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THE MASONICILLUSTRATED

Masonic Literature.

Masonic Literature .

A BROTHER who does not read fails to get all that he ought out of his membership of the Order . As suggested by a writer in this journal recently , the art of reading is in itself not easily acquired , and , therefore , the average Freemason may be excused for not having time or

talent to go deeply into Masonic lore , but still it is the duty of every one of us to " make some daily advancement in Masonic knowledge . " A certain amount of mental culture is rightly pre-supposed in all who are admitted to the Order , and possibly the

ignorance of everything that concerns Masonry outside their own lodge , which characterizes many brethren , may be clue to the fact that they scarcely know where to begin . In the first place there are certain things that the Craft has a right to expect of every brother . For instancethe

, Book of Constitutions is put into his hands at his admission , and surely that means that he is expected to stud y it . He is shown the warrant , and surely that means he is expected to read it . He receives the lodge by-laws , and he sadly fails in his duty if he does not make himself familiar with them .

And , lastly , his lodge may possibly have a published history , which it is also his bounden duty to read . Masonic study up to this point ought to be regarded as a point of honour , and even if the brother concerned get no further , he will

have a very good foundation , and be able to be a useful member of the Society . The Constitutions ought to be his first care , as until he has read and digested them , a brother can not regard himself as being much more than a member of an excellent social club . It is only when he has understood the structure of our governing bodies and the perfect order

and symmetry that prevail , and that bind together every unit , it is only then that he has acquired a proper concepiton of the dignity and comprehensiveness of the body he has joined . The Antient Charges , which form a part of the Book of Constitutions , will help to discipline him and will

give him a reverence for our traditions , and even if he get no further , the brother who has got thus far , is well qualified to perform his Masonic duties . But every right minded brother aspires to office and fixes his eye on the chair of K . S ., and the rank and file have a right to expect that

brethren appointed to govern and direct them shall be well informed in all that concerns the Craft , and , therefore , some additional course of reading may be suggested . It would be invidious to mention individual books by name , unless acknowledged and standard works , and of these we shall mention but two .

The history of the Order to which he belongs is the first subject that should engage the thinking brother , and the history of the Craft naturally falls into two divisions , which , for want of better terms , may be called political and moral . And each of these is dealt with in a standard work , " Gould ' s History , " and " Hughan ' s Old Charges . " The original

edition of the former commands a somewhat prohibitive price , but we learn that a condensed and cheaper edition is about to be published , and these two works should be in every Mason ' s library . Then , again , current history is quite as interesting from a practical point of view , and , therefore ,

every brother ought to keep himself informed of what goes on , not only in his immediate circle , but in the Craft at large . A judicious course of visiting will suffice for the former , but the latter demands periodical literature . The quarterly reports of Grand Lodge come first , and brethren

entitled to receive them can be supplied by Grand Lodge at a nominal annual charge . Too much praise cannot be accorded to Masonic journalism for the manner in which the sacred cause of Charity is kept to the front . The records of our great

Institutions , those in the provinces as well as those in London , are quite as much part of Masonic history as the records of lodge meetings , and inasmuch as appeals on behalf of the various Charities are continually coming before our lodges ,, and have to be considered intelligently , those brethren to whom the lodge looks for guidance cannot afford to be ignorant of anything that affects their welfare .

A study of the records of service of distinguished brethren is a part of a liberal Masonic education , as well as notices of the careers of notable brethren , and , as a rule , these cannot be found except in the pages of the Masonic periodical . In connection with the provinces the Masonic Club

deserves mention . It is found that unlike other institutions bearing the name of club , such do not exist wholly for social purposes . The } ' are in most cases centres for the dissemination of Masonic information and for the intelligent discussion of current Masonic questions . The Masonic Club can afford to

provide itself with a more complete Masonic library than is possible to the private brother . It is a place of reference , and therefore , here , if anywhere , the back numbers of all the periodical literature to which we have referred should be found . Cyclopaedic literature would find a place , although

works of this kind should not be relied upon for completeness of information . They are rather valuable as indicating to the student in what direction to turn to attain completeness . We have not spoken of the excellent periodical issued by the great literary Lodge , " Quatuor Coronati , " as well as

the Lodge of Research . We have rather confined our remarks to what might be termed elementary education , and what ought to be the foundation upon which the earnest Freemason may raise a superstructure which shall be perfect in all its parts .