Membership Of The Grand Lodge Of Scotland ; What It Is And What It Ought To Be.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND ; WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT OUGHT TO BE .

. ., . : BY AN OID PAST MASTER . . " I Ayish to be permitted in the pages of the Magazine to call the attention of the brotnerhpod to the state of matters in the . Grand . Lodge , of Scotland , Avhich has long

( been such as imperatively to call for general . acti . pn on the part of the brethren within thp ; jurisdiction to remedy evils deeply i . affecting the interests and honour of the Craft ,. and has IIOAV , in consequence of a . beginning , of such action and of resistance to ' if ,, become extremly critical , so that those

who wish to see the accomplishment of a . tjhbrpiigh and much to he desired reform have need immediately to bes-tir . themselves . The character of the Grand Lodge must always he of great importance to the Avhole Masonic fraternity : ; and therefore also its constitutionupon which its character

can-, not but in a great measure depend ; for by its constitution Avill certainly be determined the general fitness or unfitness of its members to , occupy their high and responsible jxrsition , to exercise jurisdiction over all the lodges of the . kingdom , and to decide

in questions , of great consequence , often involving points of diificulty ; and also to set , an example to theAvhole brotherhood in the good working of the Grand Lodge , its constant maintenance of the laAvs and principles ol Freemasonry , and the order , decorumand , brotherl y kindness of its

^ ipeetings . If the Grand Lodge Avere generally , pr even . to a large extent , composed . of members . Avhose education fitted them for their judicial functions , and Avhose character and social position commanded respect—men Avell esteemed amongst their brethren and in the lodges of Avhich thev

are representatives for their knoivledge of Freemasonry , who coidd not be suspected of any meanness or underhand dealing , of . any jobbery for private ends or pliancy to influences such as a Avealthy brother might choose to exercise in order to gain some purpose of Ms OAvnand who could neither

, themselves be guilty of any breach of the rules of Masonic brotherliness and gentlemanly propriety in their meetings , nor permit any one present to be so Avithout his being immediately checked , —it would

exercise a poAverful beneficial influence Avhich would be felt in every lodge Avithin its jurisdiction , and woidd greatly tend to promote the prosperity of the Craft and to elevate it in general estimation over the Avhole country . There would then be great

advantage to the office-bearers of lod ges even in distant places in frequently attending the communications of the Grand Lodge , from Avhich they Avould carry home an increased knoAvledge of Freemasonry and an improved acquaintance with the way of conducting every' part of the work

of a lodge , whilst their intercourse with brethren at its meetings Avould be as pleasant as it Avould be profitable . But I need have no hesitation in asserting , —for it is too well knoAvn to be for a moment disputed , or to be censured as the unnecessary revealing of an unpleasant secret

—that the Grand Lodge of Scotland has hitherto for many years been far from answering to this description . Scandals have abounded in its history , Avhich have in some instances resulted in driving aAvay from all further participation in Masonic matters brethren Avho were among the most worthy of honour in the brotherhood . The

meetings of the Grand Lodge have not always been peaceful , orderly , and harmonious , but sometimes even scenes of braAvling and riotous contention , in Avhich fierce words Avere uttered such as never ought to be addressed b y a Mason to a brother masonand such as are not usual in

, any assemblage of gentlemen ; whilst , instead of discussions being carried on as they ought to be , and as the laAvs of Freemasonry specially require that they should be , vrith mutual courtesy , it has been a common thing for a brother proposing or advocating

a motion not agreeable to the majority of those present , or to a section of them , to be met by shoutings , hoAvlings , and all kinds of offensive noises on the part of

members resolved beforehand not to regard any reasons Avhich he might advance . To a brother from a distant part of the country accustomed to think of the Grand Lodge Avith great respect , and happening on such an occasion to be present , the spectacle could not but be both an astonishing and

a painful one , not a little calculated to disgust Mm with Freemasonry altogether . And brethren from England , America , and other countries , happening to be present at a meeting of the Grand Lodge , coidd not