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Our Trestls Board
OUR TRESTLS BOARD
" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon .
" 0 wad some power the giftie gie us , To see oursels as ithers see us ! " sang our dear Bro . Robert Burns , in " days o' auld lang syne , " before railways and telegraphs , to say nothing of tape writers and telephones . NoAv-a-days , the "giftie" can be ex-press-ly had without the prayer for it , and it is , philosophically speaking , good that
it should be so . AVe have a mirror set before us in the pages of the Canadian , Craftsman and the South African Freemason respectively , but for tho moment fail to recognize our likeness on its surface . Says tho Craftsman : — "The MASONIC STAR views canvassing for office from the human standpoint , and is evidently satisfied to allow humanity to grope along in tho dark without offering a word of
advice , and pointing out wherein it errs . This is its deliverance : — ; AVhere two individuals are put in nomination for the same office , 'tis not in human nature to rwoid solicitation for support from friends , and so far canvassing is not to be condemned . Indeed , the candidate would be extremely foolish if he did not ask for that which he would be glad to receive ; and would deserve defeat . ' "
Eh ? Surely this is not our face ! "' Evidently satisfied to allow humanity to grope along , & c . " That line was never natural across Mir brow , and ought not , we fancy , to be pencilled in any " counterfeit presentment" of ourselves . But , you say , we wrote what has been quoted ? AA'hy , cert'nly ! and , Avhat is more . Ave stick to it . AA e do not thereby admit that contentions for a Masonic Office which
establishes a public reputation or distinction , should exist . As a matter of fact there is but one such Masonic Oilice in England ( always excepting that of our M . AV . G . M . ) the determination of the craft in regard to which extends beyond the four walls of a lodge . And AVC have made it plain what we should like to see adopted ia relation to next year ' s disposition of that office and the avoidance of a canvass .
if . M . J ^ M , "Jp "Tp * n * ~ 7 p -ALet us see what preceded our remark . Here it is—Dec . 20 th . Quoting the Smith African Freemason on the subject of electing officers : — " AVherever the system of electing officers is carried on extensively , wrangling , touting , canvassing , and unmasonic recrimination follow . It is not pleasant to read of the election of a
D . D . G . M . in a sister colony exciting much interest , or that canvassing is being actively carried on . AA e do hope that the English Grand Lodge is not going to introduce the thin end of the evil wedge . " AVe agreed with that expression of our contemporary ' s opinion , and in the Avords which have been charged against us
expressed our assurance that " Avranglmg , touting , and unmasonic recrimination " Avould not characterise the then forthcoming or any subsequent election in our Grand Lodge ; continuing " but where two individuals , & c , " as above . There ! Brother Craftsman . ' now wipe off that disfiguring line Avhich spoils an otherwise passable portrait ; it ' s not fair draAving .
Another glance at the mirror—in this instance presented by tho South African Freemason . Commencing a capital article on " innovation in Ritual" ( which we shall certainly borrow now or presently , for it is worthy of general perusal by all who care for uniformity in masonic Avork ) our contemporary ' says : — " Our
youthful contemporary THE MASONIC STAR , has lately been devoting considerable space to breaking a lance with the constantly increasing tendency to introduce unauthorised alterations in the Avorking of the Craft degrees . Now , wa are at a loss to recognise the STAR ' zeal in defence of the time-honoured ritual , with its vetv prononcc radicalism in other matters masonic , & . c . "
What ! Oh , that carmine on tho cheek is far too well prononcc . ( we can't do better thin crib , in this instance , a really good term ) , to make the portrait a fair presentment . That is , of course , if we take the word " radical , " according to one dictionary definition , as " in its modern accept at ion one who would carry changes in government to their utmost limit . " That is not
our comjilexion , and we 11 have none of it ! But Avhatevcr may be the colour to represent a strong desire for reform and better management under existing and constitutional law , a change from apath y and indifference to energy' and care for our ancient landmarks and customs , our primitive , original ( these be other
definitions of the same word ) speculative Freemasonry , let our portrait painters lay in a large stock of it , if they have any wish to produce a faithful representation . Our banner ' s border ' s beautiful BRIGHT blue , and our radicalism about equal to that of our lost Tribune . AVe have not so much red in our composition as could cover our face with a blush .
