MASONIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 906, 12 July 1889, Page 7

MASONIC.

Having re-opened the Masonic column in he Mail, under the supervision of a Master in the Graft, we shall he glad to receive from Secretaries of Lodges, and brethren generally ', short reports of Lodge meetings and Masonic •vents of all kinds likely to be of interest to nembers of the craft. All correspondence for this column to be addressed to the Masonic Editor, New Zealand Mail. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A.B.C. (Gisborne). —You will be allowed to retain your certificate. M.G. (Dunedin). —Many thanks for your kind remembrance. Concord (Melbourne). —We published a list some weeks ago. We will, however, send you a fresh one in a day or two. FAVOURS RECEIVED. London Freemason, New Zealand Masonic Journal (Dunedin), El Taller (Madrid), Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Switzerland, Die Bauhutte (Leipsic), and Rivista delta Massoneria Italiana (Rome). THE EARL OF KINTORE. R. W. Bro. His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Kintore, G,C.M.G., Past

Substitute Grand Master Mason of Scotland, Past Provincial Grand Master of Kincardinshire, of Lodge of Edinburgh (St. Mary’s Chapel), No. 1, Governor-in-Chief of the Colony of South Australia, has been proposed as a joining member of Lodge St. Andrew, No. 19, South Australian Constitution. It is the intention of Bro. Chief Justice Way, who at present occupies the position of Grand Master of South Australia, to retire shortly in favour of His Excellency the Earl of Kintore. DISTRICT GRAND LODGE ETHICS. We recommend certain brethren In this district to carefully peruse the following remarks from the South African Freemason : ‘ A fortnight ago we promised to continue in the next issue the thread of our observations on certain matters connected with District administration. However, the temtation to sing the praises of that excellent institution the Quatuor Coronati Lodge beguiled us for the time, and deferred the taking up of our parable until to-day. All ■ things come to him who waits, including a due conception of the requirements of District Grand Lodges. Now, we let off at the close of a deliverance on the manifest importance of your model D.G.M. putting himself en evidence by personal visitation. Now, : we want to warn that ideal individual, in a friendly manner, about one mode of putting himßelf en evidence which must he with all possible caution avoided, or a very volcano of muffled eruptions will reverberate under his feet. He must especially beware of identifying himself in any way with any one particular private lodge. And the same rule applies with equal force to his Deputy. Rank brings with it responsibilities as well ad privileges, and in order to duly appreciate the one it is necessary to submit quietly to the other. One of the essentials of power is impartiality, and if a District Grand Master and his Deputy do not entirely withdraw themselves from the internal economy of their private lodges, they cannot maintain the reputation for impartiality which is so essential to effectual control. They may administer the most even handed justice, they may even, urged by over anxiety to appear fair, act in a direofcly hostile manner towards their own lodges, but still the ‘vox populi * is sure to accuse them of an unjust bias. The accusation may be perfectly erroneous, but it will be made all the same. We do not mean to say that a District Grand Master and his Deputy should withdraw themselves from membership of their own lodges. Of course that is manifestly impossible," as they could not otherwise retain proper status. Neither do we desire them to absent themselves entirely from the lodges of which they retain membership. This would be equally absurd. But their own lodges should be visited always after an official or semi-official manner, and not more frequently than other lodges equally convenient of access. And what is more important, the D.G.M. (or Deputy) should, whilst visiting his own lodge, carefully abstain from taking any part whatsoever in any of its internal concerns. He should ocoupy the position of a visitor and inspector. And he should on no account ever take office in any one lodge of his own District, A thought-

