A Bad Practice.

A BAD PRACTICE .

I AST week we printed an extract from one of our •¦— ' American contemporaries under the above heading , wherein a well deserved complaint was laid against those members of the Craft who , fully acquainted with

the ceremonies themselves , seem to begrudge their fellows receiving them with all the solemnity and decorum they deserve—in other words those Brethren who give way to levity and other signs of disrespect

when the degrees are being conferred upon candidates . Such behaviour is bad enough , it is true , but the candidates are not the only ones who suffer from these displays of bad manners ; for the majority of the

members of the Order are really interested in its work , and can find no pleasure in frivolities during the recital of its principal parts ; still we think our American contemporary by no means went far enough in its

condemnation , or perhaps it may be that one of the very worst practices of English Freemasonry is unknown across the Atlantic , and we sincerely hope such , is the

case . We allude to the practice , almost universal in our Lodges , of toasting the initiate of the day at the festive board—not wisely , but too well .

We could never understand any assemblage of respectable gentlemen , members of our Order , seeing anything amusing in a deliberate attempt to make one of their number intoxicated , neither can we

understand the Worshipful Master of a Lodge calmly sitting by and allowing the attempt to be carried to a successful issue . But we suppose there is " custom " to warrant it , as surely no individual in his calmer moments would desire to defend a

practice that is so mean , contemptible and , we may almost say , dishonourable—in reality a blot on the fair name of English Freemasonry . That the initiates of a Lodge should receive the heartiest of welcomes when refreshment follows labour

is but fair and most desirable , but when that welcome takes the form of an individual challenge all round the board , and often -a second and third one from some of the less considerate members of the company , the

very " heartiness " of the welcome kills itself , and what should have been looked back upon as a most pleasurable experience , can only be remembered with disgust and degradation .

We were represented at a meeting a few weeks back where one of the initiates , on rising to respond to the toast of the newly admitted members , said he thanked the Worshipful Master and Brethren for

having initiated him into Freemasonry—not only had they initiated him , however , but they had inebriated him , and he feared he would have more to remember that meeting by than was intended . We wonder how

the Brethren felt who had deliberately set themselves the task of bringing about this result , and we wonder how they would have felt next morning had they heard that misfortune had overtaken their initiate of the

A Bad Practice.

previous evening . For obvious reasons we did not report the initiate's remarks at the time , but we kept the note by us , feeling that it might be of service some day , as we hope it has on this occasion .

We are not usually given to preaching in this direction , but we are convinced the time has come when . some effort should be made by a few of our better members to put down this very bad practice . That it

exists in our midst to a very alarming extent is obvious to anyone who frequently attends Lodge meetings ; that it is a most undesirable proceeding we think must be admitted ; and that it is capable of easy remedy is

very certain . . All that is needed is for a few of our Masters to set the example , by checking the excess of hospitality on the part of the older members , and the

plea of " custom" will speedily disappear , to . the manifest advantage of many who , under existing circumstances , may be compelled to look back on the night of their initiation with very mixed feelings .

Northumberland.

NORTHUMBERLAND .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Masonic Hall , North Shields , on Tuesday , 25 th inst .. under the presidency of the Provincial Grand

Master the Right Hon . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., M . P . There was a large assemblage of Brethren , including Bro . Aid . Richard Henry Holmes , J . P ., P . G .. Deacon of England Deputy Provincial Grand Master .

After the transaction of the ordinary business , three new Lodges were consecrated , the Lodge of Swinburne , No . 2680 ; the Wallsend Lodge , No . ' 2703 ; and the Heaton Lodge , No .

2723 . The Provincial Grand Master next proceeded with the appointment and investiture of Provincial Grand Lodge Officers for the ensuing year . The Provincial Grand Master , in the course of a brief

address , expressed his pleasure on finding the position of the Lodges to be satisfactory , and the Province in a prosperous condidion . He also expressed his warmest thanks for the gracious response the Freemasons had made to his request , by the splendid contributions they had given to the fund of the Masonic Schools .

On the motion of Bro . Richard Henry Holmes D . P . G . M . a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Worshipful Master , Officers , and Brethren of St . George ' s Lodge , No , 431 , for the excellent arrangements made for the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge that day .

It was announced by the Provincial Grand Master that the next Provincial Grand Lodge would be held under the banner of the Priory Lodge , No . 186 3 , Tynemouth . , In the evening the Brethren dined together in the Bath Hotel , Tynemouth , the Provincial Grand Master presiding .

We are sure our readers will be glad to learn that Bro . John L . Toole is making satisfactory progress after the recent operation for cataract , and hopes in a few days to be up and about again .

We regret to hear that Bro . Sir Henry Irving is still confined to his bed . but the fever has now subsided , though it has left him in a very weak state .