Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Charities Of The United States.
far .: \; r .-- . ' : ' : ' , ' . '' . ¦ ••' . T ,.- " O-J , many of which ( Into back from hist civr e . ' :: ¦ , : ¦ ' . - : v . ¦ ' . •.: '•¦ '" ¦ i . 0 : > : i m ••Milifv- 1 , 1 ' ulK' justified your article : of ii ' -c . v . i'y . iY . ' . L'ri : ; il ' y vi ui's , Burrox . ¦ )' . - - , , ' ' \ - . ' ! ' ! . M CTlON .
'¦' - •. ' . ' ¦ ¦ ' . •!¦' . ¦ ¦ ' .. " \ . ;; ' -: ( " ' :: : ; n \ 'H ' i . r :. D' / . M : !' ¦ , . ; - ¦ - . .. ... :, :.. hm ; . . '¦ " . ! , ! ' ¦ . ¦ . ' ¦;¦; which is now so vnpidlv i ' i ' . is- ¦ ¦ , : ' : •¦ , <; , : •.. ; : ¦ -, i : ' ; h ¦ oro . 'i' of things thai there ; h . •" ;¦ ' ! .-.-. ¦ •¦ ' . ¦ •-, : •'¦ -.: ¦ ! . ¦ •] aiim / s 10 record . Occasionnllv von ¦ -. ¦¦ . ' . - ¦ -. . •!•!; . i ¦¦ .-. : >' v ¦ ¦ : : ;>;• i •; T ;¦ i : 1 : Lr . ^ of the muster
of lire MI en ii . one •: ' '•oi ' . A inc . ' . , ' i : ; : i , ; ier bin 11 j nets aud excursions , r few ins : allai ; in moo ; i ; . . rs , and perhaps tho consecration of a new Lodgo wero all that your lenders could expect in tho way of news in the interval bctw .-n the Anniversary Festival of the Boys' School and tho Quarterly Courts of the Schools which havo been held this month . At all events ihcro has been , with tho exceptions I have
stated , tho usual dearth of intelligence during tho last ten or twelve weeks . There is , however , ono class of notice , which , if not particularly remarkable for tho interest ifc is calculated to excite , is never entirely absent from your pages . I refer to tho doings of at least two or three IK id cos of Instruction . Now , I havo a very groat respect for theo L- ¦¦ 1 g- 's . provided thev are really well-conducted ,
and 1 . think iliesi- ' . ho !' .-. sjuent them , especially during the summer months , aro , in some respects , exemplars which many among ns would do well to follow . Wo cannot expect that a knowledge of our lectures and ceremonies will como to us by intuition . Whatever instruction is convoyed by ono brother to another must , of necessity , be so convoyed orally , and I do not think any hotter method of
conveying instruction could well havo been devised than tho catechetical . But after somo considerable experience of these Lodges of Instruction , which experience , be ifc known , is chiefly personal , though , in a slight measure , derived at second-hand , I can como to no other conclusion than that any brother who attends ono in tho belief that ho will return homo edified by what , ho has witnessed ancl heard , labours
nnder a most egregious mistake . Mind , I do nofc assort that he will acquire no knowledge at all . lie will soo tho ceremonies moro or less correctly rehearsed , and tlio sections will bo similarly worked , but this corcctnoss is chiefly verbal in its character . If he should have the courage to try and quit tlio beaten path of opening and closing Lodges in tho three degrees , rehearsing ceremonies , and
working lectures , and expresses a hope that tho Preceptor , or some equally competent (?) brother , will favour the Locige with something in tho way of exposition , his request will excite quite a feeling of consternation among tho Oflicers and regular attendants . In other words , if I or any other brother is desirous of becoming letterporfcefc in our sections and ceremonies , I shall be a welcome
