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Article RESUMPTION OF WORK. Page 1 of 1 Article RESUMPTION OF WORK. Page 1 of 1
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Resumption Of Work.
RESUMPTION OF WORK .
THE timo is nofc far distant when work will have been pretty generally resumed by onr Lodges , and , as on somo former occasions , we think it by no means an inopportune time for offering a few remarks both on tho events thafc are passed and those which may bo awaiting ns . As regards the former , nothing has happened which is
calculated to evoke any other kind of feeling than one of satisfaction ; as regards tho latter , though it is not in the power of any one to outline for himself with accuracy the near future , he may nevertheless , by comparing circumstances one with another , hazard a tolerably shrewd guess as to
whether the outlook is promising or the reverse . Nov is Freemasonry one of those societies in which the vicissitudes of fortune are either sudden or considerable and as we have been fairly prosperous daring the year which commenced in October last , so may we anticipate afc least
an equal measure of prosperity in the year thafc is aboufc to commence . The work that has been done by our Lodges on behalf of our Institutions has been most praiseworthy . The very large number of brethren who gallantly undertook the somewhat thankless duties of Stewards proves
incontestabl e that tlio support accorded to onr Charities is spread over a wider area than it used to bo , while the handsome totals realised at the three Festiva ' s is proof , if proof were needed , that the distribution of support ancl patronage is not a source of weakness but of strength .
This is a point that has often been urged by men of experience on tbe members of onr Society , to whom ifc lias been pointed out that the constant multiplication of modest donations and subscriptions would in the end prove more beneficial than the larger contributions of the limited few .
In the year wc are glancing at there was an aggregate of considerably over 800 Stewards to the Festivals of' our three Institutions , which gives an average lisfc of £ 50 per Steward . As there are probably not more than about from 1 , 200 to 1 , 300 Lodges in England , it will be . seen from
these few particulars that , speaking roughly , about two out of every three Lodges have contributed something towards the maintenance of our Schools and Benevolent Institution . This cannot be regarded as otherwise than
satisfactory , showing , as it does , that the interest in these Charities is , as we have already suggested , more widespread than it used to be a few years back . This alone is matter for general congratulation .
Then , the work of Freemasonry in the Lodges has been pursued both evenly and successfully , if , at the same time , somewhat monotonously . There has been but a small increase in the number of our Lodges , and a considerable portion of thoso that have been warranted this year are
located abroad . The slightness of the increase , however , if not a matter for congratulation , is at all events not seriousl y to be regretted . What is most wanted just now is consolidation , not extension , ancl our present efforts should be directed towards making our newest Lodges
thoroughly effective rather than multiplying their numboi indefinitel y . We have recently had an instance in the north of England that the future of a young * and promising Lodge may be darkened because the members have mnde it their business to prefer their individual interests to ( he
good of Freemasonry iu general , ancl it has been reserved tor n Lodge of less than six years' standing to win foi itself fcho very questionable distinction of having , by a series of acts which are wholly blameablo , brought more ridicule on Freemasonry in the course of a few dnys
Resumption Of Work.
