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  • Dec. 8, 1877
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  • CORRESPONDENCE.
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The Freemason's Chronicle, Dec. 8, 1877: Page 6

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Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for piiblication , but as a guarantee of good , faith .

CALLING OFF . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIK AND BROTHER , —If "A Young W . M . " will refer to Dr . Oliver ' s " Masonic Jurisprudence , " pp 309 et seq , he will find , under the head of Adjournment of Grand Lodge , a long account of a caso which occurred in 185 R . Tho facts aro as follow : —At the Quarterly Communication , 3 rd September of that year , it was found ,

at half past ton , that there was a considerable amount of business on tho agenda paper , which could not possibly be transacted . It was accordingly moved and seconded , and tho motion was carried unanimously , that Grand Lodgo stand adjourned till 1 st October , and it was adjourned accordingly . The brethren met on that day , and in spito of tho protests of several Grand Officers , the business was

transacted . On this tho Grand Master convened a Grand Lodgo of Emergency on Nov . 19 th , and he then declared that tho resolution of adjournment to tho 1 st October was unprecedented and illegal , and therefore that the proceedings at the adjourned meeting were null and void . He grounded his ruling on the meaning of the phrase " to adjourn , " which , as he argued , was when used with respect to Grand

Lodge precisely analagous to its application to tho House of Commons , where tho question " thafc the Houso do now adjourn " meant" until tho next legal day of meeting . " Thus when Grand Lodge adjourned , it was added , it adjourned till " tho next legal clay of meeting , " that is "till the next Quarterly Communication ; " though a G . Lodge of Emergency , at which only tho business stated ou tho

circular convening it could bo transacted , might be called in tho interim . It should bo added that , in tho U . S ., Grand Lodges do adjourn from one day to the next . On turning to p . 208 of Oliver , I find under " adjournment of tho Lodge "—that is , a subordinate Lodgeit is laid down that " A Lodgo is incapable of being adjourned except afc the will and pleasure of tho Master , who has the solo power of

regulating its motions . He may open and close it , and , when closed , all business is brought to a legitimate conclusion ; and ho may call ifc from labour to refreshment , for a timo ; but in this caso ho cannot finally close it until it has been resumed , by returning from refresh . ment to labour . " Heading this by the light of the Grand Master ' s ruling and exposition in tho caso previously cited , tho only possible conclusion at which I have been able to arrive is , that tho term " ad .

journment must bo taken to imply " until the next legal day of meeting , " and therefore that no Worshipful Master has tho power to adjourn his Lodgo till the day , or the day week following , even though it may be done under the pretence—I do not nso the phrase in any offensive sense—of calling it from labour to refreshment . I by no means claim to bo infallible , and as the case raised by your correspondent is one of groat nicety , I should like to see tho opinions of brethren abler to express an opinion than , Yours fraternally , "PETER GOWER . "

VALLEY OF NEW ZEALAND . To the Editor O / T IIE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I shall only ask you to give me space for this last brief communication in reply to "A Knight Eose Croix , " who of course is perfectly at liberty to apply the term " schismatic" to any body of Masons ho pleases , but who , at the same time , if he be logical , is bound to admit that every form of

Masonry at the present day is " schismatic , " siuce even "Ancient , Free and Accepted Masonry according to the Articles of Union , " is of comparatively recent date . The instances adduced for illustration of your correspondent ' s argument are not in the least analagous , and his suppositious case of a Time Immemorial Mark Lodge forming a new Mark Lodge seems to

mo particularly unfortunate , since ifc rather gives strength to what I nrge , namely , that a real Masonic spirit will always impel its possessor to acquiesce in the \ , ish or ruling of the majority . The Grand Mark Lodgo of England has no " power " to prevent the formation of a " now Lodgo of Mark Masons " by a Timo Immemorial Lodge which has never acknowledged tho Grand Mark Lodge , but it has tho

" authority " of ninety-nine hundredths of the Mark Masons of the world , by-whom ifc is now acknowledged , to exercise the laws laid down iu its constitutions , according to which Murk Masons made in a Lodge which has not acknowledged its authority cannot bo admitted into its Lodges . I seo no more " persecution " iu such a regulation than iu those of tho Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , which declines to admit irregularly-made Masons into its Lodges . The difference between

the authority of Grand Craft and the Grand J ) ark Lodt-os is simply that tho ono has been a good many moro years in existence than the other . In Masonry especially , tho whole history of which is based on tho thinnest species of tradition , it seems advisable that there should be as much concord and non-interference as possible , and it seems to mo that tlio importation of Masonic degrees order foreign authorities into British Colonies is not the wav to promote harmonious working in those districts .

I am , yours fraternally , ROSE CROIX , Sid December 15 / 7 .

Correspondence.

