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  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • July 30, 1864
  • Page 9
  • MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES.
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, July 30, 1864: Page 9

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    Article THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. ← Page 4 of 4
    Article MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Page 1 of 4 →
Page 9

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Ecclesiological Society.

The Dean of Bristol confessed that , although he had heard a good deal in favour of galleries , he was of opinion that , if possible , the congregation should all be on the floor . Mr . Clarke said his own feeling was that we had arrived at a period when galleries had become

a necessity . If Ave could afford to decorate our churches ivith mosaic , majolica , and marble , as suggested by Mr . Burges , we might be able to build all our churches on such a scale as to accommodate the Avhole congregation on the floor . Mr . White was in favour of constructing churches

so as to obtain as much light as possible from above , ancl to make large chancels and chancel aisles . After some further discussion , the proceedings were brought to a termination by a vote of thanks to Mr . Hope for presiding .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

EXAMINATION 01 ? CANDIDATES EOE PEEEEEMENT . From the slovenly way in ivhich our brethren prove their proficiency to be passed and raised in many lodges , perhaps the following hints from one of my scraps may not he totally out of place— . Ex . Ex .

To be read in open lodge at a stated meeting . " " Office of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York . " " To the Masters , and Wardens , and brethren of the respective lodges iu this jurisdiction , greeting : —•

" At the last annual convocation of this Grand Lodge , the following report was adopted , to wit : "The Committee on the Advancement of Candidates , to whom was referred the subject from the Grand Master's address , relative to the advancement

of candidates , have given the subject the consideration its importance demands , and respectfully report"That one of the requisite qualifications for advancement to a higher degree , is proficiency in the preceding . Your committee believe that the best interests of the Craft would he subserved if the

regulation ivas more generally adopted and imperatively adhered to , requiring that the candidate who desires to be passed or raised , should be examined in open lodge , or his proficiency in the preceding degree . The Constitution of this Grand Loelge provides ( section 22 ) that no candidate for the mysteries of the

Order shall receive the third degree in a less interval than four weeks from the time of initiation , except by dispensation from the Grand Master or his Deputy nor without proof of his- proficiency before advancement .

"If these salutary regulations are strictly enjoined and practised , our lodges would have the proud satisfaction of boasting of proficiency and quality , rather than the quantity of its members . Skilful and competent workmen ivould he the result of the above practice , and the good effects ofthe institution would be perpetuated , and the lodges escape the too frequent

imputation of being filled with ignorant members , Masonically speaking . " All which is respectfully submitted . "DAVID G . "WOODIN , " } " NEHEMIAH PECK , [ Com . " "NICHOLAS WEAYEE ,

" By referring to charge iv . of the Old Charges , it will he found that a candidate shall make ' due improvement' in the preceding degree before receiving the next . This requirement is likewise distinctly set forth in our ritual , which is in daily use . " Thus it will be perceived that it is one of the

ancient usages and customs of the Craft—a landmark —that a candidate shall make suitable proficiency before advancement , which is to commit to memory the first section of the lecture in the degree . " This rule has been regularly handed down to us from our ancient brethren , and is one of the most prominent in the teaching of our ritual . Being a

landmark , it is not in the power of man to add to , diminish , or amend , therefore it is imperative that every Mason should see it strictly ancl faithfully complied with . "The ' examination of a candidate upon his Masonic qualifications , takes place in open lodge , in the degree in which he is examinedAvhenafter he retireshis

, , , proficiency is determined hy a majority vote of the members present . " It is simply necessary for the attention of the Craft to be called particularly to this ancient regulation , to insure their firm ancl undeviating adherence to itand for the presiding officer to discover that he

, can neither neglect nor suffer a departure therefrom . " Some of our lodges do not depart from this old usage , and some but partially neglect it , yet there are a very large number who disregard the duty entirely .

" The positive injury sustained by the Institution in the omission of this wise and wholesome regulation , renders it necessary that the evil be corrected at once . It need not be neglected in another instance , hence , in future , it will be expected of every subordinate lodge , that a candidate be duly instructed and Masonically examined before he is advanced to the next degree . "The elective Grand Officers ancl the District

Deputy Grand Masters , are requested to see this part of our ritual complied Avith , Avhen and Avherever they discover its neglect or omission . " "We confidently rely upon the co-operation of the Craft generally , in fulfilling the requirements imposed by this vital and important point in our fundamental IaAvs .

" With you , in the bonds of fraternal affection , " JOSEPH D . EVANS , G . M . " Attest , JAMES M . AUSTIN , G . Sec . " NAPOLEON AND 3 TEEEMAS 0 NEX . Napoleon Avas persuaded that the lodges were dangerous places ancl meetings for conspiracy . One

evening Napoleon , incognito , Avith Marshal Duroc and General LaAvriston , Avent to the Lodge of St . Marcel , in-Paris . Duroc entered first as a visitor , ancl sat down near the W . M ., and told him in a whisper that two other visitors Avere coming , but begged he would receive them without any ceremony , and to abstain himself from all kinds of manifestations in case he

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1864-07-30, Page 9” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 18 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_30071864/page/9/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
CLASSICAL THEOLOGY.—LXXVIII. Article 1
MASONRY IN ITS RELATION TO RELIGION. Article 2
PRACTICAL FREEMASONRY. Article 3
Untitled Article 4
MASONIC LAW IN INDIA. Article 4
Untitled Article 5
THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Article 6
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 9
Untitled Article 12
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 12
THE MASONIC MIRROR. Article 13
METROPOLITAN. Article 13
PROVINCIAL. Article 14
CHANNEL ISLANDS, Article 16
INDIA. Article 16
THE WEEK. Article 17
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Ecclesiological Society.

