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Article GRAND LODGE OF EMERGENCY, Nov. 19. ← Page 5 of 6 →
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Grand Lodge Of Emergency, Nov. 19.
make a few observations , and as he considered that the G . M . had decided quite right , he could not be regarded as rising with any vexatious motive . He thought it would be impossible for theG . M . to proceed with the resolution which was before it till the point as to the power of adjournment was decided . The Brother was about to give his reasons for so thinking , when he was called to order by the G . M ., who begged the brethren to proceed to the business of the evening . The Brother said it was
very desirable that G . L . should meet to make an alteration in its laws before proceeding with any other business . This assertion was received with mingled applause and demonstrations of disapprobation . The G . M . said that G . L . was wasting time , and that if they wished to alter their laws they must take the proper legal mode of doing so , by giving due notice of the proposed alterations to the Board of Masters , which met that day fortnight ; til ! then nothing could be done .
The first clause was then put , and BROTHER ARIA rose to make a statement of the causes which had led to the appointment of the Committee , which have been fully detailed in the Magazine both in convmunicaions from the colonies and in reports of speeches in G . L . Amongst other things , he stated that he sent a letter of very great importance to the G . M . from Jamaica in 1847 , and he left the island in 1853 , and up to that date no answer whatever had been received . This announcement was received with loud cries of
" Shame , " and other expressions of disapprobation . He said he knew there could be no mistake about the matter ; for the communications had been put into the G . See ' s own hands . ( Renewed disapprobation ) He would have read some documents in proof of his assertion , bnt was called to order by the Rev . Bro . Cox . The G . M . also said that such charges deserved a separate motion , and should not be introduced incidentally ; and BRO . DOBIE said these statements should he made to the Committee appointed to consider the question .
Rno . BURLTON said it was largely on Bro . Aria ' s evidence that the Board was appointed , and it was a waste of time to go into details then . It was now 20 minutes to 10 o ' clock , when the first clause was put , and carried unanimously , the whole of the hour and 40 minutes having been devoted principally to the discussion of the adjourned question , and to assertions on the part of the G . M . that the question should not be discussed .
Clause II . was read , put , and carried . Clause III . was read , put , and carried , when BRO . HALL rose to address G . L . on it . There were loud cries of " Its carried , its carried , " from all parts of G . L . ; but the G . M . ruled that not having put " the contrary , " the question could not be considered carried in the sense of preventing Bro . Hall from speaking upon it . BRO . HALL objected to the words " when practicable" as being
, too vague and indefinite . The Rev . BRO . PORTAL said if the G . L . was not to be turned into a debating society , neither should it become a Court of Nisi Prius . ( Loud laughter , and cheers . ) The clause was at length carried . Ott clause IV . BRO . DOBIE contended that this clause appointed a Board which
took some of the powers of the Board of General Purposes away from it . They could nut have a separate jurisdiction . This clause was an alteration of the law , and as such could not be moved in its present shape upon that occasion ; it must be done in the regular way . BRO . ROXBURGH objected to the proposed constitution of the Committee , which he said would be iniperium in imperio . After some discussion , BRO . HAVERS said they could not put the resolution in its present
shape , because it would take power from the Board of General Purposes . BRO . P ORTAL said it was their intention to take powers from the Board of General purposes . He suggested that the resolution should be . •• mended thus—* ' Such Board shall have the same powers as regards the colonies as at present exercised by the Board of General Purposes , to the exclusion of the latter . " The G . M .: I don ' t wish to argue against the new Board , but due notice must be given ere you abrogate the laws .
BRO . ARIA suggested that the new Board would be supplementary , and not antagonistic . BRO . DOBIE said the Board of General Purposes had power to " hear and determine all subjects of complaint . " The promoters of this movement should ha .-e consulted the Book ot Constitutions in the preparation of their scheme . BRO . SYMONDS : It does not say that the Board of General Purposes must hear these questions ; and I should think when a question
has been decided by the Colonial Board , the General Purposes Boartl will not interfere with it . If dissatisfied with the Colonial Committee you can appeal to G . L . BRO . FANDELL suggested that the Colonial Board should report to the Board of General Purposes . The G . M . thought this was a solution of the difficulty . It was very desirable that this question should be settled . A long discussion ensued , some of the brethren suggesting that
if the Colonial Board reported to the Board of General Purposes they might as well go to the Board of General Purposes at mice , which they could do now . Col . BURLTON objected to the amendment , as defeating the objects of the Board they were about to appoint . The clause was agreed to with three dissentients . On clause VI . BRO . HAVERS thought they should not be bound to meet at any particular time .
