Outside Criticism.

2 nd inst ., from which wo cull the following : — " Bro . Binckes haa done yeoman's service for Masonry , but no one , inside or outside the Craft , can fail to come to the conclusion that , as Secretary to what Masons know as the Boys' School , ho formed an altogether mistaken notion of his position . " Tho Boys' School ; I am

iho Boys' School , " seems to have hoen the Secretary ' s view , nnd sigrave did matters hecomo thai , exactly a yoar a ;» o , on Saturday , 27 th Jaly 1 S 88 , a Committee of Investigation was appointed , by tht > Quarterly Court of Governors , whose report was presented 26 ih April . Engaged at a salary of £ 150 a year , the Secretary's present

emolnmoots , according to tho report , are £ 700 a year . Considering what Bro . Binckes has done , it cannot be denied that ho 13 worth it ; his great mistake has beon that , not being satisfied with bc-ing Secretary , he has tried to he hoad master , head everything— a very Walpole among secretaries . "

Now this may be " smart writing , but docs ifc show that the author has any practical knowledge ) upon the subject ? We vonturo to say , emphatically , ho has not . When "Bro . Binckes waa appointed Secretary to tho Royal

Masonic Institution for Boys , now nearly 30 years ago , the annual income of that Charity was something like £ 2000 ; from time to timo Bro . Binckes ' s duties have increased , while tho demands upon his timo—which at first were limited to some fow hours each week—havo been

extended , till for some years now past ho has had ( o devote all his energies to carry out tho demands made upon him . Bro . Binckes's salary has been increased from time to timo , as tho majority of our readers know , till it HOW stands at £ 500 per annum ; while for ll emoluments "

the only feature that can bo described as such is embodied in a well earned recognition for eminent services rendered , viz .: the fund whereby Bro . Binckes commuted his claim for a per centago on certain amounts realised from timo to

time , through his exertions , for an annual payment in lieu of commission of £ 200 per aunum , aud in accepting this arrangement most of those who fully understand tho facts of tho case will give Bro . Binckes tho credit for having acted in a liberal and conciliatory spirit .

We do not propose to-day to enlarge on the thomo thus brought under our notice , but what can thoso of our readers who know the facts of the case say to tho following garbled summary of tho recommendations of tho Investigation Committee : —

"The entries charging 100 cucumbers , tho statement of the Investigating Committee that ' beyond snch quantities of grapes , cucumbers , and tomatoes as the House Committee may consnuie at its monthly dinners , and some grapes and tomatoes at the stewards ' own table , we could trace no consumption of these articles in the House , ' are cruel in their brutal stupidity .

" And while there were some grapes aud tomatoes on tho stewards ' own table , what of the boys ? ' We noticed the general appearanco of the boys was pale , and their manner spiritless . ' ' Moreover a large dustbin is placed in the playground of the younger children . '

'As to the towels , each is used in common by several boys , and this occurs even when boys are suffering from ringworm . ' Haplos 3 Lewises ! it was indeed time that something should be done : a secretary pensioned or a Committee man hanged , drawn , and quartered . "

Well , well ; we suppose this " tall" writing is acceptable to the masses or it would not be so universal at the present day .

No Right Of Initiation.

NO RIGHT OF INITIATION .

THERE is an erroneous opinion abroad , in certain quarters , that the best men among tho profane have tho right to be initiated in Freemasonry , if they see fit to claim the right . This opinion every well-informed

Freemason knows is utterly unfounded . The only right which any profane enjoys is the right to petition for initiation , and even this right is qualified by tho fact that his petition is of no effect unless it be recommended by two Master

Masons , members of the body "which he seeks to enter . If the angel Gabriel were on earth he would have no right to Masonic initiation : he would have only the right to petition , as above set forth . As all Freemasons are on the level , so

are all the profane . All must follow in tho old paths which their fathers trod , from time immemorial . Hence no repute , however general it may be , for virtue , ability or character , can take the place of that Masonic scrutiny which

has always been required to precede initiation . Indeed , the profane cannot know what the criterion of judgment is which tho Craft sets up . It cannot understand what

physical , mental , moral or social attributes are required of candidates . These aro familiar only to members of the Fraternity . And even if a profane knew and possessed

No Right Of Initiation.

them all , he would still be in the dark as to the result of his application . Initiation is a favour , not a right . The Craft is a Brotherhood , and every brother in a Lodge haa

the inherent right to say whether an applicant possesses tho qualifications for becoming , in ( ho highest and best sense of tho term , a Brother of tho Craft .

