"Masonry constitutes a great family, of which every individual Mason is a member, and whatever will tend to cement all into a closer union, bring about a truer fraternal bond of mutual sympathy, confidence and interdependence among them will redound to the usefulness and influence of the Institution.

It matters little what particular Lodge you may be a member of, you are first a Mason holding steadfast to the Ancient Landmarks, meeting and treating one another on the level of Masonic Equality, Justice and Right; as men should who are circumscribed by the same Infinite Circle, and who profess a trust and belief in the same Supreme Being.

Masonry has come down to us. from the long ago, grandly symmetrical in design; beautifully simple in the purity of its morality; sublimely true in its teachings and philosophy. It must lose nothing of its purity and worth at our hands.

We would transmit it, not only as free and unsullied as we received it, but with added lustre, to our successors. This can best be done by the study and practice of its basic principles, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.

We represent the highest principles known. Our membership is composed of chosen men, selected with care for genuine worth alone, and in this age it is more than ever necessary that none be admitted excepting those whom we are certain will show to the profane that, in becoming Master Masons, they have learned to subdue their passions and keep a tongue of good report, and are in every way better prepared to perform the high duties of life.

Every applicant for admission should be carefully scrutinized, not only as to moral fitness, but as to his abilities and possibilities for development and growth. It is impossible to make tolerant, liberal, broadminded Masons out of intolerant, bigoted, narrow minded men. A man may be a good neighbor and an honest man and still be unfit to become a Mason.

It has often occurred to me that when one has expressed a desire to become a Mason, before he petitions he should be taken to some intelligent and well-informed Brother for enlightenment as to what Masonry really is. Most of us were attracted to Masonry, not through any great, overwhelming desire to benefit others, but rather through motives of curiosity or because it was reputed to be an ancient and honorable institution and membership in it would give us a better standing. We all perhaps had different ideas and very few, if any, had the correct one.

I became a Mason in Niagara County, New York, the hot-bed of anti-Masonry, shortly after I became twenty-one. I made up my mind that I wanted to be a Mason largely through reading anti-Masonic literature and listening to anti-Masonic addresses and sermons. I spoke to a man I knew about it one day and he replied: "Very well, come up to my house this evening and we will talk it over."

This man was 6 feet, 6 inches, in height, very dignified and of most imposing presence. He explained to me fully the objects and purposes of Masonry, that it was not an insurance society, that it gave no one any particular advantage in the acquisition of worldly wealth or honor; that it had nothing to do, as an institution, with any church or creed or political party; that it had no sympathy whatever with those who would tear down and destroy the old established faiths, principles and beliefs upon which our country's honor, liberties and free institutions have been builded and that have proved their spiritual, ethical and civic value in every crisis of our national life, and in their stead, substitute some of the many visionary and ephemeral "isms" of the day.

That Masonry deprived no man of either rank or wealth, but that it did enlarge one's sphere of usefulness by giving one a broader and clearer vision of the great objects and purposes of life, and among the most important was the earnest desire and the plain purpose of Freemasonry to make good men better and thereby raise the standard of manhood; that it taught respect to those in authority and obedience to the law; the subjugation of the passions; charity towards others and a generous toleration for their beliefs and opinions; that there was nothing whatever in Freemasonry incompatible with one's duty as a citizen and a man of honor, or that would hurt the feelings or wound the sensibilities of anyone.

It made a very deep impression on my mind that has never been effaced and, as a consequence, I have retained many peculiar notions, that are commonly termed "crankish" and among them are these:

I would exact of a committee on investigation a faithful and conscientious discharge of duty and I would expect every member of the lodge to assist and, in addition to the regular questions propounded, I would ascertain if the applicant is in good health and not afflicted with any organic disease; is he self-supporting and has he made any provision for the future. Does he keep his business agreements and pay his bills and other debts. The applicant who borrows money to pay for initiation will prove poor material for our temple, and we should not permit one to take from his family the money needed for their comfort and support, to pay for Masonic Degrees.

A committee of investigation consists of three persons. The chairman is not the committee, but simply its head, or rather one of its heads, for all are officers of the lodge, appointed for a specific purpose, and each one should prosecute his inquiries independently of the others.

The fact that an applicant is well recommended is no sufficient presumption in his favor; his fitness for membership must be clearly demonstrated by careful research and due inquiry. It is not essential for the applicant that he should become a Mason, and Masonry will suffer no loss of strength or prestige if he should be rejected. So far as Masonry is concerned it matters little whether he measures up to the required standard or not, but he must measure up to it if he is to be accepted.

The applicant must be sound physically; that is a landmark; if physical deficiencies exist, it is his misfortune and not the fault of Masonry. [This is no longer necessary - ed.] He must be sound mentally, able to think and to reason; he must be a man of intelligence, of knowledge, able to comprehend and understand, capable of determining for himself the truth or falsity of such questions as concern his own spiritual, moral and civic duties, otherwise it would be worse than useless to admit him, for the sublime beauties of Masonry would be meaningless to him.

He must be a man of sound character, free from blemish morally, honest, upright, truthful, of good report. He should be able to provide not only for himself and those dependent upon him, but able and willing to help others less fortunate. In no other human institution will you find a higher standard of mental and moral attributes required, and in no other are they more essential. Freemasonry is not a mercenary or selfish institution, neither is it an asylum whose doors are open to the indigent and impecunious and we have the right to know these things of one who seeks our fellowship.

