Mistaken Zeal.

MISTAKEN ZEAL .

ENTHUSIASM for Freemasonry , like enthusiasm for anything else , may be carried too far , and instead of proving a benefit may turn out an absolute disadvantage , detrimental to the cause it was intended to advance , and creating false ideas in regard to the Order -which , at all times most undesirable , may sometimes become even hurtful to members of the Fraternity in distant parts of the world . The

widespread influence of Freemasonry makes the actions of any of its members noticeable , not only in the district particularly concerned , but in other parts , and direct effects of an action in one quarter of the world may show itself in another quarter thousands of miles away , and -wholly distinct from the first , except as regards the presence of Freemasonry , although even that may be of a character entirely distinct , the chief resemblance ; being that of name .

It is by no means unusual for the United States of America to supply instances of this excessive zeal , and it is on such grounds we must receive the information which recently appeared in the daily press of this country , tothe effect that "the Masonic Grand Lodge of Mississippi , at its recent session at Yicksburg , adopted

the iollowmg remarkable resolution : —It snail be an offence against Masonry for any Mason not now so engaged to hereafter engage in , or for any Mason now so engaged to continue in , the business of selling intoxicating liquors to be used as a beverage after the lst day of January next , and the penalty therefore shall be expulsion . " How can such bigotry be

excused on behalf of ordinary Freemasons ? Here we have a few over enthusiastic men meeting under the banner of Freemasonry , and introducing into their deliberations subjects wholly outside the range of the Craft , and legislating in regard to them in a manner which calls forth the strongest condemnation from all who care to regard Freemasonry as " free " in something more than name .

If these wild enthusiasts confined their operations to their own members , or to their own districts , there wonld not be so much to find fault about , but they would probably treat as " expelled" any brother who paid them a visit from a foreign Constitution , who happened to come within the scope of this absurd "liquor law . " If they did not they would not be acting up to the spirit which induced them to make the law , and if they did they would be justly entitled

to suspension themselves , lor having acted contrary to that principle of the Craft which allows a perfect freedom of action in all matters pertaining to the every day life of members of the Masonic Order . We must not blame the Masons of Mississippi for

waiting stringent laws it tuere is an absolute need lor them in their district , but their stringency in Freemasonry should be limited to matters that come within the scope of the Order , and not made to interfere with the private life of their members . If

Mistaken Zeal.

they made a law prohibiting the admission of dealers in liquor they would be more within their rights , but to expel old members simply because the " temperance " craze has taken a severe hold on some of their

number is both absurd and unjust , and deserves the centure of all conscientious and sincere Freemasons ; it is indeed an insult to the Craft at large , and as such should be resented .

Qualifications For Lodge Officers.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR LODGE OFFICERS .

IT will hardly bo denied that tho elected Officers of a Lodge should have sufficient qualifications for their stations and the discharge of the duties devolved upon them . The experience of Lodge meeting *? proves tho necessity for such qualifications .

It rarely happens that some duty is to be performed by the elected Officers of a Lodgo , which needs full knowledge or familiarity with its details . If the lack of such knowledge is apparent at tho time when the Officer is called on to act , then it is too late to obtain the needed information . To avoid the

manifostatice of defective information , the Officer undertakes to mako some sort of verbal or other improvised action . Thc members of the Lodge who observe the default havo no opportunity to correct it . Those who do not observe tho relapse , tako it as the exact rendering of the proceeding .

Error comes in . It is cited as the proper rendering because it was done in a Lodge . It may be that thus precedents are established which vex tbe brethren , who are easy afc tho failure properly to perform the duty of the Officers of Lodges .

It will not stop at the outset . The error grows , for those who witnessed it at first and heard no correction , arc too often led to assert it was correct , for tho reason it was not corrected by those who knew it was faulty at the Lodge meeting .

It is easily seen how mnch depends on the qualification of all elected Officers of Lodges for their respective duties . The Lodge elects a Brother to be Junior Warden . He feels complimented ancl not withont good reason thinks he is fully qualified to act . Tho election has no such effect . The character of the Brother

satisfies the members that he is in that respect fit for tho station , but it gives no assurance of his capacity to perform tbe duties attached to the station . The Junior Warden should then at once begin to obtain tho knowledge which it is essential to possess .

It is not possible to refer to it in this place . To write or print proper references would be , as all well-informed Masons know , a Masonic offence . Bat it can hi stated that tlie Junior Warden must at once learn , not by rote , but by careful study and full comprehension , wbat he has

to say and to do in his station . Ifc may be he must take the S . W . and W . M . stations , when he , as J . W ., owing to the absence of the S . W . and W . M . at a Lodge meeting , has to take the W . M . ' s station . Tho knowledge the J . W . has promptly to acquire may be needed soon after his installation .