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Article P.M.'S AND THE WORKING BRETHREN OF LODGES. ← Page 2 of 3 Article P.M.'S AND THE WORKING BRETHREN OF LODGES. Page 2 of 3 →
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P.M.'S And The Working Brethren Of Lodges.
is implied that I am forbidden so to do . This is certainly a very strict interpretation of the law , which , I quite agree with B . " should be regarded as a remedial statute , interpreted liberally , and according to its plain and obvious meaning . " I am not desirous , but far the contrary , to preside over a lodge after
having ceased to occupy its chair as W . M ., hut I feel that I should act very uncourteously in refusing to do so at the request of the W . M . of a lodge to which I belong , if the act be sanctioned by the assent of the officers . When I have been called upon to assist with the
ceremonies in the presence of the W . M ., I have , in accordance with common practice , taken the W . M . ' s chair pro . tern ., and invariably resigned it again on their conclusion , leaving the W . M . to conduct the other business of the lodge . Now I am led to understand that I must stand on the floor by the side of
the W . M . I defy anyone thus placed efficiently to perform the ceremonies , for the acting W . M . ought to be so raised as not only to have command of the candidate , but to observe and control the proceedings of the subordinate officers .
Admitting , as I did , that according to the law " a P . M . in the lodge should not make a claim to supersede a P . M . of the lodge who demands the chair as a right in the absence of the W . M ., " I think I concede all that Bro . Kelly requires ; but I do contend that in the absence of that claim and under request from the
W . M ., I did right in taking his place , and further consideration led me to conceive that " law No . 6 , under the head ' Masters and Wardens , " is intended only to define the proper order of precedence , and to prevent unseemly dispute when the W . M . is absent and has neglected to provide a competent substitute . "
From other P . M . ' s I have received opinions in writing in accordance with this view . It will be observed that in this letter I have abstained from use of the word legally , which was , perhaps , unwisely introduced before , and seems to have caused misapprehension in several instances .
The terms in which the matter has been laid before the P . M . ' s , whose opinions have been sought by myself and others , have varied much , and hence the chief point , which I have stated above , has not been caught in several cases . Some have gone even much further than I do in the interpretation of the law .
What I complain of is that I am blamed for doing an act of kindness to a W . M ., at his request , with the assent of all those who were concerned , and with whose wishes I should have at once complied had they desired to take the place which I was called upon to fill , for I have claimed no precedence , as some seem to suppose . Tours fraternally , H . IT .
TO THE EDITOE OF THE FBEE 3 IASOHS' MAGAZINE AND 11130 X 10 MIUEOH . _ Dear . Sir and Brother , —I have read with considerable interest the letters concerning P . M . ' s which have appeared in the last two numbers of the Magazine , and cordially agree with the ruling of the P . G . M . of Devon and the sentiments of the DPGMof
.... Leicestershire , as to the distinction between a P . M . of a lodge and a P . M . in a lodge . But there is one point which in discussing what I term the secondary consideration , has been entirely kept in the background , and that is , the right ofthe W . M . ( if absent )
P.M.'S And The Working Brethren Of Lodges.
to nominate in writing a brother to take his place I contend that a W . M ., when he nominates a brothel " to rule the lodge in his absence , " exceeds the power with which he has been invested . " A W . M . ' s doty , if he cannot be present , is simply to send an apology for non-attendance , and let the I . P . M . or senior
P . M . of the lodge present take his proper positioBj , as is clearly laid down in the Book of Constitutions , art . 6 , p . 78 . But I have seen it often occur , in the attempt to put a "liberal and intelligent construction" upou certain laws , that [ other words , for make them read to suit your purpose ] the laws have
been so distorted and shamed as to put , in my opinion ,, almost the reverse of their meaning . There mighthave been , on the night in question , P . M . ' s of tbe lodge present who would have liked to have presided , but who , for the sake of preserving harmony , would not press their right against the written desire of the
W . M . It is evidently as inconsistent for a P . M ., on joining another lodge , to claim a right of priority or even equality with the P . M . ' s of that lodge as it would be for a M . M ., on joining , to claim prior rank over those members who had been initiated subsequent to him ; or a P . G . Officer , on removing to another
province , to attempt to claim his rank there . As to the very profound question of "> J < B >|« " and his " formidable array of P-M . ' s as to who should preside in a new lodge in the absence ofthe W . M ., he need not have paused very long for a reply , for if he had read to the end of the article he quoteshe would have found
, that the Wardens then " rule the lodge , " not a P . M . of another lodge . But then he might have carried his"ifs " further , and " paused for a reply " in ease they were absent ; or asked how could a candidate be initiated if only six were present ; or other IES ad lib , Tours fraternally , 0 . P .
