Masonic Studies.

matters little to them if the sections are worked ; if "they are , they condescend to exhibit just the semblance- of a languid interest in what is going on , all the while , perhaps , regarding the whole thing as a nuisance and a needless delay to the banquet in store for them . They care not

to have a section between the banquet and their appetites . On the other hand , if no lectures are held , no sections worked , it would never occur to them to seek more light . They are content to go on from year ' s end to year ' s end

in a state of tranquil ignorance , utterly unmindful of the fact that when they joined the Craft they expressed a wish for the benefits of Masonic light , and that they virtually bound themselves to be assiduous in their Masonic duties .

Not a few among these drones of Masonry have the hardihood to look forward to the day when they shall occupy the chair of the Lodge . They consider their ignorance to be no obstacle whatever to the attainment of their ambition . What is more astounding still , sundry among

these audacious Craftsmen find their ambitious hopes sometimes are realised . They attain the rank of W . M ., but it cannot be said they adorn it . These ambitious brethren are not particularly thiu-skinned . When some initiation , or passing , or raising has to bo got through , they see no

degradation whatever in vacating the chair in favour of some P . M . competent to fulfil the duty . The ceremony over , they reoeeupy their seat , and having asked the few formal questions prescribed b y law , they close the Lodge , and the banquet follows . In one sense no great

harm is done , perhaps , if these fortunate brethren are genial fellows . They secure a certain amount of popularity as chairmen . They are esteemed generally for the excellence of their personal qualities . They are seldom reproachable with a want of liberality . In fact , they have

sense enough to know that something has to be done in the position in Masonry they have attained , and being utterly without Masonic knowledge , and feeling themselves , it may be , too advanced in years to bother themselves about learning , they make up for their shortcomings by a more than

ordinary display of bonhommie . They have something of the gourmet in their composition , and can both eat and appreciate a good dinner . They give liberally to the Masonic Charities . They are never weary in their efforts to promote good fellowship ,. but no one in his senses would

ever dream of setting them down as capable members of the Craft . As we strew our beds , so must we lie . The Lodge that elects such a member to be its W . M . has no reason to grumble if , during his year of office , not a single step of progress is made in Masonry . They have only

themselves to blame for electing a worthy man , but incompetent Mason , to the most distinguished position in the Lodge . Considering , however , the strides that Masonry has made of late years , and is making ; considering how complete a hold it has in the popular mind ; considering ,

also , the violence of the attacks which the Ultramontanes are making in other countries on the reputability of the Order , it is more than ever incumbent on a Lodge to elect competent men to rule it . All of us know how painful it is to overlook the claims of a worthy man , or what at least

he considers his claims , to promotion . His personal friends are many . He silences the waverers with the wise saw Seniores Priores , and a minority as feeble , perhaps , in intellect as in numbers , yields ignominiously , and the Lodge is saddled for twelve months with a W . M . whose Masonic

knowledge , of all but a few signs and phrases , is conspicuous chiefly by its absence . We mentioned last week a way of decreasing , if not of wholly removing this excessive amount of Masonic ignorance .

We suggested frequent , and , when possible , regular attendance at Lodges of Instruction , where able and willing Preceptors attend and expound with more or less perspicuity the most abstruse points of Masonic lore . But what if the cares and anxieties of business or the incidents

of time and circumstance allow not this ? What if brethren can obtain instruction only in their own Lodges ? What chanco is there of learning in a Lodge whose rulers are themselves ignorant , or at all events whose knowledge is limited to the parrot-like delivery of a few formulo 3 ?

True , there will certainly be one or more brethren competent to instruct him , but example , in ignorance as in other matters , and especially the example of men in high places , is contagious . Brethren who are lackadaisically inclined , will

toy , " Why trouble ourselves to study , when Bro . A . B . C , who knows next to nothing , has already attained the chair ? It is evident that a competent knowledge of Masonry is not a sine qua , non in a W . M , We shall attain that rank , as he

Masonic Studies.

did , in due time . This ignorance in the officers begets ignorance in the members , and the strict equality of Masons—at all events , in ignorance of our beautiful ritual— - is amply illustrated . The deductions we make from these premises are these r

