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Article ADMISSION OF CANDIDATES. Page 1 of 2 Article ADMISSION OF CANDIDATES. Page 1 of 2 →
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Admission Of Candidates.
ADMISSION OF CANDIDATES .
WE have more than once referred , afc some length , to the necessity there is for exercising the extremest caution in the admission of candidates . We are impelled to recur to the subject , firstly , from its importance , and , secondly , because mention of a special bye-law relating thereto occurred in one of our Locige Keports last week ,
to wit , thafc of Cornubian Lodge , No . 450 , Hayle . The occasion was the annual Installation Festival , and it seems that provision is made in the Lodge bye-laws for the appointment of a Committee , consisting of the W . M . and his Wardens , the Secretary , and three Past Masters , whose
duty ifc shall be to make all needful inquiries into the character and antecedents of every candidate who may be proposed for election but is unknown to the majority of the members . None will question the propriety of this law , which is a most salutary one , and , if carried out fully ,
must secure the object in view , namely , to prevent the acceptance of any candidate about whose merits any shadow of a doubt exists . For , be it known , the result of
the Committee s inquiries is reported in open Lodge , before the ballot takes place , so that it is the Lodge ' s own fault if an . undesirable candidate is intruded within its precincts . Thafc this wholesome rule is nofc a mere matter of form wc
have a right to assume from the fact that Worshipful Master Pearce , in replying to the toast of his health , laid special stress on the importance of brethren being very cautious whom they sought to introduce into the Locige . He said he had no wish that his year of office should be
signalized by the influx of many new members , but ho hoped that those who were admitted would be found , in due time , so worthy of the high honour conferred upon them , that the brethren would hail their rise to office in the Lodgo with the heartiest satisfaction . This , unquestionably ,
was a sound view to lay down . Masters are prone to consider the mere increase in . numbers the symptom of a Lodge ' s increasing strength . The notion is , iu some measure , perhaps excusable . It is fair to presume that members who propose candidates do so with a certain sense of
responsibility , that they would not lend themselves wittingly or willingly to the introduction of persons who are likel y to prove either obnoxious to their fellow-members , or to bring the Fraternity into disrepute . The Master , therefore , generally speaking , regards the addition of new members
as a sign that bis term of office has been a prosperous one . We regret to say that this is not invariably so . We have ifc , indeed , on record , on the authority of the Deputy Grand Master of a province adjoining Cornwall , that some very undesirable persons have found their way into the
ranks of the Society . We repeat , however , that , as a rule , Masters regard the introduction of more or fewer new members into their Lodges as a good sign . Ifc is , therefore , we hail with all the greater satisfaction this very proper note of warning which it has pleased Bro . Pearce to utter
on the first day of his Mastership , and we trust the members of the Cornubian Lodge will treat their Master ' s caution with the respect ifc deserves . It is , indeed , a matter of the gravest moment to tbe welfare of the whole Masonic community , this cautious admission of members . The more we admire the Craft it
is our privilege to belong to , the more anxious must we feel that none but reputable persons should bo received into its ranks . By reputable we do not mean merely persons holding a certain position in society—persons with means , and exercising a certain influence in the station of life in
Admission Of Candidates.
which they move . We attach a far higher meaning to the term , and consider that reputable must be applied to persons who are fitted by their character and general bearing to mix freely and on equal terms with good , honest , and honourable men . They may not be overburdened
perhaps , with this world ' s goods , but , having a competence , they should be free of all other obligations than those of working honestly for the maintenance of themselves and their families , if so be they have any . The man of wealth is not always a desirable acquisition in any society . It will
enable him , no doubt , to write himself clown a subscriber to our Charities , or to be lavish of his hospitality among Craftsmen generally , and the members of his own Locige in particular . But this merely results from the accident
of his being wealthy . He may , nevertheless , bring discredit on Freemasonry by his questionable demeanour towards his less fortunately-circumstanced fellows . Again , cantankerous or irascible men aro undesirable as
companions , albeit they may be just and honourable m all their dealings ; a fortiori , will they be out of place in a Lodge where , before all things , it is necessary that harmony and good fellowship should prevail . Men of questionable repute and questionable character must at all hazards be
kept outside the portals of the Lodge . We seek no addition to our numbers , and therefore we should be the more careful in electing those who offer themselves as candidates . Masonry will be shorn of much of its undoubted value when people are admitted for the asking .
