Is A Masonic Directory Desirable?

IS A MASONIC DIRECTORY DESIRABLE ?

LONDON , SATTTRDA Y , NOVF 3 IBFR 19 , 1 S 64 .

BY BEO . THE EEV . J . KINGSTON , P . PEOV . G . CHAP , DOESET , 18 ° , & c . Before this query can be satisfactorily ansAvered it will be necessary to explain what is meant by tlie expression " Masonic Directory . - " By it I

mean a list of the Freemasons in England and Wales ; for at first it Avould , perhaps , be prudent to restrict it to these countries—containing , in addition , to their full names and addresses , their professions or callings , their various degrees in the

Ordei ' , with the dates of these degrees , the number and names of the lodges , chapters , and encampments with which they haA ^ e been or are connected , together Avifch the offices Avhich they have held or hold therein , the Masonic Charities to

Avhich they subscribe , and the Avorks , if any , which they have written . There could not be a better model for such an

undertaking than " The Clerical Directory , " iu the production of which very useful publication , if I mistake not , a distinguished brother , MatfcheAv Cooke , took a prominent part . Such a Directory might be published annually , biennally , or

triennially , according to the patronage bestowed upon it by the Craft ; and that a hearty and generous patronage would be extended to ifc , I haA r e not the least doubt .

A few of the advantages Avhich Avould accrue from such a publication are the following : — 1 . The facility which , would thereby be afforded of ascertaining AA * 1 IO are supporters of our excellent Charities , and of communicating with brethren

Avho are not subscribers , but who need only a little pressure to become so . 2 . The information which it Avould supply as to the Masonic standing of each brother . A generous rivalry would thus be established among the Craftsmen .

3 . The means of discovering Avhat Masons there are in the locality in which a brother's lot may happen to be cast . It is undeniable that there are many Freemasons unconnected , for various reasons , -with any loclge , whose attachment to the Order , and

desire to carry out its grand principles , are very strong , and AA'ho would gladly extend the right hand of fellowship to any of its members Avho might come into their nei ghbourhood . 4 » . Such a publication would "' at once shut the mouth of gainsayers , when the accumulation of

great names which it would necessarily containnames great in science , in literature , in arfc , in the learned professions , in every prominent walk of life—could be thus porfcably presented to them . 5 . How great the satisfaction which Avould arise

in the heai't of every man who loved the Order , to find that names familiar in our mouths as household words have been enrolled in the archives of

Freemasonry ! HOAV common is the question , " Is so and so a Freemason ? " And how difficult , for Avant of such a Avork as this , to answer the question . Lastly , hoAV mighty a stimulus would be thus

afforded to the young Mason to follow the steps of those Avho have made their names famous , and shed a lustre on " the mystic tie !" Many other advantages resulting from the establishment of such a publication might be

enumerated . Suffice it , however , to say that if the clerical , the medical , and the legal professions , and other organisations derive great benefits—as they confessedly do—from the possession of such a Directory , Avhy should not the Masonic Order , so powerful , so important , comprehending some of

the greatest men of the day , put forth their Directory ? To this it will be answered by some thafc the advantages of a Directory Avould be counterbalanced by its disadvantages . This is a question for the Craft to decide . There are some so viciously

conservative as to oppose any , the slightest deviation from the traditions of the past—who regard Avith no faA ourable eye even the publication of a , Masonic organ , or of treatises , hoAvever carefully guarding our real and ineffable secrets , that set

forth to the profane the beauty and grandeur of the Order . If such men wore to he listened to ,, what would he the position of Masons now ? Thegreat majority of intelligent Masons are , hoAvever ,. if I am not sadly mistaken , in favour of progress ,, provided always that it does not contravene our established landmarks .

I shall doubtless also be told thafc the publication of a Masonic Directory would open the door to coAvans and impostors . On the contrary , I fully believe that it would prove a strong * barrier to the insidious attacks of those Avho would

endeavour to " climb over the Avail . " There are others who would object to a Directory on the ground that it would be the means of instituting invidious comparisons between men whose boast ifc is that they " meet upon the level . " It is indeed true that Ave " meet upon the level ; "