Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
of Scotland would withdraw the warrants they have granted to English Mark Masters , as Br . Sharman says they would do under such circumstances . " It cannot be said that this act of the Bon-Accord Lodge interferes with any other authority or superior body in England ; and this , I think , is a fact that greatly favours such ' a proceeding . In what , then , consists the objection to the formation of a Grand Lodge of Mark Masters in England ? The Grand Chapter of England have declared through a Committee that Mark Masonry has nothing to
do with the Royal Arch ; the Grand Lodge of England have ignored it : where , then , are English Mark Masters to look for a centre ? Scotland has its Grand Chapter , Ireland has its Grand Lodge : what then , I again ask , are the objections to the formation of a Grand Lodge of Mark Masters for England ? I should feel grateful to any one Brother Mark Master to state them : I ask this question in all sincerity , as I wish to be guided aright . I wish it to be distinctly understood , I find no fault with those
Brethren who have obtained Charters from the Grand Chapter of Scotland ; I freely admit their right to arrange themselves under a foreign banner ; the expediency of doing so is a very different question ; nor am I aware that any one questions that right , the expediency alone can be the subject ; but is it politic , is it wise ? Why , then , cannot there be a union of the Mark Lodges ? Does perfection exist in either party to this unhappy schism ? Are they not both composed of frail , erring mortals , influenced by ail the whims and caprices of our common human nature ? Masonry is of
too pure a character to be stained with such doings , and to be as it were mocked by such deeds done in its name . Let us for the future strive to unite , bearing and forbearing ; let us forget these irritating circumstances ; let there be no divisions among , us ; but rather let us do all that we can to promote " the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . " I fear I have intruded too much on your time and space ; but I feel strongly and deeply the importance of the subject ; and with a fervent prayer that Masonry may spread and that its benign
principles may pervade and animate every heart , I subscribe myself , Yours fraternally , A MARK MASTER .
To the Editor Sir and Brother , —I should be glad to be permitted to explain my reasons for withdrawing the two motions which stood in my name , and which several Brethren had been good enough to attend in G . L . to support . As regards the Benevolent Institution , I was favored with an interview by the G . M . when he very kindly stated his willingness to promote a Festival of that Charity once in two years , in place of
triennially as at present , should the Committee of Management think it desirable . This being so , I thought it would best conduce to the interests of the Institution , if I at once acquiesced in this arrangement : and should it take effect , I can only express my earnest hope that so excellent and deserving a Charity may meet with increased support from the Craft at large . I have served two Stewardships this year , and if Stewards are wanting , shall be very ready to serve again at the first biennial Festival . With respect to the return from the P . G . M . 's of Berkshire and
West Lancashire , I was given to understand in G . L . that continued applications would be made , till the one ( out of the two ) which had hitherto been withheld should be forthcoming . I am , Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , G . R . PORTAL , P . M ., 460 , & c . To the Editor .
Dear Sir and Brother , —I shall feel obliged by the insertion of the following remarks in reference to the question at issue between Bro . Havers and myself , which unfortunately occupied so large a share of the discussion in Grand Lodge of the 2 nd inst . On the minutes of the last G . L . being put for confirmation by the M . W . G . M ., I rose to move— "That so much of the minutes as referred to the rejection of a portion of the report of the Colonial Board be not confirmed ; " and I was allowed to proceed uninterruptedly with my argument , until the departure of H . R . H . Prince Frederick William . Immediately after this , Bro . Havers addressed me , stating that the motion which he had made at the Q . C . of September was not for the rejection of any part of the report of the Colonial Board , but for the reception of a portion of such report . I
confess that this still appears to me , as it did then , to be a "distinction without a difference ; " and I endeavored to prove it to be so , but failed to impress my views upon the ruling authorities , who , adopting Bro . Havers' version , pronounced a decision adverse to my proceeding . I will not now make any allusion to what followed , but will confine myself to the main point of difference . The business ( at which I was not present ) in G L . of September 2 nd , was reported , as usual , in the two accredited organs of the Craft : and on reading the account , I felt that a great slight had
been passed upon the Colonial Board , by the omission of certain paragraphs , which were objected to on grounds that appeared to me to be utterly untenable ; and I determined to make an attempt to obtain a reversal of the decision which G . L . had arrived at . I state this , merely to convince those who profess so much dread of •' party " movements , that I acted without concert or arrangement of any kind . Now without referring further to the reported proceedings of the last G . L ., as given in the Freemasons' Magazine and in the : V /« SOK ! C
Observer—both of which refer to a proposition for omission—let me direct attention to the authorized report emanating from the Grand Secretary's office , which , unfortunately for me , I had not seen at the time of raising this discussion . "W . Bro . John Havers pointed out where the Board had transgressed their functions . The duties of the Colonial Board , like those of other Boards , wore of an executive character , & c , & c . He therefore moved that the two first and three last paragraphs be receivedadoptedand entered on the minutes ; but that the rest of
, , the report , namely , paragraphs 3 , 4 , 5 . and 6 , be not received " I confidently submit , that this satisfactorily establishes the basis upon which my arguments were founded ; and that it affords sufficient justification of any'complaint that I was somewhat unfairly dealt with , and forced intoa position which was productive of confusion , waste of time , and an amount of excitement which I regret as much as any one . As regards the latter result , however , it is not to be concealed , that it was in a great measure occasioned by an
irritating parade of an influence , the existence of which appears to me as unconstitutional as its exercise is unseemly . These remarks have already exceeded the limits I had proposed , or I would enter on a defence of the report of the Colonial Board ; taking special exception to the manner in which Bro . Hovers has prejudged the main question by assuming the whole point at issue , when asserting that " the Board had transgressed their functions . " I forbear trespassing on your space for the present .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , FREDERICK BINCKES , P . M . No . 11 . London , 10 th December , 1857 . To the Editor Sir and Brother—Can any of your readers who may be up in
, ceremonial inform me why the usual order was departed from at the reception of the Prince of Prussia in Grand Lodge , and precedence given in the procession to the Grand Wardens over the Provincial Grand Masters , their superior Officers ? I am , Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , A PROVINCIAL MASON .
