The Ballot

THE BALLOT

WE are somewhat loath to touch upon a subject which has been dealt with ad nauseam , but it occurs to us—indeed , it is beyond all question—that the majority of those differences which cause so much ill feeling in our Lodges have their origin in the abuse of the ballot-box . The secrecy of the ballot affords an ill-disposed brother a

convenient opportunity for exercising his malice without risk of discovery . He has received , or thinks he has received , some injury from a fellow Craftsman , and forthwith he vents his spite , not on the man who caused him tho annoyance or inflicted the injury , real or imaginary , as

the case may be , but on the unlucky nominee of his opponent , a person of whom he knows no harm , and whom , in the majority of cases , he has never seen or heard of . Hardly a year since , we published in these columns the address of a well-known brother , high in office in one of

our largest provinces . In the course of his remarks , he cited the case of an old Past Master , who deliberately , and with wordy violence , spitefully declared his intention to black ball every candidate , even the Grand Master himself , who might seek admission into the Lodge of which he

was a member , for the sole purpose of annoying the then Master . The case which was recently brought on for trial before Mr . Justice Field , and ordered to stand over by that eminent judge , pending reference to the Grand Master , had its origin , we believe , in a determination on the part of

some members to avenge their defeat at the last election for Master of the Lodge , by black balling all candidates proposed by their successful opponents . Other instances have been brought under our notice , in which the same , or a similar resolution , has been adopted by sundry

discontented brethren , on the same or similar grounds , and we cannot too strongly deprecate so objectionable a mode of procedure . If it is in the order of things that dissensions should occur even in the best regulated Lodges , let these dissensions be conducted in an honest fashion . We do not

care to inquire too narrowly into the motives which actuate brethren , but our readers will agree with us that no one is justified in black balling a candidate , who is known to be a reputable person , and as such admissible into the ranks of Freemasonry , merely because he unfortunately happens

to be the nominee of one who , jnstly or unjustly , has incurred a certain amount of odium . The question which a brother about to vote for , or against , a candidate , is not—Am I , or am I not , on friendly terms with the proposer and seconder of the latter ? but—Is he , or is he not , a fit and

proper person to be enrolled a member of this or any other Lodge of Freemasons ? We clearly see that one candidate may not be acceptable on personal grounds , although his moral character may be in the highest degree commendable . For example , he may be a cantankerous person , and as

such , would certainly not be likel y to promote the harmony of the Lodge . Questions of this kind aro difficult to deal with . They require the most delicate treatment , and all that can be done under the circumstances is to leave them to the discretion and gentlemanly feeling of members . But this is not the kind of case we have in view at this moment . We

are not concerning ourselves about ordinary , but extraordinary , cases . No one would be mad enough to condemn the ballot because certain members , in the fulness of their

judgment , exercised their undoubted right and rejected , on personal or private grounds , this or that candidate . We are contemplating those cases , which occur far too frequently , in which applicants for admission are rejected , not

The Ballot

because they are unworthy , not because they are believed to be somewhat irritable or cantankerous , but maliciously , and because those who have proposed them are personally objectionable to certain members . It is impossible to conceive of a kind of revenge which is more contemptible , we

may say , without fear of contradiction , which is more disgraceful or more dishonourable than this . Members who descend to such odious conduct are unfit to associate with reputable people . The injury they inflict falls , not on him or them they dislike—with or

without reason—bnt on a third person , who is probably unknown to them , who is innocent of all offence towards them and others , and whose chief ambition it is to live in peace and harmony with all his fellows . Wo say the conduct of brethren , who black ball in order to gratify some

private pique , is disgraceful , not only for tho reasons wo have just enumerated , but likewise because those whom they reject necessarily incur a certain amount of personal discomfort—to put it in the mildest form . It very soon becomes known in the circle in which tho rejected

candidate moves that he has been black balled , and his acquaintances jump hastily to the conclusion that he is not so worthy of respect as they have considered him to be . Thus , the malice of an unworthy Mason deprives Freemasonry of a reputable disciple , and tends to lower a good fellow in public estimation .

Of course it is useless to tell brethren who deliberatel y act in the manner wo have described , that this conduct is unmasonic ; they have no respect for the true principles of Freemasonry . It is useless to urge upon them that this kind of behaviour is not honourable ; they are without all

sense of honour . It were trifling with time and words to suggest that people who do as they have done , are not gentlemen ; they are ignorant of what constitutes a gentleman . There is , indeed , no way that occurs to us by which it is possible to prevent an evil-minded brother from

bringing- discredit upon his Lodge , in fact , on Freemasonry . The ballot is the means provided by our laws for the election or rejection of candidates . It is impossible to set aside a negative vote , which is known to have been given maliciously , for the ballot is presumably secret , and it were

ultra vires to question the motives of an adverse voter or voters . All that can be done is , in the first place , to exercise the most extreme caution in admitting new members , and in the next , wherever one of these discreditable cases of black balling becomes known , to stigmatise publicly tho

conduct of the evil-doers . We wish if possible to believe , without fear of contradiction , that all who become Masons are actuated by the feelings of gentlemen , but ; our readers know , as well as we do , that all are not . It is trifling with common sense and universal experience to expect that

people who have no gentlemanly feeling will be forced into behaving properly . Our only alternative is to make it clear to them that discreditable conduct will recoil on themselves . We must shame them into behaving Masoni . cally .

Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts,

GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS ,

THE Quarterly Communication of this Grand Lodge was held at the Masonic Temple , Boston , on the 13 th ult . Bro . P . Lowell Everett , M . W . G . M . presided , and there was present a considerable number of Grand Officers and brethren . A report was read as to the great loss

sustained by the death , at the comparatively early age of 51 ,