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Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 9 →
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Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
[ THE EDITOR does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained b y Correspondents . ] TO THE EDITOR . THE STATE OF MASONRY IN SCOTLAND . " .... Endeavour to place Freemasonry on so substantial a basis as to constitute
the unmixed pride of its friends and defenders ; ami defy the malice of its traduecrs and foes . "—DR . OLIVER . " There are many sources of dissatisfaction of which our provincial Brelhren complain , and which nothing can obviate but a thorough reform in thc laws and constitutions . " " The Provincials say further , that the paid officers of the Grand Lodge appear to consider Masonry as a commercial speculation , and to estimate its value by the amount of money it puts in their purses . ''—A LATE LAMENTED BROTHER .
SIB AND BROTHER , —It is difficult to say what the present position Of Masonry is in Scotland—whether it be in an healthy condition making progress—or whether it be in a rapid state of retrogression , —at all events it is not quiescent . A few remarks on the matters brought before the last quarterly meeting of the Grand Loclge may help to explain the state of the Craft north of the Tweed , —for , to the thinking Brethren on both sides of that fair streamthere is ample food for
, reflection in the passages from the diary of the last Grand Loclge . It is not to be supposed that the statements which have from time to time been made by the writer of this communication , on the present condition of Scotch Masonry , would be quietly digested by some of the Brethren , who consider that they are perfect in the ancient usages and established customs of the Order , and of course in the practice of those virtues , which they profess to admire . "Whereignorance is bliss
' tis folly to be wise . " This is the motto of such brethren ; ancl it is a thousand pities that their happiness should have heen disturbed by a "traitor" and a " calumniator / ' this they might have borne ; but that you , the Editor of the '' Freemasons'Quarterly Magazine ancl Review , " should have endorsed the general charges brought against them was too much , and consequently their hitherto silent indignation has found a vent in the safety valves of speeches energetically and
characteristically delivered . It may be that your Magazine may come under the ban of the Grand Loclge of Scotland , as a similar publication did on the 7 th of August , 1848 , or be repudiated , as it ivas , at a later date . Should we unfortunately advance any statement " not consistent with fact , " cr ( to do away with that official phrase , and in plain English , ) state anything to be truth , when it is false , we are persuaded that the good sense of your readers ivould very soon call us to order ,
or treat us with that contempt which such conduct would properly deserve . In like manner we hold that those who express themselves in public , when they hold a responsible position , are also amenable to criticism for the statements which they advance , and therefore they need not be surprised if we , in our turn , should criticise them . If truth be a libel , we admit at once that the statements which we have vor .. u . G
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
[ THE EDITOR does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained b y Correspondents . ] TO THE EDITOR . THE STATE OF MASONRY IN SCOTLAND . " .... Endeavour to place Freemasonry on so substantial a basis as to constitute
the unmixed pride of its friends and defenders ; ami defy the malice of its traduecrs and foes . "—DR . OLIVER . " There are many sources of dissatisfaction of which our provincial Brelhren complain , and which nothing can obviate but a thorough reform in thc laws and constitutions . " " The Provincials say further , that the paid officers of the Grand Lodge appear to consider Masonry as a commercial speculation , and to estimate its value by the amount of money it puts in their purses . ''—A LATE LAMENTED BROTHER .
SIB AND BROTHER , —It is difficult to say what the present position Of Masonry is in Scotland—whether it be in an healthy condition making progress—or whether it be in a rapid state of retrogression , —at all events it is not quiescent . A few remarks on the matters brought before the last quarterly meeting of the Grand Loclge may help to explain the state of the Craft north of the Tweed , —for , to the thinking Brethren on both sides of that fair streamthere is ample food for
, reflection in the passages from the diary of the last Grand Loclge . It is not to be supposed that the statements which have from time to time been made by the writer of this communication , on the present condition of Scotch Masonry , would be quietly digested by some of the Brethren , who consider that they are perfect in the ancient usages and established customs of the Order , and of course in the practice of those virtues , which they profess to admire . "Whereignorance is bliss
' tis folly to be wise . " This is the motto of such brethren ; ancl it is a thousand pities that their happiness should have heen disturbed by a "traitor" and a " calumniator / ' this they might have borne ; but that you , the Editor of the '' Freemasons'Quarterly Magazine ancl Review , " should have endorsed the general charges brought against them was too much , and consequently their hitherto silent indignation has found a vent in the safety valves of speeches energetically and
characteristically delivered . It may be that your Magazine may come under the ban of the Grand Loclge of Scotland , as a similar publication did on the 7 th of August , 1848 , or be repudiated , as it ivas , at a later date . Should we unfortunately advance any statement " not consistent with fact , " cr ( to do away with that official phrase , and in plain English , ) state anything to be truth , when it is false , we are persuaded that the good sense of your readers ivould very soon call us to order ,
or treat us with that contempt which such conduct would properly deserve . In like manner we hold that those who express themselves in public , when they hold a responsible position , are also amenable to criticism for the statements which they advance , and therefore they need not be surprised if we , in our turn , should criticise them . If truth be a libel , we admit at once that the statements which we have vor .. u . G