Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . GEORGE JOHN BAKER , THE funeral of the late Bro . George John Baker P . M . 108 ,

¦ who departed this life on Friday , 30 th ult ., took place at St . Alban ' s cemetery , on Tuesday , in the presence of a very large concourse of brethren and friends . Bro . Baker had held for many years a most important position on the Daily Telegraph , and was highly esteemed by his

employers and colleagues . As a Freemason he was widely known and respected ; he was an active member in his own Lodge . He was Treasurer of the Constitutional Lodge of Instructior , No . 55 , an office he had held for many rears * , he was likewise Treasurer of the Benevolent Fund of that

Lodge . In all benevolent cases he was a real and earnest worker , with over a ready ear to any tale of distress . Not only to tho members of the Craft was ho endeared , but socially he was a welcome guest at many public gatherings .

He had been suffering for about a month from pneumonia and affection of the liver , but his end was sudden and unexpected . He had shaken off tbe dise'i- 'e , but this left him prostrate with excessive weakness , which resulted in

syncope . An enormous number of wreaths , chapleis ami device . --in natuial flowtrs were pent by his sorrowing friends . The following is a list of some of tha wreaths , but the whole are not enumerated as they kept arriving so rapidly ,

even up to the moment tlio ooriege started : —Wreath of violets and camellia ? , Bro . Jno . H . Gretton ; wreath of hyacinths and lillies of the valley , with deep sympathy from the members of the Blackfriars Club ; wreath of white camellias and lillies , with kind sympathy , from Miss

M . Levy ) a beautiful cross from a few friends •everla & ling wreath under glass shade , from the brethren of the Ancient Abbey Lodge , No . 875 , R . A . O . B . ; wreath from Mr . Charles Everett and family ; a lovely cross of white roses and lillies—the favourite flowers of tho

deceasedfrom his sorrowing wife ; wreath of camellias and lillies from Arthur and Annie Fry ; wreath from Mr . and Mrs . A . L . Fry ; wreath from Mr . and Mrs . J . Sanders ; beautiful wreith of lillies of the valley , arum lillies and camellias , wifch deepest sympathy , from his colleagues in

the advertising and publishing departments of the Daily Telegraph ; wreath of lillies and stephanotis from Mr . and Mrs . W . H . Chaplain ; beautiful chaplet of orchids , Bro . Edward Bond ; bouquet of acacia , Bro . J . Hurdell ; wreath of arum lillies and lillies of the valley , Bro . H . T . Burton

magnificent wreaths of white camellias , white roses and lillies of the valley , with deep sympathy , from Sir Edward , Lady Lawson , and family ; wreath of maiden hair ferns , winter primroses and chrysanthemums , Mr . and Mrs . Watling ; wreath of maiden hair fern and white

chrysanthemums , Mr . and Mrs . Thomas Oakley ; wreath of anemones , hyacinths and ferns , W . R . Spratt and Ed . Oliver ; beautiful wreath , in loving sympathy from the brethren of the Constitutional Lodge of Instruction , No . 55 , Bro . T . J . Vincent Secretary ; large device ( square

and compasses ) in geraniums and tulips from Bro . G . J Barnett * compasses , Bro . F . Smith ; chaplet of lillies and chrysanthemums from C . W . Miskin , R . W . Brabant , C . F .

Pond , T . Ward , A . Madale , E . Miskin , and P . B . Harding ; wreath from George Davey and William Callie ; wreath of arum lillies and lillies of the valley from the carpenter ' s department of the Daily Telegraph .

