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Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
. 411 Letters must bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
IS MASONRY REALLY FLOURISHING ?
To the Editor of the FREEMASON S C HRONICXE . , DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Yonr article , under the above heading which appeared in the last issue of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , opens np a very wide , and as yon rightly observe , a momentous issue in relation to the Craft . And , although I fear I shall be able to add very little to the deductions yon make , yet I have reason to
fear there is considerable weight in them , unpalatable as their acceptance might be to us , and all who are jealous for the interests of our Ancient and Honourable Institution . It wonld be invidions to point to any especial cases in which members have been indiscriminately—I was almost going to say recklessly—admitted into Lodges ; bnt it can hardly be gainsaid that instances are neither
few nor far between in which by far a too large a proportion of some Lodges " lose heart" after the first few years , and either resign or grow careless and indifferent as to their responsibilities to tbe Craft . I wonder how many Masons there are who < ' < though fired with enthusiasm at first , wonld now be unable to work themselves into a Lodge ? I do not mean to insinuate that all
these have fallen into the ranks of the inactivity through necessary avarice or disappointment in obtaining honours ; as there may be a variety of causes to actuate men—bnsiness or private engogements—in abstaining in greater or less degree from active participation in the working of their Lodges . I do not see that snch men are to be blamed entirely for this ; although there can be very
little doubt that some brethren , seeing there is but a remote chance of promotion , wax faint and shrink from that enthusiastic action in connection with the Craft which they evinced at the outset . One feature of your remarks must commend itself to all thinking Masons , and there can be little question that many Lodges have swollen to such unweildly dimensions as to preclude many who aspire to office
the possibility of advancement j and thus in the face of a hopeless case , nothing can be expected on the part of members but a desire to overflow into an " offshoot" Lodge , where in a short period , at all events , they might reasonably anticipate a realisation of their hopes . I can hardly see how the curb is to he put on in the matter of restricting the increasing the number of men who are solicitous of
joining the ranks of Freemasonry , and , as you point out in your article , tbe selection of candidates is a matter of the utmost difficulty , if not impossibility . When candidates appear to all external appearances just and upright men and Masons , it is absolutely impossible for anyone not possessed of " second sight " to fathom the mind and intentions of those who are admitted , as to whether their motives are
mercenary or otherwise , or whether they will after a time lapse into a state of apathy , or even eventually fall back upon the Benevolent Fund . Although there may be in some cases " an excess of zeal , " such as yon seem to indicate , on the part of brethren to see the numbers of their Lodges increase , yet I do not think the remark applies to anything like a large proportion of them , either in the
metropolis or tbe Provinces , and considering the number of applicants for admission , who are either withdrawn or " pilled , " one can hardly doubt that there is a very large amount of discretion exercised in the selection—that is , so far as selection can be exercised—of candidates for initiation . You cannot judge of the quality of nut until it is cracked , and it is equally impossible to say how a man will turn out
until you have watched his actions , and estimated the genuineness of his professions after his admission . Much , therefore , as we must all deplore the number of " drones" which exist in our Lodges , I for one cannot see how a remedy is to be found for the increase of individual Ledges , and its inevitable consequence in the multiplication in
the applications for new warrants . I hope some other correspondents will express their views npon this question , which ia one of considerable interest to the Craft , and that some remedy for tbe evils of which yon so justly complain may be the outcome of their collective thought .
I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , A YOUNO MASON Boxhill , 16 'th August 18 S 2 .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . _ DRAM SIR AND BROTHER , —I am glad you have mooted this question . As far as mere numbers go , we have , unquestionably made huge advances since the memorable day when H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was installed Grand Master of England in the Royal Albert Hall , South Kensington . But , as you have frequently remarked , mere numerical increase is no jnst criterion of increased strength .
Freemasonry is popular with all classes of the community and is respected by those who understand its precepts for the immense amount of good it does as a practical philanthropic Institution . A society , which annually raises over £ 40 , 000 in order to provide for the maintenance und education of orphan girls and boys and to make comfortable the declining years of its aged indigent members and thoir widows , is not likely to be at a loss for eulogists , and there is fair reasou to suppose that its influence may be so far contagions as tu
Correspondence.
