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  • March 20, 1858
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The Masonic Observer, March 20, 1858: Page 12

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Colonial.

went , otunr and internal causes o , dissension amongst our Canadian Brethren wilieh have—u-. ore than the inconvenieiiees and delay arising on this side of lite water—k-d to the separation of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada . "West , and the com plication of difficulties in which the 1 ' retin-eu of that province are now involved . It appears to me , that concessions , which were acknowledged to be ample , could not be " too late" when made many months before the separation took place . " ot'd . The movement towards independence—which commenced

so early as 1852 , before those circumstances hail occurred , which , it has been alleged , brought it into existence—did not , I have reason to believe , original ! 1 with the English Lodges ; and I have good grounds for believing that , even up to lite present time , but very few Lodges holding under the Grand Lodge of England , have given their adhesion to the so-called Independent Grand Lodge . Be that , however , as it may , it is clear now , from the documents laid before me , that , besides those who have not wavered from , or

who have returned to their allegiance , no less a number than thirty-Four Lodges , constituting together a very large majority of all the Lodges existing in the Provinces , could hardly be said to be driven by a small minority into a secession from the parent body . " 4 th . I have read with regret , and pain the details of the proceedings of the Provincial Gravid Lodge of Canada West , in September last . 5 know of no letters emanating from authority in this country , nor of any words of mine , which , by possibility , could be construed into justifying , far less recommending , the proceedings which it is stated then took place . I regret that any one should have been so ill advised as to write such letters , or that any Brethren in Canada should have been deceived by thern I regret also ,

that the expressions used by rne should have been so much misunderstood , the term " rebellious" seeming to give offence . I stated , 'that I applied that term to Brethren ivlio bad thrown off their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England , and that without returning the Warrants they held under it ; and i thought that Grand Lodge would agree with me that I did not unjustly apply that term . " I recommended no course of action then ; 1 give no opinion now ; but thus much I may say , that I see a wide distinction between the breaking up of a Lodge and the surrender of its Warrant

by the free will of the Brethren composing it , and the subsequent formation of new Lodges under another authority , and the formation of an independent ami antagonistic . jurisdiction by those who are still the holders of the Warrants of that Grand Lodge whose authority they are determined to subvert , whilst they ' are yet under a ol o to i t j " od I I have read with to 1 e t t lcl t 1 o 1 following words . It 1 1 tt I ( 1 I i 1 1 Master " : — ' The 1 f 1

P I ow declared its I I tl 11 Grand Master oil ! I f a i I t ? r or Delegate 1 o ! A t III tl f 1 I ige of England lo o to 1 the suggestion o t 1 address ' to the C 1 -u 1 o o I o d to say that in t ( ) 1 J p ethren to sur-I I t 1 11 ster , not only 1 ( 1 uthority either el 11 direcliv opposed t 1 It t t

1 1 n ol u the district of <"> o I I | 0 riety . or other-10 1 f 1 M t t J cside over only tl "I I ( of l ew the same 1 1 t n e presided over le 1 II 1 1 aving signified t 11 1 o 1 f 1 i i ] ] orated as your e o 1 C ] u o o lymc in March e u t t j | of Brother whom

' 1 d c o 1 giy , appointed ol Dtoclo io ! G and Master for 1 1 a (< 't ov on aether any or c ol 1 tf oral obligation , 111 i o t I Grand Lodge , 1 t ' h I ] o t t t e ( -esent unfortuo 11 t C ladait is

im-, 1 I 1 1 o fl Its Grand Master , 1 1 ol 1 t f o 1 e 1 to e G and Lodge the < ' tl 1 I I ec n ly assumed the ] o o e ec , tl Is r \ i 0 I ' o do so would be inconsistent with the first principles of Masonic Unity . Of the Lodges existing in the Provinces of Canada , and holdin-r ' tiiKler the

Grand Lodge of England , the Warrants of seven have been returned by those who have joined the Independent Grand Lodge , whilst 31 have been returned by those who have joined Ancient Grand Lodge , leavins a lavgu number of Lodges of which some are known to remain firm in their allegiance , and of the secession of others there is no official record . It is plain that the Grand Lodire of England has no right or title to absolve from their allegiance the Brethren who are anxious to preserve it ; it is equally clear that it is the duty , — the sacred dutyof the Grand Master and Grand Lodge to support

, them in maintaining their allegiance and iu preserving inviolate their obligation to their Parent Grand Lodge . Bearing in mind that there are already two self-erected Grand Lodges in Canada j that there arc many Lodges which ' nave not joined either ; that there are others who , having never wavered in their fidelity , pray to have a Provincial Grand Master appointed in tho place of him who has seceded from them , and who desire to remain under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , I cannot think that any

reasonable Mason will , upon a calm and deliberate review of tho facts , come to any other conclusion than that recognition is impossible ; and that even were it accorded , it would load 02 i ! y to increased confusion . " 7 th . You offer to accept the office of Representative of the Grand Lodge of England in the 'Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada . ' For the reasons stated in the preceding paragraph you will at once perceive that that is impossible . " I cannot contemplate without the deepest concern the separation of so many Lodges Ivom the Parent Body , and the more * so when it is attempted to be shown that the conduct of the Grand Lodge of England has driven them to that course ; when I reflect

that separation has taken place at a period many months subsequent to the tunc when all reasonable complaints have been remedied , and when effectual means had been taken to prevent their recurrence ; when I know that many of the delays complained of by Lodges originated not from the neglect of tboGrand Lodge of England , but from the neglect of the Provincial Officers to forward returns to London entrusted to them for that purpose ; when I remember that the neglect of the duties of his Office by the Provincial Grand Masterwhom I appointedhas been one of the main causes of

dis-, , satisfaction most prominently brought forward in official correspondence , and insisted on , even in minute detail , in memorials from Canada ; when I remember , that in consequence of such alleged neglect the Brethren desired to be permitted to elect their own Provincial Grand Master , and that such permission has been virtually conceded to them , and when I learn that the verv first act of the new body has been to elect to supreme office , tho very Brother whose conduct has been so severely arraigned as leading to' the difficulties

complained of ; I am irresistibly led to tho conclusion that there arc other causes than those which' have been ' already declared , and which caused the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West to throw off the authority of the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge of England , who have always felt , and still continue to feel , a deep and ailcctionatc interest in the welfare of their Brethren in Canada . " Commending these matters to your earnest consideration , and that of your Brethren , " I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , ( Signed ) ' " ZETLAND , G . M . " "To T . D . Harington , Esq ., Quebec . "

TASMANIA . Memorial presented to G . L . relative to Suspension of Lodge , 781 . TO THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED IUA . SONS OF ENGLAND . The memorial of the undersigned Members of the Antient and Honourable Order of Free and Accepted Masons residing in and near [ Mart Towni » the Island of Tasmania

, , "Most respectfully Sheweth , " That in December , 185 G , tho Most "Worshipful the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was pleased , by virtue of the perogativc vested in him by the Book of Constitutions , to issue a patent appointing the Rev . R . K . Ewing to be the R . W . Provincial Grand Master for tho Province of Tasmania , during his pleasure : " And whereaswe the undersi gned consider that such

, prerogative has been used without due enquiry as to ' eminence and aliiiitil w . the Craft' of tho Brother whom the Most Worshipful the Grand Master has thought worthy of the appointment : " And whereas , we believe ourselves to bo justified in such opinion , m consequence of the appointment having been made on petition and representation forwarded to the W . M . the Grand Master from

“The Masonic Observer: 1858-03-20, Page 12” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 24 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mob/issues/mob_20031858/page/12/.
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GRAND LODGE. Article 5
Mark Masonry. Article 8
Masonic Charities. Article 9
Colonial. Article 11
The Provinces. Article 15
Correspondence. Article 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Article 16
Untitled Article 16
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Colonial.

went , otunr and internal causes o , dissension amongst our Canadian Brethren wilieh have—u-. ore than the inconvenieiiees and delay arising on this side of lite water—k-d to the separation of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada . "West , and the com plication of difficulties in which the 1 ' retin-eu of that province are now involved . It appears to me , that concessions , which were acknowledged to be ample , could not be " too late" when made many months before the separation took place . " ot'd . The movement towards independence—which commenced

so early as 1852 , before those circumstances hail occurred , which , it has been alleged , brought it into existence—did not , I have reason to believe , original ! 1 with the English Lodges ; and I have good grounds for believing that , even up to lite present time , but very few Lodges holding under the Grand Lodge of England , have given their adhesion to the so-called Independent Grand Lodge . Be that , however , as it may , it is clear now , from the documents laid before me , that , besides those who have not wavered from , or

who have returned to their allegiance , no less a number than thirty-Four Lodges , constituting together a very large majority of all the Lodges existing in the Provinces , could hardly be said to be driven by a small minority into a secession from the parent body . " 4 th . I have read with regret , and pain the details of the proceedings of the Provincial Gravid Lodge of Canada West , in September last . 5 know of no letters emanating from authority in this country , nor of any words of mine , which , by possibility , could be construed into justifying , far less recommending , the proceedings which it is stated then took place . I regret that any one should have been so ill advised as to write such letters , or that any Brethren in Canada should have been deceived by thern I regret also ,

that the expressions used by rne should have been so much misunderstood , the term " rebellious" seeming to give offence . I stated , 'that I applied that term to Brethren ivlio bad thrown off their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England , and that without returning the Warrants they held under it ; and i thought that Grand Lodge would agree with me that I did not unjustly apply that term . " I recommended no course of action then ; 1 give no opinion now ; but thus much I may say , that I see a wide distinction between the breaking up of a Lodge and the surrender of its Warrant

by the free will of the Brethren composing it , and the subsequent formation of new Lodges under another authority , and the formation of an independent ami antagonistic . jurisdiction by those who are still the holders of the Warrants of that Grand Lodge whose authority they are determined to subvert , whilst they ' are yet under a ol o to i t j " od I I have read with to 1 e t t lcl t 1 o 1 following words . It 1 1 tt I ( 1 I i 1 1 Master " : — ' The 1 f 1

