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Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
W « do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . W « cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must tear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , tut as a guarantee of good faith .
" WHICH IS CORRECT ?"
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am very glad that Bro . Stevens has resumed his task of inviting critisism as to the merits of certain different renderings in onr ritual aa inculcated by different Preceptors , and , as you kindly admitted into yonr columns my humble contributions towards a settlement of certain disputed points submitted by him about two years back , I shall be glad to play a part , as then ,
in the controversy , in the hope that I may lend my poor aid towards obtaining that more complete uniformity which Bro . Stovens rightly considers of so much importance . Withont further preface I submit that in tho question propounded last week whether it should bo Mosaic or Masonic pavement , there cannot be the shadow of a shade of doubt that the former is correct , and for the following reasons : —
( a . ) It is a Mosaic pavement whioh is represented in our Lodges by the carpet of black and white squares . ( b . ) A Mosaic pavement has a special significance ; a Masonic pavement would have none . There is bnt ono kind of pavement whioh merits to be described as Mosaic , and henco the speciality of its symbolism : but every pavement that has
ever been laid is Masonic in tho sense of having been laid by Masons' hands . To show the absurdity of using Masonic instead of Mosaic , I will content myself with pointing out that in such case one Lodge might prefer a pavement of common bricks ; another , one of ordinary paving stones ; a third , a
few square yards of asphalte ; while yet another , being more ambitious of distinction , might prefer a few slabs of marble , coloured or plain according to taste . Tho effect of all this would bo the complete destruction of that uniformity , which is rightly deemed of so much consequence .
( c . ) But it will bo said that as all kinds of pavement are Masonic , and as Mosaic is ono kind , therefore a Mosaic pavement is a Masonic pavement , and , therefore , it is immaterial whether it is described as Masonic , which is tho generic term , or Mosaic , which is tho individual term . To which I reply in all good faith : " Mr . Logician , you are going too fast for my humble understanding . If it is immaterial which is used ,
then why use either ? It is enough that this pavement is one of the ornaments of a Masonic Lodge : that of itself constitntes •it a Masonic pavement . On the other hand , if it is material in this , as in other instances , that caro bo taken to use the words which will express a particular meaning , —those nnd none other , — then , I say , Mosaic a million times over , rather than Masonic .
( d . ) Le Pave" Mosaique was one of the ornaments of a Masonic Lodge , according to the French ritual—second degree of that rito ; whether it remains so now , since the important change in the constitutions of French Masonry , I am not in a position to state . Its symbolical meaning is said to be " I ' union intime qui regne entre les MM . ' . "
I think tho foregoing will be accepted as sufficient reasons by those who aro in the habit of thinking theso matters over . Just imagine , Sir , if yon can depress your Editorial mind to the requisite condition of utter vacuity—I say , just try and picture to yourself the absurdity of regarding a few ordinary paving stones—with or without mortaror a few bricks , a piece of asphalte , or a few slabs of marble—coloured
or plain—as emblematical of the " chequered existence of man ; now rejoicing in prosperity , now under the ban of adversity . If , however , further reasons are needed by any brother for determining in his own mind " Which is correct—Mosaic or Masonic ? " I refer him to the Boyal Masonic Encyclopaidia , by Bro . Kenneth Mackenzie , p 408 ; to Bro . Rev . A . F . A . Woodford ' s Cyclopwdia , p 493 ; to Mackey's
Lexicon of Freemasonry , p 220 ; to Coppin ' s Handbook of Freemasonry , p 263 ; and Oliver ' s Signs and Symhols , p 287 . But a few lines from tho latter anthor will , perhaps , be better than a thousand references , and aa I cuunot resist the all-powerfnl temptation to reproduce them , li"re they are , as a clinching argument for using Mosaic and not
ALtuoi'ic . The roverend anthor begins the passage thus : "Cast yonr eyes downwards , and contemplate the pavement on which you tread . It is Mosaic , "—it is I who have italicised the word to give it due empLa . 'is—" chequered with black and white , emblematical of good and evi ! fortune ; like the life of man , sometimes favoured by prosperity , sometimes bonding before the blasts of adversity , " & c , & c . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Faithfully and fraternally yours , QLondon , 29 th May 1879 .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your advertising columns of this week will contain an announcement of the intended publication , at a very moderate price , of the correspondence " in extenso , " on the subject of "Uniformity of Masonic Ritual and Observance . " The work will include letters and articles , with notes and memoranda of considerable interest to members of the Order generally , and will
Correspondence.
doubtless be of particular utility to W . M . ' s of Lodges , ancl to all who advocate the perfection and uniformity of our Masonic work . It can be ready for the press in the course of this month , but I shall not put it into tho hands of the printer unless I see my way clear as to tho cost of publication . Thero shonld bo five hundred subscribers , at two shillings per copy , before the work , which will he
somewhat voluminous , can cover expense of production . It , therefore , now rests with my brother Masons to determine whether or not it shall be prepared . Those desirous of subscribing for one or moro copies shonld send application ( by letter or post card ) to me at once , and to these the book will bo forwarded ( post free ) , without delay , on publication .