than all our fifty year old and older Lodges havo brought upon it in the full period of their existence . This but shows how true were tho words of the late Bro . Hervey when on all suitable occasions ho urged on young Lodges how great a necessity there was for them to exercise
caution in tho reception of candidates . Now that our Lodges nrc about to resume their meetings for tho year , we may take ifc fchafc this and similarly important questions
will receive their due share of attention . We may also assume that the claims of our Institutions will again be urged on the notico of brethren . The School Elections in the earlier half of next month will be a convenient
reminder thafc Stewards will be required for the Festivals of 1881 , while the fact that Sir H . Edwards , Bart ., Prov . G . Master of West Yorkshire , has kindly consented to preside at that of tho Benevolent Institution augurs well for thoir prospects in tho coming year . Our Lodges of Instruction ,
though they deserve a holiday , can hardly bo said to take rest for any appreciable length of time . In the . case of many , indeed , the study of Freemasonry is as ardently pursued in the warm summer months of July and August as in the middle of winter . Therefore we need say lifcfcio
aboufc their resumption of work , seeing that what in so many instances has never been interrupted cannot well bo resumed . Wc will , however , suggest that it would be a move in the right direction if the programme of instruction were mado less monotonous . This class of Lodges meets
weekly , ancl the round of their labours includes tlie rehearsal of the ceremonies of the several degrees , those of consecration ancl installation occasionally , and the working of the sections . These constitute the subjects of instruction , and only in one or two cases have we known a
Lodge travel outside tho course prescribed by usage aud take up with any other branch of study . One would natnrally imagine that the iteration of the same phrases from year ' s end to year ' s end would in time become wearisome , yet the patience of our brethren is something marvellous , and
they are to be commended for their possession ofthis virtue . But we cannot say as much for the taste which permits them to sit down and listen week after week to the same story . The supreme effort , on which a Lodgo of Instruction most prides itself is , to get through the Fifteen Sections
—frequently at railway speed—in the course of a single evening ; and if the task is accomplished , every one who was present goes straightway home to his couch ancl then sinks into a placid sleep in the firm belief he has had a share in some heroic action . We have a great respect for the
sections , —as geographers have for the equator , the ecliptic , and the gulf stream , —but we are not so madly in love with thom that we could not occasionally intei * est ourselves in other branches of Masonic sfcndy . Could not some of our Preceptors take upou themselves the duties of exposition ? Can
they not find it in their hearts to do something else than listen to the repetition of the same phrase ? and correct the steps of the insufficiently instructed ? A great deal is said about the science of Freemasonry , bufc the science must be up in the clouds for aught we hear aboufc ifc in our Lodges
of Instruction . Let them sec if in this approaching resumption of work they cannot find it in their hearts to introduce some branch of study , which from its novelty as well as its fitness , shall excite something more than the dead-alive
interest that is now exhibited in their proceedings . Even a short original address on one of the implements of Masonry or one of tbe Masonic landmarks would serve as an agreeable contrast to the monotony which is now so universal and to some minds so tiresome .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Resumption Of Work.
RESUMPTION OF WORK .
THE timo is nofc far distant when work will have been pretty generally resumed by onr Lodges , and , as on somo former occasions , we think it by no means an inopportune time for offering a few remarks both on tho events thafc are passed and those which may bo awaiting ns . As regards the former , nothing has happened which is
calculated to evoke any other kind of feeling than one of satisfaction ; as regards tho latter , though it is not in the power of any one to outline for himself with accuracy the near future , he may nevertheless , by comparing circumstances one with another , hazard a tolerably shrewd guess as to
whether the outlook is promising or the reverse . Nov is Freemasonry one of those societies in which the vicissitudes of fortune are either sudden or considerable and as we have been fairly prosperous daring the year which commenced in October last , so may we anticipate afc least
an equal measure of prosperity in the year thafc is aboufc to commence . The work that has been done by our Lodges on behalf of our Institutions has been most praiseworthy . The very large number of brethren who gallantly undertook the somewhat thankless duties of Stewards proves
incontestabl e that tlio support accorded to onr Charities is spread over a wider area than it used to bo , while the handsome totals realised at the three Festiva ' s is proof , if proof were needed , that the distribution of support ancl patronage is not a source of weakness but of strength .
This is a point that has often been urged by men of experience on tbe members of onr Society , to whom ifc lias been pointed out that the constant multiplication of modest donations and subscriptions would in the end prove more beneficial than the larger contributions of the limited few .
In the year wc are glancing at there was an aggregate of considerably over 800 Stewards to the Festivals of' our three Institutions , which gives an average lisfc of £ 50 per Steward . As there are probably not more than about from 1 , 200 to 1 , 300 Lodges in England , it will be . seen from
these few particulars that , speaking roughly , about two out of every three Lodges have contributed something towards the maintenance of our Schools and Benevolent Institution . This cannot be regarded as otherwise than
satisfactory , showing , as it does , that the interest in these Charities is , as we have already suggested , more widespread than it used to be a few years back . This alone is matter for general congratulation .
