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Article CORRESPONDENCE. ← Page 2 of 5 →
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Correspondence.
sonic world , such statements Avould never have been published . They have been written to stimulate improvement , and with a view to produce such reforms as are patent to all but those , to whose interest it is to perpetuate abuses . It is perfectly impossible to deny the fact—gloss it over or conceal it as some may attempt to do—that Masonic principle is at a low ebb in this country;—nay , it is just as feeble in this city as in any hamlet where
its Masonic Lodge meeting takes place , perhaps , but once in tivo years , Avith this only difference , that here , interested motives serve to keep the so-called Masonic activity and enthusiasm alive , together with balls and festivals , and now and then a procession . Strange as it may seem , it is a fact , that in most cases , to be privileged to attend these re-unions with an apron , is the SOLE inducement ivhich many have for joining the Craft ; but when once they are clothed , they knoiv not the meaning which the badge they lvear symbolically teaches ; and with little honesty or truth can they say that " unhiassed by the improper solicitations of
mends , against their oivn inclination , they have become members . Then as to charity , where is that virtue—the distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart—to be found ? We look for it in vain in the records of the Grand Lodge—we only find it there like Falstaff ' s " halfpennyworth of bread to a gallon of sack . " Any individual crack Lodge , or rather any fast Lodge , spends more money in the course of one year in refreshment than the poor Brethren receive from the " Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence " in the same period of timeThat
. there may be no mistake , I state unequivocally , that the members of such Lodges pay more for refreshment than for anything besides ; Ave do not say they draw upon the Lodge funds , although we have heard it said in some Lodges , where private resources were IOAV , that they would "draw upon the saint , " i . e ., they Avould use the Lodge funds for refreshment . If such things be , " and overcome us as a summer ' s cloud , " it is not to be wondered at that charity has in many instances vanished , Avhilst all that is left
should be a long array of " saints " and bleeding martyrs in reality , reduced to a state of syncope , ivith nothing to depend upon but a bankrupt exchequer . Your own remarks in your last Number of the F . M . Q . M . and R . Avere severe , but not more severe than merited . It is to be lamented that , since you wrote , such strictures have become much more necessary . Whether they are so or not your readers will judge from the retrogade step which the Grand Lodge of Scotland took at its last Quarterly Communication .
I do not intend to take up your space ivith a detailed report of all the business there discussed ; I will only refer to one of the motions then brought forward . As introductory to the subject , on the card of business for the evening , we find No . XL " Representative from the Grand Lodge of Ireland . " This referred to an appointment by the Grand Lodge of Ireland of a Brother to represent that body in the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Bro . Samuel Somerville bears this commission ; you are alread
y in possession of his name , and you will doubtless recollect what Avere his remarks upon the F . Q . M . and R . at a former meeting ofthe Grand Lodge ; how the commission he has received dates its origin it is difficult to tell . I am thus particular about this commission on account ofthe remarks which you made in the last Number of your Magazinne , upon the subject of reciprocity between the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and other Grand Lodges , and to call the attention of our
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
sonic world , such statements Avould never have been published . They have been written to stimulate improvement , and with a view to produce such reforms as are patent to all but those , to whose interest it is to perpetuate abuses . It is perfectly impossible to deny the fact—gloss it over or conceal it as some may attempt to do—that Masonic principle is at a low ebb in this country;—nay , it is just as feeble in this city as in any hamlet where
its Masonic Lodge meeting takes place , perhaps , but once in tivo years , Avith this only difference , that here , interested motives serve to keep the so-called Masonic activity and enthusiasm alive , together with balls and festivals , and now and then a procession . Strange as it may seem , it is a fact , that in most cases , to be privileged to attend these re-unions with an apron , is the SOLE inducement ivhich many have for joining the Craft ; but when once they are clothed , they knoiv not the meaning which the badge they lvear symbolically teaches ; and with little honesty or truth can they say that " unhiassed by the improper solicitations of
mends , against their oivn inclination , they have become members . Then as to charity , where is that virtue—the distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart—to be found ? We look for it in vain in the records of the Grand Lodge—we only find it there like Falstaff ' s " halfpennyworth of bread to a gallon of sack . " Any individual crack Lodge , or rather any fast Lodge , spends more money in the course of one year in refreshment than the poor Brethren receive from the " Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence " in the same period of timeThat
. there may be no mistake , I state unequivocally , that the members of such Lodges pay more for refreshment than for anything besides ; Ave do not say they draw upon the Lodge funds , although we have heard it said in some Lodges , where private resources were IOAV , that they would "draw upon the saint , " i . e ., they Avould use the Lodge funds for refreshment . If such things be , " and overcome us as a summer ' s cloud , " it is not to be wondered at that charity has in many instances vanished , Avhilst all that is left
should be a long array of " saints " and bleeding martyrs in reality , reduced to a state of syncope , ivith nothing to depend upon but a bankrupt exchequer . Your own remarks in your last Number of the F . M . Q . M . and R . Avere severe , but not more severe than merited . It is to be lamented that , since you wrote , such strictures have become much more necessary . Whether they are so or not your readers will judge from the retrogade step which the Grand Lodge of Scotland took at its last Quarterly Communication .
I do not intend to take up your space ivith a detailed report of all the business there discussed ; I will only refer to one of the motions then brought forward . As introductory to the subject , on the card of business for the evening , we find No . XL " Representative from the Grand Lodge of Ireland . " This referred to an appointment by the Grand Lodge of Ireland of a Brother to represent that body in the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Bro . Samuel Somerville bears this commission ; you are alread
y in possession of his name , and you will doubtless recollect what Avere his remarks upon the F . Q . M . and R . at a former meeting ofthe Grand Lodge ; how the commission he has received dates its origin it is difficult to tell . I am thus particular about this commission on account ofthe remarks which you made in the last Number of your Magazinne , upon the subject of reciprocity between the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and other Grand Lodges , and to call the attention of our