What's In A Lodge Name?

WHAT'S IN A LODGE NAME ?

There may be much , or nothing , or worse than nothing , in a lodge name . It may be profitably suggestive , or simply meaningless , or absolutely ridiculous . It may be Masonic , or profane . It may be a word which will instantly flash a volume of meaning upon the mind , or its sound may fall on the ear like a drop of water in the sea , or startle the ear like thunder out

of a clear sky : We will not specify any absurd lodge names , lest they should be copied St . John ' s Lodge is found , numerously and deservedly , in every Masonic jurisdiction . There is no better name g iven among Masons for a lodge . It is typical of love—brother ! ) ' love , which is the essence of Freemasonry . Ancient Craft Masonry has sometimes been styled " St . John's Masonry . "

We do not know that either of the St . Johns was a Mason , but we do know that both of their characters were Masonic , and that their names have been long imbedded in Craft nomenclature . In the United States of America the earliest lodge organised in the oldest jurisdictions was generally styled as St . John ' s Lodge . This was so in Pennsylvania ( A . D . 1731 ) , Massachusetts ( A . D . 1733 ) , and other senior iurisdictions .

Universal Lodge , No . 181 , of London , England , suggests that most pleasing and profitable feature of Freemasonry , its universality . In other words , the tourist , thc scientist , the merchant , the adventurer , may find in every land a home and in every clime a brother . Other associations may be lacking , but this one will remain , the first , last , and best of all . Had

Freemasonry no other feature than its universality , lhat would justify its existence-The Lodge of Antiquity , No . 2 , of London , monuments a Masonic quality which is of as deep significance as the universality of Freemasonryits antiquity . As a rule , whatever is old is respectable . We venerate the venerable . In some systems the Worshipful Master is himself officially

styled " Venerable . ' Ihe sun Isold , the earth is old , man is old , the Bible is old , Freemasonry is old . Whatever links the aforetime with the now ; whatever manifests its power by its long continuance , whatever is immortal among mortals , is respected , honoured , and credited with possessing- a

reason for its being . Pretence may win a short-lived success , but only substantial merit can command ceaseless homage . Freemasonry has lived through the ages , it has a noble and ancient lineage , and it towers like a century plant among mushrooms in the world of secret societies .

Montefiore Lodge , No . 1017 , London , is not only a nominal , but a real tribute to the benevolence of Bro . Sir Moses Montefiore as a man ancl a Mason , and also to that of the noble army of munificently charitable Freemasons around the globe . Pennsylvania has hacl its full share of these—we need only mention three—Bros . Stephen Girard , Thomas R . Patton , ancl

George W , Childs . Each of them , and all who share in their spirits , have drank deeply at the fountain of Masonic Charily , which is one of the Craft ' s noblest characteristics . It is love in action . It is the God in man manifesting itself towards his fellows . It is the chiefest of the triune Masonic virtues , faith in God , hope in immortality , and Charity towards all mankind , and especially towards the members of thc Masonic brotherhood .

Noah's Ark Lodge , No . 347 , Tipton , England , carries us " way back . " No doubt if there Mere Masons then , they were found worthy to be " taken in out of the wet . " Operative Masons who then built the noblest structures , who symbolised morality by their working tools , who cared for their worth ) -, distressed brethren , we may bc sure would not be allowed to

perish from thc earth . Unfortunatel y , no flood of historic li ght is shed on that flood of waters , and we cannot Masonisc Noah and his sons . But then wc may fall back , with Canon Farrar , on the doctrine of "eternal hope . " We hope they were Masons , and the brethren of Tipton , England , have monumented this hope in the name of their lodge .

