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  • Sept. 28, 1861
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Sept. 28, 1861: Page 10

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    Article THE GRAND SECRETARY'S IMPRIMATAUR. ← Page 2 of 2
    Article MASONIC CHARITY. Page 1 of 1
Page 10

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

The Grand Secretary's Imprimataur.

valid until so submitted and approved . " This being the law . how is ifc fchat the G . Sees , have taken upon themselves to usurp one of the Grand Masters' functions ? Ifc is no use to meet the question by saying tbe G . Sec . is the G . M . ' s executive officer , because in neither of tho above bye-laws is the Grand Master ' s name introduced , and , if he has delegated to them to do this part of the work in the face of

fche law above quoted , I have more than doubts of its legality , If we examine the above law we shall find in the words I have italicised , the relative duties of G . M . and G . Sec . As I take them to be , the former is to approve the bye-laws , the latter to preserve the copy delivered to him . If this construction be right , then the form adopted is , I contend , incorrect and should be , after the G . M . has given power to the G . Sec .

to append his name . — "Approved , Zetland , G . M . By order , William Gray Clarke , G . Sec . " Passing from the lax dicipline that has so long tolerated this breach of the Booh of Constitutions I come to the second part of my objection , and thafc concerns our present & ., Sec . only . In the 1861 bye-laws , referred to above , he states they "have been examinedand to be in

, appear accordance , " & c . This is very guarded . If they have been examined , who was the examiner ? Was it tbe G . M . ? No ! ifc will be said , it was the G . Sec , can ' t you see he has signed them p Very well ; then the G . Sec . having examined

them , is certifying to thafc which is against the general laws ofthe Craffc , for I read afc page 6 of fche Booh of Constitutions that the fourth ancient charge is to the effect ; that "All preferment among Masons is grounded upon real worth and personal merit only , " and in the bye-laws , which appear to the G . Sec , "To be in accordance with the general government of the Craffc , " there is this strange , though I

believe by no means exclusive , clause , viz : — "Thafc upon brethren being appointed to fill the offices of the lodge , a fee of one guinea from the W . M ., half-a-guinea each from the S . and J . W . ' s , and five shillings each from the S . ancl J . D . ' s , be paid , such fees to be devoted to the general fund of fche lodge . " If this is a specimen of " real worth and personal merit" those words shonld have in addition " together with

, a readiness to pay all fees legalised by thafc which appears to the G . Sec to be in accordance , " & c . It is high time that such jen de mots should be discontinued , for it appears that if these bye-laws have been examined , the examiner is not particularly conversant with the " general laws for fche government of the Craft , " and the sooner lod having a G . See's imprimafcaur

every ge , , submits its bye-laws for the approval of the M . W . G . M ., the sooner ifc will be working legally and have fche power to insist on its regulations being respected and adhered to by ifcs members . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , MUTATIS MUTAKTUS .

Masonic Charity.

MASONIC CHARITY .

TO " 11115 EDITOE OS THE EHEEMASONS MAGAZINE AUD 3 IASOMIC AtlHEOE . DEAR , SIR AXD BROTHER . —I could not read the remarks of your correspondent , "J . W . W ., " in to-day ' s MAGAZINE , without recalling to mind the appropriate passage in the first epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy : —" " Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart , and of a good conscienceand of faith unfeignedfrom which

, ; some _ having swerved , have turned aside unto vain jangling , desiring to be teachers of tho law , understanding neither whafc they say , nor whereof they affirm . " Because I have beeu anxious to discover some good and sufficient reasons for the law which debars the private soldier from the Fraternity , of which it is my highest desire not merely to be considered . bufc really to be , a good ancl faithful brother ; and to discover such

failing , have been bold enough to declare that I do consider the prohibition utterly opposed to tho grand principles of Ereemasonry , which seek to unite in one phalanx all the wise ancl good men ou the earth , whatever their creed , clime , or rank in life , so that their mode of gaining their bread be a reputable one ; thinking that if it was disreputable to enlist as a common soldier , it could not be very reputable to command such . I am—of course in a T . ery gentlemanl y aud Masonic maimer—proclaimed in your

pages as one of the vilest of men . " The brother officers dare not associate with men of the same rank as Peter , " sublimely writes this J . W . W ., " and he knoivs thafc right well ; he must be one of these military lawyers who are continually grumbling , and striving to find fault ; ifc is very probable thafc they [ who ? the military lawyers ?] have expelled him for misconduct , such as drunkenness , and reduced him in consequence to the ranks , " and so forth . It is hard to believe that the mau who could write this is a

