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Postscript.
to become lunatic—and such a case is possible enough , is a Deputy to be dismissed by a lunatic ? The laws of Masonry do not distinctly confer that power ; unluckily the clever council of five who over-looked the laws a short time since ( by the way all of them lawyers in some shape or other ) , left the matter so questionable , that a lunatic may be permitted to put his own construction upon what a man of sense would see clearly gave no power , but in case of flagrant delinquency , and even then such power should be exercised not AT , but WITH , discretion . Hear tlie Doctor : —
"Such a capricious exercise of authority is happily of rare occurrence . I was requested to preside over a Lodge of the highest respectability , on a great occasion—a Lodge composed of Brethren who deservedly hold an elevated position in the Craft—and because I responded to the call , I am victimised and disgraced . Nothing occurred at the meeting which the most sensitive and fastidious critic would disapprove . It was simply a ' feast of reason aud a flow of soul . ' Yet it is denounced by the punishment of its President . " Here an important Question presents itself . Can a man be termed a Free Mason , if he be subject to a thraldom which controls his actions , deprives him of personal liberty , and leaves him not the privilege of attending a public dinner , legitimately held in accordance with the Constitutions of Masonry I This is a curious specimen of freedom—a singular illustration Such if to
of'meeting on the level and parting on the square . ' occurrences—they were become general—would throw us back five or six centuries , into the darkness aud ignorance of barbarism , and assimilate the principles of Masonry with thd subservience of the feudal system . The P . G . Master , like the feudal Baron , would exercise supreme and despotic authority \ the inferior Officers would merely occupy the place of his domestic retinue , whose tenure of service would depend on ' the breath of his mouth ; ' and the common Master Mason , like the ancient serf , would be a creature of no account or consideration whatever . Insteatl of being free , he would be nothing better than ' an hereditary bondsman . ' But the intelligence of the age will not permit this state of society to return . If an institution be FREK , its members must be independent in thought , word , and action , And even as it is in principlewould soon be subjected to public condemnation and
Freemasonry , pure , contempt , if , in practice , it were made a vehicle to illustrate a doctrine so humiliating to our nature , and so repugnant to reason , religion , and common justice , as—PUNISHMENT WITHOUT TRIAL . " When I received the P . G . Master ' s last letter , I lost no time in communicating my dismissal to the several Lodges of the Province ; and it affords me sincere gratification to find that my services were rewarded by a strong feeling of regret , which manifested itself amongst the Brethren . Meetings were convened , and votes of sympathy and confidence unanimously resolved . " Still iny reputation was suffering in alt parts of the Province amongst the Brethren who seldom attend our Lodges , and are consequently unacquainted with our local proceedings ; and also hi general societyIt would never be believed that such a public example would
. have been made in the absence of some cogent reason commensurate with the magnitude of the sacrifice . And no adequate cause having been assigned , ( for the simple fact of having taken the chair at a public dinner was considered too insignificant a circumstance to have excited such a display of arbitrary power , ) the most absurd rumours soon got into circulation . Disgraceful practices , and even crimes were imputed to me , which were inconsistent with my habits and character , and at variance with the whole tenor of my life . And in the immediate vicinity of Mr . D'Eyncourt ' s residence , these calumnies were most prevalent . As it was conjectured that some of these reports originated with the P . G . M ., ( although I doubted the fact , ) I deemed it requisite to afford him an opportunity of exculpating himself from the imputation . For this purpose I despatched the following letter : —
I" ' Scopwick Vicarage , June 10 , lft 42 . " ' T > EAR Sin AND BnoTHBR , —! was yesterday informed that a report is in circulation at Market Rasen , that your reason for dismissing me from the office of D , P . G . M ., is ( not what you yourself have assigned , but ) that I am concerned in certain illegal and improper Masonic publications . 1 shall be obliged if you will inform me whether such report is sanctioned by you . " * And am , dear Sir , your obedient Servant and Brother , " * GEO . OLIVER , D . D . " ' Past D . P . G . M . for Lincolnshire . "' The lit . Hon . C . T , D'Eyncourt , M . P ., P . G . M . '"
" To this letter I received the following reply : — " < 5 , Albemarle Street , 13 th June , UU 2 . " ' DEAR Sm AND BROTHER , —I have just returned from the Continent , and find yours of theiOlh . '" I had no reason for taking the course I did hut that which was assigned , and never made any statement with regard to yourself but that which was assigned , * and never made any statement with regard to your publications which could authorize the I spurt to which you allude . , ,. „ ' ' *! am , dear Sir , your obedient Servant and Brother , " ' C . T . D'EVNCOURT . ' "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Postscript.
