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Article CERTIFICATES OF OFFICE. Page 1 of 1 Article CERTIFICATES OF OFFICE. Page 1 of 1 Article SPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY . Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Certificates Of Office.
CERTIFICATES OF OFFICE .
WHAT will be regarded as a novelty in many Masonic quarters has just been inaugurated in one of the Provinces of the East coast , the Grand Master of which recently announced his intention of
giving to each of his Provincial Officers a certificate of office on their appointment . There is much to be said in favour of the general adoption of such a
system , and we shall not be surprised if the example is not speedily followed in other quarters . We know such a custom already exists in parts of the country , but we consider the practice worthy of more general
adoption . We are accustomed to hear that the Master's chair is the summit of a Mason's ambition , but surely there are few who reach that exalted station but
immediately wish ior something more , some appointment which will carry with it the right to wear the Purple , either of Grand or of Provincial Grand Lodge . In London Lodges ordinary brethren are not , perhaps ,
so ambitious in this respect as are the Provincials , from the fact that they know it is next to impossible for them to secure a place among the officers of Grand Lodge . On this account few London Masons ever give a serious thought to the matter , but in the
Provinces it is different . There it is not only possible , but in many cases probable , that the principal craftsmen of the year will be rewarded with Provincial Grand Lodge honours . On this account more notice
is taken ofthe appointments , and there are few Lodges but can number among its members one or more present or past Provincial Grand Officers . For all this it must not be supposed that country brethren look upon these distinctions with anything like the
contempt which is bred ol familiarity , or that they regard the privilege of wearing a Purple collar as being beneath their notice . In nearly all the Provinces the great difficulty which has to be faced is
the distribution of the few available appointments among the many brethren of the district who fully deserve them , and as a consequence the few fortunate
ones who secure the reward oi office have considerable reason to be proud of it , ancl are looked up to by their fellows as most fortunate . The distinction of clothing makes it very easy for brethren when
assembled in Lodge to make known the rank to which they have advanced , but in private life this is not so easy , and although there are few who care to make a boast of the honours they have achieved , there are
not many who would object to be occasionally reminded of it by a certificate or form , which might be framed or otherwise placed in a conspicuous position in their home or other haunt of everv dav
life . Besides this , many Lodges have rooms of their own , wherein might well be displayed the certificates of honour won by present or departed members , as well as other mementos of the past ; and all this might be done without any approach to ostentatious
Certificates Of Office.
display or outside show . We do not approve of the Mason who introduces the emblems of the Craft into his business , in the hope of making profit thereby—in
our opinion this is a crime which speedily brings its own punishment—but we think an occasional reference to Masonic brotherhood in private life , and especially of honours won in the Craft , is not only
admissible , but within the limits oi Masonic propriety . The granting of certificates to the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge would also , in many cases , create a bond of union between the Provincial Grand
Master and the Brother who received it , stronger even than now exists , while their possession would serve to recall pleasant memories much more frequently than is at present possible , because thev would come
more frequently under notice . This alone should recommend a general adoption of the system , which , however , must be protected from abuse . When we
say abuse , we mean that it must be kept within reasonable bounds . What is here recommended for adoption in Provincial Grand Lodges must not be allowed in Private Lodges , or at least it must not be
allowed to the same extent , even if it be tolerated at all . We already have a certificate of merit for the Master of a Lodge in the Past Master ' s iewel ,
and that is sufficient for private Lodges , for whereas in Provincial Grand Lodge a Brother seldom has a second office conferred upon him , in private Lodges it is the custom for brethren to work up , step
by step , from the lowest office to the highest , without missing one ofthe many appointments available . Certificates of appointments to each of these would be
absurd , and would only bring into disrepute a pleasing innovation , which appears to recommend itself for general adoption .
We shall watch , ancl no doubt some of our readers will likewise do so , for the results which will follow this principle of giving certificates of appointment ,
and have little doubt but that it will be found that the hope of winning such a certificate proves a yet further inducement for brethren to try and merit
promotion at the hands of their Provincial chiefs . Such , we are sure , is the object with which they are being adopted , and as anything which can benefit a part of
the Order must of necessity benefit the whole , we hope the desire of those who are introducing them I will be gratified to the fullest extent .
Speculative Freemasonry .
SPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY .
MT article in the Freemason , on Elias Ashmole , the Antiqnary and " Freemason , " does not seem to satisfy my friend Bro . Jacob Norton , for which I am most certainly sorry , but as the fault is not mine , no blame is attached .
