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Freemasonby Outside The Lodge.
FREEMASONBY OUTSIDE THE LODGE .
fpO tho unitiated members of the general public the J- Order of Freemasonry has at all times presented many strange and difficult problems . A very largo number of our fellow creatures cannot understand what the Masons can find in a lot of antiquated forms
and ceremonies to take them from home , from business , or from what are recognised as rational amusements , to be boxed up for hours in some Masonic Hall or other home of Freemasonry . As a ready solution of what seems to them an absurd custom
they put the Craft down as a body of men fond of creature comforts , and assure each other that Freemasonry is nothing more than an excuse for conviviality and feasting . How far the general public are justified in forming such an opinion it is hardly our purpose to discover on tho present occasion . We cannot help recognising that secret meetings must of
necessity create suspicion , and our detractors are hardly to be seriously blamed if they tell us that what we do in Lodge is unworthy or unfit for general explanation . Yet those who know what is really going on in Freemasonry can only regret that it is not always possible to convince the world at large , bypopular demonstration , of the sincerity of the actions of those associated with the Order .
Time has proved a great many things in the past , and is doing so now , not only in ' the general pursuits of life , but also in Freemasonry ; and we can trust to the future to open the eyes of the outside world , and convince the public as to the merits of the Masonic
Order . Jiut time will not alone bring about the desired change , aud this fact is already recognised by a very large section of the Graft , who , year by year , learn to appreciate the advantage and the justice of working for the general public , as well as for themselves , rather than confining their operations to the Lodge or Chapter of which they are members .
Happily it has come to be recognised that Freemasonry has a mission outside its own Lodges , and a considerable number of those who take a prominent share in the work of the Craft are also to be found taking an active part in communicating happiness and comfort to their fellow creatures , even though they are not regularly constituted members of the
urder . Thus we find the members of the St . Kew Lodge , at Weston-super-Mare , giving an annual tea to the aged poor of the district , at which something like 250 guests are regularly provided for , while the necessities of those too old or infirm to travel to the central meeting place are not forgotten . At Cleckheaton similar kindly consideration is shown for a Hundred of the aged poor of the district , and here
also those too old or infirm to travel are not neglected , inese are two instances , but it is quite impossible t 0 Bay m how many other towns of the kingdom the same kindly help is afforded , because in such matters , as m its general work , Freemasonry labours to a
Freemasonby Outside The Lodge.
great extent in secret . We do not advocate an extension of this outside display of sympathy from any selfish consideration , but all must recognise thafc it costs the members of the Craft very little to dis pense a vast amount of good , while it must be
apparent that the advantage is not all on one side , for while the recipients of the bounty reap tangible benefit , the Order of Freemasonry also secures ¦ reward , inasmuch as ' its reputation is considerably enhanced , and the old-time charge that Freemasons were only mindful of their own—were , indeed ,
eminently selfish—is gradually removed . This may perhaps be regarded as a small consideration by some of ; those among us , but no one can fail to appreciate its j advantages when they take into account the nndesir-; ability of living under a charge of selfishness , whether ! applied to themselves individually or to the Masonic ! Order as a whole . Sentiment is a very small matter j in tho eyes of some , but we very much question if
j there is any member ot tlie Masonic Order who does j not more thoroughly enjoy his own refreshment after ! labour when he knows that he and the members of his Lodgo have done something substantial to ensure a little enjoyment for one or other of his less fortunate fellow creatures . It is a mere trifle for a party of forty or fifty brethren to vote a guinea in answer to the appeal of a distressed brother just previous to sitting down to their own banquet , whereat perhaps
forty or fifty guineas will soon be expended , but tho amount of satisfaction derived from such an action can only be understood and appreciated by those who have experienced it . Such kindly considerations have proved most happy preludes to enjoyable meetings on | many occasions in the past , and will continue to do ! so in the future , so long as the spirit of Freemasonry prevails among us , as we hope it always will prevail .
! It is not , however , m the granting sums oi money or the provision of substantial repasts alone that the members of the Masonic Order can make themselves prominent outside their Lodges . Their actions in the every-day walk of life should prove the sincerity of their boast that Freemasonry makes a man better than he otherwise would be . It is not sufficient for a man to act the Freemason when regularly attending his Lodge meeting ; he should also work in
accordance vvitn nis Masonic teacmngs on every occasion , and in every action of his life , so that those brought into close commune with him may believe from actual experience and personal observation that there is something more than mere boast or pretence in the teachings and practices of Freemasonry . We are well aware that this subject has been threshed out on many occasions in the past , both in Lodge
and outside oi it , but it is none the less a matter worthy of consideration at the present moment when , as we have already said , there seems to be a growing desire on the part of members of the Order to extend the sphere of their usefulness and win , by actual outside -work , the sympathy and encouragement of the popular world , or at least that section of it which
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonby Outside The Lodge.