addition to any Lodgo of Instruction , but if I am blessed with a somewhat inquisitive mind , and rim anxious to havo two or three points reasonably well explained ; if I ask for a reconciliation by the Preceptor of what appear to bo incongruities , I have good reason to beliovo that I shall ask in vain . If I am pressed to account for this state of things , I answer at onco that , with a few noteworthy
exceptions , the brethren who act as Preceptors are utterly incompetent . The knowledge they possess is purely verbal , and almost any one among them might bo conveniently and amusingly replaced by a well-trained parrot . They aro incapable of imparting even the little knowledge they possess to thoso who go to them for instruction , while to complete tho picture , there are not a few of those who pose
Before the Masonic public as instructors of Freemasonry who have yet to make acquaintance with tho very elements of English grammar , and would ho greatly benefited if thoy submitted themselves to a course of training in pronunciation , to say nothing of elocution . I have been present on occasions when the Queen ' s English has been most foully murdered , nofc once , but a hundred times in the
course of a single sitting , and the principal offender has been the Preceptor . Is ifc nofc deplorable to think thafc the majority of our Lodges of Instruction , which might be made so edifying as well as so serviceable , are about as worthless for tho purposes for which they have heen established as a tin or zinc shilling or sixpence is to purchase
a shilling ' s worth or sixpenny worth of commodities ? Is it not discreditable to a Lodge , when ifc allows a brother , who is even ignorant of his mother tongue , to enact weekly the farce of imparting to others knowledge which , as long as he lives , he will never be able to appreciate or understand . In tho study of arts and sciences competent instructors mo eho-ion , nut in Masonrvany ignoramus who has leisure
of evenings nt ins disposal may play tho part of teacher . As a rule , the ignoramus , being a kind of parrot , gets on well enough as long as more constant , rcpoii'ion of the samo words in a given order-is expected of him . I must , therefore , do him the justice to say that , in this department of instruction ho is afc home , and it is only necessary ho should understand somo portion of what he repeats , and pronounce his wort !? , moro after tho manner which prevails among
educated langli .-ninon , m order to attract numbers to his particular Lodge of I : r-truciion . iiut beyond this his capacity is conspicuous by its absence , and I voiily believe if I rose in my place in his Lodge and , with ihe pr-ruii .- - - : r ] M of the W . M ., rcn'l a paper for tho purpose of proviso ; ibnt Ka :- ! hi the I ,: I > : !><¦;> , " ! i-h'inu was identical with Moses the br . v-glvi ¦ •, •¦ . ¦ •-.- ¦ ; a hg > : Y ' 'v ! , the . Ih-orvntor—such , of course , as I havo b' - ; n ' ' ¦!¦ ¦¦ '¦' ¦ -.. oii ' o ') ,- . the first on his logs to propose mi ; a voto of ! :.-. i : ' ; - ' ¦ ¦ ; ¦ : - ¦ ¦ . ¦•¦!¦ -: •v ! i '" iil * c ** . siiiii of the fiodtro as some
slight , nr-La v . g . ' :-. -. . - ;¦ :., ' ;' . •¦ valuable contribution to Masonic knowledge he \ ¦ - ¦ '¦ : ' ¦ ¦ h ¦ •: y- ¦ '"¦ h '„ ¦¦ ' . to hear from mo on that occasion . Joking apart . h-o "•¦ ¦ eg- , 1 : „ .-li ; - "•'liar onr la - ! gos of Instruction need
reform , ami rho ii :-.-- ' . : ¦' ¦¦ '¦; , i ! . iba : ' dirofrh n will undoubtedly bo to appoint fit and oropor bro .-hrcn \ o fill the ol / iee of IV-eeptor . With your li . -rmi ¦¦'; n j will return to tho subject in a future letter , till when , believe tne , Yours fraternally , DISCIPLE .
The House And Audit Committees Of The Masonic Schools.
