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Article TO THE EDITOR. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
27 of the nearly 60 years during which Masoniy has had the advantage of being presided over by a member of the house of Brunswick ; and thus enjoyed royal patronage and support of this kingdom , while under persecution in other countries . " We are deeply impressed with the conviction , that your Royal Highness ' s zealous and enlightened government of the Craft , during the above period , has mainly contributed to establish and in the
preserve Masonic purity for which this country is distinguished , the ancient Land Marks of the order , and raised Masonry from comparative humble state and limited sphere , to the splendid position and extensive influence which it now enjoys . " Every intelligent Mason appreciates the difficulties of the office of Grand Master : Every just Mason recognizes , and every true-hearted Mason warmly acknowledgesthat your Royal Hihness has
encoun-, g tered those difficulties with energy , firmness , and kindness . " We deeply feel the obligation which the Craft is under , for your unwearied attention to its interests , and for the manner in which you have discharged the important , arduous , and , sometimes , painful duties of the office of Grand Master ; and we humbly offer , as the best return in our power , to make the assurance of our heartfelt gratitude , attachment , and respect , and of our undiminished confidence in Royal
your Highness , as our most worshipful Grand Master ; as well as our firm determination to support your Royal Highness in the exercise of your legitimate authority , and in maintaining and enforcing the laws and constitutions established for the government of the Craft . " The questions that naturally arise in regard to this document are ,
its necessity and propriety ; also , by whom and how got up . For myself , I unhesitatingly state the fact , that in fourteen London lodges it never made its appearance . That in several , when produced , and it was rarely , if ever , introduced until the wine-cup had partially circulated ; on some of these occasions it received some lagging signatures , and , as often , none at all . Now , sir , how came it that , pending the grave deliberation of the lodge , so important a matter as the
nomination of the Grand Master was not alluded to , while , during the circulation of the wine-cup , this paper was industriously circulated ? Did it ever before occur to any Mason , to bring the office of G . M . into contempt , by entrapping signatures from the unwary ? Sir , I speak advisedly , I know those who have publicly stated , that had they but read the paper attentively , they would not have signed it . There was a want of propriety in this mode of obtaining signatures
that neither redounded to the credit of promoters nor their agents . And I am certain , that the Grand Master would be the first to have prevented such an insult to the dignity of the highest office in Masonry . At the Grand Lodge , in December , 1837 , a Brother , who then proposed the nomination of the Grand Master for the ensuing year , pithily adverted to a character of antiquity , and used these words— " why praise?—who has ever blamed ? " andtrulyI am of opinion that this
, , miserable attempt must have originated with evil councillors , and had , as all such silly attempts ever do , a contrary effect . It disgusted the thinking Masons who , if not the most numerous of the order , are , at least , the most determined to support its principles . It did more , it led to those explanations in the Grand Lodge which must have been anything but gratifying to the Grand Master himself ; who , relying upon the report , stated , because he believed , that he was memorialized
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
27 of the nearly 60 years during which Masoniy has had the advantage of being presided over by a member of the house of Brunswick ; and thus enjoyed royal patronage and support of this kingdom , while under persecution in other countries . " We are deeply impressed with the conviction , that your Royal Highness ' s zealous and enlightened government of the Craft , during the above period , has mainly contributed to establish and in the
preserve Masonic purity for which this country is distinguished , the ancient Land Marks of the order , and raised Masonry from comparative humble state and limited sphere , to the splendid position and extensive influence which it now enjoys . " Every intelligent Mason appreciates the difficulties of the office of Grand Master : Every just Mason recognizes , and every true-hearted Mason warmly acknowledgesthat your Royal Hihness has
encoun-, g tered those difficulties with energy , firmness , and kindness . " We deeply feel the obligation which the Craft is under , for your unwearied attention to its interests , and for the manner in which you have discharged the important , arduous , and , sometimes , painful duties of the office of Grand Master ; and we humbly offer , as the best return in our power , to make the assurance of our heartfelt gratitude , attachment , and respect , and of our undiminished confidence in Royal
your Highness , as our most worshipful Grand Master ; as well as our firm determination to support your Royal Highness in the exercise of your legitimate authority , and in maintaining and enforcing the laws and constitutions established for the government of the Craft . " The questions that naturally arise in regard to this document are ,
its necessity and propriety ; also , by whom and how got up . For myself , I unhesitatingly state the fact , that in fourteen London lodges it never made its appearance . That in several , when produced , and it was rarely , if ever , introduced until the wine-cup had partially circulated ; on some of these occasions it received some lagging signatures , and , as often , none at all . Now , sir , how came it that , pending the grave deliberation of the lodge , so important a matter as the
nomination of the Grand Master was not alluded to , while , during the circulation of the wine-cup , this paper was industriously circulated ? Did it ever before occur to any Mason , to bring the office of G . M . into contempt , by entrapping signatures from the unwary ? Sir , I speak advisedly , I know those who have publicly stated , that had they but read the paper attentively , they would not have signed it . There was a want of propriety in this mode of obtaining signatures
that neither redounded to the credit of promoters nor their agents . And I am certain , that the Grand Master would be the first to have prevented such an insult to the dignity of the highest office in Masonry . At the Grand Lodge , in December , 1837 , a Brother , who then proposed the nomination of the Grand Master for the ensuing year , pithily adverted to a character of antiquity , and used these words— " why praise?—who has ever blamed ? " andtrulyI am of opinion that this
, , miserable attempt must have originated with evil councillors , and had , as all such silly attempts ever do , a contrary effect . It disgusted the thinking Masons who , if not the most numerous of the order , are , at least , the most determined to support its principles . It did more , it led to those explanations in the Grand Lodge which must have been anything but gratifying to the Grand Master himself ; who , relying upon the report , stated , because he believed , that he was memorialized