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Article THE CANADAS. Page 1 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Canadas.
THE CANADAS .
We have received a reply from Bro . Harington , late Provincial Grand Master for Quebec , to the Most Worshipful Grand Master ' s letter , presented at the quarterly communication of Grand Lodge on the 3 rd of last month , which we can have no scruple in laying before our readers , inasmuch as Bro . Harington has himself put it into print ;
and certainly a more thorough , dissection of a document than the reply of Bro . Harington to the letter of the Most Worshipful Grand Master was never presented to any body of men—its most honeyed phrases are interspersed with , a dash of bitters which , none but a most perfect master of the language could indite , and which give a peculiar pungency to the reply . After thanking the Most Worshipful Grand Master for the courteous manner in which he had accepted his ( Bro .
Harington ' s ) resignation of the office of Provincial Grand Master for Quebec , he expresses his opinion that , though there may be still stray Lodges hailing from England , the time has come when " the majority of the Craft ( in Canada ) neither can nor will consent to acknowledge allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England . " Alluding to the neglect with which Colonial Lodges were for too long treated , Bro . Harington says : —
" Your Lordship must acknowledge that for many years past they have only been regarded in a pecuniary light—that is , the annual revenue derived from them has kept them from nearly entire oblivion . As for a voice a , t the fountain head , that has never been thought of , and " money" '' obedience" have been the principal results derived from their connexion with the Grand Lodge of Great Britain and Ireland . "
Bro . Harington then justly remarks on the difficulties which Masonry labours under in the colonies from the divided authorities of the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland , each of which grant charters to the colonists , thus destroying all idea of Masonic unity . Thus , he says : —
" English Masons have procured charters from the Grand Lodge of Scotland and Ireland , without either of the latter bodies deeming it at all requisite to appeal to England for proofs of good standing or any other essential , and in this loose manner a standard of Independence ( for it may surely be classed as such ) , lias been set up for many years . "
This irregularity or divided responsibility , Bro . Harington properly regards as only to be settled by a sovereign Grand Lodge for the Canadian colonies themselves ; and here wo feel that lie is right , not only as regards the Canadian Lodges , but that the day is not far vol , it . 2 s
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Canadas.
THE CANADAS .
We have received a reply from Bro . Harington , late Provincial Grand Master for Quebec , to the Most Worshipful Grand Master ' s letter , presented at the quarterly communication of Grand Lodge on the 3 rd of last month , which we can have no scruple in laying before our readers , inasmuch as Bro . Harington has himself put it into print ;
and certainly a more thorough , dissection of a document than the reply of Bro . Harington to the letter of the Most Worshipful Grand Master was never presented to any body of men—its most honeyed phrases are interspersed with , a dash of bitters which , none but a most perfect master of the language could indite , and which give a peculiar pungency to the reply . After thanking the Most Worshipful Grand Master for the courteous manner in which he had accepted his ( Bro .
Harington ' s ) resignation of the office of Provincial Grand Master for Quebec , he expresses his opinion that , though there may be still stray Lodges hailing from England , the time has come when " the majority of the Craft ( in Canada ) neither can nor will consent to acknowledge allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England . " Alluding to the neglect with which Colonial Lodges were for too long treated , Bro . Harington says : —
" Your Lordship must acknowledge that for many years past they have only been regarded in a pecuniary light—that is , the annual revenue derived from them has kept them from nearly entire oblivion . As for a voice a , t the fountain head , that has never been thought of , and " money" '' obedience" have been the principal results derived from their connexion with the Grand Lodge of Great Britain and Ireland . "
Bro . Harington then justly remarks on the difficulties which Masonry labours under in the colonies from the divided authorities of the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland , each of which grant charters to the colonists , thus destroying all idea of Masonic unity . Thus , he says : —
" English Masons have procured charters from the Grand Lodge of Scotland and Ireland , without either of the latter bodies deeming it at all requisite to appeal to England for proofs of good standing or any other essential , and in this loose manner a standard of Independence ( for it may surely be classed as such ) , lias been set up for many years . "
This irregularity or divided responsibility , Bro . Harington properly regards as only to be settled by a sovereign Grand Lodge for the Canadian colonies themselves ; and here wo feel that lie is right , not only as regards the Canadian Lodges , but that the day is not far vol , it . 2 s