The Jnnior Warden.

The Jnnior Warden .

Ctfir 0 i } Bflftcqus *

THEIR QUALIFICATIONS , DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES .

' When tlie Junior Warden to llrfirxhmnU culls us , And the Sun is nt meridian height , Let us merrily unite most cheerily , In social harmony new joys invite . One and all , at his call , To the feast repairing ,

All around , Joys resound , Each the pleasure sharing . "— -WHIJII . f ^ Wl E referred in our last article to the great importance of tho auVJ selection by the YV . M . of his first Principal Officer , and a AH om" P rcscn * remarks may he applied with equal force to _§____§}[ the choice of his second Warden . Indeed , there are some special circumstances which tend to increase the necessitj' for the

exercise of even greater caution and circumspection in the selection of tho Junior Warden , for , in his person , there is about to be constituted , as a member of Grand Lodge , a partaker in the legislative deliberations of our Masonic Parliament , and . for the first time in his masonic career , ho will be called upon to exercise his judgment in expounding those laws which it has hitherto been his

bounden duty to obey , and to assist m the framing of others for the future observance of the general body of the Craft . The change from a position of subservience to one of power is not unfrcquently a severe trial of human nature ; for the best disposed among us may often prove most excellent servants and assistants but intolerably bad masters . Nevertheless , it is from the manner in which the

duties of a subordinate position have been discharged , and the zeal shewn in promoting the interests to be derived therefrom , that judgment can be best formed as to the propriety of , and the results to be expected from , promotion to the rank of ruler and lawgiver . That brother who has the most fully carried out the recommendations contained in the Charge at Initiation , and more especially

that " excellence of character " to which his attention has been peculiarly and forcibly directed , Obedience , is the Craftsman most likely to discharge the functions of a Junior Warden with credit to himself and advantage to his Lodge , and is the best qualified , in those moments when his column is in the ascendant , to communicate happiness to his fellow-workmen .

It has frequently been the subject of remark amongst veterans of the Craft that , as a rule , the most capable Junior Deacons have proved themselves best fitted for the office of Junior Warden , and have subsequently shone in the capacity of Worshipful Master . Of the respective Deacons' duties we shal' have to treat in future chapters . We note the fact now as an encouragement to brethren not to

neglect tho lessor work in any portion of its detail if they should desire to merit distinction . Very often the office of Senior Deacon has not to be served by the advancing brother , whilst that of the Junior is but seldom left out of the curriculum of tho Office-bearer . As tho third Great Pillar supporting a Freemason ' s Lodge , the Junior Warden represents that of Beauty . His prototype is Hiram

Abilf , our Grand Master of ancient days , whose exquisite skill and masterly workmanship beautified and adorned King Solomon ' s Temple . His symbol is the Corinthian Order of Architecture , beautiful to a degree , and acknowledged to be tho richest of the Orders and a masterpiece of Art . Our masonic tradition as to the conception of the Capital of this Order by Calimachus , at Corinth .

should be well known ( although wo greatly fear it is not so ) by every Craftsman who has the opportunity to use the Corinthian Column or Pillar of Beauty on specified occasions whilst in discharge of his duties . These may be said to be , in figurative language , the adornment of tho work of Masonry with all his powers of gonius and active industry , and the promotion of regularit y

amongst tho brethren by the sanction of his own good example , the persuasive eloquence of precept , and a discriminative encouragement of merit . The observations we have already made in respect of tho powers of tho Senior Warden equally apply to tho Junior Warden . Both alike have the same privileges as to tho ruling of the Lodge under

certain circumstances , and both the same prerogatives in tho Grand Lodge . The distinction of Senior and Junior is but the accident of rota , and does not affect the control which both or either can exercise in the goverment of the Lodge . "The Master and his Wardens " is the frequent expression contained in our laws and regulations , as well as in our ritual ; and to them is delegated

jointly the power to rule and , in conjunction with others , to hold and make perfect our several Lodges . In these respects they aro tria jvneta in ww , and this consideration should of itself enforce on the mind of every aspirant for the chair of Hiram Abilf the necessity of a full precedent qualification for the Office , and a sense that it would be not only detrimental to the Order he professes tc

revere , but dishonourable in himself , to accept the position without possessing the ability to discharge its duties with that credit and advantage to which we have before alluded . Of these qualifications there are , in addition to those which have been enumerated in connection with the Senior Warden , others relating to duties in performance of which the Junior Warden should be an adept . To him is committed the important business

of examination of Visitors , "lest through his neglect any unqualified person should gain admission , " and however much it has been of recent years customary to have that duty vicariously performed , the custom would be " more honoured in the breach than in tho observance " if the proper official discharged it . As matters at present stand , the examination is generally of a loose and slip-shod character , and almost , the slightest apparent knowledge of means

The Jnnior Warden.

of Masonic communication is allowed as sufficient for introduction . This innovation upon an ancient and important landmark should be resisted by the Junior Warden , and in all cases , when strangers seek admission , ho should himself " prove and vouch . " Notably we find that on this point our brethren in the provinces arc more conservative and strict than those of the metropolis . To thoroughly

