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  • March 1, 1857
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The Masonic Observer, March 1, 1857: Page 10

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    Article "ADDRESS TO THE CRAFT, BY A PAST MASTER." ← Page 3 of 3
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    Article MEMORIAL FROM THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CANADA WEST. Page 1 of 3 →
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

"Address To The Craft, By A Past Master."

m the wine cup , a snake under the flowers , a poison lurking in the banquet . The prerogative of the G . M . totters , the liberties of G . L . are imperilled by " the Provincial Mess " of some ten or fifteen country brethren . And because a brother who is a personal friend of those country strangers , and who made this club arrangement for their conveniencefor the sake of orderand as a

, , matter of business sits at the head of the table , he is denounced in all the pomp of language , and metaphor , as the arch traitor who is subverting the very fabric of Masonry . Such are the arguments which the Past Master condescends to use , little dangerous to us , but hardly

creditable to him , and which in the bitterness that they breathe , seem somewhat inconsistent with the "justice , " " the sound judgment , " and " the charity , " which he recommends to others . He is undoubtedly so well read that he has taken Shakespeare ' s Sir Toby for his model . " Go write the letter in a martial hand ; it is no matter how witty so long it be eloquent and full of invention : taunt him with the

license of ink : and as many lies as will lie in thy sheet of papa though the sheet were big enough for the bed of Ware in England , set ' em down : go about it . Let there be gall enough in thy ink : though thou write with a goose pen , no matter . " But we will not part thus from our anonymous antagonist . Even from the Past Master—though he has misjudged our motivesmisstated our argumentsand

, , far worse than this , thrown calumny and misrepresentation on those Brethren who have committed themselves to a toilsome and thankless strife in G . L . to uphold the principles of the Order—even from him we will take a friendly farewell . With him we will say "let bye-gones be bye-gones , " and let all who have the interests of the

Craft at heart unite in securing those measures which are calculated to develop its influence , which will preserve us free at home and powerful abroad , and which are consistent both with those princijjles of conduct which are looked for in all other bodies of men , whether public or private , and with an unwavering adherence to our Constitutions . London , 1857 .

Ar01003

NOTICES OF MOTION . At the G . L . in March , the following important matters will ( amongst others ) be considered . The Itcport of the Colonial Board upon the G . M . 's proposal , relative to Canada . A motion for a Committee to define the power and authority of G . L ., according to ancient landmarks . A Motion requesting the G . M . to appoint a new G . Secretary with

the least possible delay . A Motion limiting the Speeches in G . L . to five minutes . For allowing a motion to be made after 21 o ' clock , requesting the G . M . to summon a G . L . of emergency .

Ar01001

THE GUANK LonGE OF Ir . ELANn AND THE INCEVENDENT G . L . OF CANAnA . —We have good reason for believing that a letter was addressed to the G . Secretary of England by the G . L . of Ireland , as long ago as January , 185 G , begging to know what course G . L . intended to adopt towards the Independent G . L . of Canada , and no answer whatever having been returned to this communication , the G . L . of Ireland , has at last recognised that Body .

Memorial From The Provincial Grand Lodge Of Canada West.

MEMORIAL FROM THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CANADA WEST .

We have received a copy of the petition which will shortly be presented to G . L . from the Prov . G . L . of Canada , West , and of which wo have given a short abstract in another part of our impression . It will be seen that during eleven years , thirty-one regular meetings of the Prov . G . L . have been held , and that of these , three alone have been presided over by the Prov . G . M . in person , who

" expressed on his installation that he would work by his deputy . " This , wc imagine , is the fact which the Eev . Bro . Portal was anxious to elicit by means of the return , moved for , at the last meeting of G . L ., and it not only completely exonerates the worthy Dep . Prov . G . 31 . from any charge of having taken too much upon himself , but establishes his technical right to administer the affairs of the Province , and " to execute all the functions of the office " of P . G . M ., as

provided by the P . of Const , p . 47 , sec . 10 . The red tnpists will also doubtless experience great comfort in believing that the D . P . G . M . was registered in England as such so long ago as May 18-17 . The petition itself , which with its appendices , occupies nineteen columns of t ! ie Pioneer , goes carefully through the whole history of the case—their grievances and requirements , their treatment at the hands of the authorities of G . L ., and their own conflict with the