BRO . ARIA thought they should , because their brethren from the Colonies , when they came to this country , would always know when to come up to town , if they wished to appear before the Board . Carried unanimously . Clause VII . was carried without discussion . On clause VIII . A discussion then ensued on the addition of Brother Aria ' s name
to the Committee . BRO . SAVAGE objected to the resolution as vague , not stating what should be the qualifications of its members ; but some one suggested that it was only necessary that they should be members of G , L . Carried unanimously . THE G . M . 's COMMUNICATION RELATIVE TO CANADA .
TheG . M .: Brethren , the next business is the communication read in September . ( Hear , hear . ) I have no objection to refer it to the Committee which you have just appointed . ( Loud and protracted cheering )
CIRCULATING THE PAPER OF BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY . BRO . THE E . OF CARNARVON moved" To refer the communication of the M . VV ., the Grand Master to " the board which you have just appointed . " And in so doing he said that he was induced to bring this question forward from the feeling that , for a great m :: ny years
past , the country Jod » es had been in a state of practical ignorance as to what was going on in G . L . It was only in accordance with our constitution that the country lodges should he kept informed of the proceedings of G . L . ( Hear , hear . ) The Board of Masters was intended to cany out this . ( Hear . ) That board was supposed to be composed of representatives of the country lodges coming to London to obtain information of the business to be brought forward at G . L „ and to return to the lodges they represent , and convey the information so procured . It was an extension of that princile to
p which they gave effect a short time ago , when they decided in G . L . that there should he papers containing the motions to be submitted to G . L . printed and placed in the hands of the brethren on entering G . L . ( Hear , hear ) . Of this they hail already seen the advantage . ( Hear , he . ir ) . He considered that it was equally desirable and equally in accordance with the Book of Constitutions that effect should be given to the motion which he then submitted . ( Applause . ) BRO . HAVERS said he had no objection to the motion except
that it was too indefinite . The phrase " at such time as shall afford opportunity" was too vague . While thus expressed , it was almost impossible that the G . Sec . ' s office could carry it out ; a week before G . L . being now the rule , and some defined time of meeting would be requisite if such a change as this was to be made .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Grand Lodge Of Emergency, Nov. 19.
make a few observations , and as he considered that the G . M . had decided quite right , he could not be regarded as rising with any vexatious motive . He thought it would be impossible for theG . M . to proceed with the resolution which was before it till the point as to the power of adjournment was decided . The Brother was about to give his reasons for so thinking , when he was called to order by the G . M ., who begged the brethren to proceed to the business of the evening . The Brother said it was
very desirable that G . L . should meet to make an alteration in its laws before proceeding with any other business . This assertion was received with mingled applause and demonstrations of disapprobation . The G . M . said that G . L . was wasting time , and that if they wished to alter their laws they must take the proper legal mode of doing so , by giving due notice of the proposed alterations to the Board of Masters , which met that day fortnight ; til ! then nothing could be done .
The first clause was then put , and BROTHER ARIA rose to make a statement of the causes which had led to the appointment of the Committee , which have been fully detailed in the Magazine both in convmunicaions from the colonies and in reports of speeches in G . L . Amongst other things , he stated that he sent a letter of very great importance to the G . M . from Jamaica in 1847 , and he left the island in 1853 , and up to that date no answer whatever had been received . This announcement was received with loud cries of
" Shame , " and other expressions of disapprobation . He said he knew there could be no mistake about the matter ; for the communications had been put into the G . See ' s own hands . ( Renewed disapprobation ) He would have read some documents in proof of his assertion , bnt was called to order by the Rev . Bro . Cox . The G . M . also said that such charges deserved a separate motion , and should not be introduced incidentally ; and BRO . DOBIE said these statements should he made to the Committee appointed to consider the question .
Rno . BURLTON said it was largely on Bro . Aria ' s evidence that the Board was appointed , and it was a waste of time to go into details then . It was now 20 minutes to 10 o ' clock , when the first clause was put , and carried unanimously , the whole of the hour and 40 minutes having been devoted principally to the discussion of the adjourned question , and to assertions on the part of the G . M . that the question should not be discussed .