FREEMASONBY OUTSIDE THE LODGE .
fpO tho unitiated members of the general public the J- Order of Freemasonry has at all times presented many strange and difficult problems . A very largo number of our fellow creatures cannot understand what the Masons can find in a lot of antiquated forms
and ceremonies to take them from home , from business , or from what are recognised as rational amusements , to be boxed up for hours in some Masonic Hall or other home of Freemasonry . As a ready solution of what seems to them an absurd custom
they put the Craft down as a body of men fond of creature comforts , and assure each other that Freemasonry is nothing more than an excuse for conviviality and feasting . How far the general public are justified in forming such an opinion it is hardly our purpose to discover on tho present occasion . We cannot help recognising that secret meetings must of
necessity create suspicion , and our detractors are hardly to be seriously blamed if they tell us that what we do in Lodge is unworthy or unfit for general explanation . Yet those who know what is really going on in Freemasonry can only regret that it is not always possible to convince the world at large , bypopular demonstration , of the sincerity of the actions of those associated with the Order .
Time has proved a great many things in the past , and is doing so now , not only in ' the general pursuits of life , but also in Freemasonry ; and we can trust to the future to open the eyes of the outside world , and convince the public as to the merits of the Masonic
Order . Jiut time will not alone bring about the desired change , aud this fact is already recognised by a very large section of the Graft , who , year by year , learn to appreciate the advantage and the justice of working for the general public , as well as for themselves , rather than confining their operations to the Lodge or Chapter of which they are members .
Happily it has come to be recognised that Freemasonry has a mission outside its own Lodges , and a considerable number of those who take a prominent share in the work of the Craft are also to be found taking an active part in communicating happiness and comfort to their fellow creatures , even though they are not regularly constituted members of the
urder . Thus we find the members of the St . Kew Lodge , at Weston-super-Mare , giving an annual tea to the aged poor of the district , at which something like 250 guests are regularly provided for , while the necessities of those too old or infirm to travel to the central meeting place are not forgotten . At Cleckheaton similar kindly consideration is shown for a Hundred of the aged poor of the district , and here
also those too old or infirm to travel are not neglected , inese are two instances , but it is quite impossible t 0 Bay m how many other towns of the kingdom the same kindly help is afforded , because in such matters , as m its general work , Freemasonry labours to a
Freemasonby Outside The Lodge.
great extent in secret . We do not advocate an extension of this outside display of sympathy from any selfish consideration , but all must recognise thafc it costs the members of the Craft very little to dis pense a vast amount of good , while it must be
apparent that the advantage is not all on one side , for while the recipients of the bounty reap tangible benefit , the Order of Freemasonry also secures ¦ reward , inasmuch as ' its reputation is considerably enhanced , and the old-time charge that Freemasons were only mindful of their own—were , indeed ,
eminently selfish—is gradually removed . This may perhaps be regarded as a small consideration by some of ; those among us , but no one can fail to appreciate its j advantages when they take into account the nndesir-; ability of living under a charge of selfishness , whether ! applied to themselves individually or to the Masonic ! Order as a whole . Sentiment is a very small matter j in tho eyes of some , but we very much question if
j there is any member ot tlie Masonic Order who does j not more thoroughly enjoy his own refreshment after ! labour when he knows that he and the members of his Lodgo have done something substantial to ensure a little enjoyment for one or other of his less fortunate fellow creatures . It is a mere trifle for a party of forty or fifty brethren to vote a guinea in answer to the appeal of a distressed brother just previous to sitting down to their own banquet , whereat perhaps
forty or fifty guineas will soon be expended , but tho amount of satisfaction derived from such an action can only be understood and appreciated by those who have experienced it . Such kindly considerations have proved most happy preludes to enjoyable meetings on | many occasions in the past , and will continue to do ! so in the future , so long as the spirit of Freemasonry prevails among us , as we hope it always will prevail .
! It is not , however , m the granting sums oi money or the provision of substantial repasts alone that the members of the Masonic Order can make themselves prominent outside their Lodges . Their actions in the every-day walk of life should prove the sincerity of their boast that Freemasonry makes a man better than he otherwise would be . It is not sufficient for a man to act the Freemason when regularly attending his Lodge meeting ; he should also work in
accordance vvitn nis Masonic teacmngs on every occasion , and in every action of his life , so that those brought into close commune with him may believe from actual experience and personal observation that there is something more than mere boast or pretence in the teachings and practices of Freemasonry . We are well aware that this subject has been threshed out on many occasions in the past , both in Lodge
and outside oi it , but it is none the less a matter worthy of consideration at the present moment when , as we have already said , there seems to be a growing desire on the part of members of the Order to extend the sphere of their usefulness and win , by actual outside -work , the sympathy and encouragement of the popular world , or at least that section of it which