Ritual Tinkers.

RITUAL TINKERS .

THE Craftsman or Companion who has a disposition to be conservative , in regard to the esoteric work in Masonry , is kept in a condition of supreme disgust in noticing the patching and cobbling the ritualism receives from a class of men whose business it would seem to be to tinker with the esoteric " work , " both in Craft and capitular Freemasonry . It has ever been thus ,

and the result is that no two jurisdictions in America work alike . And still each one insists that it has the only original Simon Pure form of work . The " Tyler " has repeatedly called attention to this evil , but where more powerful influences are supreme , all protests are valueless , and the tinker ' s hammer and soldering

iron are kept busily at work . This is very perceptible in capitular work , and one would think that having the government of the General Grand Chapter over American capitular Masonry , there would be a sort of uniformity in the Eoyal Arch Masonic jurisdictions , holding obedience to the ruling body . But such is far

from being the case , even with the assistance of a " key , " presumed to have the indorsement of the General Grand Chapter . There is not a Chapter in the United States that works exactly alike . All have more or less made some departure from the " key , " and elaborated to suit the idea of some local " degree

tinker " who interpolates a change here and there in the way of improvement (?) . In Michigan we elaborate by clipping something off , until we have the Eoyal Arch and . all its accessory degrees trimmed down to a shadow of old-time capitular Masonry . In Detroit we have three Chapters , all meeting in

one place , and in each can be observed a material difference of work in all the degrees . It is the same all over the country , and this in despite of what the grand ruling body has promulgated , as the only rule and guide for our esoteric life and conduct . Why , in the one simple action of reading the cipher key , there is not

one High Priest out of fifty who follows the original method laid down . However , as this cipher is a good deal like chips in porridge , not much good or harm , we will not criticise this obsolete feature of Eoyal Arch Masonry . But when radical

departures are made—which can be readily discerned by older Eoyal Arch Masons—there is plenty of room for complaint . We would not care so much were the "degree tinkers" to have improved the work by their tinkering , but the result is only ungainly patches .

The trouble is , that a few men , usually led by one , decide that something should be added to , or taken from the " work , " and then it goes . This has continued year after year , and the esoteric work of to-day , in either Craft or capitular Masonry , is

as different from the work of forty years ago as day is from night . The old signs and passwords are retained , and around them has been built a structure that represents the esoteric Masonry of the present hour , but a little different in each jurisdiction .

Now we ask wherein this improvement consists ? Talking with aged Masons and hearing them rehearse the Masonic work as they received it , we are forced to admit that it was beautiful . Nor do we , upon comparison , find wherein the esoteric work has been improved by the substitution of much totally unknown to

our fathers . It is certainly plain to be seen that there is too much " one man work " manifested in this license to hew , cut , and carve at will ; nor do we see how it can be remedied . The beautiful statute of Freemasonry , when first given to us by Thomas Smith Webb , and by him taken from the Preston

lectures , was perfect , but everyone passing it by had to pick up mallet and chisel and do a little carving on his own account . We treat Masonry much as a child would treat its rag doll , and to dress and undress is the proper caper , even in the face of the obligation to permit no innovation in Freemasonry . — " American Tyler . "

The Freemason Bogey.

THE FREEMASON BOGEY .

IT is curious to observe the haste with which certain French papers ascribe to Freemasons , Satinists , Lueiferians , Gogos and other diabolic agents any interference with the status quo . Last week the " Verite , " the clerical organ of Quebec , declared that the motions for uniformity of text-books and certificates from teachers which ex-Lieut . Governor Masson laid before the Catholic committee of the Council of Public Instruction were

so many means adopted by Freemasonry to obtain its ends , and it rejoiced that he had seen the danger and withdrew them . It exonerated Mr . Masson from any knowledge of the use which was being made of him , but expressed its pain at seeing Catholics extol measures which could only advance the intrigues of the

society . This week the " Trifluvien , " of Three Eivers , which reflects the views of Bishop Lafleche , declares that the same agencies are at work in the Manitoba school question . It asks , what is the mysterious and unknown element at work in this matter ? Is it conceivable that men have consented without outward pressure to defy the opinion of honest people , to go