to become lunatic—and such a case is possible enough , is a Deputy to be dismissed by a lunatic ? The laws of Masonry do not distinctly confer that power ; unluckily the clever council of five who over-looked the laws a short time since ( by the way all of them lawyers in some shape or other ) , left the matter so questionable , that a lunatic may be permitted to put his own construction upon what a man of sense would see clearly gave no power , but in case of flagrant delinquency , and even then such power should be exercised not AT , but WITH , discretion . Hear tlie Doctor : —
"Such a capricious exercise of authority is happily of rare occurrence . I was requested to preside over a Lodge of the highest respectability , on a great occasion—a Lodge composed of Brethren who deservedly hold an elevated position in the Craft—and because I responded to the call , I am victimised and disgraced . Nothing occurred at the meeting which the most sensitive and fastidious critic would disapprove . It was simply a ' feast of reason aud a flow of soul . ' Yet it is denounced by the punishment of its President . " Here an important Question presents itself . Can a man be termed a Free Mason , if he be subject to a thraldom which controls his actions , deprives him of personal liberty , and leaves him not the privilege of attending a public dinner , legitimately held in accordance with the Constitutions of Masonry I This is a curious specimen of freedom—a singular illustration Such if to
of'meeting on the level and parting on the square . ' occurrences—they were become general—would throw us back five or six centuries , into the darkness aud ignorance of barbarism , and assimilate the principles of Masonry with thd subservience of the feudal system . The P . G . Master , like the feudal Baron , would exercise supreme and despotic authority \ the inferior Officers would merely occupy the place of his domestic retinue , whose tenure of service would depend on ' the breath of his mouth ; ' and the common Master Mason , like the ancient serf , would be a creature of no account or consideration whatever . Insteatl of being free , he would be nothing better than ' an hereditary bondsman . ' But the intelligence of the age will not permit this state of society to return . If an institution be FREK , its members must be independent in thought , word , and action , And even as it is in principlewould soon be subjected to public condemnation and
Freemasonry , pure , contempt , if , in practice , it were made a vehicle to illustrate a doctrine so humiliating to our nature , and so repugnant to reason , religion , and common justice , as—PUNISHMENT WITHOUT TRIAL . " When I received the P . G . Master ' s last letter , I lost no time in communicating my dismissal to the several Lodges of the Province ; and it affords me sincere gratification to find that my services were rewarded by a strong feeling of regret , which manifested itself amongst the Brethren . Meetings were convened , and votes of sympathy and confidence unanimously resolved . " Still iny reputation was suffering in alt parts of the Province amongst the Brethren who seldom attend our Lodges , and are consequently unacquainted with our local proceedings ; and also hi general societyIt would never be believed that such a public example would
. have been made in the absence of some cogent reason commensurate with the magnitude of the sacrifice . And no adequate cause having been assigned , ( for the simple fact of having taken the chair at a public dinner was considered too insignificant a circumstance to have excited such a display of arbitrary power , ) the most absurd rumours soon got into circulation . Disgraceful practices , and even crimes were imputed to me , which were inconsistent with my habits and character , and at variance with the whole tenor of my life . And in the immediate vicinity of Mr . D'Eyncourt ' s residence , these calumnies were most prevalent . As it was conjectured that some of these reports originated with the P . G . M ., ( although I doubted the fact , ) I deemed it requisite to afford him an opportunity of exculpating himself from the imputation . For this purpose I despatched the following letter : —
I" ' Scopwick Vicarage , June 10 , lft 42 . " ' T > EAR Sin AND BnoTHBR , —! was yesterday informed that a report is in circulation at Market Rasen , that your reason for dismissing me from the office of D , P . G . M ., is ( not what you yourself have assigned , but ) that I am concerned in certain illegal and improper Masonic publications . 1 shall be obliged if you will inform me whether such report is sanctioned by you . " * And am , dear Sir , your obedient Servant and Brother , " * GEO . OLIVER , D . D . " ' Past D . P . G . M . for Lincolnshire . "' The lit . Hon . C . T , D'Eyncourt , M . P ., P . G . M . '"
" To this letter I received the following reply : — " < 5 , Albemarle Street , 13 th June , UU 2 . " ' DEAR Sm AND BROTHER , —I have just returned from the Continent , and find yours of theiOlh . '" I had no reason for taking the course I did hut that which was assigned , and never made any statement with regard to yourself but that which was assigned , * and never made any statement with regard to your publications which could authorize the I spurt to which you allude . , ,. „ ' ' *! am , dear Sir , your obedient Servant and Brother , " ' C . T . D'EVNCOURT . ' "