THE HOUSE AND AUDIT COMMITTEES OF THE MASONIC SCHOOLS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASONS CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTH Kit , —I seo from tho advertisement which appears iu your issue of the * iiul October of tho business to bo brought before the General Court of tho Governors and Subscribers of the Uoyal Masonio Institution for Girls that it is contemplated to make an alteration in tho term of election of tlio House and Audit
Committees of that Institution , and I am informed that a similar proposal will bo before the Quarterly General Court of the Boys' School Now , Bro . Editor , I hardly know whether you will allow mo to express my views , as they aro somewhat at variance with thoso you aro accredited to coincide in , but I hopo for tho benefit of the
Charities—I appeal to you in this form , as I think I am sure to touch you by so doing—you will allow me in your columns to put before the brethren my ideas of a scheme of re-organisation which I imagine would redound to the credit of any one who might be successful in carrying it out , and would entitle him to a position of eminence
among the brightest luminaries of tho Masonio Charity world . I see it is Bro . A . H . Tattershall who proposes the alteration in regard to the Girls' School , and from his proud position as a member of the House Committee of that Institution , I consider ifc comes as a very happy suggestion on his part . We have all heard of tho fable of the
fox who proposed that the tails of his race should he cut off as useless , but perhaps the same idea does not apply in this instance ; indeed , I should bo very sorry to suggest for a moment fchafc Brother Tattershall ' s position , as a ruler of our School , totters , or anything approaching thereto . It may be thought I am in opposition to Bro ,
Tattershall ; far from it , for , on the contrary , I consider his proposition far too modest , and it is for this reason that I now address you . If I may be allowed I will extract the official notice given regarding the proposition of Bro . Tattershall , whioh , from yonr advertisement , is as follows : —
" Alteration of Bnle XXXVII . —That the members of the House ancl Audit Committees be elected for three years , and that one-third of the members retire annually , but shall be eligible for re-election . " Now , by the adoption of the above we should take but one step towards tho grancl aim of putting all power , as regards the
management of our Schools into the hands of the chosen few , bufc I would urge thafc we not only take this one step , but at once boldly decide for ever the question . Had it been possible for me to have attended , tho Quarterly General Court , I should have proposed as an amendment my grand idea , which , in the exuberance of my feelings , I look
upon as the sovereign remedy of the age for all evils now existing , or even to find their way into the work of managing onr Schools ; but fate rules otherwise , and so I am obliged to see another year go by , and no further advance made towards tbe attainment of everlasting bliss ; but , Bro . Editor , I will confide in you the great secret
of which I believe afc present I am the only possessor , and in the hope that by so doing I may advance the grancl cause , I shall feel myself fully repaid for making known to the Masonio world one of the grandest ideas that has ever been promulgated . As it was my intention , as I have already told you , to move an
amendment , I will send yon a copy of what I contemplated , which will be tho best way of explaining myself . Bro . Luna P . M . proposes as an amendment to Bro . Tattershall ' s motion the following : — " That the members of the House and Audit Committees be elected for life , and that power be granted them of nominating in their last will and testament the name of any person
they may select to succeed them , in order that the old blood may remain , instead of allowing the influx of newi a course to be greatl y deprecated as likely to tend to improvements from time to time . " Having thus relieved my mind , I shall feel better prepared fco resume my studies of the third degree , and contemplate on the awful mysteries thereof . I have the honour to remain , Tours in brotherhood , LUNA P . M .
Hanwell , 5 th October 1880 . [ We must apologise for having held Bro . Luna ' s letter over so long ; pressure on our space has been the cause . We trust this excuse will release us from the pains and penalties our eccentric brother has threatened us with . — ED . P . O . ]
Wo hear thafc ifc is probable fchafc full Masonic clothing will be worn by tho guests at the Mansion House Masonic Banquet , on the 25 th inst ., but that a special dispensation from the Grand Master is , under the Constitution , a necessary condition precedent . We are nofc surprised to hear that tho pressure on the Lord Mayor for invitations is out of all proportion to cither the space at his Lordship's disposal or
his desire to comply . It appears to be generally understood that the invited guests , in addition to the Lord Mayor ' s own Lodge , No . 1 , the brethren of which number some eighty members , comprehend a large number of Grand Officers , thongh necessarily not the entire body , the Provincial Grand Masters of England , and such Aldermen as are
Freemasons , and as many of the Common Council as have " passea the chair . " These , with a few personal friends of the Lord Mayor , will , it is expected , fill the Egyptian Hall to overflowing . A Guard of Honour will ho furnished hy the Honourable Artillery Company . Mr . Sheriff Fowler and Mr . Sheriff Waterlow are both members of the Craft , " hailing " from No . 1 Lodge .- — Citizen .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Charities Of The United States.
far .: \; r .-- . ' : ' : ' , ' . '' . ¦ ••' . T ,.- " O-J , many of which ( Into back from hist civr e . ' :: ¦ , : ¦ ' . - : v . ¦ ' . •.: '•¦ '" ¦ i . 0 : > : i m ••Milifv- 1 , 1 ' ulK' justified your article : of ii ' -c . v . i'y . iY . ' . L'ri : ; il ' y vi ui's , Burrox . ¦ )' . - - , , ' ' \ - . ' ! ' ! . M CTlON .