less persistence in a contrary course is sure to lead to discontent and disaster. Unfortunately, dissension will from time to time arise between lodges as between individual Masons. The fact is to be regretted, but human nature being what it is such divisions will happen till the end of time. Now, one of the most important functions of a D.G.M. is to heal these unhappy quarrels, and this he can hardly do if he is in any way identified with one or other of the parties to the dispute. ' And this he can scarcely avoid if he has taken part in the proceedings of one of the lodges, because he has been a constituent factor in some of its acts. We are not speaking without book at all.' We know one case in which a long standing and lamentable dispute between two lodges has gone on from bad to worse, but which, wo believe, could have been healed long ago had the local chief not been distinctly identified with oue of the disputants, And by this we do not mean to say that he was in any way unfairly partial. He is a most excellent and earnest Mason, but being an active member of one lodge he wa3 a persona ingrata to the other, and auy attempt he made to reconcile matters were looked at from a * stand-offish ’ point of view, however sincere and honest they may have been. The D.G.M. and his Deputy must neither be partisans nor lie under the suspicion of neiug so, the latter being much the same thing as the former in this censorious world of ours. They must be above the lodges, not of them. 'There are precedents for this position in many other walks of life. The reigning Sovereign does not join in the debates of the House of Lords, the Governor of the Colony has no place in the Legislative Assembly, a peer of the realm cannot vote at an election for the House of Commons, a judge must avoid litigants sub judice as he would the plague. A bishop has no rights in any one church of his diocese, the colonel of a regiment cannot take command of any one of its companies as such. And the like principle should be applied in Masonry. We speak in no carping spirit, but purely in the interests of good and peaceable government. The considerstious we have put forward will make their way by their own weight, and we are sure that the excellent officials who have nob hitherto worked on the cautious lines we have indicated, have failed to do so simply because the matter had never been presented to them in a sufficiently clear light. The more carefully the District chair is hedged round by a policy of rigid neutrality the better it will be for all concerned.’ THE LAMES KIN APRON. There is no one of the many symbols of speculative Masonry more interesting to the initiate than the lambskin or white leathern Apron, says the Masonic Record. It is the first tangible evidence that he has been ad* mitted into the Graft. It is an emblem he never parts with, however high he may ascend. The form and its decorations may change, but the meaning remains, and should ever remind him of that purity of life and rectitude of conduct which is so essential to his gaining admission into the celestial lodge above where the Supreme Architect of the Universe forever presides. It is more ancient than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle, and more honorable than the Star and Garter. All the ancient statues of India, Egypt, and Persia are decorated with this emblem. The royal standard of Persia was originally an apron. This emblem was Worn by the Levites and Egyptian priesthood. GLEANINGS. The Grand Lodge of Mississippi governs 357 Lodges, having a membership of 6952. It contributed £2OOO to an orphan asylum, A noble example for us to follow. * * * Here is a unique Masonic event. On board the special train which conveyed the M. W. Grand Master of New South Wale 3 and his officers to Newcastle for the banquet, every one was a Mason. The engine driver, fireman, guard and conductor, and also the servants .attending his Excellency, all were Masons. * * * Masonry should strengthen our falbhj intensify our love, and teach us to exercise charity in word and deed to all mankind. We should carry out in life what we teach in our lodge rooms, and the day-dream of our hearts should be to so fashion our words that wherever we are or whatever we do, may be emblematic of the pillars of truth that support our beloved Order. a- -* Our meetings should be made attractive. While ordinary routine has its place, let it be so interspersed with pleasant talk that brethren will carry to their homes thoughts that will make them better men, happier in their home life, and stronger in their desire to sow the seeds of kindness and fraternity amongst those whom they meet, either iu the paths of business or of pleasure. * * * Against every other organization, religious or secular, engaged in the great work of relieving the suffering and elevating the morals of mankind Masonry entertains no envy or jealousy. She extends to them fraternal greetings, and recognises them as co-workers in a common cause. She sees in them no rival, envies them no success. * * * In ISBS the Grand Lodge of New York owed half a million dollars on its magnificent temple. On the 14th of March, ISB9, the last instalment of the debt was paid. Grand Master Lawrence ordeted the 24th of April as a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing, to be held in every lodge, 715 in number. This was done. What a soul-stirring Masonic event !