Blackballing.

wer { j 0 blow the bellows , are Brethren who from the positions thev hold in the Craft , if from no other motive , should be the very last to take part or lot in such pitiful tactics , but whose zeal for Freemasonry can be easily measured by the profits derived by them from ifc . Adelaide has long occupied an unenviable notoriety in

respect of eliquism , and the rumour that Brethren had banded themselves together , for the un-Masonic purpose of keeping any man out of the charmed circle , is not to be pooh-poohed as would doubtless be the case in a city of larger dimensions and fewer cliques . Within the past year we have experienced that

even high Officers stoop to " damn by faint praise , " and perhaps to insiduously destroy a fair reputation by those intangible subtleties which are far more difficult to counter than open , honest attacks ; as a matter of fact it has come to our ears that recently it has been stated that a Brother shall nofc affiliate in

the province if a certain dignitary can prevent it , and this Brother is perhaps as well-known a member of the Fraternity in two or three of our capital cities , although not holding any

Government billet , as any one who travels between them , without stain upon his moral or business character , and fche possessor of the best wishes and recommendations of leading Masons who for many years have been intimately associated with him . '

Even before the Grand Lodge of South Australia sprang into existence we find that this same " conspiracy" business was rife in the " City of Churches , " as from the records of Lodge now No . 4 it is seen that three Brethren were expelled from it for this offence , one of whom , since reinstated , has obtained the

highest rank possible under the G . L . of S . A ., whilst another occupies a leading place in one of the learned professions . Comparatively recently too , the son of the Grand Secretary was blackballed in the R . A . Chapter , the present Grand Inspector of

Lodges shared a similar fate in the Mark Lodge , and although the latter has since journeyed 140 miles to Moonfca and taken this Degree the latter is still " outside the pale , " whilst his father " called off" the Adelaide Chapter , retaining , however , membership at Moonfca .

Then in the Rose Croix , a Grand Warden of the G . L . of S . A . was " pilled" several times before gaining admission , and the Mark Lodge has been kept balloting and re-balloting for an hour or more whilst this " pilling" of good names went merrily forward . That the spirit of animosity still lies in the hearts of

the unregenerafce Brethren we proved recently , for on its being stated that one party would blackball the other ' s candidates we arranged to have a certain name proposed for affiliation by those who can be termed the " Democrats , " and surely enough the " Aristocrats " carried out the prognostication , and although the

fact was openly stated in fche city that rejection would be the result of ballot , not one of those " gentleman of good repute , " those leaders of light and learning , those who had sworn to give a Brother timely warning of approaching danger , were imbued

with even sufficient of the instinctive elements of their obligation , of the principles of Freemasonry , or of ordinary courtesy to advise the Brother , his proposer , or seconder , to withdraw his name ?

Surely this is a pretty state of things to exist in a small community , and amongst those who " are bound by all laws , both moral and divine " , to act on the square towards all mankind , and particularly to those who are of the household of faith . The action of the Companions at the Royal Arch Chapter in

ventilating an unsavory subject was fully warranted , and is in such sharp contrast with that just recorded , as to render comment unnecessary . The duty of letting the light of day into a " whited sepulchre" has been none the less unpleasant to ourselves ; we trust and believe good will eventually resultand

, the littleness of human minds be submerged in the greatest of the principles and tenets of our Order , but in case it unhappily occurs that some of our members persist in this un-Masonic conduct , we point to the words and actions of One , endowed with

the purest Masonic spirit , who said " My house is a house of prayer , bufc ye have made ifc a den of thieves , " and even as the money changers were driven from the Temple , so must the Craft be purged of those whose lives and deeds are notoriously at variance with their Masonic obligations . — " Masonry . "

Some Only In Name.

SOME ONLY IN NAME .

ABE you a Mason ? Then be a Mason in deed and in truth . It is no credit to a man to say he is a Mason when he never attends a Masonic Lodge or body except on state occasions . J-he world is full of Sunday men who are anxious to be seen in tne pageant , but have no time and less inclination for the stamsr

flours , when a few faithful Brethren are wrestling with the business affairs of the Lodge Room . When the complaint comes up from some unfortunate Brother of a misfortune that has fallen him and he feels that the wolf will reach his door if he 8 not rendered assistance , the Sunday Brother is resting his

Some Only In Name.

tired limbs upon some velvet divan , or perchance passing an hour at the club . The Sunday Brother has not charity enough to come and vote a remission of dues to the poor unfortunate Brother whose means have been swept away . * There are Masons who never go to the Lodge , Chapter ,

Commandery , or even a funeral ; yet when the pale horse rides in for them , the first messenger leaving the house is to notify the Masonic Brethren that they may make ready for the procession . The procession will be formed , the pall-bearers will be there and

the white apron will rest upon the bier ; the beautiful yet solemn rites will be observed with mournful hearts and loving hands . Tenderly they will lay the Mason away to his long , last sleep . His virtues will be magnified and his faults condoned . True charity .

Brethren , let us think more of our Lodges ; let us go oftener and be social with the members , doing more good as we pass along life ' s journey , so that when the " mournful procession "

goes about the street , and our Brethren come to lay us down in the city of the dead , they may all wifch one accord say " He deserved it all . He was a good man and a good Mason . "" Tennesse Mason . "

Brother Chapman , the well known Masonic enthusiast of Torquay , contributes to last week ' s " Devon County Standard " the first instalment of " An American Tour , " being an account of his trip to Canada , British Columbia , and the United States

last summer , which is interesting reading from a general standpoint , but as we believe our Brother made Masonic matters a prominent feature more than once in his travels , we may expect something later on of special interest to the Craft .

The Lodges of Scarborough have voted grants for the relief of the distress in the town , and it was further decided to hold an entertainment yesterday ( Friday ) in the Theatre Royal for the purpose of raising funds to this end . Bro . Mayhew had very

generously placed the theatre at fche disposal of the Brethren , says the " Scarborough Post . " He and Bros . Catley and Raine had been appointed a Committee to draw up a programme ; and it

was hoped thafc the Freemasons of the town would see to it that there was not a seat to spare , as a good audience should mean the raising of a substantial sum for the relief of distress , which will be severe for many weeks yet , adds our contemporary .

Ad00503

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