Reflections On The Present Condition Of Masonry In Teutonic And Latin Countries.

REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESENT CONDITION OF MASONRY IN TEUTONIC AND LATIN COUNTRIES .

BY BRO . KENNETH E . H . MACKENZIE . After some years of stormy war , of angry controversy and violent recrimination , there appears afar off some gleam of the Star of Peace for Europe . Not

that peace of universal toleration to which our Masonic labours tend , hut at least something better than a hollow truce . It is not , however , to religious and social affairs that the present remarks apply . However the fact of citizens

being members of the great Masonic fraternity may affect their ideas upon religion , politics , and social life , they do not take any active part as Masons in such matters , and if they have at times been betrayedas in Paris during the

, Commune , into a show of political action , they have as soon retreated from so false a position . But there is no reason why some consideration of the peculiar condition of Masonry amongst the Latin and Teutonic races should not

receive attention from those who pursue the contemplation of history . In all authentic history the characteristics of the North and South of Europe have had due justice done to them . Even so far back as the era of

Tacitus , that acute and wise historian rendered due justice to the exemplary character of thoseouterbarbarians whose descendants haA r e won such supremacy iu the world ' s affairs , as soldiers , artists , philosophershistoriansand men of

, , science , under their various names of Germans , Anglo-Saxons , Swedes , Danes , and even Czechs . Nor , geographically , should we omit the Eussians , although events have rendered that empire as yet self-contained .

But who can fail to note the marvellous difference between Freemasonry as Pursued and understood by the Latin Rund and the Teutonic ? In tlie former , « has ever shone with a tinsel kind of

glory , not without a certain amount of enthusiastic verity , hut of a grinily spasmoclic sort , covetous of distinction , and jealous of rivalry ; the various works professing to enlighten tlie world on the principles and practice of Masonry

have borrowed all sorts of ludicrous and illusory details from what has been put forth as Freemasonry , and thus ceremonies which gain their true value and dignity rather from the upright and steadfast character of those who take

part in them , than from anything otherwise special , have become a bye-word and a jest among tlie outside thoughtless public which laughs at a play as ridiculous , when it is performed without its having front seats and opera glasses . These presumed ceremonies , in the eyes of such men , constitute tlie essence rather than the mere outward form of

Masonry , and hence the continuous opposition of those whose interests are darkness rather than light gains strength in unexpected quarters . It is not longsince the writer of tlie present lines saw it gravely stated that all the united

strength of tlie Freemasons of Great Britain had only been able to produce two schools and a few almshouses . But it might well be asked if that were all ., what other association of unbiassed men ever produced results so great 1

There is security in the future that all Masonic institutions shall at least not he warped from the intentions of their founders . Private charity has accomplishedmuchin this country tobe ultimately absorbed in fees to Charity

Commissioners , and salaries to intelligent secretaries , clerks and the like . Unnumbered institutions founded by the generosity of individuals for the benefit of the

poor , are now notoriously diverted for other purposes . It is fortunate for the well-being of our schools that their existence does not depend upon misconstrued bequests or contested wills ; our schools depend rather upon that

everliving fount of charity of which the Masons were the discoverers , adomers and custodians . To say , however , that two schools a 2