-
Articles/Ads
Article Untitled ← Page 2 of 2 Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article THE LATE MASONIC TRIAL. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00500
on record that a sum of £ 5 us was voted to tho Royal Freemasons Girls' School . At the November meeting only Bros . Drysdale W . M ., Jones P . M . as S . W ., Dobree J . W ., and Ueynell were present . On tho 23 rd of tho samo month an emergency meeting was held foi the purpose of raising Bro . Erlandseu to the third degree , thero being every probability that tho said brother , who , it will bo remembered ,
had had his raising deferred owing to the pressure of business , would leave for Norway before tho next regular meeting , aud Hro . Erlandsen was raised accordingly . In January 18 ( 5 t > Bro . Dobree , tho Junior Warden , was unanimously elected to fill tho chair of the Lodgo for the year ; he was solemnly inducted into tho chair of K . S . in accordance with ancient custom , at tho meeting in February , in
the presence of close on thirty members and visitors . The Audit Committee's report was again satisfactory , 'thero being , after the liquidation of all claims , a balance iu tho hands of the Treasurer amounting to £ 10 12 s 4 d . On this occasion a resolution was agreed to— " That the Charity Box bo sent ronnd after each Banquet . " It should also be added that Bro . Parsons was appointed by Bro . Dobree
to the Senior Warden ' s chair . At the meeting on tho 10 th April Bro . Thomas Howard Lavors was elected and initiated into Freemasonry ; on the 9 th of October ho was passed to tho degree ol Fellow Craft , and on the 13 th of November ho was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason . On the latter occasion three gentlemen wero elected and initiated into the mysteries of the first
degree , whilo Bro . Wilden , of tho High Cross Lodge , Tottenham , who is still ono of tho Past Masters of the Lodge , was proposed as a joining member . The last entry in this , tho third Minnte-Book , wc have had tho satisfaction of describing , is tho minute relating to the meeting in November 1866 , and hero , therefore , it is our duty to break off for the present . ( To bo continued . )
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves res } jonsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot -undertake to return rejected communications . AU Letters must bear the name an I address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
A MASONIO TRIAL . To the Editor of the FKEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR BROTHER . EDITOR , —Can yon explain how it is thafc Masonic critics , when indulging in the truly British weakness of " writing to the papers , " are so apt to lose their tempers , become vicious in their tone , aud , mistaking abuse for wit , render their communications obnoxious and unsavoury to their reading brethren ? Thero
must be both reason and remedy for this state of things , and the sooner we discover the one , and apply the other , the better and plcasanter it will be for all of ns . An instance in point is to be found in the letter of " H . " under the abovo heading in your issue of Saturday last , who , in objecting to the so-called "High Grades" or "Christian Degrees , " or whatever
in the name of wonder their promoters choose to call them , goes out of his way , afc considerable labour and pains to himself , to throw mud afc those brethren who have sufficient money aud leisure to amuse themselves with various " Rites , " to many of which they havo given high sounding titles . There can be no possible objection to " H . " expressing his opinions ou the subject , and his own illustration
of the blacksmith and his little wife will cut both ways , for I do not suppose any of the " systems " upon which he pours contempt will bo either better or worse for his approval or tho reverse . But I would ask such critics to refrain from giving offence without occasion . It seems that some foolish remarks in the daily press have given umbrage to " II . " I should have thought that the very style of thoso
remarks would have revealed to " H . " the fact that they wero not penned by Masons , or at least by Masons who knew the A B C of the Fraternity , and that , therefore , it would be unjust to upbraid any section of brethren because of their appearance . Then your correspondent gives us what he says is a sketch of some grade called the Knights of ihe Mystic Square Circle . I have looked
through tho lexicons of Bros . Kenning , Mackenzie , and Maekoy , bufc thongh I find mauj extraordinary rites named and described , I fail to find tho one in question . I have myself a very large collection of rituals , both obsolete and in present working , bufc have nothing afc all liko that described by " H ., " and I should esteem it a great favour if ho will permit me to tako a copy to add to my collectio ** .
