Gains And Losses.

turning all cases of suspension over to them and getting them to follow up each case ? The Grand Stewards are generally men of experience , and such a duty if entrusted to them , would , I am sure , be carefully and successfully performed . An arrangement of this sort is not a new idea ; its

success has been proved in other organisations and there is no reason why it should not work well in our Fraternity . A man would not feel utterly cast out if he knew he was a member of the Grand Stewards' Lodge and such knowledge of itself would facilitate his return .

But whatever is done let it be done quickly and to the end that this annual waste of 14 , 000 or thereabouts be decreased . It is a subjedt which demands the closest attention and we have been thinking too little about it during these recent years of prosperity . —Peter Ross , in " American Tyler . " '

Secrecy.

SECRECY .

FREEMASONRY is a secret organisation , and its affairs are not for the outside multitude ; its aims and purposes are well known and thoroughly approved by its votaries and by the communities in which it operates , but its private affairs are not to be discussed in the presence of those not members .

I have been requested to sound a note of warning on this subject , as in these days of wide publicity some of our Brethren are , perhaps , not so discreet in this matter as they should be ; some of the hewer and younger Brethren are perhaps misled by reading of such things as Masonic parades ,

Masonic dinners , banquets , balls , concerts , dances , & c , given by so-called Masonic bodies and participated in by Brethren and others not of the Craft ; such shows are discountenanced and forbidden to Pennsylvania Lodges , as we believe that

Freemasonry should be practiced and its affairs discussed behind the tyled doors of the Lodge room . That this requirement of secrecy is not new in this jurisdiction is evidenced by the following , which is copied from the " Ahiman Rezon" of 1783 :

" The last quality and virtue which I shall mention as absolutely requisite in those who would be Masons is that of secrecy , which indeed from its importance ought to have held the prior place in this chapter , if it had not been intended to treat of it more fully as a conclusion of the whole .

So great stress is laid upon this particular quality or virtue that it is enforced among Masons under the strongest penalties and obligations ; nor , in their esteem , is any man to be counted wise who is void of intellectual strength and

ability sufficient to cover and conceal such honest secrets as are committed to him , as well as his own more serious affairs . Both sacred and profane history teacheth us that numerous virtuous attempts have failed of their intended scope and end through defect of secret concealment .

The ancient philosophers and wise men ( the Princes of whom were Masons ) were so fully persuaded of the great virtue of secrecy that it was the first lesson which they taught their pupils and followers . Thus in the school of Pythagoras we find it was a rule that every novitiate was to be silent for

a time and refrain from speaking , unless when a question was asked , to . the end that the valuable secrets which he had to communicate might be the better preserved and valued . Lycurgus made a perpetual law obliging every man to keep secret whatever was committed to him unless it were to the

injury of the State . And Cato , the Roman Censor , told his friends that of three things ( if ever he happened to be guilty ) he always repented , viz .: 1 st , If he divulged a secret ; 2 nd , If he went on water when he might stay on dry land ; and

3 rd , If he suffered a day to pass without doing ( or endeavouring to do ) some Good . We also read that the Persian law punished the betrayal of a secret more grieviously than any other common crime .

St . Ambrose places the patient gift of silence among the principal foundations of virtue ; and the wise Solomon deems the man unworthy to reign or to have any rule over others who cannot command himself and keep his own secrets .

A discoverer of secrets he deems infamous and a traitor ; but him that conceals them he accounts a faithful Brother . ' A talebearer , ' says he , ' revealeth secrets , but he that is of a

faithful spirit concealeth them . Discover not a secret to another , lest he that heareth it put thee to' shame , and thine infamy turn not away . He that keepeth his tongue keepeth his own soul . '

Secrecy.

Before those who are not Masons you must be cautious in your words , carriage and motions ; so that the most penetrating stranger shall not be able to discover what is not proper to be intimated . The impertinent and ensnaring

question or ignorant and idle discourse of those who seek to pry into the secrets and mysteries committed to you must be prudently considered and managed , or the discourse wisely diverted to another subject , as your discretion and duty shall direct . "

Brethren , weigh well these thoughts which come down to us from the fathers , discountenance all publicity , let all Lodge affairs be confined to Lodge Rooms , avoid discussion of Masonic subjects or Masonic business in the presence of

those not Masons . How often have we heard such matters freely talked of in the street cars , in barber shops , an a bar room , perhaps , or in smaller public places ?—Grand Master of Pennsylvania , in his annual address .

Masonry In The Philippines.

MASONRY IN THE PHILIPPINES .

THE following article on Masonry in the Philippines appeared in the Manila " Freedom " : The disposition of Anglo-Saxons to fraternise is well

exemplified by the number of secret , social and Fraternal Orders that characteristics of the race have called into effect . In the days of the Spanish regime the life of a member of a secret Order was always in danger , as organisations of that kind were looked upon with suspicion . Masonry was

considered the greatest enemy to the state , and many members of that Fraternity suddenly disappeared from the city limits and their fate was never known . The Katipunan was the great secret Order by which the insurgents strengthened their cause against the Spanish government . Anyone that

was suspected of being a member was placed under close surveillance by the authorities . Their object , however , was revolutionary and their aim the overthrow of constituted authority . Those who joined took an oath sealed in blood to never lay down their arms until the Spaniards were driven

from the islands . When the insurrection broke out against the Americans , the former members were expected to stand by the Katipunan oath and aid in overthrowing American authority . Many refused to renew their vows and the result was that a new organisation was effected in which the name America was used instead of that of Spain .

Under those circumstances all loyal and peaceful residents of the islands had a horror of secret societies . The very thought of them brought to mind the Katipunans and they could not realise how it was possible that a secret

organisation could exist for any good . Together with the teachings of the friars and the church in the islands , who had no love for Masonry , added to the natural prejudice against secret organisations , the word Mason had terrible meaning to them .

The word Masqn in Spanish means that class of people who do not believe in any particular religion , and really included the class known in America as free-thinkers . To be a free-thinker during the Spanish regime was a most serious crime and the class were treated more like outcasts and

barbarians than anything else . The term Mason was applied to anyone who dared to- express sentiments contrary to the theory and creed taught by the church , and all such were excommunicated and even thrown into prison if they were in any way considered dangerous or were very free in expresing their sentiments .

In this way the word Mason was also made to cover the general term applied to the Masonic Order , and in the early days of American occupation the Spanish and Filipino residents of the " loyal" city would shrink in horror from anyone who wore a Masonic charm or who was known as a member

of the Fraternity . They looked upon the Mason as a species of cut-throat who would sooner or later do something awful in the way of assassination , robbery or any old crime that they were taught to believe that Masons were capable of perpetrating .

As time passed and they did not see any serious crimes in which American Masons were connected , the sentiment changed rapidly , and to-day the majority of Spaniards will

try to explain what they understand to . be the difference between what they termed Masons and the exemplary people from America who were proud of their connection with the great Fraternal Orders . It is true that they are restrained to