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Article THE MASONIC MIRROR. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
Bro . H . G . AVARREN called the attention of Grand Lodge to a notice of motion which he had given—that the rule bo not confirmed . He had given notice of that motion , feeling that the rule would if confirmed , act most injuriously for the interests of the institution , and throw too much power into the hands of individual brethren who might be entrusted with proxies for a candidate , who , subsequent to the filling up of the proxiesmiht die before the day of election . In such a casesupposing
, g , a brother to hold eight or ten thousand votes , he could by dividing them and lending them in thousands to different brethren , to be returned at the following election , not only alter the whole face of the one election , but virtually become the arbiter of all future elections by the votes whicli he could thus secure from year to year , and thereby overpower the exertions of other brethren . He admitted that it might appear somewhat inconsistent iu him to oppose the resolution , inasmuch , that at the of the subscribers to
meeting the institution , he had proposed to enlarge it by making it include those candidates who might from any reason be withdrawn , as well as any who mi ght be deceased ; but his amendment was so strongly and forcibly opposed by Bro . Savage , who pointed out the danger which might arise from the proposed alteration through supporting thc motion as now before Graucl Lodge , as at once to convince him ( Bro . AVarren ) , that the motion was altogether founded on a wrong princile ; for if proxies miht be misused in the case of the
withp g drawal of a candidate , so might they in the case of his decease , and he therefore determined at ouce to oppose it and recorded his vote against the motion . Such cases would but rarely arise , aud the fairest way to all parties concerned , was to let those proxies be lost as though they had never been issued—the brother holding them being only the agent for
those to whom they origiually belonged , and having no power to use proxies , excepting as directed by those from whom they were received . Bro . BARNARD also opposed the motion , on the ground that it was an established custom in all charities for all proxies filled up in favour of a candidate to be lost should he or she die before the election , unless presented by the individual subscriber , who might with the permission of the chairman of the meeting alter his own vote , but certainly not that of a person for whom he acted as proxy ; and it would be settiug a most
dangerous precedent were they to approve this resolution . A question having been asked whether the amendment of Bro . AVarren had been seconded , the M . AV . G . M . ruled that it being a direct negative , 110 seconder was required , there being iu fact no amendment before Grand Lodge ; all that the brethren were called upon to do being to affirm or non affirm the original resolution . Bro . SYMONDS contended that the resolution was founded upon strict principles of justiceaud that the very fact of a being entrusted
, proxy to a brother was evidence that the subscriber so entrusting it had full confidence in that brother to use it as to him should seem best . ( No , no ) . The resolution had been fully considered by tho committee , by whom it was recommended to the subscribers ; and though Grand Lodge had the nominal approval of the acts of the institution , it had never interfered with the construction of its laws , as approved by the committee and the subscribers , and he trusted it would not do so now . The resolution was then put , and lost by a large majority .
Bro . SYMONDS then moved "To alter Law 11 , p . 7 , by omitting the words ' from time to time , ' and substituting in their place ' at its meeting in March in each year , or at a special adjournment of that meeting , '" which was seconded by Bro . Savage , and carried unanimously .
