Freemasonry In The United States.

uiittee of five Avas appointed "to consider the whole subject of the keys , and report a plan of action at the ( then ) next communication of the Grand Lodge . " That committee , I presume , will UOAV be ready to report , and may render any further

action of the committee , consisting of the Grand Master , Grand Secretary , and G . V . and L ., unnecessary . But if not , said last mentioned committee Avould ask for further time to make their report . "

A subject of grave and vital importance is also very justly attended to , as follows : — " Brethren , I deem it to be my duty to call your serious attention to a growing evil , and violation of one of the most important ancient regulations of

our order , to wit , admitting to membership many Avho seek ; admission through selfish , mercenary motives , Avho , if not a disgrace to the Institution , become drones in the hive . " The time Avas , and should be UOAV , that a

brother , Avith a diploma showing him to be a Master Mason in good and regular standing , might travel the wide Avorld over , and without any certificate of character or letter of credit , be received by the brotherhood as a gentleman of

uprightness and integrity , one in Avhom the utmost confidence might be reposed , without any fear of his betraying that trust . But , alas ! my brethren , it is not so now . This evil can , and must be remedied . Let our lodges be thoroughly sifted .

Let it be everyAvhere known that the openly immoral , the profane SAvearer , the drunkard , the gambler , & c , have no right to a seat Avithin our sanctum , and if any such are there , let them be expelled . And upon every application for

admission , let your doors be strongly closed against the applicant until you have clear and undisputed evidence of his positive Avorth . Negative evidence such as " I knoAV nothing against the candidate , " is a fatal error into Avhich Ave have too easily fallen . .

Permit me to quote a senter . ro from the ancient charges , Avhich every Mason should be able to repeat , but which I fear many have never even read , to Avit : " No man can become a Mason consistently with

ancient usages of the Order , unless he be free born , of laAvful age , good moral character , temperate , industrious , charitable , and possessed of public spirit and the social virtues . He must be of sufficient natural endowments to be respectable , and must have entire all the faculties

and senses of a man . He must also have an estate , office , trade , occupation , or some visible means of acquiring an honest livelihood . He must have a sound head and a good heart , and be exempt from all those ill qualities and vices Avhich

bring dishonour to the Craft , " & c . Let me put the question to you , brethren , do you require indisputable evidence of all these requisities before you allow a candidate to enter ? If not , then you have violated your Masonic

obligations . Another test of the candidate's integrity should be closely scrutinised . I refer to the interrogatories propounded to every candidate , before admission , to wit : " Do you seriously declare

upon your honour , that unbiased by friends , and uninfluenced by mercenary motives , you freely and voluntarily offer yourself a candidate for the mysteries of Masonry ? " To this and others the candidate gives an affirmative answer , while all

the surrounding circumstances , if closely looked to , would , I fear in many cases , stamp that answer as false . "

The address of the Grand Master for Missouri occupies seventeen pages , and touches upon many subjects of general interest to Masonry . Upon the subject of the increasing popularity of our Institution , he says :

" It cannot be denied , that at no period of our organisation in this State has Masonry been so popular . Hundreds , aye thousands , are seeking admission to our inner temple , who four years ago never dreamed of becoming Masons . But UOAV

the rush is so great that our old and cherished landmarks , like the levees on the lower Mississippi , are abont to be SAvept away by the great pressure brought to bear upon them . Is there no power

m the Grand Lodge to stem this mighty torrent ? I ansAver there is ; and I call upon you , my brethren , to devise some plan whereby this incessant demand for Masonic privileges may be , in some measure , checked . If you will examine

the returns of the subordinate lodges at this communication , yon will find that the number of Masons made within the past year exceeds—largely exceeds—the number made in any previous year , even Avhen all our lodges Avere working . As a

consequence growing out of this Avholesale making of Masons is the little regard entertained for the lessons Avhich Masonry teaches . Too many believe that , IIOAV that they are Masons , they may use the Order for their OAVU selfish purposes ; and