The Overproduction Of Masons.

THE OVERPRODUCTION OF MASONS .

WE do not assume to be skilled political economists , nor to have the power to untangle knotty questions of national finance ; but we know something about Masonry , and there are analogies between certain plain

aspects of political economy and Freemasonry which are eminently suggestive . A certain famous French economist , Jean Baptiste Say , maintained that there could not be a " universal glut ; " that " we cannot have too much of

everything , ' and that " supply is demand . " We are not prepared to admit this in political economy , but we are prepared to deny it in Masonic economy . Masonry deals only in Masons , and Masons may be produced so rapidly as to cause a " universal glut " in Masons .

Let it be understood that Masons are made not for the profane world , but exclusively for Masonry . We have , or should have , an eye single in this matter . The world is Masonically nothing to us , and Masonry everything . When we appear before the world , it is of necessity , not

choice . When we bury our dead , we must go to the house of mourning , and thence to tho resting-place of the departed . When we lay a corner-stone , we must go to the site o ? the building to be erected , and exercise the ancient

prerogative of our Craft in the presence of whoever is in the vicinity . If we are celebrating some notable Masonic event , such as the centennial of a Masonic Body , and require a place of meeting which will accommodate

thousands of brethren instead of hundreds , we must have a procession of the Craft from our Masonic Temple to the public hall which has been selected as the place where the Craft universal shall congregate , and the public may see us

as we proceed from Temple to hall . But unless we , unwisely , and in violation of the manifest teachings of Freemasonry , invito the public to come and join us in a distinctly Craft ceremonial in the Lodge-room , we are

guilty of no indiscretion in appearing before the public in the manners above mentioned . We do not make Masons , therefore , for the world , nor do we ever appear in public " to bo seen of men , " nor can the profane world charge us

with the overproduction of Masons , simply because they have nothing to do with it , and no right either to approve or condemn . But Freemasonry itself has a right to complain of the overproduction of Masons , and it does often complain , in the language of its wisest thinkers and writers .

Which are the periods when the Fraternity is most in clanger from this peril ? From experience we should say , first , in time of war . We recently quoted an extract from the announcement of a Scotch recruiting officer , that

enlistment carried with it the " freedom of Masonry . " This has never , to our knowledge , been the case in oar country , and should not have been the case anywhere ; but all who recall the circumstances of our late civil war will

remember the " rush " into the Craft that occurred then . Men put on Masonry as they would a helmet , to protect them from peril . The demand for the degrees of Masonry

was prodigious , and the supply was equal to the demand . Even Military Lodges were warranted , and Masons were hastil y made to order ou the field of battle . That was a

period of overproduction . Many rough ashlars were received then , which to this day are rough enough . Not a few of the personal stains on the escutcheon of Masonry

have been owing to a period of war , the perils of a field of bloody conflict , and the consequent overproduction of Masons .

Another period of overproduction is when a country is et ninentl y prosperous , money plenty , and candidates everywhere ready to pay handsomely for the right to share in 4 » e secrets of the Craft . Shoddy rich men usually make | iocld

s y Masons . Gilding , under these circumstances , has O j ten been mistaken for refined gold . An applicant for Masonry should be refined , for if he be not so upon entering , he will likely never be so thereafter .

Freemasonry is not a hospital for the cure of moral ills , but an ' ogregation of sound men , physically , mentally arid ° i'alij . ] 3 ufc aji raen are no jj S 0 Iln ( i j a ai { these partipnlars— -very far from it . The scrutiny of a committee of

"qwiry , aud the test of the ballot , are intended to ascertain le qualifications of a candidate , and ordinarily do ascer-J ' MI- ^ ^ '' !! k a ^ J - Masonry does not claim to be _ '" lible , and it is sometimes imposed upon , but its ' " Pose is always to detect the unworthy , before initiation , possible , and afterwards , if such unworthiness manifest

The Overproduction Of Masons.

itself afresh . But ifc is difficult to be guarded against them when times are "flush , " candidates plenty , and great financial prosperity knocking at the doors of all our Lodges , demanding admission . Still another period of overproduction is , singularly

enough , during "hard times , " when money is scarce , the Lodges poor , aud candidates comparatively infrequently offering themselves . Then ifc is , also , that poor material is built into our moral edifice . Then ifc is that there is an

overproduction of Masons , even when but few in the aggregate are being added to the Craft . Lodge 3 are too anxious for members . Brethren drum up recruits . The money of a candidate is looked at more closely than himself .

