Divided Labours.

DIVIDED LABOURS .

ON several occasions reference has been made in these pages to the desirability of dividing the ceremonial work in our Lodges , whenever there is sufficient business to be transacted to allow of it being arranged : and we are of opinion much greater

enjoyment is possible by the adoption of such a course than is the case when the same brother takes everything on his own shoulders , and runs the risk of wearying his auditors by the continued sound of the one voice . The old time sentiment that " familiarity

breeds contempt" applies to a great extent in this connection , and that this is recognised by the leaders of the Craft is manifest by the frequent apologies offered by Consecrating or Installing Officers , who feel that , the brethren must have tired of hearing

them speak , and often curtail remarks late in the evening , which would probably be both interesting and instructive , for fear of still further imposing on the good nature of the company . If this state of affairs was really necessary , r . nd could not be altered ,

there would be an end of the matter , and we should be content to go on as we are ; but when we know it is very easily remedied , the same feeling does not occur ; indeed , the pleasant change of listening to a division of labour has created an appetite for an

extension of the system , and we long for its general adoption because we know it is possible , and productive of such good results . Let us take , for example , the case of a Lodge with three or more initiates—and such cases very often

occur , one being referred to m another part ol this issue . We will first of all acknowledge the desirability of admitting the new members up to a certain point singly , in fact we regard this as absolutely essential , for the ceremonies of the Order lose much wiien two candidates

oi tneir impressiveness or more are taken together . Now , if the Worshipful Master undertakes the whole of the necessary work it entails a tedious repetition which we can hardly believe he appreciates , and which , even in the very best of cases ,

is apt to tire the audience , and weary them , m spite of their best endeavours to appreciate the beauty and hidden meaning of the ritual . On the other hand , the division of this work among the Master and such Past Master s as are available makes

a change , and lends pleasing variety to the work , without in any way interfering with the dignity of the chair , or the reputation of the Master for the time being . Later on there is the Charge to be

delivered , and—if time permits ( that awful proviso that so frequently robs our ceremonies of a portion of the ritual)—there is the Lecture to be delivered on the Tracing Board , duties which give the Senior and Junior Wardens the opportunity of taking a still more uuiive tne andwmen

snare m work ttian tney now do , if efficiently carried through under such divided conditions , become very much more impressive than is

Divided Labours.

the case if only the one speaker is engaged in the ceremony . Wo have so far referred particularly to the work of

initiation , but the same arguments equally hold good in connection with the other degrees , and particularly so in the case of the installation ceremony which , to our mind , is much more impressive and interesting when divided between two or three speakers than

when undertaken by the one Brother . We like the addresses to the Wardens and to the Brethren on such occasions delivered by Past Masters other than the Installing Officer , and when we remember the great chance resulting from such a division of woi'k ,

where it is practised , we wonder it has not been almost generally introduced into our London Lodgesfor it is in Provincial Lodges alone we remember hearing it divided , —in view of the general desire of

the metropolitan Craftsmen to excel , not only in tne actual Avorking of their Lodges , but also in the general effect produced by their proceedings . In order to produce the best results in connection windi advocate it is oi

witn tne division ot woric wo course necessary for the different speakers to rehearse their parts , as any delay or confusion in the following on of one speaker after another would mar the general effect , if it did not altogether upset the desired

object , but there are ample opportunities available for those who desire to test the desirability of adopting our suggestion , and we feel convinced there would be but one verdict if it became the custom to more generally ease the work of a busy meeting by dividing

the labour among three or lour oi those present , instead of leaving everything to Worshipful Masters , some of the best of whom are apt to flag in their energies after the continual strain of our ceremonies , more particularly when the same degree has to be worked more than once at the same meeting .

Responsibility.

RESPONSIBILITY .

SOME of the extracts from other journals which have from time to time appeared in our columns must have struck our readers as being hardly applicable to Freemasonry as conducted in this country ,

and we admit it would be somewhat difficult for us to justify all that was extracted and published in the past ; but we hope the same will not be said of the contents of the CHRONICLE while it remains under our

control , although with even the very best oi desires and the most careful supervision it may occasionally happen that our intentions are misunderstood , and our motives for giving publicity to apparently

extraneous matter are not fully appreciated by the general body of our readers . We are induced to make these remarks because one of our foremost supporters—a Brother who has known us long enough to feel he may unreservedly criticise the contents of