Electioneering.

ELECTIONEERING .

I E LECTIONEERING for office either in a Subordinate Lodgj ' j or in Grand Lodge is quite out of place . While human nature remains as it is we may expect , however , that there will be solicitations for otlice in Masonic bodies , and sometimes , at least , a heated contest for a coveted post of distinction . This was the case at the recent meeting of the Grand Lodge of

Canada . The office ot Deputy was the special bone of contention , although for several other offices there were contestants . The " Freemason , " published at Toronto , intimates that the Scottish Eite in some way made itself a party to the heated contest . It says : " The members of the Scottish Eite actively interested

themselves in the selection of candidates for office in Grand Lodge . If such tactics are pursued in the future fche Eite will sacrifice its dignity , and destroy its usefulness as a branch of the Masonic system . By all means let us confine electioneering to as narrow a circle as possible . "— " Freemasons Repository . "

Masonic Feeling.

MASONIC FEELING .

AN intimate relationship exists between Freemasons . A feeling of confidence . A chord of sympathy . A kind of family kinship that draws one near to the other , and establishes a bond of union strong and abiding . It comes from the fact that all have dwelt under the same canopy , have tasted the sweet waters

of the same fountain , and have a language of their own . How beautiful is a relationship so tender , a kinship so extensive How dreadful that this beauty should ever be distorted or marred by the unworthy ! How painful thafc the confidence which the secret chord of sympathy establishes should be abused ! A bad

Mason is like the renegade son of a noble father . The good name of the household is injured by his acts of insubordination and his reckless living . The proud father is hurt to the innermost heart , and he bows his head in shame , not for any action

of his own , but that one bearing his name should bring it into disrepute . Often the gray hairs come too early and the broken heart wears out the body in its youth . And so the great family of Masonry is hurt when one of its members goes astray . — " New York Dispatch . "

Not Subordinate.

NOT SUBORDINATE .

fT ^ HEEE a palpable misuse of terms in many jurisdictions in JL the employment of words to indicate the relation existing between the Grand and lesser bodies . We frequently see the latter alluded to as subordinate to the Grand body , and some writers of eminence and learning even maintain the correctness of this style of nomenclature . While it is true that the lesser

bodies are under the government of the greater , yet they are also of that government , and the democratic spirit of equality and freedom is preserved and perpetuated at the formation of every Grand body of the York rite . In no proper sense is a Lodge

subordinate to the Grand Lodge upon whose roll ifc is carried ; it is a constituent element of that Grand Lodge , the peer of its associates , and the equal of all the elements thafc go to compose the Grand body .

Subordination implies servitude , a duty to a superior lord , a surrender of rights , powers , prerogatives . There is no hierachy in the York rite , no superior denomination , and no exercise of arbitrary power by those that sit above the common mass . The term "Grand Lodge" is a modern name , coined to take the

place of the old title , which was the " General Assembly " of the Craft . It is indeed "great" as representing in the aggregate the wisdom , intelligence , and influence of the jurisdiction , but its function consists only to legislate for the general good ; its

power is only the will of the majority , and its strength is no greater than the strength of its weakest part . It is essentially a constituent assembly , composed of the representatives of the Lodges . It is their creation , and lives by their sufferance alone .

It is true that the Craft of the Grand Lod ge assembled make laws , regulations , and rules obligatory upon all , bufc this does nofc imply subordination in the sense alluded to . It is also true that the Grand Lodge issues charters creative of new Lodges , but such an action in no way resembles the grants of

royalty , nor are such new Lodges the subjects of the Grand Lodge . The effect of such a charter is simply an invitation to the new aggregation thus created to assume an existence and sit in council with its creators ; not as a vassal , but as a peer . It is subordinate to none ; it is the equal of all ; it becomes a constituent .

In the old records the term " subordinate " is never used . It is of modern origin , and borrowed , to a large extent , from the imitative societies , in many of which ifc is in constant use . — " Rough Ashlar . "

Blackballing.

BLACKBALLING .

