New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-12
INCRE4SE OF LODGES.

The New-Yorx Tribune published not long since
a short article from or the future Of Fec
ma sonry within the jurisdiction Of the Grand i.1dgr
OF tho stat. # New.York IT, which attention Was
called 10 d fact 10 BE realized no, fer ir'O In"
future tina, in the inevitable progress Of Tie for
ward march" the number of lodges viii cnumcra;e
one thousand before three decades shall have
passed: with the census OF the Grand Lodges
enumeration Of It's affiliations Of two hundred
thousand members, and composed or
large proportion OF intelligent and edu-
Gated men, 10 control and lead the craft. and Civ,
It an attitude such as We have not seen nor re
allied In the State. or has been In AIRY o:heT STATE
or nation earth Your correspondent then SIM
ply treated The s,bec. visible fact, leaving the
consequences for future consideration. lie Is fny
aware that there exists In the Masonic mind a
dread OF the too rapid increase OF lodges. and -
a result OF membership: and ! confess 10 have
been inclined 10 lean without confusion" toward
me direct,c4. OF the tower-bu builders In feeling ana
belief 10 some extent: bur it does not follow ihat
because there may be. or is. danger ahead. as thee
Is behind US that We are TO stand stu ri an IN
probable difficulty We shall never haze 70 contend
with if we have the for;i:ude ard resolution born
OF energy 10 steer our noble craft under good
head OF steam upstream ana past al Obstacles
am no, Of The opinion Wh,Gh Is o., or hs Dee. 50
Masonry 10 increase the number OF loGSes I N
number OF their members could be restricted. The
unanimity of action and social feeling which shoulr
always prevail are best f-cureG and 81 JOY eG wh"re
lodge of dfty to a hundred. would provide ~
"nSame"t2l r MssorIt the s hs '' Of
New-York. 1t is star u the FIRST mag
nitude. pre-eniinentIy so IN the standing and AZ
tainmcnt Of the social purity and character OF ~
members and the business and civil relations to
the denzcns Of that beautiful city. and more THAI
general intelligence Of the literature and history
Of Freemasonry. But their lodges as is the case
in other cities, immensely TOO large The city
is a great abe hive" and should swarm very mucl
oftener tnan II does IN lodge OF membership
OF family: all learn, or may 10 so. to know
and appreciate each other: we virtually become
lodge OF friends and not acGuantances merely.
If the ambition Is az Is too often the case IN our
large cities 20 attain the distinction OF large
membership. and make the acquisition the demon,
ioGpe becomes 100 top-heavy for it's hull and for
In.Xuercnced eayncn 10 manage. Not one m My
OF our lodges that number three hundred. four
OF their own lodge members. nor haH or mem nv
sight nor have they met them in the lodge nor do
they them on Inc street. Wheh l9dgt peGoine-
ss large as many of our lodges are conflicting Inter-
go rrcep IN or wax In organized 10 spoi! some
enterpr.se surrcptltiously nat ought not IN JUS
lice 10 the lodge or Themselves 20 nave nesh iosted
uru The larger the lodge the less Interest
~ rule is manifested. The young Mason who en-
1E tIr ~ The warm cordially aud friendship
81 Manner and spirit he expected Is not found
in large lodges t5 pT0es.e' sves h nnima
snIe az warmth 10 reklnGle the fires that
H1nd lbs soul when he sought admission at ne DOR
OF Masonry and took upon hin,s'm W. we wrIte
Ra'do ,Sre ccnnrmed In the opinion that neither we
" q, 'rjer NOR the state can be injured ny an IN
crease of lodges, hui bHnehteo' VII 49, 20 he CDR,
IL dmctyjne OF civic AL mari' graces OF
head and heart We have brains enT. ,d " 81, u
the first order and II , nay a. Ruth gathered
press hem hsads that the rcapers had overooged
In the fields OF BoeI in my o"'e' "