THE OMICK OF OEAND MASTER . The GRAND MASTER . —I see that Bro . J . Rankin Stebbing has a notice of motion on the paper in reference to the election of the Grand Master . Having attentively considered that notice , without giving any opinion of what may be the motives of thc AA'orshipful Brother who has placed it on the paper , but consulting my own feelings , I can only consider it as a motion personal to myself . It is now my intention to retire from the
chair —( No ! no !)— and I do so because I feel it to be my duty to leave Grand Lodge unfettered , and not hampered by my presence in considering this question , of such vital import to the Order ; aud with the greatest confidence I leave my honour in your hands . —( Cheers . ) His Lordship then retired , and as he passed down the hall was loudly cheered by the brethren . Bro . Sir Lucius CURTIS having taken the chair , Bro . STEBEINC : proceeded to move , "That the Board of General
Purposes be instructed to take into consideration the desirability of amending Sec . 1 , p . 29 , Book of Constitutions , so that whenever the office of Graucl Master shall , from any cause , hereafter become vacant , other than by the annual expiration of office as respects the present Most AA ' orshipful and distinguished Grand Master , no future candidate for thathigh position shall be eligible for re-election beyond three successive years , excepting in the case of a prince of royal blood , the restriction then to apply to the Pro Grand Master . " Ho said ho felt confident that if his lordship h to have listened to his motion
had been kind enoug , ho would have arrived at the decision that there was not in it anything in the slightest degree disrespectful to himself . It was a constitutional practice , from the earliest period of the nation ' s history , for parliament to make provision for the succession to the throne in the event of its becoming vacant , and the Grand Lodge , as the Masenic parliament , possessed the same right . Had he intended any opposition to tho reign of the present Grand Master , he would not have taken the course he was now pursuing , but would have had the courage to have opposed him on the motion for his re-election . The Most AYorsliipful Grand Master was , no doubt ,
aware , that a short time beforo he was elected to his present high office , parliament provided for the succession to thc throne in the event of the Queen vacating it , but her Majesty did not , on that account , consider that parliament treated her with any disrespect . But if the Grand Master considered their making a similar provision , with respect to the Masonic throne , was disrespectful to himself , itshould not teach them to speak " with bated breath aud whispered humbleness , " for it behoved them
as free men to speak their mind boldly as became Englishmen . Ho was , however , prepared to say , that he had no complaint to make of the Grand Master , and so far as that nobleman was concerned , he asked for no alteration . It was true that he had been at times dissatisfied with what had been done , though it might be that he had beeninthesvrong , but ho must disclaim—what was foreign to his nature—any intention of insultiug a nobleman holding the high position occupied by his lordship . If there was in the Grand Lodge anything of which he had to complain ,
the least complaiut would be in reference to his lordship . Indeed , some things had come to his ( Bro . Stebbing ' s ) knowledge , that he had , with a nobleness of purpose and a warmth of heart taken upon himself , the blame of which ought to lay at the door of others . He should have liked , in his Lordship ' s presence , to have made this recognition of his merits , and to assure him that he ( Bro . Stebbing ) was [ not the mau to insult a nobleman who had done a great deal of good to Masonry , and was one of that galaxy of nobility which had for many years adorned the Masonic
throne . He would now , putting aside the personal question , address himself to his motion as an abstract proposition , and endeavour to show that it was injurious to Masonry , and to the progress of the institution , that the throne of the Craft should be occupied from year to year by the same brother . In 1735 , there were ten peers on the dais , five of whom had been Grand Masters , and there were 400 other brethren in the body of tho hall . AA'hy where not those noblemen now found in Grand Lodge ? Simplbecause the blue ribbon of Masonry was not open to them .
