it was highly desirable that it should be got rid of . The Offg . Prov . G . M . was anxious that it should be finally settled , and the sooner we disposed of it the better .
The Offg . PEOV . G . M . stated that he was ready to put any proposition to the vote . R . W . Bro . ROBERTS then proposed that , as Bro . Douglas had paid a iiortion of the money , and was in hopes of recovering more , he should be allowed further time till the quarterly communication of September next , when , if it should appear that he had not fully met the demand against him , or if he did not personally show to the District Grand Lodge that there had been no wilful neglect
of authority or spirit of contumacy on his part , he ( Bro . Roberts ) pledged himself that he would move for his expulsion , with a view to the maintainance of discipline , and the Offg . Prov . G . M . should himself determine whether Bro . Douglas had met the requirements of the case . Bro . A . F . MANLY , of lodge 715 , begged to be informed whether Bro . Douglas had been summoned to the Meeting .
The Offg . PBOV . G . M . stated that Bro . Douglas had been furnished with a copy of the Resolution passed on his case at the last meeting , and that it had been expected that he shonld act upon the intimation conveyed therein , namely , that he was required cither to pay up the dues , or to show cause personally at the next quarterly communication of the District Grand Lodge why he should not be expelled . R . AV . Bro . Sandeman was of opinion , that brethren should bear
in mind that , with the dignity of the office of Master , there were certain responsibilities , which could not be thrown off as if it were a matter of little importance . He would second R . W " . Bro . Roberts , although he felt he was treating the case with leniency , when severity was deserved . The proposition was then put to the vote , and was carried , there being only one vote against it . The Offg . PEOV . G . M . informed the brethren that the Resolution
of lodge Star in the East , which had been read in the District Grand Lodge , regarding our late R . W . Bro . LeGeyt , had been communicated to the Provincial Grand Lodge of A \ estern India , and that a reply had been received , which the Prov . G . Sec . would read . A report of the last meeting of that Provincial Grand Lodge had also come to hand . The practice had for some time been established of interchanging reports with the Provincial Grand Lodges of Bombay and Madras ; but the latter appeared to
be just now temporarily in abeyance . The Offg . PBOV . G . M . — " Brethren ! Most , if not all of you , were acquainted with our late R . AV . Bro . Samuel Smith , who lately died at Darjeeling . I think it incumbent on us to do something to preserve the memory of his services to Freemasonry . A record might , at least , be made of his Masonic career . It was my intention to draw up a sketch of his services ; but I have been forestalled by the Indian Freemasons' Friendwhich contains an
, obituary memoir of the deceased , as well as a Resolution passed in lodge Humility with Fortitude , ( No . 27 r ) . If the suggestion meets with your appaoval , I would transplant the entire article into our proceedings , and would add to it a letter on the same subject which has been received from lodge Star in the East , ( No . 80 ) . I wish , however , that the proposition should be formally moved , "
R . AA . Bro . ROBEBTS . — "I do not think the matter should rest there . The services of other eminent brethren have been regognised in a more costly manner . AA e lately voted a testimonial to the memory of R . AV . Bro . King , whose Masonic services , however great , did not surpass those of Bro . Samuel Smith . If , therefore , the former deserved a durable monument , so does the latter , in a not less degree . The toil and trouble which Bro . Smith tookand the money which he spent to keep Masonrycan
, up , only be faintly imagined . The fund of the District Grand Lodge , however , cannot bear the large and repeated drains which have lately been made upon it ; but it is to be hoped the lodges will come forward with contributions towards such a worthy object . I therefore propose that not only the notice in the Indian Freemasons Friend be embodied in the report of the District Grand Lodge , but that a monument he raised to the memory of R . AA . Bro , Samuel Smith . 1 take this opportunity of enquiring what has
been done with regard to Bro . King ' s testimonial . The pedestal which is downstairs appears to me to be a failure . " R . AA . Bro . JENN - IICGS had known Bro . Samuel Smith for manyyears , and he quite concurred in the sentiments expressed by Bro . Roberts . He therefore rose to second the motion .
