Rip Van Winkle Lodge, No. 1001.

promptly , " Yes , siree , " slurwing that they pit themselves in belonging to the ancient Fraternity . Then secondl y , they are distinguished for never paying their duos until they receive two or three notices from the

Secretary , giving evidence that they like to be ofwialhj noticed Avith financial honours , at least every tAvo or three years . Then thirdly , they are very indifferent in their attendance upon their Lodge meetingsAvhich has been charitabl

, y accounted for , in most cases , in their having no almanacks . It seems they never study the changes of the moon , which , as all knoAV , is essential to any full knoAvledge of Masonic philosophy . But they have all taken the degrees of

the Craft , and this they think is enough , and therefore they clo not propose , as Masons , to live on anything other than " past recollections , " and to have Masonic machinery carry them through .

The fact is noAV patent that most of them expected from the beginning that Masonry Avonld glorify them instead of their having to glorify it . This Avas their personal idea of the contract , and they have taken clue notice thereof , and of course govern themselves accordingly . Hence they look to

the east for help , for patronage , for professional honours and such like glorifications , and when they don't come thick and fast enough , they are very apt to take the studs and refuse to pidl anywhere . Under such circumstances many of them

chop off from their Lodge meetings and don't attend once in six months . It is on this account that many of them groAV to be very indifferent sort of Masons , so far as ¦ work and interest and Masonic intelligence are concerned . They appear indeed to be

very like the man AVIIO got married . " The first month , " he said "he felt like eating his wife up , soul and bod y , and ever since then he had been very sorry he hadn ' t done it . "

It is no doubt true that Masonry has been disappointed in a great many men , but then the thing has been made equal in the fact that a great many men have been disappointed in Masonry . It didn't help them along , or make them half as great as they expected it Avould . At least this is the experience of many in the old Rip Van Winkle Lodge , and they ought to know ,

for what they don't IOIOAV in that Lodge no other Lodge need try to learn—or in other Avords , "they know it all . " To some this assertion may sound a little strange , as but very foAv of them ever road a Masonic paper of any sort . But then it should be remembered that

most of them , like the Irishman , " get their knowledge by inheritance , " which shoAvs that they are Masons " to the manor born . " The nomenclature of this good old Lodge is jjeculiar , as Avell as its membership , for they define "BrotherlLove" to mean

y " Avater to our mill , " and "Relief" they say signifies " that Ave shall help others as others help us . " Aid they also teB us that " Truth" means " all such things as are on their side of the question . " Li other Avords , they don't call any one much

of a " brother " unless he plays on their fiddle strings . To live in this good old Lodge one must not expect too much of his brethren , as but little or nothing is expected of himself , for this 2 H'inciple of nomenclature they have

found out by experience is their very best hold . Hence they teach all their members to place great reliance on that passage of Scripture Avhich reads , "Blessed are they that expect nothing , for they shall not be disappointed . "

lhat such a Lodge as the old Rip Van Winkle should flourish in these days is not to be Avondered at , for they tell outsiders that the very name of Master Mason is popular , respectable , ancient , and therefore glorious . They teach that it is only necessary to take the degreesand then y ou

, knoAV it all . "It is knoAvledge of the ancient mysteries , " they say , " men Avant , aiAd Avhen they get them they need no more . " Like the ancient Oracles of Delphi , they speak but one language , and cling Avith tenacity to the primitive

landmarks as the only hope of maintaining the prestige of their antiquity . With many of our modern Lodges this old Rip Van Winkle Lodge may not stand so fair . They are looking for progress—for advancement—for MAV lihtand some of

g , them are even making improvements on the ancient science , and it is not remarkable that they especially find fault Avith the old Rip Lodge , because they think they see as plainly as they can see the outlines on the trestle-board , that the example