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Article MASONIC DISCIPLINE.—XXI. ← Page 2 of 2
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Masonic Discipline.—Xxi.
in holding together the many links of the chain that constitutes the want of uniformity in lodge working , which is to be observed iu the question of the W . M . relative to his owu place in the lodge . In some lodges the question is put to the W . M . ,-
in others to the I . P . M ., or to the brother who may be occupying his position on the left of the W . M ., and may therefore be supposed to act as his proxy . It would be absurd to ask respecting this trivial point as well as respecting many others
of far greater importance , which is right , for there is no right or wrong in such Masonic matters . There is no standard , no datum , no real landmark of any kind to guide the novice , or correct the erring . It is pretty much a case of " every Mason his own instructor . "
In the various criticisms that have appeared at different times upon our articles , it has been asserted that some of the alterations we have suggested are founded purely upon fancy . We should like very much to have oue of those fanciful
emendations pointed out to us , as we have always endeavoured to adduce fair and just grounds for every instance in which a verbal departure from the ritual has been advocated . This observation is apiropos to a slight correction which is now put
forward regarding the closing sentence of the beautiful little prayer with which the lodge is opened in the first degree . The sentence runs thus , " May our labours thus begun in order , be conducted in peace , and closed in harmony . " A
more elegant rendering would change the word conducted to " continued . " Why ? simply because the proper and antithetical terms to use , not
merely in this instance , but in any other where the sequence is the same , are , " begun , continued and ended . '" The word " closed" Masonically speaking is synonymous with " ended / ' ancl may therefore be retained with perfect propriety . It
is in fact purely a Masonic term , and no other should be used in its place . There is however no necessity for having scruples about its predecessor , ancl the sentence would thus run " May our labours thus begun in order , be continued in
peace , ancl closed in harmony . ''' Many brethren will consider perhaps that what mi ght be called , this refinement in the ritual is unnecessary and wholly impossible to carry out in practice . Some may exclaim " do you suppose , Bro . Crux , that there
are not numerous lodges composed of members of a comparatively inferior rank , who would be unable to appreciate very elegant language , even if they were persevering enough to learn and employ it ? " To
these we reply " certainly you are right , ' we are perfectly well aware that a homely style of phraseology must always be adapted , when teaching or even addressing men who are comparatively uneducated . We know that there are abundance of societies and communities of men where the Queen ' s English is
" clipped horribly , " but we also know that there are certain classes and certain society where it is spoken purely and grammatically . There is a class of society where a uniform standard of speaking and writing correctly is to be found . But where is such a
standard in Freemasonry ? Where are the lodges—where is there one lodge where this desideratum is to be found ? In ninety-nine out of a hundred lodges , the Masonic Ritual , imperfect as it is , is " clipped horribly . " It is not to he expected that all ranks of
brethren , socially considered , could he brought to adopt the same precise ritualistic phraseology , but at any rate it would be an easy matter to induce more uniformity than what at present exists , from the highest to the lowest lodge . On the other hand it is
to be expected , it ought to be expected that there should be some lodges in which the members are educated men , where the greatest degree of perfection in the phraseology of the ritual should be used , consistent with an adherance to Masonic terms and
the meaning and intent of the sentences . It is impossible for us to arrive , humanly speaking , at perfection in anything , but in trying to attain to it , in raise ourselves infinitely above the condition we should be in without such efforts . Are not such efforts , urgently needed in Freemasonry ? Our fraternity
is not composed as it was in bye-gone days . It is adding daily to its ranks men who partake of the inquiring spirit of the age , who take nothing for granted and who are sceptical upon a point directly they find that its truth or falsehood rests upon nothing better
than antiquity , or presumed antiquity . These are the men , who while they will accept readily enough our ancient rites and ceremonies , look for a high standard of thinking , speaking and acting in Masonic matters . The practical working of Freemasonry , as
exemplified in our lodges at the present day resembles a splendid ruin , a sad relic of its pristine glory . IJncared for , and neglected , it has become dilapidated and almost disintegrated . Piece by piece it has fallen away , until there is scarcely a fragment left to indicate
what the original structure resembled . Is it too late to restore it ? Can it not be remodelled to suit the times ? If no efforts are made in its behalf it may be truly said of the Masons of the nineteenth century , that they have ears and they hear not , they have eyes and they see not .