Mason at all ; and yefc he tells us that he " was initiated m a military lodge , and Master of ifc several times . " I sincerely hope that the Masonry he shows in his letter is not a fair sample of the article to be found in military lodges . Cannot your charitibly-minded correspondent complete his picture and say thafc I have been scores of times confined to barracks and in the guard-house for disorderly conduct ;

that I have been some dozens of times subjected to heavy and prolonged knapsack drill for insubordination ; thafc my body bears the marks of repeated brands and floggings for desertion ; and that I have just been released from the hulks on a ticket-of-leave , after a confinement of some years , for highway robbery , burglary , or rape ; and that I am strongly suspected of having committed more than one

murder , for which there is no doubt that I shall yet swing All this is just as true as the assertion of this truthful and charitable-minded brother who " was initiated in a military lodge , and Master of it more than once . " With , what a high hand he must have held the reins of office , if his letter in to-day's MAGAZINE may be taken as a sample of his justice . Pity but he could tie me up to the halberds , and

give me the lashing I so richly deserve . There I durst nofc turn again , and he could have things partly his own way ; but as ifc is , why I can spill ink for ink , and it is bad hanging me with my pen and inkhorn round my neck , as Jack Cade bid his rabble do the Clerk of Chatham . Jack , however , sufficiently preserved the appearance of justice so as to have the culprit brought before himand some little

, evidence given of some sort . Tour correspondent deals with " Peter" in a more summary manner . He reduces me to the ranks—plucks the stripes from my shoulders , but leniently puts more on my back—and expels me without so much as hearing evidence , or calling upon me for my defence . Now , Mr . Editor , I think I may legitimately , without a

particle of malice , retort upon your correspondent , and say" His obligation should have taught him better . " It is no use bandying personalities , but had I been the scamp which J . W . W . is pleased to brand me , would the proclamation of tbe fact answer tho arguments I have brought forward ? Abuse is not argument , and the cause thafc needs it is weak indeed . One would think , by the mode in which I have

been treated , that I was anxious to let in upon us all the tag-rag ancl bob-tail of the army . It is not necessary for me to rc-open the question of private soldiers and the Craft in your pages ; but I must state , injustice to the cause of which I have volunteered as the humble advocate , that I am entirely unconnected with " those military lawyers who are continually grumbling and striving to find fault" and

, was nofc aware of their existence until J . W . W . was pleased to introduce them to my notice ; and that I have not been unfortunate enough either to be " expelled for misconduct , " or " reduced to the ranks . " Though deeply sensible of a thousand shortcomings towards that perfect purity of soul which tbe true Mason must ever strive to reach , I am not afraid to subject all the actions of lifeif to

my , necessary , the most searching enquiry . Doubtless , like every other mortal man , I have said and done many a foolish thing in my lifetime , for which I humbly beseech the Most High to pardon me ; nor shall I less earnestly beseech Him to preserve me from the horrible vices which " Secretary No . 162 , " ancl "J . W . W . " have been so courteous as to ascribe to me . In a future letter I will explain my mode of "

Recruiting for Ereemasonry , " and I will leave it ^ to every true Mason who may peruse your pages to decide whether or not my method is Masonic . At some future period I may collect my contributions to the M AGAZINE together for further publication , when I shall be happy to openly avow them ; bufc for the present I prefer to be known as , Dear Sir and Brother , yours very fraternally , September 21 , 1861 BROTHER PETER .

