An Objection To Freemasonry.

AN OBJECTION TO FREEMASONRY .

Answered by the late Grand Master Bro . Joseph R . Chandler . i i -rj ? there is any merit in the Fraternity of Freemasonry , it is the duty _ L of the members of the Fraternity , as true philanthropists , to open the door of the Lodge to everyone , that all may share in its benefits . " This ad captandum argument is often wielded with considerable effect ; not to disturb the faith of a Freemason in the excellence of the institution ,

but by the difficulty which he feels in presenting all of the true answer . To one initiated , he would smile away the difficulty . Nothing , to you , could be more plain than the necessity of secrecy ; nothing could be made more evident by argument or by illustration , than that the benefits proposed and the benefits imparted depend on that secrecy which is condemned .

But the remarks which I make to you , at least those which I commit to paper , may be for the eye of the uninitiated as well as for the ear of the Mason ; and therefore I shall not respond in the language which one Mason would use to another . I shall not , as we might do , proceed in a direct line through the truth to the truth , and thus present every argument , so that one position could sustain the other ; but I must limit myself to the reply which you can present to the world , and which you will find will be

satisfactory to every reasonable man . Masonry , it is said , and I have asserted it this evening in replying to a previous objection , is an attempt to form a universal , a catholic confederacy . Not that it is to include all ; but it is so formed that it may include all , and was likely to include some of all countries , kindreds , climes , and creeds , to whom it should impart its power of conferring , or its right of claiming benefits . The power is conferred by means peculiar to ourselves—and the right is

purchased by every Brother . You will perceive , then , that it is a perfect right ; one that may be urged and must be responded to . Now , I have said that the Mason purchases his rights to the benefits of the Fraternity ; he purchases by various means , and he retains it by continued means . But how is he to enforce these rights ? How is he to say to the Brethren in China and Japan , and Russia , in the isles of the ocean , in the wilds of our own forest—among the tawny warriors—how is he to say to those

merr , " I have need of help , moral or physical , and I have a claim upon you ? " Will a certificate of membership , think you , be accepted by the savage ? Will the Malay , as he draws his ' ¦' creas , " pause upon the stamped , waxed , and the attested parchment ? Will he give you a pen to try whether the " non variatur" of your signature is observed ? I believe he , Or the Indian of our forests , would have little regard for such

evidences of claims ; and yet these claims , under all these circumstances , have been allowed ; and all the advantages which could result therefrom , under such circumstances , have been derived from the claim . Does the world understand this peculiar certificate of membership ? It does not ; and yet it has been available wherever the sense of sight , or hearing , or feeling , has been appealed to .

But why not let this , among other secrets , be made known ? The answer is , in the first place , that the secret is neither yours nor mine to reveal . We hold it in common with the thousands of our Brethren scattered over the earth ; and have no more right ( to say nothing of our love of truth ) to part with it without the equivalent , than has a partner in a mercantile firm to bestow the merchandise of the co-partnership upon some unworthy favourite of idle hours .

But , we retort the question upon our interrogators : What right have they to come and ask a free use of that for which we pay a stipulated price at first , and to which we contribute during our lives ? Let it not be forgotten that , with all our high claims to diffusive good , we associate only for the benefit of those of our Craft ; those who conform to its usages , obey its laws , and sustain its landmarks . We never pretend to any more than that , at least anything more than that directly , excepting that in the prescribed

beneficiaries are the immediate female relatives and the children of a Brother ; besides this the benefits of our institution are incidental . We have given money to sufferers out of our Fraternity : we have , by establishing and maintaining schools , diffused education ; and by recalling the weak and the wandering , and by the exercise of charity and general kindness , we have produced great moral good . But the object of our association was to do good to its associates , to devise and perfect means by which the benefits , of which

the institution was susceptible , could be obtained in one part of the world as well as another , and to furnish the necessitous with the ability to apply . Now , to charge upon us , as a serious objection , the fact that we do not admit all to a knowledge , and consequently to the free use of the claim , is as preposterous as it would be to denounce the directors of a saving fund because they would not allow money to be drawn from their vaults by persons who had made no deposits , as much as they do by those provident persons

who had become depositors . The case is the same , excepting that Masonry does not regard the amount which the applicant has deposited , but allows of the draft in proportion to its own means , or the needs of the Brother ; and while it cheerfully responds to the pecuniary claim , it seeks to confer benefits in various other forms , and to multiply the charities of life in every channel . But does Masonry seek to close its doors , and to deprive the world of a

participation in its benefits ? I think not , it has not , within my knowledge . It is true that we carefully avoid using direct influence to fill our Lodges . We persuade no man to be of us ; we urge no one to come and participate in our labours or their benefits . But who has knocked at the door of our Lodge , and it has not been opened to him , who that was worthy the association—worthy to stand with good men , without reproach in the world— thank God , are rare indeed 1

This objection , then , my Brethren , is , you will see , wholly invalid ; and those who use it for a momentary triumph will see , on reflection , that it cannot properly be urged against us . All good men may be of our number that think the benefit of Masonry will compensate them for the cost ; and if they do not think that it will repay them by the power which it affords them to do good to others , or the right which it gives them to claim advantages for themselves , let them , at least , not blame us for retaining tho secret which wc reverence , and which they seem willing to receive , but unwilling to earn . — " Keystone . "

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Bro . JOHN THOIIAS SHAPCOTT , Proprietor of the NEW RED LION , 181 HARROW ROAD , W ., Has excellent accommodation for Lodges of Instruction .

