The Masonic Funeral Service.

Hon , the laws of symbolism . No Mason , no matter how many degrees he may have received , no matter how high he may have climbed on the Masonic ladder , can be Masonically buried , except as a Master Mason . In some jurisdictions ( I know of one at least ) Grand Chapters have adopted a funeral service for Royal Arch Masons , and the Knights Templars have , not very long ago , taken the same step . But

the funeral service of the Templars ( and what is said of them might just as well be said of the Royal Arch Masons ) is either religious or symbolical , or it is neither . It canuot be a religious service , because modern Templarism does not profess to bo a religion , and although teaching Christian doctrines , it does not claim to be a Christian sect . And even the old Templars who sprang out of the Crnsades , although

they called theiv institution a religious Order , never thought , as Knights , of performing any religious rites , but left the discharge of all such dufcios to their Chaplains who were regularly ordained to the work by ecclesiastical authority . The Mediaeval Guilds paid much attention to the funerals of their members . All the expenses were paid by the company , and the

members walked to the church in solemn procession . Bat thosorvices were always performed by a " mortuary priest" who was engaged for that purpose by the Guild . Neither is tho Templar funeral service a symbolical service , for thero is , in no part of the Templar system of initiation a rite or ceremony which develops tho symbolism of death as in the Master ' s degree . If it be , then , neither religions nor

symbolic , the funeral service of a Templar , however beautiful may bo the language in which it is framed , must be unmeaning and useless , for it is not sustained by relig ious authority nor recommended by Masonic symbolism . The same thing may be said of the Chapter funeral services , in those jurisdictions where such a service exists . There is , in none of

the degrees of Royal Arch Masonry , any symbolism of death upon which a Masonic symbolic funeral service could bo based . At tho hour of death , however high he may have reached in his Masonio researches , the Mason comes back , instinctively , to that solemn degree iu which alone he has learned the great lessons of lifo and death .

And as wo stand around the grave of our brother , all of us , from the highest dignitaries in Commandery or Chapter , to tho humblest Mason who is recorded on our roll , are Master Masons carrying out , in open day and in the face of the world , the symbolism which we were taught in our nocturnal assemblies in the recesses of our Lodges . It was a beautiful and an expressive thought of tho Greeks when

they mado the same word signify " to die , " and " to bo initiated . " With them death was the initiation into life eternal . Every Mason knows how , in like manner , death and initiation aro closely related in the Master ' s degree . Hence , of all the degrees in Masonry , the Third , alone , is appropriately supplied with a funeral service . The simulated death is succeeded by the actual one , and thus the lesson of life and

immortality is perfected . The real grave is but a supplement of the figurative ono , and the symbolization of death and the resurrection are continued from the Lodgo to the cemetery . If it is unmeaning for Royal Arch Masons , or Templar Masons , to have a fnneral service , because it is not religions and cannot be symbolical , since there is no symbolism of death iu the Capitular or

Chivalrio degrees on which to rationally found such a service , how much more unmeaning mast funeral ceremonies be in a secret society where there is no symbolism of any kind . Such societies , however they may obtain our approval for their charitable deeds as benevolent associations , while paying by the attendance of their members all honor to tho memory of a deceased associate , should certainly be

satisfied with tho services of the Church . Having had no symbolic service when be was admitted inio their society , he can have none when be leaves it . But if these societies claim that their service is not symbolical but religious , then they come into collision with the Church , because they thus imply that the Church service is incomplete and requires another to make it perfect . But this is a question between

the Church aud these societies into which we have no wish and no right to enter . To borrow a slang phrase , tho only excuse for using it being its exceediug appropriateness , " it is not our funeral . " Having thus shown that tbo Masouic fnneral service is altogether symbolical and belongs exclusively to Master Masons and to the Master's degree , the other regulations on this subject claim our attention .

Preston , to whom we are indebted tor the law ot Masouic burials , lays down the regulation that except in the case of foreigners and sojourners , " no Mason can bo interred with the formalities of the Order , unless it be at his own special request commuuicated to the Master of the lodge of which he died a member . " ( Preston , Illust . Oliver ed , p 89 J

This provision is in accordance with the general spirit of tho Institution . Freemasonry i 8 a voluntary , not a compulsory Order . When a candidate is admitted to receive its mybtenes , he must , previous to his initiation , declare that he has come " of his own free will and accord . " If , after having advanced one step in his novitiate , he should declare his unwillingness to go further , no Lodge or member would

seek by promises or threats to induce him to proceed . Every symbol must be communicated to willing recipients only . Now , as the fuueral service at the grave of a deceased brother is but a coutiuuatiou aud necessary sequence of tho fuueral service in the Lodge , and as this furmer part of the symbolism was imparted only at tho request of the candidate , it follows as a rule of consistency

that the latter part of the same symbolism shouid also be illustrated only at his request . One portion of the symbolism cannot be of a voluntary character and the other portion compulsory . It is to be presumed that if a Mason wishes the service to bo performed he wib say so before he dies . If he does not express the wish , it is equally to be presumed that he declines the symbolism . And as the Lodge conic

bestow nothing upon him while ho lived , without his consent , neithei can it bestow anything upon him after his death , which before crying he bad explicitly or implicitly declined to receive . This is the reasoL of tho law that , a Master Mason cannot be buned Masuuically utilesit be at his request . Toe law , iu more recent times , has been stretched , ia a spirit of liberality , so as to recuguize the requesli ot his immediaCb