Paradise Lodge , No . 312 , Kentucky , overtops every other lodge in a way of a nominal suggestion of hoary antiquity , unstained virtue and primeval Masonry . Who would not boast of his privileges had he been a member ol a lodge in Paradise . There were no impostors there , until the Devil appeared , no Masons suspended for non-payment of duesno brethren

ex-, pelled for un-Masonic conduct—until Cain was driven out into fhe land ol Nod . Wc know that Adam wore an apron , but he seems to have been , later on , led astray by some malign influence , and opened a species of Eastern

Star Lodge , and clothed Eve with an apron ; and thus with a " female " Mason and a devilish impostor to disturb the Masonic harmony of Paradise Lodge . Of course it losl its warrant and came to naught . Thc less said about Paradise Lodge , all things considered , the better .

lemperance-in-the-East Lodge , No . 898 , Poplar , England , furnishes the key to unlock a storehouse of Masonic principles which should control every Worshipful Master and every individual Freemason . If there be not temperance in the east , there will not be temperance in the west , or south ,

or anywhere else . The Master rules the lodge . If he is intemperate in any respect the entire lodge suffers . And in how many ways it is possible lor him to be intemperate—in speech , in spending money too lavishly , in permitting too much liquid refreshment . Brethren , let temperance always prevail in the east , ancl it will prevail everywhere .

Shakespeare Lodge , No . 426 , Lincolnshire , England . —Shakespeare a Freemason ! Why not ? We are told he was a lawyer , a doctor , a merchant , an actor . He was everything , he knew everything . Some tell us he not onlknew

y Bacon , but was Bacon . He certainly knew enough to bc a Freemason . Wc cannot prove that he was , but of course he must have been . Shakespeare Lodge , at all events , venerates his name , ancl has incorporated it with the Craft .

Abbey Lodge , No . 11 S 4 , of Battle , England , and Friars' Lodge , No . 1349 , of Crutched Friars , London , indicate two important facts in thc history of the Craft , to wit , that the monasteries and abbeys were the homes and centres of operation for Freemasons for a number of centuries , and that

ecclesiastics were often not onl y patrons ofthe Fraternity , but often members ol it , Masters of lodges ancl architects of abbeys . Bro . Fort has abundantly proved this in his " Critical Inquiry Concerning the Mediaeval Conventual Builders , " a scholarly monograph upon this interesting topic . But we must pause , nay , conclude . Does any one still ask , " What is in a Lodge Name ? "—Keystone .

A Work Of Art.

A WORK OF ART .

The Masonic ritual is a work of art , and like all works of art is valuable not merely for whal it represents , but mainly for what it suggests to the mind . This is true , whether the work be a poem , a painting , a piece of music , or statuary . The material representation may be good , and thc technique beyond criticism , but if no thought or feeling is suggested , but

little value attaches , and we soon tire of them ; but a little picture of two poor peasants in a rough field , pausing in their work , with bowed heads , al thc call of the bell in the little church beyond , tells the whole story of a life of toil , hardship , and devotion . Men do not tiro of such pictures and the grand lessons taught by them .

So of our ritual . It suggests to our minds great thoughts , in simple , homely words . To the humblest mind there is a lesson that it can understand , and to the noblest of men grander truths , yet to be learned , arc clearl } ' taught . Do not change it by a word . No matter if some of outphrases are quaint , ancl perhaps passing out of current use ; hold to them ,

fix them in the memory . Let our Entered Apprentices and Craftsmen hear them again and again , until they find them fixed indelibly in the mind , and so ever after to influence their daily life and conduct . Allow no novelties to intrude themselves in an ) ' part of thc ritual . They may seem at first harmless and even attractive , but in the end they tend to lessen the force of the more important truths we wish to teach . To this end I am ready to

approve any plan that will promote among the officers of our lodges a laudable emulation to acquire perfection in the work , and so transmit it to their successors . I deprecate the custom of inviting visiting brethren from other jurisdictions to assist in rendering the work . Their work , in its essentials , is the same as ours , but not identical , ancl by all means let our initiates hear and see , for the first time in their lives , thc pure Standard Work of Illinois . —Grand Master Bro . John M . Pearson , of Illinois .

An Old Story Retold.

AN OLD STORY RETOLD .

