Lodge Work And Craft Journalism.

has described as the " stereotyped programme " of " the hulk of our Lodge meetings , " is my excuse for or palliation of the monotony and imperfections of Part I . Were the variety and efficiency of the latter on a par with those of the former , neither Bro . KLOTZ nor any one else would have

reason to find fault with the way in which we conduct our system of Masonry . Unfortunately , it is the laxity and imperfections of our Lodge work with which those who think Masonry is something more than an excuse for conviviality find fault so justly . The consequences , too , of

these shortcomings , have been rightly enough described by our Canadian brother . When the first novelty of being a Mason has passed away , brethren become indifferent , because they find themselves condemned to listen to and take part in the same forms and ceremonies always . Even

those who aspire to the East weary of the Craft when once they have attained the object of their ambition . The consequences of all is , that the Lodge has no attractions , and

the editors of those journals which are started for the purpose of advocating the interests of the Craft , are at their wits' end to fill their columns with the necessary quantum of matter .

Our attention was drawn a few days since to a number of photographs and sketches in the window of a shop in Oxford-street . Among them was one representing a poormiserable half-fledged bird , perched on a branch of a leafless tree in a pelting shower of rain . Underneath was written

the motto or device , " Come , gentle Spring , ethereal mildness , come ! " What this poor little scarecrow , with all its miserable surroundings is to the full-fledged , well-fed bird twittering joyously in some leafy arbour , or flitting about from tree to tree in the glorious sunshine , that

the work done in our Lodges is to the work that might , could , would , and should be done , if even a fair majority of our fellow Craftsmen had any sense of the reality of Freemasonry as a " progressive science . " We question if , as one of our correspondents suggests

elsewhere in the present number , many of the subjects which are discussed in Lodges abroad would find favour with English brethren . But can any more interesting study be imagined than that of the history of Freemasonry through the ages ? It is

not necessary that the subject should be dealt with very elaborately , except by those whom we will designate the experts and those ambitious of becoming such . How many are there who know anything about the Four Old Lodges , and how they set about establishing— " reviving , "

we believe , is the more fashionable word—the Grand Lodge of England ? Are there very many who can answer offhand and approximately- —say within a score of years of the actual date—when this happened ? What is known outside the limited circle of Masonic students , except

perhaps in the City of York itself , of the famous old Lodge of York and what became of it ? Some might imagine that by some impossible or incomprehensible means it got itself entangled in the mysteries of the so-called—and , be it added ,

miscalled—York -Rite , and was never more heard of . Others will say that , as there is supposed to have been a York Rite , there must have been Masonry , and therefore a Lodge or Lodges in York , but they cannot tell you or can tell you but little of the proceedings . The actual date of the

" Union " is constantly given in the Book of Constitutions , yet is there one in fifty brethren who knows what is meant by this " Union ; " what Masonic bodies were united ; and how there came to be separate and distinct systems of Masonry in this country , which it was considered

desirable should be amalgamated ? Is it too much to say that an occasional paper on some leading topic on the history of our Craft would be appreciated , not only for the insig ht into Masonic history it would be the means of imparting , but also as an agreeable relief from the

neverending monotony of what now passes under the general form of " Work ! " Here is one field of labour , about which but few brethren have ever troubled themselves , and yet

we venture to suggest there is none from which the members of a Lodge composed of ordinary well-informed men would , if a paper or two were now and then read , derive a fuller sense of gratification .

But ; our ceremonies and ritual , the former of which arc necessarily repeated at short intervals in our regular Lodges , while both are the subject of endless repetition in our Lodges of Instruction , can nothing else be done witli these than repeat them ? Are there no brethren wit ! . zeal enough to induce them , and haying zeal , the ability

Lodge Work And Craft Journalism.

