Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Threatened Secession Ebom The Supreme Gbandboyal Aech Chapter Oe Scotland.—No. Ii.
the report thereon by Comp . Walker Arnott ; a petition from Chapter No . IS , of Ayr , against such disjunction ; reports by the Grand Superintendent of tho AA esfc of Scotland on the books of Chapter No . 80 , of Ayr , bearing upon the petition for the disjunction ; a petition and complaint by certain members of Chapter No . 80 , against the Provincial Grand Chapter of the AVest of Scotland ,
and all proceedings connected therewith , adopted by the Supremo Committee . " S . To determine what are the powers of a Provincial Grand Superintendent and Provincial Grand Chapter , as to calling for and examining the minute and cash-books of any chapter in their district , and suspending for refusal to give them up ; whether the books may be sent
for at any time , and examined at the usual place of meeting by the Provincial Grand Chapter , in virtue of cap . X ., sec . 9 ; or whether sec . 4 prohibits the said examination , unless while visifcing the Chapter , and how the expense of such prolonged visitation shall be defrayed . " 4 To determine if a petition and complaint can be presented or sustained against an inferior judge or
judicatory , so long as there be no infringement of an express law , or undue partiality exhibited—both offences involving suspension . " 5 . To consider a " minute" of date 21 st of April , 1862 , signed by Comps . David Murray Lyon and George Good , of Chapter No . 80 , and whether these Companions ought not to be deprived of Eoyal Arch privileges .
" I am , Sir , yours fraternally , "G . A . WALKER AEXOTT , " Grand Scribe F ., Fdiiiburgh . " The Supreme Chapter having met and been constituted , proceeded to take up the articles of the order , calling the meeting seriatim , and , —
1 . Upon considering the first of these it was unanimously resolved that when a remit is made by the Supreme Chapter to a companion to report on any subject , he may take any steps consistent with the laws of the Supreme Chapter to procure the information he may deem necessary , in the same way that the
Supreme Chapter itself could do . 2 . " On considering the second article of the order , it was resolved to separate it into two parts and to consider , 1 st , The question as to the disjunction of Ayrshire , embracing the following points therein raised , viz ,. - Petition for the disjunction of Ayrshire
from the Province of the AVest of Scotland , and the report thereon by Comp . Arnott ; a petition from Chapter " No . SO against such disjunction , and reports by the Grand Superintendent of the AVest of Scotland on the books of the Chapter No . SO , Ayr , hearing upon the petition for disjunction . Ancl , 2 nd ,
petition and complaint by certain members of Chapter No . 80 against the Provincial Grancl Chapter of the AVest of Scotland , ancl all proceedings connected therewith adopted by the Supreme Committee . The Grancl Scribe E . having read the petition for
disjunction and minutes of Supreme Chapter ancl Committee thereanent , after some discussion Grand Chapter agreed that , in respect the report of the Prov . Grand Superintendent and other documents therein referred to , along with the petition from Chapter No . IS , were only now lodged in the hands of the Grand Scribe E , and that the Supreme Committee had not
The Threatened Secession Ebom The Supreme Gbandboyal Aech Chapter Oe Scotland.—No. Ii.
had an opportunity of considering them , the whole matter be delayed till the ordinary Quarterly Communication of the Supreme Chapter on the 18 th of June next . The Supreme Chapter then took [ up petition and complaint of Chapter No . SO against the Provincial Grand Chapter of the AVest of Scotland ,
ivith answers for Dr . Arnott and whole productions , and the Grand Scribe E . having read to the meeting the whole papers , a long discussion ensued . It was ultimately unanimously agreed that the Supreme Chapter approve of the proceedings of the Supreme Committee and of the decision come to by them , and
dismiss the appeal of Dr . Arnott against said decision ancl the said appeal stands dismissed accordingly . " 3 . The Supreme Chapter declined to give any deliverance upon the third article of Dr ; Arnott's order , as this involved an interpretation of a law which was perfectly intelli g ible without such interpretation .
" 4 . On taking into consideration the fourth article , it Avas unanimously agreed that this being an abstract proposition , it is unnecessary for the Supreme Chapter to give any deliverance on the matter . 5 . On considering the fifth article of the Order , and hearing Companions Dr . AValker Arnott and D .
Murray Lyon thereon , Grancl Chapter unanimously agreed that it is incompetent to suspend any companion , without a formal petition and complaint , and in the manner proposed . "
These , then , are the " decisions " about which the threatened secessionists have made so much fuss , and upon which they rest their grounds for the erection of a rival Grancl Chapter . So far from being severe , unjust , or partial , these decisions are characterised by moderation , equity , and impartiality . Had Supreme
Chapter entertained feelings impregnated with a vindictiveness similar to those actuating the late Prov . Grand Superintendent , when insisting on the suspension from Royal Arch privileges of Companions D . Murray Lyon ancl George Good , the Doctor himself would have met with less courteous treatment at the
hands of his Masonic superiors than the obnoxious decisions show to have been bestowed upon him , and for this he should be grateful . The ostensible offence for which Dr . Arnott proposed such a grave sentence to be passed upon Companions Lyon and Good , was that of having signed a " minute , " which Chapter
No . SO hacl drawn up , and adopted in defence of themselves from certain unmasonie and ungenerous insinuations , given utterance to in one of the communications addressedby the Prov . Grand Superintendent to Grand Scribe E . But as we believe Companion Arnott to be a kind hearted old gentleman , and incapable when
left to the unfettered exercise of his own judgment , of injuring any one , perhaps we ought to trace to another source the real motive dictating the suspension of the two companions already mentioned . That Com-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Threatened Secession Ebom The Supreme Gbandboyal Aech Chapter Oe Scotland.—No. Ii.
