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Music In The Lodge Room.

Music in the Lodge Room .

Wfnsofflc 131

UMBMBBLTHERE is in many lodges a growing tendency to regard ouv ritual as a sort of libretto , capable of being made subject to musical expression . More than one eminent brother has composed and adapted music for those express purposes , and lodges have been formed with the object of

rendering the ceremonies with the most elaborate musical adjuncts . Such lodges possess a highly trained choir , and there is no doubt but that a very impressive and finished ceremony is the result . There is , of course , always the danger that the candidate for whose benefit most of this exists , may have his attention distracted from the jewel to its setting , in

other words , maybe more impressed hythe beauty of the music than by the intrinsic beauty of the ceremony , but the same thing can be , and often is , said of the cathedral service . But whilst the accessories of the lodge room may be as ornate as the means of the brethren are able to command ,

whilst the Masonic hall may reflect all the skill of the architect , whilst the ceremonies may be rendered with all the eloquence that a brother is endowed with , it would be illogical to limit the employment of music . Music in the lodge is officially recognized by Grand Lodge . There is an organ within the sacred portals of Grand Lodge ,

and year after year the Grand Master nominates some eminent brother to play it . And the Constitutions permit the Worshipful Master to do the same thing in the private lodge . A judicious and tactful brother at the lodge organ is of the greatest assistance to the Master . We have , for instance , in the course of our work , processions , and the organist can make all the

difference between an orderly rhythmical march and a disorderly saunter . Even in the most faultlessly rendered ceremonies there are gaps , and the hiatus which might otherwise be filled up with the hum of conversation to relieve the tension of a long silence , can be gratefully filled up by the brother at the organ , and

thus all present may be led to moralize instead of chatter . Nothing can be more conducive to the spirit of devotion with which the lodge should enter upon its work than the hymn at the opening , and the hymn at the close is equally appropriate . To all this may be added the almost universal chanting of the S . M . I . B ., and we then come to a point , where , if there is a line at all , it ought to be drawn .

But musical brethren and musical lodges go further . Very often odes and psalms and appropriate scriptural selections are introduced . To what extent is it justifiable , to interpolate , for nstance , the well known air from the Elijah , so often heard in lodge , " Be thou faithful unto death . " With the best intentions , it is , after all , making an unauthorized addition to the ritual , and

introducing an innovation into the ver \ body of Masonry . If music of this kind is considered desirable , it would be infinitel y more appropriate that it should take its place during the subsequent proceedings , where the music and conversation is not infrequently of a kind that weakens the impression alread y made upon the candidate . There is also a danger , and not a

remote one , that in a lodge which is anxious to excel in this sort of thing , a brother may be admitted in whose case more regard is paid to his musical ability than to other excellencies of character . The possession of a fine tenor voice may be held to excuse what otherwise might be considered undesirable . This is by no means an imaginary danger . The proposer

and seconder are sometimes more anxious to prove what an adjunct their candidate will be to the social board , than to show how be will illustrate the advantages of Freemasonry in forming character .

The objection that has been officially made to the use of music within the lodge has been much misunderstood . It fact it is wrong to say that it is music that has been forbidden . It is the interpolation of words and sentiments that may he very excellent in themselves , but still they have no more to do with the authorized ritual than , say , the articles of the Church

of England have . The common practice , therefore , of singing the air already referred to , is , in effect , making an innovation in the body of Freemasonry , and very rightly comes under censure . For want of a proper perception of this , there was annoyance and even friction in many lodges . But if the right were once conceded of tampering with the course of a

single ceremony , there is no knowing where it might carry us . It is rightly said , on the other hand , that nothing but scriptural excerpts have ever been even suggested , and the musical brother would never dream of introducing , say ,

Tennyson ' s " Crossing the bar , " suitable as it might be in regard to some of our work . But even then we have no right to introduce any other scriptural excerpts into our work than those provided by the regular working . In many lodges the excellent custom obtains of reading a chapter from Holy Writ , but this is always done before the lodge is actually declared

open . It thus takes its place with the hymn , and it comes in quite appropriately . There is no more necessary obligation taken by the Worshipful Master elect , than that under which he promises to refrain from making any innovation in the body of Freemasonry . We have inherited the traditions of centuries

handed down to us , unbroken and unsullied , and there can be no possible question about our duty to posterity . Happily there