secure a number of imitators . There is , however , this danger to ba considered , that in addition to the eulogists and the imitators , it also baa a large number of admirers who , being as it were , a kind of beasts of prey , have no other thought in seeking admission to ita ranks than to make profit out of its benevolent propensities . These people adopt different modes of procedure in order to secure the
object they have in view . Some obtain entrance into the Craft by means of friends , who are also brethren , in the hope and belief that by so doing , they will extend the sphere of their custom as trades men , while others , finding their commercial status becoming some , what cranky , are only too glad to speculate to the extent of a few pounds in the shape of initiation fees and subscriptions , in the hope
that , when the crisis in their affairs has arrived and their means are exhausted , they may obtain substantial help from Grand Lod ge and , if they are married men , equally substantial help in bringing np their families . It may appear very un-Masonic to say go but there is no doubt that the large accession of mere numerical strength during the past few years has brought with it a very
considerable accession of weakness . This is borne out by the fact tbat , only a short while ago , the Fund of Benevolence was under the necessity of selling out a portion of its capital in order to make good its excess of expenditure over income . It ia farther demon , strated by the still more conspicnous fact that , though our Institu . tions have , since the Prince of Wales was elected Grand Master , enlarged the sphere of their operations to an amazing extent , and
have on their books from forty to sixty per cent more recipients of their bounty than they had eight years ago , the number of applicants is still out of all proportion to the number of vacancies . Thisciroum . stance alone deserves to be recognised as an unhealthy , symptom , and as showing that , however grand may be the outward proportion ! of Freemasonry in this country , it is not as sound as it ought to be at heart .
The multiplication of Lodges has had a great deal to do with bringing about this result . Men spend money in the Lodge , which , if they were right-minded and conscientious , they would spend at home . What need is there for a brother to be a member of several Lodges ? It gives him no additional status in the Craft . It does not prove that he possesses exceptional merits , and , in nine oases out of
ten , it involves him in a neediest burden of expenditure . I admit there are some who , having proved themselves worthy and able Craftsmen , are fully justified in their endeavours to promote the welfare of Freemasonry by starting new Lodges , but the number of these is , in the nature of things , limited , For instance , it was understood a year or two since that warrants for no new London
Lodges would be granted , yet warrants have been granted even in tbe course of the present year , and the cases in which the grant of a new warrant seems justifiable are few indeed . For instance , if I take only a figure view of tho case , I find that London , with ita population of four millions , has over 300 Lodges , or one Lodge to every 13 , 000 ; while in the Provinces there are some 1 , 000 Lodgea
to nineteen millions , or one Lodge to every 19 , 000 . But then one half of the population are females , and from the male half of 11 , 500 , 000 , we must at least deduct three-fifths who are not adults , the result being , in these circumstances , that we have one Lodge to some 2 , 650 male adnlts in London , and one to every 3 , 800 in the country . Let me take one step further .. Quite four-fifths of these male adults are unwilling or unable pecuniarily to join the Craft , the
result being that there is one Lodge to every 500 competent male adults in London , and one to every 760 in the country . Clearly , therefore , and apart from the fact that the area of the Metropolitan District is more limited , and the Lodges in closer contiguity to each other , it must be evident that no new warrants for London Lodges
are needed now or for some time to come . There are other points in your article I should like to notice , but time presses , and I mnst subscribe myself , Fraternally yours , "AxiquiD . "
ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Next Wednesday fortnight , 6 th September , Grand Lodge holds its Quarterly Meeting , at which , amongst other business , Grand Lodge will be asked to confirm a proposition which it has already carried twice , viz ., Bro . Raynham Stewart J motion for an extra grant of £ 800 per annum towards tbe above
Institution . It may not be known to all the members of Grand Lodge that there is already a grant of one £ 800 a year to the Aged . How did that grant come abont ? Many years ago , 1854 , when our Lodges numbered about 800 , G . Lodge agreed to give to the Institution £ 800 a-year on condition of receiving three votes ( two male and one female / annually for every Lodge nnder its Constitution . Since that time onr
strength in numbers has increased to 2 , 000 Lodges more or less , so that we now give 6 , 000 votes for the same consideration as we previously gave 2 , 400 . On these grounds I believe the Institution is just'y entitled to the extra £ 800 per annum ; especially as since the motion , which was carried in December last , though non-confirmed m March , was then held over to know whether what the Grand Secretary
read out , and the Aoditor s Report confirmed , was correct , . ' : > that there was a handsome annual surplus on the Fund of Genera Purposes from which the extra grant could be well spared . At * meeting iu June , ifc was given out that this surplus revenue *» about £ 4 , 000 , and the proposition was again carried . It now renia iu with the brethren to confirm what they have twice agreed to ;
show their zeal aud fidelity to the cause they profess to adn » > : uid by a large majority endorse their previous records . Yours fraternally , P . M . 1607 . 8 th August 1882 .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
. 411 Letters must bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
IS MASONRY REALLY FLOURISHING ?
