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Article THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP. Page 1 of 1 Article THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP. Page 1 of 1
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The Grand Treasurership.
THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP .
THE loyalty of English Freemasons towards their Grand Master , and the respect they show for his every action , are fully exemplified by the way in which they endorse the selections he makes year by year of brethren on whom to confer the dignities of Grand Lodge
office , and b y the unanimity of the recognition they accord thoso brethren whenever an opportunity presents itself . Freemasonry knows nothing of those distinctions which in other organizations entitle leaders to respect from one
section , half-hearted agreement from another , and open opposition from a third ; its members are actuated by no party spirit , or class opinion , but unite in according to the
heads of the Brotherhood one continuous round of approval throughout ° the length ancl breadth of the land . Few brethren are aware of the rule—even if there he one—which
guides the Most Worshipful the Grand Master in his annual selection of Officers , while there is no one , we are convinced , who questions the justice of the choice made b y His Royal Highness . It matters not who the officers
are , or what they have done for Freemasonry ; all the brethren need to know is , that their Grand Master has considered them worthy of the highest distinction , and that is sufficient to call forth the approval of
the entire Craft . Brethren are selected who are unknown , perhaps even by name , to the large majority of English Freemasons , yet their reception is no less hearty , or the honour shown towards them no less sincere than if
they were well known and highly respected outside the limits of Freemasonry . Undoubtedl y the Grand Officers of England individually are more enthusiastically received iu their own particular district than elsewhere , ancl this is not
to be wondered at , as it is but natural a man ' s personal friends should be louder in congratulation than others who only know him as the holder of a position of honour ; but , as a body , the Grand Officers are sure of as hearty a
welcome in one quarter of the kingdom as they are in any other , and this proves the existence of that unanimity which forms so important a feature in the working of Freemasonry . The Antient Charges and Regulations of the
Craft enjoin on every candidate for the Master ' s chair the necessity of holding in veneration the ori ginal Rulers ancl Patrons of the Order , and their regular Successors , supreme and subordinate , according to their stations . Rio-ht ,
nobly do the brethren , as a body , recognise the princi ple of this Charge , and zealously do they support its teachings No matter to what office a brother may be appointed by the Grand Master , he will be looked upon as a regular
successor to the original Rulers and Patrons of the Order , and honoured accordingly . A question presents itself at the present time in connection with one of the offices of Grand Lodge which , although easily answered , is yet
worthy of passing consideration . Will the brethren always show the same amount of respect towards their own selections for grand honours as they have hitherto evinced towards the appointments of the Grand Master ? In other
words will they always honour the Grancl Treasurer of the year and his predecessors—who are the onl y Grancl Officers selected by tbe brethren themselves—with the same spirit
they have hitherto evinced ? We think we may undoubtedl y say yes , as we feel tbere is little fear of the dignity of the office of Grancl Treasurer ever being lessened by the appointment of a brother unworthy of the honour , There
The Grand Treasurership.
may , perhaps , be some who feel that the return may be secured of a brother hardly worth y of the distinction , but their fears are unfounded , as results will prove . It is not on this ground that discredit will be brought upon the
amendment recently made to annually transfer the collar of Grancl Treasurer—those who are selected will be worthy of the distinction , but there may perhaps be a question as to the ultimate result of an annual contest , for contest wo
must call it , if the election is to bo surrounded with the same characteristics which have marked it in the past , We can only hope that the brotherly spirit which actuates Freemasons in their other actions rnav make itself felt here
also , and that the success or failure of one or other of the candidates will not give rise to jealousy or envy among * their respective supporters . As wc have already said , we have little or no fear of disaster , at the same time ,
however , we must recognize the possibility of jealousy arising ; accordingly it is wise to look at the matter from snch a point of view , and to shape our conduct accordingly . In
our official capacity as chronicler's of the doings of Freemasons , and of the working of Freemasonry , it would ill become us to recommend one or other of the candidates and
make a point of espousing his cause ; but though at the same time we feel it our duty to show no favour nor make any distinctions , yet as the medium erf onr columns is one of the few methods by which the merits of the respective
candidates can be placed before the Craft , we feel justified in devoting some of our space to each of them as his wish to aspire to the honours of the office is made known to us .
