Evening journal., 1906-10-31
AMONG THE
SECRET SOCIETIE.
MASONIC.
uakiHE Mnsonr In UnIimited QUAINT.
tfek-Trcss1ebonrd Designs.

HakfnE MnHonr In Unlimited QUAINT.
tfek-TrcssIcbonrd Designs.
We do not share the opinloN that the
chief danger OF the present situailor
lies in the acceptance OF unworthy ma
terial. although in the hurry and cx
element bad men are liable TO Green
In, says Masonic Tidlngs. The su
preme difficulty Is that a lodge cannot
properly nssimilate more than reason.
able number OF new members We
cannot make Masons In unlimited
quantities and make them right. II IS
true that the number Of degrees that
can be conferred is limited only by the
endurance Of the workmen But there
Is much more In Masonry than the rit.
ual. and the comforting OF the degrees
is only a stepping stone to the making
Of Mason. IL is the beginning Of his
education. but in too many cases It Is
the ending. a good man will not make
a good Mason unless he is properly IN.
structed II he is "railroaded" into
the fraternity and then left to his own
devices. as too many good men are. he
gains no true conception Of the institu.
tion and becomes a very Indifferent
| Mason.
Reports presented at the annual
conclave OF the grand commandery OF
/ New York show a membership In the
/ subordinate communicates ofl17,2s2. a
net gain FOR the year OF Col.
"No speeches allowed" Is the motto
at the festive functions OF st. Patrick
chapter Toronto. Perhaps that rule.
says Masonic Standard, accounts for
the rapid growth and great prosperity
Of the chapter.
1t Is not members. but character OF
membership that counts in Masonry as
well as IN everything else.
Frederick Webber, the venerable
grand secretary general Of the south.
ern supreme council. has been an ac.
tive member of the supreme council
since March 2S 1850. and Is in length
OF service undoubtedly the Oldest mem
Der Of that body.
The Michigan Masonic home for the
nine years the charity has been under
the care OF the grand lodge has recelv
ed $40. 1861: expenditures. ST4.34G4I
There are now fifty-one benehciarie.
at the home the average age Of whom
Is trihe under scventy-four years
A lodge may have an enrolment OF
several hundred members. but II only
q dozen or so are uctiYe in promoting
its welfare 1t is no better than tn,
lodge OF an equal membership wher,
all are active.
The grand mnster o. Michigan ruled
thar a man whose left leg had beer
shortened by rheumatism was not eli
glble to receive the degrees In Mason
ry because "A man who has 10 use
crutch to enable him to walk woul,
J not make a very pleasing appearance
for the several degrees"
Iowa has no Masonic home. but char
ity is dispensed through the trustee
Of the grand charity fund. The dis
bursoments during the past yea
amounted to S539TT0 for the relief q
, twcnty-seven master Masons an
, twcnty-ono widows aud orphans O
, master Masons.
In Canada the grand master found
necessary to rule that comforting
degree ln an adjoining room simulta
neously with the working OF a degree O.
the lodge room was Illegal and mus
be discontinued
In the grand jurisdiction OF Indian
during the past year Masonic burial
averaged nearly two each day. A
most every day two lodges were cal
ed upon TO deposit the lambskin an
evergreen in open graves and to inton
the solemn funeral dirgc.