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Provincial.
time . Now , Brethren , I have to tell you—and I am sincerely sorry that such is the case—that there has been for some time past what I may call a party in Masonry—a body of men who systematically oppose what they call 'the executive' of Grand Lodge ; meaning thereby the views of the M . W . Grand Master and of his wannest friends . It has been generally believed , that this Masonic clique was connected in some way with tho province of Oxford , but the moment the knowledge of that fact reached the Oxford brethren , they assembled in Grand Lodge , and most emphatically denied that they had any
sympathies in common with the views of the parties connected with the Masonic Observer . The accusation brought against the M . W . Grand Master in that publication was made six months ago . No doubt you think that six months is a long space of time , but you should recollect that the Grand Lodge of England meets only once in three months , so that ii considerable delay takes place in the settlement of questions of this kind . The accusation which the Masonic Observer has brought against the Grand Master is this—I quote the publication itself ; it says , 'We had occasion this time last year to draw attention to the
unblushing effrontery with which the principal appointments in Grand Lodge were prostituted to political purposes , and we are sorry to be compelled to occur to this very scandalous subject . ' Now I do think that no accusation could be brought forward so damaging to the Craft as that ; for , by impeaching the integrity of the M . W . Grand Master , it completely upsets the universality of the Order . But listen to the Earl of Zetland ' s reply I now read to you the report of his lordship ' s speech at the Grand Lodge in September last , as it is reported in that excellent publicationthe Freemasons' Magazine .
, L'l'lie V . W . Brother here read the speech of the M . W . Grand Master . ] " The members of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Cambridge must feet that they have a personal interest in the question . We all recollect that on the day when we celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the Scientific Lodge , Lord Zetland , at great inconvenience to himself , attended our meeting , and showed himself kind , courteous , and agreeable to us all . As his lordship ' s private friends , then , I ask you to
support him in maintaining the dignity of tho Grand Master ' s chair , and I will by and by state other grounds why you should do so The province of Oxford has emphatically expressed its disapproval of the calumnies with which his lordship has been assailed ; and all I now ask is , that Cambridge should not be behind-hand in following that example . One thing brought forward by the clique to which I have referred , as a complaint against the M . W . Grand Master is , that he did not appoint the Earl of Carnarvon to the office of S . G . W . But who was appointed to that office ?—the Earl of Durham—a nobleman
initiated in one of the Lodges of this province ( the Scientific ) and of which , to this moment , he continues a member . This is another strong reason why wo should support the M . W . Grand Master . We do not offer any objection to the Earl of Carnarvon , for we believe him to be a good and excellent Mason , but we do deny that polities at all interfered in the selection of the Earl of Durham in preference to him . This is not the proper place to speak of politics , for such topics ought to be excluded from every Masonic Lodge . But those who know my political views know that they are diametrically
opposed to those of the Grand Master—and yet he appointed me one of the Grand Chaplains . That does not look like a political animus . What I have put before you I have stated in plain , straightforward language , and I now call upon yon to support the dignity of the Grand Master , as it is your Masonic duty to do when you find that he is anonymously attacked . " Tho Rev . and V . W . Brother concluded his address in the terms of his motion . Bro . Baxter , P . S . G . W ., seconded the motion . Bro . Ward then moved " That the R . W . Prov . Grand Master be
requested to communicate to his lordship the vote of the Prov . Grand Lodge , " and Bro . Baxter having seconded the resolution , it was unanimously agreed to . The R . W . Prov . G . M said , he most cordially approved of the course which the Provincial Grand Lodge had taken in this matter , and should have great pleasure in conveying to Lord Zetland the votes to which they had been pleased to agree .