Clause II . was read , put , and carried . Clause III . was read , put , and carried , when BRO . HALL rose to address G . L . on it . There were loud cries of " Its carried , its carried , " from all parts of G . L . ; but the G . M . ruled that not having put " the contrary , " the question could not be considered carried in the sense of preventing Bro . Hall from speaking upon it . BRO . HALL objected to the words " when practicable" as being
, too vague and indefinite . The Rev . BRO . PORTAL said if the G . L . was not to be turned into a debating society , neither should it become a Court of Nisi Prius . ( Loud laughter , and cheers . ) The clause was at length carried . Ott clause IV . BRO . DOBIE contended that this clause appointed a Board which
took some of the powers of the Board of General Purposes away from it . They could nut have a separate jurisdiction . This clause was an alteration of the law , and as such could not be moved in its present shape upon that occasion ; it must be done in the regular way . BRO . ROXBURGH objected to the proposed constitution of the Committee , which he said would be iniperium in imperio . After some discussion , BRO . HAVERS said they could not put the resolution in its present
shape , because it would take power from the Board of General Purposes . BRO . P ORTAL said it was their intention to take powers from the Board of General purposes . He suggested that the resolution should be . •• mended thus—* ' Such Board shall have the same powers as regards the colonies as at present exercised by the Board of General Purposes , to the exclusion of the latter . " The G . M .: I don ' t wish to argue against the new Board , but due notice must be given ere you abrogate the laws .
BRO . ARIA suggested that the new Board would be supplementary , and not antagonistic . BRO . DOBIE said the Board of General Purposes had power to " hear and determine all subjects of complaint . " The promoters of this movement should ha .-e consulted the Book ot Constitutions in the preparation of their scheme . BRO . SYMONDS : It does not say that the Board of General Purposes must hear these questions ; and I should think when a question
has been decided by the Colonial Board , the General Purposes Boartl will not interfere with it . If dissatisfied with the Colonial Committee you can appeal to G . L . BRO . FANDELL suggested that the Colonial Board should report to the Board of General Purposes . The G . M . thought this was a solution of the difficulty . It was very desirable that this question should be settled . A long discussion ensued , some of the brethren suggesting that
if the Colonial Board reported to the Board of General Purposes they might as well go to the Board of General Purposes at mice , which they could do now . Col . BURLTON objected to the amendment , as defeating the objects of the Board they were about to appoint . The clause was agreed to with three dissentients . On clause VI . BRO . HAVERS thought they should not be bound to meet at any particular time .
BRO . ARIA thought they should , because their brethren from the Colonies , when they came to this country , would always know when to come up to town , if they wished to appear before the Board . Carried unanimously . Clause VII . was carried without discussion . On clause VIII . A discussion then ensued on the addition of Brother Aria ' s name
to the Committee . BRO . SAVAGE objected to the resolution as vague , not stating what should be the qualifications of its members ; but some one suggested that it was only necessary that they should be members of G , L . Carried unanimously . THE G . M . 's COMMUNICATION RELATIVE TO CANADA .
TheG . M .: Brethren , the next business is the communication read in September . ( Hear , hear . ) I have no objection to refer it to the Committee which you have just appointed . ( Loud and protracted cheering )
CIRCULATING THE PAPER OF BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY . BRO . THE E . OF CARNARVON moved" To refer the communication of the M . VV ., the Grand Master to " the board which you have just appointed . " And in so doing he said that he was induced to bring this question forward from the feeling that , for a great m :: ny years
past , the country Jod » es had been in a state of practical ignorance as to what was going on in G . L . It was only in accordance with our constitution that the country lodges should he kept informed of the proceedings of G . L . ( Hear , hear . ) The Board of Masters was intended to cany out this . ( Hear . ) That board was supposed to be composed of representatives of the country lodges coming to London to obtain information of the business to be brought forward at G . L „ and to return to the lodges they represent , and convey the information so procured . It was an extension of that princile to
p which they gave effect a short time ago , when they decided in G . L . that there should he papers containing the motions to be submitted to G . L . printed and placed in the hands of the brethren on entering G . L . ( Hear , hear ) . Of this they hail already seen the advantage . ( Hear , he . ir ) . He considered that it was equally desirable and equally in accordance with the Book of Constitutions that effect should be given to the motion which he then submitted . ( Applause . ) BRO . HAVERS said he had no objection to the motion except
that it was too indefinite . The phrase " at such time as shall afford opportunity" was too vague . While thus expressed , it was almost impossible that the G . Sec . ' s office could carry it out ; a week before G . L . being now the rule , and some defined time of meeting would be requisite if such a change as this was to be made .