The Royal Arch.

THE ROYAL ARCH .

G 1 BAND Chapter decided , at tbe Convocation on ' Wednesday , to open the Arch degree to Master Masons of four weeks standing , instead of requiring twelve months probation , as has hitherto been

compulsory . As we said last week , the change has come as a great surprise to Eoyal Arch Companions throughout the country—it is even fair to say that hundreds of them are even now unaware of the alteration , which we most certainly regard , in our language

of last week , as really attacking the foundations of the Royal Arch . The speakers on Wednesday were by no means guarded in their remarks when they sought to show

the desirability , even the necessity for the change , which they regarded as compulsory in consequence of the lack of interest displayed in the Arch , coupled with the very serious rivalry offered by the Mark and more advanced Degrees , which attract nianv of the

active Master Masons before their enthusiasm has worn off , or their desire for new titles and Degrees has been satisfied , while by the time they were eligible for the Royal Arch their ardour had cooled down , and they were no longer desirous of seeking further

advancement , or at least not in the direction afforded by an introduction into a Royal Arch Chapter . We give a full report in another part of this issue of the proceedings in Grand Chapter , so that there is

no need to refer to them fully here , but the general tone of the remarks would seem to imply that English Royal Arch Masonry is in a bad way , and requires rigorous treatment to save it from disaster . We have

no faith in the result of the efforts now put forward , and we believe they will bave no appreciable effect on the Degree , so far as popularising it in this country is concerned . If the advisers of Grand Chapter

thought it desirable to make such a sweeping change as has just been agreed to they should have gone further , and considered the desirability of making the Royal Arch a portion of the third degree in fact as well as in theory , by allowing every Lodge to confer it ,

under certain regulations , and without the restrictions which now cause it to be regarded as quite a separate and distinct affair . Grand Chapter has gone too far in carrying out so important a change at a moment ' s

notice , and not far enough if the views expressed on Wednesday really represent the facts of the case , and show the position in which the Degree now stands in this country . We fully expect a much more lively meeting three months hence , wiien the minutes of the

last Convocation will come forward for confirmation , and this radical change in the Constitutions of the Royal Arch has to be formally ratified .

Having decided to admit Master Masons to the Royal Arch Degree at an interval of four weeks only , it seems to us another innovation must speedily follow , the timo required to elapse before a Lodge can apply for a Chapter warrant being contrary to the

The Royal Arch.

spirit of the present age , and equally open to the objections urged on Wednesday in support of the proposal to reduce the qualifying period in individual cases . In fact , now that alteration has been

recognised as desirable , there is no knowing to what extent reformers will go in their efforts to reorganize and popularise the Royal Arch . While they are about it

they may as well thoroughly overhaul the whole question , with results which , we hope , will be perfectly satisfactory to existing members , and productive of the very best results .

The Desire To Excel.

THE DESIRE TO EXCEL .

hPHE opinion has often been expressed in our pages that the Worshipful Master or other Officer in the Lodge who performs his task to the best of his ability , even though that does not allow him to nww ;• ; a

worker in the Craft , and can show that ho luis 1 An ordinary pains to perfect himself in his duties , i as much deserving of praise and compliment as tin wore fortunate member of the Order , who , bless ; : ! wit

natural gilts beyond the common , is able to smue ; n-: a brilliant orator or effective actor in tho cerenwwos associated with the several degrees of Freemas w ..:. There should be no attempts at compavi . of working under such different conditions as h referred to : we should rather recognise that no tw -n

can perform a task equally well , or impw m audience with the same feeling , and accordingly . Ac we recognise the natural ability of tho one i . ¦; ¦ , which enables him to rise far and above his I ; : VAA ; we should also make allowance for the less iwlwrnt

exponent of the ritual , whose natural gifts are ot no particular merit , and who is perhaps best dismissed as an ordinary individual . But we may attempt comparisons when we weigh the efforts of brethren in their desire to excel , and avail themselves to the fullest

extent of the gifts which nature has been good enough to bestow upon them . Here there is ample food for reflection , and it is often possible to correctly guage the amount of desire for excellence which an

Officer displays in the discharge of his duties . If in such a case we find a Brother striving to the very utmost of his power to perform the work of Freemasonry to the best of his ability , we should not spare the praise which he is really entitled to receive , but if

on the other hand , carelessness or indifference is shown , then condemnation should be freely uttered , and the provision of a better state of things should be urged on the offending member , for it must be

apparent to any who give one moment ' s consideration to the point , that a general display of indifference , as to the work of Freemasonry , would soon produce the most disastrous of consequences . It is not very often that we meet with direct evidence of indifference on the part of Officers in our