-
Articles/Ads
Article MASONIC TOUTING. Page 1 of 2 Article MASONIC TOUTING. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Touting.
MASONIC TOUTING .
TWICE during the last few clays public attention has been drawn to the pernicious system of touting which has grown up in Masonic matters , and as on the first occasion it was the President of the Board of Benevolence who took upon himself to refer to the matter , and as , moreover , the canvassing or
touting of which he complained is a specific Masonic offence , there is every probability that , in the one case at least , the annoyance will be discontinued . But , in the other , the objectors are not so fortunate in having laws already framed on their behalf , and it is questionable if public opinion has yet been so far
aroused as to call for legislation on the point ; but an advance has been made in the right direction , although there are many who will object to the means adopted to bring the matter under special notice , which in this case took the form of a letter , published in the Standard , of Wednesday .
At the last meeting of the Board of Benevolence the President spoke of the active canvass which had recently become the custom on behalf of those whose applications were to be considered by the Board , and the rules of the Craft were quoted * to show the illegality of the system , and the penalties which attach to its practice . The chief of the Board intimated that the penalties laid down in the Constitutions would be enforced if the practice was continued ,
and , therefore , we may expect , as we have just said , some apparent alteration in this particular , at least for some time to come . The other complaint comes from an individual who , signing himself " S ., " asks if " anything can be done to prevent the annoying solicitation of brethren to vote for them at the Board
of General Purposes ? " The writer said he had before him letters from no less than four brethren , asking him to support them as members of the Board , and continues : " The first two base their demand on the fact that they have been already on the Board for four years ; the third sends a postcard , demanding an
answer , to Know it 1 will come purposely to vote for him ; and the fourth actually proposes that I should vote for him and four other brethren , and mentions that I am to attend not later than 6 ' 30 p . m . to record my vote . " All this may be regarded by the
candidates themselves , and by some of their warmest supporters , as a very trivial matter to complain about , and they may even urge that the system should be continued , if not extended . We are of a
Masonic Touting.
very different opinion , and wo are happy to know there are many who fully endorse the views expressed by " S . " in the Standard , and who agree , with us , that all touting or canvassing for Masonic
preferment should be prohibited by rigorous action on the part of the authorities . We havo so often referred to the matter in connection with the annual election of Grand Treasurer that our opinion must
be well known , and we thank " S ., whoever he may be , for the public stand he has made in the direction of securing an unbiassed ballot . He suggests , in order to prevent this recurring annoyance , that it will be " better for every member thus solicited , to independently vote for any other candidates , rather
than those gentlemen who thrust themselves thus prominently forward , " and , of course , that would supply a very efficient check on the practice , but that is very unlikely to be brought into force , and the much more desirable courso remains , that Grand Lodge should prohibit all canvassing or
touting for Offices of distinction in tho Craft , just as it prohibits canvassing or touting on behalf of petitioners to the Board of Benevolence . It is very certain that the practice is opposed to the spirit of the Order , else it would not be specially
referred to in one of the places where it is likely to occur ; and , as it is prohibited in one case , it is but rational to imagine it is illegal in the other . We are aware this opinion is not shared by one of the principal executive Officers of Grand Lodge , who , we believe , expressed his opinion that it was perfectly
legal for the members of a Lodge to combine among themselves to secure the election of a certain Brother as Worshipful Master . The proceeding may be legal , but we doubt its expediency , despite the authority on which it was permitted , and it is just the extension of this principle of combination which has led to public notice being directed to its abuse during the last few davs .
We should like " S . " and those who think as he does to follow up the matter by bringing it officially under the notice of Grand Lodge , and if this was done at an early date it might have the effect of preventing , or at least of lessening the severity of the attack which mav shortly be expected to be made
upon the members of the Grand Lodge on behalf of one or other of the candidates put forward for the office of Grand Treasurer . There are many men who richly deserve the honours of this appointment who will not allow themselves to be put in nomination
because they object to the touting and canvassing which seems necessary in connection with the election , and as this is an evil which grows worse year by year , we think Grand Lodge might well consider the desirability of putting a stop to the system
once and for all . Ii any action is taken on the point the writer of the letter in Wednesday ' s Standard will have the satisfaction of knowing he has done something to win the respect of his fellows , for we believe that many of those who now take the most
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Touting.
