Let The Craft Wake Up.

men to make any change in the body of Masonry ; " no question of greater moment can come before the minds o f the Craftsmen of this country . As a question of me-re duty on the part of Officers , and

Lodges , iind Masons , from the Grand Master to the youngest Entered Apprentice , there is nothing more important or obligatory than to maintain this principle at every hazard . This dut y devolves with ns ranch weight

upon those who are in possession of the greatest number of degrees , as upon those who have remained content with the three degrees of tho Masonic Lodge , and more than this , if any danger to the " bod y of Masonry " should be likely to

arise from the effect of multi plying degrees and organizations outside the regular Lodge , it becomes those " who enjoy whatever benefit may flow from such supernumerary establishment to be the first to come to the assistance of the

Craft , as their own position is clamed to give them greater influence and opportunit y for good . Asa question of maintaining Masonry in a state most effective for all the good and great purposes of its

institution , the questions which it seems may likely arise are absolutely vital . They involve the complete dissipation of the system of Masonry—the assertion that there is no such thing as the Masonry which our pi'edecessors understood

and believed they were maintaining and transmitting to us —the assumption that there is no difference between the Masonic Lodge and the many modern social and benevolent associations , which have imitated our external forms , and

terms , on account of their excellent adaptability to such purposes as they have in view . I say that it seems likely that such questions as involve the above mentioned matters may arise , if they have not

already arisen , from official action alleged to have taken p lace in one of our Grand Lodges . I do not charge that such action has taken place , as I find asserted in the reports of committees of correspondence lately published , for I am

unwilling to believe that any Grand Lodge in the United States can be so reckless of its trust , or otherwise so ignorant of the purpose for which it was created , as to do what is alleged against the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts .

If what is published be a correct view of what that Grand Lodge has committed itself to there will be time enough after being certain on that point for any Mason to express

his opinion of the transaction , and if it should turn out , as I hope , that a misunderstanding exists , there will be no harm in silence . *

But , aside from that particular matter , it is easy to see that there is a tendency toward a state of things which , unless all good Masons exert themselves prudently and fraternally to counteract , augurs of trouble to come .

This tendency has been long noticeable . It is not from any wicked or corrupt design on the part of any , except as may happen in all good institutions in a few individual

cases of no great consequence , nor does it arise from the acts of a few , but it is the general drift of habits of thought and action , as well in the Masonic Lodge as among those who cultivate the degrees belonging to the various organisations which have sprung up among Masons .

The lack of attention to the princi ples of Masonic lawto the import and effect of Masonic principles in generalthe want of knowledge of what the system of Masonry is ,

either as to its organisation , or its symbolic order and mode of representation , and want of a reasonable regard for the preservation of the peculiar characteristics of the who e Masonic system , are the most notable of the causes which

now tend to loosen and dissolve the integrity of the Masonic bod y . They all grow out of negligence , and that negligence is partl y the result of so many Masons bestowing all their attention on the outside degrees .

In consequence of such things , a great mass of the ¦ Fraternity never think of Masonry ns consisting of three degrees , but regard it as embodied in a great number of degrees , of which the " first three " are committed to tho

Lod ge , the next four to the Chapter , and so on ; and as the highest degree in the Lodge is supreme , they suppose that every degree which follows is hi gher in dignit y and authorit y than those which precede . And these notions

a j'e all the time gaining ground , both in the Lodges and in a 1 ' the other bodies , and one consequence is , that all those v ^ 'o intend to " go through " are disinclined to pay much Mention to the study of Masonry in the Lodge . " They re gard that as a very good commencement ; quite a good

Let The Craft Wake Up.

thing to be so low down in the scale . They say if these degrees are " so nice ti have" it must be ¦ . rand \ - ! : en one r > vts away up iti the t ' -irlos and fifties ; and , in trn , h , from this point ' -i " view th ^ y aro right , for as t ' iey have iv-ver

learned to esteem Masonry for its realities , Imt look much to theatricals and display , the " higher up " the degrees the more likely they are to be giatified , as they hasten on from one department to another of the Masonic universal exposh

tion . Consequently , they inquire how long they will have to wait in the Lodge before they can " get in " to the Chapter . A large number would make for the Comraandery forthwith , if the Chapter did not stand in the way . Before

they have learned more than tho alphabet of the Entered Apprentice degree , they are seated as Masters , and before they have an introduction to even the rudiments of what pertains to that degree , they are occupied as Masters of

Veils or Captains of the Host , and directly one turn = t up as an officer in a Grand Commandery , and another as Thrice Illnstrions Grand Master of a Royal and Select Council ; and so on they go until they have " taken in " the thirty-two

degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , and are far gone in the mazes of one of the rites which can furnish ninetysix degrees or upwards already on hand , where the English language has ceased to furnish superlatives adapted to the

increasing dignity of titles . This is not an exaggeration as to thousands of cases , and in thousinds of others it is about the truth , so far as the money and time at command of the parties will permit . All this time tho Masons who

stay in the Craft Lodges are kept busy" putting through ' more candidates , to follow as far as they can the same course , and hence they are prevented from improving themselves as they mig ht , and so it goes on from year to

year , Now what is to become of Masonic Jaw , or Masonic lore of any description , while matters are carried on in this

way ? Who wonders that wo hear Royal Arch Masons and Templars speaking of the " inferior degrees , " and " the first three degrees , " or tho " Blue Lodge , " or "Blue Lodge

Masons , " and that too as though the Lodge were really an inferior body , once very useful no doubt , and quite satisfactory to those who had nothing better , but which is now ( i behind the times , " and really a hindrance to Masonry ?

One thing is certain , that the mere taking of degrees will not inform the mind of any one on the principles of Masonry or the time-honoured laws of the Craft , For if it wove so , we should not witness so many lamentable

instances of men who have been for years in high official positionsin the Chapter , and Commandery , and Council , and other bodies , who do not even know by what right they appear in their regalia as forming part of a Masonic

procession . I have heard such knig hts denouncing Masons of " inferior degrees , " as they called tho Master Masons of the Lodge , because they assumed to take control of Masonic processions at the laying of corner-stones . And these were

good and respectable men ; no such persons as I have seen misconducting themselves ou certain occasions , while publicly wearing the regalia of degrees . But they were just such persons as might bring about what is alleged

against the Giand Lodge of Massachusetts , if they should find themselves and those under their influence with a majority of vott s in such a body , for as Masonry with them is turned wrong end up , and they know no better than that

the "higher degrees" should rule the " inferior , " as in tho case of most other societies of modern origin , and have never supposed that their degrees acquired outside the Lodge were anything hut superior , they mig ht well deem it right

and Masonic to Tise the opportunity to wage a quarrel about " high degree" jurisdiction on the f ! o ) r of a Grand Lodge , and prostitute their trust and tho power of the Grand Lodge to the purpose of | utting down by regulation

a rival clan . We must not wonder at such things being done , if they should unfortunately come to pass , —as come to pass they surely will , unless averted by timely action of all parties in all Grand Lodges in states containing a largo

number of considerable towns and cities where high degree bodies can fii ; d localities in which their expensive ceremonies can be cairied on , and Masons be found who can afford to devote most of their time to the cultivation of

endless rituals . Two evils out ef many may be noticed here , which are constantl y growirg and aro already fraught with danger to

the Craft . One is the ignorance and negligence , for they each year grow ont of the other and are always together , concerning Masonic law , ethics and usages , which more and more abound in the Lodges as well as . all the other