Surely , with 1800 Lodges , and the many thousands of brethren connected therewith , there should be no difficulty in obtaining the number of subscribers named for a first edition , if thero is really that general interest felt in the subject which has been , as far as I have had opportunities of knowing , so generally expressed . Probably I may bo disappointed , for I am told that , as a rule , Masonio publications do not receive that amount of support which , con .
sidenng the immense nnmbers amongst whom they might be expected to circulate , their promoters might very reasonably anticipate . Hence the greater necessity for my assuring myself against loss ( gain I do not seek ) , by requiring a subscription list before publication . May I ask the assistance of my personal friends and Secretaries of Lodges and Lodges of Instruction , towards the end in view ?
I am looking forward to discussion on some of the examples of difference in the teachings of Preceptors whioh I have already noticed in former letters . In the work proposed to be published these will bo collected ancl further discussed . For the present I refrain from adding to their number , nob from want of ample material , but desiring to ascertain how far the brethren generally may be earnest in their desire to support the endeavours of myself anil others in seeking that " whioh is correct . "
Yours truly and fraternally , JAMES STEVINB , P . M . P . Z . 112 High-street , Clapham , S . W . P . S . — "A NEW SURSCRIIJEH " refers to the two very first questions in our Masonic Catechism , or Sections , as receiving different answers from different Preceptors and their pupils . Thus : —
Q . As Free and Accepted Masons how did yon and I nrafc meet ? . f Preceptor No . 1 . —On tho Level . A- \ „ „ 2 . —On the Square . Q . And how hopo to parfc ?
. f Preceptor No . 1 . —On tho Square . I „ „ 2 . —Ou the Level . Which is correct ? "Rob Morris" ( the Rev . Dr . Robert Morris , LL . D ., of Kentucky ) , no moan authority in matters Masonio , commences one of his most beautiful poems thus" We meet upon the Level ,
Ancl we part upon the Square ;" And on the ground of equality one with another as Masons , I certainly favour his rendering as preferable to that in common use amongst ns in onr Lodges of Instruction . I purpose introducing the above named poem , with others , in the work to which this letter refers . J . S .
CRUCIAL TESTS OF FITNESS FOR THE BROTHERHOOD .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The subject matter of my letter has been exercising my mind lately as to how I could express myself so as to avoid unnecessarily hurting any one ' s feelings . If I succeed , I shall be delighted ; if , unfortunately , I offend , I apologise beforehand , assuring that no offence is meant , and that I allude to no one personally , or in
particular . Imprimis , —I am a Mason of nearly six-and-twenty years standing , ancl havo had experience , both here and in the colonies , whioh I hope gives me some license to speak . One great fault of brethren is thafc they oftentimes bring forward candidates without sufficient
knowledge of their relative fitness or resources ; they also often induce some other brother ( who knows less , or nothing at all , abont the intended initiate ) to second their proposal . I have been dreadfull y pained to listen to the want of education so often exhibited . How frequently do wo find that candidates cannot pronounce the words dictated to them , to say nothing of being totally ignorant of their
meaning . Now , in my opinion , these are not the class of men for whom Masonry was intended , however worthy they may be in themselves ; but I know of many such . The brother withont education , no less than tho brother without means , ought never to have been admitted into tho Craft . In the first place , it is most painful to his audience ,
and should be so to himself ; and in the second ho ought never to have joined an institution if he could not do something more towards ifc than pay his entrance fee and yearly subscription . The evidence afforded by tho official lists of the candidates for our Boys' and Girls ' Schools , which state the nnmber of years each has paid his subscription , and what each has done for that Institution , too plainly discloses
how littlo the majority of the Fathers have done in the cause of Charity . The proposer of every candidate should be intimately acquainted with his protege ; should know whether he has the necessary means , and likewise the inclination to contribnte towards onr noble Institutions . Again , the proposer often thinks that when he has once proposed his candidate , he haa nothing more to do with him , bnt can leave him to his own resources to learn what ia required . That ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
W « do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . W « cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must tear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , tut as a guarantee of good faith .
