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Article THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND AND ITS MEMBERSHIP. ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE LEVEL AND THE SQUARE. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Grand Lodge Of Scotland And Its Membership.
educated , uncultivated men , of no social position" ; ( 8 ) as being , " not a few , men Avho ought never to have been initiated in any Lodge at all "; ( 9 ) as being " ready to support by their votes those who are willing to pay for them their Grand Lodge fees , to entertain them noAv and then Avith a good supper , or to
treat them to their perfeeteontent Avith todd y "; and ( 10 ) as carrying elections of Office-Bearers and passing resolutions "by the votes of men mustered beforehand in a tavern , and coming to the Grand Lodge not for the purpose of deliberating but of voting—not to consult the interests of the Craft but those of their liberal
entertainers" —Avith other crimes equally reprehensible , and " too numerous to mention . " III . The charges which are made both directly aud by inference against the Paoxy SYSTEM of representation in the Grand Lod ge of Scotland , and against those Avho have the honour of holding Proxy Commissions as
members thereof , are as vague , uncharitable , and libellous as the above , and equally destitute of foundation in fact . This " Proxy System" may be peculiar to Scotland , but
being coeval with the institution of the Grand Lodge , it possesses both a constitutional and traditional existence and has , perhaps more than any other cause , contributed to the prosperity of Freemasonry in Scotland , by keeping up a lively interest in Grand Lodge affairs throughout the Craft . Besides it has
to be mentioned , that , in every Charter or Warrant granted by the Grand Lodge , it is made incumbent upon those receiving it to appoint proxy representatives , iu the . event of the actual Master and AVardens for the time not finding it convenient to attend the Communications of Grand Lo ^ ge in
Edinburgh , thus constituting the much abused " system , " an essential privilege and an alienable right of every subordinate Lodge , so long aud so far as its adoption may be deemed necessary . In the article to which exception is taken , this system is asserted to have been abused in numerous instances ; but any
argument that could reasonably be used against it as liable to abuse , may with equal force be used to condemn the regulations under which all Office-Bearers are , or possibly could be appointed .
In conclusion , permit me to relieve the feelings of any Avho may have been distressed by reading the sensational exodus from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , foreshadowed iu your contributor ' s paper , by informing them that the meeting on the 2 nd current passed off with the utmost harmony aud decorum ; so
that " an Old Past Master ' s" prophetic attempts , if less unbecoming than his denunciatory utterances , seem to be equally erratic in their conception , and as a consequence equally unreliable . I remain , & c , AN OLD PKOXY MASTER . Glasgow , 9 th February , 1874 .
The Level And The Square.
THE LEVEL AND THE SQUARE .
BY BRO . KOB . JIOHBIS , LL . D . We meet upon the LEVEL and we part upon the SQUARE : What lvords of precious meaning these words Masonic are ! Come , let us contemplate them , they are worthy of a
thought ; In the very Avails of Masonry the sentiment is wrought . Wo meet upon the LEVEL , though from eA'ery station come , Tile rich man from his palace , the poor man from his home ;
Tor the rich must lea \ 'e Ms Avealth and state outside the Mason ' s door , And the jwor will find his best respect upon the Checkered Floor . We act upon the PLUM— 'tis the order of our Guide—We walk upriht in virtue ' s and lean to neither
g way side ; Th' All-Seeing Eye that reads our hearts doth bear AIS witness true . That we still try to honour God , and give each man his due .
We part upon the SQUARE , for the world must have its due ; AVe mingle with the multitude , a faithful Band and true ; But the influence of our gatherings in memory is green , And we long upon the LEVEL , to renew the happy scene .
There's a world where all are equal—we arc hurrying towards it fast ; AVe shall meet upon the LEVEL there , when the gates of death are past ; AVe shall stand before the Orient , and our Master will he there , To try the blocks we offer with his own unerring SQUARE .
AVe shall meet upon tho LEVEL there , hut never thence depart ; There's a Mansion— 'tis all ready for each trusting , faithful heart ; There ' s a Mansion and a AA / elcome , and a multitude is there AVho have met upon the LEASEE and been tried upon the SQUARE .
Let us meet upon the Le \ -cl , then , while labouring ¦ patient here ; Let us meet and let us labour , though the labour be severe ; Already in the Western Sky the signs bid us prepare To gather up our AVorking Tools and part upon the-SQUARE .
Hands round , ye faithful Brotherhood , the bright fraterflal chain , AVe part upon the SQUARE beloAV , to meet in heaven again ! AVhat words of precious meaning these words Masonic are—AA ' e meet upon the LEVEL , and we part upon the SQUARE !
