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Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
PARTY SPIRIT IN MASONRY .
To the Editor of the FKEEMASON ' S CnitoxiCLE . DE . VK SIR AND BROTHER , —I havo boon somewhat amused of late at tho self-laudatory tone adopted by your Masonic contemporary . I do not object to a display of honest pride . On the contrary I hold , in common with a good many other people , that it is both reasonable and justifiable , provided always it is not repeated too often , and is
consistent with the circumstances of tho moment as well as with the general tenour of ono's conduct . The proposition that the Press as an institution is not as highly appreciated by Freemasons as it should be is not an unlikely one . Not a few worthy brethren havo a dread of their meetings being too fully reported , or , in short , that a proper amount of discretion will not ahvavs be exorcised by the editors and
their staff of coadjutors . Though I do not hold this opinion myself , I oan understand the feeling which prompts it , but I know of no justification whatever for tho statement that " if tho Press is subservient to a party and tho echo of a clique , all is well ; but if it desires to seek to he honest , impartial , and independent , what ' ohange comes o ' er the spirit of our dream' immediately . " It seems
to me this is a most wanton attack on the members of our Craft . I do not think Masons in their conduct and appreciation of ordinary matters are very different from other folk , and I am very certain the rule , as between subserviency and independence in the Press , is—as among individuals—that while people use the former when it suits them , thoy always respect tho latter . A partisan journal or one
which knows and recognises no other opinions than those dictated to it by a clique has , undoubtedly , its uses ; but no one ever thinks of accepting unreservedly its praise or dispraise , and if Freemasons are not , more , they assuredly are not less , liberal than the world generally . And as though the editor were conscious of the absurdity of this
statement , he is at the pains of contradicting himself in the very next paragraph . " The Freemason , " he goes on to say , " has outlived opposition , has laughed down childish criticism , and intends to pursne the ' even tenour of its way , ' in its straig htforward and manly career , neither impeded by hostility , annoyed by sarcasm , or intimidated by antagonism . It appeals simply on its own merits to
a cosmopolitan Craft , and it believes that the zealous endeavour of its proprietor to establish and keep np a thoroughly readable , rational , and Masonic paper is alike appreciated at home and abroad . " Now this , stripped of its verbiage , means , if I understand anything of English , that the Freemason has flourished more rather than less since its first appearance , and that in spite of the hostility which
newspapers so commonly experience ; because throughout its whole career ifc has been manly and straightforward in its conduct . Now , I see little or no difference of meaning between being " manly and straightforward , " and being "honest , impartial , and independent , " and all the difference in the world between either of these and partisanship and subserviency to a clique . It follows then that if on the
one hand Masonic papers which are partisan prosper , and those which are independent become disliked , while on the other , the Freemason has outlived criticism by reason of its manly and straightforward conduct , either the journal in qnestion is not as prosperous as we are asked to believe ifc is , or ifc has achieved its popularity at the expense of its independence . However , I must not pursue this matter ¦ if the
editor of your contemporary has got himself on the horns of a dilemma , it ia his own fault . Moreover , I have no intention of gainsaying the proposition that the proprietor , with whose name wo are all acquainted , has done his best to establish and keep up a readable Masonic journal . He deserves the greatest credit for all he has done
not only in connection with Masonic journalism , but likewise on behalf of Masonic literature , and it is greatly to be regretted that the brother , to whom is entrusted the editorial conduct of tho Freemason , cannot see his way to write without indulging in objectionable personalities , and attributing motives to others who have the misfortune to differ with him .
When I find a man takes every opportunity of telling the world how very good he is , and how unlike those who hold other opinions , I very naturally test his statements practically . I find , for instance , in the number from which I have already quoted , it is editorially laid down that in opposing the re-election of tho present House Committee of the Girls' School , " it is very wrong to give the Life Governors so
much trouble and annoyance to gratify personal pique , and thus to enforce the attendance , much to their inconvenience , of so many brethren . " Now , I ask , what right has the editor of your contemporary to attribute the threatened opposition to the brethren seeking re-election on the House Committee to a desire " to gratify personal pique ; " and in the next place , whether , supposing him to have such
right , he is Masonically justified in publicly attributing tho acts of any of his brother Masons to an unworthy motive ? I tnrn to tho circular he alludes to as being " a modest and manly circular , " and thero I find it stated in plain , but inoffensive language , that understanding the re-election of the old House Committee is going to be opposed , " for some reason not apparent , " and having full confidence in the brethren
thus seeking re-election , those whoso signatures aro appended to it , invite their brother Governors to voto for the old Committee . They wisely and necessarily abstain from saying anything about the motives of those who mean to voto for tho new nominees . They do not charge them with being anxious " to gratify personal pique , " or as being "influenced by a desire for a petty revenge for a previous defeat . " They do not say their opposition is " a very Jesuitical pro-
Correspondence.
