Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Some Notes On Freemasonry In Australasia.– –(Continued).
Some Notes on Freemasonry in Australasia . – –( Continued ) .
By Bro . W . F . LAMOXHY , P . D . G . M . of Victoria , and P . A . G . D . C . of England .
WHAT may be fittingly termed the cause eelcbre of Englishctim-Australian Masonry may now be detailed and discussed , by which is meant the long-pending case of the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 656 , in effect the only lodge that preferred to remain under the Grand Lodge that gave it birth in the year 1855 . The facts are very
simple up to a certain point . An informal meeting of the members was held in the earl } ' part of June , 1 S 8 S , to decide whether the lodge should , or should not , go over to the coming New South Wales Constitution . The voting was
LORD CARRINGTON , G . C . M . G ., FIRST GRAND MASTKR OP NEW SOUTH . WALES . equal—ten on each side—and the chairman gave his casting vote in favour of severing the lodge ' s connection with the Grand Lodge of England . The absolute figures , apart from
the result of the meeting referred to , were twenty-five for joining the new body and twenty against , the remainder of the sixty-three members on the roll expressing no opinion . Meanwhile two regular meetings of the lodge had been held , at the first of which a W . M . was elected for the ensuing
year , and the following month installed , these two actions being under the English Constitution . Then came the inauguration of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales in August , and in September the installation of Lord Carrington as Grand Master .
The situation , however , will be here more clearly understood , when it is observed that as recently as the latter part of 1903 , we have the Grand Master of New South Wales reading in his Grand Lodge , from a precis prepared for him , that , on the 2 , 5 / 7 / of fiine , 1888 , " twenty other members of
the Cambrian Lodge of Australia applied to R . W . Bro . Stokes "—at that time Acting District Grand Master— " for the return of the warrant , which he refused . " The two letters which here follow do not at all square with the foregoing statement , as will be seen by the respective dates : —
Sol way , Cross Street , Forest Lodge , Aug . o , 188 X . Right Worshipful Brother Stokes , Acting District Grand Master , K . C , Sydney . Right Worshipful Sir and Brother , — It having come to my knowledge that a letter , purporting to be the decision of the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , Xo . 056 , K . C . ( of which lodge I am a subscribing member ) , to give in allegiance to the proposed new Grand Lodge of Xew South Wales , will be sent to you in a day or two , J hereby enter my emphatic protest against any such letter being received and acted on as the decision
of the said Cambrian Lodge , for the following , amongst other reasons viz . : —1 st , that the mis-called decision was given at an informal meeting at which less than one-third the members was present . 2 nd , that votes were recorded and counted improperly and illegally . You will see , Right Worshipful Sir , ( hat ( he objection I fake is a valid and just one , and would not have been taken had the proceedings been carried out in a proper and legal manner ; and I contend , with all due
respect , that the Cambrian Lodge of Australia has not expressed any opinion , as to the advisability or otherwise , of making any change in its Constitution , and I most strongly object to my Masonic rights and privileges being taken away by any illegal vote . I have the honour to be , Right Worshipful Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , GEORGF , ROBIXSOX , M . M ., Xo . 6 5 6 , K . C .
District Grand Lodge ( English Constitution ) . Freemasons' Hall , York Street , Sydney , Aug , 11 , l . SSS . Dear Sir and Brother , — Replying to your letter of the 9 th inst ., I am nstructed by the Acting D . G . Master ( o inform you that no notification
has been received from the Cambrian Lodge in reference to the question referred to in your letter , and in any case the Acting D . G . Master wil take all precautions that the constitutional law is adhered to . —Yours fraternally , A . H . BKAY , D . G . Secly . Bro . G . Robinson , Forest Lodge .
Next came the carrying away of the lodge charter , which was handed over to the authorities of the new regime , who some time after cancelled it in accordance with instructions from England . It may be noted that this procedure was
TUB KARL OF JKHSKY , G . C . M . G ., SKCOND GRAND MASTKR OF NEW SOUTH WALKS . irregular , as it was and is laid down in the Constitutions that warrants must be returned to the Grand Master . Had this line been adhered to , the worry , correspondence , ill-feeling ,
expense , and injustice of many years would have been avoided . It will hereafter be observed that warrants henceforth must be returned to the Grand Master .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Some Notes On Freemasonry In Australasia.– –(Continued).
