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Article LODGES AND THEIR AMENITIES. Page 1 of 2 Article LODGES AND THEIR AMENITIES. Page 1 of 2 →
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Lodges And Their Amenities.
LODGES AND THEIR AMENITIES .
rpHE remarks we felt constrained to offer last week , - * - as to Lodges of Instruction and their powers of attraction , have elicited opinions from some valued friends and correspondents , who confirm us in the
idea that an appreciable falling off is generally noted . For this falling off several reasons have been assigned , the most potent of which is the difficulty experienced in finding suitable quarters where the brethren may assemble in comfort without incurring an extravagant outlay . It has been urged also that
our regular Lodge meetings are different altogether in their social characteristics to thoso they presented some twenty or thirty years ago , and while we are discussing this , as a second proposition , we may as well treat it from the same standpoint . In the first place we are prepared to admit that the spirit of
kinship is not fostered m our Lodges to the extent it was in the days gone by . This evil is promulgated by the indiscriminate admission of candidates ; the family party , so to speak , has become too large , ancl the members are not so well acquainted with each other as when tho roll of membership did not cover so
wide a sheet . Another factor that goes a long way to disturb the social amenities of our Lodges is the scramble that is continually taking place to get into office , and to crowd the breast with paltry adornments for services supposed to have been rendered . Brethren now-a-days , it is urged , aro not content to work up to
the Master ' s chair step by step , they must be " pitchforked " or they will try some other Lodge where they can secure preferment at a much earlier date . What care they what the number or status of their Mother Lodge may be , they have but one idea , that is to secure the coveted title of Past Master . And what
is the result ? Why the creation of mushroom Lodges , that wane if they do not become extinguished within their first decade . With respect to what has been urged by another of our correspondents , that the members of our Fraternity at the present day are not sufficiently in
touch the one with the other , we feel we cannot do better than lay before our readers this gentleman's own expressed views . He urges that there is too much sentiment imported into onr Lodges . It has always been an Englishman's privilege when he meets an acquaintance to make the inquiry , —Well , how
goes business ? If such a question is asked at a Lodge meeting your present day Mason declares you are trading on Freemasonry , and the repetition of such a query often elicits a senseless , if not an impertinent remark , from some thoughtless blockhead
who never had a second idea to oiler . This perhaps is a strong way of putting it , but the objection stands , and when it is urged that anything that tends to restrict friendly , intercourse and mutual sympathy is tolerated , we should do all in our power to get an alteration brought about . Again , one strong
Lodges And Their Amenities.
reason for the laclc of interest displayed , at onr meetings is the break-neck pace at which life is carried on at the present day . In the Metropolis , for instance , how many men there aro whose residence
is some ten , twelve or more miles away from tlio locality where their bnsiness is conducted . Married men spend more of their leisure time in their respective domestic circles than was their wont in the olden days . The inducement to stay out is a strong
one when we know we shall spend tho evening wifch long and tried friends , in whose gossip we feel an interest . Judge then our horror when , at groat inconvenience we have withstood the enticements of those at home , to hear from the Worshipful Master , that as
a long musical programme is before tho Lodge . a request that conversation be restricted . What care we for the talented artistes that have been engaged ; we came for our quips and our quiddits . and we leave disgusted that we have been debarred these , to our mind , necessary adjuncts to our enjoyment . We
care not for elaborate musical entertainments at our Lodge , we can have plenty of that sort of thing at home without having to spend an hour this bitter weather over a railway journey in the small hours of the morning .
In dealing with the subject , however , we must not overlook the strong point so often brought forward to prove the stability of our Institution in that so many of our members have stood hard and fast by it for so many years . We readily concede the fact that there are many brethren who have upheld the principles of
Freemasonry and advocated its principles for periods ranging from thirty to fifty years ; - ay , even more . This in the opinion of many confirms the idea that interest in Lodge work is not waning ; but inasmuch as it is universally agreed that one swallow does not make a summer , we would ask will the Masons of
to-day , in the years to come , display the same amount oi interest ? What we desire to impress upon our readers is , the desirability of exercising proper caution as to whom they may introduce into their companionship . Numerical strength does not denote power , the trained warriors , though few in number , can readily
hold their own when they are opposed by an unruly and disorganised rabble . Let us therefore look to tho training of our young members ; those who are systematically inactive or lazy will soon declare themselves , and Freemasonry will offer few charms for
such to continue association with it . They will retire from active participation in Lodge work , and we are inclined to believe the Craft will benefit by such inactivity . Another piece of advice we have been asked to advance is that more " stage management" should bo
enforced by the Lodges and Lodges of Instruction in working out the various ceremonies ofthe Order , We are inclined to favour this proposition . Any of our readers who have been privileged to attend meetings of our Lodges where the Military element predominates , must have been more or lesr-5 ¦ p ' " ** ur * - -, •, ;' ¦ J ^
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Lodges And Their Amenities.