The Offg . PBOV . G . M . observed that he happened to he the only early contemporary of Bro . Smith . He was well aware of all that Bro . Samuel Smith bad done for keeping Masonry alive . Had it not been for his exertions , Masonry would have gone out of the the province . It might afterwards have been brought back ; but for a time , at least , its light would have been wanting . AV . Bro . James AV . BEOWNE was of opinion that the lodges would readily unite in raising a memorial .
The Offg . PEOV . G . M . stated that , in pursuance of the Resolution , it would be necessary to appoint a committee . He desired that it should be composed of Masters of lodges , the Offg . D . Prov . G . M ., the Grand Wardens , and the Grand Treasurer .
The Offg . PEOV . G . M . stated that he had to report only one case of exclusion . The recomendation had come from lodge True Brothers , ( No . 609 . ) of Dinapore , and it bad been confirmed . It was the case of a brother who had been convicted on a serious charge , and had been dismissed from the Subordinate Medical Service in a General Order of the Commandor-in-Chief dated 12 th April 1861 , ' The Offg . Prov . G . M . — " Brethren ! You are aware that there
have been some disagreeable circumstances connected with Lodge Marine , No . 282 . A Master , AV . Bro . Collins , was elected to serve for the third year ; but as the Book of Constitutions allows of such an election only " in cases of real necessity , " and as I saw no real necessity in this particular instance , I refused to grant a dispensation . The ( . brethren did not choose to elect anybody else , nor would they leave the lodge in the hands of the minority ; and at last they held a meetingat which AV . Bro . Collins presidedand
, , passed a resolution that the AVarrant should be sent direct to England . It became necessary for me to interfere ; but the AA arrant had already been forwarded to tho Grand Secretary . As the Constitutions , however , provide that were the majority of members withdraw from a lodge , the power of assembling remains with the rest , I granted a AVarrant of Dispensation to those who
still adhered to Lodge Marine , and had the pleasure of being present when the lodge was re-opened , and of installing the Master , AV . Bro . Evans . It commenced with eight members , and now has thirty-two on its register . The conduct of AV . Bro . Collins in allowing an unconstitutional proposition to be put to the vote and to be passed into a resolution , and in not attending to communications addressed to him by the Prov . G . Sec , has been investigated by a Special Committee ; and on their reportI havewith a view
, , to upholding discipline , suspended him for six months , retropectively , from the 1 st May 1861 . " The Offg . Prov . G . M . stated that he had received a report from Lodge Marine , that Bro . G . A . Faria , whose exclusion from the lodge had been announced in the District Grand Lodge some time ago , had been re-admitted to membership . It had appeared , on a re-investigation of his case , that Bro . Faria had not been excluded
on valid grounds , and that , being a young Mason , he had not been aware of his ri ght of appeal to the Prov . G . M . Had he appealed , he would have been re-instated . R . AV . Bro . ROBEBTS hoped that this was simply a notification of what had been done ; for he considered it very objectionable , that after the lapse of a considerable period of time , a case should be re-tried on it original merits . He knew of a trial the evidence produced at which could not be understood after many years .
AV . Bro . EVANS , Master of Lodge Marine , considered it necessary to explain what the case was . Shortly after his initiation , Bro . Faria attended a meeting , but was repuestedb y the Master to leave the lodge , because a visitor who was present objected to sit with him . Bro . Fariajeonsidered this a very strange proceeding , and resolved to be no longer a member of the lodge until there should
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
India.
way . Only one case was lying over from the proceedings of the previous meeting , namely , that of AA . Bro . J . R . Douglas , late Master of the late lodge Kilwinning in the East . It had then been resolved that Bro . Douglas should be requested to pay up the dues to the District Grand Lodge , or to show cause personally , at the next quarterly communication , why he should not be expelled . It had been observed at that meeting , that the question was not
one of pounds shillings , and pence ; hut that there had been a neglect of authority and a spirit of contumacy on the part of Bro . Douglas , which called for serious notice . That resolution had been communicated to Bro . Douglas . On the 22 nd instant , Bro . Douglas had informed the Prov . G . Treasurer that no further assets of the late Lodge Kilwinning in the East had come into his hands , hut that he had hopes of recovering some more of the outstandings . The Offg . Prov . G . M . was not disposed to treat Bro . Douglas with
harshness ; but he was anxious that the case should be finally disposed of , either immediately , or positively at the next Quarterly Communication . Perhaps it would be well to inform Bro . Douglas that the District Grand Lodge had nothing to do with his inability to realize the money . Every master of a lodge was responsible for such payments , and had it in his power to enforce the prepayment by candidates of the fees due to the District Grand Lodge , as well as to reserve the assessment on the money actually realized .