The first of whom we have any definite information as regards the next election is Bro . Richard Biddul ph Martin , and the announcement that he wonld be put in nomination for the office was publicly made at the
installation meeting * of The Great City Lodge on the 10 th instant , as reported in our last issue . Bro . Martin was initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry somo twenty-five years nrro . in the Westminster and Kevstone Lodye . No . 10 . - ¦«
T )~ l _ " ~ - ~ j" — o -J . ^ . ^ j and at the present time he is Treasurer of that Lodge . He is a Past Master of the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 708 ( formerly No . 1010 ) , and one of the founders , and present
Treasurer of the White Horse of Kent Lodge , No . 1506 . As a Royal Arch Freemason ho is a member of the Westminster and Keystone Chapter , No . 10 , while in the Mark Degree he owes allegiance to the Carnarvon Lodge of Mark
Master Masons ; ancl in the Rose Croix to the Oxford and Cambridge Chapter . He is a Life Governor of the Three Institutions , and never having been honoured with the purple of either Grand or Provincial Grand Lodge , may be
looked upon as a veritable representative of Blue Masonry . Outside Freemasonry Bro . Martin holds tlio distinction of J . P . for the County of Kent , and he is also M . P . for Tewkesbury , the representation of which is , under the new
act , merged in the county . He will contest Chelmsford at tbe next election . In the City of London he holds a position which has won for him tho respect and esteem of his fellow Citizens , and we doubt not that should he bo
selected for the dignity of Grand Treasurer of English Freemasons , he will not only maintain the reputation of the office , but even add additional lustre to it . We wish him , in company with the other candidates for the
post , every success , aud trust that the best man may be the one selected . The choice rests with the Craftsmen of England , ancl we can confidentl y leave the decision to them ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Grand Treasurership.
THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP .
THE loyalty of English Freemasons towards their Grand Master , and the respect they show for his every action , are fully exemplified by the way in which they endorse the selections he makes year by year of brethren on whom to confer the dignities of Grand Lodge
office , and b y the unanimity of the recognition they accord thoso brethren whenever an opportunity presents itself . Freemasonry knows nothing of those distinctions which in other organizations entitle leaders to respect from one
section , half-hearted agreement from another , and open opposition from a third ; its members are actuated by no party spirit , or class opinion , but unite in according to the
heads of the Brotherhood one continuous round of approval throughout ° the length ancl breadth of the land . Few brethren are aware of the rule—even if there he one—which
guides the Most Worshipful the Grand Master in his annual selection of Officers , while there is no one , we are convinced , who questions the justice of the choice made b y His Royal Highness . It matters not who the officers
are , or what they have done for Freemasonry ; all the brethren need to know is , that their Grand Master has considered them worthy of the highest distinction , and that is sufficient to call forth the approval of
the entire Craft . Brethren are selected who are unknown , perhaps even by name , to the large majority of English Freemasons , yet their reception is no less hearty , or the honour shown towards them no less sincere than if
they were well known and highly respected outside the limits of Freemasonry . Undoubtedl y the Grand Officers of England individually are more enthusiastically received iu their own particular district than elsewhere , ancl this is not
to be wondered at , as it is but natural a man ' s personal friends should be louder in congratulation than others who only know him as the holder of a position of honour ; but , as a body , the Grand Officers are sure of as hearty a
welcome in one quarter of the kingdom as they are in any other , and this proves the existence of that unanimity which forms so important a feature in the working of Freemasonry . The Antient Charges and Regulations of the
Craft enjoin on every candidate for the Master ' s chair the necessity of holding in veneration the ori ginal Rulers ancl Patrons of the Order , and their regular Successors , supreme and subordinate , according to their stations . Rio-ht ,
nobly do the brethren , as a body , recognise the princi ple of this Charge , and zealously do they support its teachings No matter to what office a brother may be appointed by the Grand Master , he will be looked upon as a regular
successor to the original Rulers and Patrons of the Order , and honoured accordingly . A question presents itself at the present time in connection with one of the offices of Grand Lodge which , although easily answered , is yet
worthy of passing consideration . Will the brethren always show the same amount of respect towards their own selections for grand honours as they have hitherto evinced towards the appointments of the Grand Master ? In other
words will they always honour the Grancl Treasurer of the year and his predecessors—who are the onl y Grancl Officers selected by tbe brethren themselves—with the same spirit
they have hitherto evinced ? We think we may undoubtedl y say yes , as we feel tbere is little fear of the dignity of the office of Grancl Treasurer ever being lessened by the appointment of a brother unworthy of the honour , There
The Grand Treasurership.