Outsiders , men who have not the privilege of ranking under the banners of our venerable Craft , sometimes abuse Freemasonry and apply to it all the ooarso terms which your correspondent has done to the " High Grades . " I understand that a person called Butler has been doing this in tho pages of Good Worth , but I am not aware that such a style of writing either docs credit to the writer or harm to
Freemasonry . Masons simply pity tho bad taste and ignorance of tho writers , and so , in the present instance , I am afraid there is nothing for ifc but to express compassion for tho lack of good breeding and absence of knowledge displayed by your correspondent . Iu conclusion , I would suggest to " II . " that in future ho should ,
when quoting for bis own purposes , refrain from garbling tho Constitutions . The Constitution which ho only partly quotes is really the preamble to the Code of Constitutions , and is the second of the " Articles of Union " of the two Grand Lodges of England , agreed to on the 1 st December 1 S 13 . This Article , when quoted in its entiret y , is as follows : — " - It is declared and pronounced that pure Ancient Masonry
Correspondence.
consists of three degrees nnd no more , viz ., thoso of tho Entered Apprentice , tho Fellow Craft , and the Master Mason , including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch . But this Article is not intended to prevent any Lodge or Chapter IVo'tt holding a meeting iu any of tho degrees of the Orders of Chivalrv , according to tho
Constitutions of the said Orders . It may , perhaps , be news to " If . " that , some of tho Rites which ho regards as " spurious" were in full working order for half a century before tho "Constitutions" drawn up at tho Union wero known , and wero plainly acknowledged by tho United Graud Lodgo of England in the above manner .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , LIVE AND LEI LIVE .
The Late Masonic Trial.
THE LATE MASONIC TRIAL .
To the Editor of the PRE '' . MASON ' CHRONICLE . DEMI SIR AND BROTHER , —1 have seen in the columns of your contemporary n letter from Bro . Tudor Trevor , ono of tho defendants in tho lato Masonic trial at Leeds , in which ho invites tho Craft to assist him in defraying fcho heavy costs , about £ 150 , ho has to pay in
connection with this unfortunate piece of litigation . Now I have no sympathy whatever with cither party to the suit , and I certainly have no wish to stand between Bro . Trevor aud thoso who may feel inclined to do him a service . Ifc is also not improbable thero is a good deal yet to be said on both sides beforo tho public will bo in a position to judge rightly of the merits of the dispute . But though ,
after the prominent part ho took in the objectionable squabble , it was hardly possible for Bro . Trevor to havo escaped being made a party to tho suit , the fraternity have a right to bo assured that he at all events is blameless as regards the earlier stages of the difference . If I assume , for the sake of argument , that Bro . Voigt and his friends did blackball Messrs . Tow and Casson , and did boast of having
done so in the hat and cloak room adjoining , as stated by Bro . Wells in his letter which appeared last week ; aud if I further assume thafc they did , as stated by the same brother , on the very next opportunity blackball some "joining brethren , one of whom was a P . M . ( twice ) and P . P . G . Officer , " theso assumptions , supposing them to be true , put Bro . Voigt and his friends in a worse light than any in which thoy have
as yet appeared . But do they put Bro . Trevor and those who acted with him in any better ? It was , to say the least , the height of bad taste on the part of Bros . Voigt & Co . to disclose the manner in which they voted , and to threaten to repeat thoir con'lnct on future occasions . The disclosure , however , was made , not in open Locige , but in ordinary conversation in an ante-room , and I fail to seo how any one of those
present when it was mado could-justifiably take cognisance of it and use it as a peg on which to hang a motion for exclusion from the Lodge . I quite allow it was an indecent , as well as a stupid , thing for Bros . Voigt & Co . to have said anything as to tho manner in which thoy had voted , but what thoy said in tho confidence of personal conversation should nofc havo boon used against them . But
assuming , I say , that what theso brethren did was unmasonic , is Bro . Tudor himself blameless , seeing thafc ho had mado for him almost the earliest possible opportunity for launching an hostile motion at the heads of thoso between whom nnd himself there would seem to have been irreconcilable differences ? The blackballing of Messrs . Tew and Casson is said to havo taken place at an emergency meeting held on
the 10 th January 1877 . According to Bro . Wells , Bro . Voigt and his friends followed up the new system then inaugurated by blackballing , " on the next opportunity , " certain brethren proposed as joining members . This must have boon on the 17 th of tho same month , as tho regular Lodge meetings are held on the third Wednesday , and within five days Bro . Trevor must have formulated his motion for
exclusion , and asked and obtained tho W . M . ' s permission to bring ifc forward afc an emergency meeting on the 29 th . All this haste seems inexplicable , except on the theory that Bro . Trevor and his friends were desirous of getting rid of Bro . Voigt and his friends without giving the Lodge time to fully and impartially consider the pros and cons of the matter in dispute . Clearly the Alexandra Lodge was
about this time divided against itself , and a strong feeling of exasperation animated the opposing parties , a feeling which neither the " system" of Bro . Voigt nor the policy of Bro . Trevor was in the slightest degree calculated to allay . I trust , therefore , the fraternity will await those further explanations which seem so necessary towards forming a correct judgment of
all tho circumstances ere they resolve cm assisting Bro . Trevor out of difficulties which from tho disclosures thus far mado he seems in sotno measure to have brought upon himself . Bro . Trevor may rest assured thafc if ho emerges from any further inquiry with flying colours , the delay will only intensify the sympathy which many already feel for him .