Is it worth while reminding our contemporary that though we , as a journal , are " youthful , " as a personality we have largely engaged for more than twenty years in the advocacy of sundry reforms both in management and ritual for which the English Craft have loudly expressed a desire . ' It is the fact , nevertheless ; and Ave entertain the belief that , though success has not in every respect attended our efforts , they will not be altogether lost , and that if not in our day , in those to come after us they will bear fruition .
Ihe new Masonic Monthly , which has been started in Madras , under the title of The Madras Masonic lleeord , thus remarks : — A masonic paper may be compared to a Jack-in-the-box . It springs into existence suddenly . After a time the relentless force
Our Trestls Board
of circumstances forces it back into obscurity , where it remains until something again sends it forth . " It then proceeds to discuss the question as to whether or not the repetition of tho experiment is worth while , and to give reasons why a much greater support should now be given to journals which arc devoted to the interests of masonry anel masonry alone , than was accorded to them in days gone by . AA e agree Avith our new contemporary ' s remarks , and Avish the neAV paper every success .
It is certainly most gratifying to find ourselves so frequently and so flatteringly referred to by the foreign and colonial journals . The free use that many of them make of our pages ju'oves their reliance on the nature of our judgment in regard to masonic
literature , and evinces a spirit of fraternal kindness , good feeling , and fellowship , Avhich we should like to see exhibited much nearer home . To show how highly we appreciate their style of action , we paraphrase the often quoted advertisement , and say " Foreign masonic journals , please copy . "
AVe have received from Bro . John TIaigh , of Somervillc , Mass ., a copy of a newspaper criticism on certain proceedings connected with the installation of a Master in a Lodge of Perfection—the title given to an assemblage of brethren connected with Masonry in the higher degrees . It has been published by A'ote of De AVitt-Clinton Council 1 Gth dtgree , and wo make bold to say it would
have been better if that vote had not been made . The result is the unnecessarily increased publicity of a very scurrilous and personal attack on a probably much respected and successful citizen of AA'orccster , made in the pages of a non-masonic paper by a correspondent who evidently not only was entirely ignorant of his
subject , but spoilt his attack by an over dischargo of spleen . In such a case the masonic virtue of Silence should have boon adopted , and that , in conjunction with contempt for the writer and the journal that encouraged him . would have been far preferable than the extensive advertisement this pamphlet has afforded .
Bro . the Rev . II . J . AVhympcr has forwarded to us an interesting little pamphlet , privately printed for him in India , which forms a collection of some 140 " Triads in Masonry , " the collection of which was suggested by a MS . in Lodge "Quat ' uor Coronati , " library entitled "The Triad in connection with the Craft and Roval Arch "
, compiled by AA . Bro . C . E . Ferry , P . M ., P . Z ., (! 5 . Bro . Ferry ' s MS . accounts for 78 of these 140 Triads , the exceedingly common use of which in Freemason ^ has not been satisfactorily accounted for , although various Masonic writers have given the subject their attention .
