Show-Masons.

SHOW-MASONS .

BY BRO . W . BURROUGHS , A . M ., M . M . M ., S . E ., R . A . EDITOR Masonic Herald , CALCUTTA . Fntges consumere nati . —HOR . Sterne in his " Sentimental Journey " gives an

account of different kinds of travellers , each moving with an object in view . In religion there are also different kinds of thinkers , each impelled by notion of his own . According to

Plato there are " three sorts of Atheists , '' one class absolutely denying the existence of God ; another while admitting existence , deny interference , consequently disbelieve Providence

the third class while admitting existence and Providence are independent of wrong on the ground of absolution— ' •' the greatest crime for

the smallest supplication " being remissible upon consideration . The strangeness of these doctrines fortunately does not require much acumen to discover that they are fallacious .

- In Masonry we have also a similar classification . It is composed of the live-mason , the show-mason , and the dead-mason . The livemason is actuated by two lofty

principles—. FAITH and WORK ; by these he establishes his worth . The show-mason is vain and ostentatious . He is the barren fig tree . His heart is in show and not in usefulness . We shall exhibit

him here as gibbetted criminals are exhibited , not in revenge , but for example . At a future time we shall endeavour to describe the

livemason , who like gold possesses a virtue which envy cannot detract nor calumny traduce . The dead-mason has already been described by a better hand . *

The show-mason is a rara avis . He is not an ordinary being , yet he is not extraordinary . He is sham without a particle of substantiality

in him . To the wants of the poor he gives regret—not relief . He has alms on his tongue , but none in his bosom . The fountain there is dry ; no milk of human kindness ( lows from

it : — " A man like this within his heart provides A lilthy corner where llic fiend resides ; If lo this saint some wretch presents his suit , Out starts the fiend ami strikes the suppliant mule . "

If there is a charity to be bestowed , the showmason sends in his quota with a long note of regret saying , that owing to a sudden call he could not give more , but at some other time he

will not fail to do so . Thus anticipating evil which is an evil . Were he however present , he could not say half as much and for "ood

reason , that it would awaken a titter against him . Charity by flourish of trumpet is reprehensible .

If there is a demonstration , bedecked in hues of the rainbow with pendants of degrees as numerous as there are signs in the zodiac , the show-mason is foremost in the van . These

" blushing honours thick upon him" he has purchased and not earned , and the meaning of which he docs not know , and if told , he could not understand ; his head like frosted glass is

opaque , no light of knowledge can come out of it or penetrate into it . He is the veritable " Mundane Egg " with primeval darkness around him ; nothing " dove like " can sit " brooding

o er his vast abyss , " and make it pregnant . The show-mason is a pretender . He is the claimant of a right , without a right to it . To gain suffrage as the conceited pay for mourners , ? London Freemason , No , 125 , July 29 th . 1871 ,

Show-Masons.

he scatters money , and on the plea of supporting the liberal arts he has his photo taken in Masonic costume , which he pays for in silver ,

frames it in gold , and with brass on his face exhibits it to all around , telling them that it is himself and none other , and so it is . It is the show-mason and not the bonafide .

Masonry is the perpetual talk of the showmason , and talk only . His doors and windows , books and papers , even clothings and ornaments , are marked with , or covered over , with symbolic representations . These are what they

are and no more- —the visible signs of something without , but of no invisible grace within . There is no reality or materiality in him . He is a mere nominal ; but were we to dive deeper we should see better—we would see him in his

true character—a traitor in the camp—a wolf in the fold . In private life the show-mason is as strange . His table groans inside , and the poor outside ,

yet lie neither eats himself nor gives it to others . The game he delights in is a scouted one . It is that of " the dog and the manger . " He cannot eat because he is a dyspeptic ; he will not give to others because he is selfish .

The show-mason keeps sometimes a library . A book with a sounding title or written by a blazing character , is his hobby . Though on the subject it is written he may not understand , still he buys it for show ; and keeps it for show

but an organ of the Order which he should support , lie does not , because it does not come up to the standard of his mind , which is grovelling . He is all for gossip . He likes to know what takes place here and there ,

and nothing more . History and philosophy have no value in his estimation ; they are to him as the gem was to the cock which he had found on a dunghill—a bauble at best . He entered the Order with an object—morbid curiosity ;

that satisfied , he cares no more for it . Such a person should be shunned . He is " a wilfully perjured individual , void of all moral worth , and

unfit to be received in the society of men who prize honour and virtue above all the external advantages of rank and fortune . "—Masonic Record of Western India , July , 1 S 72 .

Mark Masonry In Cheshire.

MARK MASONRY IN CHESHIRE .

