1856 Constitution

Preamble to the United States Constitution:

Preamble to the GL of Canada Constitution:

We the People

of the United States,

in Order to form a more perfect Union,

establish Justice,

insure domestic Tranquility,

provide for the common defence,

promote the general Welfare,

and secure

the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,

do ordain and establish this Constitution

for the United States of America.

We, The Grand Lodge

of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Canada,

in order to form perfect fraternal union,

to establish order,

to ensure tranquillity,

to provide for and

promote the general welfare of the Craft,

and to secure to the Fraternity of Canada,

all the blessings of Masonic privileges,

do ordain and establish this Constitution.

In 1815 the words "Free by Birth" were injected into the UGLE Constitution for the first time.

None of the previous (5) editions (1723 1738 1756 1767 1784) of the Premier Grand Lodge Constitutions had those words.

In 1847 after a much-publicized debate, the UGLE ordered those words, and the words "free born"

to be removed from the Constitution and from the Ritual, and replaced with "a free man",

after the abolition of slavery in the Colonies, by the Emancipation Act of 1833.

These changes were absolutely binding on the UGLE lodges in Canada,

and they were certainly reflected in the 1853 edition of the UGLE Constitution.

In 1855, the UGLE lodges in Canada were subject to the UGLE Constitution,

the 1853 edition, in particular.

In 1856, the Grand Lodge of Canada made these changes:

"Free by Birth" was added back into the Constitution!

"Free-born" was added to the Constitution. The UGLE Constitution Regulations never had this!

1855.10.10 1630 Hamilton Convention opened. ...

On the recommendation of a Committee appointed to consider rules and regulations for the government of the Convention, — the rules and regulations for conducting public business, contained in the Book of Constitution of the Grand Lodge of England, were mutatis mutandis, unanimously adopted. ...

The Committee appointed to prepare Resolutions for the adoption of the Convention, submitted the following preamble : Whereas, the existence of Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons, in this Province, hailing from three several Grand Lodges, is a system productive of much evil to the Craft, creating a diversity of interests and allegiance, — an absence of harmony in action and work- ing, perpetuating local and national feelings, and thus estranging the affections of Brethren, whose order knows no country and is con- fined to no race ; and, ...

Therefore be it Resolved : That in order to apply a remedy to the evils, — to form perfect fraternal union and harmony, establish order, ensure tranquility, provide for and promote the general welfare of the Craft, and secure to the fraternity of Canada all the blessings of Masonic privileges; it is expedient, right, and our bounden duty to form a Grand Lodge of Canada. ...

On motion the convention adjourned till Thursday morning, at eleven o'clock.

Thursday, 11th Oct. 5855. The convention resumed its sitting at half-past ten o'clock A.M. V. W. Br. C. Magill, presiding. The Committee appointed to prepare rules and regulations pre- sented their report. It was moved by Br. A. S. Abbott, seconded by Br. Taylor, and unanimously resolved : That the Draft of Constitution, now read by the Secretary, be, and is hereby adopted as the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Canada. On motion of W. Br. Abbott, seconded by Br. J. B. Butler, it was unanimously adopted : That Rules and Regulations having been adopted, the Convention pro- ceed to the election of Grand Officers, to hold office until the 2nd Wed- nesday in June, A. L. 5856.

The following July 9th, the new Constitution was presented seriatim and adopted unanimously.

(Note Wilson's mention of North Carolina and Kentucky.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamble_to_the_United_States_Constitution

http://www.archive.org/stream/constitutionsan00englgoog/constitutionsan00englgoog_djvu.txt UGLE BOC 1847.06.24 text

http://books.google.ca/books/about/Constitutions_publ_by_W_H_White.html?id=CIcBAAAAQAAJ UGLE BOC 1853.09.27

http://www20.us.archive.org/stream/constitutionspu00freegoog/constitutionspu00freegoog_djvu.txt UGLE BOC 1853.09.27 text

http://archive.org/stream/cihm_50664#page/n21/ GLC BOC 1856

http://www.archive.org/details/grandlodge1857onta GLC Proc 1855-1856

http://archive.org/stream/grandlodge1857onta/grandlodge1857onta_djvu.txt GLC Proc 1855-1856 text

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