Who Comes Here ?

whom the Craft has to deal in our day aro those who aro Masons , but have fallen from their first estate—suspended Masons , expelled Masons , Masons who , having lost Masonic character , now seek to prey upon thc Fraternity ,

and unworthily live upon its chanty . These constitute one class of our enemies . But wo can readily guard against theso . Thoy aro not the moro dangerous class , and thoy aro all recruited from our enemies of tbo other and larger class .

The worst foe that Freemasonry bas to fear is the disqualified applicant for initiation and membership who haa been accepted by the Fraternity . In him an enemy is introduced into the heart of our camp . Without due inquiry into his character he has been made one of us . If

afc night , after leaving the Lodgo , ho " paints the town red , " it is a Freemason that does ifc . If ho borrows from his fellows and pays not again , ifc is tho act of a Craftsman . If he is a libertine , or a drunkard , his conduct is attributed to , and charged up against , the Craft .

The remedy for all this lies in boldly challenging every applicant for initiation , and authoritatively asking , Who Comes Here ? Seemingly a simple question , in reality it is most complex . We shall seek to properly unfold a part of its meaning , for the information of tho Craffc , and especially of Committees of Inquiry .

First , the Lodge , as a unit , says , Who comes hero ? As goon as a petition for initiation is read , tho applicant is on trial . If it choose , the Lodge may vote not

to receive it . The deficiency in character of the applicant may be so clearly known thafc his petition may not be entertained . Bufc we will suppose it is received and referred to the usual committee . Now comes the time for anxious

and critical inquiry . Now the sentinels are at thoir post , and it is to be seen whether they will faithfully perform their duty , or thoughtlessly and inconsiderately admit an enemy into the camp . It is now for them to diligently inquire , Who Comes Here ?

First , tho applicant should be seen , and his petition carefully read to him . He might have signed it hastily , ancl without regarding its terms . These should be made plain to him . Next he should be asked : —Is fche address named

your sole place of residence ? If so , how long have you resided there ? Are you married or single ? Does yonr family line wifch you ? To whom would you refer as having known you for a series of years ? Are you physically sound in all your members ?

Having armed themselves with this information , derived from the candidate , the committee is prepared to pursue its inquiries in other directions , in order to fully determine , and be able to report to the Lodge , whether the applicant is physically , morally , mentally and socially qualified to be initiated and received into the Craffc .

To ascertain these facts a variety of persons shonld be seen and interrogated—the persons to whom the applicant has himself referred , his recommendera on the petition , some of his neighbours , and some of those pursuing the same vocation as . himself . By this means those familiar

with his habits of bfe , his moral character , and his standing in society , will have been interviewed , and the- Committee will have done all in its power to ascertain the

truth in the matters referred to it , and be ready to make an intelligent and reliable report to the Lodge , either in favour of , or against , fche prayer of fche petition being granted .

Who Comes Here ? Is ifc a man who in reality lives at a distance , where he may be so unfavourably known that he cannot gain initiation into his home Lodge , and who , intentionally or otherwise , misrepresents his true residence , possibly to accomplish his purpose away from home ?

Expose him , and either refuse to receive his petition , or first inquire of the Lodge of his place of residence whether any Masonic objection exists to his being mado a Mason in your Lodge . One or the other must be done . Who Comes Here ? Is ifc a dismembered applicant , a

torso of a man , one physically disqualified , who can in no true sense symbolise , by his body , that perfect man , morally and intellectually , which , knowingly , the Craft only includes in its membership ? If he be such a one , reject him at tho threshold .

Who Comes Here ? Is it a faithless man , who does not believe in Deity , an agnostic , a freethinker , one wbo despises Revelation and denies his Maker ? The Masonic Fraternit y is nofc the place for him . We worship the Grand Architect of the Universe , and His revealed Law is our Great Light , a rule to our faith and a guide to our

Who Comes Here ?

action ? . The atheist cannot bo admitted among us . Reject him . Who Comes Here ? Is it ono whom oven the world does not respect , who defrauds bis fellow-men , whoso word is worthless , whoso conduct , in some or all of the

relations of life , brings reproach even on the good namo of man ? By all means exclude him . If he is received , it will only bo to bo expelled . Save Iho Craft fcho recourse to this means of purifying itself from material that never should never have been approved .

