New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-27
MASONIC DEPARTMENT
roNprcrED BY THE GRAND LIBRARIAN OF THE
GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF NETWORK.
UysEAsoNED MATERIAL A BAD BARGAIN

Al about this time OF the year the good house.
wife looks around for bargains In furniture;
several new pieces are needed in the house.
She bought a new sdeboard last year; II was
cheap She thought she had secured a great
bargain but during the winter. when steady
IRE was kept in the dining room, the bargain
ereaked and cracked and warped, and fell apart
fell to pieces. and the discovery was made (too
late, that 1t was no bargain at all; 1t was
"trash" one Of those sideboards made in
hurry Of unseasoned wood. made at wholesale
rates in a factory and made without any re-
ssti TO durability. only hurried through the fac
tory hands so as to get the cash returns.
So II is with many Of our brethren. They take
unseasoned wood. unfit material into their
lodges, and hurry it through their factory hands
without due regard for durability, and when
the fire OF time burns all winter and all summer
these members fall apart. fall away. They have
not been made thorough Masons. through and
enough They were made at wholesale at fac
tory rates at full speed. hence fall apart fall
away from Masonry and from their lodges
An experienced housewife will select carefully
will not buy unless what is actually needed and
then secure good, solid piece of furniture
which will be JOY to her. will be useful and
durable.
So should our Masters and brethren be careful
IN the selection OF their material, have 1t well
seasoned" made Masons through and through.
thorough true and square, with an eye to their re-
naming with us and helping us in our good work
and not bring in any trash and discover too late
that they have made a mistake; that they have
injured their lodge. have injured the craft and
have injured their own reputation as good Ma
sons or WISE judicious Masters And all for
what? To secure alleged bargains to swell their
membership TO beat the record" and in return
for all their trouble and work they have trash
trash. unfit material unfit members. who go as
them an odor at once repulsve and injurious to
those who have suffered from the presence Of this
unseasOned wood.
Far better to add five or six good, earnest. true
Masons to your roll than twenty careless and in
different members. who care neither for Masonry,
for their lodge, or. for that matter. care nothing
for the very Master who rushed them through
the lodge; and they swell the great army of unaf-
fliates. and good men among us wonder why so
many Masons stricken from the roll. Why?
Because they were not properly seasoned; they
were not subjected to a thorough examination by
the committee, and were rushed through the de-
grees to get cash returns-to beat the record"
so many silly Masters term 1t.
The result Of any Masters work cannot be
Judged by the number of Masons he has MADE
during his term but rather what kind OF mem
BETS" what kind Of Masons he did make And
after he has passed out of the chair and looks
brethren he has made during his term OF office.
he can then judge and be satisfied that his work
was for the best interest of his lodge and for the
benefit Of Masonry