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Article THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE FREEMASONS OF CANADA. ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE FREEMASONS OF CANADA. Page 2 of 2 Article THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Prince Of Wales And The Freemasons Of Canada.
in progress , and in commerce , have far outstripped all other colonies of Britain—who more fitting to receive every particle of the honours of such a day than the eldest son of that beloved monarch ? What does Bro . Harington think would have been the feeling expressed
hy the Queen ' s other loyal subjects then present , had the Prince of Wales stood aside to make room for a " Deputy Eeceiver-General "—albeit , Grand Master of Canadian Masons . The invitation issued to the brethren was a mark of respect to them as citizens and gentlemen , and
totally unconnected with their peculiar organization or tenets ; they were simply recognized as a worthy and estimable assemblage of indivividuals jiartakiiig somewhat of the nature of a corporate body . It was not thought necessary by the government to make of this a
Masonic ceremony ; and as a loyal subject , Bro . Harington should have been satisfied with their decision . Indeed he should have recollected that there was another Mason present—possibly as distinguished as himself—no
less than the Duke of Newcastle , a provincial Grand Master , ruling over an important section ofthe English Craft , of which Bro . Harington was , until very recently , himself a member , and that no Mason should ever forget that in that character he is not to forget his j _ osition as a
gentleman . Sorry are we to criticise thus unfavourably any proceedings of a ruler among us ; but we cannot but feel that the behaviour of our M . W . brother on this occasion was not calculated to add weight to his authority or bis
popularity ; we question much whether the brethren were inclined to thank , him for the steps he took to assert ( as he doubtless thought ) their dignity as well as his own . The returning of the tickets for the entertainment ive think must be an exaggeration , as that would have been
an act of churlishness , amounting almost to insult . If the tickets ivere sent by tho authorities , the Grand Master surely might have allowed the brethren to exercise their oivn discretion as to making use of them .
" And now ive beg leave to correct out' Canadian contemporary in a few misstatements , or rather misconceptions with regard to Masonic matters . Iu the first place the Prince of Wales ' s lather is not a Mason ; his uncle , the Grand Duke of Cohurg , is a
distinguished brother—and ive hope soon to number the Heir Apparent amongst us ; unless , indeed , the hotheaded proceedings of brother Masons should cause him to reconsider a determination wliich is said to be already formed . In the next place , Preemasonry is not placed
by British law in the category of secret societies—on the contrary , it is especially acknowledged by statute . And in the third p lace , whatever power the Ivomish Church may exercise abroad , it is certain that a large number of her sous in the British dominions are members of our Craft ; a fact ivhieh is perfectly well known to her
The Prince Of Wales And The Freemasons Of Canada.
priests and dignitaries , without appearing to occasion them much alarm . Finally , we regret to see the apparent eagerness with which the most trivial circumstance is seized upon as a peg whereon to hang a political or religious diatribe ;
and the haste with which the stigma of prejudice and narrow-mindedness is groundlessly affixed to the simplest actions . The Masons of Canada must indeed be different to their brethren elsewhere , if such sentiments meet with nor do we think that prudent ancl sagacious Craftsmen can be in the least desirous of seeing their ruler emulate
( even in the most distant degree ) the peculiar taste which prompted the now celebrated exploits of Grand Master Flannigan ancl his Loyal-Protestant-Irish-Orangemen .
The Principles Of Freemasonry.
THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY .
From oar Correspondent IT . II . In the endeavour personally aud collectively to merit the character of consistent Freemasons , which every one of our body ought to strive to maintain , it should be our aim at all times so to regulate our actions as to uphold
the purity , integrity , and honour ofthe order , thus proving to the external world that it is deserving of the respect which it claims , and ivithout attempting any direct system of proselytism . At the same time we should regard it as a duty to defend our principles and
constitution from the attacks and aspersions to which all of us are obliged occasionally to listen , a course which it is admitted may sometimes be difficult , since our adversaries are unfortunately able to urge upon our attention cases in which the rule of life of some of our members appears to be in many respects at variance with the professed
objects and teachings of the Institution . It is well for such of us as have its real interests at heart , and feel a pride in maintaining what we conceive to be the true dignity and honour of Freemasonry , to know what are the objections offered hy our opponents , that we may he the better able to consider and meet them whenever
opportunities present themselves . Some hi ghly esteemed personal friends who differ from me in opinion on the subject , and have no sympathy with us , occasionally favour mc with considerations in support of their views , notices of which , as they have occurred , have already , in
various forms , been laid before the brethren , either by your courtesy , in permitting the use of your columns , or hy other means . Permit me again to take advantage of your kindness , by giving the following quotation from a private letter recently received .