" WHICH IS CORRECT ?"
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am very glad that Bro . Stevens has resumed his task of inviting critisism as to the merits of certain different renderings in onr ritual aa inculcated by different Preceptors , and , as you kindly admitted into yonr columns my humble contributions towards a settlement of certain disputed points submitted by him about two years back , I shall be glad to play a part , as then ,
in the controversy , in the hope that I may lend my poor aid towards obtaining that more complete uniformity which Bro . Stovens rightly considers of so much importance . Withont further preface I submit that in tho question propounded last week whether it should bo Mosaic or Masonic pavement , there cannot be the shadow of a shade of doubt that the former is correct , and for the following reasons : —
( a . ) It is a Mosaic pavement whioh is represented in our Lodges by the carpet of black and white squares . ( b . ) A Mosaic pavement has a special significance ; a Masonic pavement would have none . There is bnt ono kind of pavement whioh merits to be described as Mosaic , and henco the speciality of its symbolism : but every pavement that has
ever been laid is Masonic in tho sense of having been laid by Masons' hands . To show the absurdity of using Masonic instead of Mosaic , I will content myself with pointing out that in such case one Lodge might prefer a pavement of common bricks ; another , one of ordinary paving stones ; a third , a
few square yards of asphalte ; while yet another , being more ambitious of distinction , might prefer a few slabs of marble , coloured or plain according to taste . Tho effect of all this would bo the complete destruction of that uniformity , which is rightly deemed of so much consequence .
( c . ) But it will bo said that as all kinds of pavement are Masonic , and as Mosaic is ono kind , therefore a Mosaic pavement is a Masonic pavement , and , therefore , it is immaterial whether it is described as Masonic , which is tho generic term , or Mosaic , which is tho individual term . To which I reply in all good faith : " Mr . Logician , you are going too fast for my humble understanding . If it is immaterial which is used ,
then why use either ? It is enough that this pavement is one of the ornaments of a Masonic Lodge : that of itself constitntes •it a Masonic pavement . On the other hand , if it is material in this , as in other instances , that caro bo taken to use the words which will express a particular meaning , —those nnd none other , — then , I say , Mosaic a million times over , rather than Masonic .
( d . ) Le Pave" Mosaique was one of the ornaments of a Masonic Lodge , according to the French ritual—second degree of that rito ; whether it remains so now , since the important change in the constitutions of French Masonry , I am not in a position to state . Its symbolical meaning is said to be " I ' union intime qui regne entre les MM . ' . "
I think tho foregoing will be accepted as sufficient reasons by those who aro in the habit of thinking theso matters over . Just imagine , Sir , if yon can depress your Editorial mind to the requisite condition of utter vacuity—I say , just try and picture to yourself the absurdity of regarding a few ordinary paving stones—with or without mortaror a few bricks , a piece of asphalte , or a few slabs of marble—coloured
or plain—as emblematical of the " chequered existence of man ; now rejoicing in prosperity , now under the ban of adversity . If , however , further reasons are needed by any brother for determining in his own mind " Which is correct—Mosaic or Masonic ? " I refer him to the Boyal Masonic Encyclopaidia , by Bro . Kenneth Mackenzie , p 408 ; to Bro . Rev . A . F . A . Woodford ' s Cyclopwdia , p 493 ; to Mackey's
Lexicon of Freemasonry , p 220 ; to Coppin ' s Handbook of Freemasonry , p 263 ; and Oliver ' s Signs and Symhols , p 287 . But a few lines from tho latter anthor will , perhaps , be better than a thousand references , and aa I cuunot resist the all-powerfnl temptation to reproduce them , li"re they are , as a clinching argument for using Mosaic and not
ALtuoi'ic . The roverend anthor begins the passage thus : "Cast yonr eyes downwards , and contemplate the pavement on which you tread . It is Mosaic , "—it is I who have italicised the word to give it due empLa . 'is—" chequered with black and white , emblematical of good and evi ! fortune ; like the life of man , sometimes favoured by prosperity , sometimes bonding before the blasts of adversity , " & c , & c . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Faithfully and fraternally yours , QLondon , 29 th May 1879 .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your advertising columns of this week will contain an announcement of the intended publication , at a very moderate price , of the correspondence " in extenso , " on the subject of "Uniformity of Masonic Ritual and Observance . " The work will include letters and articles , with notes and memoranda of considerable interest to members of the Order generally , and will
Correspondence.
doubtless be of particular utility to W . M . ' s of Lodges , ancl to all who advocate the perfection and uniformity of our Masonic work . It can be ready for the press in the course of this month , but I shall not put it into tho hands of the printer unless I see my way clear as to tho cost of publication . Thero shonld bo five hundred subscribers , at two shillings per copy , before the work , which will he
somewhat voluminous , can cover expense of production . It , therefore , now rests with my brother Masons to determine whether or not it shall be prepared . Those desirous of subscribing for one or moro copies shonld send application ( by letter or post card ) to me at once , and to these the book will bo forwarded ( post free ) , without delay , on publication .
