Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Threatened Secession From The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.
Grand Principalship of the Western District , but appears to have withdrawn his allegiance from the Supreme Grand Chapter , and ceased to have any connection with the chapters holding under her banner . With Dr . Walker Arnott as a Royal Arch Companionthenwe have nothing further to do ; we only
, , hope that before lending his name and his influence in furtherance of the unjustifiable designs of his avowed sympathisers , he will carefully study the very stringent Royal Arch 0 . B ., which he has himself taken , and been the means also of administering to many others .
The issuing of a printed circular by a person designating himself " Prov . G . Scribe E ., " summoning a public meeting of the Royal Arch Masons of the West of Scotland , releases us from further reserve on this unpleasant subject , and we shall endeavour to show what has alreadfollowed from Dr . Arnott's secession ;
y but before proceeding to do so , we beg leave to premise that by the acceptance by Grand Chapter of Dr . Arnott ' s resignation , the Prov . Grand Chapter of the Western District was broken up , and the various subordinate chapters forming that district , put under the direct control and superintendence of Supreme Grand
Chapter . The following "feeler" thrown out by the discomfited chiefs of the Provincial Grand party , has , we believe , been sown broadcast throughout Ayrshire , Renfrewshire , Dumbarton , and Lanarkshire , —
" DEAU . SIB . AXD CO : MTA .: NIOX . —In . consequence of the late extraordinary decisions of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , which have led Dr . G . A . Walker Arnott , Provincial Grand Superintendent for the "Western District of Scotland , to resign , not only his office as Provincial Grand Z ., but also that of Past Grand Z . of Scotland , as well as to renounce all connexion with
the Chapters holding under her banner , I have to request your attendance at a special meeting of the Hoyal Arch Masons of the "West oi Scotland , to be held in the Crow Hotel , George Square , on Tuesday , 8 th prox ., at seven o ' clock , p . m ., to determine the steps necessary to bo taken in the circumstances of the case . " 1 am , dear Sir and Companion , yours fraternally , " Eon . WALLACE , " Glasgow , 23 th June , 1862 . Prov . G . Scribe F . "
Now , from the above most" extraordinary circular , it will be seen that the late Prov . Grand Superintendent has not only washed his hands of all participation in the "late extraordinary decisions of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , " but suggests by his own example the secession from their Masonic head of all who reciprocate the bitter
feelings , auger , and disappointment , with which he views the " decisions " referred to—decisions notoriously just and impartial , and which have indicated the rights and liberties without homologating the shortcomings of subordinate chapters , prevented the abuse of delegated powerand preserved individual
, members of the Order from the unmitigated persecution ' of a Masonic Papacy . To our mind there is nothing " extraordinary" in the deliverances which have been seized upon as a pretext for the highly reprehensible course upon which the malcontents have entered . They desired an interpretation of the laws
of the Order , which could not be borne out , and being baulked in that , ventured on the assumption of powers which could not on any account be conceded , and now that they find themselves thwarted on every point ,
The Threatened Secession From The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.
the } 7 " seek to excite among subordinate chapters an open rebellion against the authority of the Grand Chapter , and to make capital out of the humiliating position as a Royal Arch Mason , in which their acknowledged champion and scapegoat has placed himself . Ihey pretend to be moved in the matterout of
, pure sympathy for the late Prov . Grand Superintendent , and in attempting to seduce others from their allegiance to the Grand Chapter , affect to be animated by a strong desire for the good of the Order . But the motives by which they are actuated are too transparent to admit of that construction being put upon
them ; and those . conversant with the Masonic business of the West of Scotland , have not , during the last few years , failed to discover in their policy a conjuncture of circumstances indicative of a desire to
domineer over , and dictate to the whole Masonic body m the West , even at the risk of a collision with the Grand bodies of "Red" and "Blue" in Edinburgh . Sympathy for any one , or a sincere regard to the peace , harmony , and prosperity of Masonry , haye little to do in the movement now under consideration . Indeed it is pretty generally believed that the resnlt
of the last election for Grand Royal Arch . Officebearers , and the merited censure which the unjustifiable suspension of the Lodge Glasgow Kilwinning , brought down upon certain parties in Glasgow , have had more influence in shaping their present insane course , than any thing arising out of the late case .
But we may be attaching too much importance to the threats of the would-be Masonic martyrs , for , notwithstanding their extravagantly expressed enthusiasm for secession , the Sth of July has come and gone , and we still find them hugging the chains of their bondage . And well they may , for they have
not the shadow of a case to lay before the Grand Royal Arch Chapters of England , Ireland , or America , in support of their claim to be recognised as an independent supreme body . On the contrary , their contemplated act , if consummated , would draw upon them the severest reprehension of / those grand bodies , and lead to their exclusion from every recognised
Royal Arch Chapter in Europe or America . Besides , as every one knows , a withdrawal from the Supreme Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland would disqualify those of the secessionists who are members of the haut grades from membershi p in the Scottish Priories of Knight Templars . See section IS of the statutes of that order : — " No one shall be admitted a Kniht
g Templar , or Esquire , or allowed to attend any of the meetings , either of the Grand Priory , Council , or subordinate encampments , who is not a regular llojal Arch Mason , and in possession of a di ploma or certificate of registration from some recognised supreme body of that degree of Masonry . " Some of those
loudest in their declamation against the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland are Kni ghts Templar , and when a full view breaks upon them of how secession from the constituted authorities in the Royal Arch degree in Scotland would affect them in regard to the Templars in this and other countries , they are very
likely to hesitate before taking the final step in severing their connection with the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland . The caution and timidity which characterised the great meeting in the Crow Hotel , Glasgow , on the Sth hist ., fully justify us in thus expressing ourselves . The animadversions of the speakers at that ineetins ; on the " decisions" of Grand
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Threatened Secession From The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.
