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Article THE -MASONIC MIEEOlt. ← Page 8 of 10 →
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The -Masonic Mieeolt.
be made wherebythe suspension should be taken off No . 781 , and the members restored to their Masonic functions . They asked Bro . Ewing to suggest some means by which that might be done . He then said he would chaw out the form of a petition for them to sign , with the slightest possible recognition of his authority , so as not to hurt their feelings . If they would sign that petition he would , he said , make a representation of the matter to Grand Lodge , and set things all right . He drew upthat petition for ' them ; but after he left Hobarfc
Town a , new spirit seems to have come over them , for out of all the members of the Lodge only five individuals were found to sign it . The Brethren who so signed the petition were restored by the Brov . G . M . to their Masonic functions ; and it will be my duty before I resume my seat to propose to you a motion to confirm that restoration . We gather from all this that there is a bad spirit and a spirit of jealousy between the two principal towns in Tasmania—Hobart Town and Launceston ; and I am sorry to say that that bad spirit has extended itself
from the towns to their Masonic Lodges . But that , you will agree with me , is no reason why we should not all do our best , first of all , to maintain the authority of the Grand officers , or rather the officer appointed by the G . M . ; and secondly , to bring the contumacious to a sense of what they have offended in . The prayer of Bro . Toby is this : he and those who have signed the memorial ask that the Province of Tasmania should be divided in to two separate Provinces , and that Hobart Town should be one of those Brovinoes ; and , to effect that , they petition for two new warrants for Lodges , to be severally calledthe ' Der went ' and the
' Pacific . ' These applications of theirs are curiously signed . They are not signed by independent Brethren wishing to constitute new Lodges , but only by the Brethren of No . 781—plainly showing the intention to split up the one" Lodge into three to make a Province . We do not wish to interfere with the prerogative of the G . M ., but we may say that it would not be a right thing to divide a single province into two under such circumstances , and that too , while the Lodge which asks to have the Province broken up is contumacious . It w ould not do to listen to any application for the erection of a Province at Hobart Town . But it has been stated that it is
impossible for the G . M . to confer on Hobart Town proper Masonic privileges . That is not so ; because Bro . Toby himself acknowledges that Bro . Ewing intimated his willingness to take his D . G . M . from No . 781 , and every year to hold a Grand Lodge at Hobart Town : thus showing every disposition to extend harmony throughout the Province , and govern it in a true Masonic spirit . As to the present Masonic arrangements in Tasmania , the M . W . G . M . has stated to me that as , in the course of time , the population there may extend itself into other cities , and Masonry , as it is hoped , increase with the population , he will not be indisposed to create new Provinces there ; but he must , in every instance , he
satisfied that there are enough of Lodges in the district to entitle it to be made a Province of , and Masons connected with them deserving of the rank of Grand officers . I have thus stated to you the gist of this matter , and I shall conclude by proposing that we assert the authority of the Prov . G . M . in Tasmania , because I do think that if we do not assert the authority of the officers of the M . W . G . M . abroad , we are likely to throw Masonry into confusion ; for whatever may become of dynasties and states , Masonry must remain the same now and for ever , for it contains within itself the principles of union , harmony , and Christian fellowship ; and if we do not exert ourselves to maintain the authority of those whom we appoint to preside over us we shall not do that justice to the Craft which in
our hearts we are anxious to do . " The noble lord concluded by moving the following resolution : — " That the Grand Lodge dismisses this appeal , and expresses its condemnation of the conduct of Bro . Toby ; it declares its perfect confidence in the readiness of the Grand Master to appoint additional Provincial Grand Masters wherever the interests of the Craft require them , and sanctions the release from suspension of Bros . John Woodcock Graves , Robert Walker , Frederick Bobert Lee , Edward Burns , and Alfred Priestley , as recommended by the Provincial Grand Master of Tasmania ; it also empowers him to restore , if he shall see fit , to their Masonic functions , any ' of the Brethren who are now under
suspension . ' Bro . Roxburgh seconded the motion
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The -Masonic Mieeolt.
