Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Colonial.
jurisdiction of the United States Government . AVhen Canada is united to the XT . S ., then I agree with you , if there is no Grand Encampment here , tlie Gen . G . Encampment may exercise authority , & c . Remember that the authority of the Grand G . Encampment is self-assumed , and imposed by the votes and consent of Templars in the XT . S . How can you exercise any authority over Canada when the body of Templars here have not been consulted ? It appears to me , that though the word State or Territory has a very wide signification , applying as well to Canada as to Japan ; yet . until the first article of the Constitutionthe Gen . G .
, Encampment of Knights Templar aud appendant orders for the United States of America ia altered , we must consider the jurisdiction confined to the States and Territories of the United States of America . " In reply to this candid , and we must say pretty cogent , argument , we remark , in tiie first place , that ii ) at the time the application was made to the Grand G-. Encampment for a dispensation or wan-ant to establish an Encampment at Hamilton C . W ., there was a regular Encampment then in existence within that Province , it is a grave question whether the petition must not have "the approbation or
consent" of that Encampment ? though a literal interpretation of the Constitution ofthe Grand G . Encampment would allow that consent to be given by an Encampment in this State . The restriction is contained in a clause of sec . 9 , art . 1 , which is as follows : " No Encampment shall be established in any State or Territory where there is an Encampment , without the approbation or consent of the nearest Encampment to the applicants having been first obtained . " If no Encampment was then in existence in that Province , the question propounded by our correspondent , we thinkcannot arise . But we beg to say , that it is for the Grand G .
, Encampment or its Officers , during the interim of its sessions , to settle these points , and not us . Touching the other points suggested , — wo know of no good reason why the same rule should not govern Grand Encampments that govern Grand Lodges , in issuing charters to unoccupied Territories . Though the Constitutions of these latter bodies have seldom , if ever , given express authority to issue
charters to unoccupied Territories , but , on the other hand , have been framed as Constitutions of a particular State or nation , yet they have always exercised this ri ght without question ; and we think the authority to do so is above serious doubt . It is given by custom and immemorial usage . If there is ground for a distinction between the two cases , we would be pleased to . be informed of it . A letter that we have received from an intelligent correspondent of Hamilton , C . W ., the place where the new Encampment is sought to be located , presents some features in the ease that have not been before considered . Speaking of the
petition to the Gen . G . Encampment , the writer says : — "I-should not have intruded upon your valuable time did I not deem it expedient to place this affair in its true light , and at the same time to correct an error regarding the supreme jurisdiction of the G . Conclave of England and Wales , and also to state the cause of our making application to the Gen . G . Encampment of the United States . As may be seen by the petition , the Sir Knights have all received the degrees from some Encampment working under the jurisdiction of the U . S ., we therefore felt desirous of continuing under the same Constitution .
AVhen we made that application there was not an Encampment in this province legally working . AVe found the Constitution of England did not recognize the Mark and Excellent Master ' s degrees . We are . bound to see that every candidate has received the foregoing previous to the higher degrees being conferred ; consequently we are excluded from assisting in an Encampment under England , where it is not required that those degrees should have been received . We were willing that the Sir Knts . from the U . S . should have an Institution after their own form in this part of Canadaso that the more friendly intercourse might exist
, now that we are united with an iron band , extending from the Eastern to the Western of the Empire cities . We have at the present time Masonic Lodges and Chapters , severally under the jurisdiction of Ireland , Scotland , and England , and the G . Lodge of each of those countries exercises authority over its subordinates that are located here ; and the G . Lodge of England does not , neither ca . n it , control the proceedings of either Ireland or Scotland ; but its authority is confined to its own limits .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Colonial.
jurisdiction of the United States Government . AVhen Canada is united to the XT . S ., then I agree with you , if there is no Grand Encampment here , tlie Gen . G . Encampment may exercise authority , & c . Remember that the authority of the Grand G . Encampment is self-assumed , and imposed by the votes and consent of Templars in the XT . S . How can you exercise any authority over Canada when the body of Templars here have not been consulted ? It appears to me , that though the word State or Territory has a very wide signification , applying as well to Canada as to Japan ; yet . until the first article of the Constitutionthe Gen . G .
, Encampment of Knights Templar aud appendant orders for the United States of America ia altered , we must consider the jurisdiction confined to the States and Territories of the United States of America . " In reply to this candid , and we must say pretty cogent , argument , we remark , in tiie first place , that ii ) at the time the application was made to the Grand G-. Encampment for a dispensation or wan-ant to establish an Encampment at Hamilton C . W ., there was a regular Encampment then in existence within that Province , it is a grave question whether the petition must not have "the approbation or
consent" of that Encampment ? though a literal interpretation of the Constitution ofthe Grand G . Encampment would allow that consent to be given by an Encampment in this State . The restriction is contained in a clause of sec . 9 , art . 1 , which is as follows : " No Encampment shall be established in any State or Territory where there is an Encampment , without the approbation or consent of the nearest Encampment to the applicants having been first obtained . " If no Encampment was then in existence in that Province , the question propounded by our correspondent , we thinkcannot arise . But we beg to say , that it is for the Grand G .
, Encampment or its Officers , during the interim of its sessions , to settle these points , and not us . Touching the other points suggested , — wo know of no good reason why the same rule should not govern Grand Encampments that govern Grand Lodges , in issuing charters to unoccupied Territories . Though the Constitutions of these latter bodies have seldom , if ever , given express authority to issue
charters to unoccupied Territories , but , on the other hand , have been framed as Constitutions of a particular State or nation , yet they have always exercised this ri ght without question ; and we think the authority to do so is above serious doubt . It is given by custom and immemorial usage . If there is ground for a distinction between the two cases , we would be pleased to . be informed of it . A letter that we have received from an intelligent correspondent of Hamilton , C . W ., the place where the new Encampment is sought to be located , presents some features in the ease that have not been before considered . Speaking of the
petition to the Gen . G . Encampment , the writer says : — "I-should not have intruded upon your valuable time did I not deem it expedient to place this affair in its true light , and at the same time to correct an error regarding the supreme jurisdiction of the G . Conclave of England and Wales , and also to state the cause of our making application to the Gen . G . Encampment of the United States . As may be seen by the petition , the Sir Knights have all received the degrees from some Encampment working under the jurisdiction of the U . S ., we therefore felt desirous of continuing under the same Constitution .
AVhen we made that application there was not an Encampment in this province legally working . AVe found the Constitution of England did not recognize the Mark and Excellent Master ' s degrees . We are . bound to see that every candidate has received the foregoing previous to the higher degrees being conferred ; consequently we are excluded from assisting in an Encampment under England , where it is not required that those degrees should have been received . We were willing that the Sir Knts . from the U . S . should have an Institution after their own form in this part of Canadaso that the more friendly intercourse might exist
, now that we are united with an iron band , extending from the Eastern to the Western of the Empire cities . We have at the present time Masonic Lodges and Chapters , severally under the jurisdiction of Ireland , Scotland , and England , and the G . Lodge of each of those countries exercises authority over its subordinates that are located here ; and the G . Lodge of England does not , neither ca . n it , control the proceedings of either Ireland or Scotland ; but its authority is confined to its own limits .