ceeding in itself , " and they have tho good sense and good taste to refrain from telling their opponents they " had much better remain in their own proper insignificance . " I should think that Bro . Case ' s nominees and tho signatories to this straightforward circular must bo ashamed at finding their causo advocated in this iiumasonio fashion .
Passing over tho appeal to Life Governors to attend on Thursday at Freomasons' Hall and vote , —as a matter of course , though it is not so snggestcd , —for the old Honso Committee ; and tho inuendoes con - tained in tho two following paragraphs , to the effect that , on the ono hand , more than ono of the new nominees is not desirous of boing elected , and on the other , that a brother who is presumed to havo
" other fish to fry , " is taking a " very active part as regards the Girl s ' School election Committee , " I turn to the correspondence columns iu tho samo number , and there I find a letter written by one signing himself " B . F . " But for tho signature , and from the tone and style of the writer ' s remarks , I should have sot this down as expressing tho Editor's personal views , as the paragraphs I have
quoted from express his editorial views . Tho writer speaks of tho " party spirit and porsoual feeling , " so rife amongst us , and " whioh threatens such evils to Freemasonry . " For somo time past there has been " a ' cabal' or ' clique , ' " which if it succeeds in establishing its influence , will bring about all kinds of disastrous results . " Even if this ' clique , ' or ' cabal , ' or ' camarilla , ' or ' caucus , ' call it by what
namo yon will , " wero distinguished " by every public and domestic virtue , " it would still be a nnisance , for Englishmen dislike being " governed by a * coterio' or dictated to by a ' cabal . '" This " clique , " for months past has been exhibiting its wickedness " in resolutions , and counter resolutions , in circulars and mendacious calumnies , and numberless other measures and threats , which are positively a
disgrace to our very Masonic profession . " After more of the same kind of affectionate comments , " B . F . " trusts that "by a determined and united effort we may be induced , Masons of all ranks and ages , to ' put a foot' upon this audacious effort to hand over Masonry in tho metropolis to this ' out-come' of personality and malevolence , the intrigues of a petty clique , or tho arrangements of an audacious
' caucus . '" This letter is inserted with the following note appended : — [ " Wo insert this ' strong meat' for ' babes , ' as we are not insensible to the threatened evils ' B . F . ' speaks of . —ED . " ] I have hardly yet mado up my mind whether the strength of this " meat for babos " lies in its substantives or adjectives . We have firstly , a " cabal" or " cliqno ; " then a " clique " only , bufc with " its
circulars and mendacious calumnies ; " then a " clique , " " cabal , " " camarilla , " " caucus " or " coterio ; " in the next paragraph , a " new party , " and in the last , a cross between a " petty clique" and an " audaoions caucus ; " and all these substantives , be it understood , are arrayed in all the glory of " inverted commas , " with the exception , by the way , of tho " petty clique , " to which , with a duo
regard for the principles of justice , I take the liberty of assigning equal honour . " Disgrace to our profession , " " animosities , " " personality , " " malevolence , " are also among the other choice terms which " B . F . " introduces ; while among his most expressive ad jectivesare " mendacious , " "debasing , " and "audacious . " It strikes me this is an illustration of a " storm in a teapot "—excuse my
inverted commas , bnt example is contagious—which is very creditable to " B . F . 's " ingenuity . Thus , A to M , both inclusive , propose the reelection of tho old Committee , and N to Z , also both iuclusive , propose to elect a new Committee ; but while the former are " anxious to avoid the debasing animosities of party spirit and personality , " the latter are dubbed a clique , cabal , camarilla , caucus , coterie , and new party . I
dare say tho language of Billingsgate , if not very choice , is very entertaining—when spoken in Billingsgate by Billingsgate fishwives ; but I respectfully submit that a letter containing charges of cliquism , mendacious calumny , debasing animosity , and malevolence , ought not to find a place iu any Masonic jonrnal , and least of all with a certificate of editorial approval appended at foot .