R . AV . Bro . ROBEBTS observed that it was not advisable that the District Grand Lodge should pass by without serious notice the nonpayment , by any lodge , of its legitimate dues , especially of the fees for initiation , passing , and raising . The case of Bro . Douglas had been so long before the District Grand Lodge , that it was highly desirable that it should be got rid of . The Offg . Prov . G . M . was anxious that it should be finally settled , and the sooner we disposed of it the better .
The Offg . PEOV . G . M . stated that he was ready to put any proposition to the vote . R . W . Bro . ROBERTS then proposed that , as Bro . Douglas had paid a iiortion of the money , and was in hopes of recovering more , he should be allowed further time till the quarterly communication of September next , when , if it should appear that he had not fully met the demand against him , or if he did not personally show to the District Grand Lodge that there had been no wilful neglect
of authority or spirit of contumacy on his part , he ( Bro . Roberts ) pledged himself that he would move for his expulsion , with a view to the maintainance of discipline , and the Offg . Prov . G . M . should himself determine whether Bro . Douglas had met the requirements of the case . Bro . A . F . MANLY , of lodge 715 , begged to be informed whether Bro . Douglas had been summoned to the Meeting .
The Offg . PBOV . G . M . stated that Bro . Douglas had been furnished with a copy of the Resolution passed on his case at the last meeting , and that it had been expected that he shonld act upon the intimation conveyed therein , namely , that he was required cither to pay up the dues , or to show cause personally at the next quarterly communication of the District Grand Lodge why he should not be expelled . R . AV . Bro . Sandeman was of opinion , that brethren should bear
in mind that , with the dignity of the office of Master , there were certain responsibilities , which could not be thrown off as if it were a matter of little importance . He would second R . W " . Bro . Roberts , although he felt he was treating the case with leniency , when severity was deserved . The proposition was then put to the vote , and was carried , there being only one vote against it . The Offg . PEOV . G . M . informed the brethren that the Resolution
of lodge Star in the East , which had been read in the District Grand Lodge , regarding our late R . W . Bro . LeGeyt , had been communicated to the Provincial Grand Lodge of A \ estern India , and that a reply had been received , which the Prov . G . Sec . would read . A report of the last meeting of that Provincial Grand Lodge had also come to hand . The practice had for some time been established of interchanging reports with the Provincial Grand Lodges of Bombay and Madras ; but the latter appeared to
be just now temporarily in abeyance . The Offg . PBOV . G . M . — " Brethren ! Most , if not all of you , were acquainted with our late R . AV . Bro . Samuel Smith , who lately died at Darjeeling . I think it incumbent on us to do something to preserve the memory of his services to Freemasonry . A record might , at least , be made of his Masonic career . It was my intention to draw up a sketch of his services ; but I have been forestalled by the Indian Freemasons' Friendwhich contains an
, obituary memoir of the deceased , as well as a Resolution passed in lodge Humility with Fortitude , ( No . 27 r ) . If the suggestion meets with your appaoval , I would transplant the entire article into our proceedings , and would add to it a letter on the same subject which has been received from lodge Star in the East , ( No . 80 ) . I wish , however , that the proposition should be formally moved , "
R . AA . Bro . ROBEBTS . — "I do not think the matter should rest there . The services of other eminent brethren have been regognised in a more costly manner . AA e lately voted a testimonial to the memory of R . AV . Bro . King , whose Masonic services , however great , did not surpass those of Bro . Samuel Smith . If , therefore , the former deserved a durable monument , so does the latter , in a not less degree . The toil and trouble which Bro . Smith tookand the money which he spent to keep Masonrycan
, up , only be faintly imagined . The fund of the District Grand Lodge , however , cannot bear the large and repeated drains which have lately been made upon it ; but it is to be hoped the lodges will come forward with contributions towards such a worthy object . I therefore propose that not only the notice in the Indian Freemasons Friend be embodied in the report of the District Grand Lodge , but that a monument he raised to the memory of R . AA . Bro , Samuel Smith . 1 take this opportunity of enquiring what has
been done with regard to Bro . King ' s testimonial . The pedestal which is downstairs appears to me to be a failure . " R . AA . Bro . JENN - IICGS had known Bro . Samuel Smith for manyyears , and he quite concurred in the sentiments expressed by Bro . Roberts . He therefore rose to second the motion .
