The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-09-14
Opening, Working, and Closing
a Lodge.
From the Masonic TrOWcl.

From the Masonic TrOWcL
The old charges say that in lodge
opened, the brethren are to have no
private committees, or separate COnVer-
Sation without leave of the Master
that they are to utter nothing unscem-
~ that they are not to interrupt the
Master or Warden, or any other broth
cr while speaking, nor to speak or to
act ludlcr0usly or iestingly while the
lodge is engaged i'll what is serious or
solemn, and that no unbecnming Ian
guage whatever is to be used.
\ lodge room, in all that pertains to
respect or reverence for Deity, or to the
moral law or social code, should be rs
sacred as Il church. 1t should be place
i'll reality dedicated to the service of
God, and, while nothing of innocent
mlrth or playful familiarity is to be ex
cluded, nothing contrary to divine teach
ings, violation of the code of morals, or
mOtfenSiVe to good breeding should be
admitted upon the floor of lodge room.
BY good breeding we do not mean the
rule OfuppertcndOm, Orthc artificial con-
duet required i'll different circles, but
that innate sense of prOpriety, which
prompts even the uneducated and un-
taught man, to render to others what he
desires for himself.
We do not care to say here what we
have seen and heard upon the floor of
lodge room, but this We do say eM-
! phuhcUtty, that any brother who will so
far forget his solemn covenants and
| teachings as to act OF rappear unbecOming
upon the floor of Il lodge room, is very
likely to so act and appear everywhere
| else
The room itself should be regarded
sacred, because lodge is erected to
God, who inhabits the room. Having
been erected to God, he is supposed to
reside therein. When the brethren as
semble, before lodge is formed, free
dom, pOlitencSS and friendly recognition
should prevail but, upon the sound of
the gave, every brother, clothed should
| dccOrOuSly repair to his seat or station.
Every brother ought to be able to fill
any station in opening OF closing, unless
we may accept those of Master or Secrc-
tary. But especially is it the duty, us
it should be the pride, of every officer
to know his part and he able to perform
his duty with honor to the Master and
creditably to himself. We find lodges
very much lacking and lame in this, by
which brethren become Wearied and
impatient, disgusted and ashamed, and
cease to attend. Let the opening GER
cm0nies be effectively and impresSively
rendered, the business transacted me-
thOdically, and the lodge closed in good
time, and there will not only be atten-
dance, but attention and interest.
The lodge room should be that place
and the lodge itself the school of good
manners, No man should be made q Ma.
son, unless he Is by nature Il gentleman
one who respects himself and others ;
one thoughtful i'll his acts and express
sion, and chary in his choice of words
We find, too, that in opening lodge
one great lesson is disregarded. We
are taught that I" no man should ever
enter upon any great OF important duty
without first invoking the blessing 0.
Deity" And yet many lodges are pre-
tended to be opened without even thu
semblance of prayer. IN Mackey's I'll
point Of opening, he lays this duty dow
ls Indispensable, and many hold that
lodge is not masOnica1ly opened unit
the blessing OF Deity Is invoked.
After the opening ceremonies, tht
ord. This should in no wise he omit
ted at Il regular communication, AM
should he read from the record book it
: self. Indeed, were we Master of lodge
!. We would not open Il lodge until tn
: record (nOt in minutcS) was made III
unless it should be impracticable. I
lodge should be Il lodge in its ceremo
mics, in its work, i'll its business, in it
manners and in it's records.
We shall make this article too tediOu
. II we stop now to commence upon til
, work. What we have said of 0penini
+ is true of closing, only the ceremonie
/ may be more brief and rapid, preserv
t ing decOrum and solemnity.
| Unless the hour is late, the brethrcl
; should not be in haste to disperse, bu
| upon what concerns them, their busi
ness, their prospects, their families
, the good of Masonry, and the welfar
| Of 'the lodge. In this way brotherl
affection, ties of friendship and person
al regard grow strong, and their re
/ membranes and their good intluenc
1 abide i'll our homes, go with us throug
5 life, modify our acts, and smoOt
. the voyage over the river of death.