Some Notes on Freemasonry in Australasia . – –( Continued ) .
By Bro . W . F . LAMOXHY , P . D . G . M . of Victoria , and P . A . G . D . C . of England .
WHAT may be fittingly termed the cause eelcbre of Englishctim-Australian Masonry may now be detailed and discussed , by which is meant the long-pending case of the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 656 , in effect the only lodge that preferred to remain under the Grand Lodge that gave it birth in the year 1855 . The facts are very
simple up to a certain point . An informal meeting of the members was held in the earl } ' part of June , 1 S 8 S , to decide whether the lodge should , or should not , go over to the coming New South Wales Constitution . The voting was
LORD CARRINGTON , G . C . M . G ., FIRST GRAND MASTKR OP NEW SOUTH . WALES . equal—ten on each side—and the chairman gave his casting vote in favour of severing the lodge ' s connection with the Grand Lodge of England . The absolute figures , apart from
the result of the meeting referred to , were twenty-five for joining the new body and twenty against , the remainder of the sixty-three members on the roll expressing no opinion . Meanwhile two regular meetings of the lodge had been held , at the first of which a W . M . was elected for the ensuing
year , and the following month installed , these two actions being under the English Constitution . Then came the inauguration of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales in August , and in September the installation of Lord Carrington as Grand Master .
The situation , however , will be here more clearly understood , when it is observed that as recently as the latter part of 1903 , we have the Grand Master of New South Wales reading in his Grand Lodge , from a precis prepared for him , that , on the 2 , 5 / 7 / of fiine , 1888 , " twenty other members of
the Cambrian Lodge of Australia applied to R . W . Bro . Stokes "—at that time Acting District Grand Master— " for the return of the warrant , which he refused . " The two letters which here follow do not at all square with the foregoing statement , as will be seen by the respective dates : —
Sol way , Cross Street , Forest Lodge , Aug . o , 188 X . Right Worshipful Brother Stokes , Acting District Grand Master , K . C , Sydney . Right Worshipful Sir and Brother , — It having come to my knowledge that a letter , purporting to be the decision of the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , Xo . 056 , K . C . ( of which lodge I am a subscribing member ) , to give in allegiance to the proposed new Grand Lodge of Xew South Wales , will be sent to you in a day or two , J hereby enter my emphatic protest against any such letter being received and acted on as the decision
of the said Cambrian Lodge , for the following , amongst other reasons viz . : —1 st , that the mis-called decision was given at an informal meeting at which less than one-third the members was present . 2 nd , that votes were recorded and counted improperly and illegally . You will see , Right Worshipful Sir , ( hat ( he objection I fake is a valid and just one , and would not have been taken had the proceedings been carried out in a proper and legal manner ; and I contend , with all due
respect , that the Cambrian Lodge of Australia has not expressed any opinion , as to the advisability or otherwise , of making any change in its Constitution , and I most strongly object to my Masonic rights and privileges being taken away by any illegal vote . I have the honour to be , Right Worshipful Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , GEORGF , ROBIXSOX , M . M ., Xo . 6 5 6 , K . C .
District Grand Lodge ( English Constitution ) . Freemasons' Hall , York Street , Sydney , Aug , 11 , l . SSS . Dear Sir and Brother , — Replying to your letter of the 9 th inst ., I am nstructed by the Acting D . G . Master ( o inform you that no notification
has been received from the Cambrian Lodge in reference to the question referred to in your letter , and in any case the Acting D . G . Master wil take all precautions that the constitutional law is adhered to . —Yours fraternally , A . H . BKAY , D . G . Secly . Bro . G . Robinson , Forest Lodge .
Next came the carrying away of the lodge charter , which was handed over to the authorities of the new regime , who some time after cancelled it in accordance with instructions from England . It may be noted that this procedure was
TUB KARL OF JKHSKY , G . C . M . G ., SKCOND GRAND MASTKR OF NEW SOUTH WALKS . irregular , as it was and is laid down in the Constitutions that warrants must be returned to the Grand Master . Had this line been adhered to , the worry , correspondence , ill-feeling ,
expense , and injustice of many years would have been avoided . It will hereafter be observed that warrants henceforth must be returned to the Grand Master .