Masonic Discipline And The Ritual.—Xxii.

MASONIC DISCIPLINE AND THE RITUAL . —XXII .

By CKUX . One of the most beautiful portions of the Masonic Ritual is undoubtedly the prayers . They nearly equal in pathos , sublimity , and reverential veneration the prayers belonging to the

Episcopalian liturgy , and it is a most surprising fact that they are not published in the " Constitutions / ' so that they might be identically rendered in every lodge . If we turn to the Irish " Constitutions " we shall find that there are two or three prayers given for

each special occasion , and confining our attention to that used at the initiation of candidates , one of them closely agrees with that most general in our -own lodges . There is a distinguishing characteristic in most of these Irish prayers which is

not apparent in ours , and which at once leads to the supposition that the framers of them considered Christianity to be a sine qiicv non in Freemasonry . In fact , one of the prayers given to be used at- the initiatory ceremony is a copy of the

* -Prayer of St . Chrysostom , " with a little bit added for the especial benefit of the candidate . Freemasonry being an universal science , its members are not bound to adopt any particular creed or persuasion , as it is termed , previous to joining

its ranks , and therefore any special allusion to religious tenets or opinions is both superfluous and out of place . Moreover , it is in direct violation to that part of our admirable " Charge '' which inculcates the duty of " obedience " in all newlyadmitted members of the fraternity .

In our own lodges the prayer used at the ceremony of "Initiation is , as a rule , pretty accurately rendered . If it were not that Masters will introduce the word " this " about a half a ¦ dozen times , for fear of not sufficiently emphasising

what is not susceptible of any other signification , it might almost be said that this small piece of the the Ritual is nearly uniformly rehearsed . In our opinion the expression G . A . 0 . T . U ., is better adapted to the occasion than the designation of the Deity ordinarily employed , insomuch as it is in the former name that

the proceedings of a lodge in the first degree are begun , continued , and closed . This is one of those many instances which demonstrate that our Ritual has never received even that cursory revision which is bestowed upon a sensation novel which reaches a second edition . If those portions

of our oral Ritual which might be published in an undemonstrative manner with advantage to ourselves , and to any outsiders who might have the curiosity to obtain a copy of it , were placed in the hands of an earn est , well-informed , well - read , and

well-educated brother or brethren , accustomed to literary labours , for careful revision and compilation , should have some standard to adhere to in future , we both for our own guidance and that of the future members of the Institution . The history of the

progress and advancement of nations point most significantly to the fact that as soon as a people emerge from barbarism , it becomes absolutely indisDensable to introduce anions- them the lex

scrvpta . To retrograde to primitive times , Moses gave the Jews a written law—the Decalogue . It is true that we have to some extent a lex scripta , namely , the " Constitutions ; " but , while it furnishes rules for the organisation of the Craft

and the brotherhood , it contains not even a suggestion for the practical working of a lodge . After the candidate has been entered by the two proper officers , the senior of them presents him to the W . M ., who then addresses the usual

questions to the candidate , and subsequently he is taught to " advance to the in due form . There is here a point to be borne in mind , which is rarely attended to . In giving his commands

to the S . W ., the W . M . uses the words , " advance to the E . by the proper steps / 5 but in communicating the command to the J . D . the S . W . employs the terms , " advance to the pedestal in due form . Heretical in our Masonic ideas and opinions as

some brethren may consider us , yet we are perfectly ready to accept this double rendering of the same command without the slightest demur . Certainly there is no apparent reason for the employment of a different phraseclogy ; but , on the

other hand , both phrases are elegant in expression , easily remembered , and strictly applicable to the occasion , which is the great point to be adhered to . A ^ iewed in another light , this constitutes one of those niceties of the Ritual which should never

be destroyed . They tend to preserve its tone , prevent it becoming a mere common-place recital , and excite and command the attention and interest of those who are desirous of perfecting themselves in the knowledge of it . Merely

remarking that the words , " nothing incompatible with your duties , as a civil , moral , or religious agent , are sometimes rendered , " nothing incompatible with your civil , moral , or religious