It will thus be seen that Freemasonry is always in danger of a glut of Masons—in time of war and in time of peace , in time of commercial prosperity and in time of financial distress . We cannot , therefore , be too careful in

scrutinizing the qualifications of every applicant for Masonry . As the Kansas Light says , " There is not one man in five that is of the right material to be made a Mason , " so that if we take the whole five , where are we ? Covered

in with rubbish . Let it not be . Let the Masonic crop be not large , but good . Let us have Masons who are true to their obligations , active and earnest in sharing in the work of the Craft , and life-long lovers of the Fraternity , through

sunshine and storm . Let us restrict our production of Masons , carefully select our material , and the result will be that the high character of Freemasonry will be fully maintained , and its repute so spotless than even no one in the profane world will dare to cast a stone at us . —Keystone .

Lodge 01 Joppa , 188 . —An emergency meeting was held at the Freemasons' Tuvern , on the 25 th inst ., for tha purpose of initiating Messrs . Henry Harwood , Jas . Harwood , and Henry Green . Bro . J . W . Dowsnap W . M ., L . Wall S . W ., George M . Lion J . W ., James Lyon Treasurer , L . Lazarus P . M . Secretary , I . Botibol S . D ., Gardner

J . D ., M . Lonzberg T . G ., Martin I . P . M ., P . M . ' s A . Dodson , M . Spiegel , M . Alexander , L . Alexander , L . Myers , 0 . Roberts , and a numerous attendance . Visitors—P . Parcloe ' P . M . 1585 , A . Benabo 212 , D . C .

Berg 1613 , and Louis Joseph 975 . Aftor the business , the brethren adjourned to refreshment , the loyal toast beiug proposed , and the initiates , who each subscribed £ 1 Is to the Joppa Benevolent Fand . The brethren spent an enjoyable evening .

Royal Military Lodge of Instruction , No . 1449 . —On Monday , 17 th inst ., at 7 . 30 p . m ., at the Masonic Temple , 38 St . Teter's-street , Canterbury . Prcseut—Bros . Abbs as W . M ., R . D . Simms ( Secretary ) S . W ., Beckett J . W ., Blamiers W . M . Preceptor , Pa 3 smore S . D ., Cockersell J . D ., Tomblings I . G ., Blake Tyler ; P . M . Brogar 730 . After preliminaries , the working tools of the 1 st

degree were explained by Bros . Simms , Tomblings , Passmore , Abbs , Beckett , McClintock , Cockersell , Simms , Tomblings and Passmore The questions loading to the third were put by tho W . M ., and correctly answered . The Lodgo was lowered to the first degree . Hearty good wishes from No . 730 ( I . C . ) . Nothing further having been ofhVed Lodge was closed in due form .

Creaton Lodgo of Instruction , No . 1791 . —At the Wheatsheaf Hotel , Gol 'hawk-road , on Thursday , the 20 th instant . Bros . W . W . Williams W . M ., Austin S . W ., Child J . W ., Altman S . D ., Rogers J . D ., Wittle I . G ., John Davies Preceptor , Chalfont P . M . Secretar-y , Spiegel P . M ., and Cavei-s . Lodge was opened ; Bro .

Chalfont offered himself as a candidate for raising , and having answered tho usual questions , was entrusted j the Lodgo was opened in tho third , and the ceremony rehearsed . The second section of the first lecture was worked by Bro . Davies , assisted by the brethren . Bro . Austin S . W . was elected W . M . for next meeting .

Grand Masonic Ball.

GRAND MASONIC BALL .

A GRAND Masonic Ball took place at the Assembly Rooms , Yentnor , cm Thursday" , fith inst ., under the auspices of tho Yin-borough Lod _; e , No . 551 , in aid of the Charities . There was a large and fashionable attendance , 133 in number , the dresses of tho ladies being particularly attractive , and blending well with tho gay

decorations of the room . Amongst those present were Bros . Edgar Goble P . G . S . I . G ., S . dghill , M . D ., G . A . Alnrsell P . G . S . D ., Samuel Wheeler P . G . J . D ., F . Topham Jones W . M ., Mirk Li-ufield P . M ., A . Houston P . M ., & c , Alfred Scott P . M ., & c , T . H . J . Petherick P . M .,

Then . R . Saunders P . M ., W . T . Way Buckell P . M ., T . H . Clough J . W ., and T . P . Ansle , R . A ., who acted as Secretary of the B ; ill Committee . Bro . Jones opened the ball , and dancing was kept up with ; - -p ' rifc till four o ' clock . Bro . Tolman catered for supper , which was served up in elegant style .

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MASOKIC LECTURE . KNOBS AID EXCESSCSNCES . ~ ORO . JAMES STEVENS P . M . P . Z . is open to accept invitations 13 : ' » r the delivery <; f his LECTURE in JIBIROPOI . IT . VN OI-PROVINCIAL LODGES , or r . oDfirs op INSIKUCTIUJ . Iso I . cclut-o fee ; travelling expenses only accented . Address—Clapham S . W