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  • The Masonic Observer
  • Sept. 20, 1858
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The Masonic Observer, Sept. 20, 1858: Page 3

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Ar00300

Masonic dependencies abroad—and whose position and nature ill fit him to be the organ of the clique whom he represents far more than the Craft at large . He arose and spoke . " Quid digmim tantoferet lvk promissor hiatu ? " And against whom , and against what , was he about to hurl the accumulated , thunders of the

last twelve months ? Was it against the Canadian G . L ., who have cast off his authority ? Against the Colonial Petitioners whose memorials lay for so long unheeded in his waste paper basket ? Or against the Country Lodges who so justly complain of their exclusion from all real powers of government ? Or against those few

individual Masons who have , refused to worship with a more than heathen adoration—not the eastern sun of G . L . —but his priests and satellites' ? Was it against any or all of these ? No ; for with them there might be conflict—there might be even defeat , as the EXECUTIVE before now have had cause to know . Nogentle

, reader ; all these terrible and long-treasured-up lightnings were discharged upon us—us , the humble minister to your amusement , the faithful recorder of those events which as a Mason you share in , of the objects which you desire , of the speeches you make—on us , the little quarto Journal which once every quarter claims a

corner of your table , and a nook in your' affections . Upon our head the vials of an undiscriminating and somewhat inconsistent wrath , were poured forth . The days of CRUCEFIX were revived . The " antient Masons " of the old partisan quarrels rose to swell the maledictory chorus , and "infamous , " " scandalous , " " libellous , " were the mildest epithets discharged upon our devoted person . Yet it was indeed with some surprise that we listened to the course of one-sided debate . We leave it to our

assailants to explain how those who stated that they had no acquaintance with our publication , that we had no circulation among the London Lodges , cum multis aliis qiue mine perscribere longum , should evince so remarkably clear a recollection of all which has at various times found a place in our columns . We must leave them to reconcile as logically as they canthe

, utter contempt which they profess for us , with their evident anxiety to prove themselves in the right , and us in the wrong . Are there no inconsistencies here ? No inconsistency between the transparent sham which followed , when , as was justly observeda vote of confidence in

, the G . M . was moved , seconded , and carried , at a moment ' s warning ; and the ascetic sell-denial with which another but a less Daistically inclined motion was stifled by the EXECUTIVE , because it had not been placed upon the business paper a fortnig ht before ? But after all , whatever the rest of the Craft may say

to these extraordinary proceedings , we are the last persons who feel disposed to complain . We can assure the EXECUTIVE in all sincerity that as we are not fortunate enough to have their applause , we will reconcile ourselves to deserve , at least , their censure ; and that we entertain little doubt , that the record which they have placed of their opinion of us , upon the minutes of G . L ., and which we honestly trust may obtain even a wider

circulation than we are able to secure for it , will give us all the advantages of the fullest and most expensive system of advertisement .

Ar00301

THE Masons of CANADA are at length united under one banner . The union does infinite credit to Bro . HARINGTON on the one hand , and the authorities of the " GRAND LODGE of CANADA" on the other . Henceforth we may expect to see the progress of Masonry

commensurate with that of the colony in which it has taken root ; and we shall be much surprised , if under the happy influence of self-government , its future is not widely different from its past . Meanwhile the craft in England have surely somewhat to learn from the declaration of Canadian independence .

Can any one doubt that it mi ght have been prevented had our rulers been fitted for their post ? Had the statements of grievances been at once attended to , in place of being left for four years unnoticed , the GRAND LODGE of ENGLAND might still have been supreme in CANADA . ¦ And who is responsible for this

neglect ? The GRAND MASTER , and his clique alone . GRAND LODGE knew nothing of the matter ; and when they did , they were as usual arbitrarily prohibited from entertaining the question . The Rev . Bro . PORTAL ' motion for redressing Canadian grievances , in June 183 6 , was refused to be put to G . L . on the ridiculous but

ordinary plea that it was against " antient landmarks !" In place of redress , all that the patient and long-suffering Canadians got by the anxiously expected mail was a speech of the G . M . ' s calling the wrong people " rebels , "

and we know not what beside , and showing more unmistakeably than ever , his entire ignorance of the whole question . It is no wonder that the Canadians were much influenced by this revelation of the state of affairs at home . They believed that they were subject to GRAND LODGE . They found that they were subject to the

GRAND MASTER , and a select duet of Professional Gentlemen . As Brother HARINGTON says , "It is impossible to disguise the plain fact , that although we have been in theory governed by the GRAND LODGE of ENGLAND , practically we have been under the immediate control of theM . W . GRAND MASTERand a small bod

. , y of London Brethren . " They consequently declined to submit any longer to such an unconstitutional authority . We think they have exercised a very sound discretion in the matter , and we venture to predict that if the real " landmarks " of Masonry continue to be invaded , if the supreme authority of GRAND LODGE is injured and

a despotism attempted to be set up , CANADA will not stand alone in the course she has adopted . From the " remarkable occurrences in Masonry" we leam what is certainl y worthy of remark , and we beg the Craft to remark it , that in 1844 , Lord ZETLAND was entrusted with the care of our interests as GRAND MASTER ; and at that time CANADA was ours . That noble Lord still watches over us , but CANADA is ours no longer .