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Grand Lodge Of Scotland And Its Membership.
educated , uncultivated men , of no social position" ; ( 8 ) as being , " not a few , men Avho ought never to have been initiated in any Lodge at all "; ( 9 ) as being " ready to support by their votes those who are willing to pay for them their Grand Lodge fees , to entertain them noAv and then Avith a good supper , or to
treat them to their perfeeteontent Avith todd y "; and ( 10 ) as carrying elections of Office-Bearers and passing resolutions "by the votes of men mustered beforehand in a tavern , and coming to the Grand Lodge not for the purpose of deliberating but of voting—not to consult the interests of the Craft but those of their liberal
entertainers" —Avith other crimes equally reprehensible , and " too numerous to mention . " III . The charges which are made both directly aud by inference against the Paoxy SYSTEM of representation in the Grand Lod ge of Scotland , and against those Avho have the honour of holding Proxy Commissions as
members thereof , are as vague , uncharitable , and libellous as the above , and equally destitute of foundation in fact . This " Proxy System" may be peculiar to Scotland , but
being coeval with the institution of the Grand Lodge , it possesses both a constitutional and traditional existence and has , perhaps more than any other cause , contributed to the prosperity of Freemasonry in Scotland , by keeping up a lively interest in Grand Lodge affairs throughout the Craft . Besides it has
to be mentioned , that , in every Charter or Warrant granted by the Grand Lodge , it is made incumbent upon those receiving it to appoint proxy representatives , iu the . event of the actual Master and AVardens for the time not finding it convenient to attend the Communications of Grand Lo ^ ge in
Edinburgh , thus constituting the much abused " system , " an essential privilege and an alienable right of every subordinate Lodge , so long aud so far as its adoption may be deemed necessary . In the article to which exception is taken , this system is asserted to have been abused in numerous instances ; but any
argument that could reasonably be used against it as liable to abuse , may with equal force be used to condemn the regulations under which all Office-Bearers are , or possibly could be appointed .
In conclusion , permit me to relieve the feelings of any Avho may have been distressed by reading the sensational exodus from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , foreshadowed iu your contributor ' s paper , by informing them that the meeting on the 2 nd current passed off with the utmost harmony aud decorum ; so
that " an Old Past Master ' s" prophetic attempts , if less unbecoming than his denunciatory utterances , seem to be equally erratic in their conception , and as a consequence equally unreliable . I remain , & c , AN OLD PKOXY MASTER . Glasgow , 9 th February , 1874 .
The Level And The Square.
THE LEVEL AND THE SQUARE .
BY BRO . KOB . JIOHBIS , LL . D . We meet upon the LEVEL and we part upon the SQUARE : What lvords of precious meaning these words Masonic are ! Come , let us contemplate them , they are worthy of a
thought ; In the very Avails of Masonry the sentiment is wrought . Wo meet upon the LEVEL , though from eA'ery station come , Tile rich man from his palace , the poor man from his home ;
Tor the rich must lea \ 'e Ms Avealth and state outside the Mason ' s door , And the jwor will find his best respect upon the Checkered Floor . We act upon the PLUM— 'tis the order of our Guide—We walk upriht in virtue ' s and lean to neither
g way side ; Th' All-Seeing Eye that reads our hearts doth bear AIS witness true . That we still try to honour God , and give each man his due .
We part upon the SQUARE , for the world must have its due ; AVe mingle with the multitude , a faithful Band and true ; But the influence of our gatherings in memory is green , And we long upon the LEVEL , to renew the happy scene .
There's a world where all are equal—we arc hurrying towards it fast ; AVe shall meet upon the LEVEL there , when the gates of death are past ; AVe shall stand before the Orient , and our Master will he there , To try the blocks we offer with his own unerring SQUARE .
AVe shall meet upon tho LEVEL there , hut never thence depart ; There's a Mansion— 'tis all ready for each trusting , faithful heart ; There ' s a Mansion and a AA / elcome , and a multitude is there AVho have met upon the LEASEE and been tried upon the SQUARE .
Let us meet upon the Le \ -cl , then , while labouring ¦ patient here ; Let us meet and let us labour , though the labour be severe ; Already in the Western Sky the signs bid us prepare To gather up our AVorking Tools and part upon the-SQUARE .
Hands round , ye faithful Brotherhood , the bright fraterflal chain , AVe part upon the SQUARE beloAV , to meet in heaven again ! AVhat words of precious meaning these words Masonic are—AA ' e meet upon the LEVEL , and we part upon the SQUARE !