Surely , with 1800 Lodges , and the many thousands of brethren connected therewith , there should be no difficulty in obtaining the number of subscribers named for a first edition , if thero is really that general interest felt in the subject which has been , as far as I have had opportunities of knowing , so generally expressed . Probably I may bo disappointed , for I am told that , as a rule , Masonio publications do not receive that amount of support which , con .
sidenng the immense nnmbers amongst whom they might be expected to circulate , their promoters might very reasonably anticipate . Hence the greater necessity for my assuring myself against loss ( gain I do not seek ) , by requiring a subscription list before publication . May I ask the assistance of my personal friends and Secretaries of Lodges and Lodges of Instruction , towards the end in view ?
I am looking forward to discussion on some of the examples of difference in the teachings of Preceptors whioh I have already noticed in former letters . In the work proposed to be published these will bo collected ancl further discussed . For the present I refrain from adding to their number , nob from want of ample material , but desiring to ascertain how far the brethren generally may be earnest in their desire to support the endeavours of myself anil others in seeking that " whioh is correct . "
Yours truly and fraternally , JAMES STEVINB , P . M . P . Z . 112 High-street , Clapham , S . W . P . S . — "A NEW SURSCRIIJEH " refers to the two very first questions in our Masonic Catechism , or Sections , as receiving different answers from different Preceptors and their pupils . Thus : —
Q . As Free and Accepted Masons how did yon and I nrafc meet ? . f Preceptor No . 1 . —On tho Level . A- \ „ „ 2 . —On the Square . Q . And how hopo to parfc ?
. f Preceptor No . 1 . —On tho Square . I „ „ 2 . —Ou the Level . Which is correct ? "Rob Morris" ( the Rev . Dr . Robert Morris , LL . D ., of Kentucky ) , no moan authority in matters Masonio , commences one of his most beautiful poems thus" We meet upon the Level ,
Ancl we part upon the Square ;" And on the ground of equality one with another as Masons , I certainly favour his rendering as preferable to that in common use amongst ns in onr Lodges of Instruction . I purpose introducing the above named poem , with others , in the work to which this letter refers . J . S .
CRUCIAL TESTS OF FITNESS FOR THE BROTHERHOOD .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The subject matter of my letter has been exercising my mind lately as to how I could express myself so as to avoid unnecessarily hurting any one ' s feelings . If I succeed , I shall be delighted ; if , unfortunately , I offend , I apologise beforehand , assuring that no offence is meant , and that I allude to no one personally , or in
particular . Imprimis , —I am a Mason of nearly six-and-twenty years standing , ancl havo had experience , both here and in the colonies , whioh I hope gives me some license to speak . One great fault of brethren is thafc they oftentimes bring forward candidates without sufficient
knowledge of their relative fitness or resources ; they also often induce some other brother ( who knows less , or nothing at all , abont the intended initiate ) to second their proposal . I have been dreadfull y pained to listen to the want of education so often exhibited . How frequently do wo find that candidates cannot pronounce the words dictated to them , to say nothing of being totally ignorant of their
meaning . Now , in my opinion , these are not the class of men for whom Masonry was intended , however worthy they may be in themselves ; but I know of many such . The brother withont education , no less than tho brother without means , ought never to have been admitted into tho Craft . In the first place , it is most painful to his audience ,
and should be so to himself ; and in the second ho ought never to have joined an institution if he could not do something more towards ifc than pay his entrance fee and yearly subscription . The evidence afforded by tho official lists of the candidates for our Boys' and Girls ' Schools , which state the nnmber of years each has paid his subscription , and what each has done for that Institution , too plainly discloses
how littlo the majority of the Fathers have done in the cause of Charity . The proposer of every candidate should be intimately acquainted with his protege ; should know whether he has the necessary means , and likewise the inclination to contribnte towards onr noble Institutions . Again , the proposer often thinks that when he has once proposed his candidate , he haa nothing more to do with him , bnt can leave him to his own resources to learn what ia required . That ,