BRO . MELVILLE'S DISCOVERIES . TO THE EDITOE OF THE FREEMASONS' . 1 UGAZI . Y 2 A > "D ITASOIv'IC MIKEOE . Dear Sir and Brother , —All hail to Bro . D . J , Godfrey ' s letter in the Magazine of the 10 th inst ., p . 290 , recognising the inestimable importance of Bro .
Melville ' s discoveries , and suggesting a system by which they may be made available to and preserved by the brethren ! It is now some time since Bro . Melville gave me , in Australia , an insight into the nature of his researches , and so deeply Avas I impressed with the
magnitude and extraordinary value of the results , that I urged his immediate return to England to impart them , to the Grand Lodge , and soon after my own return to Europe read before the Archasological Society , Paris , one of Bro . Melville's papers expoundingby the liht of his discoveriesthe 13 th verse of
, g , the 145 th Psalms , — " Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom , and Thy dominion endureth throughout all ages . " The paper was Avell received , and its favourable review in Galignani appeared in the Illustrated lYetvs Tour correspondent saw many brethren on the subject ; some inquired , " Did Bro . Melville belong to
any university ? " others , " Didhe discover the MSS . containing so much strange knowledge , or dig them out of some buried city ? " for , had that been the case , the MSS . would have been eagerly sought after and peradventure greedily purchased at a fabulous price for the British Museum . At length arrangements Avere made foi Bro . MeS >
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
P.M.'S And The Working Brethren Of Lodges.
is implied that I am forbidden so to do . This is certainly a very strict interpretation of the law , which , I quite agree with B . " should be regarded as a remedial statute , interpreted liberally , and according to its plain and obvious meaning . " I am not desirous , but far the contrary , to preside over a lodge after
having ceased to occupy its chair as W . M ., hut I feel that I should act very uncourteously in refusing to do so at the request of the W . M . of a lodge to which I belong , if the act be sanctioned by the assent of the officers . When I have been called upon to assist with the
ceremonies in the presence of the W . M ., I have , in accordance with common practice , taken the W . M . ' s chair pro . tern ., and invariably resigned it again on their conclusion , leaving the W . M . to conduct the other business of the lodge . Now I am led to understand that I must stand on the floor by the side of
the W . M . I defy anyone thus placed efficiently to perform the ceremonies , for the acting W . M . ought to be so raised as not only to have command of the candidate , but to observe and control the proceedings of the subordinate officers .
Admitting , as I did , that according to the law " a P . M . in the lodge should not make a claim to supersede a P . M . of the lodge who demands the chair as a right in the absence of the W . M ., " I think I concede all that Bro . Kelly requires ; but I do contend that in the absence of that claim and under request from the
W . M ., I did right in taking his place , and further consideration led me to conceive that " law No . 6 , under the head ' Masters and Wardens , " is intended only to define the proper order of precedence , and to prevent unseemly dispute when the W . M . is absent and has neglected to provide a competent substitute . "
From other P . M . ' s I have received opinions in writing in accordance with this view . It will be observed that in this letter I have abstained from use of the word legally , which was , perhaps , unwisely introduced before , and seems to have caused misapprehension in several instances .
The terms in which the matter has been laid before the P . M . ' s , whose opinions have been sought by myself and others , have varied much , and hence the chief point , which I have stated above , has not been caught in several cases . Some have gone even much further than I do in the interpretation of the law .
