Qualifications Of Candidates.

in Freemasonry . The newly initiated brother advertises the Craft quite as effectivel y as the wisest and most Masonic veteran in the lodge . More so in fact , as those who know the circumstances have a far keener perception of his failures and inconsistenciesand when a lodge finds itself waning in

, public estimation , the decline may often be traced to the unmasonic conduct of unballasted and newly admitted brethren . And to be just , it should also be traced to the unjudicious proposer and seconder . To be of strict morals and sound judgement at ( he age of 21 presupposes unusuall

, y high character , and it is from such that the Order ought to be recruited . And if the supply is wanting , then it were better for our lodges to decline in membership , rather than to run the risk of diluting the Craft with an undesirable element .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The Marquis of Hertford has consented to preside at the next annual festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , to be held in the last week of June , 1906 . The death of Lord Leigh might have proved a special loss to that institution , as the venerable peer had consented to act as chairman at the 1906 festival , as Provincial Grand Master for

Warwickshire ; and at a meeting of the Council of Life Governors of the institution , held on the day after the funeral , not only was there adopted a resolution conveying regrets and condolences on the demise , but another expressing the hope that Warwickshire would continue its efforts as

" the chairman ' s province " for the festival in question . It was felt , indeed , by those keenly interested in the success of the institution that the Warwickshire Freemasons , having commenced preparing for this work in their late Provincial Grand Master ' s lifetime , would raise a striking memorial to

him by continuing their labours to full success ; and now that Lord Hertford has consented to fill his predecessor ' s place as chairman , it may be assumed as certain that the preparations already undertaken will be continued with even greater vigour , in order to ensure a triumph .

O O 0 We notice that at the after-dinner proceedings of a lodge recently , the Grand Registrar referred to a topic which has recently occupied the attention of the Craft to a very large extent—the necessity for increased accommodation being

provided for the quarterly communications and other meetings of Grand Lodge . That there is such need few will be inclined to d ' spute , but , at the present rate of increase in numbers , any approach to an adequate provision for accommodating the members of Grand Lodge as at present constituted

js in our view impracticable . Bro . Strachan ' s opinions on matters pertaining to Masanry are entitled to all respect , and that his advice is sound and valuable is evidenced by the progressive legislation embodied in the constitution during the period he has filled the oflice of Grand Registrar . He is ,

no doubt , right in his opinion lh . it the exclusion of Wardens would be very near to removing a landmark , but it is futile to talk of landmarks , however sacred they may be , when circumstances have rendered their retention impossible , and in the evolution of Masonryas well as of other institutionschanges

, , are from time to time imperative . 1 ( must not be forgotten that Grand Lodge is a deliberative and legislative assembly , and that a hall of medium capacity is best suited for discussion and ( he practical woik of ( hose who are called upon to perform such duties . For occasional demonstrations on a

large scale , such as the installation of a Grand Master or other special ceremony , the A'bjrt Hall and other great buildings are available , but these functions are of such rare < ccurrence that ihe erection of a vast building for such a purpose would ,

to our minds , come very near to a misappropriation of the funds , which are held in trust for the Craft at large , and we trust that in some other way the united wisdom of the great , wise , and eminent among the Craft will eventually arrive at a

solution of the difficulty which will be acceptable to all concerned . <© <© < s > Notices in regard to the election of Grand Treasurer are pretty freely sprinkled over the world ' s press . The Jamaica

Gleaner calls it an Imperial Election , and seeing that all the qualified members of English lodges throughout the Empire are called upon to take part in it , this description is not too highly coloured . In itself it appears to us somewhat like bringing into action a great force which is sometimes

described as " putting an Elephant to pick up a pin , " but although the result of the working of this elaborate machinery cannot be of great moment in itself , there is much to be gained by the association for even so small an object of English , Colonial , and Indian brethren .

¦ SO © The question of the excessive expenditure of lodge funds on banquets , complaints of which are not infrequent in regard to lodges under the English jurisdiction , is now exercising the minds of our brethren in the United States .

According to the Tylcr-Kcystonc , the Grand Master of Illinois has recently appointed a commission to inquire into certain irregularities existing in one of the lodges of that State , and the report of the commission is of interest : — " In considering this case it has been impossible for us to avoid the feeling

that in a large measure the lodge as well as the master was the subject of fnquiry , especially in the manner of expenditures . The Master naturally claimed that he had a good excuse if he could show that he was following an established precedent , and under such plea it was difficult for him to

consider himself blameworthy for furnishing frequent lunches , dinners , banquets , cigars , & c . It may be outside of our province in this inquiry to allude to matters outside of this lodge , but we nevertheless take the opportunity to say that many lodges in Chicago ( and perhaps elsewhere ) have acquired

the growing habit of such indulgence in eatables , cigars , & c , as justly to make them liable to the charge of very large and unnecessary , if not extravagant , expenditures . There has been an unusual inllux of new members , and a consequent plethora of funds . Stimulated by an ample income , and led by comparatively young and inexperienced officers , some

lodges have largely increased their social expenditures , and have been followed by others , each vieing with the other , till a scale of entertainment has been reached epiite unknown a few years ago , and quite beyond reasonable bounds . We wish that through some action of the Grand Master or Grand

Lodge the attention of lodges could be called to these practices , so as to bring about a greatly improved condition . " These extravagances have become such a common thing of late as to be 1 egarded as almost more of a time immemorial custom lhan the dispensing of charity . Representing a soi t

of misdirected energy , they have run to unnecessary extremes , and grand lodges may very appropriately set some manner of watch over this form of lodge activity , and seek to encourage a return to the " simple life . "

«> « 3 > © In considering this question in relation to English Masonry , and especially in connection with London lodges , it must , in justice to the brethren who are responsible for what appears to be a disproportionate expenditure under the head of

" House bills , " that the subscriptions of most lodges are designedly fixed at a rate considerably in excess of the revenue required for all lodge purposes , including contributions to the charities , and the surplus may , therefore , be looked on as a dinner fund to which the members voluntarily

contribute in a manner more easily dealt with than by the creation of a separate land , or by ( he individual payments from time to time by members .