New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-17
DEPARTMENT
MASONRY CHlNGINGa

OCCASIONALLY one hears the remark that Ma
.,rv differs today from the Masonry OF the
,ong ago. hut this is superficial talk. There are
,snv thines in Masonry which have changed
,,r,nr the last century and even during the las:
...r-v-6ve wears but the change was for the
,,,ar Tho Masonry Of to-day is far superior
. that or former years. The craft is III bet
to- condition; stands on a higher plane than II
,,a fornlefly-and why not? Masonry Is pro-
rrsssiye institution. and it's members are care
t,I,,. CHILLED from tho best element Of superior
oi.izanship; hence is progressing, is advanc-
the and is becoming moro iMhued with the ad-
varSe though: and ideas OF a progressive com
rn,nity The world is constantly pursuing its
eternal round In obedience TO the laws of nat
ure and apparently arrives at the same point
This wear as il did the last Sill we know that
s,ch Is not the fact, because then there would
h. no procession OF the equnoxes ard. by par
tv NJ reasoning. we see that. morally, the irhab-
iants Of our globe are gradually but almost I'M
perceptily changing their ideas and methods OF
lie. So in our institution a gradual change is
taking place. and generation by generation we
are getting into new ideas without altogether
losing sight Of the old. Take. for instance. the
ritual as administered in the last century. when
the whole three degrees of symbolic Masonry
could he conferred in an hour. We have so far
improved on that process that now 1t requires
@. loas: an hour for each. and whether this is
real progress may be termed an open question.
f5r the many incOngruities and contradictions
that have slipped into the ritual are often pain
~, 10 the intelligent observer, and many quota
lions injected into the ritual by monitor makers
or By alleged lecturers are so glarinSly out or
gear" that the ordinary intellect or the ordinary
student turns from It ii despair and often In
disgust Any brother familiar with the ritual
and with English literature can find for hnseli
many quotations from authors not born when
the arst ritual was in force: hence OF no relation
10 Freemasonry whatever. except as iIlustrat-
ing The idea ontained in the original text.
While however, close attention to the ritual
is commenda BILE and even necessary, the changes
that occur from time to time are non-es5enllal
and are but the outward part Of Masonry. The
essentials the tenetS OF the craft, ana even It's
expressive system Of moral teaching through
the working tools, are Interchangeable and I'M
chang. ID.
When the Great Architect Of the Universe
Numbered forth his mighty fat, lie. there be
light" the principles of Masonry came into ex-
istence and have spread and fructifed the ages
and helped to improve the human race, have
taught eternal truths which have upliftec man.
kind and lit up the world in its onward prog
ress. Moses learned these great. these eternal
truths from the ancient Egyptian priests and
Transmitted them TO his people. The wise
Solomon raised his magnificent structure to the
honor and glory Of the great Jehovah. and TO
these very truths and landmarks OF Masonry.
The builders and rebuilders Of the Temple knew
them. re :ered and obeyed them.
lie OF Nazareth, the founder Of Christianity.
taught love. tolerance ard forgiveness. even on
the cross. The tenets of the craft are as i'm
lnutable MS the mathematics and as ancient as
the creation; from generation to generation they
are handed down 10 u.s. and through ages Of
suffering throughout all the darkest periods of
the world. and through ali the tumut and strife
~ VA the tenets Of the craft, taught by the
fathers kept light and hope before the people
and before the masses.
Hence II matters little whatever outward
changes may occur, whe Their II Is waterfall
or Waterford" or whether the Senior Deacon
appears TO the right or 10 the left OF the candi-
cate, 50 long he adheres to the ancient. TO the
sacred. principles Of the order. In essentials
unity in non-essentials liberty. still holds good.
and Masonry stays right here with us. but must
advance with the age, with the people and with
civilization and with the community at large.