'' independent G . L . of Canada . " The whole affair is a sickening instance of neglect and inefficiency on the part of our own Executive , and of patient loyalty on that of our Canadian Brethren , and we believe that throughout the country this will be the universal opinion as the question becomes more widely ventilated , and the facts more extensively known . Some among us seem to think that so long as purple aprons are plentiful , and good dinners abound , when everybody can bespatter everybody else with rapid and unmeaning compliments , the administration of our affairs ,

either at home or abroad , singiiifies little , but we hope that this class of Masons is rapidly diminishing and that our great and Noble Order will not be permitted to form an exception to the efficiency of all other associations , commercial or otherwise , of this essentially business-like country . The Canadian proceedings may be divided into four stages : — First . The petition to the M . W ., the G . M ., dated , Dec . 1 , 1853 ,

which reached him ( according to the report of the Board of Gen . Purposes ) in Feb . 1854 . Secondly . The letter to the M . W ., the G . M , forwarded through the Grand Registrar , complaining that no reply had been received to the former , nor any acknowledgement of various remittances in money , dated June 12 , 1854 . Thirdly . A letter to the Grand Secretary , praying for a reply to

the petition of 1 S 53 , and stating the growing dissatisfaction of the Province . Fourthly . The adoption by the Prov . G . L ., on Oct . 22 , 1856 , of resolutions condemnatory of the course adopted by the G . M . of England ; and , the appointment of a Committee to draw up this petition , which concludes with a request that G . L . will " give recognition to the establishment of this P . G . L ., as the G . L . of Upper

Canada , with full and unrestricted powers . " The report of the Colonial Board , on this question , will be presented at the next Quarterly Communication , in March ; whatever their recommendation may be , wo earnestly hope that it will be made , and received , in the liberal and comprehensive spirit demanded by the emergency . The G . L . of England , has been most grievously to bJamc , in itself or in its officers , —we care not now to enquire which . The Prov . G . See ' s letter of Dec . 1853 , contained a full warning of the storm that was brewing ; in onr case , unhappily , to be forewarned ivas not to bo forearmed , still , it is never too late to mend , and we

“The Masonic Observer: 1857-03-01, Page 10” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 24 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mob/issues/mob_01031857/page/10/.
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Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
Untitled Article 1
Untitled Article 2
Untitled Article 3
Untitled Article 3
Untitled Article 4
GRAND LODGE OF EMERGENCY. Article 4
"ADDRESS TO THE CRAFT, BY A PAST MASTER." Article 8
Untitled Article 10
Untitled Article 10
MEMORIAL FROM THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CANADA WEST. Article 10
BRO. THE EARL OF CARNARVON AT BATH. Article 12
A VALENTINE SOMEWHAT OVERDUE. Article 13
"THE MASONIC OBSERVER" TO HIS SHAMELESS LITTLE MUSE. Article 13
Untitled Article 14
Correspondence. Article 14
Untitled Article 15
From the " Canadian Masonic Pioneer." Article 16
Untitled Article 16
Untitled Article 16
"THE EARLY WITHDRAWAL OF THE BENEVOLENT—A LESSON TO SURVIVORS." Article 16
Untitled Article 16
Untitled Article 16
Untitled Article 16
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

"Address To The Craft, By A Past Master."

m the wine cup , a snake under the flowers , a poison lurking in the banquet . The prerogative of the G . M . totters , the liberties of G . L . are imperilled by " the Provincial Mess " of some ten or fifteen country brethren . And because a brother who is a personal friend of those country strangers , and who made this club arrangement for their conveniencefor the sake of orderand as a

, , matter of business sits at the head of the table , he is denounced in all the pomp of language , and metaphor , as the arch traitor who is subverting the very fabric of Masonry . Such are the arguments which the Past Master condescends to use , little dangerous to us , but hardly

creditable to him , and which in the bitterness that they breathe , seem somewhat inconsistent with the "justice , " " the sound judgment , " and " the charity , " which he recommends to others . He is undoubtedly so well read that he has taken Shakespeare ' s Sir Toby for his model . " Go write the letter in a martial hand ; it is no matter how witty so long it be eloquent and full of invention : taunt him with the

license of ink : and as many lies as will lie in thy sheet of papa though the sheet were big enough for the bed of Ware in England , set ' em down : go about it . Let there be gall enough in thy ink : though thou write with a goose pen , no matter . " But we will not part thus from our anonymous antagonist . Even from the Past Master—though he has misjudged our motivesmisstated our argumentsand

, , far worse than this , thrown calumny and misrepresentation on those Brethren who have committed themselves to a toilsome and thankless strife in G . L . to uphold the principles of the Order—even from him we will take a friendly farewell . With him we will say "let bye-gones be bye-gones , " and let all who have the interests of the

Craft at heart unite in securing those measures which are calculated to develop its influence , which will preserve us free at home and powerful abroad , and which are consistent both with those princijjles of conduct which are looked for in all other bodies of men , whether public or private , and with an unwavering adherence to our Constitutions . London , 1857 .

