Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Gifts Of Expensive Jewels By Insolvent Lodges.
GIFTS OF EXPENSIVE JEWELS BY INSOLVENT LODGES .
THE terra we here use in association with a section of our Lodges is a strong one , and may be considered by some of our readers as unmasonic . That it is tinmasonic we are ready to admit , but only to the extent that
the state of affairs it expresses is decidedly opposed to the teachings of Freemasonry . To assert it is a definition which may not justly be applied to some of onr Lodges would be absurd—if the term insolvent may be used in
connection with any concern which cannot pay its debts without drawing heavily on its unearned income of the future ; and although it mi ght be advisable to use some other less obnoxious word , the evil we are writing of is so
palpable a one that it needs severe treatment . Not only does ^ the expenditure of money in the purchase of testimonials , by a Lodge alread y in debt , affect the Lodge and
its members personally , but it also brings discredit on the Order generally , while it robs jewels and other testimonials of much of the honour attached to them . This we shall
now endeavour to demonstrate . The question of Lodge expenditure is a difficult one to discuss in public , as liabilities which might be incurred in some quarters would amount to madness in others , and
while we acknowled ge the existence of special features in almost every case , there is yet sufficient similarit y in them all to bring the subject within the scope of general treatment . There are points which must refer equally to all .
and which are applicable in every case , and it will not be necessary for us to go beyond the lessons tau ght in Freemasonry to show all that we need at the present . Extravagance in any shape or form is certainly opposed to
the teachings of Freemasonry , and we think there are few Lodges now in debt which , if the truth was stated , could not trace their deficiency to some extravagance—some outlay which was both unnecessary and , considering the
expense at which it was made , impolitic . We are aware what inducements are offered to Loclsres , on every side , to get into debt . The Trensurers , as a body , are perhaps the greatest sinners in this respect , and what they do they do
out of kindness , although their kindness has often very serious results . Many of the Treasurers—we say many with little fear of contradiction—are read y with private means to pay accounts far beyond the sum they have in
hand . They consider it an honour to hold the office , and if the Lodge spends more money than it ought to , they are the last to raise a voice to stop it , lest their motives might be misunderstood . Is it any kindness to a
Lodge for its Treasurer to advance sum after sum from his own pocket to meet debts incurred by the members as a body , and which are added to time after time in perhaps utter ignorance of the financial state of affairs ? Most
decidedly not ; but , it may be urged , the members of a Lodge do not vote money away without knowing the state of its funds ; perhaps not—they know the condition , but men often do things apparently inconsistent with what
they know , and excuse themselves b y saying they thought things had been altered . If a Treasurer unhesitatingly meets every call of his Lodge without a word of
warninoor protest , he is certainly open to the charge of allowing the members to rush blindly into trouble . He should have opened their eyes to the true facts of the case , even though in . doing so he may have been misunderstood by some of
Gifts Of Expensive Jewels By Insolvent Lodges.
his hearers . His duty is clear , and neglect of it may causo misfortune to the Lodge for which he thinks he is doing a kindly service . The hotel proprietors are among tho many who afford temptation for our Lodges to get into
debt , and it almost seems impossible it should be otherwise . The Lodges and their members are individually good for what they undertake , and it would perhaps he disastrous for many of the hosts if they even hinted
tfiey would not allow the Lodge any credit . Y " et , if the matter be looked at in its proper light , and considered in a calm moment , it will be conceded that a rule of no credit would only amount to kindness , as of
all the extravagances a Lodge can practise possibly that of feasting is the worst , and if it came to be recognised that no banquet or refreshment was to be had without an
early settlement , many a Lodge would be spared that first false step which , as a rule , ends in the growth of heavy indebtedness . We need not extend our researches on this
point ; it is very certain Lodges do get into debt , and it is also certain that such indebtedness is incurred on account of extravagance ; we will at once address ourselves
to the special weakness referred to in our heading—the expenditure of funds in the purchase of expensive jewels or other testimonials when the Lodge is already heavily in debt . The first matter for consideration is to decide
whether the brother for whom the testimonial is proposed is directly or indirectly responsible for the deficiency To explain more fully our meaning ; we will take the case of a Lodge , the Worship ful Master of which
started his year with a balance in hand , and concluded it with a balance either of unpaid bills or of indebtedness to the Treasurer . Is he worthy of . a testimonial ? The question can only be answered by a careful
examination of the facts of each case separately ; but if it can be shown that for years past there had been a balance handed over to the new Master on the day of installation , and the deficiency was a departure from the
ordinary course of affairs , without any special reason for its growth , then it is pretty evident the Master has either been unqualified for his post , or has exceeded the limits of prudence , and has forfeited his right to a jewel . A
Mason who starts the ruling of a Lodge for the customary term with a balance in hand , and closes it with a heavy deficiency , has no rig ht to increase that deficiency , or to allow it to be increased by the purchase of a badge of
honour , while the brethren have no right to permit their sense of justice to be upset by any considerations of custom or precedent . " Honour to whom honour is due , " is a principle of the Craft which is totally disregarded by
the adoption of such a course , while , it it becomes a custom to present a jewel to every outgoing Master—no matter what amount of harm he may have done to the Lodge , either by incompetency or mismanagement—it robs
the jewel of any honour which may attach to it when presented to the Master who did his work well and raised his Lodge above the point at which it stood when lie accepted the reins of power . On the other hand , a Master who has
reduced the deficiency with which he started his term of office is not only justified in accepting a testimonial , but the brethren aro also justified in presenting OIK 1 , although
we would rather the jewel in such cases should be the best the members could subscribe for among themselves , rather than the means of once more swelling tlie reduced debit balance , but in such cases the brethren themselves are the best judges as to which is the correct line to pursue .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Gifts Of Expensive Jewels By Insolvent Lodges.
