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Article THE MASONIC CHARITIES. ← Page 2 of 2 Article MASONIC RECORDS. Page 1 of 4 →
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The Masonic Charities.
that Ave approved of tho scheme of Bro . Crew , but rather as an aid ta than a substitute for , tho one laid down by tho committee . We are glad to receive these A'arious communications , believing that the more the subject is kept before the . Brethren , and the more , to use a fashionable term of the day , it is ventilated tho better it Avill
prove for tho permanent advantage of the charities ; if there bo any truth in the adage , that in " a multitude of counsellors there is wisdom . "
Masonic Records.
MASONIC RECORDS .
IT is often a matter of regret , that although AVO have many ancient Lodges , Avith Avhich many men of eminence have been connected , AVO have so few histories of Lodges . Wo haA'c been very much struck on perusing the accounts of the Burns celebrations , to see IIOAV large a share tho Craft took in those commemorations of the poet , and yet Burns is but one of many
distinguished men enrolled among our brethren . The Masonic annals of Robert Burns have , hoAveA ^ er , been recorded , and thus there were inducements to join in this homage to him , but of any other great poets AVIIO have been Masons , no trace remains in their Lodges , Indeed the state of Masonic records deserves serious consideration . We look in the calendar and find a Lodge dating perhaps from 1759
or 1809 , and Ave flatter ourselves that a perusal of its minute hooks will reveal to us the history of Masonry in the cityAvhcre it flourished . Ahis ! our friend tho Secretary SIIOAVS us ono ill kept minute book , beginning only in 18 'i-O , as all that he has received from his predecessors . For this there are many causes assigned—fires iu the publichouses—rats—the Secretary died—the Lodge . nearly died—ono of
, the Masters had kept the hooks , and no one knew what had become of thorn , —and all and sundry casualties are recounted afc fche various toAvns where the curious Mason inquires . Thus lie is nearly always doomed to disappointment , and the spirit of Masonic aufciquariaiu ' siu is damped .
Such a state of affairs is not Avonderful , for in order to have Lodpe records Ave must first of all have books , and then some place to keep them in ; and an ambulant Lodge trudging from toAvn to toAvn , or meeting casually in a town hall , has no settled abode for its books . Very often it has not CA'eii a box in Avhich to keep them , and tiie minute book is left in the hands of tlie Secretary , the Masterthe
, Treasurer , or even the Tyler—occasionally for the benefit of the profane . The Secretary is often a young member—liaving IIOAV born zeal , and Avilling to g ive time to the duties , he is appointed , has a minute book delivered over to him , and it never occurs to him Avhat records
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Charities.
that Ave approved of tho scheme of Bro . Crew , but rather as an aid ta than a substitute for , tho one laid down by tho committee . We are glad to receive these A'arious communications , believing that the more the subject is kept before the . Brethren , and the more , to use a fashionable term of the day , it is ventilated tho better it Avill
prove for tho permanent advantage of the charities ; if there bo any truth in the adage , that in " a multitude of counsellors there is wisdom . "
Masonic Records.
MASONIC RECORDS .
IT is often a matter of regret , that although AVO have many ancient Lodges , Avith Avhich many men of eminence have been connected , AVO have so few histories of Lodges . Wo haA'c been very much struck on perusing the accounts of the Burns celebrations , to see IIOAV large a share tho Craft took in those commemorations of the poet , and yet Burns is but one of many
distinguished men enrolled among our brethren . The Masonic annals of Robert Burns have , hoAveA ^ er , been recorded , and thus there were inducements to join in this homage to him , but of any other great poets AVIIO have been Masons , no trace remains in their Lodges , Indeed the state of Masonic records deserves serious consideration . We look in the calendar and find a Lodge dating perhaps from 1759
or 1809 , and Ave flatter ourselves that a perusal of its minute hooks will reveal to us the history of Masonry in the cityAvhcre it flourished . Ahis ! our friend tho Secretary SIIOAVS us ono ill kept minute book , beginning only in 18 'i-O , as all that he has received from his predecessors . For this there are many causes assigned—fires iu the publichouses—rats—the Secretary died—the Lodge . nearly died—ono of
, the Masters had kept the hooks , and no one knew what had become of thorn , —and all and sundry casualties are recounted afc fche various toAvns where the curious Mason inquires . Thus lie is nearly always doomed to disappointment , and the spirit of Masonic aufciquariaiu ' siu is damped .
Such a state of affairs is not Avonderful , for in order to have Lodpe records Ave must first of all have books , and then some place to keep them in ; and an ambulant Lodge trudging from toAvn to toAvn , or meeting casually in a town hall , has no settled abode for its books . Very often it has not CA'eii a box in Avhich to keep them , and tiie minute book is left in the hands of tlie Secretary , the Masterthe
, Treasurer , or even the Tyler—occasionally for the benefit of the profane . The Secretary is often a young member—liaving IIOAV born zeal , and Avilling to g ive time to the duties , he is appointed , has a minute book delivered over to him , and it never occurs to him Avhat records