The "Business" Of Freemasonry.

brought to our notice . At a recent festival , a prominent official of a Lodge of Instruction was called npon to respond to the toast of success to that Lodge . Now , whatevei he said was to the point , so far as sneaking of Improvemen !

in ritnal w <* is concerned , but in the excess of his zeal he cer tainly overstepped the limits of fair Masonic criticism , ami endeavoured—we hope unsuccessfully—to mako his own case better by detracting from thoso mnch loved

Institutions—the Charities of the Order . To begin with , " he was sure it must be in the experience of most present that a brother initiated into Masonry in a slovenly and irreverent manner had frequently left the Lodge in disgust , never

again to enter within its walls ; while , on the contrary , an earnest and impressive rendering of the rites and ceremonies had had a deep aud lasting effect on the mind of an initiated brother , creating in him a desire to investigate

their moaning , and becoming acquainted with their object and design , making him , in fact , a zealous Mason , useful to the Craft , and an ornament to the Society of which ho had become a member . " Well , there is no harm in a brother

being convinced in his own mind of such facts as these , and as the speaker in question has an experience which entitles his opinion to respect , wo suppose there are many who will accept his verdict , although we confess we do not

feel disposed to do so at present . He then appears to have lost himself in the earnestness with which he spoke of his beloved Lodge of Instruction , even going so far as to make charges against supporters of the Charities which

he wonld find it not only difficult , but almost impossible to substantiate . "It had , he knew , been a custom of many after-dinner speakers to impress on the minds of young Masons that their first and highest duty was , not to make

a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge , but to subscribe to the Institutions , ancl from the very moment almost the initiated brother sat down for the first time at the table ho was pressed for a subscription . An ambitious Mason .

desirous of advancement , was impressed with the idea that a liberal subscri ption to the Charities are the surest step to Masonic honour , and munificent contributors were hold up as having the highest claim to Grand and Provincial Grand Office , although they had no other qualification . "

If we may go so far as to challenge the remarks of our esteemed brother , we would ask him to name oven half-adozen of tho " many" after-dinner speakers who impress on tin * minds of yonng Masons not to make a daily

advancement m iMa-otiie knowledge , or who impress on ambitious Masons that a liberal subscription to the Charities is the surest . step to Masonic honour . We have said half-a-dozen , but we mi ght even go so far as to ask for the name of one of the " many " who publicly proclaim such doctrines .

There would not , however , be much harm in these attacks , nor would they be open to severe criticism were they made simply , in good faith , and without the object of serving a secondary purpose , but they were on this occasion intended

to show one side of a picture—what a Mason should not do —while the other was made to represent what he should do , and this , in brief , was , that he should support the particular Lodge of Instruction of which the speaker is a prominent member . There are some brethren who be < ziu to

envy the success of the Charities of the Order ; and , feeling that much of that success is due to the personal advocacy of the paid officials of the Institutions , thev are adopting similar tactics of personal solicitation on behalf of

other Masonic adjuncts , but we do not think they will improve on the tactics of those they imitate if they begin by abusing others , with the object of making themselves appear to greater advantage . We do not say that the

remarks to which we have especially referred were actuated by this spirit—we will dismiss them as being most uncalled for , and as repugnant to a very large number of Craftsmen . While the number of those who support the Charities

remains largely in excess of those who patronize Lodges of Instruction—as is at present the case—there is little fear that advocacy of the one will seriously affect the welfare and prosperity of the other , but if advocacy of Lodges of

Instruction is to be included among the responsibilities of Freemasonry , it will be well to know , as soon as possible , if the operations are to be carried out on the " cutting" princip le , or on the more dignified lines of mutual aid and sup pott .

£ 20 . — ToB \ cco * nsT 3 OoMMRjrcrNG . —An illustrated guide ( 110 paores ) " I £ mv to Open . Kospectably from C 20 to £ H ) .. u ) . " 3 Stamps . II . MYERS & Co ., Cigar un I 'i'nb-. iaao Merchants , 100 Eiubm Road , London . Wholesale only . Telephone No . 7-341 .