MASONIC TOUTING .
TWICE during the last few clays public attention has been drawn to the pernicious system of touting which has grown up in Masonic matters , and as on the first occasion it was the President of the Board of Benevolence who took upon himself to refer to the matter , and as , moreover , the canvassing or
touting of which he complained is a specific Masonic offence , there is every probability that , in the one case at least , the annoyance will be discontinued . But , in the other , the objectors are not so fortunate in having laws already framed on their behalf , and it is questionable if public opinion has yet been so far
aroused as to call for legislation on the point ; but an advance has been made in the right direction , although there are many who will object to the means adopted to bring the matter under special notice , which in this case took the form of a letter , published in the Standard , of Wednesday .
At the last meeting of the Board of Benevolence the President spoke of the active canvass which had recently become the custom on behalf of those whose applications were to be considered by the Board , and the rules of the Craft were quoted * to show the illegality of the system , and the penalties which attach to its practice . The chief of the Board intimated that the penalties laid down in the Constitutions would be enforced if the practice was continued ,
and , therefore , we may expect , as we have just said , some apparent alteration in this particular , at least for some time to come . The other complaint comes from an individual who , signing himself " S ., " asks if " anything can be done to prevent the annoying solicitation of brethren to vote for them at the Board
of General Purposes ? " The writer said he had before him letters from no less than four brethren , asking him to support them as members of the Board , and continues : " The first two base their demand on the fact that they have been already on the Board for four years ; the third sends a postcard , demanding an
answer , to Know it 1 will come purposely to vote for him ; and the fourth actually proposes that I should vote for him and four other brethren , and mentions that I am to attend not later than 6 ' 30 p . m . to record my vote . " All this may be regarded by the
candidates themselves , and by some of their warmest supporters , as a very trivial matter to complain about , and they may even urge that the system should be continued , if not extended . We are of a
Masonic Touting.
very different opinion , and wo are happy to know there are many who fully endorse the views expressed by " S . " in the Standard , and who agree , with us , that all touting or canvassing for Masonic
preferment should be prohibited by rigorous action on the part of the authorities . We havo so often referred to the matter in connection with the annual election of Grand Treasurer that our opinion must
be well known , and we thank " S ., whoever he may be , for the public stand he has made in the direction of securing an unbiassed ballot . He suggests , in order to prevent this recurring annoyance , that it will be " better for every member thus solicited , to independently vote for any other candidates , rather
than those gentlemen who thrust themselves thus prominently forward , " and , of course , that would supply a very efficient check on the practice , but that is very unlikely to be brought into force , and the much more desirable courso remains , that Grand Lodge should prohibit all canvassing or
touting for Offices of distinction in tho Craft , just as it prohibits canvassing or touting on behalf of petitioners to the Board of Benevolence . It is very certain that the practice is opposed to the spirit of the Order , else it would not be specially
referred to in one of the places where it is likely to occur ; and , as it is prohibited in one case , it is but rational to imagine it is illegal in the other . We are aware this opinion is not shared by one of the principal executive Officers of Grand Lodge , who , we believe , expressed his opinion that it was perfectly
legal for the members of a Lodge to combine among themselves to secure the election of a certain Brother as Worshipful Master . The proceeding may be legal , but we doubt its expediency , despite the authority on which it was permitted , and it is just the extension of this principle of combination which has led to public notice being directed to its abuse during the last few davs .
We should like " S . " and those who think as he does to follow up the matter by bringing it officially under the notice of Grand Lodge , and if this was done at an early date it might have the effect of preventing , or at least of lessening the severity of the attack which mav shortly be expected to be made
upon the members of the Grand Lodge on behalf of one or other of the candidates put forward for the office of Grand Treasurer . There are many men who richly deserve the honours of this appointment who will not allow themselves to be put in nomination
because they object to the touting and canvassing which seems necessary in connection with the election , and as this is an evil which grows worse year by year , we think Grand Lodge might well consider the desirability of putting a stop to the system
once and for all . Ii any action is taken on the point the writer of the letter in Wednesday ' s Standard will have the satisfaction of knowing he has done something to win the respect of his fellows , for we believe that many of those who now take the most