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1861-09-28, Page 10” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 2 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_28091861/page/10/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
THE ADVANTAGES OF FREEMASONRY. Article 1
CLASSICAL THEOLOGY.—XLVLIII. Article 3
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 4
THE ORIGINAL FREEMASONS. Article 5
GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE. Article 7
NOTES ON LITERATURE SCIENCE AND ART. Article 7
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 9
THE GRAND SECRETARY'S IMPRIMATAUR. Article 9
MASONIC CHARITY. Article 10
THE MASONIC MIRROR. Article 11
PROVINCIAL. Article 11
ROYAL ARCH, Article 16
Poetry. Article 17
LINES TO KATE. Article 17
NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. Article 18
THE WEEK. Article 18
SPECIAL NOTICE. Article 20
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Grand Secretary's Imprimataur.

valid until so submitted and approved . " This being the law . how is ifc fchat the G . Sees , have taken upon themselves to usurp one of the Grand Masters' functions ? Ifc is no use to meet the question by saying tbe G . Sec . is the G . M . ' s executive officer , because in neither of tho above bye-laws is the Grand Master ' s name introduced , and , if he has delegated to them to do this part of the work in the face of

fche law above quoted , I have more than doubts of its legality , If we examine the above law we shall find in the words I have italicised , the relative duties of G . M . and G . Sec . As I take them to be , the former is to approve the bye-laws , the latter to preserve the copy delivered to him . If this construction be right , then the form adopted is , I contend , incorrect and should be , after the G . M . has given power to the G . Sec .

to append his name . — "Approved , Zetland , G . M . By order , William Gray Clarke , G . Sec . " Passing from the lax dicipline that has so long tolerated this breach of the Booh of Constitutions I come to the second part of my objection , and thafc concerns our present & ., Sec . only . In the 1861 bye-laws , referred to above , he states they "have been examinedand to be in

, appear accordance , " & c . This is very guarded . If they have been examined , who was the examiner ? Was it tbe G . M . ? No ! ifc will be said , it was the G . Sec , can ' t you see he has signed them p Very well ; then the G . Sec . having examined

them , is certifying to thafc which is against the general laws ofthe Craffc , for I read afc page 6 of fche Booh of Constitutions that the fourth ancient charge is to the effect ; that "All preferment among Masons is grounded upon real worth and personal merit only , " and in the bye-laws , which appear to the G . Sec , "To be in accordance with the general government of the Craffc , " there is this strange , though I

believe by no means exclusive , clause , viz : — "Thafc upon brethren being appointed to fill the offices of the lodge , a fee of one guinea from the W . M ., half-a-guinea each from the S . and J . W . ' s , and five shillings each from the S . ancl J . D . ' s , be paid , such fees to be devoted to the general fund of fche lodge . " If this is a specimen of " real worth and personal merit" those words shonld have in addition " together with

, a readiness to pay all fees legalised by thafc which appears to the G . Sec to be in accordance , " & c . It is high time that such jen de mots should be discontinued , for it appears that if these bye-laws have been examined , the examiner is not particularly conversant with the " general laws for fche government of the Craft , " and the sooner lod having a G . See's imprimafcaur

every ge , , submits its bye-laws for the approval of the M . W . G . M ., the sooner ifc will be working legally and have fche power to insist on its regulations being respected and adhered to by ifcs members . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , MUTATIS MUTAKTUS .

Masonic Charity.

MASONIC CHARITY .

TO " 11115 EDITOE OS THE EHEEMASONS MAGAZINE AUD 3 IASOMIC AtlHEOE . DEAR , SIR AXD BROTHER . —I could not read the remarks of your correspondent , "J . W . W ., " in to-day ' s MAGAZINE , without recalling to mind the appropriate passage in the first epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy : —" " Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart , and of a good conscienceand of faith unfeignedfrom which