THE Queen bas presented to the Eoyal Academy the bust of herself , executed by tbe Princess Louise ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Discipline.—Xxi.
in holding together the many links of the chain that constitutes the want of uniformity in lodge working , which is to be observed iu the question of the W . M . relative to his owu place in the lodge . In some lodges the question is put to the W . M . ,-
in others to the I . P . M ., or to the brother who may be occupying his position on the left of the W . M ., and may therefore be supposed to act as his proxy . It would be absurd to ask respecting this trivial point as well as respecting many others
of far greater importance , which is right , for there is no right or wrong in such Masonic matters . There is no standard , no datum , no real landmark of any kind to guide the novice , or correct the erring . It is pretty much a case of " every Mason his own instructor . "
In the various criticisms that have appeared at different times upon our articles , it has been asserted that some of the alterations we have suggested are founded purely upon fancy . We should like very much to have oue of those fanciful
emendations pointed out to us , as we have always endeavoured to adduce fair and just grounds for every instance in which a verbal departure from the ritual has been advocated . This observation is apiropos to a slight correction which is now put
forward regarding the closing sentence of the beautiful little prayer with which the lodge is opened in the first degree . The sentence runs thus , " May our labours thus begun in order , be conducted in peace , and closed in harmony . " A
more elegant rendering would change the word conducted to " continued . " Why ? simply because the proper and antithetical terms to use , not
merely in this instance , but in any other where the sequence is the same , are , " begun , continued and ended . '" The word " closed" Masonically speaking is synonymous with " ended / ' ancl may therefore be retained with perfect propriety . It
is in fact purely a Masonic term , and no other should be used in its place . There is however no necessity for having scruples about its predecessor , ancl the sentence would thus run " May our labours thus begun in order , be continued in
peace , ancl closed in harmony . ''' Many brethren will consider perhaps that what mi ght be called , this refinement in the ritual is unnecessary and wholly impossible to carry out in practice . Some may exclaim " do you suppose , Bro . Crux , that there
are not numerous lodges composed of members of a comparatively inferior rank , who would be unable to appreciate very elegant language , even if they were persevering enough to learn and employ it ? " To
these we reply " certainly you are right , ' we are perfectly well aware that a homely style of phraseology must always be adapted , when teaching or even addressing men who are comparatively uneducated . We know that there are abundance of societies and communities of men where the Queen ' s English is
" clipped horribly , " but we also know that there are certain classes and certain society where it is spoken purely and grammatically . There is a class of society where a uniform standard of speaking and writing correctly is to be found . But where is such a
standard in Freemasonry ? Where are the lodges—where is there one lodge where this desideratum is to be found ? In ninety-nine out of a hundred lodges , the Masonic Ritual , imperfect as it is , is " clipped horribly . " It is not to he expected that all ranks of
brethren , socially considered , could he brought to adopt the same precise ritualistic phraseology , but at any rate it would be an easy matter to induce more uniformity than what at present exists , from the highest to the lowest lodge . On the other hand it is
to be expected , it ought to be expected that there should be some lodges in which the members are educated men , where the greatest degree of perfection in the phraseology of the ritual should be used , consistent with an adherance to Masonic terms and
the meaning and intent of the sentences . It is impossible for us to arrive , humanly speaking , at perfection in anything , but in trying to attain to it , in raise ourselves infinitely above the condition we should be in without such efforts . Are not such efforts , urgently needed in Freemasonry ? Our fraternity
is not composed as it was in bye-gone days . It is adding daily to its ranks men who partake of the inquiring spirit of the age , who take nothing for granted and who are sceptical upon a point directly they find that its truth or falsehood rests upon nothing better
than antiquity , or presumed antiquity . These are the men , who while they will accept readily enough our ancient rites and ceremonies , look for a high standard of thinking , speaking and acting in Masonic matters . The practical working of Freemasonry , as
exemplified in our lodges at the present day resembles a splendid ruin , a sad relic of its pristine glory . IJncared for , and neglected , it has become dilapidated and almost disintegrated . Piece by piece it has fallen away , until there is scarcely a fragment left to indicate
what the original structure resembled . Is it too late to restore it ? Can it not be remodelled to suit the times ? If no efforts are made in its behalf it may be truly said of the Masons of the nineteenth century , that they have ears and they hear not , they have eyes and they see not .
THE Queen bas presented to the Eoyal Academy the bust of herself , executed by tbe Princess Louise ,