Ar00100

CONTENTS . PAGE . L EADERSSeverity a Mistake in Freemasonry ... ... ... ... 615 New Zealand ... ... ... ... ... •¦•616 Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire ... ... ... ... 616 Fifth Annual Festival of the Kirby Lodge of Instruction , No . 2 C 3 ... ... 61 C Annual Supper of the Prosperity Lodge of Instruction , No . 65 ... ... 617

Conversazione of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 207 C ... ... ... ( I 17 General Committee of Grand . Lodge and Board of Benevolence ... ... fiiS Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... 618 MASONIC NOTESPetitions of Candidates for the R . M . I . for Girls ... ... ... G 21 Annual Meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge of Northumberland ... ... 621 Annual Meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge of Sussex ... ... ... 621

Convocation of Prov . Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire ... ... 621 Consecration of the New Brighton Lodge , No . 2619 ... ... ... 621 Laying Foundation-stone of new Barracks at Darwen ... ... 621 Consecration of the Earl of Lathom Rose Croix Chapter ... ... 621 Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire and Removal of the Boys' School ... 621 Death of Bro . Joseph Todd , P . G . Std . Br . ... ... ... 621

Correspondence ... ... ... ... ... ... 622 Reviews ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 622 Royal Arch Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 623 Mark Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 624 Red Cross of Rome and Constantine ... ... ... ... 624 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 624 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 626

Severity A Mistake In Masonry.

SEVERITY A MISTAKE IN MASONRY .

We have many times remarked on the marvellous facility with which the Grand Lodges of the United States ignore the freedom , which is the basis of Freemasonry , and the readiness , nay , rather the eagerness , with which they seem to keep on

multiplying laws , and regulations for its government . They allow with us that everyone must freely and voluntarily offer himself as a candidate for the mysteries and privileges of our Order , but apparently they do not feel disposed to concede to him the freedom to leave our ranks when he is so inclined , or when

circumstances may render it necessary that he should do so . Hence it is that in many of the American jurisdictions the nonaffiliate is looked upon with suspicion , if not with contempt , and is treated with a severity which is all the more ridiculous ,

because being no longer subject to the laws and regulations of Masonry , he is able , if he is so minded , to reciprocate the disdainful feelings . Again , though a man cannot be received into our ranks except he offer himself freely and voluntarily ,

there are jurisdictions in which he finds that he is not at liberty to join the lodge of his choice . He may be on terms of friendship or familiar acquaintance with all , or nearly all the members of a certain lodge , and one of the motives which influence him

lo become a Mason is , that he may join the lodge and become one of them . But in the locality in which he resides there happen to be two lodges . With the members of one he is , as we have said , on terms of friendship or acquaintance , but of the

second lodge , he knows little or nothing . However , as luck would have it , he happens to reside half-a-mile nearer to the latter than to the former , and the law provides that he must join it because he resides within its jurisdiction . So too , if after having been

lor some years member of a lodge in the jurisdiction of one Grand Lod ge he migrates into that of another , but taking up his residence within easy reach , by road or rail , of his mother lodge , the law requires him to sever the old connection . He , therefore , applies for and receives his dimit an d either , in the excess of his enthusiasm ,

joins a lodge in his new jurisdiction , or , as likely as not , in sheer disgust at such an arbitrary prescription , remains out in the cold as a non-affiliate . In the latter case , it not unfrequently happens that a good member , who is thoroughly conversant with

° ur ritual and in his daily life is a generous exponent of our tenets a'id princi ples , is lost to Masonry , and all because some of our sister Grand Lodges in the United States are of opinion that their rights and privileges and their prestige would suffer if "ro . A ., who resides in the jurisdiction of Grand Lodge X , is

Severity A Mistake In Masonry.

permitted to remain member of a lodge under the jurisdiction of Grand Lodge Y . For ourselves , though we are prepared to admit that Freemasonry , like every other society , must be

governed by certain general laws and regulations , we think that those laws and regulations should interfere as little as possible with the freedom of individual brethren and the freedom of

choice which worthy candidates for our privileges may consider themselves entitled to exercise . For this reason it is that we have read with so much pleasure certain remarks by Bro . STEPHEN BERRY , Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of

Maine , which are reproduced in the Voice of Masonry for last month . Bro . BERRY is a Mason of large experience , having served a long apprenticeship under his father , Bro . IRA BERRY , who was Grand Secretary of the same Grand Lod ge for a long term

of years . His opinions are , therefore , entitled to the highest respect , and being , as they are , the opinions of an experienced official of an American Grand Lodge , we give them on that account the greater prominence . The extract in our

contemporary s " Masonic Gleanings from Bro . BERRY ' pronouncement is headed " Severe Legislation Ineffective , " but his remarks are confined to the question of " Non-affiliates " and the legislation which is enacted for their especial benefit . " In

Maine , " says Bro . BERRY , " the proportion of non-affiliates is so small as not to attract notice , and although they cannot claim lodge privileges , they are generally welcomed . " From this one sentence we may judge of the spirit in which Bro . BcRRY , with the

ample experience he has obtained in his executive office of Grand Secretary to one of the best-organised and best-governed Grand Lodges under the Stars and Stripes , and from his father before him , considers it to be his duty to treat the non-affiliate . He

describes this body of Masons , who have renounced their connection with the Order , and it may be in many cases also their faith in its principles , as consisting of three classes . One of these , he says , finds no interest in Freemasonry ; the second is

made up of those who dropout for some fancied grievance ; and the third consisting of brethren who find the burden too heavy to bear —including those who retire from motives of selfishness ; but against none of the three does Bro . BERRY think that anything

in the nature of severe legislation is calculated to have the slighest effect . In the case of the first class , composed of those " who have no interest in . Masonry , " the ground of his belief is the simple fact that " they have renounced it , " and are , therefore , in

a position to treat its legislation with the utmost contempt it they are so minded . What , for instance , can it matter to a Mason who has renounced his lodge membership to be told that as he is a non-affiliate , he is not entitled to a relief which he does not ,

and only in the remotest possible contingency is ever likel y to , want ; that he is still subject to the jurisdiction of this or that Grand Lodge , when , as a citizen of the United States , he is free to do as and go where he pleases , subject , of course , to the

requirements of the Civil law ; or that he will not be entitled to a Masonic funeral when he dies , seeing firstly that he has renounced Masonry when living , and that , when he is dead , he will be beyond the power of caring whether he has a Masonic or any

other form of funeral ? But while in the case of this class Bro . BERRY is of opinion that severe legislation is ineffective , he has the greatest faith in that " mild legislation which always beckons

to them , " and in response to which they , in many instances , " return to their allegiance , and become valuable members . " As for the second class , those who " drop , out from some fancied

grievance , he believes that " severe legislation only embitters them . " Let them be treated with tact and judgment ; let some