The Offg . PBOV . G . M . observed that he happened to he the only early contemporary of Bro . Smith . He was well aware of all that Bro . Samuel Smith bad done for keeping Masonry alive . Had it not been for his exertions , Masonry would have gone out of the the province . It might afterwards have been brought back ; but for a time , at least , its light would have been wanting . AV . Bro . James AV . BEOWNE was of opinion that the lodges would readily unite in raising a memorial .
The Offg . PEOV . G . M . stated that , in pursuance of the Resolution , it would be necessary to appoint a committee . He desired that it should be composed of Masters of lodges , the Offg . D . Prov . G . M ., the Grand Wardens , and the Grand Treasurer .
The Offg . PEOV . G . M . stated that he had to report only one case of exclusion . The recomendation had come from lodge True Brothers , ( No . 609 . ) of Dinapore , and it bad been confirmed . It was the case of a brother who had been convicted on a serious charge , and had been dismissed from the Subordinate Medical Service in a General Order of the Commandor-in-Chief dated 12 th April 1861 , ' The Offg . Prov . G . M . — " Brethren ! You are aware that there
have been some disagreeable circumstances connected with Lodge Marine , No . 282 . A Master , AV . Bro . Collins , was elected to serve for the third year ; but as the Book of Constitutions allows of such an election only " in cases of real necessity , " and as I saw no real necessity in this particular instance , I refused to grant a dispensation . The ( . brethren did not choose to elect anybody else , nor would they leave the lodge in the hands of the minority ; and at last they held a meetingat which AV . Bro . Collins presidedand
, , passed a resolution that the AVarrant should be sent direct to England . It became necessary for me to interfere ; but the AA arrant had already been forwarded to tho Grand Secretary . As the Constitutions , however , provide that were the majority of members withdraw from a lodge , the power of assembling remains with the rest , I granted a AVarrant of Dispensation to those who
still adhered to Lodge Marine , and had the pleasure of being present when the lodge was re-opened , and of installing the Master , AV . Bro . Evans . It commenced with eight members , and now has thirty-two on its register . The conduct of AV . Bro . Collins in allowing an unconstitutional proposition to be put to the vote and to be passed into a resolution , and in not attending to communications addressed to him by the Prov . G . Sec , has been investigated by a Special Committee ; and on their reportI havewith a view
, , to upholding discipline , suspended him for six months , retropectively , from the 1 st May 1861 . " The Offg . Prov . G . M . stated that he had received a report from Lodge Marine , that Bro . G . A . Faria , whose exclusion from the lodge had been announced in the District Grand Lodge some time ago , had been re-admitted to membership . It had appeared , on a re-investigation of his case , that Bro . Faria had not been excluded
on valid grounds , and that , being a young Mason , he had not been aware of his ri ght of appeal to the Prov . G . M . Had he appealed , he would have been re-instated . R . AV . Bro . ROBEBTS hoped that this was simply a notification of what had been done ; for he considered it very objectionable , that after the lapse of a considerable period of time , a case should be re-tried on it original merits . He knew of a trial the evidence produced at which could not be understood after many years .
AV . Bro . EVANS , Master of Lodge Marine , considered it necessary to explain what the case was . Shortly after his initiation , Bro . Faria attended a meeting , but was repuestedb y the Master to leave the lodge , because a visitor who was present objected to sit with him . Bro . Fariajeonsidered this a very strange proceeding , and resolved to be no longer a member of the lodge until there should