The Wearing Of The Blue

THE WEARING OF THE BLUE

UP till within the last few days , we should have had no hesitation in saying that whatever was decided npon in Grand Lodge would be cheerfully accepted by the members of the English Craft , who have at all times displayed

the greatest willingness to bow to the opinions of their rulers in all matters associated with the Order . Events , however , have recently occurred which , if not exactly shaking our faith in the genuineness of such belief , at least afford

ample grounds for putting it to the severest test . We may summarise the cause which has led to this uncertainty on our part in a few words , but from the brief record given in

our last issue of the division which took place at the December Communication of Grand Lodge , our readers will no doubt surmise that the subject to which we refer is that connected with the decoration of Past Masters outside

their own Lodges . Brethren who have passed tho chair are to be deprived of the right to wear their insignia of honour when visiting any private Lodge but that in which they won such decoration . We say they are to be deprived

of their right advisedly , for it has certainly been the custom among Past Masters to wear their collars whenever they chose , but now they are to be officially forbidden to

do so , but by so narrow a majority in a large assemblage of Grand Lodge as to leave little doubt but that the question is one on which a strong difference of opinion exists .

The subject has been under discussion for some time past , and the attempt made at the beginning of the present month to settle it is , we think , likely to leave matters in a

far more unsettled state than they were before , for we can hardly believe that a resolution carried by 211 votes against 210 will be accepted by Past Masters as a definite settlement of a question which so materially affects them as does this

one . The vote taken on the firct of the present mouth was the result of a recommendation from the Board of General

Purposes , whose attention had been called to the wording of Articles 304 , 307 and 308 of the Book of Constitutions , the two former of which Articles refer to the collars to be

worn by members of the Craft , and the latter to the occasions when those collars may be worn . The Board deemed it advisable , in order to avoid any misunderstanding , that Article 308 should be amended , and accordingly proposed it

should read as follows : — " The collars of the Officers and Past Masters of Private Lodges are to be worn only in tbeir own Lodges , or when attending the Grand Lodge or their Provincial or District Grand Lodges , as Masters . Past Masters , or Wardens . "

And , as we have said , those present in Grand Lodge have approved of the amended rule by a majority of one , in an assemblage of 421 voters . To Bro . Fenn , the President of the Board of General

Purposes , fell the duty of formally moving the adoption of the amended rule , aud in doing so he called the attention of Grand Lodge to three notices of motion which had been submitted by Bro . William . Nicholl , a Past Master of the

Lodge of Affability , No . 317 , Manchester , and which had for their object an exactly opposite effect to that proposed by the Board of General Purposes . After endeavouring for

some time to satisfy himself and those who listened to him as to what Bro . Niehoil's proposals meant , and what they did not mean , Bro . Fenn condescended to suggest that the third recommendation of Bro . Nicholi should be taken and discussed with the third recommendation of the Board .

The Wearing Of The Blue

( We may refer our readers to the agenda paper for the meeting of Grand Lodge , a copy of which was given in our issue of the 27 th ult ., for full details of the respective recommendations . ) Bro . Fenn argued that Bro . Nicholl

considered that a Past Master wa ; not an Officer of a Lodge , and therefore did not como under the operation of Article 308 . He was certainly not an officer , said Bro . Feun , but ho was so much like one that ifc was almost

impossible to discover the difference ; tho nicety of distinction had probably been overlooked by thoso who framed the laws , it being thought that the word officer covered the Past Officers , as the Past Masters undoubtedly

were . It seemed incredible to Bro . Fenn that any other interpretation could have been placed upon the law as ib stood in the Constitutions than the version he recognized ; but , as wo all know , differences of opinion have arisen on

much more carefully arranged codes than that framed for the governance of the Masonic Order , and with all the facts before us wo are not surprised that a difference of opinion has arisen in regard to Article 308 . Ifc seemed a

very strange anomaly to Bro . Fenn that a past officer should have greater privileges or rights than a present one—that a Pasfc Master , for instance , should have permission to wear his collar wherever ancl whenever he chose ,

when the Master of his Lodge , who was for the time being a greater man , had not that privilege . The proposal of the Board of General Purposes was not , he explained , an alteration of any existing law , but was suggested so as to

make one already framed unmistakable and indisputable . He then related how the Craffc had been invited to suggest alterations in the rules before they wero submitted to Grand Lodge , and said there were only two suggestions

sent iu by the whole of the Lodges in regard to the matter then under consideration . The proposal of the Board of General Purposes was seconded by Bro . Philbrick , and then Bro . Nicholl brought forward his counter proposition .

He argued that a brother who was entitled to wear his collar when attending Grand Lodge ought uot to be shorn of his right when visiting a private one , which was really like a man appearing in full dress in his own house and

wearing a smock frock when he went visiting . He wished the Board to put the rule in a more permissive tone , as if a brother was allowed and compelled to wear his insignia in Grand Lodge , it was an insult to strip him of his adornments when he visited sister Lodges .

We were sorry to see that Bro . Nicholl was not more strongly supported at this point , although we suppose ifc was simply that the Grand Officers were sharper in catching the eye of the Grand Master iu the chair than the

representatives of Blue Masonry ; however ib may bo , it is certain that the Grand Officers did most of the talking , whether ifc was in support of the view adopted by the Board of General Purposes , or in opposition to thafc

propounded by Bro . Nicholl , whose proposed counter amendment was not seconded or otherwise endorsed until the Rev . Thomas Cochrane P . G . Chaplain , and Bro . Samuel Pope , Q . C , G . D , had spoken strongly against it .

Tho former attempted to explain the use of collars : —iu Grand and Provincial Grand Lodge ordinary members wore blue collars to distinguish them from the officers , who wove purple ; while in private Lodges the ordinary

members should wear none , in order to contrast with the Officers , who wore blue . If it was permitted , argued our rev . brother , for Past Masters to wear their blue collars at every Masouic assembly and private Lodge they visited it