After all , Bro . Pearce was only repeating , in another form , the caution which has been so earnestly and so repeatedly impressed upon us of late by our respected Grand Secretary , Bro . Hervey . Whenever the important duty has devolved upon that eminent brother of consecrating
a new Lodge—and that duty has , as our readers are aware , devolved upon him many times within the year that has just ended—whenever , we repeat , the duty of consecrating a new Locige has been entrusted to our Grand Secretary , he has made it a point of impressing upon the members
how necessary it is they should be careful whom they receive into the Brotherhood , Bro . Hervey speaks , of course , ? with almost a life-long experience of the Craft , and his advice , therefore , is of the weightiest , and cannot be too scrupulously followed . It is doubtful if Freemasonry can
ever be more prosperous than ifc is at this present moment . Ifc is possible , of course , that its virtues may be more generally recognised , for there are still those who wilfully shut their eyes to the good services we are capable of rendering to society at large . Wherever people are free to minister
constitutionally to their own wants , wherever tyranny , be ifc political , religious , or social , is powerless to repress the free exercise of a nation ' s will , there , invariably , it will be found that Freemasonry lives in the esteem and respect of worthy men . It is so in this country , where , within
the limits prescribed by the laws , all men are . free to think and act as they please . It is so in the United Slates of America , and so in other countries which enjoy the blessings of a civilized government . On the other hand , wherever there is any
undue restraint exercised over the thoughts and actions of a people , there it will be found that Freemasonry either has no abiding-place at all , or leads but a very precarious existence . This being so , and the Craft
generally being so highly esteemed by all reputable governments , we ask , Is it not worth while that we Masons should do our utmost to justify the respect which is entertained towards us ? Is ifc nofc our duty to take all pi'oper precautions in order to prevent the influx into onr ranks of those
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Admission Of Candidates.
ADMISSION OF CANDIDATES .
WE have more than once referred , afc some length , to the necessity there is for exercising the extremest caution in the admission of candidates . We are impelled to recur to the subject , firstly , from its importance , and , secondly , because mention of a special bye-law relating thereto occurred in one of our Locige Keports last week ,
to wit , thafc of Cornubian Lodge , No . 450 , Hayle . The occasion was the annual Installation Festival , and it seems that provision is made in the Lodge bye-laws for the appointment of a Committee , consisting of the W . M . and his Wardens , the Secretary , and three Past Masters , whose
duty ifc shall be to make all needful inquiries into the character and antecedents of every candidate who may be proposed for election but is unknown to the majority of the members . None will question the propriety of this law , which is a most salutary one , and , if carried out fully ,
must secure the object in view , namely , to prevent the acceptance of any candidate about whose merits any shadow of a doubt exists . For , be it known , the result of
the Committee s inquiries is reported in open Lodge , before the ballot takes place , so that it is the Lodge ' s own fault if an . undesirable candidate is intruded within its precincts . Thafc this wholesome rule is nofc a mere matter of form wc
have a right to assume from the fact that Worshipful Master Pearce , in replying to the toast of his health , laid special stress on the importance of brethren being very cautious whom they sought to introduce into the Locige . He said he had no wish that his year of office should be
signalized by the influx of many new members , but ho hoped that those who were admitted would be found , in due time , so worthy of the high honour conferred upon them , that the brethren would hail their rise to office in the Lodgo with the heartiest satisfaction . This , unquestionably ,
was a sound view to lay down . Masters are prone to consider the mere increase in . numbers the symptom of a Lodge ' s increasing strength . The notion is , iu some measure , perhaps excusable . It is fair to presume that members who propose candidates do so with a certain sense of
responsibility , that they would not lend themselves wittingly or willingly to the introduction of persons who are likel y to prove either obnoxious to their fellow-members , or to bring the Fraternity into disrepute . The Master , therefore , generally speaking , regards the addition of new members
as a sign that bis term of office has been a prosperous one . We regret to say that this is not invariably so . We have ifc , indeed , on record , on the authority of the Deputy Grand Master of a province adjoining Cornwall , that some very undesirable persons have found their way into the
ranks of the Society . We repeat , however , that , as a rule , Masters regard the introduction of more or fewer new members into their Lodges as a good sign . Ifc is , therefore , we hail with all the greater satisfaction this very proper note of warning which it has pleased Bro . Pearce to utter
on the first day of his Mastership , and we trust the members of the Cornubian Lodge will treat their Master ' s caution with the respect ifc deserves . It is , indeed , a matter of the gravest moment to tbe welfare of the whole Masonic community , this cautious admission of members . The more we admire the Craft it
is our privilege to belong to , the more anxious must we feel that none but reputable persons should bo received into its ranks . By reputable we do not mean merely persons holding a certain position in society—persons with means , and exercising a certain influence in the station of life in
Admission Of Candidates.