Then , the work of Freemasonry in the Lodges has been pursued both evenly and successfully , if , at the same time , somewhat monotonously . There has been but a small increase in the number of our Lodges , and a considerable portion of thoso that have been warranted this year are
located abroad . The slightness of the increase , however , if not a matter for congratulation , is at all events not seriousl y to be regretted . What is most wanted just now is consolidation , not extension , ancl our present efforts should be directed towards making our newest Lodges
thoroughly effective rather than multiplying their numboi indefinitel y . We have recently had an instance in the north of England that the future of a young * and promising Lodge may be darkened because the members have mnde it their business to prefer their individual interests to ( he
good of Freemasonry iu general , ancl it has been reserved tor n Lodge of less than six years' standing to win foi itself fcho very questionable distinction of having , by a series of acts which are wholly blameablo , brought more ridicule on Freemasonry in the course of a few dnys
Resumption Of Work.
than all our fifty year old and older Lodges havo brought upon it in the full period of their existence . This but shows how true were tho words of the late Bro . Hervey when on all suitable occasions ho urged on young Lodges how great a necessity there was for them to exercise
caution in tho reception of candidates . Now that our Lodges nrc about to resume their meetings for tho year , we may take ifc fchafc this and similarly important questions
will receive their due share of attention . We may also assume that the claims of our Institutions will again be urged on the notico of brethren . The School Elections in the earlier half of next month will be a convenient
reminder thafc Stewards will be required for the Festivals of 1881 , while the fact that Sir H . Edwards , Bart ., Prov . G . Master of West Yorkshire , has kindly consented to preside at that of tho Benevolent Institution augurs well for thoir prospects in tho coming year . Our Lodges of Instruction ,
though they deserve a holiday , can hardly bo said to take rest for any appreciable length of time . In the . case of many , indeed , the study of Freemasonry is as ardently pursued in the warm summer months of July and August as in the middle of winter . Therefore we need say lifcfcio
aboufc their resumption of work , seeing that what in so many instances has never been interrupted cannot well bo resumed . Wc will , however , suggest that it would be a move in the right direction if the programme of instruction were mado less monotonous . This class of Lodges meets
weekly , ancl the round of their labours includes tlie rehearsal of the ceremonies of the several degrees , those of consecration ancl installation occasionally , and the working of the sections . These constitute the subjects of instruction , and only in one or two cases have we known a
Lodge travel outside tho course prescribed by usage aud take up with any other branch of study . One would natnrally imagine that the iteration of the same phrases from year ' s end to year ' s end would in time become wearisome , yet the patience of our brethren is something marvellous , and
they are to be commended for their possession ofthis virtue . But we cannot say as much for the taste which permits them to sit down and listen week after week to the same story . The supreme effort , on which a Lodgo of Instruction most prides itself is , to get through the Fifteen Sections
—frequently at railway speed—in the course of a single evening ; and if the task is accomplished , every one who was present goes straightway home to his couch ancl then sinks into a placid sleep in the firm belief he has had a share in some heroic action . We have a great respect for the
sections , —as geographers have for the equator , the ecliptic , and the gulf stream , —but we are not so madly in love with thom that we could not occasionally intei * est ourselves in other branches of Masonic sfcndy . Could not some of our Preceptors take upou themselves the duties of exposition ? Can
they not find it in their hearts to do something else than listen to the repetition of the same phrase ? and correct the steps of the insufficiently instructed ? A great deal is said about the science of Freemasonry , bufc the science must be up in the clouds for aught we hear aboufc ifc in our Lodges
of Instruction . Let them sec if in this approaching resumption of work they cannot find it in their hearts to introduce some branch of study , which from its novelty as well as its fitness , shall excite something more than the dead-alive
interest that is now exhibited in their proceedings . Even a short original address on one of the implements of Masonry or one of tbe Masonic landmarks would serve as an agreeable contrast to the monotony which is now so universal and to some minds so tiresome .