Masonic Discipline.—Xix.

of charging the Treasurer with the duty of superintending the preparation of candidates , there is nothing to prevent the same person filling both offices of Secretary and Treasurer . According to the "Constitutions , " it is impossible to fix the limit

of the . incorporation of the various offices in the same person . Rule No . 3 , relating to private lodges , is the only one which distinctly prohibits the Master of a lodge , from filling any one particular office besides that of W . M . of the lodge to

which he belongs . There is great Avant of revision in the " Constitutions " upon the subject Ave have briefly alluded to . In addition to informing an officer of "what he may do , he should also be told what he

may not do , and the permissions and prohibition s should be so worded , as to leave no reasonable doubt of his proper duties and range of administration , either in his own mind or that of anyone else . We have no hesitation in saying that the

preparation of a candidate for any of the three degrees , is too important a part of our ceremonies to be left to be done at haphazard , as it commonly is , or only accomplished by the aid of an officer .

who ought to be at his own post . In this , as in other similar matters to which we have drawn attention , we make no assertion that it onght to be this or that person . We simply maintain , and we defy anyone to gainsay it , that

there ought to be some officer or member of the lodge appointed by the " Constitutions ' to see to so important and serious a part of our ceremonial routine as the preparation of candidates . Let the power of directing a brother to superintend it

be entrusted to the W . M . if the Supreme Authority finds the problem too hard for it to solve . Let a new officer be appointed , if necessary , and told off for that especial duty . Any regulation is better than none .

The duty of the I . G . is neatly and well expressed by the ordinary answer , " To admit Masons upon proof , to receive candidates in due form , and to obey the commands of the J . W . " It is almost incredible how brethren will absolutely go through these duties themselves , see them perpetually performed , and yet ,

when in the chair of the J . W ., be utterly-unable to so frame the answer , as to prove that they have the faintest perception of the connexion between the words and the actual duties themselves . This may partially arise because in numerous instances the J . W . never has performed the duties of I . G . We do not go so far as to assert that it is an absolute sine qua non that he should serve his time as an I . G . before

Masonic Discipline.—Xix.

he proceeds to the superior offices , but Ave do assert that no officer should he promoted to any office until he " gives proof of his proficiency" in those beneath , and through which he is by courtesy supposed to have passed . Until some stringent rule is rendered imperative

respecting the promotion of incompetent officers , the practice of Freemasonry will never emerge from the depths to wliich it has sunk . One does not expect to find the reins of discipline drawn very tight in the army , so far as the officers are concerned , but the first

thing an officer has to do when he "joins " is to learn his drill , and he is not dismissed from the hands of the drill sergeant , until at any rate ha is safe from making a fool of himself on parade . "What a mercy

it would be if we had a few Masonic drill sergeants armed with the same authority as their military confreres I We fancy some of the brethren would remain a pretty long while under their hands . At the present day very few people work for the sole sake of Avork , and if a brother can become a "W ., or even a W . M .

without , in a word , caring to give himself a moment's trouble about the ceremonies , offices , or ritual , why should he not ? If he can reconcile the matter to his conscience , the affair is ended , so far he is concerned , but that such should be the case , that it should

be permitted to be so , is a scandal and disgrace to any society or community of men who pretend to have laws and "Constitutions , " and to base " all preferment upon real worth and personal merit , " and not " merely on account of seniority of rank . "

Reformation Theory Of The Origin Of Freemasonry.

REFORMATION THEORY OF THE ORIGIN OF FREEMASONRY .

By W . P . BUCHAN . We have had the Adamite , Mosaic , Solomonic , Roman , and Guild theories ofthe ori gin of speculative Freemasonry , but as yet we have derived nothing substantial from either ot them . We have

laughed at the Adamite theory , flirted with the Mosaic , fondled the Solomonic , looked askance at the Roman , and had serious thoughts regarding the Guild , but after all here we are , still keeping Bachelor ' s Hall and Avedded to neither .

Another idea now comes tripping along and we call her the Reformation Theory , she asserts { vide N . B . Daily Mail July SOfch and FREEMASONS ' MAGAZINE July 31 st , page 88 ) , that speculative Masonry is altogether a post reformation

institution , further , says she , I feel inclined to assert I assisted to open the door and clear the way for the due setting forth , and establishment of your grandest ideas and doctrines . In the 16 th . cen-