To the Editor of the FREEMASON S C HRONICXE . , DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Yonr article , under the above heading which appeared in the last issue of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , opens np a very wide , and as yon rightly observe , a momentous issue in relation to the Craft . And , although I fear I shall be able to add very little to the deductions yon make , yet I have reason to
fear there is considerable weight in them , unpalatable as their acceptance might be to us , and all who are jealous for the interests of our Ancient and Honourable Institution . It wonld be invidions to point to any especial cases in which members have been indiscriminately—I was almost going to say recklessly—admitted into Lodges ; bnt it can hardly be gainsaid that instances are neither
few nor far between in which by far a too large a proportion of some Lodges " lose heart" after the first few years , and either resign or grow careless and indifferent as to their responsibilities to tbe Craft . I wonder how many Masons there are who < ' < though fired with enthusiasm at first , wonld now be unable to work themselves into a Lodge ? I do not mean to insinuate that all
these have fallen into the ranks of the inactivity through necessary avarice or disappointment in obtaining honours ; as there may be a variety of causes to actuate men—bnsiness or private engogements—in abstaining in greater or less degree from active participation in the working of their Lodges . I do not see that snch men are to be blamed entirely for this ; although there can be very
little doubt that some brethren , seeing there is but a remote chance of promotion , wax faint and shrink from that enthusiastic action in connection with the Craft which they evinced at the outset . One feature of your remarks must commend itself to all thinking Masons , and there can be little question that many Lodges have swollen to such unweildly dimensions as to preclude many who aspire to office
the possibility of advancement j and thus in the face of a hopeless case , nothing can be expected on the part of members but a desire to overflow into an " offshoot" Lodge , where in a short period , at all events , they might reasonably anticipate a realisation of their hopes . I can hardly see how the curb is to he put on in the matter of restricting the increasing the number of men who are solicitous of
joining the ranks of Freemasonry , and , as you point out in your article , tbe selection of candidates is a matter of the utmost difficulty , if not impossibility . When candidates appear to all external appearances just and upright men and Masons , it is absolutely impossible for anyone not possessed of " second sight " to fathom the mind and intentions of those who are admitted , as to whether their motives are
mercenary or otherwise , or whether they will after a time lapse into a state of apathy , or even eventually fall back upon the Benevolent Fund . Although there may be in some cases " an excess of zeal , " such as yon seem to indicate , on the part of brethren to see the numbers of their Lodges increase , yet I do not think the remark applies to anything like a large proportion of them , either in the
metropolis or tbe Provinces , and considering the number of applicants for admission , who are either withdrawn or " pilled , " one can hardly doubt that there is a very large amount of discretion exercised in the selection—that is , so far as selection can be exercised—of candidates for initiation . You cannot judge of the quality of nut until it is cracked , and it is equally impossible to say how a man will turn out
until you have watched his actions , and estimated the genuineness of his professions after his admission . Much , therefore , as we must all deplore the number of " drones" which exist in our Lodges , I for one cannot see how a remedy is to be found for the increase of individual Ledges , and its inevitable consequence in the multiplication in
the applications for new warrants . I hope some other correspondents will express their views npon this question , which ia one of considerable interest to the Craft , and that some remedy for tbe evils of which yon so justly complain may be the outcome of their collective thought .
I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , A YOUNO MASON Boxhill , 16 'th August 18 S 2 .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . _ DRAM SIR AND BROTHER , —I am glad you have mooted this question . As far as mere numbers go , we have , unquestionably made huge advances since the memorable day when H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was installed Grand Master of England in the Royal Albert Hall , South Kensington . But , as you have frequently remarked , mere numerical increase is no jnst criterion of increased strength .
Freemasonry is popular with all classes of the community and is respected by those who understand its precepts for the immense amount of good it does as a practical philanthropic Institution . A society , which annually raises over £ 40 , 000 in order to provide for the maintenance und education of orphan girls and boys and to make comfortable the declining years of its aged indigent members and thoir widows , is not likely to be at a loss for eulogists , and there is fair reasou to suppose that its influence may be so far contagions as tu
Correspondence.