Following next in order after this unsavoury letter is one written by Bro . Sonthwood , who very naturally objects to being associated with " cliques" or " petty cabals ; " has no knowledge of " tho malevolent assertions of deliberato slander , " to which allnsion was mado in a former number of the Freemason ; and says he never has occupied the undignified position of a " cat's paw" and never will . The
letter is manly and sensible , and tho Editor has no option but to observe , " our remarks do not of coarse apply to him , " though , before doing so , he suggests that " it is just possible that we of the Freemason may know a little moro of what is going on 'behind the scenes' than he does . " To judge from this one might almost imagine that Freemasonry is a very tcrriblo Society , the members of which
aro always plotting and conntcr-plotting against each other in tho most diabolical spirit—Guy Fawkcs and his associates and the Nihilists being , by comparison , mero baby conspirators . Yet all these desperate brethren who havo been lately indulging in a banquet of " malevolent assertions of deliberate slander " are anxious to do is to elect on the House Committee tbe nominees of their own choico
over those of somebody elso ' s . Here surely is another " storm in a tea pot , " and in inverted commas , too . I am very certain that every member of the House Committee for the year now ending has dono everything in his power to promote the welfare of the Girls' School . But I am by no means willing to admit that they are the only men that can necessarily bo found throughout
the Craft who aro able and willing to serve on tho Committee and do their utmost for the Institution . Your contemporary allows that " ifc is the undoubted privilege of Life Governors to propose new members , " and that it is good " at times to infuse a little new blood into all Committees Masonic or tin-Masonic . " Then , why , in the name of all that i 3 reasonable , abuse people when they exercise an "
undoubted privilege" and charge them with being guilty of " audacious calumnies , " "debasing animosities , " "personality and malevolence , " & c , & c . If—mind I do not assert there are , but only , if—there are those who think tho purchase of Lyncombe Honso was a needless act of extravagance , —ifc is proved to havo been a great irregularity •that a Treasurer should not take
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
PARTY SPIRIT IN MASONRY .
To the Editor of the FKEEMASON ' S CnitoxiCLE . DE . VK SIR AND BROTHER , —I havo boon somewhat amused of late at tho self-laudatory tone adopted by your Masonic contemporary . I do not object to a display of honest pride . On the contrary I hold , in common with a good many other people , that it is both reasonable and justifiable , provided always it is not repeated too often , and is
consistent with the circumstances of tho moment as well as with the general tenour of ono's conduct . The proposition that the Press as an institution is not as highly appreciated by Freemasons as it should be is not an unlikely one . Not a few worthy brethren havo a dread of their meetings being too fully reported , or , in short , that a proper amount of discretion will not ahvavs be exorcised by the editors and
their staff of coadjutors . Though I do not hold this opinion myself , I oan understand the feeling which prompts it , but I know of no justification whatever for tho statement that " if tho Press is subservient to a party and tho echo of a clique , all is well ; but if it desires to seek to he honest , impartial , and independent , what ' ohange comes o ' er the spirit of our dream' immediately . " It seems
to me this is a most wanton attack on the members of our Craft . I do not think Masons in their conduct and appreciation of ordinary matters are very different from other folk , and I am very certain the rule , as between subserviency and independence in the Press , is—as among individuals—that while people use the former when it suits them , thoy always respect tho latter . A partisan journal or one
which knows and recognises no other opinions than those dictated to it by a clique has , undoubtedly , its uses ; but no one ever thinks of accepting unreservedly its praise or dispraise , and if Freemasons are not , more , they assuredly are not less , liberal than the world generally . And as though the editor were conscious of the absurdity of this
statement , he is at the pains of contradicting himself in the very next paragraph . " The Freemason , " he goes on to say , " has outlived opposition , has laughed down childish criticism , and intends to pursne the ' even tenour of its way , ' in its straig htforward and manly career , neither impeded by hostility , annoyed by sarcasm , or intimidated by antagonism . It appeals simply on its own merits to
a cosmopolitan Craft , and it believes that the zealous endeavour of its proprietor to establish and keep np a thoroughly readable , rational , and Masonic paper is alike appreciated at home and abroad . " Now this , stripped of its verbiage , means , if I understand anything of English , that the Freemason has flourished more rather than less since its first appearance , and that in spite of the hostility which
