Lodge Secretaries.

Lodge Secretaries .

gHSONDER , the above heading , we find in ' The South African | E || | Freemason , of 20 th November last , an article which cannot I II 1 *' ^ k ° ' interesting to each of the more than two j |^ aJ | thousand worthy brethren who discharge the secretarial duties connected with their respective lodges working under the English constitution . And probably , in almost an equal degree , it may prove of interest to those who have the selection of that

all-important officer , the lodge secretary . We , therefore , reproduce it in its entirety , merely premising that whilst we do not perfectly agree with all its propositions , we think many of them worthy of earnest consideration . It would bo interesting to learn the opinions of other members of the Craft on the suggestions made , and we shall be pleased to receive and publish the same for the information of our readers . Here is the article , rerb . et lit .:

—" Next to the \ Y . \ M . \ himself , probably the welfare of a lodge depends more upon the Secretary than upon any one else . If he does not bring energy and intelligence to bear upon his work , there is an end to smooth and harmonious progress . Not only does the interior economy of the lodge suffer , but the minds of Grand and District Grand Secretaries are sorely tried bv bun"led returns and

neglected correspondence . So obvious is the . necessity of a competent Secretary that it has become almost a general rule amongst English lodges to bestow the cross pens on a P . - . M . * .. who having reached the sum in inn ultimvm of lodge honours , can afford to look upon the office as a sort of permanency , and can occupy it sufficiently long to

acquire a ready knowledge of the multifarious duties attached thereunto , and to place that acquired knowledge at the disposal of the lodge for an indefinite period . This practice of appointing a Past Master is spreading amongst our Colonial lodges , and we are bound to admit that there is verv much to lie said in its favour .

It furnishes the lodge with an official who may be relied upon to know his work , and to bring a fund of acquired experience to bear upon it . The W . \ M . \ is relieved from the task—very often a difficult one—of finding a junior brother of education and businesslike habits to take the Secretary ' s collar , and , moreover , has the satisfaction of feeling that there is no necessity for him to be

constantly giving his personal supervision to the petty details of bookkeeeping and correspondence . We cannot forget that even a well-informed brother , already pretty well acquainted with the requirements of the Constitutions and with the proper mole of making returns and the like , will find in what we call the office routine of the lodge very much which , although A . B . C . to the

outgoing Secretary , is very difficult for a new man to understand . In fact , it is usually only about the close of his term that the Secretary begins to thoroughly understand his work . In short , all considerations connected with the efficient performance of that work militate very strongly in favour of always having a permanent official . But against it several weighty arguments may be urged .

Firstly , we have the consideration that a salary must annually be paid to the incumbent of the appointment . It may lie only a small one , but however modest , will be a consideration with most Colonial lodges . Then we have the undoubted fact that a year or two at the Secretary ' s desk is an invaluable training for the chair of K . ' . S . . Many experienced Masons go indeed so far as to say

that no man is fit to be a Master who has not previously been a Secretary . And there is smother consideration , not perhaps in a sense altogether justifiable , but still very weighty with many of the most experienced rulers of the craft , that is , that to a curtain extent the fact of the Secretary ' s collar being taken in the ordinary currency of Lodge office is an indirect means of guarding the

approaches to the dais against unsuitable men . What we mean is this : in almost all Colonial lodges there is a varying number of men , oft-times very worthy and industrious Masons , but grievously deficient in education . Now , without any wish to disparage such men , and whilst heartily welcoming them as brother Masons , we are bound to say that their advent to the Chair of K . \ S . \ very

seldom brings very great credit to Masonry or their own lodge in particular . However sound a man ' s moral nature may be , yet he is not fit to handle the delicate duties of the Master ' s chair , unless his mental faculties have received some little cultivation likewise . Now , a Secretary must needs be a man of some education or he could not attempt to perform his duties . It is laid down by a

pretty well understood unwritten law that every Secretary has a prescriptive right to a Warden ' s cha- ' r . The W . \ M . \ must have been a Warden , ergo the Board of Past Masters has at its hand an easy and delicate way of restricting admission to its ranks to men who can be expected to perform the duties of the dais in an appropriate way . We repeat this argument as we have heard it given , and we are certain that it is present in the minds of many

brethren who argue in favour of retaining the Secretary ' s collar as a link in the current chain of promotion . But whilst granting it a certain amount of weight , we do not think that argument or any other should stand against the paramount consideration of securing an efficient performance of the secretarial duties , and this , we are convinced , will best be attained by making the Secretary a permanent and salaried official of P . ' . M . ' . rank . "

PRESS EXCHANGES AND BOOKS RECEIVED .