The 2 * 5 train from St . Pancras brought a very large contingent from London to attend the funeral . Every shop in the neig hbourhood of the deceased ' s dwelling vvas closed , aud every licensed victualler in the city suspended business during the enactment of the sad rites . Among the brethren assembled were : —Bros . Edward Bond P . M .,

George J . Barnett W . M . 1929 , H . S . Woodd 2308 , C . W . Mayo S . D ., 1545 , Arthur Fry 609 Friendly Brothers , J . C . Main P . M . 157 , John H . Gretton W . M . elect 108 , W . Stephens Lee 108 , Charles Fox P . M ., H . T . Burton , J . Scoon , J . Brnton P . M ., Richardson , and many other

brethren . So numerous was the gathering it was impossible to collect the names in the short space of time available for tbe purpose . Letters and telegrams of condolence were received in vast numbers ; and the many evidences of sympathy showed how widespread was the

Obituary.

feeling of sorrow at the untimel y death of the deceased , who had not yet completed his 48 th year . He leaves a widow and one child to mourn his loss .

Are You A Mason?

ARE YOU A MASON ?

IT is by no means uncommon for the profane , as well as Brethren , who may be in promii-cuous gatherings of ] people , to hear this question asked of some one or another of the company . So thoughtless and indiscreet are many who profess to

be Masons , that they take no heed to their flippant talk . A guard on their language is not always regarded a * requisite or necessary . Indeed , when with Brethren in their casual meetings in public places , matters that relate to Lodge action , or Lodge meetings , are discussed without thought that the profane may hear .

So unthinking and so unrestrained are some members of Lodges in their intercourse with friends who are Masons , that it does not occur to them that they are violating the spirit of their obedience to the rules of the Craft . This is too often the case in villages or towns . In these

communities it is very common to hear , in the usual resorts to which are gathered , at times of leisure , several of the population , and where conversation is indulged in on topics of local interest . At theso assemblages Masonic news ia discussed . If any special subject invites conversation , then

men who profess to be Masons take part without , it would seem , any thoughtful consideration of the gross impropriety of discussing either the Lodge action , or proposed action , or the requirements of tho application of the law of

the Craft , in the case . Sometimes the question is asked of some of the persons present , Are you a Mason ? He may be a stranger to the locality , or one not frequent in attendance at Lodge meetings . It does produce hesitation in tho discussion in case a' profane is present .

Many particulars of the case are stated . By some the statement is controverted , by others approved , till , in this public place , much is said that is without any justification

as to its propriety , and in direct violation of Masonic law . It must be apparent to the trained and instructed Mason that all this is wrong . It is a mischief that should ba promptly corrected . ,

It is one instance , and a very important one , to emphasize the necessity of providing instrnction of Lodges as to the dnties of members . There are cases in which the conduct of a member of a Lodge is the town talk , and the discredit brought on the Fraternity by his behaviour , and

the nature of the offence he has committed , is well known to a large number of people of the locality who are not members . These profane cite the case against the Fraternity , and thereby it is brought into discredit . If those members of Lodges who take part in the

conversations of the citizens of the locality in such cases were duly taught that they are violating the laws of the Craft , a suppression of this idle talk would be insured . If the members of the Lodge refused to even refer to the case , then the profane would have no opportunity to discuss the

subject . There are serious injuries committed in our Fraternity by this habit of talking in public of matters that are only to be conducted in a tylcd Lodge or by a committee of a Lodge charged with investigating the truth or falsity of the charge made . It may be said that this

violation of the regulations of Freemasonry is rare . Thai it was accidentally known to others than Masons , and becomes current in the locality by rumour , or unforseen means . Yes , but the fact remains , that members of a Lodge are not cautious to stop all reference to it , rumour

or not , in association , even for a few minutes , of the profane in public places . Then is not the time to ask , Are you a Mason ? That question should ever be the admonitory notice to all Brethren when outside of a tyled Lodge .

Those are serious considerations that ought to be present to the Mason when he is not in his Lodge , as to tbe possibility of the Lodge proceedings or any relation of Masonic Jaw to any case being discussed in any public

place . A little reflection will convince the members of Lodges that strict guard and great circumspection should always be exercised in treating of Masonic subjects anywhere not under the commanding rule that Masonry requires .