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Article CORRESPONDENCE. ← Page 2 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
The anomaly has caused great discontent , and has excited much controversy in many districts . A brother , in his letter to the Freemasons of Scotland ( 1846 ) , under the signature of " Vindex " asserted the same thing , and urged strongly the advantage of having one Masonic office instead of two , viz ., either a Grand Secretary or a Grand Clerk , who should be responsible for the funds of Grand Lodge ; and , as there is , unfortunatelyno very great amount of business to be transactedthere
, , could be no doubt that it would be easil y done iu one office and by one office-bearer . He concludes his sharp letter with the observation that , " The battle of Freemasonry is to be fought in the Grand Secretary ' s office . " This , however , can scarcely be considered as the proper field for the purpose ; a wider and move extended arena must be found in the lodges themselves , and from them be carried to the Provincial lodges , and from these to the Grand Lodge itself ; then , and then only we fear ,
the present rulers of the Craft will be brought to perceive , that the lodges of Scotland are anxious to exercise their undoubted prerogative of recommending matters to the Grand Lodge , instead of being dictated to by those whom they send thither to represent them . The lodges should also correspond with their Proxies , ancl inquire hoiv they vote and what is doing in the Grand Lodge , and whether their representatives attend the meetings ; they should also direct them to send
the business notices down to the Masters and Wardens regularly , that the lodges may know what motions are to be brought forward , that the opinions of the Brethren may be obtained and returned to their representatives . Under the present system of representation by proxy , it may be said that the lodges have none
to blame but themselves for not having made a better selection ; many of them are at very little trouble ; tliey sleep over from year to year , and keeyi on the same Proxy whether he be good , bad , or indifferent ; and , when this is the case , it is not to be wondered at that many of the Proxies scarcely know what lodges they represent . Under such circumstances , the advantage of electing the Proxies every year would be very considerable to the lodges , and in a particular manner to the Grand
Lodge itself , as it would tend to keep Proxies and lodges more attentive to their respective duties ; beside which , there is no inherent virtue or conceivable power vested in a lodge to appoint a Proxy more than for one year . The Proxy system is unknown in England . There , each lodge is represented by its Masters and Wardens , who , upon the payment of their lodge-dues , are admitted as a matter of course . Here , things are different ; but the system works so badlytbat every English
, Brother , who may be anxious to have Proxies introduced into English Masonry , will do well to note some of the disadvantages which are derived from the system as existing in Scotland . A country , or subordinate lodge , sends a commission to a Brother resident in this city or elsewhere—it is of no consequence where he may be , whether at the Cape of Good Hope , China , or at the Antipodes , any Brother may he appointed who may be considered suitable , wherever he may reside .
I hope my English Brethren will not consider that I am in joke . / am only stating facts . Any Brother can be a Proxy Master for any lodge upon the Koll ; and , moreover , should that lodge fall into arrear of dues payable to Grand Lodge for four years , he can attend and vote at all meetings during that period ; even although the lodge should he dissolved or dormant for twelvemonths after he receives his commission , still he can sit and represent that lodge four years longer . To prove this :
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
The anomaly has caused great discontent , and has excited much controversy in many districts . A brother , in his letter to the Freemasons of Scotland ( 1846 ) , under the signature of " Vindex " asserted the same thing , and urged strongly the advantage of having one Masonic office instead of two , viz ., either a Grand Secretary or a Grand Clerk , who should be responsible for the funds of Grand Lodge ; and , as there is , unfortunatelyno very great amount of business to be transactedthere
, , could be no doubt that it would be easil y done iu one office and by one office-bearer . He concludes his sharp letter with the observation that , " The battle of Freemasonry is to be fought in the Grand Secretary ' s office . " This , however , can scarcely be considered as the proper field for the purpose ; a wider and move extended arena must be found in the lodges themselves , and from them be carried to the Provincial lodges , and from these to the Grand Lodge itself ; then , and then only we fear ,
the present rulers of the Craft will be brought to perceive , that the lodges of Scotland are anxious to exercise their undoubted prerogative of recommending matters to the Grand Lodge , instead of being dictated to by those whom they send thither to represent them . The lodges should also correspond with their Proxies , ancl inquire hoiv they vote and what is doing in the Grand Lodge , and whether their representatives attend the meetings ; they should also direct them to send
the business notices down to the Masters and Wardens regularly , that the lodges may know what motions are to be brought forward , that the opinions of the Brethren may be obtained and returned to their representatives . Under the present system of representation by proxy , it may be said that the lodges have none
to blame but themselves for not having made a better selection ; many of them are at very little trouble ; tliey sleep over from year to year , and keeyi on the same Proxy whether he be good , bad , or indifferent ; and , when this is the case , it is not to be wondered at that many of the Proxies scarcely know what lodges they represent . Under such circumstances , the advantage of electing the Proxies every year would be very considerable to the lodges , and in a particular manner to the Grand
Lodge itself , as it would tend to keep Proxies and lodges more attentive to their respective duties ; beside which , there is no inherent virtue or conceivable power vested in a lodge to appoint a Proxy more than for one year . The Proxy system is unknown in England . There , each lodge is represented by its Masters and Wardens , who , upon the payment of their lodge-dues , are admitted as a matter of course . Here , things are different ; but the system works so badlytbat every English
, Brother , who may be anxious to have Proxies introduced into English Masonry , will do well to note some of the disadvantages which are derived from the system as existing in Scotland . A country , or subordinate lodge , sends a commission to a Brother resident in this city or elsewhere—it is of no consequence where he may be , whether at the Cape of Good Hope , China , or at the Antipodes , any Brother may he appointed who may be considered suitable , wherever he may reside .
I hope my English Brethren will not consider that I am in joke . / am only stating facts . Any Brother can be a Proxy Master for any lodge upon the Koll ; and , moreover , should that lodge fall into arrear of dues payable to Grand Lodge for four years , he can attend and vote at all meetings during that period ; even although the lodge should he dissolved or dormant for twelvemonths after he receives his commission , still he can sit and represent that lodge four years longer . To prove this :