How To Make Meetings Interesting.

interesting the attendance will be good and good results will follow . In endeavouring fco answer this question I shall not undertake to suggest any special programme or to lay down any specific plans or methods ; it would be useless to do so , for the reason that what would prove interesting to one Lodge might be very uninteresting to another . I shall deal only with general principles , such as will apply equally to all Lodges and obbain bhe desired effect .

First—To make Lodge meetings interesting , fche work must be begun on the outside of the Lodge Room . The greatest care should be exercised in selecting the membership . None bufc good , honest , upright , well disposed men ought to be admitted . While one o £ the great aims and objects of all Orders is to improve and

elevate the character of man , they are not and should not be made reformatories . Fraternal Societies are formed and organised for benevolent purposes only , and wicked , selfish men can be of no value in a work of that kind , and ought not to be admitted . Such persons will never become interested in such a work , and will only be a burden to those who are . KEEP THEM DTTT .

Second—The work inside of the Lodge Room should begin with the candidate . I believe all Fraternal Societies seek to teach some valuable lessons ; all of them , so far as I know , have beautiful initiatory and degree work , intended to reach the heart and touch the conscience of the caudidab ' e , and to make clear and

plain the teachings of the Order . The Officers or degree sbaff should know what it means , and in conferring the degree it should be done in the most dignified and impressive manner possible . No foolishness , whatever , should be thought of nor indulged in . Iu doing this work the Officers of the Lodge or

degree staff should bring into use all the eloquence , pathos and dramatic power they possess , in order to impress the candidates as deeply as possible ; to make them see the beauty and feel fche power of the great thought of fraternity . Many a good candidate , many a man who had in him the qualities that go to make a good Lodge member , has been ruined in the " making . " Many

Lodges are wrecked because the membership have no conception of the great thoughts with which the ritual deals . Lodges may maintain an interest in " sport and ridicule" for a time—but only a short time—and when the collapse comes ifc is like the explosion of a bubble . The interest must be preserved in the sublimity of thought and nobility of purpose of the Order , or it cannot—indeed , ought not—be preserved at all .

How To Make Meetings Interesting.

Third—The interest must be preserved by work . Work is the key that unlocks the door to all pure enjoyment ; men never get interested in doing nothing—standing water stagnates . It is not enough to know the great lessons of humanity ; if we would love them , we must practice them . As soon as a Lodge runs out of work it ought to give up its Charter . Show me a working

Lodge , one that is on the alert bo do a good deed , and I will show you an interested one . A good Oddfellow once said to me that every Lodge meeting was interesting to him , for ha loved to hear the question asked , " Does anybody know of a sick Brother , or Brother in distress ? " That one question suggests the whole of Oddfellowship . The only way we ever become interested in

anything is to engage in it—think , resolve , act . Do you know of a Lodge that can barely get a quorum out to its meetings , dragging along at a snail's pace ? Do you know what the trouble is ? You can find out if you will read the minutes back for six months or a year . It is dying for want of exercise . It has done nothing to keep it healthy .

Fraternal Societies were born into the world for a purpose , and that purpose was to do something , fheir religion is a religion of works . It is their business to minister to the wants of humanity . As long as they do this tbey deserve to live—tha world needs bhem . As long as they strictly attend to their business it will prosper , and

Lodges will grow and increase in interest with their growth ; when they cease to work they ought to die . Life is too short and too valuable fco spend its evenings ia a Lodge Room where nothing is done . Our prayer should be—0 , Lord , spare all useful lives and working Lodges .

Fourth—I would increase the interest in Lodge meetings by more thoroughly educating the membership and their families along the line of the principles and dubies of the Order . To be interesbed in a subject , or a work , we must know something about it . The more knowledge , the more interest . I firmly believe the principal cause of lack of interest is lack of knowledge . It may not be a popular thing to say , but I believe it is true ,

nevertheless , that a large majority of the membership of our Orders to-day know but very little about the principles , aims , objects and purposes of the Order to which they belong . Without this knowledge but little can be expected . I would do this by having open Lodge meetings at least twice a year . Invite every member , his wife , his children ; then have good speakers —speakers who can clearly explain what the Order seeks to do and picture the beauty of its principles . Educate the member ,

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