the report thereon by Comp . Walker Arnott ; a petition from Chapter No . IS , of Ayr , against such disjunction ; reports by the Grand Superintendent of tho AA esfc of Scotland on the books of Chapter No . 80 , of Ayr , bearing upon the petition for the disjunction ; a petition and complaint by certain members of Chapter No . 80 , against the Provincial Grand Chapter of the AVest of Scotland ,
and all proceedings connected therewith , adopted by the Supremo Committee . " S . To determine what are the powers of a Provincial Grand Superintendent and Provincial Grand Chapter , as to calling for and examining the minute and cash-books of any chapter in their district , and suspending for refusal to give them up ; whether the books may be sent
for at any time , and examined at the usual place of meeting by the Provincial Grand Chapter , in virtue of cap . X ., sec . 9 ; or whether sec . 4 prohibits the said examination , unless while visifcing the Chapter , and how the expense of such prolonged visitation shall be defrayed . " 4 To determine if a petition and complaint can be presented or sustained against an inferior judge or
judicatory , so long as there be no infringement of an express law , or undue partiality exhibited—both offences involving suspension . " 5 . To consider a " minute" of date 21 st of April , 1862 , signed by Comps . David Murray Lyon and George Good , of Chapter No . 80 , and whether these Companions ought not to be deprived of Eoyal Arch privileges .
" I am , Sir , yours fraternally , "G . A . WALKER AEXOTT , " Grand Scribe F ., Fdiiiburgh . " The Supreme Chapter having met and been constituted , proceeded to take up the articles of the order , calling the meeting seriatim , and , —
1 . Upon considering the first of these it was unanimously resolved that when a remit is made by the Supreme Chapter to a companion to report on any subject , he may take any steps consistent with the laws of the Supreme Chapter to procure the information he may deem necessary , in the same way that the
Supreme Chapter itself could do . 2 . " On considering the second article of the order , it was resolved to separate it into two parts and to consider , 1 st , The question as to the disjunction of Ayrshire , embracing the following points therein raised , viz ,. - Petition for the disjunction of Ayrshire
from the Province of the AVest of Scotland , and the report thereon by Comp . Arnott ; a petition from Chapter " No . SO against such disjunction , and reports by the Grand Superintendent of the AVest of Scotland on the books of the Chapter No . SO , Ayr , hearing upon the petition for disjunction . Ancl , 2 nd ,
petition and complaint by certain members of Chapter No . 80 against the Provincial Grancl Chapter of the AVest of Scotland , ancl all proceedings connected therewith adopted by the Supreme Committee . The Grancl Scribe E . having read the petition for
disjunction and minutes of Supreme Chapter ancl Committee thereanent , after some discussion Grand Chapter agreed that , in respect the report of the Prov . Grand Superintendent and other documents therein referred to , along with the petition from Chapter No . IS , were only now lodged in the hands of the Grand Scribe E , and that the Supreme Committee had not
The Threatened Secession Ebom The Supreme Gbandboyal Aech Chapter Oe Scotland.—No. Ii.
had an opportunity of considering them , the whole matter be delayed till the ordinary Quarterly Communication of the Supreme Chapter on the 18 th of June next . The Supreme Chapter then took [ up petition and complaint of Chapter No . SO against the Provincial Grand Chapter of the AVest of Scotland ,
ivith answers for Dr . Arnott and whole productions , and the Grand Scribe E . having read to the meeting the whole papers , a long discussion ensued . It was ultimately unanimously agreed that the Supreme Chapter approve of the proceedings of the Supreme Committee and of the decision come to by them , and
dismiss the appeal of Dr . Arnott against said decision ancl the said appeal stands dismissed accordingly . " 3 . The Supreme Chapter declined to give any deliverance upon the third article of Dr ; Arnott's order , as this involved an interpretation of a law which was perfectly intelli g ible without such interpretation .
" 4 . On taking into consideration the fourth article , it Avas unanimously agreed that this being an abstract proposition , it is unnecessary for the Supreme Chapter to give any deliverance on the matter . 5 . On considering the fifth article of the Order , and hearing Companions Dr . AValker Arnott and D .
Murray Lyon thereon , Grancl Chapter unanimously agreed that it is incompetent to suspend any companion , without a formal petition and complaint , and in the manner proposed . "
These , then , are the " decisions " about which the threatened secessionists have made so much fuss , and upon which they rest their grounds for the erection of a rival Grancl Chapter . So far from being severe , unjust , or partial , these decisions are characterised by moderation , equity , and impartiality . Had Supreme
Chapter entertained feelings impregnated with a vindictiveness similar to those actuating the late Prov . Grand Superintendent , when insisting on the suspension from Royal Arch privileges of Companions D . Murray Lyon ancl George Good , the Doctor himself would have met with less courteous treatment at the
hands of his Masonic superiors than the obnoxious decisions show to have been bestowed upon him , and for this he should be grateful . The ostensible offence for which Dr . Arnott proposed such a grave sentence to be passed upon Companions Lyon and Good , was that of having signed a " minute , " which Chapter
No . SO hacl drawn up , and adopted in defence of themselves from certain unmasonie and ungenerous insinuations , given utterance to in one of the communications addressedby the Prov . Grand Superintendent to Grand Scribe E . But as we believe Companion Arnott to be a kind hearted old gentleman , and incapable when
left to the unfettered exercise of his own judgment , of injuring any one , perhaps we ought to trace to another source the real motive dictating the suspension of the two companions already mentioned . That Com-