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Article UNIFORMITY OF RITUAL. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Uniformity Of Ritual.
its pernicious tendencies , if it cannot be entirely removed . When an excellent brother has regularly passed through the various offices—done his duty , as Avell as Ave are happy to say , very many of them do it—attended Avith tolerable regularity—become familiar with the princi ples and practices of the Order , and conversant with the duties of , and belonging , to the I . G ., J . D ., S . D ., J . W ., and S . W . —served these offices with
satisfaction , and is esteemed by the brethren—it becomes a delicate and difficult task to reject him when a candidate for the W . M . ' s chair , because he does not know the part he will have to perform in that office , even though it should also be probable ; that he will not even learn it when elected . Personal regard often sways the minds of the brethren , and this leads—as every , experienced Mason must be aware—to the election of
Masters , some of whom could not initiate , pass , and properly raise a-candidate , let the consequences be ivhat they might . Consequently , the Past Master , or some one else , either performs or dictates the part the chair should take ; and thus the beauty of the ritual is marred , if not destroyed ; and the sublime teachings and hallowed influences of the ceremonial are nullified , if not stultified .
Another fertile source of errors and discrepancies is the use , which it is to be feared some brethren make , in spite , of the O . B ., of the printed productions of pretenders , who profess to reveal the signs and ceremonies of the Order . The weaker brethren may think , that the works of those "fellows of the baser sort , " though they do not expect them to contain any very
accurate accounts of the proceedings within the sacred precincts of the Lodge , may yet serve as an aid to the memory ; whereas , in the nature of things , the result is otherwise ; for , for one correct sentence which may thus be committed to memory , half-a-dozen inaccuracies must be taken along with it ; so that when the Brother who has thus surreptitiously attempted what he was deluded enough to think a royal road to Masonic
lore , gets hold of one paragraph correctly , he imbibes with it a mass of mistakes and a host of absurdities , which more than counterbalance any advantage which by possibility could be derived from such a process . There is another reason to be urged against this plan , AA'hich ought to weigh somewhat , even with those , whom solemn engagements would not deter from the practice ; and that is , the shame and confusion of face
, AA'hich invariably attends the discovery of the source of such a brother ' s Masonic instruction , either in open Lodge , or in the company of Masons without the Lodge . Another reason why this desiderated uniformity does not prevail to the extent , which Ave could wish , is the comparative infrequency with which a large majority of the brethren visit other Lodges . We know , and rejoice
in the fact ; that there are numerous and splendid exceptions to this ; there are brethren who devote a considerable amount both of time and money to such visitations ; they are , unfortunately , however , but as the dust of the balance as compared with those who do otherwise . Perhaps , if the bye-laws regulating the admission of visitors into Lodges , and the fees to be paid by those who introduce them , were remodelled , much good might he done in this direction . In Jersey , the fees are so low , and the reci-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Uniformity Of Ritual.
its pernicious tendencies , if it cannot be entirely removed . When an excellent brother has regularly passed through the various offices—done his duty , as Avell as Ave are happy to say , very many of them do it—attended Avith tolerable regularity—become familiar with the princi ples and practices of the Order , and conversant with the duties of , and belonging , to the I . G ., J . D ., S . D ., J . W ., and S . W . —served these offices with
satisfaction , and is esteemed by the brethren—it becomes a delicate and difficult task to reject him when a candidate for the W . M . ' s chair , because he does not know the part he will have to perform in that office , even though it should also be probable ; that he will not even learn it when elected . Personal regard often sways the minds of the brethren , and this leads—as every , experienced Mason must be aware—to the election of
Masters , some of whom could not initiate , pass , and properly raise a-candidate , let the consequences be ivhat they might . Consequently , the Past Master , or some one else , either performs or dictates the part the chair should take ; and thus the beauty of the ritual is marred , if not destroyed ; and the sublime teachings and hallowed influences of the ceremonial are nullified , if not stultified .
Another fertile source of errors and discrepancies is the use , which it is to be feared some brethren make , in spite , of the O . B ., of the printed productions of pretenders , who profess to reveal the signs and ceremonies of the Order . The weaker brethren may think , that the works of those "fellows of the baser sort , " though they do not expect them to contain any very
accurate accounts of the proceedings within the sacred precincts of the Lodge , may yet serve as an aid to the memory ; whereas , in the nature of things , the result is otherwise ; for , for one correct sentence which may thus be committed to memory , half-a-dozen inaccuracies must be taken along with it ; so that when the Brother who has thus surreptitiously attempted what he was deluded enough to think a royal road to Masonic
lore , gets hold of one paragraph correctly , he imbibes with it a mass of mistakes and a host of absurdities , which more than counterbalance any advantage which by possibility could be derived from such a process . There is another reason to be urged against this plan , AA'hich ought to weigh somewhat , even with those , whom solemn engagements would not deter from the practice ; and that is , the shame and confusion of face
, AA'hich invariably attends the discovery of the source of such a brother ' s Masonic instruction , either in open Lodge , or in the company of Masons without the Lodge . Another reason why this desiderated uniformity does not prevail to the extent , which Ave could wish , is the comparative infrequency with which a large majority of the brethren visit other Lodges . We know , and rejoice
in the fact ; that there are numerous and splendid exceptions to this ; there are brethren who devote a considerable amount both of time and money to such visitations ; they are , unfortunately , however , but as the dust of the balance as compared with those who do otherwise . Perhaps , if the bye-laws regulating the admission of visitors into Lodges , and the fees to be paid by those who introduce them , were remodelled , much good might he done in this direction . In Jersey , the fees are so low , and the reci-