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Article MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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Masonic Notes And Queries.
to the suspicion that this inestimable gift of God to man is not held in as hi g h estimation by our Georgia brethren as it should he . We hope our fears on this point are groundless . —Vermont Report on Correspondence . —Ex . Ex .
HINTS TO MODERN SOLOMON S ON TEMPLE BUILDING-. At an adjourned , or special communication of the Grand Lodge on " Wednesday , Sept . 25 th , 1857 , it was voted to sell the Masonic Temple in Boston , a liberal price having been offered for it by responsible parties . The discussion upon the subject was animated and earnestbut the measure was finally carried by a large
, majority . Having disposed of the old temple , we understand ifc is the desire of our Boston brethren that a new , and more magnifieut aud costly edifice should be erected , on some eligible spot in the city , to he used for the same purposes . This is a matter which deserves careful thoughtand Ave hope it will
, receive ifc . It is a debatable question whether it is policy or right for the lodges of this commouAvealth to run in debt for such a purpose . So far as the meetings of the Grand Lodge is concerned , we are of opinion that it would be far better for the Craft , if at least the quarterly communications were held in
some other city than Boston . This would afford our country lodges an opportunity to he represented in Grand Lodge Avithout drawing so hard upon their means at present , and at the same time measurably neutralise those influences that always will he active in alienating the feeliugswhere any city in a state is
, the recipient of a large share of the honours and profits . The country lodges pay a large tax to support the Grand Lodge , and if anything can be clone to lessen the burden , without injury to the cause , it should receiA'e our careful attention . We da not
believe it adA'isahle that the Grand Lodge of Mass , should build another Masonic Temple , if the present one is sold , either in Boston or anywhere else . If the Masons in that city wish for a Temple to rival or surpass Phila ., or any other city , let them build one themselves . They are abundantly able to do so . But let not the money of our poorer brethren in the
country be taken for such a purpose . They are taxed full strong now . Having already a large fund for -charity , Ave do not believe in taxing the present generation any further for the support of future ones . They will doubtless be as well able to support their own poor as Ave are to support both ours and theirs .
While the Grand Lodge of Maine , Avith an equal number of lodges , can support itself handsomely with a small tax of two dollars on each new initiate , and at the same time they cau publish a large and instructive volume each year , beside which ours is miserly small and meagre , we do not see why our
Grand Lodge need tax its subordinates six dollars each , annually , and five dollars for each new iuitiate . The cost of printing cannot be half as much , and the labours of the Grand Master , D . D . G . Master , Grand Treasurer , and Grand Secretary cauuot be much greater than in the above-mentioned state . Look at
it in any way we cau , it seems to us that tho subordinate lodges in this commonwealth are alread y paying too large a tax for the benefit received , and had better institute measures to lessen it rather than to . increase so grievous a burden , whether it be to ornament a city , or support the poor of a future generation . We hope , therefore , that our country lodges
will fully consider this matter , and when the time comes to act will instruct their representatives how to vote in the Grand Lodge , that there may he no mistake , and no undue influences brought to bear to favour any city or the state . The Grand Lodge use a hall but a few times iu the course of the year , and as they nowwith a Temple of their ownhire a room
, , for the use of the Grand Master , Treasury , and Secretary , we think they would do as well to hire a hall for their communications , as they may want to use one . We have reasons to doubt the justice of the lodges in this commonwealth furnishing our Boston brethren with superior accommodations for less
money than it costs many of our country lodges—or even at any price . We can see no reason Avhy our money should be invested for such a purpose . The lodges in Boston have been highly favoured in times past , both in regard to their use of the Temple , and
in the selection of so very large a proportion of the Grand Officers from their ranks . We can see no sufficient reason AA'hy either should be so . We beg to be understood as expressing in this matter not merely our own individual opinion , but the feelings of very many of our best members , and we do it with frankness and earnestnessand without bitterness
, or ill-will to any . We have before our eyes , in New York and Pennsylvania , sad examples of the accumulation of power iu the hands of a single city , and now is a favourable time for the fraternity to guard against a possible occurrence of a similar state of things in this stale . The universal testimony is against such
a centralisation , aud Ave hope before taking measures to invest the funds arising from the sale of the Masonic Temple , the brethren in all parts of the state will carefull y consider what is best to promote the general interests of the Craft throughout our whole commouAvealth , and act accordingly .
PIiUDD S TRACTS IN DEFENCE 01 ? THE ORDER , OE ROSE CROIX . A third letter from " Omicron" has been forwarded to me . I fear he professes more than he performs . Were he , although " " not a subscriber , " yet still , as the word used by him must he taken to imply , a " constant
reader , " of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , my answer to the inquiries of his first letter could not have escaped his observation . Let him get the number for the 5 th of March last . What he will hud there accords with his suggestion respecting John Yalentine Andre . The residence of my grandson , Arthur ,
Viscount De la Gueriviere is , as " Omicron" supposes , the Chateau of Coulomsues , near Eheims . The pinnacles may be seen from several parts of that famous old city . The distance is about an hour's easy walk . The brother , described as " Travelling on foot through the Eastern Departments of Franceand visiting the
, lodges in his way , " ha 3 not made his appearance at Coulomsues , and " Omicron ' s" second letter , intrusted to his care , has not reached its destination . " Omicron" now asks some questions as to Robert Fludd . My Masonic Common Place-book , however , contains no information concerning him , that may not be
obtained from many sources , acceptable to all literary men . According to my Denton Court Jottings , Fludd Avas a member of the Order of Rose Croix , and wrote tAvo tracts in defence of it , both extremely rare -. — "Apologia compendiaria , fraternitatem de Rosea-Cruce " suspicionis et infamise maculis aspersam
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Notes And Queries.
to the suspicion that this inestimable gift of God to man is not held in as hi g h estimation by our Georgia brethren as it should he . We hope our fears on this point are groundless . —Vermont Report on Correspondence . —Ex . Ex .