GIFTS OF EXPENSIVE JEWELS BY INSOLVENT LODGES .
THE terra we here use in association with a section of our Lodges is a strong one , and may be considered by some of our readers as unmasonic . That it is tinmasonic we are ready to admit , but only to the extent that
the state of affairs it expresses is decidedly opposed to the teachings of Freemasonry . To assert it is a definition which may not justly be applied to some of onr Lodges would be absurd—if the term insolvent may be used in
connection with any concern which cannot pay its debts without drawing heavily on its unearned income of the future ; and although it mi ght be advisable to use some other less obnoxious word , the evil we are writing of is so
palpable a one that it needs severe treatment . Not only does ^ the expenditure of money in the purchase of testimonials , by a Lodge alread y in debt , affect the Lodge and
its members personally , but it also brings discredit on the Order generally , while it robs jewels and other testimonials of much of the honour attached to them . This we shall
now endeavour to demonstrate . The question of Lodge expenditure is a difficult one to discuss in public , as liabilities which might be incurred in some quarters would amount to madness in others , and
while we acknowled ge the existence of special features in almost every case , there is yet sufficient similarit y in them all to bring the subject within the scope of general treatment . There are points which must refer equally to all .
and which are applicable in every case , and it will not be necessary for us to go beyond the lessons tau ght in Freemasonry to show all that we need at the present . Extravagance in any shape or form is certainly opposed to
the teachings of Freemasonry , and we think there are few Lodges now in debt which , if the truth was stated , could not trace their deficiency to some extravagance—some outlay which was both unnecessary and , considering the
expense at which it was made , impolitic . We are aware what inducements are offered to Loclsres , on every side , to get into debt . The Trensurers , as a body , are perhaps the greatest sinners in this respect , and what they do they do
out of kindness , although their kindness has often very serious results . Many of the Treasurers—we say many with little fear of contradiction—are read y with private means to pay accounts far beyond the sum they have in
hand . They consider it an honour to hold the office , and if the Lodge spends more money than it ought to , they are the last to raise a voice to stop it , lest their motives might be misunderstood . Is it any kindness to a
Lodge for its Treasurer to advance sum after sum from his own pocket to meet debts incurred by the members as a body , and which are added to time after time in perhaps utter ignorance of the financial state of affairs ? Most
decidedly not ; but , it may be urged , the members of a Lodge do not vote money away without knowing the state of its funds ; perhaps not—they know the condition , but men often do things apparently inconsistent with what
they know , and excuse themselves b y saying they thought things had been altered . If a Treasurer unhesitatingly meets every call of his Lodge without a word of
warninoor protest , he is certainly open to the charge of allowing the members to rush blindly into trouble . He should have opened their eyes to the true facts of the case , even though in . doing so he may have been misunderstood by some of
Gifts Of Expensive Jewels By Insolvent Lodges.
his hearers . His duty is clear , and neglect of it may causo misfortune to the Lodge for which he thinks he is doing a kindly service . The hotel proprietors are among tho many who afford temptation for our Lodges to get into
debt , and it almost seems impossible it should be otherwise . The Lodges and their members are individually good for what they undertake , and it would perhaps he disastrous for many of the hosts if they even hinted
tfiey would not allow the Lodge any credit . Y " et , if the matter be looked at in its proper light , and considered in a calm moment , it will be conceded that a rule of no credit would only amount to kindness , as of
all the extravagances a Lodge can practise possibly that of feasting is the worst , and if it came to be recognised that no banquet or refreshment was to be had without an
early settlement , many a Lodge would be spared that first false step which , as a rule , ends in the growth of heavy indebtedness . We need not extend our researches on this
point ; it is very certain Lodges do get into debt , and it is also certain that such indebtedness is incurred on account of extravagance ; we will at once address ourselves
to the special weakness referred to in our heading—the expenditure of funds in the purchase of expensive jewels or other testimonials when the Lodge is already heavily in debt . The first matter for consideration is to decide
whether the brother for whom the testimonial is proposed is directly or indirectly responsible for the deficiency To explain more fully our meaning ; we will take the case of a Lodge , the Worship ful Master of which
started his year with a balance in hand , and concluded it with a balance either of unpaid bills or of indebtedness to the Treasurer . Is he worthy of . a testimonial ? The question can only be answered by a careful
examination of the facts of each case separately ; but if it can be shown that for years past there had been a balance handed over to the new Master on the day of installation , and the deficiency was a departure from the
ordinary course of affairs , without any special reason for its growth , then it is pretty evident the Master has either been unqualified for his post , or has exceeded the limits of prudence , and has forfeited his right to a jewel . A
Mason who starts the ruling of a Lodge for the customary term with a balance in hand , and closes it with a heavy deficiency , has no rig ht to increase that deficiency , or to allow it to be increased by the purchase of a badge of
honour , while the brethren have no right to permit their sense of justice to be upset by any considerations of custom or precedent . " Honour to whom honour is due , " is a principle of the Craft which is totally disregarded by
the adoption of such a course , while , it it becomes a custom to present a jewel to every outgoing Master—no matter what amount of harm he may have done to the Lodge , either by incompetency or mismanagement—it robs
the jewel of any honour which may attach to it when presented to the Master who did his work well and raised his Lodge above the point at which it stood when lie accepted the reins of power . On the other hand , a Master who has
reduced the deficiency with which he started his term of office is not only justified in accepting a testimonial , but the brethren aro also justified in presenting OIK 1 , although
we would rather the jewel in such cases should be the best the members could subscribe for among themselves , rather than the means of once more swelling tlie reduced debit balance , but in such cases the brethren themselves are the best judges as to which is the correct line to pursue .