THE LATE BRO . MOTT . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR Sin AND BKOTHEIJ , —I see , in your last week ' s issue , respecting the late Superintendent Mott , that ho joined tho St . Dnnsfan ' s

Lodgo at its consecration ; it should bo St . Clement l > anes Lodge , No . 1351 . Yours obediently , W . G . DICKISS . 1 G Norfolk-street , Strand , W . C .

NOTICES OF MOTION . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BKOTHEK , —On 30 th October I wrote as follows to tho Provincial Grand Secretary of North Wales and Shropshire : — 42 Broad-street , Welch-Pool ,

30 th October 1877 . SIR AND BUOTHEH , —I must request you to place as under on the next Provincial Grand Lodgo Summons , and oblige , Yours , & c , D . P . OWEN P . M . 998 . To tho Prov . Grand Secretary , North Wales and Shropshire . To consider revision of Prov . Grand Bye-laws , Nos . xliii , xlvii , Ixvi , Ixx , and Ixxi . Now Prov . Grand Byo-law No . 43 read thus : —

" xliii . —Notices of Motion . "It being essential to the interests of tho Craft thafc all matters of business to be brought under the consideration of Prov . Grand Lodge should be known previo usly to tho P . G . Officers and Masters of Lodges , thafc through them all tho representatives of Lodges may be apprised of snch business , and by having sufficient time for mature

deliberation be prepared to decide thereon ; every motion intended to bo made shall be in writing , and annexed thereto shall bo tho name and Masonic rank of the mover , and the name and number of his Lodge , aud such motion shall be transmitted to the P . G . Secretary not less than twenty-one days preceding a meeting of such Prov . G . Lodge . "

A Prov . Grand Lodge Summons is issued on 27 th November , for a P . G . Lodge to bo held at Shrewsbury on 14 th December , and no notice is taken of my " Notice of Motion . " Can any brother give information as to how this is in other provinces ? Has tho Prov . Grand Master or Prov . Grand Secretary any right to ignore my letter ? If it is because I did not write the word

Lodge a f tor Welch-Pool , it is a paltry subterfuge , and it cannot bo because my rank and number arc only described " P . M . 998 . " Ought I to havo put " Senior Past Warden , Welch-Pool Lodge , No . 90 S , " after my signature . I did not add Y . ' A . to it , because that is a rank not pertaining to Craft Masonry , neither did I put P . P . G .

Pursuivant , which oflico I had the honour of holding for two years , but do nofc now wear the clothing of it . I claim the rank , as " past rank " has never been conferred on mo , and I consider thafc the title ceases on appointment of successor . Also have I redress afc the hands of tho Board of General Purposes ? Yours fraternally , D . P . OWEN P . M ., I . P . Z . 998 .

MASONIC IRREGULARITY . To the Editor of TIIE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —My mind has been much exorcised in respect of a recent Masonic irregularity , and on this occasion also in Lodge Victoria in Burmah , No . 832 . The facts are shortly these : — The widow of a brother who at his decease was a member of No . 832 applied to the Lodge for relief . At a regular meeting of the Lodgo

tho widow ' s petition was discussed ; and opposed by the S . W ., who clearly showed that her income from pensions , allowances aud various sources amounted to over £ 20 per mensem , and that the applicant did nofc need relief . The widow ' s petition was accordingly rejected . Bnt the petition had been vigorously supported by a P . M ., who next morning proceeded to the widow , and told her all that occurred

m Lodge the previous night relating to the application , and that the S . W . was the chief opposer . Woman-like , tho widow , who was a personal friend of tho S . W ., forthwith indicted a furious epistle to hiin , and he forwarded tho same to the W . M ., with a charge against the P . M . for breach of Masonic duty . The W . M . referred the matter to a Committee of Past Masters , which Committee afc

the next regular mooting submitted its report , —That tho P . M . had committed a breach of Masonic etiquette . A persistent brother wanted to know what tho punishment was to be . The offending P . M . was annoyed at the suggestion , a discussion ensued , which was concluded by the W . M . permitting tho S . W . to withdraw his charge . Bnt Iho matter , I think , had gone beyond the power of the S . W . ° to

recall . Anyhow , a grave offence has been winked at , and the offender got off scot ( roe . Of course , if any brother is dissatisfied , he should appeal to tho D . G . L ., but the D . G . L . is dis t , nsted , and if the appeal proved unsuccessful the appellant would ! ., ) excluded , as the five brethren were who ventured to appeal to the D . G . L . against

the election of W . Bro . the Eev . J . E . Marks , whoso appeal is now before tho G . L . of England . Tho persistent brother declares he will not appeal , for the D . G . M . has already said that he cannot interfere with the economy of a private Lodge , and also because he is sure to be collared , aud excluded his

“The Freemason's Chronicle: 1877-12-08, Page 6” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 5 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fcn/issues/fcn_08121877/page/6/.
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GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS OF ENGLAND AND WALES. Article 3
PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS OF LINCOLNSHIRE. Article 4
THE BROTHERLY SOCIETY. Article 5
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 6
NORTHUMBERLAND AND BERWICK-on-TWEED LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS. Article 7
SWEDENBORGIAN RITE Article 7
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Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for piiblication , but as a guarantee of good , faith .

