An Unwise Departure.

AN UNWISE DEPARTURE

FREEMASONEY is without doubt the oldest established institution in the world . This is generally admitted by the great majority of people of the present day , whether they are Masons or not . Its great age has been attained by a strict adherence to certain so-called landmarks that it was made

unlawful for any man or body of men to remove . These are recognised as having been established in the beginning , and made unchangeable by the founders of the institution . By whom , when or where this was done may not be satisfactorily established ,

nor can it be an institution that existed in a pre-historic age , and has only traditions for its earliest history . So far as written history of Masonry avails , this theory is well supported , and for many generations past it has been generally accepted and adhered to as being finally settled .

The Masons of the present day suppose themselves to be following in the footsteps of their forefathers for many generations . The great mass of them have been taught and believe this to be their imperative duty , and have no disposition to do otherwise . It is true all have not been taught exactly alike , and

hence there is not absolute uniformity in all things pertaining to the government and ritualistic work of Masonry * Experience has shown that this is not essential to the growth and prosperity of the institution . There is a wide difference in this regard , in

many respects , in Masonry as practised in Pennsylvania and Indiana , and yet in both of these great States there is prosperity , growth , and happiness within the domain of Masonry . In each the Craft are working in harmony according to the light that has been given them .

We now come to the speciai point in this article . One of the cardinal principles of Masonry has always been thab its esoteric ritual should not be committed to writing . The neophyte is impressively taught this lesson in his very first step in Masonry . There is in the whole system of Masonry , and the great

multiplicity of degrees following this first one , no more binding obligation than the candidate takes upon the checkered pavement , and there is no power that can absolve him from ifc . Ifc is this that has been the safeguard of Masonry as it has come down through past ages . Men claiming to be Masons have at different

periods in the past published what they claimed to be correct expositions of the esoteric ritual of Masonry , but they never had any evidence to establish its correctness , save their own individual , unsupported word . This counted for little with the most of

people outside of the Masonic Order . If these exposers had ever been Masons , the fact of their revealing secrets , in violation of their obligations to keep them , branded them in the eyes of the world as perjurers , whom honest men would not believe , hence their pretended expositions did no harm to Masonry .

There are , however , some Masons of the present day who seem fco have grown wiser in their own conceit , afc least , than their forefathers , or even the founders of this time-honoured Institution . Strange as it may appear to the Brother who holds in conscientious regard the obligations taken upon the altar of

Masonry , it has come to the point at last where a great Grand Lodge , like that of Ohio , Massachusetts , or Michigan , can wilfully violate this most solemn obligation , and order a written copy of the esoteric work made , to be preserved in the archives of the Grand Lodge , from which cypher copies are to be made for the

use of Lodges . We are not so very much surprised that this has been done in Ohio , where some other no less absurd departures from ancient usages of the Craft have been perpetrated in the last few years , but in old staid Massachusetts we did not deem such a thing possible . And it is not surprising to us that the Grand

Lodge of the old Bay State should be the first made to feel the effect of this unwise departure from the old method of transmitting the esoteric work from mouth to ear . Much as we dislike to give this matter the publicity of appearing in a Masonic journal that many read who are not Masons , we have already seen it in

several of our exchanges , and knowing ones may wonder why the "Advocate " has nothing to say about it . It has developed that in a few months after the written copy was made by order of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , it appeared for sale in print , and two prominent Masons were expelled by the Grand Lodge for

publishing it . They claimed that there was no greater offence in issuing one thousand copies than in making a single written copy . One thing is very sure , if the written copy had not been made there would have been no printed ones . The first offence was by the Grand Lodge , and the offence of these two Brothers was but a natural sequence to it .

Grand Lodges that have been led into this unwise departure cannot too soon rescind their action , and cause all written or printed copies of esoteric work to be cremated . — " Masonic Advocate . "

We will admit that there are " cranks " in Masonry as well as in the Church , but we deny that such " cranks " have a right to make the whole body cranky , and if they do not succeed to

An Unwise Departure.

get together and growl and pout and slander their superiors , especially when they are in a hopeless minority . Better by far that these Brethren had never seen the light of a Masonic Lodge , or been taught the lessons of the " middle chamber . " That such

men have existed from time immemorial , and do still exist at the present day , is but to admit that we are human . And yefc Masonry is calculated to correct these irregularities and make us purer , holier and better men , if we will only be governed by its teachings . —Bun F . Price Tennessee .

Half Day Trip To Shakespeare's Country.

HALF DAY TRIP TO SHAKESPEARE'S COUNTRY .

THE London and North Western Eailway Company announce a cheap trip for Thursday afternoon next that should attract a large number of passengers , a half day excursion fco Stratford-on-Avon being arranged , at the very popular fare of 3 s 6 d for the double journey . The train will leave Euston at 12 * 30 noon , and will connect with others from Chalk Farm 12 * 9 , Kilburn 12 * 15 , Kensington ( Addison Eoad ) 12 * 12 , and Willesden Junction 12 * 40 p . m .,

returning from Stratford-on-Avon at 7 * 40 p . m . tho same day . This arrangement will afford ample time for a visit to many of the points of interest in the district , and is doubtless intended as an experiment to discover whether such excursions suit the public taste . It seems to us there can bo but one verdict , and we shall expect to see such trips become increasingly popular .

The same Company also announces a ten days' cheap excursion to the Isle of Man , leaving London on Saturday next , further particulars in regard to which may be had at the Stations , and other offices of the Company .

Vaudeville . —Mr . Frederick Kerr , who enters upon the management of this theatre , has produced a most amusing farce specially adapted for the summer season . Under the title of" The strange adventures of Miss Brown , " Messrs . Eobert Buchanan and Charles Marlowe have written a play largely reminiscent of old favourites , but merry withal , and inparts highly dramatic , and being splendidly acted may safely be termed successful . Miss Brown

turns out to be a young Officer of the Lancers , in search of his wife , with whom he has eloped from boarding school , and who gains admittance to the seminary under the name and dress of Miss Brown . The funny complications that ensue may easily bo imagined , but of course everything comes right in the third act . Mr . Kerr , thoroughly restored after his late indisposition , was excellent in representing this somewhat risky character , his acting leaving nothing to he desired . Miss May Palfrey , as Angela the bride , played and

looked the part to perfection , while the genial humour of Mr . Lionel Brough , the severe Duenna of Miss M . A . "Victor , and the efforts of Mr . John Beauchamp , Mr . Gilbert Farquhar , Miss Gladys Homfrey and last , but by no means the least , Miss Esme Beringer , secured a happy result both for the actor-manager and the authors . The farce was proceeded by a pretty little piece " Between the Posts , " in which Mr . Tom Buckstone and Miss Adela Measor make their re-appearance in London after a lengthened stay in the United States .

Ad00503

GAIETY RESTAURANT , ST ZlmA . l < llD . LUNCHEONS ( HOT and COLD)—At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and EESTAUEANT ( on 1 st floor ) . Also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in fche GEILL EOOM . AFTERNOON TEAConsisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib , at 1 / - per head ; served from 4 till 6 in EESTAUEANT ( 1 st floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANTFrom 5 * 30 till 9 at Fixed Prices ( 3 / 6 and 5 / - ) and a la Carte . In this room the VIENNESE BAND performs from 6 till 8 . Smoking after 7 * 45 . AMERICAN BAR . THE GRILL ROOM is open till Midnight . PRIVATE DIKING EOOMS POK LAKGE AMD SMALL PASTIES .