Proselytism In Masonry.

their older and more experienced Brethren , that it is wholly in opposition to all our laws and principles to ask any man to become a Mason , or to exercise any kind of influence upon

the minds of others , except that of a truly Masonic life and a , practical exemplification of its tenets , by which they may be induced to ask admission into our Lodges . We must not seek—we are to be sought . "

It may be said that a strict adherence to this ancient landmark will retard the growth of Freemasonry and limit its influence . Not long ago the writer of this paper was present at the observance of an anniversary of a popular Beneficial Order , on which occasion the leading speaker

advocated proselytism—the inviting and urging of outsiders to join the Order—as essential to i | s very life . He declared that all fraternal organisations depended upon the exercise of this proselyting spirit for their highest prosperity ; and he added the statement that , being himself a Mason , he knew

the Masonic Fraternity of the present time recognised the aid of proselytism to sustain it . Our thought is that the distinguished Brother was mistaken in his sweeping charge that Craftsmen generally are ready to ignore the ancient law . Surely there is no need that we should break away from it at

this time when the popularity of our Fraternity is greater than ever before , and when numbers are making application for its privileges . There is no danger that Freemasonry will decline for want of new members ; there is danger that it will increase too rapidly by accepting material not the best .

Let the old rule be emphasised that there ought to be no soliciting of candidates ; and let it be more than a form of words when the novitiate declares that he comes to the door of Freemasonry of his own " free will and accord . " Thus

shall we stand on the old ways and yet make progress . '; Thus shall we gather and hold a membership of devoted men whose fidelity to Masonic principles will be the strongest guarantee of the permanence and prosperity of our cherished Institution . —Exchange .

A Serious Matter.

A SERIOUS MATTER .

MEN who unite with Masonry should be impressed with the fact that they are entering upon a solemn work , one intended to be of personal benefit to them ; that every lesson is intended to lead them to a hi gher regard for the

duties they owe to one another , and to impress upon their minds the importance of preparing for the future . Every step that is taken by the candidate , from the time he affixes his' name to his petition for the degrees to the hour he is raised , is a serious matter . There is no place in all the

ritual , form and ceremony for any frivolity . In the preparation room , where too often , to the humiliation of Freemasonry be it said , there is a spirit of levity or fun , there should be exhibited the utmost dignity . It is the first impression that is lasting , and if the first impression is tainted with ridicule ,

or lack of solemn dignity , it cannot fail to make the candidate have a light regard for what follows . It is well nigh impossible for the Master , or other Officers of the Lodge , to undo the bad impression made upon the candidate in the preparation room . — " Standard . "

Preferment.

PREFERMENT .

IN most . Secret Societies there are many Offices which are held by appointment . It was no doubt intended that these places should be distributed among the regular attendants and workers as should be for the greatest benefit of the

Lodge . But it does not always happen so . Civil Service reform does not rule in Fraternal matters , and when the elective Officers have been installed it is often the case that those who have attended most of the Lodge meetings

who have shown willingness to help and aptitude for the work , are entirely overlooked , and coveted places in the line of promotion given to members who , up to that time , came so rarely that but few knew them as Brothers of the Order . The whole affair turns out to be a matter of favouritism .

Instead of working to the benefit of a Fraternity , the procedure militates against it . What inducement is there to a member to be punctual in attendance , to learn the ritual , to serve pro tem , for absent incumbents , if these services count

for nothing ? It would seem as if a man ' s chances for preferment was made greater the less he was posted and the more he stayed away . We remember a Brother of our own Lodge who showed much interest after initiation and memprised tfye entire degree work . At nearly every meeting

Preferment.

for a year he was a substitute in some position , and was highly complimented for his ability . But when the " annual " came around his claims for recognition in the appointments were entirely ignored , and the place many of his Brethren thought he had fairly earned was given to an almost

unknown outsider . It was a cruel disappointment . There was no fault to be found with either character , ability or social standing . The presiding Officer had promised tflie Office to a friend , and felt obliged to keep the engagement , although the welfare of his society plainly pointed to the other man . After that the first-named Brother showed no

more interest , and now seldom comes . His short career sadly reminds us of the inscription on the week-old baby ' s tombstone : If so soon I was done for , What was I begun for ? -

In this case the appointment , as a matter of favour , was clearly against the interest of the Fraternity , and the principle evidently wrong . That merit should be rewarded

should be a law , quite as much as that wrong-doing should be punished . Let us recognise it as a part of the unwritten code , and see if it does not work well in our secret Orders . — " Fraternal News . "

A Serious Matter.

A SERIOUS MATTER .

TliE good Mason is one who knows his obligations ana keeps them to the letter . The indifferent Mason may or may not know his obligations , but is too indolent to make

a reasonable attempt to live up to , their requirements . 1 he bad Mason is one who knows the obligations , but makes only a pretence of keeping them , while he insists that others should not fail , in any particular , to be Masons without guile .

The good Mason is always a good man . tie may be a little more enthusiastic at times than is well for his own convenience or comfort , but he always gains in happiness of the higher sort , much more than enough to compensate him for any physical discomfort which he may have suffered . He

feels that a cold heart in a comfortable body is infinitely less desirable than a warm heart whose beats keep time to the music of merciful deeds , in a body shivering in the chilling blasts of winter . To him , the Angel of Mercy watches over

his labours and , when they are finished , folds him in her ample wings and lulls him into peaceful slumbers . Fie has learned the secret of happiness , and neither jealousy nor envy can rob him of his rewaa'd .

The indifferent Mason is a negation . If we attempt to write his true worth , in figures , we begin and end with o . His name on our books is a stain ; let it remain . To attempt to remove it would only result in a blot . The bad Mason is not necessarily a bad man , at least

he may mean well and may be a fairly good citizen . He may really believe that he is specially fitted for the task of keeping others from straying from the paths of rectitude . Fie has his own peculiar notions as to how a Mason should conduct himself , but is inclined to believe that there are exceptions to all

rules that in any way interfere with his personal comfort . If he attends his Lodge regularly , it is more for the purpose of "keeping things straight" than to learn humility , or any other virtue that would be a benefit to himself . The Brother who is always finding fault with those who are not wilfully

bad , or who tries to force his own notions on those who have opinions of their own , is a bad Mason , no matter how kindly he may treat those who do him reverence . He is entitled to very little consideration at the hands of his Brethren , and even that little should be of the negative order . — " Missouri Freemason . "

Freemasonry is a social institution and in a large degree answers that law of our nature " man ' s dependence upon man . " We owe our happiness in a large measure to the presence of others . Our Fraternity is not a natural growth

of society , it is more—it is not a divine institution in the sense that we thus distinguish the church , but there was much of divine wisdom in those who instituted it and they builded better than they knew . —C . W . Blodgett , New York .

* * * Whatever ideals do for the family , the church , the state , Freemasonry , or any other institution , depends upon what they do for the individual . —James R . Killian , Colorado ,