“The Masonic Observer: 1858-09-20, Page 3” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 13 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mob/issues/mob_20091858/page/3/.
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GRAND LODGE. Article 7
The Colonies. Article 10
Untitled Article 11
Untitled Article 11
Untitled Article 14
UNION IN NEW YORK. Article 14
NEW BRUNSWICK. Article 14
NEW ZEALAND. Article 15
AUSTRALIA.-VICTORIA. Article 15
Mark Masonry. Article 16
Masonic Charities. Article 17
The Provinces. Article 19
Untitled Article 22
Correspondence. Article 23
Untitled Article 24
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Untitled Ad 24
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Ar00300

Masonic dependencies abroad—and whose position and nature ill fit him to be the organ of the clique whom he represents far more than the Craft at large . He arose and spoke . " Quid digmim tantoferet lvk promissor hiatu ? " And against whom , and against what , was he about to hurl the accumulated , thunders of the

last twelve months ? Was it against the Canadian G . L ., who have cast off his authority ? Against the Colonial Petitioners whose memorials lay for so long unheeded in his waste paper basket ? Or against the Country Lodges who so justly complain of their exclusion from all real powers of government ? Or against those few

individual Masons who have , refused to worship with a more than heathen adoration—not the eastern sun of G . L . —but his priests and satellites' ? Was it against any or all of these ? No ; for with them there might be conflict—there might be even defeat , as the EXECUTIVE before now have had cause to know . Nogentle

, reader ; all these terrible and long-treasured-up lightnings were discharged upon us—us , the humble minister to your amusement , the faithful recorder of those events which as a Mason you share in , of the objects which you desire , of the speeches you make—on us , the little quarto Journal which once every quarter claims a

corner of your table , and a nook in your' affections . Upon our head the vials of an undiscriminating and somewhat inconsistent wrath , were poured forth . The days of CRUCEFIX were revived . The " antient Masons " of the old partisan quarrels rose to swell the maledictory chorus , and "infamous , " " scandalous , " " libellous , " were the mildest epithets discharged upon our devoted person . Yet it was indeed with some surprise that we listened to the course of one-sided debate . We leave it to our

assailants to explain how those who stated that they had no acquaintance with our publication , that we had no circulation among the London Lodges , cum multis aliis qiue mine perscribere longum , should evince so remarkably clear a recollection of all which has at various times found a place in our columns . We must leave them to reconcile as logically as they canthe

, utter contempt which they profess for us , with their evident anxiety to prove themselves in the right , and us in the wrong . Are there no inconsistencies here ? No inconsistency between the transparent sham which followed , when , as was justly observeda vote of confidence in

, the G . M . was moved , seconded , and carried , at a moment ' s warning ; and the ascetic sell-denial with which another but a less Daistically inclined motion was stifled by the EXECUTIVE , because it had not been placed upon the business paper a fortnig ht before ? But after all , whatever the rest of the Craft may say

to these extraordinary proceedings , we are the last persons who feel disposed to complain . We can assure the EXECUTIVE in all sincerity that as we are not fortunate enough to have their applause , we will reconcile ourselves to deserve , at least , their censure ; and that we entertain little doubt , that the record which they have placed of their opinion of us , upon the minutes of G . L ., and which we honestly trust may obtain even a wider

circulation than we are able to secure for it , will give us all the advantages of the fullest and most expensive system of advertisement .

Ar00301

THE Masons of CANADA are at length united under one banner . The union does infinite credit to Bro . HARINGTON on the one hand , and the authorities of the " GRAND LODGE of CANADA" on the other . Henceforth we may expect to see the progress of Masonry

commensurate with that of the colony in which it has taken root ; and we shall be much surprised , if under the happy influence of self-government , its future is not widely different from its past . Meanwhile the craft in England have surely somewhat to learn from the declaration of Canadian independence .

Can any one doubt that it mi ght have been prevented had our rulers been fitted for their post ? Had the statements of grievances been at once attended to , in place of being left for four years unnoticed , the GRAND LODGE of ENGLAND might still have been supreme in CANADA . ¦ And who is responsible for this

neglect ? The GRAND MASTER , and his clique alone . GRAND LODGE knew nothing of the matter ; and when they did , they were as usual arbitrarily prohibited from entertaining the question . The Rev . Bro . PORTAL ' motion for redressing Canadian grievances , in June 183 6 , was refused to be put to G . L . on the ridiculous but

ordinary plea that it was against " antient landmarks !" In place of redress , all that the patient and long-suffering Canadians got by the anxiously expected mail was a speech of the G . M . ' s calling the wrong people " rebels , "

and we know not what beside , and showing more unmistakeably than ever , his entire ignorance of the whole question . It is no wonder that the Canadians were much influenced by this revelation of the state of affairs at home . They believed that they were subject to GRAND LODGE . They found that they were subject to the

GRAND MASTER , and a select duet of Professional Gentlemen . As Brother HARINGTON says , "It is impossible to disguise the plain fact , that although we have been in theory governed by the GRAND LODGE of ENGLAND , practically we have been under the immediate control of theM . W . GRAND MASTERand a small bod

. , y of London Brethren . " They consequently declined to submit any longer to such an unconstitutional authority . We think they have exercised a very sound discretion in the matter , and we venture to predict that if the real " landmarks " of Masonry continue to be invaded , if the supreme authority of GRAND LODGE is injured and

a despotism attempted to be set up , CANADA will not stand alone in the course she has adopted . From the " remarkable occurrences in Masonry" we leam what is certainl y worthy of remark , and we beg the Craft to remark it , that in 1844 , Lord ZETLAND was entrusted with the care of our interests as GRAND MASTER ; and at that time CANADA was ours . That noble Lord still watches over us , but CANADA is ours no longer .

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