The Dean of Bristol confessed that , although he had heard a good deal in favour of galleries , he was of opinion that , if possible , the congregation should all be on the floor . Mr . Clarke said his own feeling was that we had arrived at a period when galleries had become

a necessity . If Ave could afford to decorate our churches ivith mosaic , majolica , and marble , as suggested by Mr . Burges , we might be able to build all our churches on such a scale as to accommodate the Avhole congregation on the floor . Mr . White was in favour of constructing churches

so as to obtain as much light as possible from above , ancl to make large chancels and chancel aisles . After some further discussion , the proceedings were brought to a termination by a vote of thanks to Mr . Hope for presiding .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

EXAMINATION 01 ? CANDIDATES EOE PEEEEEMENT . From the slovenly way in ivhich our brethren prove their proficiency to be passed and raised in many lodges , perhaps the following hints from one of my scraps may not he totally out of place— . Ex . Ex .

To be read in open lodge at a stated meeting . " " Office of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York . " " To the Masters , and Wardens , and brethren of the respective lodges iu this jurisdiction , greeting : —•

" At the last annual convocation of this Grand Lodge , the following report was adopted , to wit : "The Committee on the Advancement of Candidates , to whom was referred the subject from the Grand Master's address , relative to the advancement

of candidates , have given the subject the consideration its importance demands , and respectfully report"That one of the requisite qualifications for advancement to a higher degree , is proficiency in the preceding . Your committee believe that the best interests of the Craft would he subserved if the

regulation ivas more generally adopted and imperatively adhered to , requiring that the candidate who desires to be passed or raised , should be examined in open lodge , or his proficiency in the preceding degree . The Constitution of this Grand Loelge provides ( section 22 ) that no candidate for the mysteries of the

Order shall receive the third degree in a less interval than four weeks from the time of initiation , except by dispensation from the Grand Master or his Deputy nor without proof of his- proficiency before advancement .

"If these salutary regulations are strictly enjoined and practised , our lodges would have the proud satisfaction of boasting of proficiency and quality , rather than the quantity of its members . Skilful and competent workmen ivould he the result of the above practice , and the good effects ofthe institution would be perpetuated , and the lodges escape the too frequent

imputation of being filled with ignorant members , Masonically speaking . " All which is respectfully submitted . "DAVID G . "WOODIN , " } " NEHEMIAH PECK , [ Com . " "NICHOLAS WEAYEE ,

" By referring to charge iv . of the Old Charges , it will he found that a candidate shall make ' due improvement' in the preceding degree before receiving the next . This requirement is likewise distinctly set forth in our ritual , which is in daily use . " Thus it will be perceived that it is one of the

ancient usages and customs of the Craft—a landmark —that a candidate shall make suitable proficiency before advancement , which is to commit to memory the first section of the lecture in the degree . " This rule has been regularly handed down to us from our ancient brethren , and is one of the most prominent in the teaching of our ritual . Being a

landmark , it is not in the power of man to add to , diminish , or amend , therefore it is imperative that every Mason should see it strictly ancl faithfully complied with . "The ' examination of a candidate upon his Masonic qualifications , takes place in open lodge , in the degree in which he is examinedAvhenafter he retireshis

, , , proficiency is determined hy a majority vote of the members present . " It is simply necessary for the attention of the Craft to be called particularly to this ancient regulation , to insure their firm ancl undeviating adherence to itand for the presiding officer to discover that he

, can neither neglect nor suffer a departure therefrom . " Some of our lodges do not depart from this old usage , and some but partially neglect it , yet there are a very large number who disregard the duty entirely .

" The positive injury sustained by the Institution in the omission of this wise and wholesome regulation , renders it necessary that the evil be corrected at once . It need not be neglected in another instance , hence , in future , it will be expected of every subordinate lodge , that a candidate be duly instructed and Masonically examined before he is advanced to the next degree . "The elective Grand Officers ancl the District

Deputy Grand Masters , are requested to see this part of our ritual complied Avith , Avhen and Avherever they discover its neglect or omission . " "We confidently rely upon the co-operation of the Craft generally , in fulfilling the requirements imposed by this vital and important point in our fundamental IaAvs .

" With you , in the bonds of fraternal affection , " JOSEPH D . EVANS , G . M . " Attest , JAMES M . AUSTIN , G . Sec . " NAPOLEON AND 3 TEEEMAS 0 NEX . Napoleon Avas persuaded that the lodges were dangerous places ancl meetings for conspiracy . One

evening Napoleon , incognito , Avith Marshal Duroc and General LaAvriston , Avent to the Lodge of St . Marcel , in-Paris . Duroc entered first as a visitor , ancl sat down near the W . M ., and told him in a whisper that two other visitors Avere coming , but begged he would receive them without any ceremony , and to abstain himself from all kinds of manifestations in case he

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