"I have been reading some of Sir James Stephens ' s essays , wliich originally appeared in tho Ediabimjh Iteiiicic . There ivas one on Loyola . The enclosed passage I havo copied for you , because it contains somewhat the same sentiments 1 have heard expressed apropos to Masonry . '" Loyola ' s character illustrates the effect of concentrating all the interests of life , and all the affections of tho heart
within the narrow circle of one contracted fellowship . Ifc yielded in time , as it has produced in others , a vigorous but a stunted development of the moral faculties , a kind of social selfishness and sectional virtue , ' a subordination of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Prince Of Wales And The Freemasons Of Canada.
in progress , and in commerce , have far outstripped all other colonies of Britain—who more fitting to receive every particle of the honours of such a day than the eldest son of that beloved monarch ? What does Bro . Harington think would have been the feeling expressed
hy the Queen ' s other loyal subjects then present , had the Prince of Wales stood aside to make room for a " Deputy Eeceiver-General "—albeit , Grand Master of Canadian Masons . The invitation issued to the brethren was a mark of respect to them as citizens and gentlemen , and
totally unconnected with their peculiar organization or tenets ; they were simply recognized as a worthy and estimable assemblage of indivividuals jiartakiiig somewhat of the nature of a corporate body . It was not thought necessary by the government to make of this a
Masonic ceremony ; and as a loyal subject , Bro . Harington should have been satisfied with their decision . Indeed he should have recollected that there was another Mason present—possibly as distinguished as himself—no
less than the Duke of Newcastle , a provincial Grand Master , ruling over an important section ofthe English Craft , of which Bro . Harington was , until very recently , himself a member , and that no Mason should ever forget that in that character he is not to forget his j _ osition as a
gentleman . Sorry are we to criticise thus unfavourably any proceedings of a ruler among us ; but we cannot but feel that the behaviour of our M . W . brother on this occasion was not calculated to add weight to his authority or bis
popularity ; we question much whether the brethren were inclined to thank , him for the steps he took to assert ( as he doubtless thought ) their dignity as well as his own . The returning of the tickets for the entertainment ive think must be an exaggeration , as that would have been
an act of churlishness , amounting almost to insult . If the tickets ivere sent by tho authorities , the Grand Master surely might have allowed the brethren to exercise their oivn discretion as to making use of them .
" And now ive beg leave to correct out' Canadian contemporary in a few misstatements , or rather misconceptions with regard to Masonic matters . Iu the first place the Prince of Wales ' s lather is not a Mason ; his uncle , the Grand Duke of Cohurg , is a
distinguished brother—and ive hope soon to number the Heir Apparent amongst us ; unless , indeed , the hotheaded proceedings of brother Masons should cause him to reconsider a determination wliich is said to be already formed . In the next place , Preemasonry is not placed
by British law in the category of secret societies—on the contrary , it is especially acknowledged by statute . And in the third p lace , whatever power the Ivomish Church may exercise abroad , it is certain that a large number of her sous in the British dominions are members of our Craft ; a fact ivhieh is perfectly well known to her
The Prince Of Wales And The Freemasons Of Canada.
priests and dignitaries , without appearing to occasion them much alarm . Finally , we regret to see the apparent eagerness with which the most trivial circumstance is seized upon as a peg whereon to hang a political or religious diatribe ;
and the haste with which the stigma of prejudice and narrow-mindedness is groundlessly affixed to the simplest actions . The Masons of Canada must indeed be different to their brethren elsewhere , if such sentiments meet with nor do we think that prudent ancl sagacious Craftsmen can be in the least desirous of seeing their ruler emulate
( even in the most distant degree ) the peculiar taste which prompted the now celebrated exploits of Grand Master Flannigan ancl his Loyal-Protestant-Irish-Orangemen .
The Principles Of Freemasonry.
THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY .
From oar Correspondent IT . II . In the endeavour personally aud collectively to merit the character of consistent Freemasons , which every one of our body ought to strive to maintain , it should be our aim at all times so to regulate our actions as to uphold
the purity , integrity , and honour ofthe order , thus proving to the external world that it is deserving of the respect which it claims , and ivithout attempting any direct system of proselytism . At the same time we should regard it as a duty to defend our principles and
constitution from the attacks and aspersions to which all of us are obliged occasionally to listen , a course which it is admitted may sometimes be difficult , since our adversaries are unfortunately able to urge upon our attention cases in which the rule of life of some of our members appears to be in many respects at variance with the professed
objects and teachings of the Institution . It is well for such of us as have its real interests at heart , and feel a pride in maintaining what we conceive to be the true dignity and honour of Freemasonry , to know what are the objections offered hy our opponents , that we may he the better able to consider and meet them whenever
opportunities present themselves . Some hi ghly esteemed personal friends who differ from me in opinion on the subject , and have no sympathy with us , occasionally favour mc with considerations in support of their views , notices of which , as they have occurred , have already , in
various forms , been laid before the brethren , either by your courtesy , in permitting the use of your columns , or hy other means . Permit me again to take advantage of your kindness , by giving the following quotation from a private letter recently received .
"I have been reading some of Sir James Stephens ' s essays , wliich originally appeared in tho Ediabimjh Iteiiicic . There ivas one on Loyola . The enclosed passage I havo copied for you , because it contains somewhat the same sentiments 1 have heard expressed apropos to Masonry . '" Loyola ' s character illustrates the effect of concentrating all the interests of life , and all the affections of tho heart
within the narrow circle of one contracted fellowship . Ifc yielded in time , as it has produced in others , a vigorous but a stunted development of the moral faculties , a kind of social selfishness and sectional virtue , ' a subordination of