Cliqueism And Class Lodges.

CLIQUEISM AND CLASS LODGES .

IT is well known we have a strong prejudice against what is termed " Class Masonry . " We are of opinion that anything which places a restriction upon

the membership of a Masonic Lodge is directly opposed to the true principles of Freemasonry , and that it should be discouraged bv all who take an

interest in maintaining the Order free and unfettered as it has been handed down to us . We consider that Grand Lodge should forbid , rather than encourage the

establishment of " Glass " Lodges , but such , it would appear , is not the opinion of those in authority , who continue to recommend the warranting of fresh " Class " Lodges , and take an interest in urging their

claims for general approbation , although , so far as we know , no really strong argument has been put forward in their favour . Class Masonry is not , and

never will be , Freemasonry ; while it is a direct contradiction of the first principles of the Order to allow a Lodge to be carried on whore admission is restricted to the members of a particular class or section of the community .

Freemasonry has won its reputation and high standing in the world because it has been free to all , never recognising any distinctions of creed , nationality , religion or profession , but only requiring that every p . fl . nrlirlfllfi fnv if . s rnvKtavips sVin . ll Tie n < vr \ nrl mor > on / - !

a believer in the Great Architect of the Universe . Under such circumstances , then , it is all the more surprising to us that " Class Masonry " should secure such support as it has lately received , or that its advocates should not have been convinced , ere this , that they were not promoting the welfare of the Order in pushing forward their own particular hobby . If these enthusiasts want any proof that " Class

Masonry " is a mistake , beyond the fact of its being utterly opposed to the principles of Z'Veemasonry , we would direct them to devote . a little attention to the outside press of the country , where they will

irom time to time see sufficient to convince them , unless they are so prejudiced as to refuse to be convinced , that anything approaching cliqueism is detrimental to Freemasonry . Only a few weeks ago one of the papers devoted to the interests of gas

lighting had some very severe comments in regard to the inner working of a Lodge which is restricted in its membership to persons who are associated with tne manuiacture 01

or supply gas . TJiese comments were sufficient to bring discredit on the whole system of Freemasonry , and while we should be sorry to even imagine the remarks were called for , we do not know of their being contradicted or answered . Surelv if

they were capable of being easily disproved some stringent measures should have been adopted to contraction wiem ior tne 01

, n oniy saue removing the stigma they cast on Freemasonry . The past few days have provided another , and an equally strong argument against Class Masonry , the following paragraph

Cliqueism And Class Lodges.

having appeared in several of the London and Provincial papers : — " It may be news to some people to lflarn t . bat in thfi Masonic world thara is a tntnl

abstinence party so strong that in a London Lodge they have excluded , and it is said intend to exclude , from office , all members who are not total abstainers .

A senior member of the Lodge has been displaced already , and a trial of strength is to take place next month on the election of Master . " This line of

conduct is a direct outcome of the formation of a so-called "temperance" Lodge , a departure from the spirit and letter of Freemasonry we have more than once condemned . It has long been known to us that this

" temperance" Lodge has been conducted on most un-Masonic principles , and that its members have been carrying on an organised system of opposition among themselves . Candidates have been

excluded by one party in the Lodge simply because they happened to be friends of the other side . Meetings have been upset and harmony destroyed in the mad

endeavour to introduce outside fanaticism into Freemasonry , with the result , as we have just shown , that the proceedings of the Lodge are made the subject of criticism in the general press of the country . We have argued with some of the founders and more influential members of the Lodge as to their

unreasonable and un-Masonic behaviour , as members of the Order , and we know that others have done the same , but all to no avail . It is a question of war to

tne bitter end , and the sooner the . Board of General Purposes or some other authority steps in and puts an end to the scandal the better it will be for all concerned . A continuance of the unusual tactics

which have so long prevailed in connection with this Lodge not only affects the members more particularly concerned , but the whole Craft and general body of Freemasons throughout the country .

We are well aware that cliqueism exists in Freemasonry outside the actual class Lodges , and no doubt such will always be the case ; but the introduction of distinctions of any character into Freemasonry tne ior extension

opens way an 01 tne pernicious system to which we have alluded , and we again say that every attempt to extend or continue them should be stedfastly opposed , if not actually forbidden , by Grand Lodge . But , it may be urged , if we do this we shall at once close the principal loop-hole by which new warrants are secured , for it must be evident to

those who study such matters that nearly every warrant lately granted for new Lodges—and especially the metropolian ones—has been issued in order that

some particular class or section may have a Lodge of their own , with a recognised power of excluding good men and true from their midst for no other reason

than that they are differently circumstanced in life . If such proceedings are to be recognised as a legitimate part of Freemasonry of the future we venture to

predict that the Order will be in a very different condition ten years hence to what it was ten years back . Harmony and good fellowship were prominent