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Article PRE-REQUISITES FOR MASONIC INITIATION. ← Page 3 of 4 →
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Pre-Requisites For Masonic Initiation.
masonry , to advance their own particular religious sect , is of itself sufficient to prove they have lost sight of the grand universal basis of the Craft and have wholly misunderstood the aims of the Fraternity . I see in the by-laws of the Kilwinning Lodge , No . 356 , Cincinnati , is
the following from the Laws of the Grand Lodge of Ohio : — " No religious tests shall ever be required of any applicant for the benefits of Masonry , other than a steadfast belief in the existence and perfection of Deity ; and no Lodge under this jurisdiction shall receive any candidate without the acknowledgment of such belief . " In the
name of common sense , is not this a sufficient safeguard ? What more should be required religiously I cannot make out myself , and have no patience with those who seek to narrow the Masonic platform , or dogmatize either in favour of Christianity or Judaism , as
prerequisites for initiation into Freemasonry . [ 7 i . ] Many Provincial Grand Lodges have similar laws to Province of Cornwall respecting the initiation of non-residents . "No person resident in or near any town or place where a Lodge is established shall be balloted for into any Lodge held elsewhere within this
Province , unless the Master of the Lodge where he so seeks admission shall previously make enquiry in writing of the Master of every Lodge in the town , or nearest the place where the candidate resides , touching the fitness of such candidate . The brother of whom such enquiry is made shall make prompt reply thereto in writing , and it
shall be incumbent on the Master to read the reply to the members of the Lodge before the ballot is taken . " ( Forms are issued for the purpose by Provincial Grand Secretary ) . The Lodge of Fortitude , No . 131 , Truro , has also a similar law for "joining members . "
This excellent plan of enquiry as to the character of non-resident candidates is a law of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , and I wish it were so also for England , as it would tend to prevent the introduction of improper candidates far away from their residences , who would be certain of being blackballed by most of the members in Lodges of
their own neighbourhood . I have known men initiated by such means out of their own county , who are a disgrace to the Society , and reflect much dishonour on those who admitted them to the light , miles away from their residence , when they knew their rejection was certain in their own Province . Though I do not favour personal , but
only territorial jurisdiction , I am most warmly an advocate for due and careful enquiry as to the character of all non-residents wherever they may hail from , and it cannot be too strictly made . The good have nothing to fear , and should promote all such cautious customs , the opposition of all others being the best evidence of their unworthiness .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pre-Requisites For Masonic Initiation.
masonry , to advance their own particular religious sect , is of itself sufficient to prove they have lost sight of the grand universal basis of the Craft and have wholly misunderstood the aims of the Fraternity . I see in the by-laws of the Kilwinning Lodge , No . 356 , Cincinnati , is
the following from the Laws of the Grand Lodge of Ohio : — " No religious tests shall ever be required of any applicant for the benefits of Masonry , other than a steadfast belief in the existence and perfection of Deity ; and no Lodge under this jurisdiction shall receive any candidate without the acknowledgment of such belief . " In the
name of common sense , is not this a sufficient safeguard ? What more should be required religiously I cannot make out myself , and have no patience with those who seek to narrow the Masonic platform , or dogmatize either in favour of Christianity or Judaism , as
prerequisites for initiation into Freemasonry . [ 7 i . ] Many Provincial Grand Lodges have similar laws to Province of Cornwall respecting the initiation of non-residents . "No person resident in or near any town or place where a Lodge is established shall be balloted for into any Lodge held elsewhere within this
Province , unless the Master of the Lodge where he so seeks admission shall previously make enquiry in writing of the Master of every Lodge in the town , or nearest the place where the candidate resides , touching the fitness of such candidate . The brother of whom such enquiry is made shall make prompt reply thereto in writing , and it
shall be incumbent on the Master to read the reply to the members of the Lodge before the ballot is taken . " ( Forms are issued for the purpose by Provincial Grand Secretary ) . The Lodge of Fortitude , No . 131 , Truro , has also a similar law for "joining members . "
This excellent plan of enquiry as to the character of non-resident candidates is a law of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , and I wish it were so also for England , as it would tend to prevent the introduction of improper candidates far away from their residences , who would be certain of being blackballed by most of the members in Lodges of
their own neighbourhood . I have known men initiated by such means out of their own county , who are a disgrace to the Society , and reflect much dishonour on those who admitted them to the light , miles away from their residence , when they knew their rejection was certain in their own Province . Though I do not favour personal , but
only territorial jurisdiction , I am most warmly an advocate for due and careful enquiry as to the character of all non-residents wherever they may hail from , and it cannot be too strictly made . The good have nothing to fear , and should promote all such cautious customs , the opposition of all others being the best evidence of their unworthiness .