Summer Masonry.

SUMMER MASONRY .

WITH the advent of fine weather wo may look for a return of the' periodical desire on the part of a large nnmber of brethren to specially support suburban Lodges , so as to enjoy the pleasure of Masonic meetings in the purer air of the country , away from the boat and

smoke of our great cities . There is no reason why this feature in connection with English Freemasonry should not be widely extended , as affording a pleasant release

from the turmoil associated with the greafc centres of civilisation , but , on the other hand , its effect on the older Lodges of the Order—those which havo long supplied the wants of the larger towns—should be considered , with the

view to decide whether it is the more desirable to encourage extension , or to offer resfcraint to tho energy of the more enthusiastic among our number .

The first stage in the process of securing a suburban Lodge is the association of an exceptionally largo number of brethren in a town Lodgo , and the larger the membership in this latter case the more certain is there to arise a

desire to establish an offshoot . In due course this desire ia carried to a successful issue , we mean , success so far that the warrant is secured for the suburban Lodge , which is started amid the hearty congratulations of the older

organisation ; but how often have tbe members paused to consider the effect of the extension , so far as the older Lodge is concerned—the mother Lodge , in fact , from which the new one has secured its existence ? We venture to say considerations in this direction are not often taken into

serious account , and yefc experience has shown ns that the day of reckoning has usually to bo faced , although in some instances it may be long delayed . Leaving Freemasonry for the time being we will turn

to another subject in which wo havo specially interested ourselves , and here we can find an apt illustration of our opinions . Tho executive of a well-known club , which is universally recognised as the leader in its particular

branch of sport , was in the habit of publishing a list of its members , with their full addresses . Tho array was a splendid one , something to bc proud of , and it may be that the pride of issuing the list had something to do with

its appearance ; but it soon became evident that the particulars given in tho list wero likely to prove an evil rather than a blessing , and ifc became absolutely necessary to make a change in the procedure . As the

Secretary aptly termed it , this list of members and their addresses became a happy hunting ground for the promoters of suburban clubs , who were always sure of finding a few names within range of their new Ventures : and

although they did not always succeed in winning tho support they sought , they did so in many instances , to the detriment of the central club , as well as to tlio annoyance of the members , who wero being continually worried to

support thia or that proposal . This is very much what occurs in Freemasonry when a new Lodgo is established as an offshoot of one which has become exceptionally popular .

-me promoters themselves may determine to maintain their membershi p in the older association , and may never dream « weaning from it the affections of other members , but in onrse of time they find it ia no longer necessary to keep

Summer Masonry.

up the dual membership , and in most cases they prefer to continue with the younger Lodge , where as founders they may have much moro interest at stake , being perhaps a Past Master or fairly on the way to the honours of the chair . But it is not only so far as it concerns themselves

that they are apt to weaken the older Lodge . Suppose they have a candidate to propose ; the question naturally arises which of the two Lodges shall havo the benefit of receiving him , and in nine cases out of ten we believe it will be found the newer organisation is selected ,

and when this system is carried on month after month it naturally follows that tho mother Lodge suffers , and suffers so much as really to affecfc its position ; for it must be remembered that the brethren who . are foremost in promoting these suburban Lodges are also thoso who aro

likely to have tho most candidates to introduce , and are really tho men who must be relied upon to keep up tho resources of the older bodies . We have before us a large Lodge which for some time past has been gradually dwindling clown from these causes , and thoso who are best

acquainted with its inner working are anxious for the future , because ifc is apparent to tho most casual observer thafc tho drain of the older members , and the probable scarcity of initiates is likely to increase rather than diminish during tho next few years , for the reason that nearly all

the present Officers of the older Lodge are prominent members of suburban offshoots , looking forward to filling the chair at early dates in the younger bodies , and knowing they will have to wait their turn before doing so in tho older one . Under such circumstances ifc may be supposed

that any initiates they may have to propose will go to the daughter Lodges rather than to the mother one , for in the one case the proposer will be filling the highest office ,

and will personally have the pleasure of officiating at his friend ' s initiation , while in the other they are only one among many for the time being , and cannot possibly feel the same amount of interest .

Grumbling is nofc very often heard among Freemasons in regard to the officials of a Lodge , bufc the evils of the system of which we are speaking are so patent that discontent is nofc to be wondered at . The junior members of tbe larger Lodge look at their superiors ,

and regard them with mingled feelings ; it being th old story of the dog in the manger over again . The enthusiasts have started suburban Lodges for themselves , have used the older Lodge as a " happy hunting ground , " and have taken some of the prizes which would

in the ordinary course have fallen to its lot , all the time winning honours for themselves , and ultimately filling the chair in the newer Lodge , and at the same time monopolising office in the older one , which it must bo admitted they seem to regard somewhat in the form of a stopgap .

There are some who will argue that the relief afforded by these offshoots is beneficial , for the reason that Lodges of exceptionally large membership are undesirable . This may be true , but there arc few Lodges thafc can afford to lose member after member , aud at the same time have all

or nearly all its likely initiates drafted into other channels without experiencing some amount of anxiety , and , ifc may be , suffering permanent injury from the process , and on this account it may bc necessary to look further into tho

whole ; question andsenously consider whether what we may term Winter Lodges reap any advantage , even if they do not suffer injury from the increasing popularity of Summer Masonry .