The Freemason Bogey.

back on their word , to throw to the winds their instinct of justice , to crush under foot by an arbitrary blow the rights of conscience , & c . ? No ; some other reason must be sought . Is it not necessary to see the operation of a hand working in darkness and moulding at its will both intellects and desires ? At this point in his meditation the editor of the " Trifluvien " happened

to read a circular addressed by one Lemmi to the Italian Lodges about 1886 , when he was the chief of the sovereign directing executive , that is to say , the right arm of the Luciferian Pontiff . The circular declares that education must be the daily thought of Freemasons , that every school must be made indifferent or adverse to Catholicism and that the legal means of doing this is

to take the schools from the control of municipalities and put them directly under the control of the State . This reminded the editor of another document in which Albert Pike , organiser and codifier of palladia triangles , that is to say Lueiferians , declared that schools must be made neutral . " Are not these quotations significant , " asks the editor , " and do they not throw

a flood of light on the events of 1890 and on the problem whose solution we seek , especially if we remember that there are at least two Luciferian mother Lodges in our country—one in Montreal and one in Hamilton ? In a word , was not the famous Joe Martin in his odious legislation the instrument , knowingly or unknowingly , of the high dignitaries of palladixen ? Did he

not obey an order from the supreme authority of high Masonry ? We feel , without being able to seize it iu the flesh , that that is the enemy which fights us in darkness , and that from it come the series of blows made for some time in our country at everything which , nearly or remotely , is connected with religious influence in schools . The legislation of 1890 bears in our eyes ,

by its very audacity in spite of the obstacles which ought to have discouraged it , the impress of diabolic inspiration , and the denials which we may receive will never change our conviction on this point . Satan makes his attacks by direct intervention upon Catholicism in the countries where it is still counted as an

active and effective power , and our country being one of these it is not surprising that it displays its resources by the intermediary of public men having nothing to lose and followed by a press which shrinks before no perfidy to attain its end . "— " Canadian Craftsman . "

Affiliation Fees.

AFFILIATION FEES .

THE question of charging an affiliation fee is being discussed in a large number of jurisdictions at the present time , and the general feeling of the more earnest thinkers is that it should be done away with . Our own opinion is that nothing should be

thrown in the way of members , who may remove their home , taking an active part in the Craft in the locality they may settle down in . The initiation fee may be placed at a fair amount , but when a man becomes a Craftsman his dues and fees should be

such as not to be a hindrance to his active participation in Lodge work . The " Australian Keystone" says : " We understand the Grand Lodge of New South Wales has abolished the joining fee . This , we think , is a move in the right direction , and could be

followed in Victoria with advantage . It is certainly hard on Brethren who have to remove from one locality to another , to pay for the privilege of joining the local Lodge . The fact of there being a joining fee often prevents them from affiliating . The private Lodge , having to pay Grand Lodge , naturally charges

a fee . We feel assured neither Grand Lodge nor the private Lodge would ultimately lose by a total remission of the fee . The remission of the joining fee would be an inducement to Brethren settling in a new place to join the local Lodge , and the amount annually received in dues would well compensate both the Grand Lodge and the private Lodge for the loss of the joining fee . "

Charles Marsh G . M . Gal . in 1869 said : " The fee charged for affiliation should be no longer demanded , as we require membership , or application therefor , to place one in good standing , and at the same time affix thereto conditions which , in

some instances , -may make it a hardship , or at least deter those who would otherwise make application from doing so . Membership in a Lodge is a duty which every Mason should fulfil , if possible , and our laws should place no obstacle in the way which serves an excuse for non-affiliation . — " Canadian Craftsman . "

It is , perhaps , somewhat singular , says the " New Zealand Craftsman , " in a recent article on Masonic Belief , that a large proportion of the claims for relief come from the ranks of the unattached . In the majority of cases it is the man in comfortable

circumstances , who believes he has no further use for Masonry , who either dimits or is struck off for non-payment of dues , and remember Freemasonry no more until in the whirligig of time circumstauccs change , impecuniosity overtakes him , and then he remembers he was once a Mason ,