Logic Club.

LOGIC CLUB .

I ^ HE question is often asked by outsiders—and not a few of those within the Craft are also occasionally at a loss to fully understand the reason—why Freemasonry is so attractive to all classes and conditions of mankind , and why even the best among us find a distineb pleasure and enjoyment in listening to

its work . A visit to the Logic Club last Sunday morning would , we think , have proved two or three points in connection with this subject ; the attendance of one hundred and fifty Brethren , on a fine Sunday morning in May , would in the first place have proved that there is a great attraction in Freemasonry , even when it is

only proposed to " rehearse " one of its ceremonies ; this was no gaudy pageant of show and grandeur , but an undress rehearsal , the only insigrjia of the Craft visible on the occasion being the collars worn by the acting Officers of the day , and it was only those who knew the Brethren by sight who were able to recognise the Grand Treasurer of England , Past Grand Sword Bearers , Assistant

Grand Directors of Ceremonies , and other Officers of Grand Lodge among the members of the Logic Club present . This was an ample demonstration that Brethren who are well acquainted with Freemasonry can , and do , derive a pleasure from its actual work ; and ought to be sufficient to silence any who think that those who rise to distinction in our midst lose interest in the really elementary work of the Craft .

It is safe to say , too , that there was not one among the large assembly but was distinctly interested in what took place , despite the fact it was only a rehearsal of the first degree of Freemasonry ; but as the Preceptor of the Logic Club observed , that rehearsal was received with such attention and interest as to really prove it to be regarded by the audience as a religious ceremony . The ritual of the Craft as it was rendered on this occasion

appealed so directly to the heart , and was so impressive , as to convince the most sceptical that there really is a beautiful meaning underlying our ceremonies , and that , even when regarded in the most casual manner , there is actual merit in the lessons sought to be conveyed by Freemasonry—and this , we think , may be accepted as an explanation of the question with which we started our remarks .

The occasion was the . annual visit of the members of the Genesius Club to the older organisation—the Logic—at the quarters of the latter , the Cavendish Booms , Mortimer Street , W ., the Officers on the occasion being Bros . Herbert Leonard as W . M ., W . Lestocq Preceptor Genesius Club as I . P . M ., J . W . Mathews S . W ., Akerman May J . W ., A . H . Snow S . D ., C . T . Coggin J . D ., Edwin Smith I . G ., and Harry Nicholls D . C .

After the usual preliminaries in regard to the opening of the Lodge had been observed , the ceremony of initiation was splendidly rehearsed , Bro . "Vincent personating the candidate , and doing much by faithfully " acting" the part to add to the reality of the performance . It too often happens that

the candidates at our instruction meetings know too much , and by a careless display of their knowledge nullify the effect which might otherwise be produced ; in this respect Bro . Vincent certamly provided a splendid object lesson . Then , too , the musical and vocal accompaniment by trained artistes added to the

effect , which was crowned by a masterly delivery of the Ancient Charge after initiation , by the W . M . When one bears either of the Charges given , with but moderate ability , it is impossible to avoid a regret that it is so seldom convenient for this part of the work to be performed in our Lodges ; but when rendered as we heard it done on Sunday , it becomes a matter for serious consideration

whether some steps are not necessary to ensure a more general attention to this very important portion of the ritual of Freemasonry ; indeed , it would be well if some of the leaders among us were to advocate the view that the work of conferring a degree is not complete without the rendering of the Charge , and the explanation of the Tracing Board—not necessarily all at one meeting , it may be said .

After the completion of the ceremonial work , and previous to closing , Bro . Robert Manuel Preceptor of the Logic Club rose and said : Worshipful Master , Brother Wardens , Worshipful Bro . Lestocq , and Brethren of the Genesius Club , I feel sure I express the opinion of every Brother present at this representative

assembly of the Craft , that the work we have all followed with so much interest reflects the greatest credit on you , Worshipful Master , and the able Officers who have so efficiently assisted you . Of course on the occasion of our annual interchange of visits the standard of the working is expected to be a high one , and

Worshipful Master you and your Officers have fully reached our highest standard in your reverent rendering- of this morning ' s beautiful ceremonial . But , perhaps , Worshipful Master , high as our interest in the adequate rendering of the ritual is , there is

something in this great gathering itself of even higher interest . I mean that devotion to our Great Order ' -which has brought into this Hall , this beautiful May morning , some ( I should say ) 150 not uudistinguished Brethren , comiug , as many of them do , from all parts of the wide and distant Arch of Greater London , I feel

