Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.

must stand or fall by its OAVU inherent qualities , but certainly such men as Bros . Hughan , Little , and other of like calibre will never be extinguished by the " thunder and small" beer of any clique , hoAvever influential they may consider themselves .

The sum total of our reflections on the conflict of jurisdictions amount to this—that the Masonic feeling will conquer all difficulties and that without endorsing any particular rule " Peace love and harmony" Avill always avoid giving needless offence

or withholding help rightfully demanded . Whereever difficulties arise they may generally be traced to some one or two wrong—headed people who have no proper appreciation of their Masonic views and the good sense and fraternal sym pathy of the

great body of Freemasons is at any time quite equal to overcoming the assumptuous and airs of merely ornamental Masons . We have therefore no doubt that as time rolls on there will be feAver causes for any conflict betAveen one jurisdiction and another .

Masonic Discipline.—Xix.

MASONIC DISCIPLINE . —XIX .

BY CRUX . At the commencent of our articles , Ave intimated that it Avas our intention to take Masonry as it is , not as it has been asserted to be , or as it may have been in far gone times . With this object in view ,

any arguments , we may allege , against the actual present practice of Masonry cannot be refuted by the mere assertion that it is correct because it is

ancient ; neither can the opinion of any brother be regarded as possessing any validity , unless he brings or endeavours to bring some stronger proof than his OAVU statement or belief of our conclusions being erroneous , and his right . We have

carefully avoided throughout , advancing anything Avithout giving , or attempting to give such proofs of our statements , as have evinced our earnest wish to effect that conscientious dischare-e of our selfimposed task Avith all the fairness , candour , and

integrity which the important nature of the subject demands . Our answer to the letter of " H . O . " will be found in the columns reserved for correspondents . Proceeding onAvards , the duty of the O . G .

claims a brief notice , not for the nature of the reply , as it is as clear and explanatory as could be expressed iu the necessarily limited length of the response , but for its connection or rather implied connection Aviththe preparation of the candidates .

The Avords are " to see that candidates come properly prepared , " but this by no means imphis that the O . G . is to personally direct and superintend the preparation in the ante-room . It clearly signifies that he is bound , and bound only , to allow

no candidates to pass him unless they are properly prepared . Who , then , is the proper person to direct and superintend the preparation of the candidates ? Is it the O . G . ? Is it the SteAvard , or is it any brother Avho chooses to do it ,

provided he is able ? Whoever else it may be , it cannot be the SteAvard , for several reasons . In the first place , very feAv lodges , comparatively speaking , elect Stewards . In the second , the

election of that officer or officers , for there are usually tvro of them , is entirely optional . A lodge need not elect them unless it pleases . The words of the " Constitutions " are express on the point , and run thus , — "A Chaplain , Master of the

Ceremonies , and Stewards may be appointed . " This " may" is in distinct contrast to the word " must . " which occurs in the same paragraph . Unquestionably , any member of the lodge into which the candidate seeks admittance , may attend

to his " preparation , " but , unless some officer is especially deputed to do so , it generally falls to the T . to look after it . It is , in fact , a case of " nobody ' s business , ' although every member of the lodge is in reality interested in the matter .

Our readers will admit that there are many valid reasons Avhy the T . should not superintend the preparation of a candidate . He cannot do so Avithout neglecting his own immediate and urgent duty . He cannot be in the ante-room and " At

the door of the lodge , on the outside / ' at the same time . If he attend to the one duty he must neglect the other . The Master of the Ceremonies or the SteAvards certainly appear to be the fittest persons from Avhich to select the one deputed to

superintend the prepai-ation of the candidate , but as none of these officers are absolutely necessary to the forming of a lodge , and do not exist in a great many , the consideration of them falls to the ground . Whom , therefore , have Ave to fall back upon ? The

P . M . 's , some will say . But suppose there are no P . M . ' s , as must be the case with a newly-constituted lodge during the year of its first W . M . ! The only officer who is able to quit the lodge , or at any rate to quit it with the least amount of

inconvenience , is the Treasurer , who , by the "Constitutions , " is a compulsory officer . But , apart from the someAvhat anomalous circumstance ,