One other matter seems to call for explanation . Bro . Wells stated in his letter last week that , when Bro . Casson bad been blackballed , " it was suggested that Mr . Tow ' s name should bo withdrawn ; his proposer , however , declined to accede to this course , and the result was the same as in Mr . Cassou's case . " Did the failure of Mr . Casson , ¦ -vho had not , that I am aware of , beeu balloted for aud elected at a
meeting in 1875 , augur so well for tho success of Mr . Tew , who had , lint had never reciprocated the compliment paid him by the Lodge ; > y faking up his membership , that the latter ' s proposer was so sanguine of success ? Or was he actuated by any other motive less ippnrent or excusable ? All the difficulties aud doubts which can possibly arise in
con'lection with this most unseemly exhibition are most likely to be set at rest by adopting the course which you , Sir , have suggested , that : -, by referring the dispute to the Board of General Purposes , to bo d . 'alt with , on tho recommendation of that body , by Grand Lodge . Of course it will be painful for the Alexandra Lodge to have the old sore
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00500
on record that a sum of £ 5 us was voted to tho Royal Freemasons Girls' School . At the November meeting only Bros . Drysdale W . M ., Jones P . M . as S . W ., Dobree J . W ., and Ueynell were present . On tho 23 rd of tho samo month an emergency meeting was held foi the purpose of raising Bro . Erlandseu to the third degree , thero being every probability that tho said brother , who , it will bo remembered ,
had had his raising deferred owing to the pressure of business , would leave for Norway before tho next regular meeting , aud Hro . Erlandsen was raised accordingly . In January 18 ( 5 t > Bro . Dobree , tho Junior Warden , was unanimously elected to fill tho chair of the Lodgo for the year ; he was solemnly inducted into tho chair of K . S . in accordance with ancient custom , at tho meeting in February , in
the presence of close on thirty members and visitors . The Audit Committee's report was again satisfactory , 'thero being , after the liquidation of all claims , a balance iu tho hands of the Treasurer amounting to £ 10 12 s 4 d . On this occasion a resolution was agreed to— " That the Charity Box bo sent ronnd after each Banquet . " It should also be added that Bro . Parsons was appointed by Bro . Dobree
to the Senior Warden ' s chair . At the meeting on tho 10 th April Bro . Thomas Howard Lavors was elected and initiated into Freemasonry ; on the 9 th of October ho was passed to tho degree ol Fellow Craft , and on the 13 th of November ho was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason . On the latter occasion three gentlemen wero elected and initiated into the mysteries of the first
degree , whilo Bro . Wilden , of tho High Cross Lodge , Tottenham , who is still ono of tho Past Masters of the Lodge , was proposed as a joining member . The last entry in this , tho third Minnte-Book , wc have had tho satisfaction of describing , is tho minute relating to the meeting in November 1866 , and hero , therefore , it is our duty to break off for the present . ( To bo continued . )
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves res } jonsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot -undertake to return rejected communications . AU Letters must bear the name an I address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
A MASONIO TRIAL . To the Editor of the FKEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR BROTHER . EDITOR , —Can yon explain how it is thafc Masonic critics , when indulging in the truly British weakness of " writing to the papers , " are so apt to lose their tempers , become vicious in their tone , aud , mistaking abuse for wit , render their communications obnoxious and unsavoury to their reading brethren ? Thero