'¦' - •. ' . ' ¦ ¦ ' . •!¦' . ¦ ¦ ' .. " \ . ;; ' -: ( " ' :: : ; n \ 'H ' i . r :. D' / . M : !' ¦ , . ; - ¦ - . .. ... :, :.. hm ; . . '¦ " . ! , ! ' ¦ . ¦ . ' ¦;¦; which is now so vnpidlv i ' i ' . is- ¦ ¦ , : ' : •¦ , <; , : •.. ; : ¦ -, i : ' ; h ¦ oro . 'i' of things thai there ; h . •" ;¦ ' ! .-.-. ¦ •¦ ' . ¦ •-, : •'¦ -.: ¦ ! . ¦ •] aiim / s 10 record . Occasionnllv von ¦ -. ¦¦ . ' . - ¦ -. . •!•!; . i ¦¦ .-. : >' v ¦ ¦ : : ;>;• i •; T ;¦ i : 1 : Lr . ^ of the muster
of lire MI en ii . one •: ' '•oi ' . A inc . ' . , ' i : ; : i , ; ier bin 11 j nets aud excursions , r few ins : allai ; in moo ; i ; . . rs , and perhaps tho consecration of a new Lodgo wero all that your lenders could expect in tho way of news in the interval bctw .-n the Anniversary Festival of the Boys' School and tho Quarterly Courts of the Schools which havo been held this month . At all events ihcro has been , with tho exceptions I have
stated , tho usual dearth of intelligence during tho last ten or twelve weeks . There is , however , ono class of notice , which , if not particularly remarkable for tho interest ifc is calculated to excite , is never entirely absent from your pages . I refer to tho doings of at least two or three IK id cos of Instruction . Now , I havo a very groat respect for theo L- ¦¦ 1 g- 's . provided thev are really well-conducted ,
and 1 . think iliesi- ' . ho !' .-. sjuent them , especially during the summer months , aro , in some respects , exemplars which many among ns would do well to follow . Wo cannot expect that a knowledge of our lectures and ceremonies will como to us by intuition . Whatever instruction is convoyed by ono brother to another must , of necessity , be so convoyed orally , and I do not think any hotter method of
conveying instruction could well havo been devised than tho catechetical . But after somo considerable experience of these Lodges of Instruction , which experience , be ifc known , is chiefly personal , though , in a slight measure , derived at second-hand , I can como to no other conclusion than that any brother who attends ono in tho belief that ho will return homo edified by what , ho has witnessed ancl heard , labours
nnder a most egregious mistake . Mind , I do nofc assort that he will acquire no knowledge at all . lie will soo tho ceremonies moro or less correctly rehearsed , and tlio sections will bo similarly worked , but this corcctnoss is chiefly verbal in its character . If he should have the courage to try and quit tlio beaten path of opening and closing Lodges in tho three degrees , rehearsing ceremonies , and
working lectures , and expresses a hope that tho Preceptor , or some equally competent (?) brother , will favour the Locige with something in tho way of exposition , his request will excite quite a feeling of consternation among tho Oflicers and regular attendants . In other words , if I or any other brother is desirous of becoming letterporfcefc in our sections and ceremonies , I shall be a welcome
addition to any Lodgo of Instruction , but if I am blessed with a somewhat inquisitive mind , and rim anxious to havo two or three points reasonably well explained ; if I ask for a reconciliation by the Preceptor of what appear to bo incongruities , I have good reason to beliovo that I shall ask in vain . If I am pressed to account for this state of things , I answer at onco that , with a few noteworthy