newspapers so commonly experience ; because throughout its whole career ifc has been manly and straightforward in its conduct . Now , I see little or no difference of meaning between being " manly and straightforward , " and being "honest , impartial , and independent , " and all the difference in the world between either of these and partisanship and subserviency to a clique . It follows then that if on the
one hand Masonic papers which are partisan prosper , and those which are independent become disliked , while on the other , the Freemason has outlived criticism by reason of its manly and straightforward conduct , either the journal in qnestion is not as prosperous as we are asked to believe ifc is , or ifc has achieved its popularity at the expense of its independence . However , I must not pursue this matter ¦ if the
editor of your contemporary has got himself on the horns of a dilemma , it ia his own fault . Moreover , I have no intention of gainsaying the proposition that the proprietor , with whose name wo are all acquainted , has done his best to establish and keep up a readable Masonic journal . He deserves the greatest credit for all he has done
not only in connection with Masonic journalism , but likewise on behalf of Masonic literature , and it is greatly to be regretted that the brother , to whom is entrusted the editorial conduct of tho Freemason , cannot see his way to write without indulging in objectionable personalities , and attributing motives to others who have the misfortune to differ with him .
When I find a man takes every opportunity of telling the world how very good he is , and how unlike those who hold other opinions , I very naturally test his statements practically . I find , for instance , in the number from which I have already quoted , it is editorially laid down that in opposing the re-election of tho present House Committee of the Girls' School , " it is very wrong to give the Life Governors so
much trouble and annoyance to gratify personal pique , and thus to enforce the attendance , much to their inconvenience , of so many brethren . " Now , I ask , what right has the editor of your contemporary to attribute the threatened opposition to the brethren seeking re-election on the House Committee to a desire " to gratify personal pique ; " and in the next place , whether , supposing him to have such
right , he is Masonically justified in publicly attributing tho acts of any of his brother Masons to an unworthy motive ? I tnrn to tho circular he alludes to as being " a modest and manly circular , " and thero I find it stated in plain , but inoffensive language , that understanding the re-election of the old House Committee is going to be opposed , " for some reason not apparent , " and having full confidence in the brethren
thus seeking re-election , those whoso signatures aro appended to it , invite their brother Governors to voto for the old Committee . They wisely and necessarily abstain from saying anything about the motives of those who mean to voto for tho new nominees . They do not charge them with being anxious " to gratify personal pique , " or as being "influenced by a desire for a petty revenge for a previous defeat . " They do not say their opposition is " a very Jesuitical pro-
Correspondence.
ceeding in itself , " and they have tho good sense and good taste to refrain from telling their opponents they " had much better remain in their own proper insignificance . " I should think that Bro . Case ' s nominees and tho signatories to this straightforward circular must bo ashamed at finding their causo advocated in this iiumasonio fashion .
Passing over tho appeal to Life Governors to attend on Thursday at Freomasons' Hall and vote , —as a matter of course , though it is not so snggestcd , —for the old Honso Committee ; and tho inuendoes con - tained in tho two following paragraphs , to the effect that , on the ono hand , more than ono of the new nominees is not desirous of boing elected , and on the other , that a brother who is presumed to havo
" other fish to fry , " is taking a " very active part as regards the Girl s ' School election Committee , " I turn to the correspondence columns iu tho samo number , and there I find a letter written by one signing himself " B . F . " But for tho signature , and from the tone and style of the writer ' s remarks , I should have sot this down as expressing tho Editor's personal views , as the paragraphs I have
quoted from express his editorial views . Tho writer speaks of tho " party spirit and porsoual feeling , " so rife amongst us , and " whioh threatens such evils to Freemasonry . " For somo time past there has been " a ' cabal' or ' clique , ' " which if it succeeds in establishing its influence , will bring about all kinds of disastrous results . " Even if this ' clique , ' or ' cabal , ' or ' camarilla , ' or ' caucus , ' call it by what