y There was nothing in the Craft to reward them . It could not be expected that a great number of noblemen ivould join them if one distinguished man was to hold the office of Grand Master for the term of his natural life . The history of Masonry for the last century , and the Book of Constitutions , both recognized the principle that when the Order passed , from an operative to a speculative body , the office of
Grand Master should be tenable for only a limited time ; and that principle was acted upon for sixty years , until tbe Duke of Cumberland was elected Grand Master . AVhen the age became more intellectual at tbe commencement of the last century , in consequence of the spread of printing , the people of this country would not permit that tho science of architecture should abide in the hands of a secret society , and the consequence was that the institution was falling off , its last great work having been its most glorious , —namely , that
magnificent temple , the pride of the metropolis , erected by the Grand Master and the brethren of his Craft . Had that decline continued Masonry would have faded away like Druidism , as uusuited to the spirit of the age ; but just at that time there was introduced the system of admitting into the Order persons who were not operative Masons , ancl that proved to be the means of its revival and gave to it a new character and a new feature , and was followed by tho introduction of the lectures whieh were so much admired . (
Question !) He was speaking to the question . He was placed iu a great difficulty by reason of the retirement of the Grand Master , and therefore , even supposing he did wander a little from his subject , some little indulgence should be allowed him . The constitution of Masonry as it at present existed might be said to have been Completed in 1717 . It was then that the quarterly communications were arranged , the Board of Benevolence instituted , and Bro . Sayer a commoner appointed first Grand Master . In the following year Earl Montague was appointed Grand Master , and so the Grand Master continued for sixty years to be frequently changed , there having been as many as thirty-two Grand
Masters within that period . The Duke of Cumberland was then elected Grand Master , and a prince of the reigning house continued to preside over the Order down to 18-13 . The Book of Constitutions , however , contemplated a frequent succession of Graud Masters , and if they were not to have it , then the retention of the law to that effect was nothing less than a farce . It was true that there was au annual election to the office of Grand Master , but it had become the custom to re-elect the same Grand Master . There was iu the Book of
Constitutions an absolute prohibition of any brother being Master of the same private Lodge for more than two years in succession , ancl it was desirable that there should be a like prohibition of continuance in office with respect to the Grand Master ; for no matter who might hold that office , he would bo sure to have his friends and admirers , who , unless prohibited , would be year after year proposing his re-election , until it became a matter of extreme delicacy to talk of appointing a successor . But if tho principle he advocated were acted upon , they would ,
after the Grand Master left the chair , have the advantage of his assist , ance , and of many other Past Grand Masters , and thus the most distinguished and most wealthy members of the aristocracy would be attracted to the Order . In 177-1 , when tho Book of Constitutions was revised , there were on the committee appointed to that duty as many as four peers and there could be no doubt that the presence amongst them of such men improved the character and influence of tlie Order . There was another reason why he should wish to see the institution wealth y , and that was , that every day a large number of persons were becoming Masons—last year as many as 5 , 000—hut shouliVany / stagnation take placo in Masonry ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
Bro . H . G . AVARREN called the attention of Grand Lodge to a notice of motion which he had given—that the rule bo not confirmed . He had given notice of that motion , feeling that the rule would if confirmed , act most injuriously for the interests of the institution , and throw too much power into the hands of individual brethren who might be entrusted with proxies for a candidate , who , subsequent to the filling up of the proxiesmiht die before the day of election . In such a casesupposing
, g , a brother to hold eight or ten thousand votes , he could by dividing them and lending them in thousands to different brethren , to be returned at the following election , not only alter the whole face of the one election , but virtually become the arbiter of all future elections by the votes whicli he could thus secure from year to year , and thereby overpower the exertions of other brethren . He admitted that it might appear somewhat inconsistent iu him to oppose the resolution , inasmuch , that at the of the subscribers to
meeting the institution , he had proposed to enlarge it by making it include those candidates who might from any reason be withdrawn , as well as any who mi ght be deceased ; but his amendment was so strongly and forcibly opposed by Bro . Savage , who pointed out the danger which might arise from the proposed alteration through supporting thc motion as now before Graucl Lodge , as at once to convince him ( Bro . AVarren ) , that the motion was altogether founded on a wrong princile ; for if proxies miht be misused in the case of the
withp g drawal of a candidate , so might they in the case of his decease , and he therefore determined at ouce to oppose it and recorded his vote against the motion . Such cases would but rarely arise , aud the fairest way to all parties concerned , was to let those proxies be lost as though they had never been issued—the brother holding them being only the agent for
those to whom they origiually belonged , and having no power to use proxies , excepting as directed by those from whom they were received . Bro . BARNARD also opposed the motion , on the ground that it was an established custom in all charities for all proxies filled up in favour of a candidate to be lost should he or she die before the election , unless presented by the individual subscriber , who might with the permission of the chairman of the meeting alter his own vote , but certainly not that of a person for whom he acted as proxy ; and it would be settiug a most
dangerous precedent were they to approve this resolution . A question having been asked whether the amendment of Bro . AVarren had been seconded , the M . AV . G . M . ruled that it being a direct negative , 110 seconder was required , there being iu fact no amendment before Grand Lodge ; all that the brethren were called upon to do being to affirm or non affirm the original resolution . Bro . SYMONDS contended that the resolution was founded upon strict principles of justiceaud that the very fact of a being entrusted
, proxy to a brother was evidence that the subscriber so entrusting it had full confidence in that brother to use it as to him should seem best . ( No , no ) . The resolution had been fully considered by tho committee , by whom it was recommended to the subscribers ; and though Grand Lodge had the nominal approval of the acts of the institution , it had never interfered with the construction of its laws , as approved by the committee and the subscribers , and he trusted it would not do so now . The resolution was then put , and lost by a large majority .