SUFFOLK . A special meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk was held on Wednesday , Feb . Kith , at the White Horse Hotel , Ipswich . At four o ' clock , the time named in the summons , about fifty Brethren were in attendance , and the Prov . Grand Lodge was opened in the large room used by the Lodge of Perfect Friendship . The V . W . D . Prov . G . M . said , that he considered it his duty to call the Brethren of the province together to express their opinions on a gross attack made upon the honour and independence of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk , involving as it did their character as men and Masons ; and that they might thus , as a body , give a solemn denial to the foul charge made against it . They were aware that Suffolk was , in the absence of a Prov . G . M ., under the control of the
Grand Registrar ; and at tiie Prov . Grand Lodge held in September last , Bro . Roxburgh , who by virtue of his office presided , was accompanied by several Masons of eminence from London ; and at the banquet , in proposing the health of the M . W . the Grand Master , thought proper to allude to a most gross attack that had been made on that distinguished nobleman in the Masonic Observer , a publication which , till then , they in Suffolk had never hoard of ; the charge being that lie had prostituted his powers , in the appointment of Grand Officers , to political purposes ; his Lordship had indignantly repelled
the slander , and the Grand Lodge of England on the occasion echoed Ins manly denial . Bro . Havers afterwards followed Bro . Roxburgh , with some observations on this " most unwarrantable , unfounded , and wicked attack" on the Earl of Zetland , than whom , as Bro . Havers said , "England ' s peerage does not possess one nobleman wdiose honour is more pure and spotless , and whose integrity and singleness of purpose is more unquestionable . " The Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk took no part in this matter , for they were till then in ignorance of the matter , and for listening to these statements , they
were now charged , forsooth , with " sickly sycophancy . " The brother who made that charge should have remembered his Masonic obligation—neither to slander a brother Mason himself , nor suffer another to do so . The wisest man had truly said " Where no wood is , there the fire g ' octh out : so where there is no talebearer , the strife ceaseth . As coals are to burning coals , and wood to fire ; so is a contentious man to kindle strife . " Bro . Freeman then read Bro . Binckes ' s letter , published in our last number , in which the Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk was charged with "sickly sycophancy . " Now the first charge , he thought , might be treated with contempt , but seeing how it had been followed up by Bro . Binckes , one of the " Observer party , "
he decided on calling them together as early as convenient , and having thus laid the matter before them , he would leave the resolutions in their hands . Bro . Martin , P . Prov . D . G . M ., in rising to move the first resolution , referred to the scandalous charge made against the M . W . G . M ., and the difficulty that he must find in so filling the few offices ' . hat were annually at his disposal , as to satisfy all who were ambitious of Grand Lodge , honours . The Earl of Zetland had , by his conduct and characterwon the esteem of the whole Craftsave this small cli
, , que , who would disturb his rule . With regard to Bro . Binckes ' s letter , nothing , in his opinion , could be more mimasonic ; and having removed the slander , as it first seemed , from Bro . Havers , and brought to our own doors , it was their duty to repel it in the strongest terms ; and entirely concurring in the summons , he moved the first resolution as follows : — " The Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk , having a high consideration of tho candour and integrity of the Most Worshipful Grand
Master , desires to express its great regret that any man , or body of men , should impute false , dishonourable , or disgraceful motives to him , such as those suggested in the Masonic Observer . " The resolution was seconded in a few words by Bro . Spencer Freeman , Prov . S . G . W ., and carried unanimously . Bro . W . P . Mills , P . Prov . S . G . W ., had no hesitation in saying , that the proceedings of all assemblies should be open to fair comment ; but such notices should be candid and just . He firmly believed the conduct of the M . W . Grand Master was undeserving the slanderous attacks made upon him , and he considered the Grand Lodge had , by its unanimous voice , avowed that sentiment . He then moved the second resolution : —
" Ihe members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk beg to offer to the Most Worshipful Grand Master their regret and unqualified sympathy upon the occasion , and to express to him their continued and unabated confidence in his honour and strict impartiality in the discharge of his Masonic duties . " Bro . Gissing , Prov . J . G . W „ seconded the resolution . The Rev . Bro . Sanderson , Prov . G . Chaplain , said , that besides expressing their confidence in one they had trusted for fifteen years , they had now to perform a duty to themselves . They heard at their
