Freemasonry In The Newer American Jurisdictions.

FREEMASONRY IN THE NEWER AMERICAN JURISDICTIONS .

We hare a very great respect for American Freemasonry in the older jurisdictions in the United States . We have no great difficulty in realising that the system of the Craft as it is known and practised under the auspices of such Grand Lodges as those of Pennsylvania , Massachusetts , and New York , and others that might be enumerated , bears a very strong resemblance to the system as it is known and practised in the lodges within

the jurisdiction of our own Grand Lodge . We know full well there must be differences of minor importance , arising out of the differences which exist between the habits of the two countries , but the essentials are the same . When , however , we come to read the Proceedings , or comments on Proceedings , which are to be found in the foremost American Masonic magazines , reviews , and periodicals generally , in certain of the more recently established

Grand Lodges , we are at a loss to understand how a system , which , as we know it , is characterised by extreme simplicity , can be converted by the Grand Lodgeauthoritiesin suchoutiy ingjurisdictions as thatof Washingtonto which we briefly referred in one of our Notes last week—can be made so amazingly complex as to bewilder even the most precise among the learned of our Society . We often wonder to ourselves in what state American

Masonic jurisprudence will find itself half a century hence , if the Grand Masters of the later jurisdictions keep on , as they have been doing for some years past , multiplying their decisions on points of the most trivial detail . Who will venture upon the herculean task of compiling a book on this subject ? And , when compiled , what library in the United States will be capable of accommodating its thousands of volumes ? One

stands aghast at the multitude of trumpery matters lo which the Grand Master of such a jurisdiction devotes the bulk of his leisure and the whole of his mental powers during his 3 'ear or two of office . Be it remembered that this Grand Lodge has been in existence only 35 years , that it started on its career with four lodges , and now has on its roll 72 lodges , with an aggregate membership of 4091 . But half a century hence

—or even earlier—when it becomes absolutely necessary to evolve what is and what is not good Masonic law out of the chaos of decisions which already exists , and which , a few years later on , will be a thousand times more chaotic , the decisions of such a body as this Grand Lodge will stand on an equal footing , if they do not possess an equal value , with that of New York , Massachusetts , Pennsylvania , Sec , and may be found to exercise

a baneful influence on the future of the Craft under the Stars and Stripes . Here , for instance , is the record of the work done , and the recommendations submitted by Grand Master THOMAS AMOS at the last annual meeting at Spokane , on the 14 th and 16 th of June , 1 S 92 : "Reported twenty-six approvals and three disapprovals of amendments to lodge by-laws , the permitting of two public installations of officers

outside of lodge halls , the refusing of a request of a lodge to have a supper and ball on St . John ' s Day , under auspices of the Grand Lodge , the permitting of twelve lodges to change their places of meeting , the constituting of seven lodges , one personally and six by proxies , the forming of ten new lodges by dispensation , the laying of four corner-stones by proxy , the granting of eight special dispensations , and the refusing of like favour in as many cases ,

the receiving of a petition for revival of one lodge on which he requested hut did not receive further information , the disciplining of three lodges for illegal doing , the official visiting of 18 lodges , the investigating and deciding adversely of a complaint by an Oregon Lodge of an invasion of its jurisdiction , the hearing of a complaint as to the number given to a lodge , the interdicting of the conferring of the Ccrneau rite , and the rendering of

ten decisions . I he above is merely a summary we have taken from the pages of that excellent journal , the Voice of Masonry , but no doubt the ori ginal description by ! 3 ro . AMOS , as set forth in the annual Report of Proceedings occupies many pages . To much of this we raise no objection whatever ; it is part of a Grand Master ' s duty to tell his Grand Lodge what he has done in the way of constituting lodges ,

laying corner-stones , and other functions of a similar character ; l > ut , according to our idea , he is not called upon to enumerate every petty detail to which his attention is called . De minimis uou curat lex is an old legal maxim ; but for all the good that some of these particulars Here calculated to effect , he might as well have told his audience that he breakfasted at 8 a . m . in the summer and 9 a . m . in the winter , while , as regards his

sanction of public installations , he is evidently not very conversant with the system of Masonry , or he would never have permitted so monstrous a violation of its practice . Among his recoirmiendatjons we notice two onl y which are both calculated to inflict grevious harm on the Craft . One is " the abolishing of the Past Master ' s Degree , " and the other " limiting of

'he time in which a brother must affiliate alter securing admission . or becoming a contributor to the lodge he visits . " We noticed last week the resolution about the territorial jurisdiction of private lodges ; but what shall be said of another resolution : " That no lodge in the State is under obligation to extend Masonic aid or privileges to non-affiliated Masons who

Freemasonry In The Newer American Jurisdictions.

have resided within its jurisdiction one year without affiliating with it or contributing to it its established dues 1 " Wh y , nov-iin , should it be "deemed a cause of concern and uneasiness that while 437 candidates were initiated , only S 5 were rejected ? " Are we to understand by this that the 437 accepted candidates were such a seedy lot that Grand Lodge wondered why the whole of them had not been treated as the S 5 who had been rejected ? If so , much cannot be said for the kind of Masonry

that exists in this particular jurisdiction , and the idea that the decisions of its authorities may some day be placed on a level with those of such Grand Lodges as those we have before referred to becomes intolerable . We do not suppose the thing is possible , but it would be a clear benefit to American Freemasonry if the influence of the Senior Grand Lodges could be made more commanding , and that of the minor establishments more circumscribed , Otherwise , the Craft in the States will some day find itself in a difficulty .