South African Freemason , Vol . 2 , Nos . 8 and 0 , East London . Cape Colony ; Ars Quatuor Coronatorum . Vol . 1 , Part 5 ; and St . John ' s Card . December , 1888 , Edited by W . Bro . G . W . Speth .

WILL any brother greatly oblige a P . M . and P . Z . by kindly forwarding to him a spare copy of their Lodge or Chapter summons , as he is endeavouring to form a complete collection of them from No . 1 upwards . —Address , C . E . FKRRV , 55 . Tregunter Road . South Kensington , S . W . —[ ADVT . 1 i

The Masonic "Poet's Corner."

The Masonic "Poet's Corner . "

( Original and Selected . ' ) NEW YEAR'S REFLECTIONS .

There in nolliin , / exult ric in thexe inilinlx . Tin i / are read . " The Celestial l . enhjc abore , > clit rellie Xujnvnir Archillct of the Unircrxc jtrcsidtx . " SHALL we see it , loving Brothers , Ere another New Year ' s day / Shall we join those loving others . Whom the past year tore away . ' Shall we change this toil and drudge , For the bright CELESTIAL LotiOK .

T . S . A . O . T . U . P . Then , be zealous , loving Brothers , While your lives so swiftly tend ; Emulate those faithful others In the prizes they have gained ; O ' er the river , on the shore , Thev are happv evermore . — T . C . L . A . W . T . S . A . 0 . T . U . P .

T . C . L . A . W . T . S . A . 0 . T . U . P . Shall we tread that one more station . Take the last and best degree , Whose consummate " Preparation "

Is to -vt . the spirit jree : Lay our bodies off , that then Souls unburdened may go in . T . C . L . A . W . " T . S . A . O . T . U . P .

Shall we find beyond the river , — Shall we find beyond the tomb . — Those who left us , not for ever , Left us till we , too , should come . ' Shall we leam the long-lost WORD That admits a man to G on . — T . C . L . A . W .

Toil , —your wages rich are ready ; Bear , —your burdens all shall cease : ( Sire , —however poor and needy ; Pray , —and God will give , release

From this bitter toil and drudge To the bright CKLKSTI . U . LOIKIK . T . C L . A . W . T . S . A . 0 . T . U . P . [ From The Poetry of Fret masonry , by the late Bro . Dr . Reus MORRIS , Masonic Poet Laureate . )

We desire to thank the brother who . anonymously , sends us New Year ' s Greetings accompanied by the following ACROSTIC .

Tuor art come at last bright little Star , Henceforth effulgent rays to throw afar ; Each Mason bids thee welcome , shining light . ' Masonry ' s tenets thou'It preserve aright , Alter no landmark's , but maintain the truth :

So shall success on thee attend , forsooth . ' Onward the Craft advance : take thou thy stand Nor falter : wield the pen with mighty hand ; Into the front rank push thy glorious way . Cease not to strive , courageous brave the fray .

Stand staunch to those who struggle against might ; To pause ' twere folly , thou would ' st lose the fight . ' Ambitious be , all Mason ' s rights maintain , Relying always that thou wilt not shine in vain . '

MASONIC ENTERTAINMENT TO THE AGED POOR . —At the invitation of the office-s and members of St . KewLod ge ( 1222 ) . Westonsuper-Mare , about 850 of the aged and deserving poor of the town were entertained to a meat tea and subsequent entertainment . About 10 of those to whom invitations had been extended v ; ere unable , by reason of their infirmities , to put in a personal

appearance at the Victoria Hall , but their little comforts were in no way neglected in consequence , those who were unable to attend being each presented with a good-sized packet of tea . in addition to fare , from the general board , at their own homes . The cost of the entertainment was entirely defrayed by the brethren of the abovenamed lodge , and the duties of the tea tables were discharged by

ladies , for the most part wives of the brethren of the mystic tie —who wore prettil y designed badges of Masonic pattern , whilst their " lords and masters " officiated as waiters , attired in evening dress and wearing jewels representing the several offices they have filled . The repast was of a bountiful description , and having been ital vocal and instrumental

thoroughly enjoyed , a cap entertainment was given by those intimately associated with the order , which afforded thorough enjoyment to the venerable guests , whose post-prandial enjoyments included fragrant weed for the men and beer and non-intoxicants for both sexes , according to their respective tastes .