be made wherebythe suspension should be taken off No . 781 , and the members restored to their Masonic functions . They asked Bro . Ewing to suggest some means by which that might be done . He then said he would chaw out the form of a petition for them to sign , with the slightest possible recognition of his authority , so as not to hurt their feelings . If they would sign that petition he would , he said , make a representation of the matter to Grand Lodge , and set things all right . He drew upthat petition for ' them ; but after he left Hobarfc
Town a , new spirit seems to have come over them , for out of all the members of the Lodge only five individuals were found to sign it . The Brethren who so signed the petition were restored by the Brov . G . M . to their Masonic functions ; and it will be my duty before I resume my seat to propose to you a motion to confirm that restoration . We gather from all this that there is a bad spirit and a spirit of jealousy between the two principal towns in Tasmania—Hobart Town and Launceston ; and I am sorry to say that that bad spirit has extended itself
from the towns to their Masonic Lodges . But that , you will agree with me , is no reason why we should not all do our best , first of all , to maintain the authority of the Grand officers , or rather the officer appointed by the G . M . ; and secondly , to bring the contumacious to a sense of what they have offended in . The prayer of Bro . Toby is this : he and those who have signed the memorial ask that the Province of Tasmania should be divided in to two separate Provinces , and that Hobart Town should be one of those Brovinoes ; and , to effect that , they petition for two new warrants for Lodges , to be severally calledthe ' Der went ' and the
' Pacific . ' These applications of theirs are curiously signed . They are not signed by independent Brethren wishing to constitute new Lodges , but only by the Brethren of No . 781—plainly showing the intention to split up the one" Lodge into three to make a Province . We do not wish to interfere with the prerogative of the G . M ., but we may say that it would not be a right thing to divide a single province into two under such circumstances , and that too , while the Lodge which asks to have the Province broken up is contumacious . It w ould not do to listen to any application for the erection of a Province at Hobart Town . But it has been stated that it is
impossible for the G . M . to confer on Hobart Town proper Masonic privileges . That is not so ; because Bro . Toby himself acknowledges that Bro . Ewing intimated his willingness to take his D . G . M . from No . 781 , and every year to hold a Grand Lodge at Hobart Town : thus showing every disposition to extend harmony throughout the Province , and govern it in a true Masonic spirit . As to the present Masonic arrangements in Tasmania , the M . W . G . M . has stated to me that as , in the course of time , the population there may extend itself into other cities , and Masonry , as it is hoped , increase with the population , he will not be indisposed to create new Provinces there ; but he must , in every instance , he
satisfied that there are enough of Lodges in the district to entitle it to be made a Province of , and Masons connected with them deserving of the rank of Grand officers . I have thus stated to you the gist of this matter , and I shall conclude by proposing that we assert the authority of the Prov . G . M . in Tasmania , because I do think that if we do not assert the authority of the officers of the M . W . G . M . abroad , we are likely to throw Masonry into confusion ; for whatever may become of dynasties and states , Masonry must remain the same now and for ever , for it contains within itself the principles of union , harmony , and Christian fellowship ; and if we do not exert ourselves to maintain the authority of those whom we appoint to preside over us we shall not do that justice to the Craft which in
our hearts we are anxious to do . " The noble lord concluded by moving the following resolution : — " That the Grand Lodge dismisses this appeal , and expresses its condemnation of the conduct of Bro . Toby ; it declares its perfect confidence in the readiness of the Grand Master to appoint additional Provincial Grand Masters wherever the interests of the Craft require them , and sanctions the release from suspension of Bros . John Woodcock Graves , Robert Walker , Frederick Bobert Lee , Edward Burns , and Alfred Priestley , as recommended by the Provincial Grand Master of Tasmania ; it also empowers him to restore , if he shall see fit , to their Masonic functions , any ' of the Brethren who are now under
suspension . ' Bro . Roxburgh seconded the motion