Western District Association.

WESTERN DISTRICT ASSOCIATION .

A LARGELY attended meeting of the * Western District Masonic Association was held on the 22 nd ult ., at the Freemasons' Hall , Princess Square , Plymouth , for the discussion of various matters of interest to the Brotherhood .. The main

interest was centred in the nomination of a Brother to serve as Provincial Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . Two Brethren were nominated , but the voting , which was by ballot , resulted in the selection by an enormous majority of Bro . Edwin Roseveare , J . P . The announcement of the figures was greeted with hearty

cheering , the nomination being a very popular one . As the result of this meeting , Bro . Roseveare will be unanimously elected at the next annual Provincial Grand Lodge meeting , which in all probability will be held at Exeter . —*•Western Morning News . "

Exclusion Or Suspension.

EXCLUSION OR SUSPENSION .

A PROPOSITION recently made in the United Grand Lodge of Victoria , with reference to members in arrears for dues , has many aspects to recommend it , and some which are serious obstacles to its proper working in the best interests of the Craffc . There is a world wide and rapidly growing conviction that exclusion and the publication of the black lists by Grand Lodge

are unmixed evils , and so no doubt fchey are ; but Lodges must be conducted on strictly business-like lines , or else they will rapidly sink into disgraceful confusion and indebtedness ; this feature of the matter we have frequently urged . Whilst ,

however , those Lodges which follow these rules are to be warmly commended , there is no little danger that hardships will result in some cases , where the desire to do is stronger than the ability , on the part of the members in arrears for dues .

Brother H . J . L . Batten , in opposing Brother Smith's resolution , with his usual powerful eloquence , contended that Freemasons who had not the manliness to say " I cannot pay these dues , I must for the present , at any rate , resign my membership , " were not wanted in Lodges . That so far as it

goes is no doubt a very taking view of the fearless and Spartan like courage with which such as Brother Batten would meet adversity ; but all men are nofc cast in a similar mould , and

Freemasonry is constituted with the intention to support and cheer up , and encourage weaker Brethren , a role in which such men as Bro . Batten would always be found playing a prominent parfc .

Now , the Constitution which fixes the amount of Grand Lodge dues might as properly fix the general conditions upon which membership privileges shall be qualified or withdrawn ; and this might be done with credit to the Craft which now suffers seriously by wholesale exclusions . Some Lodges there

are which properly require from candidates answers to very searching questions as to their ability to support an order which , it is pointed out , is not a Benefit Society . Now , supposing such answers prove satisfactory , and the Lodge initiates a member

under those circumstances , and that member falls into adverse circumstances through the inability of others to keep faith with him , there is undoubtedly a special claim upon that Lodge to deal with even untiring leniency in his case .

Fraternal sympathy and support have special claims upon them ; much no doubt is done , and much- patience is exercised , but where to draw the line should be defined by laws as explicit and plain to be seen as the noon-day sun . In such cases even resignation should be deprecated , and a time should be fixed at

which dues should cease to accumulate , and corresponding privileges be suspended , while membership upon such a basis might be permitted to continue . Of course it can be urged thafc doing so merely means staving off the evil day , and in the meantime increasing the Lodge ' s indebtedness to Grand Lodge , and

instances can be cited where this has been the case , and an accumulation of four or five years G . L . dues has been incurred , forming an absolute dead weight , through fche exercise of this leniency . To this statement , substantiated as it is by many

cases , we must give our acquiescence , but under this generalization there lies the fallacy of accepting for its basis exceptional facts , and therefrom deducing an ordinary state of affairs .