Ar01501
FREEMASONRT IN RUSSIA . —The last striking innovation that has been made on Russian prejudices , and religious feelings , by the reforming spirit of the present Emperor , is the toleration accorded by him to Freemasonry in Russia . The society of Freemasons has hitherto been strictly prohibited from constituting itself on the holy soil of Russia ; the employes of the state were always required to bind themselves never to belong to it ; and the Greek Church has
laid an anathema upon it . For more than half-a-year , however , ' Lodges' have been forming in the interior of the empire , and entering into correspondence with other Lodges in foreign countries ; and there are indications of different hinds that this phenomenon in the Russian state is far from unwelcome to the powers that be . Two results are , as it would seem , expected from the benevolent working of this society , viz ., a better spirit on the part of the various government functionaries , and a greater willingness to co-operate in the gigantic task the government has entered upon of commuting serfdom into a free relation of landowner and tenant . I believe I shall not be fur wrong in imputing this change of tactics to the " Society of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
of Scotland would withdraw the warrants they have granted to English Mark Masters , as Br . Sharman says they would do under such circumstances . " It cannot be said that this act of the Bon-Accord Lodge interferes with any other authority or superior body in England ; and this , I think , is a fact that greatly favours such ' a proceeding . In what , then , consists the objection to the formation of a Grand Lodge of Mark Masters in England ? The Grand Chapter of England have declared through a Committee that Mark Masonry has nothing to
do with the Royal Arch ; the Grand Lodge of England have ignored it : where , then , are English Mark Masters to look for a centre ? Scotland has its Grand Chapter , Ireland has its Grand Lodge : what then , I again ask , are the objections to the formation of a Grand Lodge of Mark Masters for England ? I should feel grateful to any one Brother Mark Master to state them : I ask this question in all sincerity , as I wish to be guided aright . I wish it to be distinctly understood , I find no fault with those
Brethren who have obtained Charters from the Grand Chapter of Scotland ; I freely admit their right to arrange themselves under a foreign banner ; the expediency of doing so is a very different question ; nor am I aware that any one questions that right , the expediency alone can be the subject ; but is it politic , is it wise ? Why , then , cannot there be a union of the Mark Lodges ? Does perfection exist in either party to this unhappy schism ? Are they not both composed of frail , erring mortals , influenced by ail the whims and caprices of our common human nature ? Masonry is of
too pure a character to be stained with such doings , and to be as it were mocked by such deeds done in its name . Let us for the future strive to unite , bearing and forbearing ; let us forget these irritating circumstances ; let there be no divisions among , us ; but rather let us do all that we can to promote " the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . " I fear I have intruded too much on your time and space ; but I feel strongly and deeply the importance of the subject ; and with a fervent prayer that Masonry may spread and that its benign
principles may pervade and animate every heart , I subscribe myself , Yours fraternally , A MARK MASTER .