CALLING OFF . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIK AND BROTHER , —If "A Young W . M . " will refer to Dr . Oliver ' s " Masonic Jurisprudence , " pp 309 et seq , he will find , under the head of Adjournment of Grand Lodge , a long account of a caso which occurred in 185 R . Tho facts aro as follow : —At the Quarterly Communication , 3 rd September of that year , it was found ,

at half past ton , that there was a considerable amount of business on tho agenda paper , which could not possibly be transacted . It was accordingly moved and seconded , and tho motion was carried unanimously , that Grand Lodgo stand adjourned till 1 st October , and it was adjourned accordingly . The brethren met on that day , and in spito of tho protests of several Grand Officers , the business was

transacted . On this tho Grand Master convened a Grand Lodgo of Emergency on Nov . 19 th , and he then declared that tho resolution of adjournment to tho 1 st October was unprecedented and illegal , and therefore that the proceedings at the adjourned meeting were null and void . He grounded his ruling on the meaning of the phrase " to adjourn , " which , as he argued , was when used with respect to Grand

Lodge precisely analagous to its application to tho House of Commons , where tho question " thafc the Houso do now adjourn " meant" until tho next legal day of meeting . " Thus when Grand Lodge adjourned , it was added , it adjourned till " tho next legal clay of meeting , " that is "till the next Quarterly Communication ; " though a G . Lodge of Emergency , at which only tho business stated ou tho

circular convening it could bo transacted , might be called in tho interim . It should bo added that , in tho U . S ., Grand Lodges do adjourn from one day to the next . On turning to p . 208 of Oliver , I find under " adjournment of tho Lodge "—that is , a subordinate Lodgeit is laid down that " A Lodgo is incapable of being adjourned except afc the will and pleasure of tho Master , who has the solo power of

regulating its motions . He may open and close it , and , when closed , all business is brought to a legitimate conclusion ; and ho may call ifc from labour to refreshment , for a timo ; but in this caso ho cannot finally close it until it has been resumed , by returning from refresh . ment to labour . " Heading this by the light of the Grand Master ' s ruling and exposition in tho caso previously cited , tho only possible conclusion at which I have been able to arrive is , that tho term " ad .

journment must bo taken to imply " until the next legal day of meeting , " and therefore that no Worshipful Master has tho power to adjourn his Lodgo till the day , or the day week following , even though it may be done under the pretence—I do not nso the phrase in any offensive sense—of calling it from labour to refreshment . I by no means claim to bo infallible , and as the case raised by your correspondent is one of groat nicety , I should like to see tho opinions of brethren abler to express an opinion than , Yours fraternally , "PETER GOWER . "

VALLEY OF NEW ZEALAND . To the Editor O / T IIE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I shall only ask you to give me space for this last brief communication in reply to "A Knight Eose Croix , " who of course is perfectly at liberty to apply the term " schismatic" to any body of Masons ho pleases , but who , at the same time , if he be logical , is bound to admit that every form of

Masonry at the present day is " schismatic , " siuce even "Ancient , Free and Accepted Masonry according to the Articles of Union , " is of comparatively recent date . The instances adduced for illustration of your correspondent ' s argument are not in the least analagous , and his suppositious case of a Time Immemorial Mark Lodge forming a new Mark Lodge seems to

mo particularly unfortunate , since ifc rather gives strength to what I nrge , namely , that a real Masonic spirit will always impel its possessor to acquiesce in the \ , ish or ruling of the majority . The Grand Mark Lodgo of England has no " power " to prevent the formation of a " now Lodgo of Mark Masons " by a Timo Immemorial Lodge which has never acknowledged tho Grand Mark Lodge , but it has tho

" authority " of ninety-nine hundredths of the Mark Masons of the world , by-whom ifc is now acknowledged , to exercise the laws laid down iu its constitutions , according to which Murk Masons made in a Lodge which has not acknowledged its authority cannot bo admitted into its Lodges . I seo no more " persecution " iu such a regulation than iu those of tho Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , which declines to admit irregularly-made Masons into its Lodges . The difference between

the authority of Grand Craft and the Grand J ) ark Lodt-os is simply that tho ono has been a good many moro years in existence than the other . In Masonry especially , tho whole history of which is based on tho thinnest species of tradition , it seems advisable that there should be as much concord and non-interference as possible , and it seems to mo that tlio importation of Masonic degrees order foreign authorities into British Colonies is not the wav to promote harmonious working in those districts .