Logic Club.

that it will not be irreverent to express the hope that our service this morning may prove an acceptable one to the Great Architect of the Universe , beautified as it has been by the delightful music of our Bros . Louis Honig , Frank Boor , Richard Green , and J . Edward Hambleton . We have for our Bro . Wm . Lestocq a

little surprise . On behalf of the Logic Club I ask our dear old friend and Brother , the Preceptor of the Genesius Club , to accept from us the Immediate Past Master ' s Collar and Apron he now wears . On the Jewel attached to the collar will be found engraved a few words conveying our high appreciation of our Bro . Lestocq as a man , and our admiration for him as a Brother

Mason who has done so much to promote the best interests of our Noble Order . Brethren , I propose that we specially record on our minutes the delight we have all enjoyed at being present this morning , to welcome the members of the Genesius Club , and to hear their admirable rendering of the first degree . The jewel bore the following inscription :

Presented ( with apron ) to BRO . WILLIAM LESTOCQ P . M

Preceptor of the Genesius Club , As a mark of Fraternal Eegard and Esteem , by the Brethren of the Logic Club , Cavendish Booms , 6 th May 1900 .

The vote was seconded by Bro . Harry Manfield , Grand Treasurer of England , who expressed his admiration of the work he had witnessed that morning . He sincerely hoped that it would some day be possible for the Brethren of the Provinces to hold such meetings as the present . It was true much had been done in recent years to set an example in careful work , and as a

result great improvements had been effected ; and he felt that if the task was persevered in it might some day be possible for the Provincial Brethren to emulate the work of that day , or at least to perform it so well that even the splendid exponents of the ritual they had been listening to would be willing to regard their Provincial imitators as by no means bad seconds to themselves .

Bro . Leonard , the acting W . M ., acknowledged the vote , expressing the satisfaction of the workers that their efforts had been approved of . Bro . Lestocq , replying for the Visiting Club , added his thanks and appreciation of the hearty reception accorded them .

He was very gratified the work of the Brethren of the Genesius Club who had filled the Offices that day was satisfactory , because he recognised how difficult it was to win applause from so critical an audience . It was something to be proud of that one ' s pupils could do the work as well as it bad been done that morning ,

and he thought it was but fair that the Brethren should all regard it in its proper light , as a performance of young Freemasonsfor there was not a single member among those who had officiated in the initiation ceremony that had yet risen to the chair of a Lodge . To say they had aspirations in that direction was hardly

necessary . Those around could pretty well tell that Brethren who displayed so much enthusiasm in the rehearsal of a ceremony were looking forward to the time when they would be called upon to perform it in reality . He trusted they would then be equally successful in imnressins their audience .

With regard to the present they had been good enough to make him—that certainly had come as a surprise , and he felt wholly incapable of finding words with which to thank them . It was indeed a compliment to be regarded as worthy of official recognition by his Mother Club , and the good feeling displayed

and the memory of their gift would be an incentive to even greater efforts on his part in the future . He assured them he should wear that apron and collar on every possible occasion , and should he be spared to fulfil his great wish of initiating his eldest son into Freemasonry , he trusted his son would equally prize them after it had pleased the Great Architect of the Universe to

remove him hence . It was often said a particular occasion was the proudest moment of one ' s life , and the phrase was apt to be sometimes lightly regarded , but he could truly say that moment was the proudest of his Masonic life , and one not likely to be easily forgotten by him so long as life lasted . He cordially and sincerely thanked them for the great kindness they had evinced .

Bro . J . Morrison McLeod P . G . Sword Bearer Sec . B . M . I . Boys said he gladly availed himself of the opportunity of bringing forward a proposition which concerned the two Clubs—the Logic and the Genesius—equally , and which was particularly opportune at the moment , in the presence of so large a gathering of each .

He thought the time had come when the Logic and the Genesius Clubs , and the working tbey practiced , should be directly represented on the Board of General Purposes—the governing tribunal of Grand Lodge—as he felt that questions were likely to arise in the future that must be of great concern to them , and

could only be properly met and answered by direct representation on that Board . He was aware they had one of their members , Bro , A . G . Duck , already on the Board , and he trusted he might have health to continue his work there , and that he might be re-elected year after year for many years to come ; but that was hardly sufficient from his point of view , and in order to bring the