which they move . We attach a far higher meaning to the term , and consider that reputable must be applied to persons who are fitted by their character and general bearing to mix freely and on equal terms with good , honest , and honourable men . They may not be overburdened
perhaps , with this world ' s goods , but , having a competence , they should be free of all other obligations than those of working honestly for the maintenance of themselves and their families , if so be they have any . The man of wealth is not always a desirable acquisition in any society . It will
enable him , no doubt , to write himself clown a subscriber to our Charities , or to be lavish of his hospitality among Craftsmen generally , and the members of his own Locige in particular . But this merely results from the accident
of his being wealthy . He may , nevertheless , bring discredit on Freemasonry by his questionable demeanour towards his less fortunately-circumstanced fellows . Again , cantankerous or irascible men aro undesirable as
companions , albeit they may be just and honourable m all their dealings ; a fortiori , will they be out of place in a Lodge where , before all things , it is necessary that harmony and good fellowship should prevail . Men of questionable repute and questionable character must at all hazards be
kept outside the portals of the Lodge . We seek no addition to our numbers , and therefore we should be the more careful in electing those who offer themselves as candidates . Masonry will be shorn of much of its undoubted value when people are admitted for the asking .
After all , Bro . Pearce was only repeating , in another form , the caution which has been so earnestly and so repeatedly impressed upon us of late by our respected Grand Secretary , Bro . Hervey . Whenever the important duty has devolved upon that eminent brother of consecrating
a new Lodge—and that duty has , as our readers are aware , devolved upon him many times within the year that has just ended—whenever , we repeat , the duty of consecrating a new Locige has been entrusted to our Grand Secretary , he has made it a point of impressing upon the members
how necessary it is they should be careful whom they receive into the Brotherhood , Bro . Hervey speaks , of course , ? with almost a life-long experience of the Craft , and his advice , therefore , is of the weightiest , and cannot be too scrupulously followed . It is doubtful if Freemasonry can
ever be more prosperous than ifc is at this present moment . Ifc is possible , of course , that its virtues may be more generally recognised , for there are still those who wilfully shut their eyes to the good services we are capable of rendering to society at large . Wherever people are free to minister
constitutionally to their own wants , wherever tyranny , be ifc political , religious , or social , is powerless to repress the free exercise of a nation ' s will , there , invariably , it will be found that Freemasonry lives in the esteem and respect of worthy men . It is so in this country , where , within
the limits prescribed by the laws , all men are . free to think and act as they please . It is so in the United Slates of America , and so in other countries which enjoy the blessings of a civilized government . On the other hand , wherever there is any
undue restraint exercised over the thoughts and actions of a people , there it will be found that Freemasonry either has no abiding-place at all , or leads but a very precarious existence . This being so , and the Craft
generally being so highly esteemed by all reputable governments , we ask , Is it not worth while that we Masons should do our utmost to justify the respect which is entertained towards us ? Is ifc nofc our duty to take all pi'oper precautions in order to prevent the influx into onr ranks of those