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Article OUR ARCHITECTURAL CHAPTEE. ← Page 4 of 7 →
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Our Architectural Chaptee.
many ; anc } unless the Grand Lodge of England does something to coinply with the growing demand springing up among Masons , it will again become the province of the higher degrees , in which the cultivation of the few will be promoted , instead of the advancement of the massT Simple liturgicalobservance , as an effort of memory , may satisfy men who have beeii used to nothing better—or at the best it may elevate the individual to the height of a well graced actor : but the certain result of the limitation of Masonry
to such occupations , and to convivial celebrations , must be to effect the withdrawal from active Masonry of the mass of men having higher aspirations . A few peers , and a few membersof parliament , out of the numbers in the order , pay yearly tribute as Provincial Grand Masters , and half a dozen give their attention to Grand Lodge . On the other hand , we see numbers of men of a lower stamp making a livelihood and occupation of Masonry , and presenting themselves to the initiates as the types oSMasonic proficiency . It is in vain that we profess
tointroduee iiimto the liberal arts and sciences , when we take no steps to realize the promise so made to the ear . Presto 1 the F . G . is niade a M . M . at the next Lodge meeting , and so our obligations are fulfilled ; and yet aLodge might be , what it has been , and what it should be , a school of the liberal arts and sciences- —an attraction to every true Mason in this age of j ) rogress . We will merely mention one circumstance to show the esteem in which the Craft is held as an intellectual institution . In every shire there is now an arch ^ ological or architectural institute ; and we find ? year after year , the members of these institutions invited to visit
some cathedral , palace , or mansion in their district , whereon a paper is read ; and afterwards the dignitary or other personage who gives the invitation , offers a collation to the visitors . Now , what Lodge has been asked to visit cathedral , minster , castle , or mansion for any purpose of intellectual relaxation ; and yet this is a marked era of architectural activity , and the only such era apparently in which the name of Freemasonry will not be found in its history .
We therefore turn with no small anxiety , at the date of writing Jihis , to the weighty matter which before the period of our next publication will have been decided by Grand Lodge . On this decision depends much : first , whether the landmarks of the Craft shall be maintained , and the solemn dedications of temples to sacred rites be a recognized institution—or whether , from some faintheartedness , or
some sacrifice to prejudice , we shall do an injury to our Brethren , and present a baneful example to the Masonic world . We have already seen in . some towns ttyatthe proposition of a Masonic Hall has been received with lukewarmness ; Brethren sajr they do not see why a hall is wanted—the Grand Lodge of England meets in
Freemasons' Tavern y for many make no distinction , and believe indeed that the Grand Lodge of England is the tenant at will of the keeper of the Freemasons' Tavern . Hence they hold back from supporting the plan for a local hall ; and for .-want of a sufficient support the undertaking falls
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Architectural Chaptee.
many ; anc } unless the Grand Lodge of England does something to coinply with the growing demand springing up among Masons , it will again become the province of the higher degrees , in which the cultivation of the few will be promoted , instead of the advancement of the massT Simple liturgicalobservance , as an effort of memory , may satisfy men who have beeii used to nothing better—or at the best it may elevate the individual to the height of a well graced actor : but the certain result of the limitation of Masonry
to such occupations , and to convivial celebrations , must be to effect the withdrawal from active Masonry of the mass of men having higher aspirations . A few peers , and a few membersof parliament , out of the numbers in the order , pay yearly tribute as Provincial Grand Masters , and half a dozen give their attention to Grand Lodge . On the other hand , we see numbers of men of a lower stamp making a livelihood and occupation of Masonry , and presenting themselves to the initiates as the types oSMasonic proficiency . It is in vain that we profess
tointroduee iiimto the liberal arts and sciences , when we take no steps to realize the promise so made to the ear . Presto 1 the F . G . is niade a M . M . at the next Lodge meeting , and so our obligations are fulfilled ; and yet aLodge might be , what it has been , and what it should be , a school of the liberal arts and sciences- —an attraction to every true Mason in this age of j ) rogress . We will merely mention one circumstance to show the esteem in which the Craft is held as an intellectual institution . In every shire there is now an arch ^ ological or architectural institute ; and we find ? year after year , the members of these institutions invited to visit
some cathedral , palace , or mansion in their district , whereon a paper is read ; and afterwards the dignitary or other personage who gives the invitation , offers a collation to the visitors . Now , what Lodge has been asked to visit cathedral , minster , castle , or mansion for any purpose of intellectual relaxation ; and yet this is a marked era of architectural activity , and the only such era apparently in which the name of Freemasonry will not be found in its history .
We therefore turn with no small anxiety , at the date of writing Jihis , to the weighty matter which before the period of our next publication will have been decided by Grand Lodge . On this decision depends much : first , whether the landmarks of the Craft shall be maintained , and the solemn dedications of temples to sacred rites be a recognized institution—or whether , from some faintheartedness , or
some sacrifice to prejudice , we shall do an injury to our Brethren , and present a baneful example to the Masonic world . We have already seen in . some towns ttyatthe proposition of a Masonic Hall has been received with lukewarmness ; Brethren sajr they do not see why a hall is wanted—the Grand Lodge of England meets in
Freemasons' Tavern y for many make no distinction , and believe indeed that the Grand Lodge of England is the tenant at will of the keeper of the Freemasons' Tavern . Hence they hold back from supporting the plan for a local hall ; and for .-want of a sufficient support the undertaking falls