Proficiency Before Advancement.

PROFICIENCY BEFORE ADVANCEMENT .

J ^ Hft Constitutions of Freemasonry , of all Masonic jurisdictions , in some manner provide that a Brother -dial ! exhibit proficiency in the preceding degree before he is advanced to a hio-her one . From the earliest times this

nas been the custom of the Craft . When rreemasons wore exclusively operative , no Master was permitted to take an Apprentice for less than seven years , in order to ensure his acquirement of the skill necessary for his

advancement to be , in succession , a Fellow and a Master , Anderson , in the second edition of his " Constitutions , " refers to a regulation of the reign of King Edward III ., which ordained " that such as were to be admitted Master

Masons , or Masters of Work , should be examined whether thoy be able of cunning to serve their respective Lords , as well the lowest as the highest , to the honour and worship of tho aforesaid art , and to the profit of their Lords . " In

the " Charges " of 1722 , it is directed , that " a younger Brother shall be instructed in working , to prevent spoiling tho materials for want of judgment , and for improving and continuing of Brotherly love . " In the earliest

" Ahiman Rezon " of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania ( Bro . Dr . Wm . Smith's adopted , A . D . 1783 ) , it is provided . * " All Masons * * shall instruct the younger

Brothers to become bright and expert workmen , that the Lord ' s materials may not be spoiled . " This is re-enacted in the Pennsylvania " Ahiman Rezon" of A . D . 1825 . The " Ahiman Rezon" of A . D . 1857 draws it more

mildly : " It is recommended to all Lodges to require proof of a Brother ' s proficiency in the Craft , by examination in the Lodge , before he bo advanced . " The

present "Ahiman Rezon , " adopted A . D . 187 / , has a similar provision . The present " Constitutions " of fche Grand Lodge of England enact as follows : "Nor shall a

higher degree be conferred on any Brother * * * until he has passed an examination in open Lodge in that [ preceding ] degree . "

Wo have sufficiently stated what the law is , and the next , and , after all , the most important consideration is , how is this law practically enforced—what is the actual custom of the Craft ?

There are three lines of conduct : —( 1 ) To examine the candidate fully in open Lodge . This is the custom of probably the majority of the jurisdictions in the United

States ; ( 2 ) To examine the Brother cursorily in the mere elements of his preceding Degree ; ( 3 ) To altogether omit the examination .

Thero is a growing tendency in the Craft to " let down the bars" in the matter of examination , and the result is the great increase of uneducated Masons . Many a Mason is botched in the making , and not by a purely incompetent

Master , but by a supremely careless , thoughtless , and indifferent one . He does Ids work , and he cares not whether the candidate does his or not . He thus turns out au imperfect ashlar , a Brother who is innocent of Masonic

knowledge , a Master Mason who is such only in name , while in fact he is the merest Apprentice . Some jurisdictions are noted for making ignorant Masons—we leave our readers to nominate the jurisdictions . What is

the result ? First , the jurisdiction itself is brought into reproach , and justly , for conferring its highest degree on unqualified Brethren . Second , these very Brethren , when they travel , find themselves unable to work their way into

a Lodge . And lastly , not possessing the elementary knowledge of the Fraternity , of course they cannot erect any superstructure of Masonic learning upon it . This is a most important subject for consideration , and as we are

now upon the eve of the season when our Lodges will all resume Labour , it is expedient that careful thought should be devoted to this matter , ancl justice bedone hereafter , both to the Craft and to individual Masons who are to be made

and advanced . Masters of Lodges are the ones primaril y responsible . They are Masters indeed . Whatever is done in their several bodies , whether it be well or ill done , is of their doing . If Masons who are ignoramuses are sent out

by them to the Masonic world , who is responsible but themselves ? And yet we have seen both Wardens of a Lodge , while acting as Master , omit altogether the examination of a candidate , and thus lead him to believe

that when he left their hands ho was an adept m fche Royal Art , a perfect ashlar , a complete aud finished Mason . What a delusion aud a snaro ! What a pretence ! What a deceit ! No Grand Lodge ought merely to " recommend , " that a