must be both reason and remedy for this state of things , and the sooner we discover the one , and apply the other , the better and plcasanter it will be for all of ns . An instance in point is to be found in the letter of " H . " under the abovo heading in your issue of Saturday last , who , in objecting to the so-called "High Grades" or "Christian Degrees , " or whatever
in the name of wonder their promoters choose to call them , goes out of his way , afc considerable labour and pains to himself , to throw mud afc those brethren who have sufficient money aud leisure to amuse themselves with various " Rites , " to many of which they havo given high sounding titles . There can be no possible objection to " H . " expressing his opinions ou the subject , and his own illustration
of the blacksmith and his little wife will cut both ways , for I do not suppose any of the " systems " upon which he pours contempt will bo either better or worse for his approval or tho reverse . But I would ask such critics to refrain from giving offence without occasion . It seems that some foolish remarks in the daily press have given umbrage to " II . " I should have thought that the very style of thoso
remarks would have revealed to " H . " the fact that they wero not penned by Masons , or at least by Masons who knew the A B C of the Fraternity , and that , therefore , it would be unjust to upbraid any section of brethren because of their appearance . Then your correspondent gives us what he says is a sketch of some grade called the Knights of ihe Mystic Square Circle . I have looked
through tho lexicons of Bros . Kenning , Mackenzie , and Maekoy , bufc thongh I find mauj extraordinary rites named and described , I fail to find tho one in question . I have myself a very large collection of rituals , both obsolete and in present working , bufc have nothing afc all liko that described by " H ., " and I should esteem it a great favour if ho will permit me to tako a copy to add to my collectio ** .
Outsiders , men who have not the privilege of ranking under the banners of our venerable Craft , sometimes abuse Freemasonry and apply to it all the ooarso terms which your correspondent has done to the " High Grades . " I understand that a person called Butler has been doing this in tho pages of Good Worth , but I am not aware that such a style of writing either docs credit to the writer or harm to
Freemasonry . Masons simply pity tho bad taste and ignorance of tho writers , and so , in the present instance , I am afraid there is nothing for ifc but to express compassion for tho lack of good breeding and absence of knowledge displayed by your correspondent . Iu conclusion , I would suggest to " II . " that in future ho should ,
when quoting for bis own purposes , refrain from garbling tho Constitutions . The Constitution which ho only partly quotes is really the preamble to the Code of Constitutions , and is the second of the " Articles of Union " of the two Grand Lodges of England , agreed to on the 1 st December 1 S 13 . This Article , when quoted in its entiret y , is as follows : — " - It is declared and pronounced that pure Ancient Masonry
Correspondence.
consists of three degrees nnd no more , viz ., thoso of tho Entered Apprentice , tho Fellow Craft , and the Master Mason , including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch . But this Article is not intended to prevent any Lodge or Chapter IVo'tt holding a meeting iu any of tho degrees of the Orders of Chivalrv , according to tho
Constitutions of the said Orders . It may , perhaps , be news to " If . " that , some of tho Rites which ho regards as " spurious" were in full working order for half a century before tho "Constitutions" drawn up at tho Union wero known , and wero plainly acknowledged by tho United Graud Lodgo of England in the above manner .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , LIVE AND LEI LIVE .
The Late Masonic Trial.
THE LATE MASONIC TRIAL .
