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Article GRAND LODGE ← Page 6 of 9 →
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Grand Lodge
the Launceston Brethren were prepared with the material for the creation of new Lodges when they wished to obtain a Prov . GKM . to preside over them . ¥ e now come to another phase in the -dispute , and here we are compelled to admit thatthe Hobart Town Brethren were in the
wrong . On receiving his patent as Prov . Gr . M ., Bro . Ewing called npon Lodge 781 to make a return of its members , in order , as is alleged , that he might have an opportunity of selecting some of his provincial officers from amongst them . This return Bro . Toby , W . M . of 781 , refused to make—a refusal afterwards confirmed by the Lodge , on the ground that Bro . Ewing had not been installed
into his office . We agree with the R / W . D . GKM . that , according to the Book of Constitutions , the patent from the G . M . gives the power , and that therefore Bro . Ewing was correct in asking for the return . But surely a mere . error of judgment—a mere misreading of the Book of Constitutions—would not be a sufficient ground for
depriving any body of Masons of their position in the Craft ; and yet this is the strong point of contumacy urged , though it is attempted to be shown that it was aggravated by the refusal of the Lodge to attend the Prov . G-rand Lodge when summoned to do so . But let us look at the notice calling that
meetinga Masonic Hall , Lwmceston , 11 th April , 1857 " Worshipful Sir and Brother , —I beg to inform you , and through you the Brethren of No . 781 , that the installation of the Provincial Grand Master for Tasmania , and the constituting of the Provincial Grand Lodge will take place on Wednesday evening , 15 th inst ., at seven o ' clock , at the Masonic Hall , Launceston ; the representatives of No . 781 are invited to attened . Worshipful Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , "R . K . Ewing , " Prov . G . M , for Tasmania . "
" To Bro . C . Toby , Esq ., W . M . No . 781 . " This communication was received on the morning of the 13 th , and surely no one will say that it was sufficient notice to a lodge some of whose members live at a distance of twenty miles from Hobart Town , calling for them to be present at Launceston , a further distance of a hundred and twenty miles , on the 15 th—especially
when it is considered that railways have not yet made that progress in the colony they have in the mother country . The result was that Bro . Toby , on behalf of the Lodge , declined to attend or send representatives to the Prov . Grand Lodge , though he certainly went too far in refusing to acknowledge the authority of the Prov . G-. M . Of what followed we have no sufficient record before ns ,
and we will therefore take the statement of Lord Panmure , not doubting its substantial correctness . He saysu Under these circumstances Bro . Ewing , by the advice of the Prov Grand Lodge—under whose advice he had all along acted—proceeded , not hastily hut deliberately , for these misunderstandings had continued from March to May , to suspend Lodge No . 781 from its Masonic functions . But even after that Bro . Ewing did not stand upon the dignity of his office ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Grand Lodge
the Launceston Brethren were prepared with the material for the creation of new Lodges when they wished to obtain a Prov . GKM . to preside over them . ¥ e now come to another phase in the -dispute , and here we are compelled to admit thatthe Hobart Town Brethren were in the
wrong . On receiving his patent as Prov . Gr . M ., Bro . Ewing called npon Lodge 781 to make a return of its members , in order , as is alleged , that he might have an opportunity of selecting some of his provincial officers from amongst them . This return Bro . Toby , W . M . of 781 , refused to make—a refusal afterwards confirmed by the Lodge , on the ground that Bro . Ewing had not been installed
into his office . We agree with the R / W . D . GKM . that , according to the Book of Constitutions , the patent from the G . M . gives the power , and that therefore Bro . Ewing was correct in asking for the return . But surely a mere . error of judgment—a mere misreading of the Book of Constitutions—would not be a sufficient ground for
depriving any body of Masons of their position in the Craft ; and yet this is the strong point of contumacy urged , though it is attempted to be shown that it was aggravated by the refusal of the Lodge to attend the Prov . G-rand Lodge when summoned to do so . But let us look at the notice calling that
meetinga Masonic Hall , Lwmceston , 11 th April , 1857 " Worshipful Sir and Brother , —I beg to inform you , and through you the Brethren of No . 781 , that the installation of the Provincial Grand Master for Tasmania , and the constituting of the Provincial Grand Lodge will take place on Wednesday evening , 15 th inst ., at seven o ' clock , at the Masonic Hall , Launceston ; the representatives of No . 781 are invited to attened . Worshipful Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , "R . K . Ewing , " Prov . G . M , for Tasmania . "
" To Bro . C . Toby , Esq ., W . M . No . 781 . " This communication was received on the morning of the 13 th , and surely no one will say that it was sufficient notice to a lodge some of whose members live at a distance of twenty miles from Hobart Town , calling for them to be present at Launceston , a further distance of a hundred and twenty miles , on the 15 th—especially
when it is considered that railways have not yet made that progress in the colony they have in the mother country . The result was that Bro . Toby , on behalf of the Lodge , declined to attend or send representatives to the Prov . Grand Lodge , though he certainly went too far in refusing to acknowledge the authority of the Prov . G-. M . Of what followed we have no sufficient record before ns ,
and we will therefore take the statement of Lord Panmure , not doubting its substantial correctness . He saysu Under these circumstances Bro . Ewing , by the advice of the Prov Grand Lodge—under whose advice he had all along acted—proceeded , not hastily hut deliberately , for these misunderstandings had continued from March to May , to suspend Lodge No . 781 from its Masonic functions . But even after that Bro . Ewing did not stand upon the dignity of his office ,