New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-22
PROPOSITIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP.
A CHAPTER ON COMMITTEES on INVEST
CATIONS.

a very amusing and almost intermlhaDie c""P''i
could be written on the subject Of propositions ior
membership and of the committees appointed 10
Investigate" the candidates, and on the various
reasons given by men for seeking admission to our
lodges the different prevailing notions ana iueas
held by candidate and also on the questions aske"
and answers given will here recite only Few
of the many Instances that occurred to me during
my years of investigating other peoples standing
and character prior to reporting as to their worthi-
ness.
one case I remember distinctly although 1t hap
pened many years ago. and before began 10 take
notes" | had been Mason only Few weeks
when rome brother proposed Timothy OGaiihsher,
thirty-fve years old, born In New-York, occupation
a merchant. | appointed one OF committee
10 Investigate Mr.. Timothy. and. with all the zeal
born OF newness and enthusiasm, vent TOT my
candidate. Calling on him one evening, fouhd the
merchant" busy engaged In the mysterious IN
trcacies OF gin cocktails brandy mashes ana other
mercantile commodities the names and the uses OF
which then scarcely comprehended but have since
been at times led to come In closer contact WIN
and learned to inspect the names of them IL not
the mysterious contents. made known my mis-
sion to the gentleman and he AT once came OUT W
meet me. and. shaking me cordially by the manu.
conducted me to his library and readingroom
This was little space. 5x6 feet. back Of and sepa-
rated from the store by a screen partition Thc
merchant" requested me to wait until the mead
bockkeeper returned, when he would join me
told him TO attend to his business; would wait.
From my position in the library | could see
everybody In the store and began to take mental
measurement of the man OF cocktails. lie mad a
chubby round and Clearly shaver face, with very
small. sharp eyes seemingly set way back ana
dark hair. plastered down smoothly, as If with
soap and lard. His brogue was not that of New
Yorker, but strongly that Of the turbulent Green
Isle.
Upon the return OF his first lieutenant he joined
MI
me why he desired to become Mason. and why,
also he was anxious 70 keep the matter extremely
quiet. You see" said my merchant. the folks
about here are very 'biggited, and If the women
should find out that have Joined the Masons why
there would be no. living with them" told him
that felt proud to be Mason. and did not care
who knew H. yes yes he sad at IS altogether
different with you. but please keep the thing very
still" did-so still that he never heard from US
after his proposition fee had been returned to him.
Another was that of y Mr.. Van Nest, who had
been proposed by a brother. He claimed to be
doctor but practised his profession under his wifes
name. This seemed very queer to me. but the
young NJ. ID. explained that his wifes first husband
had a very extensive practice that his wife was also
a practitioner and that he stu kept on using the
old and wcl-known name In preference to his own,
which rather new in the nclghborhood where he
lived. and that he was firmly established
he would resume rather assume his own name
again. ] did not relish this explanation very much
always held that the good old straight way
the best. and that wntn candidate has a great
deal TO explain the best course to pursue is to let
him severely alone. reported progress at first to
gain time. until morning We read in the papers
that "A certain doctrpss and her husband had got In
some enlargement with the Board of Health, that
there a decided difference of opinion between
the doctress and the Bureau Of Vital Statistics. and
their days OF usefulness TO the community had been
curtailed by short sojourn in police cell The
was hushed up afterward and settled The
doctors candidacy in the lodge was also settled
about the time. ! heard afterward that the
doctor blamed me for his trouble. He said should
have reported TO the lodge at once, and not have
gone housing around among his neighbors to the
detriment of his business.
Moses Posniscky son OF Abraham, OF Isaac
and the rest "of EN-" lie also the proprietor
Of a little jewery store the Bowery. He had
been Initiated in the first degree OF Masonry and
proved himself apt scholar, and his quick learn
become bright star in the constellation OF our
membership But ne did not Nnen he was not-
fled to appear az the lodge rooms in order to re-
ceive the second degree he was also told to come
prepared 10 show his proficiency. This he undoubt-
eddy did, but he came also well prepared with a
stock Of jewelry. brought a little tray with him.
adorned with Masonic embems. which ne
assembled before, lodge mad been duly opened. He
was ready 10 sell cheap. at cost, below cost etc
brethren turned in disgust from him and his tray
of jewelry His motto evidently was. What Is the
And. in parenheses. there are many brethren in
ihe fraternity to-day who cling to the selfsame
jlices in the appellaton OF entered apprentice the
first and only degree in Masonry he has ever re-
Broiher Demarest did not come TO the lodge often
lie paid his dues ana was in GOOD itsnds ert
tarys desk. laid down S. and said 4 want to pro.
pose my SON" / gave him the proper blank and
noted down The name, age, occupation. etc. of he
M s ThG 1s yfn1
that ne could noi propose a man not even his SON
nan seemed in a quandary; said he wanted his son
IN the lodge and was willing 10 pay the initiation
make a better. or. rather, more attentive. member
5nan the ta,her so We managed 70 make out the
Pa Maser With nttueti G 10 see TO it h
signed by the candidate
In ths mean time We began Sigh: INVESTIGATION.
troducel to the son. There was certain demeanor
a99u, the ~, youns mani sort En-, Of Cwery s%asser
pcctcd TO measure orr candidates by the standard
OF a Che7tcrheld. passed over thar. and began 10
inquired the worse the thing looked. When
orr suspicious were aroused We made thorough
Brother Demarest had large and very fine family
with the exception of this one son. who was the ira
money lie was bad 10y from carly chiiSooI;
would learn more: had been at the ref0rmatory
very bad reputation wherever he was known ana
the poor old father could 10 nothing with him
After all this had been found out. of course young
Mr. Demarest promptly and very properly re-
jccted. and when we asked his father why ne pro-
posed him at all. he told us that he thought II We
would take his in the lodge there might he
some hope for his reforming and becoming a better
man We explained that the lodge was not n
Ieformatory institution. and could take such
material among ~. some wanted the old dis
Of the members ct sorry for the ny, rSs
father, and rather extended their sympathy and
coincidence to him.
Mr. Harry l.. Gendower aged forty. born in Eng
land. occupation painter. residence - answered
all the usual questions satisfactorily, wrote a beau
tfu hand and ready TO be seen at the lager
beer shop around the corner soon the com
mittee appointed. soon The lodge had
closed. The brother who mad proposed this man
was of the free-and-easy. happy lucky kind
OF men. and told that could sc his friend
Harry that night round the corner that everything
was all right. that Harry Glcnd0wcr was first.
class man--tust the sort In orr Lodge
Afi,r closing | srOlel with llvnlN hrnthnr