Competent Officers.

COMPETENT OFFICERS .

WE can well agree with the claim made a year ago , that in order to accomplish intimate social communion among the members , the meetings of the Lodges must be made both pleasant and attractive .

While lectures and gatherings around the banquet board can in a very large measure assist in bringing about that which is attractive to all the membership , there appears to me to be even a more vital measure which can be

adopted to secure the need , and which we all eagerly seek to have done . It is that the men who are selected as the Officers of the Lodges should have the highest qualifications to be found within the Lodge membership . My contention is that the qualifications should be , so far as can be procured , a widely developed mind , whether gained by education or self investigation or self

improvement . A man to hold official station in a Lodge should be possessed of a disposition to be just , to be determined , to be gentle , to be kind , to be patient ; slow to form final opinions of a Brother ' s worth or weakness ; ready at all times to be fair and considerate . He should

be a student of the Masonic Jaw , a student of fche ritual , a student of the best interests of the Lodge , a student of the direct welfare of those who may be brought in closest contact with the direct membership , of which he is one . He should be able to acquire and retain both the secret

and the written work , and take care that when the occasion requires to so deliver the work that not only the person to whom he addresses himself gives attention , but that all who may be present to see and hear shall do the same . This is notably demanded in all of the degree work . It is not my claim that these qualifications

should rest with the Worshipful Master of the Lodge alone , but that they should exist to an eminent degree in the Junior and Senior Wardens and Junior and Senior Deacons , as well as in the Master . The chairs all properly equipped with the best capability , no danger will be present upon questions of promotion .

Give to me impressive and complete work in a Lodge room and I will assure and guarantee you filled benches and filled seats , a crowded Lodge room with an interested , entertained and loyal membership . Present

me with poor work , slack attention to duty , carelessness to the interest of those who are the members of the subordinate body , and I will point out to your gaze a decreasing membership , a disgusted ciicle of Brothers , and a Lodge well on the way to decay and in position for the forfeiture of its charter .

men of capacity and of willingness to do their whole duty in the building up of the Craft , if the opportunity is afforded or their efforts are sought . It is my belief that it is safe to declare that there is not one such Lodge throughout the length and breadth of this great State of California . trouDie mannests itseii oi tne suoorai

xne m many - nates , I fear ,, in this : that there are at times Brethren who are ambitious for official position , who are entirely unfitted for the duties imposed upon the office and the one who may hold it .

It is true , again , that there are many earnest workers , whom the members of the Lodge believe that by reason of efforts that have been put forth by them reward should follow by advancing them through the chairs . Yet these good Brethren are in some instances , we are forced to allow , unable to grapple with the necessities which constantly devolve upon and appertain

to the official acts required in the chairs from Junior Deacon to Worshipful Master . It has been my misfortune on several occasions to attend the conferring of the several degrees of the Craft , where the inspiring sentiments of our Order were , to use term 01 simileoutcnerea oi

a , . expressions aisappomiment , mortification and even disgust were apparent upon the faces of many of the Brethren present . I have even seen the countenance of a novitiate express pity for the one addressing him and hopeless disappointment in the work of the Order with which he sought to unite . Instances are many where under such circumstances the

You may answer that these suggestions are Utopian , too ideal ; that it is not possible in all Lodges to obtain the material asked for . But pause a moment , and consider whether it is a fact that there is any Lodge in the State of California which has not able and learned

Competent Officers.

work of the Order has been badly given , haltingly presented , and hopelessly hacked afc by an incompetent Master and incompetent Officers ; the consequence has followed that the one who has finally been raised fco the degree of Master Mason has failed to return or attend

any further meetings , or to take ought of interest in the advancement or condition of the Lodge or of the Order . It has been to my sense of shame , on some occasions , and I have no doubt to many of those now representing the jurisdiction of this State , when the funeral service of our Fraternity has been so abominably read and so

disgracefully rendered that you have been moved to , if you did nofc in fact , leave the presence of those in grief at the loss of a dear and departed Brother , and ask yourself as I have asked myself : " What in heaven ' s name could have prompted anyone to deliver the service of the Masonic body with an entire lack of qualification and

with a manifest incompetency to do that which was actually demanded ? " The family of the departed , in the depth of their sorrow , are amazed that the beauties and sublimity of a service which has to them again and

again been referred to , should bring but little or no comfort , and only chagrin from the manner in whioh the Master of a Lodge , on some occasions , will and does present it . It is to the great injury of our noble

brotherhood , when occasions such as I have referred to arise , and something must or should be done to avoid incompetency of service , either at the conferring of degrees or at public ceremonies . Whay may be the remedy?—Bro . Deuprey , in the " Voice of Masonry . "

About Officers.

ABOUT OFFICERS .

A PHRASE much abused , misunderstood , and misinterpreted is that in Masonry the office should always seek the man . When Masons will become different in mind and feeling from other people , then possibly this may be the case , but while we have among us good men , workers in the Craft , who are proud of being members of the Fraternity , so long will these very Brethren be ambitious to become Officers and Masters of their respective Lodges

and Grand Lodge Officers , and why not ? These aro the men we want in the East of our Lodges , these are the very men we want as our Standard Bearers . We want workers ; we want those who feel honoured by the office , and who are proud to help us in the groat work of our good cause , and have already helped us . There need be no electioneering for office , but let us respect the manly Brother

who frankly admits that he would like to be Master of his Lodge or Grand Officer , would like to be advanced , and having served in other positions , has been thoroughly tried and deserves his advancement , but leaves it to his Brethren to judge of his qualification for the office , and who , when chosen to preside , resolutely sets to work and does his best for the benefit of the Craft , who neither boasts of his own achievements nor complains of the shortcomings of others ,

performs his duty honestly , faithfully , and manfully , such Brother should be elected ; elect no Brother , however , merely because ho wants the office ; neither refuse him merely because ho expressed a desire to have the office . Observe the golden rule and go to neither extreme ; dicard all sentimentality about elections , when the best interests of the Craft are concerned . One ounce of good , hard common sense is worth ten pounds of idle , foolish sentimentality * — " New York Advertiser . "

Masonic Sonnets, No. 101.

Masonic Sonnets , No . 101 .

BY BBO . CHAS . F . FORSHAW , LL . D ., 295 and 2417 ( E . C . ) Hon . Mem 1242 ( E . G . ) and 24 ( S . C ) . — : o : — SILENCE .

BE Silent , Brother , when the whelming heart Would fain rebel against the thoughtful mind Be Silent when the angry words upstart Rebellious speech oft breaks the ties that bind . But Oh 1 speak out when slanderous lips would slay

The name held good by one who hails you friend ; Protect from foes when he is far away Guard thou secure when malice strives to rend , And if , mayhap , thy inner conscience knows ,

The bitter words may be alas 1 too true 'Tis still thy caro to shield him from his foes By being mute when niching tongues pursue . For Silence oft appeals and wins the day When eloquence retires all worsted from the fray Winder Houso , Bradford ,

27 th August 1894 . The weekly meetings of the Clapton Chapter of Improvement , No . 1365 , will be resumed from Thursday nexfc , at the Three Sisters Hotel , Hackney Downs , at 8 »