exceptions , the brethren who act as Preceptors are utterly incompetent . The knowledge they possess is purely verbal , and almost any one among them might bo conveniently and amusingly replaced by a well-trained parrot . They aro incapable of imparting even the little knowledge they possess to thoso who go to them for instruction , while to complete tho picture , there are not a few of those who pose
Before the Masonic public as instructors of Freemasonry who have yet to make acquaintance with tho very elements of English grammar , and would ho greatly benefited if thoy submitted themselves to a course of training in pronunciation , to say nothing of elocution . I have been present on occasions when the Queen ' s English has been most foully murdered , nofc once , but a hundred times in the
course of a single sitting , and the principal offender has been the Preceptor . Is ifc nofc deplorable to think thafc the majority of our Lodges of Instruction , which might be made so edifying as well as so serviceable , are about as worthless for tho purposes for which they have heen established as a tin or zinc shilling or sixpence is to purchase
a shilling ' s worth or sixpenny worth of commodities ? Is it not discreditable to a Lodge , when ifc allows a brother , who is even ignorant of his mother tongue , to enact weekly the farce of imparting to others knowledge which , as long as he lives , he will never be able to appreciate or understand . In tho study of arts and sciences competent instructors mo eho-ion , nut in Masonrvany ignoramus who has leisure
of evenings nt ins disposal may play tho part of teacher . As a rule , the ignoramus , being a kind of parrot , gets on well enough as long as more constant , rcpoii'ion of the samo words in a given order-is expected of him . I must , therefore , do him the justice to say that , in this department of instruction ho is afc home , and it is only necessary ho should understand somo portion of what he repeats , and pronounce his wort !? , moro after tho manner which prevails among
educated langli .-ninon , m order to attract numbers to his particular Lodge of I : r-truciion . iiut beyond this his capacity is conspicuous by its absence , and I voiily believe if I rose in my place in his Lodge and , with ihe pr-ruii .- - - : r ] M of the W . M ., rcn'l a paper for tho purpose of proviso ; ibnt Ka :- ! hi the I ,: I > : !><¦;> , " ! i-h'inu was identical with Moses the br . v-glvi ¦ •, •¦ . ¦ •-.- ¦ ; a hg > : Y ' 'v ! , the . Ih-orvntor—such , of course , as I havo b' - ; n ' ' ¦!¦ ¦¦ '¦' ¦ -.. oii ' o ') ,- . the first on his logs to propose mi ; a voto of ! :.-. i : ' ; - ' ¦ ¦ ; ¦ : - ¦ ¦ . ¦•¦!¦ -: •v ! i '" iil * c ** . siiiii of the fiodtro as some
slight , nr-La v . g . ' :-. -. . - ;¦ :., ' ;' . •¦ valuable contribution to Masonic knowledge he \ ¦ - ¦ '¦ : ' ¦ ¦ h ¦ •: y- ¦ '"¦ h '„ ¦¦ ' . to hear from mo on that occasion . Joking apart . h-o "•¦ ¦ eg- , 1 : „ .-li ; - "•'liar onr la - ! gos of Instruction need
reform , ami rho ii :-.-- ' . : ¦' ¦¦ '¦; , i ! . iba : ' dirofrh n will undoubtedly bo to appoint fit and oropor bro .-hrcn \ o fill the ol / iee of IV-eeptor . With your li . -rmi ¦¦'; n j will return to tho subject in a future letter , till when , believe tne , Yours fraternally , DISCIPLE .
The House And Audit Committees Of The Masonic Schools.