Ar01003

NOTICES OF MOTION . At the G . L . in March , the following important matters will ( amongst others ) be considered . The Itcport of the Colonial Board upon the G . M . 's proposal , relative to Canada . A motion for a Committee to define the power and authority of G . L ., according to ancient landmarks . A Motion requesting the G . M . to appoint a new G . Secretary with

the least possible delay . A Motion limiting the Speeches in G . L . to five minutes . For allowing a motion to be made after 21 o ' clock , requesting the G . M . to summon a G . L . of emergency .

Ar01001

THE GUANK LonGE OF Ir . ELANn AND THE INCEVENDENT G . L . OF CANAnA . —We have good reason for believing that a letter was addressed to the G . Secretary of England by the G . L . of Ireland , as long ago as January , 185 G , begging to know what course G . L . intended to adopt towards the Independent G . L . of Canada , and no answer whatever having been returned to this communication , the G . L . of Ireland , has at last recognised that Body .

Memorial From The Provincial Grand Lodge Of Canada West.

MEMORIAL FROM THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CANADA WEST .

We have received a copy of the petition which will shortly be presented to G . L . from the Prov . G . L . of Canada , West , and of which wo have given a short abstract in another part of our impression . It will be seen that during eleven years , thirty-one regular meetings of the Prov . G . L . have been held , and that of these , three alone have been presided over by the Prov . G . M . in person , who

" expressed on his installation that he would work by his deputy . " This , wc imagine , is the fact which the Eev . Bro . Portal was anxious to elicit by means of the return , moved for , at the last meeting of G . L ., and it not only completely exonerates the worthy Dep . Prov . G . 31 . from any charge of having taken too much upon himself , but establishes his technical right to administer the affairs of the Province , and " to execute all the functions of the office " of P . G . M ., as

provided by the P . of Const , p . 47 , sec . 10 . The red tnpists will also doubtless experience great comfort in believing that the D . P . G . M . was registered in England as such so long ago as May 18-17 . The petition itself , which with its appendices , occupies nineteen columns of t ! ie Pioneer , goes carefully through the whole history of the case—their grievances and requirements , their treatment at the hands of the authorities of G . L ., and their own conflict with the

'' independent G . L . of Canada . " The whole affair is a sickening instance of neglect and inefficiency on the part of our own Executive , and of patient loyalty on that of our Canadian Brethren , and we believe that throughout the country this will be the universal opinion as the question becomes more widely ventilated , and the facts more extensively known . Some among us seem to think that so long as purple aprons are plentiful , and good dinners abound , when everybody can bespatter everybody else with rapid and unmeaning compliments , the administration of our affairs ,

either at home or abroad , singiiifies little , but we hope that this class of Masons is rapidly diminishing and that our great and Noble Order will not be permitted to form an exception to the efficiency of all other associations , commercial or otherwise , of this essentially business-like country . The Canadian proceedings may be divided into four stages : — First . The petition to the M . W ., the G . M ., dated , Dec . 1 , 1853 ,

which reached him ( according to the report of the Board of Gen . Purposes ) in Feb . 1854 . Secondly . The letter to the M . W ., the G . M , forwarded through the Grand Registrar , complaining that no reply had been received to the former , nor any acknowledgement of various remittances in money , dated June 12 , 1854 . Thirdly . A letter to the Grand Secretary , praying for a reply to

the petition of 1 S 53 , and stating the growing dissatisfaction of the Province . Fourthly . The adoption by the Prov . G . L ., on Oct . 22 , 1856 , of resolutions condemnatory of the course adopted by the G . M . of England ; and , the appointment of a Committee to draw up this petition , which concludes with a request that G . L . will " give recognition to the establishment of this P . G . L ., as the G . L . of Upper

Canada , with full and unrestricted powers . " The report of the Colonial Board , on this question , will be presented at the next Quarterly Communication , in March ; whatever their recommendation may be , wo earnestly hope that it will be made , and received , in the liberal and comprehensive spirit demanded by the emergency . The G . L . of England , has been most grievously to bJamc , in itself or in its officers , —we care not now to enquire which . The Prov . G . See ' s letter of Dec . 1853 , contained a full warning of the storm that was brewing ; in onr case , unhappily , to be forewarned ivas not to bo forearmed , still , it is never too late to mend , and we

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