secure a number of imitators . There is , however , this danger to ba considered , that in addition to the eulogists and the imitators , it also baa a large number of admirers who , being as it were , a kind of beasts of prey , have no other thought in seeking admission to ita ranks than to make profit out of its benevolent propensities . These people adopt different modes of procedure in order to secure the
object they have in view . Some obtain entrance into the Craft by means of friends , who are also brethren , in the hope and belief that by so doing , they will extend the sphere of their custom as trades men , while others , finding their commercial status becoming some , what cranky , are only too glad to speculate to the extent of a few pounds in the shape of initiation fees and subscriptions , in the hope
that , when the crisis in their affairs has arrived and their means are exhausted , they may obtain substantial help from Grand Lod ge and , if they are married men , equally substantial help in bringing np their families . It may appear very un-Masonic to say go but there is no doubt that the large accession of mere numerical strength during the past few years has brought with it a very
considerable accession of weakness . This is borne out by the fact tbat , only a short while ago , the Fund of Benevolence was under the necessity of selling out a portion of its capital in order to make good its excess of expenditure over income . It ia farther demon , strated by the still more conspicnous fact that , though our Institu . tions have , since the Prince of Wales was elected Grand Master , enlarged the sphere of their operations to an amazing extent , and
have on their books from forty to sixty per cent more recipients of their bounty than they had eight years ago , the number of applicants is still out of all proportion to the number of vacancies . Thisciroum . stance alone deserves to be recognised as an unhealthy , symptom , and as showing that , however grand may be the outward proportion ! of Freemasonry in this country , it is not as sound as it ought to be at heart .
The multiplication of Lodges has had a great deal to do with bringing about this result . Men spend money in the Lodge , which , if they were right-minded and conscientious , they would spend at home . What need is there for a brother to be a member of several Lodges ? It gives him no additional status in the Craft . It does not prove that he possesses exceptional merits , and , in nine oases out of
ten , it involves him in a neediest burden of expenditure . I admit there are some who , having proved themselves worthy and able Craftsmen , are fully justified in their endeavours to promote the welfare of Freemasonry by starting new Lodges , but the number of these is , in the nature of things , limited , For instance , it was understood a year or two since that warrants for no new London
Lodges would be granted , yet warrants have been granted even in tbe course of the present year , and the cases in which the grant of a new warrant seems justifiable are few indeed . For instance , if I take only a figure view of tho case , I find that London , with ita population of four millions , has over 300 Lodges , or one Lodge to every 13 , 000 ; while in the Provinces there are some 1 , 000 Lodgea
to nineteen millions , or one Lodge to every 19 , 000 . But then one half of the population are females , and from the male half of 11 , 500 , 000 , we must at least deduct three-fifths who are not adults , the result being , in these circumstances , that we have one Lodge to some 2 , 650 male adnlts in London , and one to every 3 , 800 in the country . Let me take one step further .. Quite four-fifths of these male adults are unwilling or unable pecuniarily to join the Craft , the
result being that there is one Lodge to every 500 competent male adults in London , and one to every 760 in the country . Clearly , therefore , and apart from the fact that the area of the Metropolitan District is more limited , and the Lodges in closer contiguity to each other , it must be evident that no new warrants for London Lodges
are needed now or for some time to come . There are other points in your article I should like to notice , but time presses , and I mnst subscribe myself , Fraternally yours , "AxiquiD . "
ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Next Wednesday fortnight , 6 th September , Grand Lodge holds its Quarterly Meeting , at which , amongst other business , Grand Lodge will be asked to confirm a proposition which it has already carried twice , viz ., Bro . Raynham Stewart J motion for an extra grant of £ 800 per annum towards tbe above
Institution . It may not be known to all the members of Grand Lodge that there is already a grant of one £ 800 a year to the Aged . How did that grant come abont ? Many years ago , 1854 , when our Lodges numbered about 800 , G . Lodge agreed to give to the Institution £ 800 a-year on condition of receiving three votes ( two male and one female / annually for every Lodge nnder its Constitution . Since that time onr
strength in numbers has increased to 2 , 000 Lodges more or less , so that we now give 6 , 000 votes for the same consideration as we previously gave 2 , 400 . On these grounds I believe the Institution is just'y entitled to the extra £ 800 per annum ; especially as since the motion , which was carried in December last , though non-confirmed m March , was then held over to know whether what the Grand Secretary
read out , and the Aoditor s Report confirmed , was correct , . ' : > that there was a handsome annual surplus on the Fund of Genera Purposes from which the extra grant could be well spared . At * meeting iu June , ifc was given out that this surplus revenue *» about £ 4 , 000 , and the proposition was again carried . It now renia iu with the brethren to confirm what they have twice agreed to ;
show their zeal aud fidelity to the cause they profess to adn » > : uid by a large majority endorse their previous records . Yours fraternally , P . M . 1607 . 8 th August 1882 .