" Very Well Answered, Worshipful Master."

" VERY WELL ANSWERED , WORSHIPFUL MASTER . "

IT has been ordained that candidates for advancement in Freemasonry should show their proficiency in former degrees , by answering certain questions relating to them in open Lodge ; and it must be admitted that those questions and answers

are an important feature in the ritual of the Order , inasmuch as they are often adopted as the test questions put to a brother before he is allowed to enter a Lodge at which he is a stranger , or when he is desirous of proving a regular association with Freemasonry . The sentence we have put at the head

of our present remarks is usually expressed after those questions have been first answered , in the ordinary course of a Brother's admission to the rights of Masonic membership , but the words are often uttered much in the same way as the clerk of a parish church utters the " amen " at the end of the

daily prayers . He may mean all the amen implies , and the brethren may really mean that the questions have been " very well answered , " but in a large majority of cases the response is a mere matter of form , made without any consideration of its import , and , in Freemasonry , without taking into account the actual replies made by the candidate to the observations of the Worshipful Master . Freemasons ,

indeed , have become so familiar with this endorsement of a candidate's fitness , as to treat it with the greatest contempt , and in doing so they not only frequently make themselves appear most ridiculous , but they are countenancing a direct departure from the teachings and regulations of the Craft , which require that a candidate should himself show signs of proficiency before he is advanced to a superior decree .

KJ There seems to be some doubt among Freemasons as to who is responsible for a candidate ' s tuition in this direction , and no doubt many brethren allow the mischief to be continued more from want of thought than from wilful neclect : but however this mav be

there _ is no gainsaying the fact that great laxity is practised , and it will be continued until some official notice is taken of it , and compliance with the regulations enforced . We were pleased to hear the Provincial Grand Master of Surrey speak on this point on the occasion of the consecration of the Ebbisham Lodge , and the opinion he then expressed , that the respon sibilites of the proposer and seconder of a

candidate did not cease until he had passed the third degree , clearly showed that those two brethren were the ones responsible for a brother ' s knowledge of the answers to be given to the test questions , which are intended to demonstrate a candidate's iitness for preferment . That candidates should not bo able to answer the questions of their own accord was , said me Provincial Grand Master , an utter disgrace to any JJOdge ; but we think he was wrong when he said he

" Very Well Answered, Worshipful Master."

should " advise" Masters not to proceed with the ceremony unless the candidate could do so ; wo should like to hear Colonel Money , and others at the head of the Order , forbid Masters to proceed under such circumstances , and we hope they will eventually issue such an edict , unless a general improvement is manifest in this direction .

Wo have frequently spoken of the effect of first impressions in Freemasonry . In reality they have very much to do with the success or failure of a brother's career in the Craft . For this reason it is not fair to

a candidate that any part of the ceremonies should be omitted or even slurred over , but as it is not in the power of every Master to give the ritual in a perfect and impressive manner we must rest content that as much is done as is possible . But shortcomings in one direction may often be repaired by care in another , and especially is this the case with the point under consideration . The ritual and the ceremonies may alike fail to make an impression on a candidate

—tor various reasons ; ne may no particularly nervous , or lie may fail to grasp the full import of the lessons set before him at the time of his initiation or passing . But this may be remedied when he quietly settles down to learn the answers required of him before ho can be advanced another step in the Order . He cannot make himself proficient in those answers without taking some interest in the matters they refer to , and interest once created is sure to nvnnsn tlift desire for further knowledge , with tho W

* W ~ V »~ - - Q-j inevitable result that however much his early tuition may have been neglected it will bo fully remedied by his own efforts and researches . This clearly proves the necessity of an actual as well as a suppositious knowledge of the tests provided by the Craft , and should convince every member of the Order of the absurdity —nay , the positive injustice —of the " very well answered " endorsement , unless

it is really deserved . Jtieierring once more to the remarks of the Provincial Grand Master of Surrey Ave can say with him that if a man will not take the trouble to learn the answers he will not be likely to prove a good Mason . It is not so difficult a task that is set the candidate that the Craft should allow of its

being passed over , and we venture to think an improvement in the direction here pointed out would lead to efficiency in other matters ; for if a Mason is once impressed with the idea that the Craft requires that its principles shall be practiced as well as preached , he is more likely to adhere to the strict letter of the Masonic law in every respect than he

would be if a spirit of indifference was once associated with his career in Freemasonry . In addition to the advantage that would accrue from a better system in this direction we would also point out the folly of Brethren remaining unacquainted with the test questions and their proper answers . Let them go to parts where they are unknown , where there is no one to vouch for their Masonic membership , and endeavour to avail themselves of their