Bro . SYMONDS then moved "To alter Law 11 , p . 7 , by omitting the words ' from time to time , ' and substituting in their place ' at its meeting in March in each year , or at a special adjournment of that meeting , '" which was seconded by Bro . Savage , and carried unanimously .
THE OMICK OF OEAND MASTER . The GRAND MASTER . —I see that Bro . J . Rankin Stebbing has a notice of motion on the paper in reference to the election of the Grand Master . Having attentively considered that notice , without giving any opinion of what may be the motives of thc AA'orshipful Brother who has placed it on the paper , but consulting my own feelings , I can only consider it as a motion personal to myself . It is now my intention to retire from the
chair —( No ! no !)— and I do so because I feel it to be my duty to leave Grand Lodge unfettered , and not hampered by my presence in considering this question , of such vital import to the Order ; aud with the greatest confidence I leave my honour in your hands . —( Cheers . ) His Lordship then retired , and as he passed down the hall was loudly cheered by the brethren . Bro . Sir Lucius CURTIS having taken the chair , Bro . STEBEINC : proceeded to move , "That the Board of General
Purposes be instructed to take into consideration the desirability of amending Sec . 1 , p . 29 , Book of Constitutions , so that whenever the office of Graucl Master shall , from any cause , hereafter become vacant , other than by the annual expiration of office as respects the present Most AA ' orshipful and distinguished Grand Master , no future candidate for thathigh position shall be eligible for re-election beyond three successive years , excepting in the case of a prince of royal blood , the restriction then to apply to the Pro Grand Master . " Ho said ho felt confident that if his lordship h to have listened to his motion
had been kind enoug , ho would have arrived at the decision that there was not in it anything in the slightest degree disrespectful to himself . It was a constitutional practice , from the earliest period of the nation ' s history , for parliament to make provision for the succession to the throne in the event of its becoming vacant , and the Grand Lodge , as the Masenic parliament , possessed the same right . Had he intended any opposition to tho reign of the present Grand Master , he would not have taken the course he was now pursuing , but would have had the courage to have opposed him on the motion for his re-election . The Most AYorsliipful Grand Master was , no doubt ,
aware , that a short time beforo he was elected to his present high office , parliament provided for the succession to thc throne in the event of the Queen vacating it , but her Majesty did not , on that account , consider that parliament treated her with any disrespect . But if the Grand Master considered their making a similar provision , with respect to the Masonic throne , was disrespectful to himself , itshould not teach them to speak " with bated breath aud whispered humbleness , " for it behoved them
as free men to speak their mind boldly as became Englishmen . Ho was , however , prepared to say , that he had no complaint to make of the Grand Master , and so far as that nobleman was concerned , he asked for no alteration . It was true that he had been at times dissatisfied with what had been done , though it might be that he had beeninthesvrong , but ho must disclaim—what was foreign to his nature—any intention of insultiug a nobleman holding the high position occupied by his lordship . If there was in the Grand Lodge anything of which he had to complain ,
the least complaiut would be in reference to his lordship . Indeed , some things had come to his ( Bro . Stebbing ' s ) knowledge , that he had , with a nobleness of purpose and a warmth of heart taken upon himself , the blame of which ought to lay at the door of others . He should have liked , in his Lordship ' s presence , to have made this recognition of his merits , and to assure him that he ( Bro . Stebbing ) was [ not the mau to insult a nobleman who had done a great deal of good to Masonry , and was one of that galaxy of nobility which had for many years adorned the Masonic
throne . He would now , putting aside the personal question , address himself to his motion as an abstract proposition , and endeavour to show that it was injurious to Masonry , and to the progress of the institution , that the throne of the Craft should be occupied from year to year by the same brother . In 1735 , there were ten peers on the dais , five of whom had been Grand Masters , and there were 400 other brethren in the body of tho hall . AA'hy where not those noblemen now found in Grand Lodge ? Simplbecause the blue ribbon of Masonry was not open to them .
