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Article MASONIC HALLS. ← Page 2 of 2
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Masonic Halls.
conviction that this practice is the one great hindrance to the more extensive spread of the principles of the Order in the provinces ; and Avhile itkeeps many a worthy man from joining onr ranks , it is , unhappily , the means of doing incalculable injury to many young men AVIIO become Freemasons . This should not be so . if Freemasonry is by any man suffered to become an excuse for mere eating and deep drinking , it is to him a sham
and a delusion ; and instead of making him a better ancl more virtuous man , it Avill have just the opposite effect , and will sink him lower in the depths of immorality and sin . I knoAV several Freemasons , good and consistent ones too , who are teetotallers—ancl all honour to an honest teetotaller ; and I find by the Mayarine , that in one Lodge in my OAVU country two members of the Society of Friends have recently been made Masons . Could these menin a small townwhere the eye of jealousy and
suspi-, , cion is ever upon them , consistently with their profession attend tAi'o or three nights a week at an hotel , and escape scathless ? I say—and I think you Avill echo— " decidedly not . " Their intentions may be good , and their motives pure , but the tongue of scandal will surely blast their fair fame ; ancl , sir , it is this that keeps hundreds of men , who would be bright and shining lights amongst us , from ranging themselves beneath the Masonic banner .
In the next place , as to the temptation to ivhich Masons , young Masons especially , arc subjected by attending Lodges held at taverns . The duties of their Lodge arc ended ; everything has passed off in a most agreeable and satisfactory manner ; the Brethren arc all pleased and elated ; Ave must have one glass and one cigar before wc part , to talk over matters and for the good of the house ; supper follows—then another glass ancl another cigar ; oh , sir , it is the old talc—and poor Freemasonry gets all the blame .
Yonder brother surely has forgotten that he has to be up and at his work to-morrow ( or rather this ) morning by seven , or perhaps six o ' clock , and that , his trade , or it may be his profession , demands a clear head and a steady hand . Yonder other Brother cannot be aware that it is well nigh two o ' clock , and that there is waiting up for him at home , pale , and shivering over the expiring fire , one who ought to be nearer and dearer to him than Freemasonryor even life itself . Both must have utterlforgotten wliat
, y they heard so lately , that Freemasonry is not a selfish system of eating and drinking and smoking and carousing , but a pure system of morality . For my OAA ' part I am no teetotaller , neither do I in moderation shun the pleasures of the festive board , or of convivial , society , but I do maintain that no drunkard or swearer , or neglectcr of his home and family , is or can be a true Freemason .
Well , now Sir , briefly to point the moral , let those Lodges which have their OATO halls , lend their surplus funds on proper security to those Lodges which have none ; let the Lodges which now meet at inns , make an effort to get a home and a house of their own—and they will find themselves much happier and more comfortable , far more prosperous , and much more respected . I find I am trespassing too much on your space . I ii-anted to say something . about the Freemasons' Hall and the proposed alterations , but I must defer that- to a future opportunity . I am , Sir and Brother , your obedient servant , A YORKSHIRE MASON ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Halls.
conviction that this practice is the one great hindrance to the more extensive spread of the principles of the Order in the provinces ; and Avhile itkeeps many a worthy man from joining onr ranks , it is , unhappily , the means of doing incalculable injury to many young men AVIIO become Freemasons . This should not be so . if Freemasonry is by any man suffered to become an excuse for mere eating and deep drinking , it is to him a sham
and a delusion ; and instead of making him a better ancl more virtuous man , it Avill have just the opposite effect , and will sink him lower in the depths of immorality and sin . I knoAV several Freemasons , good and consistent ones too , who are teetotallers—ancl all honour to an honest teetotaller ; and I find by the Mayarine , that in one Lodge in my OAVU country two members of the Society of Friends have recently been made Masons . Could these menin a small townwhere the eye of jealousy and
suspi-, , cion is ever upon them , consistently with their profession attend tAi'o or three nights a week at an hotel , and escape scathless ? I say—and I think you Avill echo— " decidedly not . " Their intentions may be good , and their motives pure , but the tongue of scandal will surely blast their fair fame ; ancl , sir , it is this that keeps hundreds of men , who would be bright and shining lights amongst us , from ranging themselves beneath the Masonic banner .
In the next place , as to the temptation to ivhich Masons , young Masons especially , arc subjected by attending Lodges held at taverns . The duties of their Lodge arc ended ; everything has passed off in a most agreeable and satisfactory manner ; the Brethren arc all pleased and elated ; Ave must have one glass and one cigar before wc part , to talk over matters and for the good of the house ; supper follows—then another glass ancl another cigar ; oh , sir , it is the old talc—and poor Freemasonry gets all the blame .
Yonder brother surely has forgotten that he has to be up and at his work to-morrow ( or rather this ) morning by seven , or perhaps six o ' clock , and that , his trade , or it may be his profession , demands a clear head and a steady hand . Yonder other Brother cannot be aware that it is well nigh two o ' clock , and that there is waiting up for him at home , pale , and shivering over the expiring fire , one who ought to be nearer and dearer to him than Freemasonryor even life itself . Both must have utterlforgotten wliat
, y they heard so lately , that Freemasonry is not a selfish system of eating and drinking and smoking and carousing , but a pure system of morality . For my OAA ' part I am no teetotaller , neither do I in moderation shun the pleasures of the festive board , or of convivial , society , but I do maintain that no drunkard or swearer , or neglectcr of his home and family , is or can be a true Freemason .
Well , now Sir , briefly to point the moral , let those Lodges which have their OATO halls , lend their surplus funds on proper security to those Lodges which have none ; let the Lodges which now meet at inns , make an effort to get a home and a house of their own—and they will find themselves much happier and more comfortable , far more prosperous , and much more respected . I find I am trespassing too much on your space . I ii-anted to say something . about the Freemasons' Hall and the proposed alterations , but I must defer that- to a future opportunity . I am , Sir and Brother , your obedient servant , A YORKSHIRE MASON ,