Modern Writers Upon Freemasonry.—Ii.

chair of a Lodge at all , excepting under peculiar circumstances , as it not only kee ] JS others back , but , as in the case alluded to by Dr . Oliver , deprives the Lodge of a vote in Grand Lodge , of which every subscribing Past Master is a member in his own right . There are indeed circumstances under which it may be right to elect a Past Master to the chair of a Lodge ; he mayfor instancebe doing the

, , Lodge a favour by taking the office , owing to the illness of the Senior Warden , and the wish of the Junior Warden to go through both Wardenshrps , so as to gain more experience before taking the more important office of Worshipful Master , or he may be doing an act of justice by keeping out an incompetent person ; and these , though exceptional cases , are still cases which are continually liable to occur .

We know , however , one instance , which supports our view about plurality of offices , in which , in the case of a very worthy brother who was eligible for promotion to high offices in two Lodges , but only wished it in one , the two Worshipful Masters agreed between themselves who should have the honour of promoting him , in order that no one should be unnecessarilkept back bhis double advancement .

y y On the latter point we would , merely say that however good or sound may be the laws about the tenure of office by landlords of hotels , we trust they may soon be generally superseded or rendered unnecessary , by the severance , as far as possible , of the Craft from the tavern system , which we have been of late advocating in our pages , we trust not without effect .

We had imagined that the Director of Ceremonies occupied a higher place than that assigned him by Dr . Oliver , and that the officers took precedence in the same order as in the Grand Lodge of England , and in Provincial Grand Lodge , viz .: —Worshipful Master , Wardens , Past Masters , Chaplain , Treasurer , Secretary , Deacons , Director of Ceremonies , Organist , Inner Guard , and Stewards ; we

cannot quite agree with Dr . Oliver , that in a private Lodge , the office is almost a sinecure : we did not allow it to be so when wc held it twice . We were told , on our first appointment to it , that it was important , as involving , more or less , the comfort of every one in the Lodge , and the regularity of all its proceedings . We imagine the preparation otj aud polite attention to candidatesdue supervision of

, the signature and declaration books so as to see that both are duly signed by those and all who ought to sign them , the reception of visitors and providing them due places both in the Lodge and at refreshment , sundry little changes to be made in the Lodge , according to the degree in which it is open—fall within the duty of the Director of Ceremonies . In case any of those may beas indeed some of

, them ( according to the arrangements of some Lodge rooms ) undoubtedly are , of a somewhat menial nature , the services of an extra serving brother , as is the case in new Lodges , under the direction of the Director of Ceremonies , to help him in the execution of duties which in our opinion do not allow his office to be a sinecure , considerably expedite business , and tend alike to the comfort both of brethren