HINTS TO MODERN SOLOMON S ON TEMPLE BUILDING-. At an adjourned , or special communication of the Grand Lodge on " Wednesday , Sept . 25 th , 1857 , it was voted to sell the Masonic Temple in Boston , a liberal price having been offered for it by responsible parties . The discussion upon the subject was animated and earnestbut the measure was finally carried by a large
, majority . Having disposed of the old temple , we understand ifc is the desire of our Boston brethren that a new , and more magnifieut aud costly edifice should be erected , on some eligible spot in the city , to he used for the same purposes . This is a matter which deserves careful thoughtand Ave hope it will
, receive ifc . It is a debatable question whether it is policy or right for the lodges of this commouAvealth to run in debt for such a purpose . So far as the meetings of the Grand Lodge is concerned , we are of opinion that it would be far better for the Craft , if at least the quarterly communications were held in
some other city than Boston . This would afford our country lodges an opportunity to he represented in Grand Lodge Avithout drawing so hard upon their means at present , and at the same time measurably neutralise those influences that always will he active in alienating the feeliugswhere any city in a state is
, the recipient of a large share of the honours and profits . The country lodges pay a large tax to support the Grand Lodge , and if anything can be clone to lessen the burden , without injury to the cause , it should receiA'e our careful attention . We da not
believe it adA'isahle that the Grand Lodge of Mass , should build another Masonic Temple , if the present one is sold , either in Boston or anywhere else . If the Masons in that city wish for a Temple to rival or surpass Phila ., or any other city , let them build one themselves . They are abundantly able to do so . But let not the money of our poorer brethren in the
country be taken for such a purpose . They are taxed full strong now . Having already a large fund for -charity , Ave do not believe in taxing the present generation any further for the support of future ones . They will doubtless be as well able to support their own poor as Ave are to support both ours and theirs .
While the Grand Lodge of Maine , Avith an equal number of lodges , can support itself handsomely with a small tax of two dollars on each new initiate , and at the same time they cau publish a large and instructive volume each year , beside which ours is miserly small and meagre , we do not see why our
Grand Lodge need tax its subordinates six dollars each , annually , and five dollars for each new iuitiate . The cost of printing cannot be half as much , and the labours of the Grand Master , D . D . G . Master , Grand Treasurer , and Grand Secretary cauuot be much greater than in the above-mentioned state . Look at
it in any way we cau , it seems to us that tho subordinate lodges in this commonwealth are alread y paying too large a tax for the benefit received , and had better institute measures to lessen it rather than to . increase so grievous a burden , whether it be to ornament a city , or support the poor of a future generation . We hope , therefore , that our country lodges
will fully consider this matter , and when the time comes to act will instruct their representatives how to vote in the Grand Lodge , that there may he no mistake , and no undue influences brought to bear to favour any city or the state . The Grand Lodge use a hall but a few times iu the course of the year , and as they nowwith a Temple of their ownhire a room
, , for the use of the Grand Master , Treasury , and Secretary , we think they would do as well to hire a hall for their communications , as they may want to use one . We have reasons to doubt the justice of the lodges in this commonwealth furnishing our Boston brethren with superior accommodations for less
money than it costs many of our country lodges—or even at any price . We can see no reason Avhy our money should be invested for such a purpose . The lodges in Boston have been highly favoured in times past , both in regard to their use of the Temple , and
in the selection of so very large a proportion of the Grand Officers from their ranks . We can see no sufficient reason AA'hy either should be so . We beg to be understood as expressing in this matter not merely our own individual opinion , but the feelings of very many of our best members , and we do it with frankness and earnestnessand without bitterness
, or ill-will to any . We have before our eyes , in New York and Pennsylvania , sad examples of the accumulation of power iu the hands of a single city , and now is a favourable time for the fraternity to guard against a possible occurrence of a similar state of things in this stale . The universal testimony is against such
a centralisation , aud Ave hope before taking measures to invest the funds arising from the sale of the Masonic Temple , the brethren in all parts of the state will carefull y consider what is best to promote the general interests of the Craft throughout our whole commouAvealth , and act accordingly .
PIiUDD S TRACTS IN DEFENCE 01 ? THE ORDER , OE ROSE CROIX . A third letter from " Omicron" has been forwarded to me . I fear he professes more than he performs . Were he , although " " not a subscriber , " yet still , as the word used by him must he taken to imply , a " constant
reader , " of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , my answer to the inquiries of his first letter could not have escaped his observation . Let him get the number for the 5 th of March last . What he will hud there accords with his suggestion respecting John Yalentine Andre . The residence of my grandson , Arthur ,
Viscount De la Gueriviere is , as " Omicron" supposes , the Chateau of Coulomsues , near Eheims . The pinnacles may be seen from several parts of that famous old city . The distance is about an hour's easy walk . The brother , described as " Travelling on foot through the Eastern Departments of Franceand visiting the
, lodges in his way , " ha 3 not made his appearance at Coulomsues , and " Omicron ' s" second letter , intrusted to his care , has not reached its destination . " Omicron" now asks some questions as to Robert Fludd . My Masonic Common Place-book , however , contains no information concerning him , that may not be
obtained from many sources , acceptable to all literary men . According to my Denton Court Jottings , Fludd Avas a member of the Order of Rose Croix , and wrote tAvo tracts in defence of it , both extremely rare -. — "Apologia compendiaria , fraternitatem de Rosea-Cruce " suspicionis et infamise maculis aspersam