" Too Much Familiarity Breeds Contempt."

shonld not be forced to the border of disgust in either mental or physical food . Take the special religious services of a church , and even a limit is at last reached where nature rebels against further demands upon its strength . The piety , zeal , enthusiam , and the desire for

the salvation of souls , reaches a point beyond which it cannot pass , and tbe extraordinary efforts put forth resolves itself back into the ordinary services . Masonry works very much npon the same plan of moral teaching . By sign , symbol , metaphor , and object lessons , it seeks to

cater to the curiosity of the mind , through the medium of the eyes and ear , and thus convey the moral lessons by making a more deep and lasting impression on the future life and conduct . But , if a superabundance of such lessons are sought to be imparted , the result will be that too much

familiarity will breed contempt . This contempt may not be outspoken , but it will show itself unconsciously . Listless indifference will follow the presentation of the same

dish of moral food served up too often . The servators of the mind—the eye and ear—become negligent and calmly refuse to carry the food to the mental digestion , already surfeited with sameness . How is this illustrated ? Take

some of the principal degrees in Masonry , such as the Master Mason , the Royal and Select Masters , the Temple , all are grand punctuations , making Masonic progress , and the conferring of them should be considered a mental festival , in which the mind , at stated intervals , could more

willingly receive the moral impressions sought to be conveyed . But if these " Red letter " occasions are made an every day matter , the result is that too much familiarity breeds contempt . It will be replied that the true , earnest , zealous Mason , will not feel this way . Not so , brethren ,

on the contrary monotony will creep in , where even the most pleasant associations are discernible . If this were not so , in our mentality one song , one story , one drama , one sermon , one anything , would suffice to satisfy by endless repetition . But keep tbe best wine for the last of

the feast . Let a certain amount of conservatism attach to the conferring of the more advanced degrees . Do not shovel one on top of another too fast . Give the mental digestion opportunity to work , before taking in another load . Do not crowd raisings and exaltations too fast , and

thus wear the freshness off the beautiful spectacle . Give the Craft some pleasurable anticipation , in looking forward to the coming event . Do not make Masonry monotonous by too much frequency . It certainly is a good thing to have a large hatching of Masonic chickens at the end of

the year , but still Masonry should not be made a mere machine to manufacture Masons . Its great festivals should have a proper interval between them . When the writer was mado a Mason four lunar months had to elapse from the date of his application to the hour when he could

proudly call himself a Master Mason . He will never forget the intense anxiety embodied in those sixteen weeks of waiting , and it has since served to make him the more highly vulue the privileges of Masonry . So , brethren , do not make these great and important privileges too common or monotonous . —The American Tyler .

Masonry At Wholesale.

MASONRY AT WHOLESALE .

THERE ARE TOO MANT BRETHREN NOW WHO ARE ONLY BENT ON MAKING MORE .

MASONRY is said to be a progressive Institution , but the proper meaning or in what sense - it is progressive , is not clearly understood . The mere making of Masons is not progress . When large numbers are

admitted to our sanctuaries we cannot boast that this is progress , and when onr Masters boast of the many they have added to their list of members it is indeed an open question whether we are progressing .

In times of prosperity such as the present when Masonry is fashionable and popular everywhere , and applicants are constantly knocking at our doors , seeking to be admitted and become acquainted with our mysteries ,

greater care than ever should be exercised , and no improper person should be admitted into the household of the faithful to destroy or even jeopardize the peace , unity

and harmony of our Order , or we shall retograde rather than advance or progress . We have too many Masters now who are bent onl y on

Masonry At Wholesale.

making Masons—forsooth , add to their number—and even on "highways and by \ v ; iys" boast of the large number they have initiated in their respective Lodges , without due regard to their fitness for our mysteries , or whether they are fit and proper for onr temple .

The Grand Lodgo of this State , New York , some years ago put a stop to tho wl olesa ' e manufacturing of Masons then prevailing by permitting only five to come at one time , and by making the candidate wait at least two weeks between each degree ; and now we find our " progressive "

Masters violating the law by working at "specials" and manufacturing Masons nt wholesale rate—ten , fifteen and twenty in one day , and this they call progress . It is

simply and clearly proselyting ; it is repugnant to every good sense and good taste in Masonry ; nay , it is more , it i 8 unmasonic and against tho spirit of the law of the Grand Lodge , enacted some years ago .

It is idle for the supercilious to say that if these candidates suit Blauk Lodge , No . 0 , let them pass , nnd that if the members of Blank Lodge are satisfied with them , nobody has any cause to complain ; it is the business of every Mason to prevent improper material from coming

among us ; it is the duty of every brother to frown down this wholesale manufacturing of Masons that is now so prevalent with our " progressive " Masters , who only tiy to cram members into their Lodges and imagine themselves great Masons and successful Masters .

We desire right hero to chronicle our respect and esteem for the earnest and sincere worker in the quarries , who , being imbued with the good and grandeur of Masonry , endravours by his own example and by bis own conduct ,

to induce others to join us : but we emphatically enter our protest against this indiscriminate making of Masons , against this manufacturing at wholesome . —Hebrew Standard .

A Good Lodge.

A GOOD LODGE .

IT is in the power of tho members of any Masonic Lodge to make a good Lodge , and equally in their power to make it the reverse . To make or mar their Lodge H the prerogative of its constituent members . But what is a goad Lodge ?

It is one which is pleasant to belong to and pleasant to visit ; one whioh is distinguished for its correct aud impressive rendering of the work ; one which is noted for the high character and fraternal good feeling of its

members ; one which scins closely the qualities of every applicant for initiation and membership , and approves or rejects him according as he is morally and materially fit or unfit , and does not

accept him simply because he comes with money in his hands ; one which is at unity with itself , and not a divided household ; one which is noted for its charity wi « elv and liberally dispensed ; and one that combines

refreshment with labour on all convenient occasions . Such a Lodge is a good Lodge , a credit to the Grand Lodge of which it is a constituent , and a beneficent power in the Craft and in the community . Now , how shall such a Lodge be created or fostered ?

This work is not , aud can not be , the work of any one brother , but must be the remit of the harmonious cooperation and action of many , if not of all . If there be even one decided " crank " in a Lodge , he will mar the

work of all the rest . But while one can destroy , no one can create . The honour of making a good Lodge cannot be claimed by any one Brother , although some , from their official positions of influence and power , naturally may

contribute more than others to the happy result which the Brethren of all Lodges should aspire to accomplish—viz ., the credit of having the best Lodge in their city or vicinity .

The first brother in iufluence and power is unquestionably the Worshipful Master of a Lodge . He is an Officer whom tbe Craft has entrusted with regal prerogatives . He has no equal in the Lodge . Every proceeding is under his control .

He may convene his Lodge at pfeasu 'e and close it at pleasure . Yet , though he be possessed of such authority , he rarely , if ever , uses it for aught but the promotion of the

welfare of the Masonic body . The possession of great power is almost invariably accompanied by a sense of responsibility for its right exercise . Ve ^ y , very few Masters of Lodges