At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The report of the Board of General Purposes presented for the consideration of the September communication of Grand Lodge deals almost wholly with colonial matters . The interminable Cambrian case is a veritable " King Charles head" at uearlv all of its meetings , and no sooner is the

spectre exorcised in one direction than it crops up again in another , and to all appearance it bids fair to survive as long as Freemasonry . This time the long suffering Board is concerned with certain interchanges of . Masonic amenities between the said lodge and the Grand Loclge of New South

"Wales , and it must be very disappointing to the authorities to find that after succeeding in extorting a handsome apology from the offending lodge for" certain language used , the Grand body , if we may judge by its silence since the apology was tendered , is still unappeased .

< 5 > O O The report goes on to sav that the Grand Lodge of New-South Wales after refusing for some years to acknowledge the Cambrian Loclge as a Regular Lodge , was constrained by the decision of a local legal tribunal to reconsider this position

and then draw attention to the fact that the loclge had , two years earlier , issued an offensive circular , but for which the edict of their intercourse might have been withdrawn . A copy of this circular the New South Wales Grand Loclge sent to this Grand Lodge as having been issued

by a de facto lodge under our jurisdiction , and this for the purpose of the lodge being disciplined . Is not the Grand Lodge of New South Wales on the horns of a dilemma by objecting to recognise the Cambrian Loclge as legally constituted , and at the same time demanding from it , as a lodge ,

an apology ? We have scant sympathy with much that has taken place in the proceedings of the Cambrian Lodge , but its status is clearly a question for the Grand Lodge of England to determine , and it is not for another Grand body to intervene in this respect .

< s * © < s > But a more serious cause of complaint appears to have arisen in connection with the same Colonial grand body , and in stating the case we cannot do better than quote the words of the Board of General Purposes Report , which says : " It

-will be remembered that a movement in Queensland resulted in some lodges , principally under the Irish constitution , but not including any of our English lodges , declaring themselves a Grand Loclge and seeking recognition as such with exclusive Masonic jurisdiction in the State . The insignificant

number and sectional character of the applicants made their appeal so ridiculous , that it was not surprising that recognition was promptly refused by the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland and Scotland . New South Wales , however ,

extended recognition , and from certain newspaper reports it appeals that the Grand Master , M . W . Bro . Remington , performed an installation ceremony and took part in an " inauguration . " The remarks he made concerning the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland the Board would rather pass over ; but the Grand Lodge of Scotland has

drawn attention to an alleged irregularity of the New South Wales Grand Master having gone from Sydney lo Queensland and installed as office-bearers of the body so formed " certain members of the English and Scottish Craft who were suspended members of those two Grand Lodges . " At a meeting

of the Grand Lodge of Scotland on the 3 rd of August this was referred to as " unfriendly , unmasonic , and disrespectful towards the Grand Lodge of England and Scotland , " and if was reported that one of the brethren complained of

had been expelled from Freemasonry , and the expulsion intimated in ordinary form . The Grand Lodge of Scotland resolved to terminate ils connection with the Grand Lodge of New South Wales , "by recalling its representative to that Grand Lodge , and by requesting its representative to the Grand Lodge of Scotland to return his commission . "

This drastic procedure has not been followed by the Grand Lodge of England , the reason assigned by the Board of General Purposes being , that they were slow to believe that the facts could be as reported , and it was resolved to afford the Grand Lodge of New South Wales an opportunity

of explaining matters before proceeding to steps which might not easily be retraced . This is an eminently tactful way of dealing with a subject which has all the potentialities of a deplorable and lasting quarrel with a body which , Unreasons of State as well as Masonic fraternity , it is most

desirable to avoid . It appears also from the report that a difference of opinion has arisen between this Grand Loclge and the Grand Lodge of New Zealand on the question of the removal of certain

lodges from one part of the district of Auckland to another part of the district , which removal the local Grand Loclge avers , on the ground that they are defunct lodges , is a violation of the articles of recognition of the Grand Loclge of New Zealand , by which the M . W . Grand Master of England undertook not to grant any new warrants in the Colony .

The report states that the Board has carefully investigated the several allegations , and finds them to be without foundation . The lodges ( Te Awamutu , No . 2221 , and Franklin , No . 2138 ) have never ceased to exist , but continue to be part of the Auckland District , and were removed from one part to

another part of the said district , under Rules 167 , 168 and 16 9 , Book of Constitutions . All the requirements of the rules having been complied with , the removal was a matter within the discretion of the District Grand Master . The result has been notified to the Grand Loclge of New Zealand with an intimation that they appear to have been misinformed as to most of the alleged incidents .

< 5 > < 5 » < 2 > There can be no doubt that the action of the District Grand Master of Auckland is strictly within the Constitutions , but that the Grand Loclge of New Zealand was justified in calling attention lo the apparent departure from the spirit of the articles of recognition must , in fairness to our colonial brethren , be also conceded .

« 5 > «& ° S > The one other subject of interest dealt with by the Board was the report of the conference between the representatives of the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland and Scotland , which took place in London on the 29 th June last , for the

discussion of the question of uniformity of action and procedure in the colonies in regard to decrees of suspension or expulsion of members , the ceremoii } ' of the installation of Worshipful Masters , and the recognition of new Grand Lodges , which resulted in the following resolutions being unanimously agreed to .

The three Grand Lodges agree that any member of the Order who may be suspended or expelled in one jurisdiction shall not , while so disqualified , be permitted to visit or join any lodge under the jurisdiction of the others ; and each Grand Loclge shall cause notice of all decrees of suspension

or expulsion to be sent to the other Grand Lodges . And in case of such decrees being made abroad , the District or Provincial Authorities of all three jurisdictions .