Soliciting.

SOLICITING .

GRAND Master Griffin , of Wisconsin , severely condemns the growing practice of soliciting persons to become Masons . If the guilty persons are Officers of a Lodge they should be suspended ; if private members and the Lodge refuses or neglects to deal -with them , the Charter should be arrested . In this connection he also said that he was fully persuaded that no city

of less than 20 , 000 inhabitants is large enough for more than one Masonic Lodge . Where in such localities there are two Lodges an unhealty rivalry is liable to spring up in which each Lodge , being ambitious to outdo the other in the amount of work done , falls into the error already alluded to of soliciting candidates , and

permits some very poor material to be worked into the Masonic Temple—material that afterwards produces disturbance , and is liable to bring the Order into disrepute . No doubt , however , the rigid enforcement of the law forbidding soliciting will , to some extent , remedy the evil . —Ex .

Unsuitable Admissions.

UNSUITABLE ADMISSIONS .

NOTWITHSTANDING all that has been said and written in the matter of unsuitable admissions into the ranks of Freemasonry , the subject is not exhausted , neither are the apparent results commensurate with the energy expended , so that if the object sought is to be achieved those who fully realise the evils of

the present laxity must be prepared to goon " pegging away , " and keep the question evergreen before the Brethren . The Grand Master has on more than one occasion taken •'Unsuitable admissions" as a text , and strongly exhorted Brethren not to countenance them in any way . At a very recent function

the presiding Grand Officer strongly impressed on Brethren the necessity of exercising the same critical scrutiny before admitting strangers into their Lodge that they would prior to receiving them into the privacy of the home circle . And it may be accepted as a perfectly safe rule that the person whom you would not

admit to your home is unfit to be received into companionship in the Masonic family , which professes , and should strictly practice , the principles of Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . This wholesome truism , when fearlessly expounded , either in the Lodge-room or at the festive board , is invariably cheered to the echo .

But mark the difference between precept and practice Grand Lodge , actuated by a laudable desire to cope with the difficulty , places the onus of properly investigating the character of the applicant for admission on the shoulders of the principal

Officers of the Lodge—the W . M . and the Wardens . In some instances this duty is performed with the utmost care and fidelity , but we regret to have to say these cases are a very small minority of the whole ,, and this almost recognised laxity offers a sort of official loophole for unsuitable admissions .

A recent case m one of our principal cities furnishes a startling example of the perfunctory manner in which the investigation is sometimes conducted . A person was proposed , balloted for , accepted , and , we believe , placed on the agenda for initiation , but , fortunately for the Lodge , did not come forward ,

and subsequently absconded under the worst possible circumstances , warrants being issued for his arrest on charges of felony . Now , by his own showing , from letters sent by him to the newspaper press , he had for some time previous to his application for membership into a' Masonic Lodge been engaged

in the most questionable transactions , in company with a class of the most doubtful commercial morality . It is true , he held a public position in the city , and that his family connections were most reputable , which only goes to show how much is taken for granted in such a case .

It may be said that it is easy to be wise after the event , and that the Master and Wardens could hot discover his nefarious transactions when it was not till a period subsequent to their investigation that they came to li ght and were made public . This is quite true , but his previous associations were riot by any

means hid from the public gaze , and surely Freemasonry more than any other institution should judge a man by the company he keeps . We emphatically assert that , notwithstanding his local position and the respectability of his family connections ,- his intimate association with jockeys , horse-trainers , book-makers

and the class known as spielers , should have constituted an absolute bar to admission into Freemasonry . . To plead ignorance of these facts is a tacit admission of the failure of investigation . Naturally , members place every reliance on their principal Officers and readily adopt their reports on the characters of candidates

But , again we reiterate , too much is taken for granted . Under Article . 96 , B . of 0 ., a . very serious responsibility is cast on the W . M . and his Wardens , and if these Officers properly perform their duties at least 50 per cent . ; of unsuitable admissions will be avoided . These are the plain , incontrovertible facts , and it is

Unsuitable Admissions.

no use mincing the matter . If the Craft is to become the medium for the impress of the hall-mark of respectability on persons of doubtful character , or a refuge for every scoundrel who happens to wear a black coat , then no wonder need be felt if an exodus of respectable members takes place , and the stream assumes continually increased proportions . W . M . s and Wardens , look to it . — " New Zealand Craftsman . "

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the writers , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

VOUCHING FOR CANDIDATES . To the Editor of the FBEEMASON ' CHBONICIIB . DEAB SIR AND BROTHER , —I notice in your report last week of the meeting of the Lodge of Sympathy , No . 483 , held at Gravesend , on the 8 th inst ., that the Worshipful Master deolined to submit the name of a candidate for initiation , " because neither the proposer or seconder were present to vouch for him . " All honour to that worthy Master , say I , and however inconvenient it may have been to the candidate , he has only to

thank the Brethren who proposed him for any trouble caused . The Master was clearly within his rights , and indeed I consider it was his duty to act as he did under the circumstances . There is too great a laxity shown in these matters . Rule 183 of the Book of Constitutions urges upon Masons the necessity of making due inquiry into the characters and qualifications of candidates , lest discredit and injury be brought upon our ancient and honourable Fraternity . I have recently been informed of so scandalous a

case in this connection that I hesitate to mention it , but the truth is vouchsafed by a well know Brother . The name of a person was proposed at a certain Lodge , and upon inquiry being made it was ascertained that the man was an ex-convict . He was very properly rejected . He then proceeded to another part of the country where he was unknown , and was eventually initiated into the Order . Now , what inquiry was made by the proposer

and seconder , in each instance , into the antecedents of this person ? Both have violated their Obligation , and it may be have brought discredit upon their Lodge . Too much notice cannot be given as regards candidates for initiation , and their sponsors should be made aware of their responsibility . Would it not be a good plan to print the Rule 183 on the summons whenever initiates are proposed ? Yours fraternally . P . M .

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