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Our Architectural Chapter
OUR AKCHITECTHRAL CHAPTER
We are barren this week of masonic iiews of architectural import ; and this puts us in mind to urge correspondents to forward iuformation of this kind—for in the growing zeal of the order for th ^ tectural privileges , every example of a ceremonial ~ of laying a first stone is an encouragement to Lodges , and to architects , builders , and others , to follow a like course . Many omit such celebrations , because they
do not think of it j many persons are timid of asking M & sonie authorities to discharge this duty j and thus a foundation is hurried over in huggermugger , or celebrated with coiisiderahle expense , without any Masonic rites ; being performed . Were the practice better known , many a builder who is not a Mason would appeal for the assistance of the Graft if he knew he was asking for the discharge of public functions and more intimate relations would spring up with the trades
and professions connected with architecture . There is hardly a small country town which has a Lodge , in which , in these days of progress some new building is not yearly begun , and wherein a Lodge would not find scope for practical business . Now , what is a small , country Lodge to do ^ beyond initiations , passings , and raisings , few and far between , there is often nothing ; no distinguished visitor honours the Lodge and casts a light on its doings ; there is seldom a decayed member whose
cause lias to be advocated with the central authorities . Thus an occasional banquet is held , and passes coldly off j the Lodge is kept alive ; it passes a [ few men into the order , who are equally listlessarid there is all it does . A zealous Provincial Grand Master may visit it , and preserve it in ritual solemnity , but the same dozen men , or the occasional score , who meet in the high street or at the market cross every day , have nothing new to learn of each other in a place where intellectual exertion has little scope . The case Is none the better
where the Lodge is of a higher class , and the solicitor , the surgeon , the clergyman , and the few professional men ^ are regular attendants or officials . The chance Master of the year does his duty decently , because he has been fairly drilled in every office , and there is a Past Master and Past Provincial Grand Officer who discharges some accustomed duty with a dignified bearing , and enjoys the respect of the brethren . The want of life and vigour is however the canker of the
small Lodges in the countiy . It is easy to conceive a very different system with a Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works active and ready to do his duty . There are few ofthe provinces so very large , and with such a number of Lodges dispersed apart , but that in , the course of the year the Grand Superintendent of Works could visit each and call the attention of the brethren to the discharge of their duties , giving at the same time some practical instruction in architectural matters having
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Architectural Chapter
OUR AKCHITECTHRAL CHAPTER
We are barren this week of masonic iiews of architectural import ; and this puts us in mind to urge correspondents to forward iuformation of this kind—for in the growing zeal of the order for th ^ tectural privileges , every example of a ceremonial ~ of laying a first stone is an encouragement to Lodges , and to architects , builders , and others , to follow a like course . Many omit such celebrations , because they
do not think of it j many persons are timid of asking M & sonie authorities to discharge this duty j and thus a foundation is hurried over in huggermugger , or celebrated with coiisiderahle expense , without any Masonic rites ; being performed . Were the practice better known , many a builder who is not a Mason would appeal for the assistance of the Graft if he knew he was asking for the discharge of public functions and more intimate relations would spring up with the trades
and professions connected with architecture . There is hardly a small country town which has a Lodge , in which , in these days of progress some new building is not yearly begun , and wherein a Lodge would not find scope for practical business . Now , what is a small , country Lodge to do ^ beyond initiations , passings , and raisings , few and far between , there is often nothing ; no distinguished visitor honours the Lodge and casts a light on its doings ; there is seldom a decayed member whose
cause lias to be advocated with the central authorities . Thus an occasional banquet is held , and passes coldly off j the Lodge is kept alive ; it passes a [ few men into the order , who are equally listlessarid there is all it does . A zealous Provincial Grand Master may visit it , and preserve it in ritual solemnity , but the same dozen men , or the occasional score , who meet in the high street or at the market cross every day , have nothing new to learn of each other in a place where intellectual exertion has little scope . The case Is none the better
where the Lodge is of a higher class , and the solicitor , the surgeon , the clergyman , and the few professional men ^ are regular attendants or officials . The chance Master of the year does his duty decently , because he has been fairly drilled in every office , and there is a Past Master and Past Provincial Grand Officer who discharges some accustomed duty with a dignified bearing , and enjoys the respect of the brethren . The want of life and vigour is however the canker of the
small Lodges in the countiy . It is easy to conceive a very different system with a Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works active and ready to do his duty . There are few ofthe provinces so very large , and with such a number of Lodges dispersed apart , but that in , the course of the year the Grand Superintendent of Works could visit each and call the attention of the brethren to the discharge of their duties , giving at the same time some practical instruction in architectural matters having