During 1778 thc Masonic lodge at Aachen ( Aix la Chappelle ) , which , through not working , had forfeited its original warrant , was reconstructed by , and opened under , warrant from thc Grand Lodge of Wetzlar , Germany . The occasion was seized upon by the Primate of the Dominican Monaster ) - at Aachen , Greinemame , and thc Friar Schuff to harangue the

people in the cathedral against the Masons in general , and this newly re-opened lodge in particular . When Frederick the Great heard of these fanatics , who , through their preaching , endangered the public peace , he wrote , on the 7 th February , 177 S , to these inciters of thc people thc following letter .-

—" My Very Reverend Fathers , —Different records , verified by the public prints , have acquainted me with what zeal you arc endeavouring to sharpen the sword of fanaticism against quiet , virtuous , ancl honourable people , to wit , the Freemasons of Aachen . As a former office-bearer of this most honourable Order , I must , as much as lay in my power , repudiate the

calumnies with which you have aspersed it , and I will endeavour to remove the veil which hides from you thc temple which the Masons have erected to all the virtues , but which you have proclaimed to be the meeting place of all the vices . What , my very reverend fathers , will you bring back to us the centuries of ignorance and cruelty which were a disgrace to thc human

race ? Those times of fanaticism upon which the eye of reason cannot gaze without horror . Those times when hypocrisy sat upon thc throne of despotism between superstition and humility , chained thc world , and burned without mercy all those who could read ancl write . You not only call Freemasons masters of witchcraft , but you accuse them of theft

and murder , and of being the forerunners of thc anti Christ , and you incite a whole people to annihilate this damned race . Thieves , my very reverend sirs , do not consider it their duly to assist the poor and thc orphan . Robbers , on the contrary , deprive them of their heritage , and grow fat on the proceeds of their iniquities in the lap of laziness ancl hypocrisy—those swindle the

people , but the Freemasons enlighten them . A Freemason who returns lroni liis lodge , where he received nothing but precepts calculated to benefit his fellow man , should , when he returns home , be a belter husband and father . Forerunners of anti Christ would most likely turn their attention to thc destruction of God ' s lawsbut the Freemason could not so act without destroying

, his own building , his temple . And how can "these people be a damned race , who are never tired of disseminating all virtues which make aud mould a true citizen , and to do this is their only aim and reward . — FREDERICK . "—Canadian Craftsman .

CIPHER WRITING . —Some like to call it cryptography . It is the art of con » cealing the meaning of writing from all but a limited number who possess the keys . It is of very early use in the history of the world , and seems to havei been practised by the teachers and priests of various religions , the Egyptians and Druids , & c . ; for example , it is still used in diplomacy . In Freemasonry it has been in use , though it is now going out , and never , as far as we know , has had any tne

authority from Freemasonry itself . Some writers aver that * what is called square Masonic cipher , may still be seen and read on the walls of Herculaneum , and that it was very early in use by the operative Guilds . Some say that the Runic alphabet was also early employed by the Christian operative Masonic Guilds . All present known systems of cipher are comparatively modern . It is true that Cornelius Agrippa mentions a cabalistic cipher , and there is an old magical or

Hermetic cipher . But all the so-called Masonic ciphers have no official authority ) and several have been invented by charlatans like Finch . A very common cipher is that which substitutes e for a , and commencing from e , as the initial letter or the alphabet , makes z terminate in d . Then there is the also common form , especially abroad , and once used in the United States , of drawing two horizonta parallel lines , intersected by two parallel and vertical lines , as Mackey puts it . letters

This system makes up nine divisions , and each division contains three , the second letter is distinguished from the first by one dot , the third by two . ° y abbreviating the lines the alphabet assumes the appearance of a square alp habe , and some say this form of cipher is very old indeed . This is the one perhaps mos in use with some modification , in so far as a cipher is now used at all , anywhere , though each grade professes to have a cipher of its own , and many are ve y

peculiar , and not a little intricate , especially among the Hig h Grades . . , ff t 0 also a cipher which consists of reading words from right to left instead of le 'L fe right , or rather perhaps from the reverse , which is , however , nearly obsolete , vv ^ repeat that there is after all no authorised Masonic cipher for Craft Masoniy . --Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .