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Article QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF UNITED GRAND LODGE. ← Page 3 of 4 Article QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF UNITED GRAND LODGE. Page 3 of 4 →
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Quarterly Communication Of United Grand Lodge.
were not recognised as a regular enemy ? The answer would be— " We have endeavoured to stop you before yonr invasion was successful . " Ho thought Grand Lodge would say that tho pleas put forward by Sir Robert Stout in tho long letter which was road , and which they were
able to follow , wero all such thafc they could make up their minds upon them . Personally he felfc fcho present was a case of great weight and extreme gravity wifch regard to Masonry . The knowledge and position of Sir Robert Stout , who was high in authority in a distant part of tho
globe , where above all his duty was to set an example of and show loyal obedience to tbe Craft , rendered it a case of gravity . He considered , therefore , that Grand Lodge must feel that the complaint of tho Grand Mastor was a well founded one , and deal with it as a serious matter , and
he had therefore to propose that Grand Lodge , having carefully considered the report and tho documents submitted to it by the Most Worshipful Grand Master relative to the establishment by Bro . Sir R . Stout P . A . G . D . C , and Deputy District Grand Master of Otago and Southland ,
New Zealand , of a Lodgo at Wellington in that Province , under the Grand Orient of France , of which he is Master , resolves that in tho opinion of Grand Lodge the complaint against Bro . Sir Robert Stout is well founded , and his plea in extenuation cannot be accepted , and Grand Lodge
therefore adjudges him guilty of a grave Masonic offence , and in accordance with the precedent in the case of Bro . Bonner , in 1816 , hereby deprives Bro . Sir Eobert Stout of his rank and status of Deputy District Grand Master . Grand Lodge is further of opinion that by his action , as herein stated ,
Bro . Sir Bobert Stout has placed himself under the provision of Article 204 of the Book of Constitutions , and directs that this fact shall be bronght under the notice of
the District Grand Master and Grand Lodgo of Otago and Southland with the view of being further dealt with by the District Grand Lodge according to Masonic law , and he moved accordingly .
Bro . Thomas Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes , said , in seconding the motion , that Bro . Philbrick had in this serious matter very rightly gone into it at somo length , but really the matter was comprised in a very small compass , and it would not be necessary for him to detain
the brethren very long . He could vouch for the correctness of tho precedents which had been quoted by tho Grand Registrar . The case of Bro . Bonner was not tho only ease in which Grand Lodge had dealt with a Masonic offence by a Grand Officer and deprived him of his rank . This power
the Grand Lodge had not delegated to District Grand Lodges or any subordinate authority . All that was proposed to do was to exercise this power and to leave all other matters to the District Grand Lodges and District Grand Masters . The Masonic offence was clearly laid down
in the second precedent which had been put by the Grand Begistrar . He distinctly recollected a very painful scene in that Grand Lodge . It was fixed on his mind , because it was the first time he ever saw a brother introduced into Grand Lodge in the humiliating position in which that
brother was introduced between the two Deacons , deprived of his Masonic clothing , to appeal against his suspension . On that occasion the Grand Master in the chair very clearly laid down what the offence was ; ifc was precisely the same as that of Bro . Stout , and
the Grand Master there said that no foreign jurisdictionthat is , other jurisdictions than that of the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland—could be exercised , or any Lodge established in any part of the Queen ' s dominions . There could bo no doubt that New Zealand was part of the
Queen ' s dominions ; and therefore any Lodge established or attempted to be established there under another jurisdiction was an irregular Lodge . Bro . Mclntyre on that occasion showed that , according to the ancient charges , a Master solemnly admitted that no new Lodge could be
formed without permission of the Grand Master or his Deputy , and that no countenance ought to be given to any irregular Lodge or to any person initiated therein . Yet the brother thero had proceeded to establish an irregular
Lodge by accepting the office of Master . The offence was precisely the same in this case , and it was clearly laid down to be a Masonic offence which Grand Lodge had the power to deal with in the way proposed . Ho bogged to second the motion of the Grand Registrar .
Bro . Beach said before he put this resolution he might remark tbat Grand Lodgo would look wifch leniency on a Masonic offence if it were not of an important character . No doubt a W . M . might go beyond his authority by inad-
Quarterly Communication Of United Grand Lodge.
vertence ; a Provincial Grand Master might go beyond his authority in thinking ho had a power , a dispensing power , which appertained only to fcho Grand Master ; but iu snch a caso it would he an error through inadvertence , and he thought thafc Grand Lodge would look with great favour
upon a fault so committed . But tho brethren were dealing with a much moro serious matter than that ; they had a brother in high authority , who should set an example to others , and yet from the clear information of the details they had received , Bro . Stout had no doubt transgressed
and gone beyond his proper authority , and committed a flagrant violation of his Masonic duties . That any one in authority , and entrusted with authority under the Grand Lodgo of England , should apply to a foreign jurisdiction to establish a new Lodge , and then should put himself at its
head , was indeed a grave dereliction of duty , but that dereliction of duty was intensified and aggravated by the fact that tho Masouic authority to which he applied was one with which the Grand Lodge of England had passed a resolution repudiating their association . He need not
advert to the causes which led to that ; they wero stated by Bro . Sir Robert Stout in his own letter , in which he said tbey took a view of Masonic progress . Grand Lodge
adhered to tho ancient landmarks of the Order , and admitted no progress which was not based on the ancient landmarks . He need say no more than that he heartily concurred with tho resolution which ho should have tho
honour now to put to Grand Lodge . Grand Lodge having carefully considered the report and documents submitted relative to the establishment by Bro . Sir Robert Stout , K . C . M . G ., Past Assist . G . D . of C ,
Deputy Grand Master of Otago and Southland , New Zealand , of a Lodgo in the town of Wellington in that colony , under a warrant from the Grand Orient of France , and of which Lodge he is Master .
Resolved—" That in the opinion of Grand Lodge tbe compliant against Bro . Sir Robert Stout is well founded , and his plea of justification cannot be accepted . Grand Lodge therefore adjudges
him guilty of a grave Masonio offence , and in accordance with the precedent set in the case of Bro . Bonner in the year 1816 , hereby removes Bro . Sir Robert Stout from his rank and status aa a Grand Officer of tho Grand Lodge of England .
" Grand Lodfje is further of opinion thafc by his notion as herein stated Bro . Sir Robert Stout has placed himself nnder the Provisions of Article 204 , Book of Constitutions , nnd directs that this fact shall bo brought under the notice of tlio District Grand Master of Otago
and Southland , with a view to the withdrawal of Bro . Sir Robeit Stout ' s patent as Deputy Graud Master of that Diatrior , aud to his being further dealt with by the District Grand Lodge according to Masonio law . "
Bro . John Aird W . M . 259 : Most Worshipful Grand Master in the chair , —I had the honour at the last meeting to nominate H . R . H . the Prince of Wales as Grand Master for the ensuing year , aud this evening 1 have the further honour of proposing his election ; and knowing full well
that it is unusual on these occasions to refer afc any length to the merits of one who is known to all good Masons , and who is loved aud respected by them all , and bearing out that feeling , I need only refer to fche recent ceremony at Reading , where fche son of His Royal Highness took an
honourable position in Berkshire . We have had noticed in the minutes to-night the letter from the Grand Master ' s brother , the Dnke of Connaught , also showing the deep
interest he takes in the Craft ; and many are also aware of the ceremony which in a few days will take place wifch one of our Charities , the Girls' School , and where H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will be with the Princess of Wales
to carry oufc a very important ceremony . These are onl y a few of the many reasons which have endeared the Prince of Wales to the Craft , not only in England but also throughout fche world , aud I am sure the pleasure we shall have to-night in re-electing hirn as Graud Master of Grand
Lodge will bo a pleasure thafc will be conveyed to fche world afc largo . I therefore , Mo . 4 Worshipful Grand Mastor in the chair , with the greatest pleasure move that His Royal Highness bo elected as our Most Worshi pful Grand Master for the ensuing year .
Bro . Sir Georgo Taubmau Goldney : Most Worshi pful Grand Master in the chair , —I have the honour of seconding on this occasion the annual resolution by which year by year English Freemasonry shows the great benefits which
his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has conferred , and is conferring , on Freemasonry . At the same time I feel the duty is a very light one . Everything has been said by Bro . Aird . I shall , therefore , not weaken what he has ; said by adding to it . I shall simpl y second tho naptios
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Quarterly Communication Of United Grand Lodge.
were not recognised as a regular enemy ? The answer would be— " We have endeavoured to stop you before yonr invasion was successful . " Ho thought Grand Lodge would say that tho pleas put forward by Sir Robert Stout in tho long letter which was road , and which they were
able to follow , wero all such thafc they could make up their minds upon them . Personally he felfc fcho present was a case of great weight and extreme gravity wifch regard to Masonry . The knowledge and position of Sir Robert Stout , who was high in authority in a distant part of tho
globe , where above all his duty was to set an example of and show loyal obedience to tbe Craft , rendered it a case of gravity . He considered , therefore , that Grand Lodge must feel that the complaint of tho Grand Mastor was a well founded one , and deal with it as a serious matter , and
he had therefore to propose that Grand Lodge , having carefully considered the report and tho documents submitted to it by the Most Worshipful Grand Master relative to the establishment by Bro . Sir R . Stout P . A . G . D . C , and Deputy District Grand Master of Otago and Southland ,
New Zealand , of a Lodgo at Wellington in that Province , under the Grand Orient of France , of which he is Master , resolves that in tho opinion of Grand Lodge the complaint against Bro . Sir Robert Stout is well founded , and his plea in extenuation cannot be accepted , and Grand Lodge
therefore adjudges him guilty of a grave Masonic offence , and in accordance with the precedent in the case of Bro . Bonner , in 1816 , hereby deprives Bro . Sir Eobert Stout of his rank and status of Deputy District Grand Master . Grand Lodge is further of opinion that by his action , as herein stated ,
Bro . Sir Bobert Stout has placed himself under the provision of Article 204 of the Book of Constitutions , and directs that this fact shall be bronght under the notice of
the District Grand Master and Grand Lodgo of Otago and Southland with the view of being further dealt with by the District Grand Lodge according to Masonic law , and he moved accordingly .
Bro . Thomas Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes , said , in seconding the motion , that Bro . Philbrick had in this serious matter very rightly gone into it at somo length , but really the matter was comprised in a very small compass , and it would not be necessary for him to detain
the brethren very long . He could vouch for the correctness of tho precedents which had been quoted by tho Grand Registrar . The case of Bro . Bonner was not tho only ease in which Grand Lodge had dealt with a Masonic offence by a Grand Officer and deprived him of his rank . This power
the Grand Lodge had not delegated to District Grand Lodges or any subordinate authority . All that was proposed to do was to exercise this power and to leave all other matters to the District Grand Lodges and District Grand Masters . The Masonic offence was clearly laid down
in the second precedent which had been put by the Grand Begistrar . He distinctly recollected a very painful scene in that Grand Lodge . It was fixed on his mind , because it was the first time he ever saw a brother introduced into Grand Lodge in the humiliating position in which that
brother was introduced between the two Deacons , deprived of his Masonic clothing , to appeal against his suspension . On that occasion the Grand Master in the chair very clearly laid down what the offence was ; ifc was precisely the same as that of Bro . Stout , and
the Grand Master there said that no foreign jurisdictionthat is , other jurisdictions than that of the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland—could be exercised , or any Lodge established in any part of the Queen ' s dominions . There could bo no doubt that New Zealand was part of the
Queen ' s dominions ; and therefore any Lodge established or attempted to be established there under another jurisdiction was an irregular Lodge . Bro . Mclntyre on that occasion showed that , according to the ancient charges , a Master solemnly admitted that no new Lodge could be
formed without permission of the Grand Master or his Deputy , and that no countenance ought to be given to any irregular Lodge or to any person initiated therein . Yet the brother thero had proceeded to establish an irregular
Lodge by accepting the office of Master . The offence was precisely the same in this case , and it was clearly laid down to be a Masonic offence which Grand Lodge had the power to deal with in the way proposed . Ho bogged to second the motion of the Grand Registrar .
Bro . Beach said before he put this resolution he might remark tbat Grand Lodgo would look wifch leniency on a Masonic offence if it were not of an important character . No doubt a W . M . might go beyond his authority by inad-
Quarterly Communication Of United Grand Lodge.
vertence ; a Provincial Grand Master might go beyond his authority in thinking ho had a power , a dispensing power , which appertained only to fcho Grand Master ; but iu snch a caso it would he an error through inadvertence , and he thought thafc Grand Lodge would look with great favour
upon a fault so committed . But tho brethren were dealing with a much moro serious matter than that ; they had a brother in high authority , who should set an example to others , and yet from the clear information of the details they had received , Bro . Stout had no doubt transgressed
and gone beyond his proper authority , and committed a flagrant violation of his Masonic duties . That any one in authority , and entrusted with authority under the Grand Lodgo of England , should apply to a foreign jurisdiction to establish a new Lodge , and then should put himself at its
head , was indeed a grave dereliction of duty , but that dereliction of duty was intensified and aggravated by the fact that tho Masouic authority to which he applied was one with which the Grand Lodge of England had passed a resolution repudiating their association . He need not
advert to the causes which led to that ; they wero stated by Bro . Sir Robert Stout in his own letter , in which he said tbey took a view of Masonic progress . Grand Lodge
adhered to tho ancient landmarks of the Order , and admitted no progress which was not based on the ancient landmarks . He need say no more than that he heartily concurred with tho resolution which ho should have tho
honour now to put to Grand Lodge . Grand Lodge having carefully considered the report and documents submitted relative to the establishment by Bro . Sir Robert Stout , K . C . M . G ., Past Assist . G . D . of C ,
Deputy Grand Master of Otago and Southland , New Zealand , of a Lodgo in the town of Wellington in that colony , under a warrant from the Grand Orient of France , and of which Lodge he is Master .
Resolved—" That in the opinion of Grand Lodge tbe compliant against Bro . Sir Robert Stout is well founded , and his plea of justification cannot be accepted . Grand Lodge therefore adjudges
him guilty of a grave Masonio offence , and in accordance with the precedent set in the case of Bro . Bonner in the year 1816 , hereby removes Bro . Sir Robert Stout from his rank and status aa a Grand Officer of tho Grand Lodge of England .
" Grand Lodfje is further of opinion thafc by his notion as herein stated Bro . Sir Robert Stout has placed himself nnder the Provisions of Article 204 , Book of Constitutions , nnd directs that this fact shall bo brought under the notice of tlio District Grand Master of Otago
and Southland , with a view to the withdrawal of Bro . Sir Robeit Stout ' s patent as Deputy Graud Master of that Diatrior , aud to his being further dealt with by the District Grand Lodge according to Masonio law . "
Bro . John Aird W . M . 259 : Most Worshipful Grand Master in the chair , —I had the honour at the last meeting to nominate H . R . H . the Prince of Wales as Grand Master for the ensuing year , aud this evening 1 have the further honour of proposing his election ; and knowing full well
that it is unusual on these occasions to refer afc any length to the merits of one who is known to all good Masons , and who is loved aud respected by them all , and bearing out that feeling , I need only refer to fche recent ceremony at Reading , where fche son of His Royal Highness took an
honourable position in Berkshire . We have had noticed in the minutes to-night the letter from the Grand Master ' s brother , the Dnke of Connaught , also showing the deep
interest he takes in the Craft ; and many are also aware of the ceremony which in a few days will take place wifch one of our Charities , the Girls' School , and where H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will be with the Princess of Wales
to carry oufc a very important ceremony . These are onl y a few of the many reasons which have endeared the Prince of Wales to the Craft , not only in England but also throughout fche world , aud I am sure the pleasure we shall have to-night in re-electing hirn as Graud Master of Grand
Lodge will bo a pleasure thafc will be conveyed to fche world afc largo . I therefore , Mo . 4 Worshipful Grand Mastor in the chair , with the greatest pleasure move that His Royal Highness bo elected as our Most Worshi pful Grand Master for the ensuing year .
Bro . Sir Georgo Taubmau Goldney : Most Worshi pful Grand Master in the chair , —I have the honour of seconding on this occasion the annual resolution by which year by year English Freemasonry shows the great benefits which
his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has conferred , and is conferring , on Freemasonry . At the same time I feel the duty is a very light one . Everything has been said by Bro . Aird . I shall , therefore , not weaken what he has ; said by adding to it . I shall simpl y second tho naptios