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Article THE FREEMASONS' QUARTERLY REVIEW. ← Page 2 of 10 →
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The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
of the constitution ( hear , hear ) . I believe that on the maintenance of these privileges the well-being of the Grand Lodge and the best interests of Masonry mainly depend , and I am quite sure that by the general upholding of these privileges , Masonry in England has of late years proceeded so harmoniously and so well ; and I should be sorry to think that by an } ' want of vi gilance on our part , the contrary should take place . The breach of privilege of which I now complain is the publication of what proceeds within these walls , unsanctioned by the Grand Master . I need scarcely move that that portion ofthe Grand Lodge
Constitutions having reference to the subject should be read , because it must be within the knowledge of every Brother that the constitutions strictly prohibit any such publication without the consent of the Grand Master , and that it is unmasonic for any Brother , without such consent , to publish that which takes place within the walls of the Lodge ( hear , hear ) . But I do think that it is of great importance to the Craft in general that they should know in an authorised and authentic form not only of the propositions and motions that are introduced to the notice of the Grand Lodge . And as in all my attendances here I have
never seen any debate conducted in a way more orderly and becoming , and in a way more instructive , I think the Craft should benefit by having a detail not only of the motions made hut of the manner in which they are made , and of the opinions expressed by the different Brethren thereon ( hear , hear ) . My opinion then would be communicated in an authorized form ( hear , hear ) . Now what I complain of , as a Member of the Craft , and that to which I wish to draw thc attention of the Grand Lodge , is that there is a publication which , under the name of " The Freemasons' Quarterly Review , " pretends to give to Masons and the Craft
generally , authentic information of what passes here . From what sources this information comes it is not for me to tell , for I believe there is not a Brother who would so far forget his obligation as to publish such document without the authority of the Grand Master being first obtained ( hear , hear ) . I allude more
particularly to that number which inserts the proceedings of the last Grand Lodge ( the 2 d of December ) , at which I was myself present , and do not so much complain of its inaccuracy as I do in this respect—that while it gives amplified and further statements to some of the speakers , it entirely withholds the answers of others ( hear , hear ) . As much damage may be done by withholding as by misrepresenting ( hear , hear ); and when I find upon some of its sheets most free and unscrupulous comments upon Grand Officers of this Lodge , I must say it is not for the benefit of the Craft at large , either at home or abroad , that such a
publication should be allowed to pass unnoticed ( hear , hear ) . It is not for me , and it is not my intention , to propose that censure should be passed on any one ; for I think when Masons can cure an evil by meeting it with a direct cure , it is far more becoming their character to devise means of prevention than to wish to add further censure to that already given by this Lodge . I find that in the year 1841 strong resolutions on the subject were come to b y the Grand Lodge ; I find these resolutions were adopted ; and yet I find the evil exists now . Now what I propose as antidote for this evil , my Lord , is that on the occasion of Grand
Lodge meetings your Lordship authorize some Brothers accustomed to taking notes , to take down briefly and correctly that which passes here ; that as speedily as possible these notes should be brought under your eye for approval , and when so approved should be circulated both at home and abroad as the only authorized version of proceedings here ; and that the Craft be warned , in language most emphatic , that all other publications purporting to be reports of the proceeding in Grand Lodge are spurious and unmasonic , and uncountenanced by the United Grand Lodge of England . Such is the proposition I venture to submit to the
Grand Lodge , and I do it actuated by the best of motives . I have no wish to meddle in ' any one way with the course that may be thought right to be adopted , my only object being the suppression of an evil . If we permit Brethren in the country or elsewhere to look on any publication as the true channel through which the proceedings of Grand Lodge are conveyed to the public , we may rest assured of this , that all the opinions contained in that book or publication reflecting on
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
of the constitution ( hear , hear ) . I believe that on the maintenance of these privileges the well-being of the Grand Lodge and the best interests of Masonry mainly depend , and I am quite sure that by the general upholding of these privileges , Masonry in England has of late years proceeded so harmoniously and so well ; and I should be sorry to think that by an } ' want of vi gilance on our part , the contrary should take place . The breach of privilege of which I now complain is the publication of what proceeds within these walls , unsanctioned by the Grand Master . I need scarcely move that that portion ofthe Grand Lodge
Constitutions having reference to the subject should be read , because it must be within the knowledge of every Brother that the constitutions strictly prohibit any such publication without the consent of the Grand Master , and that it is unmasonic for any Brother , without such consent , to publish that which takes place within the walls of the Lodge ( hear , hear ) . But I do think that it is of great importance to the Craft in general that they should know in an authorised and authentic form not only of the propositions and motions that are introduced to the notice of the Grand Lodge . And as in all my attendances here I have
never seen any debate conducted in a way more orderly and becoming , and in a way more instructive , I think the Craft should benefit by having a detail not only of the motions made hut of the manner in which they are made , and of the opinions expressed by the different Brethren thereon ( hear , hear ) . My opinion then would be communicated in an authorized form ( hear , hear ) . Now what I complain of , as a Member of the Craft , and that to which I wish to draw thc attention of the Grand Lodge , is that there is a publication which , under the name of " The Freemasons' Quarterly Review , " pretends to give to Masons and the Craft
generally , authentic information of what passes here . From what sources this information comes it is not for me to tell , for I believe there is not a Brother who would so far forget his obligation as to publish such document without the authority of the Grand Master being first obtained ( hear , hear ) . I allude more
particularly to that number which inserts the proceedings of the last Grand Lodge ( the 2 d of December ) , at which I was myself present , and do not so much complain of its inaccuracy as I do in this respect—that while it gives amplified and further statements to some of the speakers , it entirely withholds the answers of others ( hear , hear ) . As much damage may be done by withholding as by misrepresenting ( hear , hear ); and when I find upon some of its sheets most free and unscrupulous comments upon Grand Officers of this Lodge , I must say it is not for the benefit of the Craft at large , either at home or abroad , that such a
publication should be allowed to pass unnoticed ( hear , hear ) . It is not for me , and it is not my intention , to propose that censure should be passed on any one ; for I think when Masons can cure an evil by meeting it with a direct cure , it is far more becoming their character to devise means of prevention than to wish to add further censure to that already given by this Lodge . I find that in the year 1841 strong resolutions on the subject were come to b y the Grand Lodge ; I find these resolutions were adopted ; and yet I find the evil exists now . Now what I propose as antidote for this evil , my Lord , is that on the occasion of Grand
Lodge meetings your Lordship authorize some Brothers accustomed to taking notes , to take down briefly and correctly that which passes here ; that as speedily as possible these notes should be brought under your eye for approval , and when so approved should be circulated both at home and abroad as the only authorized version of proceedings here ; and that the Craft be warned , in language most emphatic , that all other publications purporting to be reports of the proceeding in Grand Lodge are spurious and unmasonic , and uncountenanced by the United Grand Lodge of England . Such is the proposition I venture to submit to the
Grand Lodge , and I do it actuated by the best of motives . I have no wish to meddle in ' any one way with the course that may be thought right to be adopted , my only object being the suppression of an evil . If we permit Brethren in the country or elsewhere to look on any publication as the true channel through which the proceedings of Grand Lodge are conveyed to the public , we may rest assured of this , that all the opinions contained in that book or publication reflecting on