Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
he was worthy of either the three letters after his name , or at least two , whether he could fill an office or not ; if he sung a good song , or was able to keep up the amusement at refreshment , it was sufficient ; and if some of our brethren in this city speak what is correct—and I doubt them not—some of the office-bearers at present in the lodges here cannot even boast of such qualifications , and some that from the peculiar nature of their avocations or their profession ht to be excluded from
oug the Craft . If such is the case under the eye and the immediate observation of those who bear the rule and have the superintendance of the work , what can we expect from our country friends , who are at a distance from the paternal and fostering care of our high officials . Another reason can also be given , aud it , I have no doubt whatever , has sprung out of the last two—it is the introduction of an indolent and careless method of working , combined with the introduction of senseless forms and ridiculous
buffoonery , and whicli has often given tlle newly initiated such a disgust at Masonry , that they have never entered the lodge again . The giving of three degrees in one night belongs to the same class of evils , and has come from the same source . Emergency is the cause assigned for such a practice ; but in some places in the country every case , I understand , is emergent ; a pitiable excuse indeed for ignorance , carelessnessand lazinessfor it is the combination of the whole three
, , , and very little is an excuse for some of the lodges exercising this power or privilege : ancl what kind of Masons do they make in such a hurried manner ; will the information which they have received in such a wholesale " reading made easy" way , avail them when they leave the shores of their native land , or even when they cross the border—no , they are ,
and must be looked down upon by every brother who has heen regularly made ancl properly instructed in his duties as a Mason , and the consequence has been that Scotch Masons , instead of being looked upon as good Masons when they visit foreign parts , can hardly pass themselves as a brother ought to do . " I was only made before I left Scotland "" I did not get this or that "— " that is not the way we do , " and such like , are the only excuses that these poor brethren can give when they
com ' e to be proved . Thus by degrees has one evil been added to another until we find , as at present , one hundred and ninety lodges struck off the roll or dormant , and only fifteen new charters granted in the course of twelve years to make up the void . If we wish Masonry in this part of the island to revive , if we wish it to prosper or continue to exist , we must not stand idly by , admiring the beauties of Scotch Masonry as we have intuitively worshipped and believed in ; we must not look back
ten or twenty years , but let us enquire into the practice and working , as carried on many years ago , when strictness in working , seriousness of manner , and above all a due regard to the character of those who were admitted , were the standards of Scotch Masonry . If we wish to improve the character of our working we must study , we must gain information on the history of the Craft ; we must not pin our faith in these matters to the dicta of individualswhatever office they hold in the Craft
, may ; we must judge for ourselves individually ; we must not be afraid of trouble , nothing is gained without that ; perseverance , industry , and an ardent desire to see the Craft put on a footing in- accordance with its ancient character will soon change the aspect of affairs , and regain that position which has been lost . It will not do for brethren to say this is wrong and that is wrong ; they must put tbeir hand to the oar , and pull fairly and with vigour ; they are parties interested , and it is the business
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
he was worthy of either the three letters after his name , or at least two , whether he could fill an office or not ; if he sung a good song , or was able to keep up the amusement at refreshment , it was sufficient ; and if some of our brethren in this city speak what is correct—and I doubt them not—some of the office-bearers at present in the lodges here cannot even boast of such qualifications , and some that from the peculiar nature of their avocations or their profession ht to be excluded from
oug the Craft . If such is the case under the eye and the immediate observation of those who bear the rule and have the superintendance of the work , what can we expect from our country friends , who are at a distance from the paternal and fostering care of our high officials . Another reason can also be given , aud it , I have no doubt whatever , has sprung out of the last two—it is the introduction of an indolent and careless method of working , combined with the introduction of senseless forms and ridiculous
buffoonery , and whicli has often given tlle newly initiated such a disgust at Masonry , that they have never entered the lodge again . The giving of three degrees in one night belongs to the same class of evils , and has come from the same source . Emergency is the cause assigned for such a practice ; but in some places in the country every case , I understand , is emergent ; a pitiable excuse indeed for ignorance , carelessnessand lazinessfor it is the combination of the whole three
, , , and very little is an excuse for some of the lodges exercising this power or privilege : ancl what kind of Masons do they make in such a hurried manner ; will the information which they have received in such a wholesale " reading made easy" way , avail them when they leave the shores of their native land , or even when they cross the border—no , they are ,
and must be looked down upon by every brother who has heen regularly made ancl properly instructed in his duties as a Mason , and the consequence has been that Scotch Masons , instead of being looked upon as good Masons when they visit foreign parts , can hardly pass themselves as a brother ought to do . " I was only made before I left Scotland "" I did not get this or that "— " that is not the way we do , " and such like , are the only excuses that these poor brethren can give when they
com ' e to be proved . Thus by degrees has one evil been added to another until we find , as at present , one hundred and ninety lodges struck off the roll or dormant , and only fifteen new charters granted in the course of twelve years to make up the void . If we wish Masonry in this part of the island to revive , if we wish it to prosper or continue to exist , we must not stand idly by , admiring the beauties of Scotch Masonry as we have intuitively worshipped and believed in ; we must not look back
ten or twenty years , but let us enquire into the practice and working , as carried on many years ago , when strictness in working , seriousness of manner , and above all a due regard to the character of those who were admitted , were the standards of Scotch Masonry . If we wish to improve the character of our working we must study , we must gain information on the history of the Craft ; we must not pin our faith in these matters to the dicta of individualswhatever office they hold in the Craft
, may ; we must judge for ourselves individually ; we must not be afraid of trouble , nothing is gained without that ; perseverance , industry , and an ardent desire to see the Craft put on a footing in- accordance with its ancient character will soon change the aspect of affairs , and regain that position which has been lost . It will not do for brethren to say this is wrong and that is wrong ; they must put tbeir hand to the oar , and pull fairly and with vigour ; they are parties interested , and it is the business