PERHAPS of all things in the Craft this has been the most productive ot " malice aud unchantableness " in the breasts of many of the Brethren and of would-be members of the fraternity , and whilst dealing with the subject we should not be properly tilling our place in our sphere of labour , if we did not

speak out with a voice of no uncertain sound . The discharge of the duty of balloting is one from which no member of a Lodge should be permitted to shrink , and to none is he responsible for the manner in which he exercises this invaluable privilege , save to his own conscience and the G . A . O . T . U . It is a sacred duty

he performs , and only after the exercise of all other means should the negative be used ; and the Brother who is influenced by pique , prejudice , or other unworthy motive is not only wronging tne candidate , but wronging himself and violating fundamental portions of Freemasonry .

lrom whatever cause a candidate is blackballed , no one has a right to inquire , nor has a Brother , who has voted , any right to disclose how he has exercised his franchise . But whilst

reserving to himself the privilege of using the blackball as a final protection against the admission of one whom to him may be an undesirable acquisition to the membership of the Lodge , it has long been held , and rightly so , that all other means of attaining this object should be tried , and it is an act of Masonic courtesy

to approach the proposer or seconder , and ask him to withdraw his nominee , or go to the W . M . of the Lodge , and as a Masonic secret , tell him the objection to the man , when doubtless the name will be promptly removed from the agenda paper . No true Freemason wall allow any Brother to bring forward a

candidate without giving him , either directly or indirectly , " warning of approaching danger , " and proceed to stab in the dark by blackballing ; much less will he enter into a compact with others to secure a sufficient number of votes to cause rejection ! In the annals of colonial Freemasonry probably no more

astounding circumstance has arisen than that in the South Australian Eoyal Arch Chapter , No . 4 , at its November meeting , when a Pasfc Grand Principal found it necessary to ask permission to make a personal statement , when he said that " it was rumoured in Adelaide that he and other Companions who

had signed a petition for a new Chapter , had entered into a compact to blackball every candidate and' stonewall' all matters brought before this Chapter by a certain section of the Companions . " He characterised the rumour " as a false and dastardly attempt to cause party strife and ill-feeling , " and

emphatically denied it , and was followed by all the other members present who had signed the document referred to , and who disavowed any knowledge of such nefarious and un-Masonic conduct . One member , evidently with" an intention of " shelving" the matter , said "he aid not think there was any

truth in it , ' but the third Principal pointed out that not only was the rumour current , but that the name of a Brother , a P . M ., a gentleman at the head of his profession , in charge of one of the most important Government departments , had been withdrawn from the ballot ! N otwithstanding the half-apparent

inclination of the Companions to allow the originator of the rumour to be treated with contempt , the Chapter owes to itself the duty of thoroughly investigating the matter , and the gentleman who was withdrawn should give the name of his informant as to the rumour , so that the offending Companion

may be dealt with by the Chapter m a manner , which if drastic , cannot at least fail to have a good effect upon the Craft throughout the colony . Such a state of things existing is most deplorable , but the cause of the trouble appears to be somewhat remote , and extends to matters connected with Blue Masonry .

It seems that years ago certain Brethren found that Grand Lodge Offices were being practically monopolised by what they termed a clique , and a " caucus" was formed with a view of infusing fresh blood into that august body , and this was successfully accomplished . We condemn the introduction of

political electoral machinery into the Craft ; it is absolutely beneath the dignity of the Order , and we regret to say that there are rumours that unless the present be speedily healed , another " caucus " will be formed , having for its object the removal from Grand Lodge positions of all those Officers who have proved obnoxious during the tenancy of their respective chairs .

But to resume : —From the time referred fco there has no doubt been more or less feeling shown by the two parties which then became clearly defined . The late John Bright said , " there has never yet , in my experience , been an agitation by the people unless they had wrongs to redress , " and doubtless

there may have been " some evil to remedy , some wrong to right , " but one would have thought that in the subsequent lapse of time , good feeling , if not Masonic obligation , would long ago have extinguished any animosity which might have existed .

Such appears unfortunately not to be the case ; the smouldering embers have been constantly kept alight by injudicious action on the part of interested parties , and perhaps it is not going too far to say that the " underground engineers , " who supply the motive