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  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • March 12, 1870
  • Page 2
  • THE DUTIES OF THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER.
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, March 12, 1870: Page 2

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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Duties Of The Worshipful Master.

for imitation and example : but in a society like that of the Freemasons , where plans and precepts for our guidance are so plainly laid down , it is difficult to imagine how such numbers can differ so widely in what they conceive to be the duties

and responsibilities of their position . We have known some W orshipful Masters , Nvho devoted a great deal of time and energy to the getting up of Masonic rituals and set formularies , and when they had delivered themselves of these before their

lodge , with schookboy exactness and monotony , congratulate themselves on , not only having performed their duty , but as having distinguished themselves as Masters , in a manner Avorthy of imitation—while at the same time their lodo-e is o

shamefully ruled as regards discipline and Masonic harmony . Others Ave have knoAvn who pay but little heed to Masonic ritual or ceremonial observance , stumbling and blundering through them in a most painful

and unimpressive manner , while they rule their lodge with iron hand and an iron will , proud ofthe position Avhich gives them despotic poAver . Officers

and members soon become disgusted with this overbearing and domineering conduct , but discover too late that they have made a mistake in the selection of their Worshipful Master . Another class is perhaps more common than

either of those we have just mentioned ; AYS allude to those AVIIO , from apathy and indifference to the cause , and entire disregard of the duties and responsibilities they have solemnly undertaken , neither pay attention to the ritual nor the proper ruling

of their lodge , the result of which is that the members soon fall into the same apathy and indifference—they find nothing- in the lodge to interest them , and consequently allow other

engagements of a minor and trifling nature to interfere with their regular attendance , ancl instead of a healthy , flourishing lodge , dispensing light and knowledge to its members , and promoting the best interests of the Fraternity at large , we find

one Avhich had much better yield up its charter and have its very name erased from the register , as well as from the memory of eveiy true and faithful brother . There is still another class , perhaps less

common than either of the above , and one which enlists our Avarmest sympathies . We sometimes find " good men and true , " Avho possess many , if not all the qualifications enumerated in the ancient charges , and who are competent to govern and in-

The Duties Of The Worshipful Master.

struct a Lodge of Master Masons , but who from IOAV circumstances and want of social position are incapable of filling the office with credit to themselves or their lodge . While Masonry does not recognise worldly goods with social rank and

position as qualifications for the office of W . M ,, we maintain that these , as well as knowledge and experience , are required to preserve respect and maintain authority , and that it is impossible to discharge all the duties of the office without

possessing some claim to them . We admire the thorough ritualist and disciplinarian , and contend that no lodge can flourish unless its Worshipful Master is more or less of both , but aside from these indispensable requisites ,

there are other duties devolving upon him , which are frequently omitted and ignored . "We allud to affording the members of the lodge proper Masonic instruction , upon the principles and tenets of the Order , and information on Masonic

literature m general ; the latter , we wish to refer to in particular . A very small portion ^ of the members of lodges are regular subscribers to any Masonic journal or periodical , and if Masonic news , and matters of general import and interest to the

brotherhood are not brought up and discussed in open lodge , the majority of the brethren remain in total ignorance of what is transpiring in the Masonic World . It is true in a Masonic sense , as well as in a secular , that what is news and

politics to-day becomes history to-morrow ; and if we Avant enlightened and intelligent members of our Fraternity , they must be instructed and interested in those matters , by him who has assumed the positioiA of their teacher ; and who has solemnly

engaged , by his assent to the ancient charges , to be true to his trust . We may mention as in point in point , the object of the special communication of Grand Lodge , held in Montreal on the 1 st ultimo .

We should like to know , as a matter of curiosity , if for no higher motive , hoAV many brothers there are within this jurisdiction , who have not merly heard that such a communication occurred , much less being acquainted with the object of it .