P I ow declared its I I tl 11 Grand Master oil ! I f a i I t ? r or Delegate 1 o ! A t III tl f 1 I ige of England lo o to 1 the suggestion o t 1 address ' to the C 1 -u 1 o o I o d to say that in t ( ) 1 J p ethren to sur-I I t 1 11 ster , not only 1 ( 1 uthority either el 11 direcliv opposed t 1 It t t

1 1 n ol u the district of <"> o I I | 0 riety . or other-10 1 f 1 M t t J cside over only tl "I I ( of l ew the same 1 1 t n e presided over le 1 II 1 1 aving signified t 11 1 o 1 f 1 i i ] ] orated as your e o 1 C ] u o o lymc in March e u t t j | of Brother whom

' 1 d c o 1 giy , appointed ol Dtoclo io ! G and Master for 1 1 a (< 't ov on aether any or c ol 1 tf oral obligation , 111 i o t I Grand Lodge , 1 t ' h I ] o t t t e ( -esent unfortuo 11 t C ladait is

im-, 1 I 1 1 o fl Its Grand Master , 1 1 ol 1 t f o 1 e 1 to e G and Lodge the < ' tl 1 I I ec n ly assumed the ] o o e ec , tl Is r \ i 0 I ' o do so would be inconsistent with the first principles of Masonic Unity . Of the Lodges existing in the Provinces of Canada , and holdin-r ' tiiKler the

Grand Lodge of England , the Warrants of seven have been returned by those who have joined the Independent Grand Lodge , whilst 31 have been returned by those who have joined Ancient Grand Lodge , leavins a lavgu number of Lodges of which some are known to remain firm in their allegiance , and of the secession of others there is no official record . It is plain that the Grand Lodire of England has no right or title to absolve from their allegiance the Brethren who are anxious to preserve it ; it is equally clear that it is the duty , — the sacred dutyof the Grand Master and Grand Lodge to support

, them in maintaining their allegiance and iu preserving inviolate their obligation to their Parent Grand Lodge . Bearing in mind that there are already two self-erected Grand Lodges in Canada j that there arc many Lodges which ' nave not joined either ; that there are others who , having never wavered in their fidelity , pray to have a Provincial Grand Master appointed in tho place of him who has seceded from them , and who desire to remain under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , I cannot think that any

reasonable Mason will , upon a calm and deliberate review of tho facts , come to any other conclusion than that recognition is impossible ; and that even were it accorded , it would load 02 i ! y to increased confusion . " 7 th . You offer to accept the office of Representative of the Grand Lodge of England in the 'Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada . ' For the reasons stated in the preceding paragraph you will at once perceive that that is impossible . " I cannot contemplate without the deepest concern the separation of so many Lodges Ivom the Parent Body , and the more * so when it is attempted to be shown that the conduct of the Grand Lodge of England has driven them to that course ; when I reflect

that separation has taken place at a period many months subsequent to the tunc when all reasonable complaints have been remedied , and when effectual means had been taken to prevent their recurrence ; when I know that many of the delays complained of by Lodges originated not from the neglect of tboGrand Lodge of England , but from the neglect of the Provincial Officers to forward returns to London entrusted to them for that purpose ; when I remember that the neglect of the duties of his Office by the Provincial Grand Masterwhom I appointedhas been one of the main causes of

dis-, , satisfaction most prominently brought forward in official correspondence , and insisted on , even in minute detail , in memorials from Canada ; when I remember , that in consequence of such alleged neglect the Brethren desired to be permitted to elect their own Provincial Grand Master , and that such permission has been virtually conceded to them , and when I learn that the verv first act of the new body has been to elect to supreme office , tho very Brother whose conduct has been so severely arraigned as leading to' the difficulties

complained of ; I am irresistibly led to tho conclusion that there arc other causes than those which' have been ' already declared , and which caused the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West to throw off the authority of the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge of England , who have always felt , and still continue to feel , a deep and ailcctionatc interest in the welfare of their Brethren in Canada . " Commending these matters to your earnest consideration , and that of your Brethren , " I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , ( Signed ) ' " ZETLAND , G . M . " "To T . D . Harington , Esq ., Quebec . "

TASMANIA . Memorial presented to G . L . relative to Suspension of Lodge , 781 . TO THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED IUA . SONS OF ENGLAND . The memorial of the undersigned Members of the Antient and Honourable Order of Free and Accepted Masons residing in and near [ Mart Towni » the Island of Tasmania

, , "Most respectfully Sheweth , " That in December , 185 G , tho Most "Worshipful the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was pleased , by virtue of the perogativc vested in him by the Book of Constitutions , to issue a patent appointing the Rev . R . K . Ewing to be the R . W . Provincial Grand Master for tho Province of Tasmania , during his pleasure : " And whereaswe the undersi gned consider that such

, prerogative has been used without due enquiry as to ' eminence and aliiiitil w . the Craft' of tho Brother whom the Most Worshipful the Grand Master has thought worthy of the appointment : " And whereas , we believe ourselves to bo justified in such opinion , m consequence of the appointment having been made on petition and representation forwarded to the W . M . the Grand Master from

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