All my statements can easily be verified , and so the objections raised can only be " a play on words . " It turns upon the use of the word speculative . As frequently explained before , my employment of the term is
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Certificates Of Office.
CERTIFICATES OF OFFICE .
WHAT will be regarded as a novelty in many Masonic quarters has just been inaugurated in one of the Provinces of the East coast , the Grand Master of which recently announced his intention of
giving to each of his Provincial Officers a certificate of office on their appointment . There is much to be said in favour of the general adoption of such a
system , and we shall not be surprised if the example is not speedily followed in other quarters . We know such a custom already exists in parts of the country , but we consider the practice worthy of more general
adoption . We are accustomed to hear that the Master's chair is the summit of a Mason's ambition , but surely there are few who reach that exalted station but
immediately wish ior something more , some appointment which will carry with it the right to wear the Purple , either of Grand or of Provincial Grand Lodge . In London Lodges ordinary brethren are not , perhaps ,
so ambitious in this respect as are the Provincials , from the fact that they know it is next to impossible for them to secure a place among the officers of Grand Lodge . On this account few London Masons ever give a serious thought to the matter , but in the
Provinces it is different . There it is not only possible , but in many cases probable , that the principal craftsmen of the year will be rewarded with Provincial Grand Lodge honours . On this account more notice
is taken ofthe appointments , and there are few Lodges but can number among its members one or more present or past Provincial Grand Officers . For all this it must not be supposed that country brethren look upon these distinctions with anything like the
contempt which is bred ol familiarity , or that they regard the privilege of wearing a Purple collar as being beneath their notice . In nearly all the Provinces the great difficulty which has to be faced is
the distribution of the few available appointments among the many brethren of the district who fully deserve them , and as a consequence the few fortunate
ones who secure the reward oi office have considerable reason to be proud of it , ancl are looked up to by their fellows as most fortunate . The distinction of clothing makes it very easy for brethren when
assembled in Lodge to make known the rank to which they have advanced , but in private life this is not so easy , and although there are few who care to make a boast of the honours they have achieved , there are
not many who would object to be occasionally reminded of it by a certificate or form , which might be framed or otherwise placed in a conspicuous position in their home or other haunt of everv dav
life . Besides this , many Lodges have rooms of their own , wherein might well be displayed the certificates of honour won by present or departed members , as well as other mementos of the past ; and all this might be done without any approach to ostentatious
Certificates Of Office.
display or outside show . We do not approve of the Mason who introduces the emblems of the Craft into his business , in the hope of making profit thereby—in
our opinion this is a crime which speedily brings its own punishment—but we think an occasional reference to Masonic brotherhood in private life , and especially of honours won in the Craft , is not only
admissible , but within the limits oi Masonic propriety . The granting of certificates to the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge would also , in many cases , create a bond of union between the Provincial Grand
Master and the Brother who received it , stronger even than now exists , while their possession would serve to recall pleasant memories much more frequently than is at present possible , because thev would come
more frequently under notice . This alone should recommend a general adoption of the system , which , however , must be protected from abuse . When we
say abuse , we mean that it must be kept within reasonable bounds . What is here recommended for adoption in Provincial Grand Lodges must not be allowed in Private Lodges , or at least it must not be
allowed to the same extent , even if it be tolerated at all . We already have a certificate of merit for the Master of a Lodge in the Past Master ' s iewel ,
and that is sufficient for private Lodges , for whereas in Provincial Grand Lodge a Brother seldom has a second office conferred upon him , in private Lodges it is the custom for brethren to work up , step
by step , from the lowest office to the highest , without missing one ofthe many appointments available . Certificates of appointments to each of these would be
absurd , and would only bring into disrepute a pleasing innovation , which appears to recommend itself for general adoption .
We shall watch , ancl no doubt some of our readers will likewise do so , for the results which will follow this principle of giving certificates of appointment ,
and have little doubt but that it will be found that the hope of winning such a certificate proves a yet further inducement for brethren to try and merit
promotion at the hands of their Provincial chiefs . Such , we are sure , is the object with which they are being adopted , and as anything which can benefit a part of
the Order must of necessity benefit the whole , we hope the desire of those who are introducing them I will be gratified to the fullest extent .
Speculative Freemasonry .
SPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY .
MT article in the Freemason , on Elias Ashmole , the Antiqnary and " Freemason , " does not seem to satisfy my friend Bro . Jacob Norton , for which I am most certainly sorry , but as the fault is not mine , no blame is attached .
All my statements can easily be verified , and so the objections raised can only be " a play on words . " It turns upon the use of the word speculative . As frequently explained before , my employment of the term is