We think Ave are justified in concluding that there are many , when we take into consideration the fact , that more than one-third of all the lodges Avithin the jurisdiction , was not represented by either their own properly qualified officers or by proxy , and we doubt if those lodges , Avhich were represented by proxy , in nine cases out of ten

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1870-03-12, Page 2” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 5 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_12031870/page/2/.
  • List
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Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
THE DUTIES OF THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER. Article 1
DECORATION OF HONOUR: GORMOGONS: FREEMASONS. Article 3
MASONIC JOTTINGS.—No. 10. Article 4
A COUNCIL OF RITES. Article 5
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 6
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 8
Untitled Article 9
Untitled Article 10
Untitled Article 12
MASONIC MEMS Article 12
UNITED GRAND LODGE. Article 12
Craft Masonry. Article 14
PROVINCIAL. Article 16
INDIA. Article 17
ROYAL ARCH. Article 17
ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE. Article 18
MASONIC FESTIVITIES. SCOTLAND. Article 19
Obituary. Article 19
SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Article 20
LIST OF LODGE, MEETINGS, &c., FOR WEEK ENDING 19TH MARCH, 1870. Article 20
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Duties Of The Worshipful Master.

for imitation and example : but in a society like that of the Freemasons , where plans and precepts for our guidance are so plainly laid down , it is difficult to imagine how such numbers can differ so widely in what they conceive to be the duties

and responsibilities of their position . We have known some W orshipful Masters , Nvho devoted a great deal of time and energy to the getting up of Masonic rituals and set formularies , and when they had delivered themselves of these before their

lodge , with schookboy exactness and monotony , congratulate themselves on , not only having performed their duty , but as having distinguished themselves as Masters , in a manner Avorthy of imitation—while at the same time their lodo-e is o

shamefully ruled as regards discipline and Masonic harmony . Others Ave have knoAvn who pay but little heed to Masonic ritual or ceremonial observance , stumbling and blundering through them in a most painful

and unimpressive manner , while they rule their lodge with iron hand and an iron will , proud ofthe position Avhich gives them despotic poAver . Officers

and members soon become disgusted with this overbearing and domineering conduct , but discover too late that they have made a mistake in the selection of their Worshipful Master . Another class is perhaps more common than

either of those we have just mentioned ; AYS allude to those AVIIO , from apathy and indifference to the cause , and entire disregard of the duties and responsibilities they have solemnly undertaken , neither pay attention to the ritual nor the proper ruling

of their lodge , the result of which is that the members soon fall into the same apathy and indifference—they find nothing- in the lodge to interest them , and consequently allow other

engagements of a minor and trifling nature to interfere with their regular attendance , ancl instead of a healthy , flourishing lodge , dispensing light and knowledge to its members , and promoting the best interests of the Fraternity at large , we find

one Avhich had much better yield up its charter and have its very name erased from the register , as well as from the memory of eveiy true and faithful brother . There is still another class , perhaps less

common than either of the above , and one which enlists our Avarmest sympathies . We sometimes find " good men and true , " Avho possess many , if not all the qualifications enumerated in the ancient charges , and who are competent to govern and in-

The Duties Of The Worshipful Master.

struct a Lodge of Master Masons , but who from IOAV circumstances and want of social position are incapable of filling the office with credit to themselves or their lodge . While Masonry does not recognise worldly goods with social rank and

position as qualifications for the office of W . M ,, we maintain that these , as well as knowledge and experience , are required to preserve respect and maintain authority , and that it is impossible to discharge all the duties of the office without

possessing some claim to them . We admire the thorough ritualist and disciplinarian , and contend that no lodge can flourish unless its Worshipful Master is more or less of both , but aside from these indispensable requisites ,

there are other duties devolving upon him , which are frequently omitted and ignored . "We allud to affording the members of the lodge proper Masonic instruction , upon the principles and tenets of the Order , and information on Masonic

literature m general ; the latter , we wish to refer to in particular . A very small portion ^ of the members of lodges are regular subscribers to any Masonic journal or periodical , and if Masonic news , and matters of general import and interest to the

brotherhood are not brought up and discussed in open lodge , the majority of the brethren remain in total ignorance of what is transpiring in the Masonic World . It is true in a Masonic sense , as well as in a secular , that what is news and

politics to-day becomes history to-morrow ; and if we Avant enlightened and intelligent members of our Fraternity , they must be instructed and interested in those matters , by him who has assumed the positioiA of their teacher ; and who has solemnly

engaged , by his assent to the ancient charges , to be true to his trust . We may mention as in point in point , the object of the special communication of Grand Lodge , held in Montreal on the 1 st ultimo .

We should like to know , as a matter of curiosity , if for no higher motive , hoAV many brothers there are within this jurisdiction , who have not merly heard that such a communication occurred , much less being acquainted with the object of it .

We think Ave are justified in concluding that there are many , when we take into consideration the fact , that more than one-third of all the lodges Avithin the jurisdiction , was not represented by either their own properly qualified officers or by proxy , and we doubt if those lodges , Avhich were represented by proxy , in nine cases out of ten

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