In the first place , let none be elected to office who are incompetent to fulfil , respectably , the duties required of them . We are far from expecting that all W . M . ' s should be Solons , any more than we expect all Masons to be as rich as Croesus . But we have a right to require of those

who compete for office , that they shall be useful as well as ornamental . In the next place , let Lodges of Instruction be more frequently and more fully attended . It were well , indeed , if Grand Lodge warranted these Lodges directly , instead of sanctioning their erection under the warrant a £

other Lodges . Were this done , their status would be vastly improved , and brethren would be more eager in their pursuit after knowledge , when they realised the important fact that Grand Lodge took Masonic instruction under its direct and immediate protection . They are

not skilled musicians who just know the notes of music , or skilled artists who can describe a square or circle with the aid of rule and compasses . Why then should it be assumed that dubbing a man a Mason gives him Masonic knowledge ? To carry the matter a step further ; who

would dream of electing the man who only knew his notes , to be a professor of music , or him who could describe a square or circle as aforesaid , to be instructor in painting OP sculpture ? Why then should brethren be elected to the chair who barely know the A . B . C . of Masonry ?

Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

THE regular Quarterly Communication of Grand Lod ge was held on Wednesday , 1 st December , at Freemasons ' Hall , Great Queen-street . There was a numerous attendance of the brethren , it being the night for the nomination of the M . W . M ., the Grand Master , the appointment of

President of the Grand Lodge of Benevolence , and the Senior and Junior Vice Presidents ; the R . W . Bro . Lieut-Col . Charles Lyne was the acting Grand Master . The R . W . Bro . Bagshawe P . G . M . Essex P . G . M . ; Lord Tenterden as

G . S . W ., Col . Whitwell as J . G . W ., Sir Albert Woods G . D . C ., M . Mclntyre , G . R . Fenn P . A . D . C ., Alderman Hadley P . G . S ., Rev . C . J . MartyuP . G . C ., Rev . R , J . Simpson P . G . G .,

J . Clabon P . G . D ., J . Nunn P . G . S . P ., Hyde Pullen P . G . S . B . , S . Rawson D . G . M . China , A . Sandeman Dist . G . M . Bengal , Spiers P . G . S . B ., Mason P . G . S . B ., Kuhe G . O ., W . Ganz

P . G . O ., J . Symonds P . G . D ., Wright G . P ., E . P . Albert A . G . P ., J . Boyd P . G . P ., C . A . Cottebrune P . G . P ., T . Cubitt P . G . P ., H . G . Buss , Pendlebury , J . Hervey G . S ., & c .: W

Smith , J . Constable , C . Hogard , H . Marsh , H . Massey , H . Thompson , E . M . Haigh , S . May , Jas . Terry , R . W . Little * T . Bull , T . White , Dr . Carpenter . Capt . Phillips , C . Lattvberfc , F . Adlard , R . Webster , G . Everett , W . Waghorn , E . H . Thiellay , Francis , G . King sen ., W . C . Parsons , H .

M . Levy , E . Moody , Headon , W . Stephens , Jas . Stevens , & c . Grand Lodge was opened , and the Grand Secretary said he had received letters of apology from the M . W . Earl of Carnarvon Pro G . M ., Bro . Alderman Stone J . G . W ., and several distinguished brethren . The minutes of the

Quarterly Communication of the 1 st September were read and confirmed . The acting G . M . said he had the sanction of the M . W . G . M . to appoint Bro . Alderman Hadley to act on the Board of Benevolence in the place of the late Bro . J . Savage . Bro . J . Clabon was appointed Senior Viee

President , and J . Nunn Junior Vice President of the Board of Benevolence . Bro . Case G . S . then nominated H . R . H . the Prince of Wales as M . W . G . M . for the ensuing year The election of twelve Past Masters , to serve on the Board of Benevolence , took place . The Report of the Lodge of

Benevolence was read and confirmed , with the exception of one grant , which , on an amendment being moved , was reduced to £ 100 . The Report of the Board of General Purposes was read and confirmed . All the business placed on the paper [ as given in our last issue ] was confirmed .

Bro . Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . Chaplain , proposed the sum of 100 guineas should be granted by Grand Lodge towards the Palestine Exploration Fund . Grand Lodge was then closed in ample form . The Scrutineers had nofc returned with the list of the twelve Past Masters to serve on the Lodge of Benevolence before Grand Lodge was closed .