On Friday afternoon , the 6 th inst ., an interesting ceremony took place in connection with the periodical meeting of the Joppa Lodge of Mark Masters , which was held at the Masonic Chambers , Hamilton-square , Birkenhead . The proceedings embraced , amongst other items of

business of a pleasant nature , the Installation of Bro . the Hon . Wilbraham Egerton , M . P . R . W . P . G . M . M ., Cheshire , designate , as W . M . M . of the Joppa Lodge . Thc brethren assembled in the lodge-room shortly after three o ' clock , and amongst those present , besides the Hon . brother ,

were the following : —Bros . T . Ambler , R . W . M . ; W . Bailey , P . R . W . M . ; S . Mattison , P . M . ; W . P . Mills , P . M . ; T- Sillitoe , S . W . ; E . Friend , J . W . ; G . H . Wilson , J . O . ; H . Piatt , Treas . ; P . J . Pearson , Sec . ; T . E . Hignett ; T . W . Lightband , J- ^ -i <* . Morgan , J . M . Radcliffe ,

T . Fozzard , F . K . Stephenson ; and amongst the visitors were Bros . C . F . Matier , G . J . W . of England and P . D . P . M . M . Lancashire ; R . W . Morrell , P . M , ; 721 . ; G . Owen , S . Spratley , & c . After the ,: lodge had been duly and solemnly

opened by the IJ .. W . M ., and the minutes of the previous nieet ^ lg confirmed , Bros . Demetrius , Jones , Worrall' and Davies , were advanced to the rank ' of M . M . M . Bro . C . F . Matier , then proceeded to instal Bro . the Hon . Wilbraham Egerton as W . M . M ., the ceremony being per-

Mark Masonry In Cheshire.

formed in a highly effective and deeply impressive manner . The W . M . M . subsequently invested the following brethren as his officers for the ensuing year : —Bros . J . Sillitoe , S . W . ; E . Friend , J . W . ; J . M . Radcliffe , M . O . ; G .

Morgan , S . O . ; G . H . Wilson , J . O . ; P . J . Pearson , Sec . ; J . Piatt , Treas . ; T . E . Hignett , Reg . ; T . H . Mills , S . D . ; J . W . Peters , J . D . ; — Hughes , T . K . ; and — Gracie , Conductor . Bro . Roden was unanimously re-elected Tyler . Before the lodge closed , a very handsome Past

Master ' s jewel was presented to Bro . Ambler , in the name of the lodge , by Bro Stevenson , who referred in eulogistic terms to the excellent services which had been rendered by Bro . Ambler during his year of office . The gift having been suitably acknowledged by Bro . Ambler , the lodge was closed .

At the conclusion of the business the brethren adjourned to Thomas's , Woodside Ferry Hotel , where they sat down to an excellent dinner under the presidency of the R . W . M . Bro . the Hon . Wilbraham Egerton , M . P . Ample justice having been done to the repast , the following

toasts were given -. — " The Queen and the Craft , ' by the R . W . M . ; "The liarl and the Countess of Chester and the rest of the Royal Family . " In proposing this toast the R . W . M . said , in Cheshire they always liked to recognize Brother the Prince of Wales by the more familiar title of

the Earl Chester , but on the present occasion they would drink his health also as a brother whose interest in the progress of Masonry had never flagged since the day he was first initiated into its mysteries by another illustrious brother whose death they had recently to deplore , and although they hoped the day was far distant when

he would be called on to reign over this mighty empire , till theyfeel confident that he would do so to the satisfaction of the public generally , . and the Craft in particular . ( Applause . ) The W . M . then gave " The Grand Mark Lodge of Kngland , and Bro . Portal , M . W . G . M . M ., and Earl Percy , the W . M .-Elect . "

He said it had been his good fortune to be personally acquainted with Bro . Portal for a long time , and was well assured that no man could more worthily fill the post he now occupied . Bro . the Earl Percy was he was sorry to say obliged to go to a warmer climate to spend

the winter , but he sincerely trusted he would return restored to health , and then he had no doubt he would continue to take that active interest in Masonry he had hitherto evinced . With this toast he would couple the name of Bro . Matier ,

Grand Mark Junior Warden . Of him he need say very little ; his name was well-known , and they had all an opportunity that day of witnessing the admirable manner in which he had performed his work . The toast was drunk with * H the honours . Bro . Matier replied .

Bro . John Piatt then proposed the health of the W . M ., in doing which he reviewed the history of the Joppa Lodge , from the time of its first formation till the present , when it had the honour of being presided over by the future Provincial Grand Master of Cheshire—whom he

felt satisfied would be a credit to the Craft , and an honour to the Joppa Lodge . The W . M . in reply , thanked Bro . Piatt and the other brethren present for the flattering manner he had spoken of him , and the manner in which they had received it . He was also very much indebted

to the Joppa Lodge for . appointing him W . M ., and thus enabling him to qualify lor the important office ot Prov . G . M . M . Whatever he could do for Mark Masonry he would do , and if at any time he was not present with them , they might rest assured some of his other multifarious

duties had detained him . He felt satisfied that Mark Masonry would flourish in Cheshire , but there was one thing he should like , and that was that they should always be careful whom they admitted to this degree . He would prefer quality to quantity , but from what he had seen of the

Joppa Lodge he was well pleased , and he hoped that the other lodges of the province would follow their example . " Cheshire Masonic Educational Institution , " was proposed by Bro . Stevenson . Songs were given by Bros . Hignett , Friend , Smith , Stevenson , & c .