, ; some _ having swerved , have turned aside unto vain jangling , desiring to be teachers of tho law , understanding neither whafc they say , nor whereof they affirm . " Because I have beeu anxious to discover some good and sufficient reasons for the law which debars the private soldier from the Fraternity , of which it is my highest desire not merely to be considered . bufc really to be , a good ancl faithful brother ; and to discover such

failing , have been bold enough to declare that I do consider the prohibition utterly opposed to tho grand principles of Ereemasonry , which seek to unite in one phalanx all the wise ancl good men ou the earth , whatever their creed , clime , or rank in life , so that their mode of gaining their bread be a reputable one ; thinking that if it was disreputable to enlist as a common soldier , it could not be very reputable to command such . I am—of course in a T . ery gentlemanl y aud Masonic maimer—proclaimed in your

pages as one of the vilest of men . " The brother officers dare not associate with men of the same rank as Peter , " sublimely writes this J . W . W ., " and he knoivs thafc right well ; he must be one of these military lawyers who are continually grumbling , and striving to find fault ; ifc is very probable thafc they [ who ? the military lawyers ?] have expelled him for misconduct , such as drunkenness , and reduced him in consequence to the ranks , " and so forth . It is hard to believe that the mau who could write this is a

Mason at all ; and yefc he tells us that he " was initiated m a military lodge , and Master of ifc several times . " I sincerely hope that the Masonry he shows in his letter is not a fair sample of the article to be found in military lodges . Cannot your charitibly-minded correspondent complete his picture and say thafc I have been scores of times confined to barracks and in the guard-house for disorderly conduct ;

that I have been some dozens of times subjected to heavy and prolonged knapsack drill for insubordination ; thafc my body bears the marks of repeated brands and floggings for desertion ; and that I have just been released from the hulks on a ticket-of-leave , after a confinement of some years , for highway robbery , burglary , or rape ; and that I am strongly suspected of having committed more than one

murder , for which there is no doubt that I shall yet swing All this is just as true as the assertion of this truthful and charitable-minded brother who " was initiated in a military lodge , and Master of it more than once . " With , what a high hand he must have held the reins of office , if his letter in to-day's MAGAZINE may be taken as a sample of his justice . Pity but he could tie me up to the halberds , and

give me the lashing I so richly deserve . There I durst nofc turn again , and he could have things partly his own way ; but as ifc is , why I can spill ink for ink , and it is bad hanging me with my pen and inkhorn round my neck , as Jack Cade bid his rabble do the Clerk of Chatham . Jack , however , sufficiently preserved the appearance of justice so as to have the culprit brought before himand some little

, evidence given of some sort . Tour correspondent deals with " Peter" in a more summary manner . He reduces me to the ranks—plucks the stripes from my shoulders , but leniently puts more on my back—and expels me without so much as hearing evidence , or calling upon me for my defence . Now , Mr . Editor , I think I may legitimately , without a

particle of malice , retort upon your correspondent , and say" His obligation should have taught him better . " It is no use bandying personalities , but had I been the scamp which J . W . W . is pleased to brand me , would the proclamation of tbe fact answer tho arguments I have brought forward ? Abuse is not argument , and the cause thafc needs it is weak indeed . One would think , by the mode in which I have

been treated , that I was anxious to let in upon us all the tag-rag ancl bob-tail of the army . It is not necessary for me to rc-open the question of private soldiers and the Craft in your pages ; but I must state , injustice to the cause of which I have volunteered as the humble advocate , that I am entirely unconnected with " those military lawyers who are continually grumbling and striving to find fault" and

, was nofc aware of their existence until J . W . W . was pleased to introduce them to my notice ; and that I have not been unfortunate enough either to be " expelled for misconduct , " or " reduced to the ranks . " Though deeply sensible of a thousand shortcomings towards that perfect purity of soul which tbe true Mason must ever strive to reach , I am not afraid to subject all the actions of lifeif to

my , necessary , the most searching enquiry . Doubtless , like every other mortal man , I have said and done many a foolish thing in my lifetime , for which I humbly beseech the Most High to pardon me ; nor shall I less earnestly beseech Him to preserve me from the horrible vices which " Secretary No . 162 , " ancl "J . W . W . " have been so courteous as to ascribe to me . In a future letter I will explain my mode of "

Recruiting for Ereemasonry , " and I will leave it ^ to every true Mason who may peruse your pages to decide whether or not my method is Masonic . At some future period I may collect my contributions to the M AGAZINE together for further publication , when I shall be happy to openly avow them ; bufc for the present I prefer to be known as , Dear Sir and Brother , yours very fraternally , September 21 , 1861 BROTHER PETER .

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