to occasionally favour their fellow members of the Lodge with some exposition of this or that ceremony , or the force and meaning of this or that section of a lecture ? We are constantly being told that our ceremonies are imposing and onr ritual is remarkable for its beauty , and there is no

question as to the strict justice of these statements . Yet for all their beauty and impressiveness no one ever seems to concern himself much about them . A literal rendering is about tbe limit even of the most zealous brother ' s ambition , and yet they are beautiful , and our brethren , are they

not zealous and honourable , both as men and Masons ? We are very far from wishing to see the order of things seriously disturbed . For instance , none would experience a deeper sense of regret than we should if any serious disturbance of our

ritual and ceremonies were even proposed , much less carried out . But it is impossible we can shut our eyes to the fact that Masonry suffers terribly from the monotony of its proceedings . The majority of our Lodges of Instrnction are mere make-believes , and the regular Lodges afford

little , if any , variety in the work that is done from one year ' s end to another , and during successive years . What , perhaps , is the most surprising feature about Freemasonry is that , in spite of these drawbacks , it still continues to flourish , and almost every year sees some increase in the

number of those " who are received into its ranks . This shows a wonderful amount of vitality in our dear old Craft , while lukewarmness on the part of its votaries and the active hatred and hostility of its declared enemies have

no effect whatever on its popularity and stability . How much more popular and stable would it not become if some changes were made in our Lodge work in the direction we have indicated ?

Masonic Literature , or rather let us limit our remarks to what we are most concerned with , Masonic Journalism , of necessity , suffers from this apathy in the Lodges . Monotony in Lodge work breeds monotony in the Lodge report ,

and it is as correct to say there is a stereotyped form of the latter as there is a stereotyped programme of the former . Consequently when we know how little variety there is in Lodge work , we have great reason to wonder , and even feel gratified , that our Craft literature is so readable .

The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of the Province of Berks and Oxon . of which R . W . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Jersey is P . G . Master , and V . W . Bro . Charles Stephens Deputy Provincial Grand Master , will assemble at

Abingdon , under the banner of the Abbey Lodge , No . 225 ( W . Bro . J . T . Morland P . P . G . D . W . M . ) , on Tuesday , the 30 th day of August 1881 , when and where all Grand Officers of the Province ( Present and Past ) , and

Worshipfnl Masters , Past Masters , Wardens , and Overseers of private Lodges , are summoned to attend , and by permission all regularly registered Mark Master Masons are invited to be present . The Committee of General Purposes will meet

in the Abbey Lodge Room , at One o clock p . m . precisely , to audit the accounts of the Provincial Grand Treasurer , and to transact any other business requiring their attention . The Provincial Grand Lodge will assemble in the Abbey

Council Chamber at Three o ' clock p . m ., and be close tyled punctually at half-past Three , when the business of the Province will be transacted . By command of the Rig ht Worshipful Provincial Grand Mark Master Mason , THOS . J . PULLEY P . M . G . S . D . Provincial Grand Mark Secretary .

On production of the summons , first and second class return tickets at reduced fares will be issued at the following Stations on the Great Western Railway , viz .: —Paddington , Slough , Maidenhead , Thame , Reading , Basingstoke , Newbury , Didcot , Oxford , and Witney .

Elliott Royal Arch Chapter, No. 1205.

ELLIOTT ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER , No . 1205 .

The Annnal Convocation of this Chapter was held on 3 rd met ., at the Metham Masonic Hall , Stonehouse , when , by special dispensation from the M . E . Snperintendent , Ex-Companion Huffh Cameron was installed aa Z ., and Ex-C » mpanion T . E . Peek a 3 H ., Bx-Companion T . Gibbons was also installed as J . The Board of Installed Principals was composed of Comps J . B . Gover , T . Goodall , I . Gidley , E . Aitken Davies , J . H . Lord . The other Officers elected

•n- appointed were : —Companions D . Cross P . Z . Treasurer , G . Perkins S . E ., W . H . Hunt S . N ., W . H . Lister P . S ., J . Hayward 1 st A . S ., W . N . Foreman 2 nd A . S ., Thomas Gidley Jan . A Committee was appointed to revise the bye-laws , and the Chap ter laving been closed , the Companions adjourned to the adjacent rooms or refreshment , and , under the able presidency of Companion Oameron , whose health was , together with the other Principals , especially honoured , a pleasant and instructive hour wt * spent .