The regulations , written and unwritten , which Freemasonry prescribes Avith roferonce to applicants for initiation are of exclusion rather than of inclusion . That is to say , all who do not possess certain indispensable

qualifications are for ever excluded . Nob possessing those , ho is not entitled even to the right of petition , and even after ho has petitioned , without tho knowledge of hia deficiency by tho members , the Master of a Lodge , as soon

as ho becomes aware of the disqualifying facts , is justified in declining to act upon his petition . Freemasonry does not strain its regulations or landmarks in favour of any applicant . Ifc stands on so high a level , has such an

established ropnte , has existed so long , that it is above all petty or individual considerations . It lives for itself , and the continued accomplishment of its high mission . Let us seek to obtain a glimpse of what this mission is .

Tho mission of 1 reemasonry , in a word , is to do good unto all men , but especially to those who have been admitted to the fellowship of tho mystery . In the Old

Charges wo find such phraseology as this : an applicant must bo competent to perform " tho Lord ' s work , " and capable in all respects of " serving his Master ' s Lord . "

" The Lord's work " is tho enlightenment of the initiate , his instruction in Masonic symbolism , and thoso noble principles , tho nobility of labour , tho Fathorhood of God and tho brotherhood of man . No one is admitted who

cannot labour . All the officers , seconded by the members , engago in labour at the initiation or advancement of a candidate . When mado a Mason the candidate is a new

creation . He has been born into Masonry ; he has been brought to Masonic Light ; he has learned a now language ; ho has been introduced , into a mystic company , all the

members of which have passed through tho same coremonies and are bound by the same promises as himself . Hence all Freemasons are one—in spirit , in purpose , in pride .

Does some one say , the Craft is weakened when it fails to admit worthy men . Not at all . Wero a thousand worthy men rejected ifc would not suffer . Ifc is not tho exclusion of the worthy , but the inclusion of the unworthy that is the peril of the Craft . Tho scrutiny

cannot bo too severe . Wo cannot be too exact in living up to all the Landmarks . Let tho applicant always be a " perfect youth , " so that he may be in

himself a physical symbol of that intellectual and moral perfection which is expected of all applicants . Let him be in all respects fitted to " serve his Master ' s Lord , " and perform "the Lord ' s work . " Let him be qualified for entry into the brotherhood by being dominated by the

spirit of brotherly love . Let him be a lover of science and art , of liberty and good government . Let him be a lover of wisdom , a discerner of secrets , and ambitious to learn all he can concerning the origin , history and purpose of the Craft . Being such a man , he is in the highest sense qualified for Freemasonry . But even he possesses

no right to be initiated . The Masonic Brethren must select him from the profane , rather than he them . Ho

first seeks them , but they alone accept him . Weighty responsibility is that which rests upon every Brother when he passes upon the merit or demerit of a candidate for initiation . It is his duty to see that the Mosaic pavement

of the Lodge Room be not trodden by hasty feet , or the portals of the Lodge entered by one who is not the possessor of clean hands and a pure heart—Keystone .

The meetings of the St . Ambrose Lodge of Instruction , No . 1891 , will bo resumed on Monday , the 2 nd proximo , at the Baron ' s Court Hotel , West Kensington , at 8 p . m . Bro . James Sims is the W . M . elect for that evening , with Bro . Jesse Collings as Preceptor . Monday , the 22 nd

proximo , is the date mentioned for the working of tho Fifteen Sections , and the Secretary -will be pleased if any brother desiring to assist will forward his

name and the section he would hko to work , to mm , as soon as possible . ' Bro . F . Craggs , 4 Shaftesbury Road , Hammersmith , W ., is the Secretary .