Consecration Of The St. Clement's Lodge, No. 2442, At Leigh, Essex.

CONSECRATION OF THE ST . CLEMENT'S LODGE , No . 2442 , AT LEIGH , ESSEX .

On Saturday , the 10 th inst ., nearly 100 members of the Craft assembled at the Bell Hotel , Leigh , Essex , to witness the consecration of the St . Clement ' s Lodge , No . 2442 . The lodge has been named after the saint to whom the parish church at Lei gh is dedicated ; and meetings will be held between the months of May and October inclusive . The impressive ceremony of consecration was performed by Bro . Lord Brooke , Prow G . Master , who was accompanied by the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . F . A . Philbrick , Q-C , Grand Reg . A large number of brethren were present .

flic Provincial Grand Officers and visitors ol distinction assembled in an ante-room , and walked in procession to the lod ge room , where , headed b y Bro . Lord Brooke , they were cordially received . The P . G . M . took the chair , and appointed his officers pro fern , as follows : Bros . 1 . J . C . Turner P P S . GM' ., S . VV . ; J . H . Salter , P . J . G . W „ J . W . ; the Rev . f . Percy Noyes , P . G . C ., Chap . 1 T . J . Railing , P . G . Sec , Sec . ; Albert Lucking , P . G . D . C , D . C . ; and W . Shurmur , P . P . G . Treas ., l . G . Lodge was opened in the

three Degrees , and , after . the singing of the hymn "Hail , Eternal , by whose aid , " prayer was offered by the Chaplain . Bro . Lord BROOKE briefly addressed the brethren . He said he was always pleased to meet his brethren in Essex , and it was a source of satisfaction to himself , as it was to all of them , to see a lodge of such great promise started in that locality . This would be the 33 rd lodge in the Province of Essex , and , as they knew , the number 33 was mystically emblematical of

the highest Degree in their Order . He trusted the lodge with that hi gh number would always influence the highest aims for the benefit of Freemasonry . A great deal of trouble fell upon the founders of a new lodge , and he was sorry to hear that their Secretary , Bro . George Moss , was so ' ^ ill that he could not be present . That was a matter of regret to all of them . With that exception , the lodge seemed to have started under most favourable auspices , and he congratulated them heartily .

ihe Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . J . PERCV NOYES ( who had journeyed all the way from Truro for the purpose ) , delivered a most instructive oration . The reverend brother said :

It is usual at the consecration of a new lodge that an oration should be made setting forth briefly some of the principles of Masonry , not for instruction of the brethren—any attempt to instruct in this way would be presumption on my part but to try and recall to our minds , and to emphasise , certain points which are ( perhaps from the very fact of our hearing of them in other forms frequentl y ) sometimes apt to be overlooked or forgotten . Freemasonry in its purity is one of the noblest of institutions . Of its great antiquity I need not . " -ay much but

even this adds to the love which we , members of the Craft , have for it . The beauty and solemnity of its ritual—the deep meaning there is in almost every movement , and in all the accessories which are in use while we are at work all these add , and ought to add , to the reverence which we feel for it . But in neither antiquity nor ritual does the nobility of the institution consist . It is rather the inward meaning of our observances , and forms , and ceremonies which makes our Order the power which it undoubtedly is in the world . There is in

the first place , the acknowledgment of the Love , Bounty , and IJeneficence of the Great Architect and Geometrician of the Universe , and that we owe it as a duty to Him that our lives should be straightforward and upright , and all our actions squared according to His rule ; that when a man becomes a Freemason he should determine to try , as far as possible , that the crooked in his life must henceforth be made straight , the rough places plain . And then there follows in natural sequence the duty of Brotherly Love . Every fresh lodge which is consecrated should be a new centre from which shines

forth —( not with any offensive lime-light flash of demand for notice and the praise of men , but with a warm and stead y incandescent glow)—a determination to benefit our fellow-men . The nobility if the Institution consists in its doctrine of utter unselfishness . And this , not merely with regard to uur dealings wi ; h our brethren in the Craft , but also with uveiyonu with whom we have to do , with every creature with whom we may be brought into contact . Thus the ordinary everyday life of a worthy Mason itself answers the often asked ( and sometimes sneeringl y asked ) question— " What is the use of Freemasonry ? " The true man who

Incomes a member of the l-rec and Accepted Masons , tries to become a better citi / . en , a belter neighbour , a better man than he was belore . This , surely , is the nature , these are the principles of our Society . We pray , then , that the Great Architect , the Father Almignty , will bless abundantly the lodge which is this day being consecrated , and our further desire is that every member of the Craft throughout the world may remember his responsibilities as a brother , and may ever keep untarnished and unsullied the nobility of this venerable Institution .