To the Editor Sir and Brother , —I should be glad to be permitted to explain my reasons for withdrawing the two motions which stood in my name , and which several Brethren had been good enough to attend in G . L . to support . As regards the Benevolent Institution , I was favored with an interview by the G . M . when he very kindly stated his willingness to promote a Festival of that Charity once in two years , in place of
triennially as at present , should the Committee of Management think it desirable . This being so , I thought it would best conduce to the interests of the Institution , if I at once acquiesced in this arrangement : and should it take effect , I can only express my earnest hope that so excellent and deserving a Charity may meet with increased support from the Craft at large . I have served two Stewardships this year , and if Stewards are wanting , shall be very ready to serve again at the first biennial Festival . With respect to the return from the P . G . M . 's of Berkshire and
West Lancashire , I was given to understand in G . L . that continued applications would be made , till the one ( out of the two ) which had hitherto been withheld should be forthcoming . I am , Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , G . R . PORTAL , P . M ., 460 , & c . To the Editor .
Dear Sir and Brother , —I shall feel obliged by the insertion of the following remarks in reference to the question at issue between Bro . Havers and myself , which unfortunately occupied so large a share of the discussion in Grand Lodge of the 2 nd inst . On the minutes of the last G . L . being put for confirmation by the M . W . G . M ., I rose to move— "That so much of the minutes as referred to the rejection of a portion of the report of the Colonial Board be not confirmed ; " and I was allowed to proceed uninterruptedly with my argument , until the departure of H . R . H . Prince Frederick William . Immediately after this , Bro . Havers addressed me , stating that the motion which he had made at the Q . C . of September was not for the rejection of any part of the report of the Colonial Board , but for the reception of a portion of such report . I
confess that this still appears to me , as it did then , to be a "distinction without a difference ; " and I endeavored to prove it to be so , but failed to impress my views upon the ruling authorities , who , adopting Bro . Havers' version , pronounced a decision adverse to my proceeding . I will not now make any allusion to what followed , but will confine myself to the main point of difference . The business ( at which I was not present ) in G L . of September 2 nd , was reported , as usual , in the two accredited organs of the Craft : and on reading the account , I felt that a great slight had
been passed upon the Colonial Board , by the omission of certain paragraphs , which were objected to on grounds that appeared to me to be utterly untenable ; and I determined to make an attempt to obtain a reversal of the decision which G . L . had arrived at . I state this , merely to convince those who profess so much dread of •' party " movements , that I acted without concert or arrangement of any kind . Now without referring further to the reported proceedings of the last G . L ., as given in the Freemasons' Magazine and in the : V /« SOK ! C
Observer—both of which refer to a proposition for omission—let me direct attention to the authorized report emanating from the Grand Secretary's office , which , unfortunately for me , I had not seen at the time of raising this discussion . "W . Bro . John Havers pointed out where the Board had transgressed their functions . The duties of the Colonial Board , like those of other Boards , wore of an executive character , & c , & c . He therefore moved that the two first and three last paragraphs be receivedadoptedand entered on the minutes ; but that the rest of
, , the report , namely , paragraphs 3 , 4 , 5 . and 6 , be not received " I confidently submit , that this satisfactorily establishes the basis upon which my arguments were founded ; and that it affords sufficient justification of any'complaint that I was somewhat unfairly dealt with , and forced intoa position which was productive of confusion , waste of time , and an amount of excitement which I regret as much as any one . As regards the latter result , however , it is not to be concealed , that it was in a great measure occasioned by an
irritating parade of an influence , the existence of which appears to me as unconstitutional as its exercise is unseemly . These remarks have already exceeded the limits I had proposed , or I would enter on a defence of the report of the Colonial Board ; taking special exception to the manner in which Bro . Hovers has prejudged the main question by assuming the whole point at issue , when asserting that " the Board had transgressed their functions . " I forbear trespassing on your space for the present .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , FREDERICK BINCKES , P . M . No . 11 . London , 10 th December , 1857 . To the Editor Sir and Brother—Can any of your readers who may be up in
, ceremonial inform me why the usual order was departed from at the reception of the Prince of Prussia in Grand Lodge , and precedence given in the procession to the Grand Wardens over the Provincial Grand Masters , their superior Officers ? I am , Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , A PROVINCIAL MASON .
Ar01501
FREEMASONRT IN RUSSIA . —The last striking innovation that has been made on Russian prejudices , and religious feelings , by the reforming spirit of the present Emperor , is the toleration accorded by him to Freemasonry in Russia . The society of Freemasons has hitherto been strictly prohibited from constituting itself on the holy soil of Russia ; the employes of the state were always required to bind themselves never to belong to it ; and the Greek Church has
laid an anathema upon it . For more than half-a-year , however , ' Lodges' have been forming in the interior of the empire , and entering into correspondence with other Lodges in foreign countries ; and there are indications of different hinds that this phenomenon in the Russian state is far from unwelcome to the powers that be . Two results are , as it would seem , expected from the benevolent working of this society , viz ., a better spirit on the part of the various government functionaries , and a greater willingness to co-operate in the gigantic task the government has entered upon of commuting serfdom into a free relation of landowner and tenant . I believe I shall not be fur wrong in imputing this change of tactics to the " Society of