-
Articles/Ads
Article THE MASONIC MIRROR. ← Page 3 of 14 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
mine . I should not have been here to-night , on account of indisposition ^ but from the fact tha # the Constitution of Grand Lodge and the principles of the Craft are being set at nought by the proceedings of this evening . ( Oh , oh !) I hardly know what is the business before us , and I have come with no intention to take any part in the proceedings . I merely wish to protest against anything whatever being done informally . I am not a party man—never was in my life—and those who have known me in Grand Lodge will , I am sure , support me in this
assertion . ( Hear , hear . ) I had a great deal to do with drawing up the Book of Constitutions on the last occasion , and I know that the constitution of Grand Lodge has always been , that quarterly courts should be held four times a year . This is well known to the Brethren in the provincial districts , and in the colonies . Provision is made for letting the provincial Brethren know in good time what is the business to be transacted at these meetings . The Book of Constitutions also provides , that no fresh business shall be introduced after eleven
o ' clock ; but what is the use of making that law if you have the power of adjourning ? The Grand Lodge could never have gone on as it has done , till one or two in the morning , if it had possessed the power of adjourning . But the fact is , that nobody ever thought of such a thing . On one particular occasion , Grand Lodge was put to immense inconvenience in consequence of the scrutineers for the members of the Board of General Purposes not having returned in time . They did not , in fact , return till one o ' clock in the morning , as I well recollect , having the misfortune to have been one of the Wardens on the occasion- We had
finished the business of Grand Lodge at eleven o ' clock , but what was to be done ? Nobody spoke or thought of adjourning Grand Lodge . In 1850 , we actually passed a resolution in Grand Lodge and brought in a new law . I was a party to this . Bro . Dobie and others brought in this new law in order to relieve the Grand Master from the necessity of keeping his seat in Grand Lodge till he received a certain report , and to allow him to close Grand Lodge and receive the report in another room . ( Hear , hear . ) Again , where is the necessity of this power of adjournment ? It has not been used , and motions have therefore
dropped . ' It is true that an Emergency Grand Lodge might be called by the Grand Master if he thought proper to do so . This has been done where the paper has been exceedingly full : when such a Lodge was called , it was stated in the summonses what the object was , as when the Book of Constitutions had to be read through , and a Lodge of Emergency was appointed by the Grand Master for the purpose . We could not adjourn Grand Lodge even to go through the Book of Constitutions , and so a special Lodge was called by a special summons . If there was this power of adjournment , it would always have been resorted to by the
Brethren , to prevent their motions from lapsing ; but they always did lapse , and new notices were accordingly given . It was in the power of the Grand Master , or Deputy Grand Master to call a Lodge of Emergency in the present instance , and no doubt this would have been done , if it had been asked . Again , was there ever a Grand Lodge called by Bro . W . H . White , G . Sec , instead of by the command of the Grand Master ? I contend that no Grand Lodge is lawfully called except it be called by the Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , or by some one by them duly appointed ; and that , therefore , we cannot now lawfully proceed to
business . I therefore call upon the presiding Grand Master to say whether anything which takes place in this Grand Lodge to-night can be held good ? No doubt the questions you have met to discuss , whatever they are , are questions right and proper to be discussed ; but they should either be put down for discussion at the next Quarterly Communication , or the M . W . the Grand Master should be asked to convene a special Grand Lodge for the purpose of considering them . If any notes or minutes of these proceedings be made to-night , for the purpose of being read at the next regular Grand Lodge , I shall attend there for the purpose of opposing their being read . " ( Hear , and a laugh . )
Bro . H . G . Warren , P . M ., No . 202 : " M . W . Grand Master , as it was I who moved the adjournment , perhaps you will allow me a word or two of explanation . ( Hear . ) In the first place , then , there is no new business to be brought forward this evening ; we shall simply take up the business of the last Grand Lodge at the point at which we adjourned . ( Hear , hear . ) If any of the Brethren have
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
mine . I should not have been here to-night , on account of indisposition ^ but from the fact tha # the Constitution of Grand Lodge and the principles of the Craft are being set at nought by the proceedings of this evening . ( Oh , oh !) I hardly know what is the business before us , and I have come with no intention to take any part in the proceedings . I merely wish to protest against anything whatever being done informally . I am not a party man—never was in my life—and those who have known me in Grand Lodge will , I am sure , support me in this
assertion . ( Hear , hear . ) I had a great deal to do with drawing up the Book of Constitutions on the last occasion , and I know that the constitution of Grand Lodge has always been , that quarterly courts should be held four times a year . This is well known to the Brethren in the provincial districts , and in the colonies . Provision is made for letting the provincial Brethren know in good time what is the business to be transacted at these meetings . The Book of Constitutions also provides , that no fresh business shall be introduced after eleven
o ' clock ; but what is the use of making that law if you have the power of adjourning ? The Grand Lodge could never have gone on as it has done , till one or two in the morning , if it had possessed the power of adjourning . But the fact is , that nobody ever thought of such a thing . On one particular occasion , Grand Lodge was put to immense inconvenience in consequence of the scrutineers for the members of the Board of General Purposes not having returned in time . They did not , in fact , return till one o ' clock in the morning , as I well recollect , having the misfortune to have been one of the Wardens on the occasion- We had
finished the business of Grand Lodge at eleven o ' clock , but what was to be done ? Nobody spoke or thought of adjourning Grand Lodge . In 1850 , we actually passed a resolution in Grand Lodge and brought in a new law . I was a party to this . Bro . Dobie and others brought in this new law in order to relieve the Grand Master from the necessity of keeping his seat in Grand Lodge till he received a certain report , and to allow him to close Grand Lodge and receive the report in another room . ( Hear , hear . ) Again , where is the necessity of this power of adjournment ? It has not been used , and motions have therefore
dropped . ' It is true that an Emergency Grand Lodge might be called by the Grand Master if he thought proper to do so . This has been done where the paper has been exceedingly full : when such a Lodge was called , it was stated in the summonses what the object was , as when the Book of Constitutions had to be read through , and a Lodge of Emergency was appointed by the Grand Master for the purpose . We could not adjourn Grand Lodge even to go through the Book of Constitutions , and so a special Lodge was called by a special summons . If there was this power of adjournment , it would always have been resorted to by the
Brethren , to prevent their motions from lapsing ; but they always did lapse , and new notices were accordingly given . It was in the power of the Grand Master , or Deputy Grand Master to call a Lodge of Emergency in the present instance , and no doubt this would have been done , if it had been asked . Again , was there ever a Grand Lodge called by Bro . W . H . White , G . Sec , instead of by the command of the Grand Master ? I contend that no Grand Lodge is lawfully called except it be called by the Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , or by some one by them duly appointed ; and that , therefore , we cannot now lawfully proceed to
business . I therefore call upon the presiding Grand Master to say whether anything which takes place in this Grand Lodge to-night can be held good ? No doubt the questions you have met to discuss , whatever they are , are questions right and proper to be discussed ; but they should either be put down for discussion at the next Quarterly Communication , or the M . W . the Grand Master should be asked to convene a special Grand Lodge for the purpose of considering them . If any notes or minutes of these proceedings be made to-night , for the purpose of being read at the next regular Grand Lodge , I shall attend there for the purpose of opposing their being read . " ( Hear , and a laugh . )
Bro . H . G . Warren , P . M ., No . 202 : " M . W . Grand Master , as it was I who moved the adjournment , perhaps you will allow me a word or two of explanation . ( Hear . ) In the first place , then , there is no new business to be brought forward this evening ; we shall simply take up the business of the last Grand Lodge at the point at which we adjourned . ( Hear , hear . ) If any of the Brethren have