AA e Avish it Avere not a matter personal to ourselves that wo are about to refer to , but even that consideration , which at other times generally has great weight with us , shall not , in this instance , prevent our remarking , in the interests of the Craft , on the narrowminded policy and absurd threatenings of a Past Master , as set forth in a letter from PUNJABI in the correspondence columns of
this issue . It is the ridiculous assumptions , of the character described , the result of crass ignorance and bigoted prejudice—of which we regret to say there is far too much to be found in tho Freemasonry of a certain class of men of tho present day—that make the moral teachings of the " lev el " so very difficult to practice , even Avithin
the four walls of our lodges . How much more may it be advanced as a justification for the increase of that class distinction amongst members of the Order which is surety growing , and that most rapidly , to the detriment of the Institution as a factor in " uniting men of every country , sect and opinion . " * * * * *
Men who can spit venom in such paltry fashion , never could have had in their inmost nature the essential qualities of a Freemason . They ought ncA er to have been " taken and accepted ; '' have never known what Freemasonry means , and never will . The honoured title of P . M . is a mockery unto them , and is made , in the minds of men who have held masonic principles in view throughout
their career , almost of none account when one of their body can so far forget what is due to his position . For shame , Bro . P . M ., for shame ! You have well justified our late refusal to give publicity to a letter of yours on account of personality , and now—well , you may say ice are a little personal ! For once we may
be ; the offence to masonry is great , and deserves reproof . The littleness of the sting you sought to inflict , and the absolute unimportance to ourselves of its effect , make it pitiful that you should have arrived at the position you hold without a knowledge of masonry ' s purest lessons . # ; X : -X ; % - *
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing . " This applies to our craft in an accentuated manner , judging by the following , Avhich appears in the columns of last Saturday ' s City Press : — "Freemasonry . —For th'j year ensuing Bro . Turner has been elected W . M . of the Ley Spring Lodge . At the last meeting of the members at Anderton ' s Hotel , the headquarters , the AV . M . appointed as his
officers the following gentlemen , viz ., Bro . All way , treasurer ; Bros . Langdon , Plenderleith , and Hon . Audit Coe ( sic ) . A jewel Avas voted to Bro . AValker , the immediate Past Master . " AVhat our contemporary , intended to say was "Bro . Turner was elected AV . M ., and Bro . Alia way re-elected treasurer . Bros . Langdon , Plenderleith , and How were elected the audit Committee . — Verb sap .
The annual installation meeting of the " Hubert de Burgh " Chapter Rose Croix , was hold at the Freemasons' Hall , Dover , on the 2 (! th ult ., when Bro . J . Bourdeaux was installed as M . AV . S . The ceremony was ably performed by 111 . Bro . G . F . A . Sinythe . During the proceedings a splendid album , suitably engraved , was presented to the chapter by Bro . Andrew James Crane , of Folkestone a member of the chapter . The brethren partook of an excellent banquet after the chapter had been closed .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Trestls Board
OUR TRESTLS BOARD
" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon .
" 0 wad some power the giftie gie us , To see oursels as ithers see us ! " sang our dear Bro . Robert Burns , in " days o' auld lang syne , " before railways and telegraphs , to say nothing of tape writers and telephones . NoAv-a-days , the "giftie" can be ex-press-ly had without the prayer for it , and it is , philosophically speaking , good that
it should be so . AVe have a mirror set before us in the pages of the Canadian , Craftsman and the South African Freemason respectively , but for tho moment fail to recognize our likeness on its surface . Says tho Craftsman : — "The MASONIC STAR views canvassing for office from the human standpoint , and is evidently satisfied to allow humanity to grope along in tho dark without offering a word of
advice , and pointing out wherein it errs . This is its deliverance : — ; AVhere two individuals are put in nomination for the same office , 'tis not in human nature to rwoid solicitation for support from friends , and so far canvassing is not to be condemned . Indeed , the candidate would be extremely foolish if he did not ask for that which he would be glad to receive ; and would deserve defeat . ' "
Eh ? Surely this is not our face ! "' Evidently satisfied to allow humanity to grope along , & c . " That line was never natural across Mir brow , and ought not , we fancy , to be pencilled in any " counterfeit presentment" of ourselves . But , you say , we wrote what has been quoted ? AA'hy , cert'nly ! and , Avhat is more . Ave stick to it . AA e do not thereby admit that contentions for a Masonic Office which
establishes a public reputation or distinction , should exist . As a matter of fact there is but one such Masonic Oilice in England ( always excepting that of our M . AV . G . M . ) the determination of the craft in regard to which extends beyond the four walls of a lodge . And AVC have made it plain what we should like to see adopted ia relation to next year ' s disposition of that office and the avoidance of a canvass .