namo yon will , " wero distinguished " by every public and domestic virtue , " it would still be a nnisance , for Englishmen dislike being " governed by a * coterio' or dictated to by a ' cabal . '" This " clique , " for months past has been exhibiting its wickedness " in resolutions , and counter resolutions , in circulars and mendacious calumnies , and numberless other measures and threats , which are positively a
disgrace to our very Masonic profession . " After more of the same kind of affectionate comments , " B . F . " trusts that "by a determined and united effort we may be induced , Masons of all ranks and ages , to ' put a foot' upon this audacious effort to hand over Masonry in tho metropolis to this ' out-come' of personality and malevolence , the intrigues of a petty clique , or tho arrangements of an audacious
' caucus . '" This letter is inserted with the following note appended : — [ " Wo insert this ' strong meat' for ' babes , ' as we are not insensible to the threatened evils ' B . F . ' speaks of . —ED . " ] I have hardly yet mado up my mind whether the strength of this " meat for babos " lies in its substantives or adjectives . We have firstly , a " cabal" or " cliqno ; " then a " clique " only , bufc with " its
circulars and mendacious calumnies ; " then a " clique , " " cabal , " " camarilla , " " caucus " or " coterio ; " in the next paragraph , a " new party , " and in the last , a cross between a " petty clique" and an " audaoions caucus ; " and all these substantives , be it understood , are arrayed in all the glory of " inverted commas , " with the exception , by the way , of tho " petty clique , " to which , with a duo
regard for the principles of justice , I take the liberty of assigning equal honour . " Disgrace to our profession , " " animosities , " " personality , " " malevolence , " are also among the other choice terms which " B . F . " introduces ; while among his most expressive ad jectivesare " mendacious , " "debasing , " and "audacious . " It strikes me this is an illustration of a " storm in a teapot "—excuse my
inverted commas , bnt example is contagious—which is very creditable to " B . F . 's " ingenuity . Thus , A to M , both inclusive , propose the reelection of tho old Committee , and N to Z , also both iuclusive , propose to elect a new Committee ; but while the former are " anxious to avoid the debasing animosities of party spirit and personality , " the latter are dubbed a clique , cabal , camarilla , caucus , coterie , and new party . I
dare say tho language of Billingsgate , if not very choice , is very entertaining—when spoken in Billingsgate by Billingsgate fishwives ; but I respectfully submit that a letter containing charges of cliquism , mendacious calumny , debasing animosity , and malevolence , ought not to find a place iu any Masonic jonrnal , and least of all with a certificate of editorial approval appended at foot .
Following next in order after this unsavoury letter is one written by Bro . Sonthwood , who very naturally objects to being associated with " cliques" or " petty cabals ; " has no knowledge of " tho malevolent assertions of deliberato slander , " to which allnsion was mado in a former number of the Freemason ; and says he never has occupied the undignified position of a " cat's paw" and never will . The
letter is manly and sensible , and tho Editor has no option but to observe , " our remarks do not of coarse apply to him , " though , before doing so , he suggests that " it is just possible that we of the Freemason may know a little moro of what is going on 'behind the scenes' than he does . " To judge from this one might almost imagine that Freemasonry is a very tcrriblo Society , the members of which
aro always plotting and conntcr-plotting against each other in tho most diabolical spirit—Guy Fawkcs and his associates and the Nihilists being , by comparison , mero baby conspirators . Yet all these desperate brethren who havo been lately indulging in a banquet of " malevolent assertions of deliberate slander " are anxious to do is to elect on the House Committee tbe nominees of their own choico
over those of somebody elso ' s . Here surely is another " storm in a tea pot , " and in inverted commas , too . I am very certain that every member of the House Committee for the year now ending has dono everything in his power to promote the welfare of the Girls' School . But I am by no means willing to admit that they are the only men that can necessarily bo found throughout
the Craft who aro able and willing to serve on tho Committee and do their utmost for the Institution . Your contemporary allows that " ifc is the undoubted privilege of Life Governors to propose new members , " and that it is good " at times to infuse a little new blood into all Committees Masonic or tin-Masonic . " Then , why , in the name of all that i 3 reasonable , abuse people when they exercise an "
undoubted privilege" and charge them with being guilty of " audacious calumnies , " "debasing animosities , " "personality and malevolence , " & c , & c . If—mind I do not assert there are , but only , if—there are those who think tho purchase of Lyncombe Honso was a needless act of extravagance , —ifc is proved to havo been a great irregularity •that a Treasurer should not take