The Future Of Masonry.

THE FUTURE OF MASONRY .

The future of Masonry , what is it ? Who can answer ? These are pregnant questions , constantly rising in the . minds of thoughtful Masons , and cannot be shuffled off , if we would , and should not , if we could . The past decade in the Masonic history

is an eventful one , whether we regard the great progress it has made in the increase of its membership , now numbering hundreds of thousands in this free countiy , so acceptable to the seekers after liberty , equality , and fraternity , or the equally

proportionate increase of the grand and particular bodies exercising jurisdiction and government over its rites and mysteries . With this growth , —a matter of just pride to the sons of light , —it

has strengthened itself both m its internal organism , and its external influence in and upon society at large . During the past decade , great progress has been made , too , in the character of the " house we

live in ; " fit and becoming temples have been erected in many of the Masonic centres , both east and west , honourable to their builders , and an ornament to the cities wherein they are located . This period is also remarkable for the greatly

increased attention that has been given to the study of the ritual , especially b }> - the younger portion of our brethren , till the number of " bright Masons " can no more be counted . With this revival in the

work ( so called ) , has come a corres 23 onding increase in the number of periodicals , devoted in whole or part to the dissemination of light . When the Grand Lodge of Iowa was organised , we commenced our library with the "Freemasons' Monthly

Magazine , " the only one then published on the western continent . At this writing , we have lying upon our table no less than one for each year of our existence as a Grand Lodge ; viz : twentyseven , and " the cry is , still they come . "

Now , with all this increase in numbers , and growth in material prosperity , the question conies , bidden , or unbidden , —like that of " Watchman , what of the night ?"—Is it well with thee , my brother , is it well with the Order ? Who shall

answer ? The past may have sufficed for the past ; but for the future , mark our tvords , an enlightened and observant public will require of us to be up and doing , and with our might , what our hands find to do . We may , nay , must , continue to meet in our Lodges . —the Mason's sacred retreat , —and culti-

The Future Of Masonry.

vate the social element in our natures . We must keep up our grand bodies , those seats of legislation and higher judication , made necessary by the imperfections of human wisdom . We must pay our dues , raise funds , and spend money as before ;

this cannot be avoided , yet " only this , and nothing more , " will not do . The time has come , verily , now is , when a Mason must be something more than a parrot . He must become learned more or less , in the jurisprudence of the order , in

which , alas , ninety-seven hundredths are profoundly ignorant , even of the laws of their own jurisdiction . He must be read in the history of an institution , which its ignorant and foolish devotees have too often claimed in public and

private discourse , as coeval with Noah , and even Adam . He must have some acquaintance with its symboiogy , its mysteries , and their ori gin and allusions , or be scoffed at as an intruder or pretender .

But when he has , to some extent , mastered these , —nay , while he is labouring to do it , for it canot be done without labour , —he and the order must do something more to satisfy the just demands of an awakened brotherhood and an intelligent

and hopeful public . Several years ago a hue and cry ran through the rank aud file , and found expression in the addresses of Grand Masters and Grand Orators , that the mission of Masonry was to found

" Masonic colleges . " This effort aborted in the conferring of honorary degrees , which had already become " dog cheap , " till the only real titled persons to be found are the untitled ' ones . In this jurisdiction , in common with our

brethren elsewhere , many crazed after this ignis fatuis . If we were but boastful of great deeds , we might justly lay claim to having saved our brethren much money and greater mortification , in that " we killed Cock Robin " in Iowa . The measure

has lately found new advocates in our midst ; it cannot receive our approval . We have a noble university , endowed by the general government , which , if it can be governed by men whose instincts are a degree removed from the cesspool of

politics , and liberally supported by the State , as it deserves to be , will , in the hands of its capable ancl devoted faculty , several of whom are Masons , meet all the demands of the fraternity . Some have moved in the direction of founding lodge libraries ; this is well . Would that there were