On the other hand , we , as Masons , are constrained * by the whole tenor of our teachings to recognise not the rank , wealth , or station ,, of a Brother , but his conduct as a Mason and his circumstances when they are in any sense distressful . It is from the latter point of view that we look at this question . In

colonial life there are so many vicissitudes thafc a man who may be unable to pay his dues to-day may be opulent to-morrow , and if he be apprised when in adversity , that his Lodge not only refuses fco suspend his dues , but actually notifies him that he has gone beyond the limit allowed , he naturally obtains a feeling regarding the Masonic principle of charity , and its recognition

Exclusion Or Suspension.

in that particular Lodge , the reverse of satisfactory . This resentment does not only affect his Lodge , but the whole Craffc , and the mental reservation with which that Brother thinks and speaks of Freemasonry has , in some cases to our own knowledge , turned the adverse scale with a prospective candidate . Under these circumstances we would ask the serious

consideration of those with whom rests the duty of determining this question , of the advisability of making the main condition of placing any Brother on fche suspension list that of paying his Grand Lodge dues , and continuing to pay same , until the Brother himself is able fco resume active financial membership .

This course would render ifc unnecessary to erase his name from G . L . roll , and thus prevent the annual excision , and the further proceeding of forwarding fche excluded list fco every Secretary in the territory , so that they may post them in the book specially put before fche Brethren .

Moreover , such suspension would not be a complete severance from the Lodge , and the Brother unfortunate enough to be so placed would still feel that he had an interest in its affairs , whereas the striking off creates nofc a feeling of apathy only , but of dislike . From whatever point we look at the matter

this appears the wisest method , for while a Brother who is off the rolls of both his Lodge and Grand Lodge does nofc financially assist the Craft in any way ; yet if he be paying his G . L . dues ( and he could pay them to his Lodge every half-year ) he is , at least for the executive purposes of the Craft , as well found as

any of the members of financial standing . The effect of keeping a Brother on the books of G . L . can be gathered from the statement that has been made , that there are 7 , 000 Masons in New South Wales alone , who are dissociated , in a pecuniary sense , from the Order .

Another matter is that of fche bye-law prevailing in most Lodges , regulating the distance a Brother must be from the Lodge before he can become a country member , which can in some instances be wisely abrogated , and when hard times are . pleaded and a Brother does not visit his Lodge but once or twice

a year , this should be done . When it occurs , however , caution is necessary , or it might become a precedent , and be urged as a pretext for cases where there is not any absolute necessity , and in this particular Worshipful Masters should make searching and satisfying inquiries before committing their Lodges . — " Masonry . ^

Reference has already been made fco the proposal to hold a Masonic Service , at an early date , at Rainham Church , for the purpose of assisting the restoration fund , on which occasion it is hoped one of the Grand Chaplains , together with the Provincial Grand Chaplains of Essex , will officiate .

Under the auspices of the Albany Lodge , No . 151 , a wellattended ball was held in the Drill Hall , Newport , I . of W ., on the 16 th inst . The members of the Craft were granted a dispensation to appear in Masonic clothing . The duties of

M . C . were efficiently carried out by Bros . R . Smith W . M ., D . S . Pring P . M ., W . L . George I . P . M ., and A . Milledge P . M . Mr . W . D'Anna ' s string band furnished the music for the dances .

There can be no question that the hand of Freemasonry is , under the present regime , powerful in the government of France . At any rate , what has hitherto been an open secret has just been proclaimed from the house-tops by a member of the Ministry , Speaking afc a Masonic festival of the Grand-Orient of France on

Saturday , M . Guieysse , Minister for the Colonies , in a moment of exultation declared that " Freemasons were in a majority in fche Government , " and that for his own part " he had never been so active as a Freemason as during the time that he had been a Minister . " This is plain and fearless speaking , the moral of which needs no pointing . —" Tablet . "

A prompt , intelligent , energetic and obliging Secretary of a Lodge can do much to secure its prosperity . He should be a Brother of large and varied information , and of considerable experience , so that all the Officers , from the W . M . to the Tyler , may draw upon his fund of knowledge and find ample supplies .

Not only should he be thoroughly posted as to the ritual and the conduct of the Lodge , & c , but he should also have such a good knowledge of the members—their individualities and idiosyncracies—as to know just how to approach them in any manner respecting the collection of clues or other related subject . Of

course he should be accurate and discreet m performing tbe duties of his office , ready to answer all proper questions , and never in a perverse temper . Blessed is the Lodge tbat has such a Secretary . — " Masonry . "