THE HOUSE AND AUDIT COMMITTEES OF THE MASONIC SCHOOLS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASONS CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTH Kit , —I seo from tho advertisement which appears iu your issue of the * iiul October of tho business to bo brought before the General Court of tho Governors and Subscribers of the Uoyal Masonio Institution for Girls that it is contemplated to make an alteration in tho term of election of tlio House and Audit
Committees of that Institution , and I am informed that a similar proposal will bo before the Quarterly General Court of the Boys' School Now , Bro . Editor , I hardly know whether you will allow mo to express my views , as they aro somewhat at variance with thoso you aro accredited to coincide in , but I hopo for tho benefit of the
Charities—I appeal to you in this form , as I think I am sure to touch you by so doing—you will allow me in your columns to put before the brethren my ideas of a scheme of re-organisation which I imagine would redound to the credit of any one who might be successful in carrying it out , and would entitle him to a position of eminence
among the brightest luminaries of tho Masonio Charity world . I see it is Bro . A . H . Tattershall who proposes the alteration in regard to the Girls' School , and from his proud position as a member of the House Committee of that Institution , I consider ifc comes as a very happy suggestion on his part . We have all heard of tho fable of the
fox who proposed that the tails of his race should he cut off as useless , but perhaps the same idea does not apply in this instance ; indeed , I should bo very sorry to suggest for a moment fchafc Brother Tattershall ' s position , as a ruler of our School , totters , or anything approaching thereto . It may be thought I am in opposition to Bro ,
Tattershall ; far from it , for , on the contrary , I consider his proposition far too modest , and it is for this reason that I now address you . If I may be allowed I will extract the official notice given regarding the proposition of Bro . Tattershall , whioh , from yonr advertisement , is as follows : —
" Alteration of Bnle XXXVII . —That the members of the House ancl Audit Committees be elected for three years , and that one-third of the members retire annually , but shall be eligible for re-election . " Now , by the adoption of the above we should take but one step towards tho grancl aim of putting all power , as regards the
management of our Schools into the hands of the chosen few , bufc I would urge thafc we not only take this one step , but at once boldly decide for ever the question . Had it been possible for me to have attended , tho Quarterly General Court , I should have proposed as an amendment my grand idea , which , in the exuberance of my feelings , I look
upon as the sovereign remedy of the age for all evils now existing , or even to find their way into the work of managing onr Schools ; but fate rules otherwise , and so I am obliged to see another year go by , and no further advance made towards tbe attainment of everlasting bliss ; but , Bro . Editor , I will confide in you the great secret
of which I believe afc present I am the only possessor , and in the hope that by so doing I may advance the grancl cause , I shall feel myself fully repaid for making known to the Masonio world one of the grandest ideas that has ever been promulgated . As it was my intention , as I have already told you , to move an
amendment , I will send yon a copy of what I contemplated , which will be tho best way of explaining myself . Bro . Luna P . M . proposes as an amendment to Bro . Tattershall ' s motion the following : — " That the members of the House and Audit Committees be elected for life , and that power be granted them of nominating in their last will and testament the name of any person
they may select to succeed them , in order that the old blood may remain , instead of allowing the influx of newi a course to be greatl y deprecated as likely to tend to improvements from time to time . " Having thus relieved my mind , I shall feel better prepared fco resume my studies of the third degree , and contemplate on the awful mysteries thereof . I have the honour to remain , Tours in brotherhood , LUNA P . M .
Hanwell , 5 th October 1880 . [ We must apologise for having held Bro . Luna ' s letter over so long ; pressure on our space has been the cause . We trust this excuse will release us from the pains and penalties our eccentric brother has threatened us with . — ED . P . O . ]
Wo hear thafc ifc is probable fchafc full Masonic clothing will be worn by tho guests at the Mansion House Masonic Banquet , on the 25 th inst ., but that a special dispensation from the Grand Master is , under the Constitution , a necessary condition precedent . We are nofc surprised to hear that tho pressure on the Lord Mayor for invitations is out of all proportion to cither the space at his Lordship's disposal or
his desire to comply . It appears to be generally understood that the invited guests , in addition to the Lord Mayor ' s own Lodge , No . 1 , the brethren of which number some eighty members , comprehend a large number of Grand Officers , thongh necessarily not the entire body , the Provincial Grand Masters of England , and such Aldermen as are
Freemasons , and as many of the Common Council as have " passea the chair . " These , with a few personal friends of the Lord Mayor , will , it is expected , fill the Egyptian Hall to overflowing . A Guard of Honour will ho furnished hy the Honourable Artillery Company . Mr . Sheriff Fowler and Mr . Sheriff Waterlow are both members of the Craft , " hailing " from No . 1 Lodge .- — Citizen .