The Masonic Funeral Service.

relatives as if it were his own , because they are naturally supposed to represent what were his sentiments . The next regulation of Masonic burials is , that no Mason can bo buried , " foreigners and sojourners excepted , " unless he has been a man of good character and exemplary conduct . Preston , it is true , does not enunciate this law in express words . But it is implied from

tho fact that he is required to have been at the time of his death a member of a Lodge . The request for his burial must have been , says Preston , " communicated to tho Master of the Lodge of which he died a member . " Now , as it is a well settled maxim of law that everything that is done by competent authority is presumed to bo rightly done , and as

the Lodge had neither suspended nor expelled the deceased , since at the time of his death he was a member , it follows that he conld have done nothing that would have rendered him liable to suspension or expulsion . Therefore , being a member "in good standing" at the time of his death , it is to be taken for granted that his life had been a virtuous one . Now , why is it that nono but good Masons can be buried

with the formalities of the Order ? It is because the symbolic death of the Third degree was that of a virtuous man . And at the timo when that symbolism of doath is imparted to the aspirant he is told to " be true and faithful , aud imitate the example of that celebrated artist whom he has once represented . " Throughout the remainder of his life the unswerving integrity of that " celebrated artist" is ever

an example to him . His death and resurrection are a hope and a consolation . When we stand around the grave of our brother , we are reminded of that death and burial which had been symbolized to ns , as of one who had sacrificed his lifo to preserve his integrity . Recalling all tho details of the legend of the Third degree , it is evident that to appropriate the funeral services founded on that legend to an

unworthy man and Mason would bo to debase and to misapply its symbolism . Hence , none but Master Masons "in good standing" in their Lodge , that is , of irreproachable conduct , are entitled to Masonio bnrial . From what has been here said tho following principles may be assumed as the results of tho enquiry :

1 . The Masonic fnneral service , is not a religions service . Therefore it does not come into collision with tho service of tho Church , being intended neither as an addition to or a substitute for it . 2 . It is a symbolic service carrying out , at the grave , tho symbolic idea which had previously been taught in tho Lodge . 3 . Its symbolism is founded on the symbolism of death and burial

as presented in the Master ' s degree . Therefore any servico performed by Masons of a higher degree or by any non-religious society must be unmeaning and inexpressive , because there is no snch symbolism from which the service can derive any application or significance . 4 . Being a part of the symbolism of the Third degree it can be performed over Master Masons only .

5 . For the same reason and because Masonry is a voluntary insti * tntion , which requires the " free will and accord " of every ono who wonld share its mysteries , the service can be performed only on the request of the deceased brother expressed before his death , or what is supposed to be tho same thing , on the request of his immediate relatives .

6 . As the symbolism in a Masonic fnneral refers to the death and burial of one who was distinguished in the annals of Masonry for his virtues , the service can only be performed over one who is his representative , that is , a worthy Master Mason "in good standing . " Otherwise the symbolism would bo inconsistent and contradictory in its interpretation .

7 . Lastly , as none bnt worthy Masons can , for the reason above stated , be interred with this fuueral service , and as the only evidence of such worth recognized by Masonic law is " good standing , " unaffiliated Masons , not being in ' good standing , " are not entitled to Masonic burial . An unaffiliated Muson may , perchance , be a good man , bat he cannot be esteemed a good Mason .

Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

A meeting of the Grand Committee of the Grand Lodge of Scotland was held on Tuesday afternoon—the Grand Master Mason , Sir Michael R . Shaw Stewart , in the chair—when nominations were made of the brethren to be recommended by the committee for election by Grand Lodgo at its meeting in November as the officebearers for next year . The following were , we uuderstiuid ,

unanimously agreed upon : —Sir Michael Shaw Stewart again to be tue Grand Master ; the Earl of Mar and Kellie to be Depute Graud Master , iu room of Bro . Henry Inglis of Torsouce ; Colonel Campbell of Blythswood again to bo Substitute Grand Master ; Lord Inverurie , presently Junior Grand Warden , to bo Senior Grand Warden , iu place of Bro . Barrow ; Bro . R . F . Shaw Stewart , Senior Grand Deacou , to

be Junior Graud Warden ; the Rev . Dr . G . S . Burns , Glasgow , to bo joint Grand Chaplain , in room of Bro . tue Ilev . Dr . Gray ; the Earl of tladdington to be Senior Grand Deacon ; Bro . J . Caldwell , Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Reufretvshire , to be Junior Graud Warden , in place of Sir Geoige Douglas Clerk ; Bro . Francis L . Law tube Graud Jeweller , in room of Bro . Alexander Hay ; and the other ottioeoearers of Grand Lod ^ e to be re-elected . —Edinburgh Courant .

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