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Article GRAND LODGE. 1 ← Page 5 of 6 →
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Grand Lodge. 1
"We own that much as we deplore what has taken place in Canada , " —much as we believe they had many real grievances to complain of , —much as we should desire to see all diiferences healed and the " unity" of the Masonic body preserved , — -we have been compelled to arrive at the conclusion that until the Canadian Brethren are more agreed amongst themselves there is no other course open to the M . W . G . M . to adopt than that which he has taken ; and we can ,
therefore , only hope that time , which " works w onders , may restore a better and a more cordial feeling , not only amongst the Canadian Brethren , hut with the Grand Lodge of England , than would seem likely for some few years to exist , Having dwelt so long on the one black spot in the Masonic history of the year , it is with the greater pleasure we refer to those points which show the real and substantial progress which Freemasonry is
making , and the general harmony existing amongst its members . ISTo sooner did the M . W . G . M ., in April last , appoint his officers for the year , than it w as evident that one or two of his ministerial changes were for the better , and that a spirit of conservative liberality and progress marked the councils of the noble lord . We use the term conservative liberality because we are as opposed to all rash changes in either the letter or the spirit of our constitutions as any brother can possibly be , whilst we at the same time hold that it
would be as impossible for Freemasons as for any other body of men to ignore the spirit of the age , and altogether refuse to make those modifications in their laws which time had shown to be not only necessary , but likely to be advantageous to the Order . Amongst the first concessions was one for which we had long been contending , and which we are bound the more especially to acknowledge because it in some degree affects the position which we hold in the Craft , —
viz ., the permission graciously accorded by the M . W . G . M . for the publication of the proceedings in Grand and private Lodges , where they in no manner affect the principles or secrets of our Order . We regard this permission as of the greater importance because we are aware that when both sides of a question can be fairly heard , as they can through an accurately reported debate , much misconception and prejudice relative to the objects and motives of contending parties becomes swept away , and the result will be only an harmonious
contest as to which can suggest measures the most likely to prove conducive to the general good . We admit that the permission of the M . W . G . M . for publication was accompanied by a condition , but it is one of so easy a nature that we cheerfully accepted it ; viz ., that we should publish nothing tending to betray the secrets of the Order ,
and that we should be held responsible for the correctness of our reports . The condition was one of which all must admit the justice , for if our reports were not as scrupulously correct as it is possible to render them , they would be of no value , and the Magazine would justly lose the position it is proud to hold as a prized organ of the Craft . Another measure of great importance has also been carried , —that of issuing the agenda paper ten days before the meetings of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Grand Lodge. 1
"We own that much as we deplore what has taken place in Canada , " —much as we believe they had many real grievances to complain of , —much as we should desire to see all diiferences healed and the " unity" of the Masonic body preserved , — -we have been compelled to arrive at the conclusion that until the Canadian Brethren are more agreed amongst themselves there is no other course open to the M . W . G . M . to adopt than that which he has taken ; and we can ,
therefore , only hope that time , which " works w onders , may restore a better and a more cordial feeling , not only amongst the Canadian Brethren , hut with the Grand Lodge of England , than would seem likely for some few years to exist , Having dwelt so long on the one black spot in the Masonic history of the year , it is with the greater pleasure we refer to those points which show the real and substantial progress which Freemasonry is
making , and the general harmony existing amongst its members . ISTo sooner did the M . W . G . M ., in April last , appoint his officers for the year , than it w as evident that one or two of his ministerial changes were for the better , and that a spirit of conservative liberality and progress marked the councils of the noble lord . We use the term conservative liberality because we are as opposed to all rash changes in either the letter or the spirit of our constitutions as any brother can possibly be , whilst we at the same time hold that it
would be as impossible for Freemasons as for any other body of men to ignore the spirit of the age , and altogether refuse to make those modifications in their laws which time had shown to be not only necessary , but likely to be advantageous to the Order . Amongst the first concessions was one for which we had long been contending , and which we are bound the more especially to acknowledge because it in some degree affects the position which we hold in the Craft , —
viz ., the permission graciously accorded by the M . W . G . M . for the publication of the proceedings in Grand and private Lodges , where they in no manner affect the principles or secrets of our Order . We regard this permission as of the greater importance because we are aware that when both sides of a question can be fairly heard , as they can through an accurately reported debate , much misconception and prejudice relative to the objects and motives of contending parties becomes swept away , and the result will be only an harmonious
contest as to which can suggest measures the most likely to prove conducive to the general good . We admit that the permission of the M . W . G . M . for publication was accompanied by a condition , but it is one of so easy a nature that we cheerfully accepted it ; viz ., that we should publish nothing tending to betray the secrets of the Order ,
and that we should be held responsible for the correctness of our reports . The condition was one of which all must admit the justice , for if our reports were not as scrupulously correct as it is possible to render them , they would be of no value , and the Magazine would justly lose the position it is proud to hold as a prized organ of the Craft . Another measure of great importance has also been carried , —that of issuing the agenda paper ten days before the meetings of