I am , yours fraternally , ROSE CROIX , Sid December 15 / 7 .

Correspondence.

THE LATE BRO . MOTT . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR Sin AND BKOTHEIJ , —I see , in your last week ' s issue , respecting the late Superintendent Mott , that ho joined tho St . Dnnsfan ' s

Lodgo at its consecration ; it should bo St . Clement l > anes Lodge , No . 1351 . Yours obediently , W . G . DICKISS . 1 G Norfolk-street , Strand , W . C .

NOTICES OF MOTION . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BKOTHEK , —On 30 th October I wrote as follows to tho Provincial Grand Secretary of North Wales and Shropshire : — 42 Broad-street , Welch-Pool ,

30 th October 1877 . SIR AND BUOTHEH , —I must request you to place as under on the next Provincial Grand Lodgo Summons , and oblige , Yours , & c , D . P . OWEN P . M . 998 . To tho Prov . Grand Secretary , North Wales and Shropshire . To consider revision of Prov . Grand Bye-laws , Nos . xliii , xlvii , Ixvi , Ixx , and Ixxi . Now Prov . Grand Byo-law No . 43 read thus : —

" xliii . —Notices of Motion . "It being essential to the interests of tho Craft thafc all matters of business to be brought under the consideration of Prov . Grand Lodge should be known previo usly to tho P . G . Officers and Masters of Lodges , thafc through them all tho representatives of Lodges may be apprised of snch business , and by having sufficient time for mature

deliberation be prepared to decide thereon ; every motion intended to bo made shall be in writing , and annexed thereto shall bo tho name and Masonic rank of the mover , and the name and number of his Lodge , aud such motion shall be transmitted to the P . G . Secretary not less than twenty-one days preceding a meeting of such Prov . G . Lodge . "

A Prov . Grand Lodge Summons is issued on 27 th November , for a P . G . Lodge to bo held at Shrewsbury on 14 th December , and no notice is taken of my " Notice of Motion . " Can any brother give information as to how this is in other provinces ? Has tho Prov . Grand Master or Prov . Grand Secretary any right to ignore my letter ? If it is because I did not write the word

Lodge a f tor Welch-Pool , it is a paltry subterfuge , and it cannot bo because my rank and number arc only described " P . M . 998 . " Ought I to havo put " Senior Past Warden , Welch-Pool Lodge , No . 90 S , " after my signature . I did not add Y . ' A . to it , because that is a rank not pertaining to Craft Masonry , neither did I put P . P . G .

Pursuivant , which oflico I had the honour of holding for two years , but do nofc now wear the clothing of it . I claim the rank , as " past rank " has never been conferred on mo , and I consider thafc the title ceases on appointment of successor . Also have I redress afc the hands of tho Board of General Purposes ? Yours fraternally , D . P . OWEN P . M ., I . P . Z . 998 .

MASONIC IRREGULARITY . To the Editor of TIIE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —My mind has been much exorcised in respect of a recent Masonic irregularity , and on this occasion also in Lodge Victoria in Burmah , No . 832 . The facts are shortly these : — The widow of a brother who at his decease was a member of No . 832 applied to the Lodge for relief . At a regular meeting of the Lodgo

tho widow ' s petition was discussed ; and opposed by the S . W ., who clearly showed that her income from pensions , allowances aud various sources amounted to over £ 20 per mensem , and that the applicant did nofc need relief . The widow ' s petition was accordingly rejected . Bnt the petition had been vigorously supported by a P . M ., who next morning proceeded to the widow , and told her all that occurred

m Lodge the previous night relating to the application , and that the S . W . was the chief opposer . Woman-like , tho widow , who was a personal friend of tho S . W ., forthwith indicted a furious epistle to hiin , and he forwarded tho same to the W . M ., with a charge against the P . M . for breach of Masonic duty . The W . M . referred the matter to a Committee of Past Masters , which Committee afc

the next regular mooting submitted its report , —That tho P . M . had committed a breach of Masonic etiquette . A persistent brother wanted to know what tho punishment was to be . The offending P . M . was annoyed at the suggestion , a discussion ensued , which was concluded by the W . M . permitting tho S . W . to withdraw his charge . Bnt Iho matter , I think , had gone beyond the power of the S . W . ° to

recall . Anyhow , a grave offence has been winked at , and the offender got off scot ( roe . Of course , if any brother is dissatisfied , he should appeal to tho D . G . L ., but the D . G . L . is dis t , nsted , and if the appeal proved unsuccessful the appellant would ! ., ) excluded , as the five brethren were who ventured to appeal to the D . G . L . against

the election of W . Bro . the Eev . J . E . Marks , whoso appeal is now before tho G . L . of England . Tho persistent brother declares he will not appeal , for the D . G . M . has already said that he cannot interfere with the economy of a private Lodge , and also because he is sure to be collared , aud excluded his

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