Who Comes Here ? Is it an applicant who signs his petition with his mark , in placo of writing his name ? Clearly he is illiterate . It is true that kings onco with pride affixed only their signs to royal documents , but that was before the schoolmaster was abroad in the

world . Now illiteracy is inexcusable . Now reading and writing are even commonly regarded as necessaries of intellectual life , and no petition for Freemasonry ought to bo entertained from any applicant wbo cannot write hia own

name . Who comes Here ? Is ifc a man of good report , honest , faithful , truthful , well spoken of by all—nofc perfect of course , since none of us are perfect , but a clean , upright character , a man who will be a credit to the Fraternity ?

Accept such an one as a brother beloved , as already a Mason in heart . Bind him to you with hoops of steel . Welcome him into your oblong with open arms . Let true Masonic

Light dawn upon him , for he is worthy and well qnahned ; and only such applicants should bo favourably recommended by Committees of Inquiry , or approved by Lodges . —Keystone

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

LEOPOLD LODGE , No . 235 . rillLE annnal installation meeting wan held at tho Masonic TTall , JL Grey Friars' Road , Reading , on Monday , 28 th ult ., when Tiro . Dr . Tench , who was elected at the last meeting , was duly installed in usnal form . There was a large number of brethren present , amongst whom were tho Right Hon . Viscount Valentifl , Provincial Grand Master of Berks ancl Oxon . The ceremony was conducted moat

efficiently by Bro . Ravenscroft , assisted by Bros . Margrett and Pulley . The Officera were appointed and invested , as follows : —Bros . Tench W . M ., Ravenscroft I . P . M ., Hickie S . W .. Tabbs J . W ., Slaughter M . O ., Whaler S . O ., Bennett J . O ., Gnilding Chaplain , Stransom Treasnrer , Sydenham R . M ., Creed Secretary , Miller S . W ., flewefct J . W ., Pnlloy

D . C , Sherwin Organist , Long I . G ., Bonney and Brown Steward ? , and Hemmings Tyler . The brethren afterwards adjourned to a banquet , at the Great Western Hotel , provided by Bro . Flanagan , in excellent style . The nsual Mark toasts were proposed anrl dnly honoured , and some capital songs and recitations given . The proceedings throughout were of a pleasant character .

Star Chapter of Instruotion , No . 1275 . —On Friday , 25 th ult ., afc the Stirling Castle , Camberwell . Present—Comps . F . Hilton Preceptor , Capt . R . J . Vincent M . E . Z ., G . L . Moore H ., J . Hill J ., C . H . Stone S . E ., R . J . Voisey Treasnrer , G . Powell P . S ., Dale 169 , Osterstock 1185 , T . Grummant P . Z . 1275 , Montgomery , Goodwin and Pettit . The Chapter was regularly opened by the

Principals . The minntes were read and confirmed . Tbe ceremony of exaltation was rehearsed , with Comp . Dale as candidate . Comps . Dale , Pettit and Montgomery were elected members . Comp . Capt . Vincent thanked the members for placing the Officers at the disposal of the Sphinx Chapter . Comp . Moore was elected M . E . Z , for the next meeting .

On Friday , 2 nd inst ., Comps . G . Powell M . E . Z ., T . Grummant H ., F . Hilton J ., S . H . Stone S . E ., Osterstock S . N ., Stone P . S ., Goodwin 1 st A . S . ; Comps . Bannister , G . L . Moore P . Z ., Price , Dale , and J . H . Martin . After preliminaries , the minutes of convocation of 25 th April wero read and confirmed , and the ceremony of exaltation

rehearsed , Comp . Bannister candidate . Comp . Grummant was elected to preside at next meeting . Comp . Hilton announced thafc on the last Friday in May , before tho adjournment for three months , he would rehearse the three installation ceremonies , and the exaltation ceremony . It was agreed that a letter bo written to Comp . Eokersall , condoling with him on the sad and almost sudden death of his son .

H . R . H . the Prince of Wales Most Worshipful Grand Master has been pleased to grant a warrant for a new Lodge ( The Cricklewood ) , of which Bro . James Willing jun . will be the first Worshipful Master .

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