The Office Of Provincial Grand Treasurer.

present available for Provincial Grand Masters to fill aro very small , especially when the district ono has to rale over is Masonically strong , and therefore the creation of this additional means of bestowing honour shonld bt > h :. iled by

them with delight , although it may be urged they have little or nothing * to do with the appointment , as being an elective office its distribution rests with the members themselves ; but , thanks to the good feeling which

everywhere exists in Freemasonry , it seldom happens that , the desire of the majority and the wishes of the ruler are fat apart , and as a consequence the brother who would find sufficient favour to secure election to a Provincial Grand

Treasurership , might generally be regarded ns one likely to receive the honour of the purple at tho hands of the Provincial Grand Master at no very distant date . Such heing the case then ifc follows that an annual change in the holder of the office would relieve the district ruler of a

part of his difficulty , and in many quarters the Provincial Grand Masters recognise that the annual selection of Officers is really their chief , if it is not their only difficulty .

There are many other arguments which mig ht be urged in support of tbe proposal to depart from old established customs , doubtless they will suggest themselves in the different districts where a chance is desired . Among them

we may urge the desirability of imparting now life into the all important subject of Lodge Finances . As at present arranged the Treasurer may be said to have no incentive to nrgo him to better things . If he does his duty , by

managing the work entrusted to him in a steady , methodical way , he probably does all that , is required of him , bnt if the office was filled b y a different" brother each year all would have an object to work for—they would endeavour

fco excel those who had preceded them , and create a reputation for themselves which would be a pattern for those who should follow after . Can it be supposed that such emulation would be anything bufc an advantage to the

Lodges concerned ? We think not , for it must be remembered that as Provincial Grand Lodges , as a rule , meet only once a year , and their income is in a measure regular , the finances do nofc require that peculiar adjustment which

is sometimes necessary in Private Lodges , where the funds really depend on the number of new members introduced . On the other hand there is much to be urged in support of the old system . At present many of the Provincial

Grand Lodges havo their funds invested in such a way thafc every change in their Treasurer entails a vast amount of trouble , and some brethren view with alarm the labour which would attach to a yearly transfer ; but such an

objection can be easily met . There are now so many systems of investing money in such a way as to obviate this trouble that ifc would almost be wise to urge a change , if

only to modernise the ideas of those concerned , and teach them what is going on in their midst , but no doubt other and equally good reasons will suggest themselves wherever and whenever a change is thought desirable .

The question is one likely to be taken up ere long in all , or nearly all , of the districts into which English Freemasonry is divided ; it will be well then if those who may feel an interest in the subject avail themselves of every

opportunity afforded them of stud ying it , and discussing its bearings in their several parts . To those who desire to ventilate the matter we cordially offer the space at our disposal ; we shall be pleased to receive communications on

the subject , and shall not fail to revert to them whenever we find there is occasion to do so . To many it is a matter of indifference , perhaps , afc the present moment , but we full y expect it to assume importance afc no distant date .

Modern Freemasonry As A Social And Moral Reformer.

MODERN FREEMASONRY AS A SOCIAL AND MORAL REFORMER .

A Lecture delivered at Freemasons' HaU , Bull , on Friday Evening , 2 nd March 1888 , by Bro . J . Ramsden Riley , P . M . 387 , Shipley ; Member of Quatuor Coronati

Lodge , No . 2070 , London ; P . Prov . G . D . G . West York

shire , ty * c . fyc . AS you are probably aware , from the notices thafc have been given , this is the fifth and last of a

series of lectures on different phases of fche same subject , viz . : " Modern Freemasonry . " The term " Modern " mi ght be thought applicable to the Freemasonry of any period subsequent to 1717 , but it is now used by me , for present

Modern Freemasonry As A Social And Moral Reformer.

purposes , with reference to that of to-day , and so much of it as may be comprised within the last twenty years . I propose to divide this lecture into two parts—the first

being devoted to the question , " Is our Modem Freemasonry a Social Reformer ? " and the second to bring before you snrne evidence : * v . d theories showing what it is capable of , as such .

Firstly , then , I will answer my own question by saying that Modern Freemasonry is a social and moral reformer . It is well known that ignorance of the law is not allowed to excuse the breach of it ; aud if some Brothers , or some

Lodges , depart from the Constitution , I certainl y decline to accept them as evidence of the character and i <*** - dencies of our Fraternity . The principles of our Order aro nob of yesterday , and such examples should have no

weight whatever , nor do I think they havo tho slig htest ! vightto he introduced into a consideration of this question . Otherwise , we might just as reasonably accept an Atheist as a Christian , because he was previously at one time a Churchman . I shall therefore not discuss this matter

on any such false premises , but on the broad , clearly defined basis of Masonic law , which also does nofc excuse departures either hy Lodges or individunls . Moreover , what it ought to be is the chief concern to us at present ; and

generally , as far as my remarks are intended to apply , I shall ignore all isolated and exceptional experiences that sometimes wilfully , —sometimes ignorantly , —suppress ono side of the question in the desire to make out a case .

Well , Brothers , to begin at the lowest " rung " of the ladder , we impress upon our candidates one very important statement that probably few Masons ever forget , viz . : that no institution can boast a more solid foundation than

that on which Masonry rests—the practice of every moral and social virtue . But the initiate is further told in clear and unmistakable language , much more explanatory and impressive than is necessary for me to use before you ,

that it is in the sacred volume he will find the unerringstandard of truth and justice , and be taught his duty to God , his neighbour , and himself . If he be asked

subsequently who are proper persons to be received amongst us , he will infallibly tell the querist " only such as are just , upright , and of strict morals . "

Thus then every man meets with social and moral teachings ou the very threshold of his Masonic life . Now it is quite unnecessary for me to go over fche several degrees and weary you with similar evidence to prove that Masonry teaches

morality ; because there never was a Mason yet . who did not know it . I have merely recalled to your minds sufficient , to show the active anxiety , if I may so terra it , of

Masonry in that respect ; but in doing so I have also shown that Freemasonry is a system of morality and that it teaches it to every initiate who will learn .

WHAT THEN IS MORALITY ? Unfortunately the woi'ld allows us to make it just what we like according to circumstances , so that very few seriousl y ask themselves this question ; some go so far as to assert ; that

there is no such thing and that therefore the word is useless . Bufc I can best illustrate my meaning by an example . Suppose in ordinary conversation reference is made to a common divorce case in which a man is mentioned as

having committed adultery ; he will be called an immoral man . Well , I don ' t find any fault with thafc definition ; but suppose a man of means allows his mother , brother ur sister fco starve , you would not style him an immoral man .

You mi g ht use an epithet very much stronger , hut that he was an immoral man would never enter your mind . What I want to impress particularly is this , —when speculative Masonry was ori ginated it had a Code of Morality , which

has suffered no alteration . In the meantime , however , by the use of the word " -immoral" to generally signify the commission of adultery , the world has managed to shut out from anybody ' s too critical gaze all the

virtues of its similar Code , which was formerly , ns now , common property . Ifc is true we sometimes hear of " moral rights " and " moral obligations , " but it is rather because of fche usefulness of those

combinations in speech , the intended meaning of which is understood aud cannot be as well expressed by any other to represent right and wrong dealings . In most cases their use is a mere custom , and iu practice no strictly moral meaning ,

much less moral truth is conveyed . If I were to tell ) uu Mr . So-and-So was not a moral man , I feel very certain what interpretation would be put upon my words . I might mean he was a man of no principle and a dishonest man ,