To the Editor of the PRE '' . MASON ' CHRONICLE . DEMI SIR AND BROTHER , —1 have seen in the columns of your contemporary n letter from Bro . Tudor Trevor , ono of tho defendants in tho lato Masonic trial at Leeds , in which ho invites tho Craft to assist him in defraying fcho heavy costs , about £ 150 , ho has to pay in
connection with this unfortunate piece of litigation . Now I have no sympathy whatever with cither party to the suit , and I certainly have no wish to stand between Bro . Trevor aud thoso who may feel inclined to do him a service . Ifc is also not improbable thero is a good deal yet to be said on both sides beforo tho public will bo in a position to judge rightly of the merits of the dispute . But though ,
after the prominent part ho took in the objectionable squabble , it was hardly possible for Bro . Trevor to havo escaped being made a party to tho suit , the fraternity have a right to bo assured that he at all events is blameless as regards the earlier stages of the difference . If I assume , for the sake of argument , that Bro . Voigt and his friends did blackball Messrs . Tow and Casson , and did boast of having
done so in the hat and cloak room adjoining , as stated by Bro . Wells in his letter which appeared last week ; aud if I further assume thafc they did , as stated by the same brother , on the very next opportunity blackball some "joining brethren , one of whom was a P . M . ( twice ) and P . P . G . Officer , " theso assumptions , supposing them to be true , put Bro . Voigt and his friends in a worse light than any in which thoy have
as yet appeared . But do they put Bro . Trevor and those who acted with him in any better ? It was , to say the least , the height of bad taste on the part of Bros . Voigt & Co . to disclose the manner in which they voted , and to threaten to repeat thoir con'lnct on future occasions . The disclosure , however , was made , not in open Locige , but in ordinary conversation in an ante-room , and I fail to seo how any one of those
present when it was mado could-justifiably take cognisance of it and use it as a peg on which to hang a motion for exclusion from the Lodge . I quite allow it was an indecent , as well as a stupid , thing for Bros . Voigt & Co . to have said anything as to tho manner in which thoy had voted , but what thoy said in tho confidence of personal conversation should nofc havo boon used against them . But
assuming , I say , that what theso brethren did was unmasonic , is Bro . Tudor himself blameless , seeing thafc ho had mado for him almost the earliest possible opportunity for launching an hostile motion at the heads of thoso between whom nnd himself there would seem to have been irreconcilable differences ? The blackballing of Messrs . Tew and Casson is said to havo taken place at an emergency meeting held on
the 10 th January 1877 . According to Bro . Wells , Bro . Voigt and his friends followed up the new system then inaugurated by blackballing , " on the next opportunity , " certain brethren proposed as joining members . This must have boon on the 17 th of tho same month , as tho regular Lodge meetings are held on the third Wednesday , and within five days Bro . Trevor must have formulated his motion for
exclusion , and asked and obtained tho W . M . ' s permission to bring ifc forward afc an emergency meeting on the 29 th . All this haste seems inexplicable , except on the theory that Bro . Trevor and his friends were desirous of getting rid of Bro . Voigt and his friends without giving the Lodge time to fully and impartially consider the pros and cons of the matter in dispute . Clearly the Alexandra Lodge was
about this time divided against itself , and a strong feeling of exasperation animated the opposing parties , a feeling which neither the " system" of Bro . Voigt nor the policy of Bro . Trevor was in the slightest degree calculated to allay . I trust , therefore , the fraternity will await those further explanations which seem so necessary towards forming a correct judgment of
all tho circumstances ere they resolve cm assisting Bro . Trevor out of difficulties which from tho disclosures thus far mado he seems in sotno measure to have brought upon himself . Bro . Trevor may rest assured thafc if ho emerges from any further inquiry with flying colours , the delay will only intensify the sympathy which many already feel for him .
One other matter seems to call for explanation . Bro . Wells stated in his letter last week that , when Bro . Casson bad been blackballed , " it was suggested that Mr . Tow ' s name should bo withdrawn ; his proposer , however , declined to accede to this course , and the result was the same as in Mr . Cassou's case . " Did the failure of Mr . Casson , ¦ -vho had not , that I am aware of , beeu balloted for aud elected at a
meeting in 1875 , augur so well for tho success of Mr . Tew , who had , lint had never reciprocated the compliment paid him by the Lodge ; > y faking up his membership , that the latter ' s proposer was so sanguine of success ? Or was he actuated by any other motive less ippnrent or excusable ? All the difficulties aud doubts which can possibly arise in
con'lection with this most unseemly exhibition are most likely to be set at rest by adopting the course which you , Sir , have suggested , that : -, by referring the dispute to the Board of General Purposes , to bo d . 'alt with , on tho recommendation of that body , by Grand Lodge . Of course it will be painful for the Alexandra Lodge to have the old sore