y There was nothing in the Craft to reward them . It could not be expected that a great number of noblemen ivould join them if one distinguished man was to hold the office of Grand Master for the term of his natural life . The history of Masonry for the last century , and the Book of Constitutions , both recognized the principle that when the Order passed , from an operative to a speculative body , the office of
Grand Master should be tenable for only a limited time ; and that principle was acted upon for sixty years , until tbe Duke of Cumberland was elected Grand Master . AVhen the age became more intellectual at tbe commencement of the last century , in consequence of the spread of printing , the people of this country would not permit that tho science of architecture should abide in the hands of a secret society , and the consequence was that the institution was falling off , its last great work having been its most glorious , —namely , that
magnificent temple , the pride of the metropolis , erected by the Grand Master and the brethren of his Craft . Had that decline continued Masonry would have faded away like Druidism , as uusuited to the spirit of the age ; but just at that time there was introduced the system of admitting into the Order persons who were not operative Masons , ancl that proved to be the means of its revival and gave to it a new character and a new feature , and was followed by tho introduction of the lectures whieh were so much admired . (
Question !) He was speaking to the question . He was placed iu a great difficulty by reason of the retirement of the Grand Master , and therefore , even supposing he did wander a little from his subject , some little indulgence should be allowed him . The constitution of Masonry as it at present existed might be said to have been Completed in 1717 . It was then that the quarterly communications were arranged , the Board of Benevolence instituted , and Bro . Sayer a commoner appointed first Grand Master . In the following year Earl Montague was appointed Grand Master , and so the Grand Master continued for sixty years to be frequently changed , there having been as many as thirty-two Grand
Masters within that period . The Duke of Cumberland was then elected Grand Master , and a prince of the reigning house continued to preside over the Order down to 18-13 . The Book of Constitutions , however , contemplated a frequent succession of Graud Masters , and if they were not to have it , then the retention of the law to that effect was nothing less than a farce . It was true that there was au annual election to the office of Grand Master , but it had become the custom to re-elect the same Grand Master . There was iu the Book of
Constitutions an absolute prohibition of any brother being Master of the same private Lodge for more than two years in succession , ancl it was desirable that there should be a like prohibition of continuance in office with respect to the Grand Master ; for no matter who might hold that office , he would bo sure to have his friends and admirers , who , unless prohibited , would be year after year proposing his re-election , until it became a matter of extreme delicacy to talk of appointing a successor . But if tho principle he advocated were acted upon , they would ,
after the Grand Master left the chair , have the advantage of his assist , ance , and of many other Past Grand Masters , and thus the most distinguished and most wealthy members of the aristocracy would be attracted to the Order . In 177-1 , when tho Book of Constitutions was revised , there were on the committee appointed to that duty as many as four peers and there could be no doubt that the presence amongst them of such men improved the character and influence of tlie Order . There was another reason why he should wish to see the institution wealth y , and that was , that every day a large number of persons were becoming Masons—last year as many as 5 , 000—hut shouliVany / stagnation take placo in Masonry ,