" prove , " however , and with a certainty that attempts at imposture would be detected , the Junior Warden should himself be perfect in ritual and procedure , and that he cannot become without still further enhancing his qualifications for office . The Junior Warden is tho , in these days , presumed president at refreshment . In former times there is no doubt that ho was

president do facto . The Lodge was under his charge , and his column placed perpendicular , in token of his authority , when labour had ceased at "high twelve . " Then " refreshment " was taken in tho Lodge itself , and tho necessity for governance during tho hour of rest was obvious .. Now , as a rule , all work is concluded , and tho Lodge closed before the " social board " is approached , and hence

the office of the Junior Warden has been deprived of one of its chiofest features . Nevertheless , much opportunity yet remains in the waj' of preparation for supreme command ; and in the South can still be found abundant opportunities for acquiring and perfecting those qualities which , exercised in a more exalted position , render a brother Mason respected and beloved . The Junior Warden's

jewel of office , the plumb , whilst reminding him and those around him of the rectitude of conduct which should distinguish him and them during those hours when they are beyond the precincts of the Lodge , is also an emblem of uprightness and integrity . The moral tendency of this beautiful sj'mbol should be known , not only to him and to all Freemasons alone , but to all men who would " walk justly and uprightly before God and man , turning neither to tho

right hand nor left from the paths of virtue . " Punctuality in attendance on his Lodge is a most important responsibility on the Junior Warden . He should be present before the Lodge is opened that he may be enabled to " prove " strangers seeking to share in the ceremony of opening , and , equally with the Senior Warden , is expected to give a " full day ' s labour . " Within the Lodge the ritual of the Order itself will instruct him as to further duties and responsibilities .

Freemason Volunteers.

FREEMASON VOLUNTEERS .

IN connection with some of our crack Volunteer Rifle Corps there have been several Masonic Lodges formed . Of these we have knowledge of three attached to Metropolitan Corps , and it might be of interest to many of our Order if we . were enabled to publish a list of all the Lodges so connected with the Volunteer Force generally . As far as we can learn , the first Lodge for which a Charter was

granted to members of a Volunteer Regiment , as such , is the ' Fitzroy No . 5 _ l , " in connection with the Hon . Artillery Company , and the second the "' Macdonald . No . 1210 , " which was consecrated in April , 1 S (! 8 , and is named after the late Col . J . II . Macdonald , tho commanding officer of the First Surrey Rifles , at the head-quarters of which corps at Camben . ell the Lodge is established . The warrant

was granted to the then Major , now retired Lt .-Col . of the Regiment , Bro . Alexander Lcdwick Irvine as first Master , Bro . James Stevens . P . M ., P . Z ., as first S . W ., and Bro . Polydore dc Keyser , the present Lord Mayor of London , as first I . W . During the Mastership of Bro . Stevens a very handsome Silver Challenge Cup was presented by the Lodge to the corps as a prize for shooting . The cup is of

the value of fifty guineas , and a sum of five guineas is annualty voted by the Lodge to the holder of the prize for the year . On the 31 st ult ., the l ' . lth competition for this Cup took place at Wimbledon in favourable weather . The competitors were efficients of the corps and members of the Lodge , the conditions being seven shots at each of the ranges of 200 , 500 , and ( iOO yards . Some splendid shooting resulted , the principal scores being as follows : —

MACDONALD LODGE CHALLENGE CUP . SOiiyds . 500 yds . CUOyds . Total . Bro . Private Davis 31 ... 33 ... 30 ... y-1 „ Colonel Nevill 30 ... 29 ... 30 ... 8 !) „ Sergeant Burrow 27 ... 32 ... 27 ... 8 « „ Private Xewnes 29 ... 30 ... 27 ... KG

„ Corporal M'Alpm 23 ... 28 ... 33 ... 81 ,, Armourer-Sergeant Watkins ... 31 ... 2 ( i ... 25 ... 82 „ Private Messenger 29 ... 2 G ... 2 ( i ... 81 „ Corporal Allen 31 ... 24 ... 2 G ... 81 ,, Private Gunston 28 ... 29 ... 24 ... 81 Amongst other prizes shot for on the same ranges on the same day ,

were the Ladies' Challenge Cup and the Sturdy Challenge Cup , and in both these several members of the Macdonald Lodge contested . A very keen contest for the first of these prizes resulted in favour of Lieutenant Lock , who made the splendid score of 09 out of a possible 105 , and who also carried off the second with , a total of ( 53 out of a possible 70 .

We shall hope to be enabled to record the success of other members of the Macdonald Lodge at this meeting , which will terminate on the 8 th inst ., when the principal prizes to be shot for are the Irvine Challenge Trophy , value 70 guineas , the Wimbledon Series , the Pollock Challenge Cup , value 50 guineas , and the Championship .

The East.

THE EAST .

THE East is masonically styled the place of light , a figure that is too obvious to require illustration . It is in the East that " the golden doors of sunrise " open . Thence the god of day comes forth to banish the silence , coldness , and darkness of night . The benighted wanderers , chilled with ni ght dews and melancholwith

y its ghostly stillness , turns his eyes longingly towards tho East , and impatiently anticipates the dawn . So with those who feel the intellectual loneliness and darkness of their nature ; they turn wistfully to the moral East , the heavenly East , the source of mental illumination .