if . M . J ^ M , "Jp "Tp * n * ~ 7 p -ALet us see what preceded our remark . Here it is—Dec . 20 th . Quoting the Smith African Freemason on the subject of electing officers : — " AVherever the system of electing officers is carried on extensively , wrangling , touting , canvassing , and unmasonic recrimination follow . It is not pleasant to read of the election of a
D . D . G . M . in a sister colony exciting much interest , or that canvassing is being actively carried on . AA e do hope that the English Grand Lodge is not going to introduce the thin end of the evil wedge . " AVe agreed with that expression of our contemporary ' s opinion , and in the Avords which have been charged against us
expressed our assurance that " Avranglmg , touting , and unmasonic recrimination " Avould not characterise the then forthcoming or any subsequent election in our Grand Lodge ; continuing " but where two individuals , & c , " as above . There ! Brother Craftsman . ' now wipe off that disfiguring line Avhich spoils an otherwise passable portrait ; it ' s not fair draAving .
Another glance at the mirror—in this instance presented by tho South African Freemason . Commencing a capital article on " innovation in Ritual" ( which we shall certainly borrow now or presently , for it is worthy of general perusal by all who care for uniformity in masonic Avork ) our contemporary ' says : — " Our
youthful contemporary THE MASONIC STAR , has lately been devoting considerable space to breaking a lance with the constantly increasing tendency to introduce unauthorised alterations in the Avorking of the Craft degrees . Now , wa are at a loss to recognise the STAR ' zeal in defence of the time-honoured ritual , with its vetv prononcc radicalism in other matters masonic , & . c . "
What ! Oh , that carmine on tho cheek is far too well prononcc . ( we can't do better thin crib , in this instance , a really good term ) , to make the portrait a fair presentment . That is , of course , if we take the word " radical , " according to one dictionary definition , as " in its modern accept at ion one who would carry changes in government to their utmost limit . " That is not
our comjilexion , and we 11 have none of it ! But Avhatevcr may be the colour to represent a strong desire for reform and better management under existing and constitutional law , a change from apath y and indifference to energy' and care for our ancient landmarks and customs , our primitive , original ( these be other
definitions of the same word ) speculative Freemasonry , let our portrait painters lay in a large stock of it , if they have any wish to produce a faithful representation . Our banner ' s border ' s beautiful BRIGHT blue , and our radicalism about equal to that of our lost Tribune . AVe have not so much red in our composition as could cover our face with a blush .
Is it worth while reminding our contemporary that though we , as a journal , are " youthful , " as a personality we have largely engaged for more than twenty years in the advocacy of sundry reforms both in management and ritual for which the English Craft have loudly expressed a desire . ' It is the fact , nevertheless ; and Ave entertain the belief that , though success has not in every respect attended our efforts , they will not be altogether lost , and that if not in our day , in those to come after us they will bear fruition .
Ihe new Masonic Monthly , which has been started in Madras , under the title of The Madras Masonic lleeord , thus remarks : — A masonic paper may be compared to a Jack-in-the-box . It springs into existence suddenly . After a time the relentless force
Our Trestls Board
of circumstances forces it back into obscurity , where it remains until something again sends it forth . " It then proceeds to discuss the question as to whether or not the repetition of tho experiment is worth while , and to give reasons why a much greater support should now be given to journals which arc devoted to the interests of masonry anel masonry alone , than was accorded to them in days gone by . AA e agree Avith our new contemporary ' s remarks , and Avish the neAV paper every success .
It is certainly most gratifying to find ourselves so frequently and so flatteringly referred to by the foreign and colonial journals . The free use that many of them make of our pages ju'oves their reliance on the nature of our judgment in regard to masonic
literature , and evinces a spirit of fraternal kindness , good feeling , and fellowship , Avhich we should like to see exhibited much nearer home . To show how highly we appreciate their style of action , we paraphrase the often quoted advertisement , and say " Foreign masonic journals , please copy . "
AVe have received from Bro . John TIaigh , of Somervillc , Mass ., a copy of a newspaper criticism on certain proceedings connected with the installation of a Master in a Lodge of Perfection—the title given to an assemblage of brethren connected with Masonry in the higher degrees . It has been published by A'ote of De AVitt-Clinton Council 1 Gth dtgree , and wo make bold to say it would
have been better if that vote had not been made . The result is the unnecessarily increased publicity of a very scurrilous and personal attack on a probably much respected and successful citizen of AA'orccster , made in the pages of a non-masonic paper by a correspondent who evidently not only was entirely ignorant of his
subject , but spoilt his attack by an over dischargo of spleen . In such a case the masonic virtue of Silence should have boon adopted , and that , in conjunction with contempt for the writer and the journal that encouraged him . would have been far preferable than the extensive advertisement this pamphlet has afforded .