Prov . Grand Lodge how Bro . Havers vindicated the Grand Master ; and at the same time Bro . Roxburgh suggested—as was quite true that it was probable they had never heard of tho offending journal ; and for being quiet auditors , Bro . Binckes—he supposed he must call him Brother—accused them of" sickly sycophancy . " He would ask , were these such epithets as ought to pass from brother to brother ? Ho called on them , by the respect they owed to themselves as Masons , and by their fidelity to the Grand Lodge under whose banners they meetto repudiate the vile attack made upon thembadopting the
, , y resolution he would now propose" The Provincial Grand Lodge also most indignantly repels the offensive term which has been applied to them , of' sickly sycophants , ' and would merely refer any brother , or the editor of any Masonic publication , using such terms , to that portion of the obligation of a Master Mason which has more particular reference to ' slander . '"
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
time . Now , Brethren , I have to tell you—and I am sincerely sorry that such is the case—that there has been for some time past what I may call a party in Masonry—a body of men who systematically oppose what they call 'the executive' of Grand Lodge ; meaning thereby the views of the M . W . Grand Master and of his wannest friends . It has been generally believed , that this Masonic clique was connected in some way with tho province of Oxford , but the moment the knowledge of that fact reached the Oxford brethren , they assembled in Grand Lodge , and most emphatically denied that they had any
sympathies in common with the views of the parties connected with the Masonic Observer . The accusation brought against the M . W . Grand Master in that publication was made six months ago . No doubt you think that six months is a long space of time , but you should recollect that the Grand Lodge of England meets only once in three months , so that ii considerable delay takes place in the settlement of questions of this kind . The accusation which the Masonic Observer has brought against the Grand Master is this—I quote the publication itself ; it says , 'We had occasion this time last year to draw attention to the
unblushing effrontery with which the principal appointments in Grand Lodge were prostituted to political purposes , and we are sorry to be compelled to occur to this very scandalous subject . ' Now I do think that no accusation could be brought forward so damaging to the Craft as that ; for , by impeaching the integrity of the M . W . Grand Master , it completely upsets the universality of the Order . But listen to the Earl of Zetland ' s reply I now read to you the report of his lordship ' s speech at the Grand Lodge in September last , as it is reported in that excellent publicationthe Freemasons' Magazine .
, L'l'lie V . W . Brother here read the speech of the M . W . Grand Master . ] " The members of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Cambridge must feet that they have a personal interest in the question . We all recollect that on the day when we celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the Scientific Lodge , Lord Zetland , at great inconvenience to himself , attended our meeting , and showed himself kind , courteous , and agreeable to us all . As his lordship ' s private friends , then , I ask you to
support him in maintaining the dignity of tho Grand Master ' s chair , and I will by and by state other grounds why you should do so The province of Oxford has emphatically expressed its disapproval of the calumnies with which his lordship has been assailed ; and all I now ask is , that Cambridge should not be behind-hand in following that example . One thing brought forward by the clique to which I have referred , as a complaint against the M . W . Grand Master is , that he did not appoint the Earl of Carnarvon to the office of S . G . W . But who was appointed to that office ?—the Earl of Durham—a nobleman
initiated in one of the Lodges of this province ( the Scientific ) and of which , to this moment , he continues a member . This is another strong reason why wo should support the M . W . Grand Master . We do not offer any objection to the Earl of Carnarvon , for we believe him to be a good and excellent Mason , but we do deny that polities at all interfered in the selection of the Earl of Durham in preference to him . This is not the proper place to speak of politics , for such topics ought to be excluded from every Masonic Lodge . But those who know my political views know that they are diametrically
opposed to those of the Grand Master—and yet he appointed me one of the Grand Chaplains . That does not look like a political animus . What I have put before you I have stated in plain , straightforward language , and I now call upon yon to support the dignity of the Grand Master , as it is your Masonic duty to do when you find that he is anonymously attacked . " Tho Rev . and V . W . Brother concluded his address in the terms of his motion . Bro . Baxter , P . S . G . W ., seconded the motion . Bro . Ward then moved " That the R . W . Prov . Grand Master be
requested to communicate to his lordship the vote of the Prov . Grand Lodge , " and Bro . Baxter having seconded the resolution , it was unanimously agreed to . The R . W . Prov . G . M said , he most cordially approved of the course which the Provincial Grand Lodge had taken in this matter , and should have great pleasure in conveying to Lord Zetland the votes to which they had been pleased to agree .