What I complain of is that I am blamed for doing an act of kindness to a W . M ., at his request , with the assent of all those who were concerned , and with whose wishes I should have at once complied had they desired to take the place which I was called upon to fill , for I have claimed no precedence , as some seem to suppose . Tours fraternally , H . IT .
TO THE EDITOE OF THE FBEE 3 IASOHS' MAGAZINE AND 11130 X 10 MIUEOH . _ Dear . Sir and Brother , —I have read with considerable interest the letters concerning P . M . ' s which have appeared in the last two numbers of the Magazine , and cordially agree with the ruling of the P . G . M . of Devon and the sentiments of the DPGMof
.... Leicestershire , as to the distinction between a P . M . of a lodge and a P . M . in a lodge . But there is one point which in discussing what I term the secondary consideration , has been entirely kept in the background , and that is , the right ofthe W . M . ( if absent )
P.M.'S And The Working Brethren Of Lodges.
to nominate in writing a brother to take his place I contend that a W . M ., when he nominates a brothel " to rule the lodge in his absence , " exceeds the power with which he has been invested . " A W . M . ' s doty , if he cannot be present , is simply to send an apology for non-attendance , and let the I . P . M . or senior
P . M . of the lodge present take his proper positioBj , as is clearly laid down in the Book of Constitutions , art . 6 , p . 78 . But I have seen it often occur , in the attempt to put a "liberal and intelligent construction" upou certain laws , that [ other words , for make them read to suit your purpose ] the laws have
been so distorted and shamed as to put , in my opinion ,, almost the reverse of their meaning . There mighthave been , on the night in question , P . M . ' s of tbe lodge present who would have liked to have presided , but who , for the sake of preserving harmony , would not press their right against the written desire of the
W . M . It is evidently as inconsistent for a P . M ., on joining another lodge , to claim a right of priority or even equality with the P . M . ' s of that lodge as it would be for a M . M ., on joining , to claim prior rank over those members who had been initiated subsequent to him ; or a P . G . Officer , on removing to another
province , to attempt to claim his rank there . As to the very profound question of "> J < B >|« " and his " formidable array of P-M . ' s as to who should preside in a new lodge in the absence ofthe W . M ., he need not have paused very long for a reply , for if he had read to the end of the article he quoteshe would have found
, that the Wardens then " rule the lodge , " not a P . M . of another lodge . But then he might have carried his"ifs " further , and " paused for a reply " in ease they were absent ; or asked how could a candidate be initiated if only six were present ; or other IES ad lib , Tours fraternally , 0 . P .
BRO . MELVILLE'S DISCOVERIES . TO THE EDITOE OF THE FREEMASONS' . 1 UGAZI . Y 2 A > "D ITASOIv'IC MIKEOE . Dear Sir and Brother , —All hail to Bro . D . J , Godfrey ' s letter in the Magazine of the 10 th inst ., p . 290 , recognising the inestimable importance of Bro .
Melville ' s discoveries , and suggesting a system by which they may be made available to and preserved by the brethren ! It is now some time since Bro . Melville gave me , in Australia , an insight into the nature of his researches , and so deeply Avas I impressed with the
magnitude and extraordinary value of the results , that I urged his immediate return to England to impart them , to the Grand Lodge , and soon after my own return to Europe read before the Archasological Society , Paris , one of Bro . Melville's papers expoundingby the liht of his discoveriesthe 13 th verse of
, g , the 145 th Psalms , — " Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom , and Thy dominion endureth throughout all ages . " The paper was Avell received , and its favourable review in Galignani appeared in the Illustrated lYetvs Tour correspondent saw many brethren on the subject ; some inquired , " Did Bro . Melville belong to
any university ? " others , " Didhe discover the MSS . containing so much strange knowledge , or dig them out of some buried city ? " for , had that been the case , the MSS . would have been eagerly sought after and peradventure greedily purchased at a fabulous price for the British Museum . At length arrangements Avere made foi Bro . MeS >