Bro . the Rev . II . J . AVhympcr has forwarded to us an interesting little pamphlet , privately printed for him in India , which forms a collection of some 140 " Triads in Masonry , " the collection of which was suggested by a MS . in Lodge "Quat ' uor Coronati , " library entitled "The Triad in connection with the Craft and Roval Arch "
, compiled by AA . Bro . C . E . Ferry , P . M ., P . Z ., (! 5 . Bro . Ferry ' s MS . accounts for 78 of these 140 Triads , the exceedingly common use of which in Freemason ^ has not been satisfactorily accounted for , although various Masonic writers have given the subject their attention .
AA e Avish it Avere not a matter personal to ourselves that wo are about to refer to , but even that consideration , which at other times generally has great weight with us , shall not , in this instance , prevent our remarking , in the interests of the Craft , on the narrowminded policy and absurd threatenings of a Past Master , as set forth in a letter from PUNJABI in the correspondence columns of
this issue . It is the ridiculous assumptions , of the character described , the result of crass ignorance and bigoted prejudice—of which we regret to say there is far too much to be found in tho Freemasonry of a certain class of men of tho present day—that make the moral teachings of the " lev el " so very difficult to practice , even Avithin
the four walls of our lodges . How much more may it be advanced as a justification for the increase of that class distinction amongst members of the Order which is surety growing , and that most rapidly , to the detriment of the Institution as a factor in " uniting men of every country , sect and opinion . " * * * * *
Men who can spit venom in such paltry fashion , never could have had in their inmost nature the essential qualities of a Freemason . They ought ncA er to have been " taken and accepted ; '' have never known what Freemasonry means , and never will . The honoured title of P . M . is a mockery unto them , and is made , in the minds of men who have held masonic principles in view throughout
their career , almost of none account when one of their body can so far forget what is due to his position . For shame , Bro . P . M ., for shame ! You have well justified our late refusal to give publicity to a letter of yours on account of personality , and now—well , you may say ice are a little personal ! For once we may
be ; the offence to masonry is great , and deserves reproof . The littleness of the sting you sought to inflict , and the absolute unimportance to ourselves of its effect , make it pitiful that you should have arrived at the position you hold without a knowledge of masonry ' s purest lessons . # ; X : -X ; % - *
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing . " This applies to our craft in an accentuated manner , judging by the following , Avhich appears in the columns of last Saturday ' s City Press : — "Freemasonry . —For th'j year ensuing Bro . Turner has been elected W . M . of the Ley Spring Lodge . At the last meeting of the members at Anderton ' s Hotel , the headquarters , the AV . M . appointed as his
officers the following gentlemen , viz ., Bro . All way , treasurer ; Bros . Langdon , Plenderleith , and Hon . Audit Coe ( sic ) . A jewel Avas voted to Bro . AValker , the immediate Past Master . " AVhat our contemporary , intended to say was "Bro . Turner was elected AV . M ., and Bro . Alia way re-elected treasurer . Bros . Langdon , Plenderleith , and How were elected the audit Committee . — Verb sap .
The annual installation meeting of the " Hubert de Burgh " Chapter Rose Croix , was hold at the Freemasons' Hall , Dover , on the 2 (! th ult ., when Bro . J . Bourdeaux was installed as M . AV . S . The ceremony was ably performed by 111 . Bro . G . F . A . Sinythe . During the proceedings a splendid album , suitably engraved , was presented to the chapter by Bro . Andrew James Crane , of Folkestone a member of the chapter . The brethren partook of an excellent banquet after the chapter had been closed .