Grand Principalship of the Western District , but appears to have withdrawn his allegiance from the Supreme Grand Chapter , and ceased to have any connection with the chapters holding under her banner . With Dr . Walker Arnott as a Royal Arch Companionthenwe have nothing further to do ; we only
, , hope that before lending his name and his influence in furtherance of the unjustifiable designs of his avowed sympathisers , he will carefully study the very stringent Royal Arch 0 . B ., which he has himself taken , and been the means also of administering to many others .
The issuing of a printed circular by a person designating himself " Prov . G . Scribe E ., " summoning a public meeting of the Royal Arch Masons of the West of Scotland , releases us from further reserve on this unpleasant subject , and we shall endeavour to show what has alreadfollowed from Dr . Arnott's secession ;
y but before proceeding to do so , we beg leave to premise that by the acceptance by Grand Chapter of Dr . Arnott ' s resignation , the Prov . Grand Chapter of the Western District was broken up , and the various subordinate chapters forming that district , put under the direct control and superintendence of Supreme Grand
Chapter . The following "feeler" thrown out by the discomfited chiefs of the Provincial Grand party , has , we believe , been sown broadcast throughout Ayrshire , Renfrewshire , Dumbarton , and Lanarkshire , —
" DEAU . SIB . AXD CO : MTA .: NIOX . —In . consequence of the late extraordinary decisions of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , which have led Dr . G . A . Walker Arnott , Provincial Grand Superintendent for the "Western District of Scotland , to resign , not only his office as Provincial Grand Z ., but also that of Past Grand Z . of Scotland , as well as to renounce all connexion with
the Chapters holding under her banner , I have to request your attendance at a special meeting of the Hoyal Arch Masons of the "West oi Scotland , to be held in the Crow Hotel , George Square , on Tuesday , 8 th prox ., at seven o ' clock , p . m ., to determine the steps necessary to bo taken in the circumstances of the case . " 1 am , dear Sir and Companion , yours fraternally , " Eon . WALLACE , " Glasgow , 23 th June , 1862 . Prov . G . Scribe F . "
Now , from the above most" extraordinary circular , it will be seen that the late Prov . Grand Superintendent has not only washed his hands of all participation in the "late extraordinary decisions of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , " but suggests by his own example the secession from their Masonic head of all who reciprocate the bitter
feelings , auger , and disappointment , with which he views the " decisions " referred to—decisions notoriously just and impartial , and which have indicated the rights and liberties without homologating the shortcomings of subordinate chapters , prevented the abuse of delegated powerand preserved individual
, members of the Order from the unmitigated persecution ' of a Masonic Papacy . To our mind there is nothing " extraordinary" in the deliverances which have been seized upon as a pretext for the highly reprehensible course upon which the malcontents have entered . They desired an interpretation of the laws
of the Order , which could not be borne out , and being baulked in that , ventured on the assumption of powers which could not on any account be conceded , and now that they find themselves thwarted on every point ,
The Threatened Secession From The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.
the } 7 " seek to excite among subordinate chapters an open rebellion against the authority of the Grand Chapter , and to make capital out of the humiliating position as a Royal Arch Mason , in which their acknowledged champion and scapegoat has placed himself . Ihey pretend to be moved in the matterout of
, pure sympathy for the late Prov . Grand Superintendent , and in attempting to seduce others from their allegiance to the Grand Chapter , affect to be animated by a strong desire for the good of the Order . But the motives by which they are actuated are too transparent to admit of that construction being put upon
them ; and those . conversant with the Masonic business of the West of Scotland , have not , during the last few years , failed to discover in their policy a conjuncture of circumstances indicative of a desire to
domineer over , and dictate to the whole Masonic body m the West , even at the risk of a collision with the Grand bodies of "Red" and "Blue" in Edinburgh . Sympathy for any one , or a sincere regard to the peace , harmony , and prosperity of Masonry , haye little to do in the movement now under consideration . Indeed it is pretty generally believed that the resnlt
of the last election for Grand Royal Arch . Officebearers , and the merited censure which the unjustifiable suspension of the Lodge Glasgow Kilwinning , brought down upon certain parties in Glasgow , have had more influence in shaping their present insane course , than any thing arising out of the late case .
But we may be attaching too much importance to the threats of the would-be Masonic martyrs , for , notwithstanding their extravagantly expressed enthusiasm for secession , the Sth of July has come and gone , and we still find them hugging the chains of their bondage . And well they may , for they have
not the shadow of a case to lay before the Grand Royal Arch Chapters of England , Ireland , or America , in support of their claim to be recognised as an independent supreme body . On the contrary , their contemplated act , if consummated , would draw upon them the severest reprehension of / those grand bodies , and lead to their exclusion from every recognised
Royal Arch Chapter in Europe or America . Besides , as every one knows , a withdrawal from the Supreme Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland would disqualify those of the secessionists who are members of the haut grades from membershi p in the Scottish Priories of Knight Templars . See section IS of the statutes of that order : — " No one shall be admitted a Kniht
g Templar , or Esquire , or allowed to attend any of the meetings , either of the Grand Priory , Council , or subordinate encampments , who is not a regular llojal Arch Mason , and in possession of a di ploma or certificate of registration from some recognised supreme body of that degree of Masonry . " Some of those
loudest in their declamation against the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland are Kni ghts Templar , and when a full view breaks upon them of how secession from the constituted authorities in the Royal Arch degree in Scotland would affect them in regard to the Templars in this and other countries , they are very
likely to hesitate before taking the final step in severing their connection with the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland . The caution and timidity which characterised the great meeting in the Crow Hotel , Glasgow , on the Sth hist ., fully justify us in thus expressing ourselves . The animadversions of the speakers at that ineetins ; on the " decisions" of Grand