Next Week.

NEXT WEEK .

Further particulars as to place of meeting of the undermentioned Lodges are given in the Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket Book ( published by Grand Lodge , for the benefit of the Charity Fund ) .

Monday . 1632 Stuart , Camberwell 302 Hope , Bradford 307 Prince Frederick , HebdenBrid g * 388 Prudence , Halesworth 491 Boyal Sussex , Jersey

557 Loyal Victoria , Callington 699 Roscawea , Chacewater 827 St . John , Dewsbury 1168 Benevolence , Sherhourne 1177 Tenby , Tenby 1271 F'dship & Unitv , Bradf'd-on-A'vn 1272 Tregenna , St . lves 1325 Stanley , Liverpool 1486 Duncombe , Kingsbridge 1748 Castlemartin , Pembroke

1752 Ogmore , Bridgend 1753 Obedience , Okehampton 1977 Black-water , Maldon i nni A— : —l- "V « v 1991 gricolaYork

„ A , 2068 Portsmouth Temperance , L'dp'f . 2279 Thornham , Thornham 2373 Hardwick , Chesterfield 2547 Llangattock , Cardiff 2553 Bufford , Nottingham 2582 Lewisham , Smethwick

Tuesday . 253 Tyrian , Derby 378 Loyal Welsh , Pembroke Dock 386 Unity , Wareham 448 St . JamesHalifax

, 788 Orescent , Hampton Court 954 St . Aubyn , Devonport 1007 Howe & Charnwood , Loughboro 101 A Tr . ll 7-i « frt . r . T . HiTminnfliawi

— " — ' O > * O 1052 Callander , Manchester 1358 Torbay , Paignton 1390 Whitwell , Millon 1536 United Military , Plumstead

Next Week.

1580 Cranboume , Hatfield 1650 Rose of Raby , Staindrop 1675 Ancient Briton , Liverpool

1779 Ivanhoe , Sheffield 1834 Duke of Connaught , Landport 1942 Minerva , Fenton 2025 St . George , Plymouth

Wednesday . 187 Rl . Sussex Hospitality , Bristol 290 Huddersfield , Huddersfield 304 Philanthropic , Leeds 439 Scientific , Bingley 461 Fortitude , Newton 7 Krt TC-.: n-. j .. l .: n /^ ilnnl . i . nn 4- » M 750 FriendshipCleckheatbn

, 1119 St . Bede , Jarrow 1283 Rybum , Sowerb y Bridge 1529 Duke of Cornwall , St . Columb 1775 Leopold , Church 1989 Stirling , Cleator Moor 2064 Smith Child , Tunstall 2259 St . Nicholas , Thorne Thursday .

General Committee , Girls School , 5 39 St . John Baptist , Exeter 215 Commerce , Haslingden £ 10 . 1 / UUiUUiCIl ^ :, -LXCtBUXAgUOU

324 Moira , Stalybridge 475 Bed . St . John Bap ., Luton 590 La Cesaree , Jersey 625 Devonshire , Glossop 636 De Ogle , Morpeth 772 Pilgrim , Glastonbury 807 Cabbell , Norwich 904 Phoenix , Rotherham

971 Trafailgar , Batley 1032 Townley Parker , Chorley 1151 St . Andrew , Tywardreath 1166 Clarendon , Hyde 1514 ThornhUl , Huddersfield

1578 Merlin , Pontypridd Friday .

Council Boys School , F . M . H ., at 4 810 Craven , Skipton . 1822 St . Quintin , Cowbridge 2415 Tristi-am , Shildon

We shall be pleased to receive particulars of Masonic meetings for insertion in our columns , and where desired will endeavour to send a representative to report Lodge or other proceedings .

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X W . & J . BALLS , X BOOKBINDERS , IN ALL BRANCHES . Metropolitan Bookbinding Works , 362 GRAY'S INN ROAD , KING'S CROSS . B 00 ES BOUND TO AIT PATTERN . v J \ Old Bindings & Libraries Repaired & Decorated . yy

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PHOTOGRAPHY. HOCKETT & WHITE , Photographic Printers , POTTERS ROAD , NEW BARNET . NEGATIVE S sent to us by Parcels Post , securely packed , receive prompt attention , and Prints in SILVEK , PL & TINOTYPE , P . O . P ., giving best obtainable results , forwarded without delay . We are also pleased to answer inquiries , and give information and advice , for which our large experience fully qualifies us . Price Lists on application .

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Weaver 's Depository . PERSONAL iPSTGioR ^ W EAV ER I FROM 1 / S mm r . ARlTOTERRftCEMM PER HOURSUPERVISION Wffly ~ f' J ^ BEHB 8 Carlton Terrace , Harrow Rd ., W.