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Article TWO SIDES. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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Two Sides.
man , even better—this is wh y it is so universal—through its hidden self , and so supremely excellent , that , with all its guarded cautiousness , its light breaks forth and beams with the truthfulness of its righteous actions . There is so much that
is so beautiful in it , that it is to be regretted there is a reverse side to it , and all such communities and systems . Freemasonry is no exception , and this , by way of parenthesis , is a grand reason wh y the older heads should carefully watch her
bulwarks . My experience teaches me that the more pure a " doctrina " is the more likely is it to be abused , and under its mantle evil is easier and sooner practised . This is the sorrowful side of it , but with careful watchfulness these excrescencies can both be modified and ameliorated and such stumbling blocks removed . Onl y let the fathers of the craft observe more
caution , more prudenee m whom we introduce . The rigour of introduction is certainly not so strict as it was years gone by ; it was then considered a very high privilege and honour to be made a freemason . I do not say it is not so now . I hold that it is most honourablebut still
, it appears to me that there is much surface character about it , both inside a lodge and outside of it too . Somehow or other there is not the solid geniality of former times . This conies in my opinion from growing too fastand is this growth
, and increase of that sort of stuff we may be proud of ? Not altogether so , I think . It is said young blood vitalises , strengthens perhaps . But suppose erysipelas is current in this stream of life , and it makes itself apparent . I think more
watchfulness is necessary , I do not believe in the induction of too much juniorism , it is neither politic nor acceptable for many reasons . For instance , here is one . An observation of the following nature is not calculated to give sterlingness to the
sacred rites of our order— "There is . agood chance of your going into office and soon arriving at the chair . " I hold that such a remark takes away both the solemnity and dignity of Freemasonry , when it is made a stalking horse to get to Power . The
fact of becoming the Master of a Lod ge causes many young M . Ms , to learn off b y rote our holy rituals , in parrot fashion , without the true knowledge necessary to
practise the principles upon which the Craft is built . Such knowledge is as the sapling to the sturdy oak , but this sapling knowledge becomes presumption , and oak presumptive . I have witnessed this and regretted it . Once more little coteries
are formed aud small cliques , which are injurious to the firm solidity of Lodge and Craft ri g hts . I hold the order in higher veneration , and do not believe in alphabetic Masonry or Masons . I do not wish to see it overrun by types of this kind , or
to see the elder Mason under the dictation of inexperienced novices , Such proceedure is not Freemasonry , neither does it form any piart of her glorious principles . Good men leave her ranks from such causes . If good working means per sethe learning
, of our ritual , and implies that it is the substauce upon which the order is held together , then it is froth and scboolboyish . If it means the helping hand and fulfilling the divine law , then , there are thousands of laudable Masons who never arrive at
the dignity of the chair , and these , in my humble opinion , are as superior to an attainer of the chair as the sun is to Saturn . I think very much of the
grandeur of our themes . They are lost when the ritual is stumbliugly spoken , and I would rather at any time hear it read as from a lecturn , with right punctuation . All men cannot be " actors , " neither is it necessary to the well-being of the order . In foreign Lodges I believe much of the
oft-repeated ritual is dispensed with , and the Brethren are entertained by Lectures upon some of the numberless and beautiful subjects there are to be found in the rites and ceremonies of our mighty fraternity . For my own part I would sooner listen to
a sound speech than so much repetition . Let me jjlainly ask why do so many brethren retire when raising and passing takes place ? It arises from the " ennui " created b y the constantly repeated same ritual . Oft repetition creates weariness .
'Tis not in the power of all to be preceptors , neither are all men blessed with capacious memories , neither do I think it of such vital importance , either for the well-being or stability of the Craft ; surely it is not the essential of
Freemasonry-Business men , of whom ninety per centare its members , and the blood and soul of it , have not the time to acquire with per-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Two Sides.
man , even better—this is wh y it is so universal—through its hidden self , and so supremely excellent , that , with all its guarded cautiousness , its light breaks forth and beams with the truthfulness of its righteous actions . There is so much that
is so beautiful in it , that it is to be regretted there is a reverse side to it , and all such communities and systems . Freemasonry is no exception , and this , by way of parenthesis , is a grand reason wh y the older heads should carefully watch her
bulwarks . My experience teaches me that the more pure a " doctrina " is the more likely is it to be abused , and under its mantle evil is easier and sooner practised . This is the sorrowful side of it , but with careful watchfulness these excrescencies can both be modified and ameliorated and such stumbling blocks removed . Onl y let the fathers of the craft observe more
caution , more prudenee m whom we introduce . The rigour of introduction is certainly not so strict as it was years gone by ; it was then considered a very high privilege and honour to be made a freemason . I do not say it is not so now . I hold that it is most honourablebut still
, it appears to me that there is much surface character about it , both inside a lodge and outside of it too . Somehow or other there is not the solid geniality of former times . This conies in my opinion from growing too fastand is this growth
, and increase of that sort of stuff we may be proud of ? Not altogether so , I think . It is said young blood vitalises , strengthens perhaps . But suppose erysipelas is current in this stream of life , and it makes itself apparent . I think more
watchfulness is necessary , I do not believe in the induction of too much juniorism , it is neither politic nor acceptable for many reasons . For instance , here is one . An observation of the following nature is not calculated to give sterlingness to the
sacred rites of our order— "There is . agood chance of your going into office and soon arriving at the chair . " I hold that such a remark takes away both the solemnity and dignity of Freemasonry , when it is made a stalking horse to get to Power . The
fact of becoming the Master of a Lod ge causes many young M . Ms , to learn off b y rote our holy rituals , in parrot fashion , without the true knowledge necessary to
practise the principles upon which the Craft is built . Such knowledge is as the sapling to the sturdy oak , but this sapling knowledge becomes presumption , and oak presumptive . I have witnessed this and regretted it . Once more little coteries
are formed aud small cliques , which are injurious to the firm solidity of Lodge and Craft ri g hts . I hold the order in higher veneration , and do not believe in alphabetic Masonry or Masons . I do not wish to see it overrun by types of this kind , or
to see the elder Mason under the dictation of inexperienced novices , Such proceedure is not Freemasonry , neither does it form any piart of her glorious principles . Good men leave her ranks from such causes . If good working means per sethe learning
, of our ritual , and implies that it is the substauce upon which the order is held together , then it is froth and scboolboyish . If it means the helping hand and fulfilling the divine law , then , there are thousands of laudable Masons who never arrive at
the dignity of the chair , and these , in my humble opinion , are as superior to an attainer of the chair as the sun is to Saturn . I think very much of the
grandeur of our themes . They are lost when the ritual is stumbliugly spoken , and I would rather at any time hear it read as from a lecturn , with right punctuation . All men cannot be " actors , " neither is it necessary to the well-being of the order . In foreign Lodges I believe much of the
oft-repeated ritual is dispensed with , and the Brethren are entertained by Lectures upon some of the numberless and beautiful subjects there are to be found in the rites and ceremonies of our mighty fraternity . For my own part I would sooner listen to
a sound speech than so much repetition . Let me jjlainly ask why do so many brethren retire when raising and passing takes place ? It arises from the " ennui " created b y the constantly repeated same ritual . Oft repetition creates weariness .
'Tis not in the power of all to be preceptors , neither are all men blessed with capacious memories , neither do I think it of such vital importance , either for the well-being or stability of the Craft ; surely it is not the essential of
Freemasonry-Business men , of whom ninety per centare its members , and the blood and soul of it , have not the time to acquire with per-