The Farmington times., 1919-10-10
STRONG TESTIMONY TO
MASONIC IDEALS

London, England.-A strong testi
mony to the value-in it's ethical sens
of Freemasonry was recently paiC
at the installation meeting of til,
Canada Lodge held at London, by 81
Edward Clarke, X. C. Sir Edward
who is veteran both in Masonry anl
the law, said the trials Of the last five
years had strengthened the ties O
Masonic brotherhood. AS they looked
back, they must feel there had beeI
many occasions when brother ha,
gripped the hand Of brother in thC
true spirit of brotherhood, and thai
spirit would be the salvation of man
kind in this sorely tried world" II
they tried to think Of solution fol
those troubles, they could not think
of anything better than the brother.
hood of Freemasonry. Its ideals ten,
| ded to make every one of its mem.
bers better.
He was followed by Col. Sir Hamal
Greenwood, K. c.. who pointed out
that in that large gathering they had
Lord Fairfax, whose ancestors were
given the whole Virginia by Charles
|, and the present Grandmaster of
Virginia. G. S. Laidlye, the Grand
Master of West Virginia, followed
He said that he had often wondered
when he read the tales of long ago,
whether he should ever really stand on
the shores Of old England, from
which his ancestors came years ago.
The lesson he had learned from his
visit to England was that Freemason-
ry was universal. Previously he
thought it was theory: now he knew
it to be fact.
One of the most inspiring speeches
was that delivered by C. Schoonover
who has just relinquished the Grand
Mastership of Iowa. Seven thousand
miles away, he said, in the great State
Of California, was his mother, who
was an Englishwoman, and they
could hardly imagine what a pleasure
it was to him to come and enjoy, not
only the motherland, but his mothers
land. Citizens were thinking deeply
that the coming peace was but the be-
ginning of new War--a war for hu-
manity, and were wondering how best
to play their part in reconstructing
the world. The Anglo-Saxon must
realize that each nation under which
he lived must bear full responsibility
for the peace of the world yet to come.
Having that view, each and every
man, no matter what flag he was un-
der, must pledge himself to the peace
so justly won. What, were they think
ing Masonicly? "The spirit which is
bringing nation after nation togeth-
er is not the writing of more laws,
but the extension of the spirit Of
brotherhood. Masonry must come in
to closer association; and we of the
Anglo-Saxon race must build the
foundation of the future brotherhood"
The gibe that is sometimes cast at
Freemasonry by it's opponents, who
are generally least conversant with it's
fundamentals and tenets, that it is
anti-Christian, is best refuted by an
examination of the register of the
Grand Lodge officers of England. No
fewer than Ia bishops of English dio-
ceses or suffragan sees are on the
roll of grand chaplains. But this is
the case in other lands as well--in
other grand lodges, daughter constita-
tions of the Grand Lodge of England,
for it must ever remain England's
proud boast that it was here that
Freemasonry was first organized.
The movement against large and
lodges continues, and that
also is spreading to other constitu-
tions. The natural outcome of this
will be formation of large number of
new lodges, many of which will doubt
less meet in places where hitherto the
craft has had no direct representation.
The decision to build new large CEN
tral home for Freemasonry in the me-
tropolis will, in all probability, now
that the Pro- Grand Master has been
freed from his military duties, re-
vive the suspended decision to effect
the division of London, which has
some 300 lodges within its border, in
10 10 provincial grand lodges. When
put into operation, this proposal will
doubtless mean, in the near future,
he erection of Freemason's halls in
each Of the districts, apart from the
central hall or home.
During the last decade there have
,een many amendments to the Book
# Constitutions of the United Grand
lodge of England. Proposals and
which have been embodied
It the quarterly communications have,
It first met with local opposition, but
when brought into being have been
,ailed with acclamation and their pro-
noters have been praised for their
oresight. One of these reformations,
or it was the remedying of a defect,
vas the provision made to secure eff
lent representation of the provinces
n board of general purposes, which
nay in other words, be described as
he cabinet council of the craft. 1t
nay also be regarded as a compli-
ncnt that this reformation has now !,
'een adopted by the Tasmanian