LODGES AND THEIR AMENITIES .
rpHE remarks we felt constrained to offer last week , - * - as to Lodges of Instruction and their powers of attraction , have elicited opinions from some valued friends and correspondents , who confirm us in the
idea that an appreciable falling off is generally noted . For this falling off several reasons have been assigned , the most potent of which is the difficulty experienced in finding suitable quarters where the brethren may assemble in comfort without incurring an extravagant outlay . It has been urged also that
our regular Lodge meetings are different altogether in their social characteristics to thoso they presented some twenty or thirty years ago , and while we are discussing this , as a second proposition , we may as well treat it from the same standpoint . In the first place we are prepared to admit that the spirit of
kinship is not fostered m our Lodges to the extent it was in the days gone by . This evil is promulgated by the indiscriminate admission of candidates ; the family party , so to speak , has become too large , ancl the members are not so well acquainted with each other as when tho roll of membership did not cover so
wide a sheet . Another factor that goes a long way to disturb the social amenities of our Lodges is the scramble that is continually taking place to get into office , and to crowd the breast with paltry adornments for services supposed to have been rendered . Brethren now-a-days , it is urged , aro not content to work up to
the Master ' s chair step by step , they must be " pitchforked " or they will try some other Lodge where they can secure preferment at a much earlier date . What care they what the number or status of their Mother Lodge may be , they have but one idea , that is to secure the coveted title of Past Master . And what
is the result ? Why the creation of mushroom Lodges , that wane if they do not become extinguished within their first decade . With respect to what has been urged by another of our correspondents , that the members of our Fraternity at the present day are not sufficiently in
touch the one with the other , we feel we cannot do better than lay before our readers this gentleman's own expressed views . He urges that there is too much sentiment imported into onr Lodges . It has always been an Englishman's privilege when he meets an acquaintance to make the inquiry , —Well , how
goes business ? If such a question is asked at a Lodge meeting your present day Mason declares you are trading on Freemasonry , and the repetition of such a query often elicits a senseless , if not an impertinent remark , from some thoughtless blockhead
who never had a second idea to oiler . This perhaps is a strong way of putting it , but the objection stands , and when it is urged that anything that tends to restrict friendly , intercourse and mutual sympathy is tolerated , we should do all in our power to get an alteration brought about . Again , one strong
Lodges And Their Amenities.
reason for the laclc of interest displayed , at onr meetings is the break-neck pace at which life is carried on at the present day . In the Metropolis , for instance , how many men there aro whose residence
is some ten , twelve or more miles away from tlio locality where their bnsiness is conducted . Married men spend more of their leisure time in their respective domestic circles than was their wont in the olden days . The inducement to stay out is a strong
one when we know we shall spend tho evening wifch long and tried friends , in whose gossip we feel an interest . Judge then our horror when , at groat inconvenience we have withstood the enticements of those at home , to hear from the Worshipful Master , that as
a long musical programme is before tho Lodge . a request that conversation be restricted . What care we for the talented artistes that have been engaged ; we came for our quips and our quiddits . and we leave disgusted that we have been debarred these , to our mind , necessary adjuncts to our enjoyment . We
care not for elaborate musical entertainments at our Lodge , we can have plenty of that sort of thing at home without having to spend an hour this bitter weather over a railway journey in the small hours of the morning .
In dealing with the subject , however , we must not overlook the strong point so often brought forward to prove the stability of our Institution in that so many of our members have stood hard and fast by it for so many years . We readily concede the fact that there are many brethren who have upheld the principles of
Freemasonry and advocated its principles for periods ranging from thirty to fifty years ; - ay , even more . This in the opinion of many confirms the idea that interest in Lodge work is not waning ; but inasmuch as it is universally agreed that one swallow does not make a summer , we would ask will the Masons of
to-day , in the years to come , display the same amount oi interest ? What we desire to impress upon our readers is , the desirability of exercising proper caution as to whom they may introduce into their companionship . Numerical strength does not denote power , the trained warriors , though few in number , can readily
hold their own when they are opposed by an unruly and disorganised rabble . Let us therefore look to tho training of our young members ; those who are systematically inactive or lazy will soon declare themselves , and Freemasonry will offer few charms for
such to continue association with it . They will retire from active participation in Lodge work , and we are inclined to believe the Craft will benefit by such inactivity . Another piece of advice we have been asked to advance is that more " stage management" should bo
enforced by the Lodges and Lodges of Instruction in working out the various ceremonies ofthe Order , We are inclined to favour this proposition . Any of our readers who have been privileged to attend meetings of our Lodges where the Military element predominates , must have been more or lesr-5 ¦ p ' " ** ur * - -, •, ;' ¦ J ^