Inquiry Before Initiation.

heard of , were emergent only for the individual applicant . They almost invariably arise from persons who are on the point of embarking on some journey to , or about to take their residence in some strange , distant , or foreign place or country , where they probably have neither friends nor acquaintance ; and who , having either heard of or perhaps witnessed the benefits which Masonry

confers upon its members under similar circumstances , conceive that it would serve them in lieu of a letter of recommendation . In short , they seek admission from motives of self-interest and personal convenience . Again , in almost all the instances , the applicants have resided , for years probably , in the vicinity of some Lodge , and been daily spectators of the operations of the

Craffc , but their eyes have never been opened to the beauties of Masonry , or their hearts penetrated by its principles , until the impulse of self-interest caused them to discover that it might be turned to effect for their own private purposes . How can such men declare upon their honour and conscience that they are uninfluenced by mercenary motives , and that they are prompted

to solicit the privileges of Masonry by a favourable opinion conceived of the Institution , a desire of knowledge , and a sincere wish of being serviceable to their fellow creatures ? And yet it is for this class of postulants that we are constantly asked to put our members to the inconvenience of meeting at most unreasonable times , to keep late hours , depart from and neglect our

regular routine of business and duty , and risk the violation of the sage precepts of our Antient Charges . " There is much wholesome truth in these remarks , and it would be well that they should be carefully studied , by the Fraternity , and especially by Grand Masters , in whose hand the dispensing power is placed .

For ourselves , we believe that cases of emergency , in which the due inquiry may be dispensed with , are exceedingly rare , and transient candidates , or residents suddenly intending to remove , are not to be ranked among them . From what has been said in these remarks , it will be perceived that the due inquiry into character was originally intended , and still should , be

considered , as a safeguard or security against the introduction of unworthy persons in the Order ; that it should still be observed as the very best means of preserving the purity and integrity of the Institution ; and that , as it can only be omitted under the high authority of the Grand Master , a dispensation for that purpose should never be asked or granted , except in a very rare

case of emergency , which would sanction , by its excellent reasons , so unsafe a violation of our antient regulations . Transient persons , whose character and previous conduct are wholly unknown to the Lodge , and long residents who desire to hurry through the Degrees , too often from mercenary motives , should , above all others , be excluded from the benefits of such a dispensation . —W . H . Kingbury ( Ballarat ) , in " Masonry . "

Women And The Craft.

WOMEN AND THE CRAFT .

CAN a woman become a Freemason ? and if not , why not ? The sex has already invaded many of the arts and crafts which were wont to be considered the exclusive domain of men . Women have not yet , so far , essayed the trade of the working Mason , but that need not stand in the way of their initiation into Masonic mysteries , since some of the most distinguished and

most enthusiastic Freemasons have known so little of the practical operations of Masonry as to be ignorant of the difference between the common gavel and fche setting-maul . It is not surprising that women have from time immemorial sought by various devices to penetrate the occult mysteries of the Craft . In doing so they are only following the impulse after hidden

knowledge implanted in fche sex . Apart from the mere curiosity to know what is concealed from them , women ambitious of entering fche fraternity may argue that if Freemasonry is such a good thing for their husbands and brothers , it ought surely to be a good thing for them also . It is , we are told , " a beautiful system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols . "

" Its ethics , " we are further assured , " are the ethics of Christianity ; its doctrines the doctrines of patriotism and brotherly love ; and its sentiments the sentiments of exalted benevolence . " Why , then , should woman , who is slowly achieving her emancipation , be shut out from the divine truths embodied in this delightful system ? If she can undertake

the duties of Governor of the Isle of Wight , why should she not , if her ambition points that way , have the opportunity of becoming a " Sovereign Commander of the Temple ? " If she is fit for the work of an Inspector of Factories , surely she might prove capable of acting the part of a " Grand Inspector-General . "

However , if woman is to have the possibility of these high offices thrown open to her she must first attain a footing in the Craft . As an Entered Apprentice she may find her position at first somewhat irksome , for she is deprived of one of her most cherished privileges—she is not allowed to speak ! But doubtless she will be attracted by " the lesson of humility and contempt

Women And The Craft.

of worldly riches and earthly grandeur " impressed by symbolic ceremonies on the neophyte at the very outset . All things considered , the ladies who are now seeking to storm the citadel of Freemasonry were well advised in deciding not to found an Order for themselves . No doubt they could have invented secrets of their own , and the members would probably

have been given strength to keep them . But then the secrets of the men-Masons—which have for ages been a puzzle and a vexation to the fair sex—would have remained intact , and in thafc case what good would there have been in a female Order , even with the Queen of Sheba as patron saint ? Moreover they might have exposed themselves to the opprobrious epifchefc of

" Cowans , " an insult not to be borne , or Masonic controversialists might even have sought to overwhelm them by identifying them with the spurious Freemasonry of antediluvian days , of which Ham was a distinguished exponent , and no modern woman with any self-respect would care to be associated with that rather shady character . But while sympathising with this latest

attempt of woman to raise herself in the scale of humanity , we cannot conceal the fact that she may expect a very uphill fight in her endeavour to open the door of this closest of close corporations , even if the entry in fche old records of the Province of York— " Hee or shee that is to be made Mason shall , " & c . — should prove authentic . All the most conservative instincts of

the Craft will be arrayed against her . Members will foresee in her entrance the arrival of a time when " High twelve " will be a period of less frequent occurrence , when the " call from labour to refreshment may mean an invitation to afternoon fcea instead of a summons fco the joys of an ambrosian night . All the same ,

the ladies will doubtless have the courage to persevere , since they feel that they have a good cause , and if their advent should unfortunately have the effect of docking Freemasonry of some of its festivity , members will always be able to fall back upon the lugubrious observances of a " Sorrow Lodge . "— " Glasgow Herald . "

The Consecration of the Sympathy Chapter , No . 483 , will take place at the Eoyal Clarendon Hotel , Gravesend , on Monday next , 8 th insfc ., at 2-45 p . m ., when the Eight Honourable - Earl Amherst Grand Superintendent will officiate . A banquet will take place at the Eoyal Clarendon Hotel , afc 5 o ' clock .

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