may , perhaps , be some who feel that the return may be secured of a brother hardly worth y of the distinction , but their fears are unfounded , as results will prove . It is not on this ground that discredit will be brought upon the
amendment recently made to annually transfer the collar of Grancl Treasurer—those who are selected will be worthy of the distinction , but there may perhaps be a question as to the ultimate result of an annual contest , for contest wo
must call it , if the election is to bo surrounded with the same characteristics which have marked it in the past , We can only hope that the brotherly spirit which actuates Freemasons in their other actions rnav make itself felt here
also , and that the success or failure of one or other of the candidates will not give rise to jealousy or envy among * their respective supporters . As wc have already said , we have little or no fear of disaster , at the same time ,
however , we must recognize the possibility of jealousy arising ; accordingly it is wise to look at the matter from snch a point of view , and to shape our conduct accordingly . In
our official capacity as chronicler's of the doings of Freemasons , and of the working of Freemasonry , it would ill become us to recommend one or other of the candidates and
make a point of espousing his cause ; but though at the same time we feel it our duty to show no favour nor make any distinctions , yet as the medium erf onr columns is one of the few methods by which the merits of the respective
candidates can be placed before the Craft , we feel justified in devoting some of our space to each of them as his wish to aspire to the honours of the office is made known to us .
The first of whom we have any definite information as regards the next election is Bro . Richard Biddul ph Martin , and the announcement that he wonld be put in nomination for the office was publicly made at the
installation meeting * of The Great City Lodge on the 10 th instant , as reported in our last issue . Bro . Martin was initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry somo twenty-five years nrro . in the Westminster and Kevstone Lodye . No . 10 . - ¦«
T )~ l _ " ~ - ~ j" — o -J . ^ . ^ j and at the present time he is Treasurer of that Lodge . He is a Past Master of the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 708 ( formerly No . 1010 ) , and one of the founders , and present
Treasurer of the White Horse of Kent Lodge , No . 1506 . As a Royal Arch Freemason ho is a member of the Westminster and Keystone Chapter , No . 10 , while in the Mark Degree he owes allegiance to the Carnarvon Lodge of Mark
Master Masons ; ancl in the Rose Croix to the Oxford and Cambridge Chapter . He is a Life Governor of the Three Institutions , and never having been honoured with the purple of either Grand or Provincial Grand Lodge , may be
looked upon as a veritable representative of Blue Masonry . Outside Freemasonry Bro . Martin holds tlio distinction of J . P . for the County of Kent , and he is also M . P . for Tewkesbury , the representation of which is , under the new
act , merged in the county . He will contest Chelmsford at tbe next election . In the City of London he holds a position which has won for him tho respect and esteem of his fellow Citizens , and we doubt not that should he bo
selected for the dignity of Grand Treasurer of English Freemasons , he will not only maintain the reputation of the office , but even add additional lustre to it . We wish him , in company with the other candidates for the
post , every success , aud trust that the best man may be the one selected . The choice rests with the Craftsmen of England , ancl we can confidentl y leave the decision to them ,