SUFFOLK . A special meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk was held on Wednesday , Feb . Kith , at the White Horse Hotel , Ipswich . At four o ' clock , the time named in the summons , about fifty Brethren were in attendance , and the Prov . Grand Lodge was opened in the large room used by the Lodge of Perfect Friendship . The V . W . D . Prov . G . M . said , that he considered it his duty to call the Brethren of the province together to express their opinions on a gross attack made upon the honour and independence of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk , involving as it did their character as men and Masons ; and that they might thus , as a body , give a solemn denial to the foul charge made against it . They were aware that Suffolk was , in the absence of a Prov . G . M ., under the control of the
Grand Registrar ; and at tiie Prov . Grand Lodge held in September last , Bro . Roxburgh , who by virtue of his office presided , was accompanied by several Masons of eminence from London ; and at the banquet , in proposing the health of the M . W . the Grand Master , thought proper to allude to a most gross attack that had been made on that distinguished nobleman in the Masonic Observer , a publication which , till then , they in Suffolk had never hoard of ; the charge being that lie had prostituted his powers , in the appointment of Grand Officers , to political purposes ; his Lordship had indignantly repelled
the slander , and the Grand Lodge of England on the occasion echoed Ins manly denial . Bro . Havers afterwards followed Bro . Roxburgh , with some observations on this " most unwarrantable , unfounded , and wicked attack" on the Earl of Zetland , than whom , as Bro . Havers said , "England ' s peerage does not possess one nobleman wdiose honour is more pure and spotless , and whose integrity and singleness of purpose is more unquestionable . " The Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk took no part in this matter , for they were till then in ignorance of the matter , and for listening to these statements , they
were now charged , forsooth , with " sickly sycophancy . " The brother who made that charge should have remembered his Masonic obligation—neither to slander a brother Mason himself , nor suffer another to do so . The wisest man had truly said " Where no wood is , there the fire g ' octh out : so where there is no talebearer , the strife ceaseth . As coals are to burning coals , and wood to fire ; so is a contentious man to kindle strife . " Bro . Freeman then read Bro . Binckes ' s letter , published in our last number , in which the Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk was charged with "sickly sycophancy . " Now the first charge , he thought , might be treated with contempt , but seeing how it had been followed up by Bro . Binckes , one of the " Observer party , "
he decided on calling them together as early as convenient , and having thus laid the matter before them , he would leave the resolutions in their hands . Bro . Martin , P . Prov . D . G . M ., in rising to move the first resolution , referred to the scandalous charge made against the M . W . G . M ., and the difficulty that he must find in so filling the few offices ' . hat were annually at his disposal , as to satisfy all who were ambitious of Grand Lodge , honours . The Earl of Zetland had , by his conduct and characterwon the esteem of the whole Craftsave this small cli
, , que , who would disturb his rule . With regard to Bro . Binckes ' s letter , nothing , in his opinion , could be more mimasonic ; and having removed the slander , as it first seemed , from Bro . Havers , and brought to our own doors , it was their duty to repel it in the strongest terms ; and entirely concurring in the summons , he moved the first resolution as follows : — " The Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk , having a high consideration of tho candour and integrity of the Most Worshipful Grand
Master , desires to express its great regret that any man , or body of men , should impute false , dishonourable , or disgraceful motives to him , such as those suggested in the Masonic Observer . " The resolution was seconded in a few words by Bro . Spencer Freeman , Prov . S . G . W ., and carried unanimously . Bro . W . P . Mills , P . Prov . S . G . W ., had no hesitation in saying , that the proceedings of all assemblies should be open to fair comment ; but such notices should be candid and just . He firmly believed the conduct of the M . W . Grand Master was undeserving the slanderous attacks made upon him , and he considered the Grand Lodge had , by its unanimous voice , avowed that sentiment . He then moved the second resolution : —
" Ihe members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk beg to offer to the Most Worshipful Grand Master their regret and unqualified sympathy upon the occasion , and to express to him their continued and unabated confidence in his honour and strict impartiality in the discharge of his Masonic duties . " Bro . Gissing , Prov . J . G . W „ seconded the resolution . The Rev . Bro . Sanderson , Prov . G . Chaplain , said , that besides expressing their confidence in one they had trusted for fifteen years , they had now to perform a duty to themselves . They heard at their
Prov . Grand Lodge how Bro . Havers vindicated the Grand Master ; and at the same time Bro . Roxburgh suggested—as was quite true that it was probable they had never heard of tho offending journal ; and for being quiet auditors , Bro . Binckes—he supposed he must call him Brother—accused them of" sickly sycophancy . " He would ask , were these such epithets as ought to pass from brother to brother ? Ho called on them , by the respect they owed to themselves as Masons , and by their fidelity to the Grand Lodge under whose banners they meetto repudiate the vile attack made upon thembadopting the
, , y resolution he would now propose" The Provincial Grand Lodge also most indignantly repels the offensive term which has been applied to them , of' sickly sycophants , ' and would merely refer any brother , or the editor of any Masonic publication , using such terms , to that portion of the obligation of a Master Mason which has more particular reference to ' slander . '"