A favorable report from the entire committee should be a guarantee that a careful and thorough investigation has been made and that the applicant is worthy beyond any reasonable question.

The honor, usefulness and character of Freemasonry rest largely upon the manner in which committees of investigation perform their work; we must build of the best if we would attract the best.

We must not permit our zeal for numerical growth to obscure our vision to the cardinal character qualifications that are essential in maintaining free and unimpaired the teachings and principles of Freemasonry with fidelity and integrity.

One of the great fundamentals of Freemasonry is its spirit of toleration, its broad catholicity of opinion.

It regards neither rank nor wealth nor sects nor nationalities, neither will it open its doors so wide that all who will may enter, The applicant must be worthy; he must meet the requirements; he must understand that Freemasonry is far more than a mere social organization; he must come prepared in his own heart, and by himself. These things Freemasonry cannot provide, but it will, if he is found worthy, confirm them by initiation. The Masonic standard of preparedness is moral worth alone; this the applicant must possess.

A Masonic Lodge is not a school where men meet to learn morality, but it is a place where moral men meet and solemnly pledge themselves to greater and more loyal service to God, to their country, to each other and to themselves.

If the applicant is well qualified he will learn in the Entered Apprentice Degree that Freemasonry not only inculcates the purest morality, the loftiest patriotism, the noblest altruism and the broadest charity but that it is fundamentally religious in that it requires a steadfast belief and trust in God.

The ballot is the real test of our Masonic standard of justice, toleration and charity. To ballot is a sacred duty. That it is compulsory indicates a belief and faith that each member will vote fearlessly, and without prejudice, and solely for the good of the Craft.

Much is said about the misuse of the black ball and doubtless some good men are occasionally being rejected. Freemasons are but human, and perfection is not easily attained, but were the white ball less frequently misused there would be fewer trials, with their suspensions and expulsions. Watch with vigilance the white ball: it is the greatest safeguard of the Craft. If it were never cast except for those of whom something positively good might be said, the power and influence and worth of Freemasonry in human betterment everywhere would be increased many fold. Bad men have sought and will continue to seek our fellowship for their own base purposes; do not misuse the white ball and accept them as worthy, but by the manly use of the black ball reject them as unfit ashlars for our Temple.

An applicant who has been elected, should never be made the subject of any unseemly remarks or jests, but he should be given to understand that Masonry is a serious and solemn enterprise. To nag a candidate, to convey to his mind by insinuation or otherwise, that he would "back down," be made sport of or caused to appear ridiculous in any way, can have no other than a bad effect upon one who is about to take a step so important that every possible safeguard should be provided to give permanent strength and durability to the first impressions received in Masonry.

He should be accompanied to the Lodge on the evening of his initiation, by a friend, who should remain with him in a room prepared for that purpose until the Lodge is ready for his reception. It would be well if the Worshipful Master were to visit him there, to put him at ease and to assure him that he was among friends, who were about to become his Brothers in the truest sense. Except the Stewards and perhaps his friend no other person should be allowed to be present during his preparation, and they should be particularly courteous and considerate. The candidate should be told in a quiet and pleasant manner of the requirements and their reason may be explained to him, and every act and word of the Stewards should impress him with the high character and solemnity of Masonry, without causing him alarm or uneasiness in the least. He is in a particularly impressionable frame of mind and any rudeness, vulgarity or untimely mirth and frivolity will have a tendency to dampen his enthusiasm and render him less susceptible to the beautiful and sublime lessons of Masonry. In short, they should remember that a Mason is made or marred to a greater extent than some of us realize, in the preparation room.

The By-Laws of a Lodge are those rules and regulations that have been adopted by the members of a Lodge for its government.

These Laws every member is solemnly pledged to abide by.

This pledge or obligation to obey the By-Laws is analogous to the oath of allegiance required of those who would become citizens of our country. Honor and duty alike demand that we shall keep our promises.

As the members make the By-Laws, so they elect the Worshipful Master to preside over them in the Lodge, and it is his duty to see that the By-Laws, and the Laws of the Grand Lodge are punctually and faithfully executed.

The By-Laws prescribe the exact time for opening the Lodge and the failure to do this by many Masters is the principal cause for the tardy arrival of the other Officers and the indifference and lack of interest manifested by many members and their failure to attend the Communications. It might be well were some Lodges required to have a By-Law prescribing the time of closing.

The true criterion of a Lodge is the Worshipful Master. If he is prompt in the discharge of his duties, alert, efficient and progressive, visiting those members who have been negligent in attending, asking them to do some service occasionally, and showing the entire membership that Masonry is a practical force, engaged in real work for the betterment of men, they will quickly catch the inspiration, the harmony of doing real service and the result will be promptness, order, development, growth and usefulness in all lines of Masonic activity.

A Worshipful Master who makes it his duty to be on hand in ample time to meet and greet his officers and other Brethren, and to see that everything is in order for the communication will receive an ample recompense in the aroused interest and greater attendance.

The Secretary should have prepared for the use of the Worshipful Master, so far as possible an abstract of all business to come before the Lodge. The Worshipful Master should examine all petitions and appoint the Committees on Investigation before the time to open the Lodge arrives. The opening ceremonies and all the regular business should be transacted expeditiously, but without unseemly haste. Few of us appreciate the importance that attaches to the office of Stewards. Formerly their chief duties were to collect dues and provide refreshments, but now they are the first officers of the Lodge to attend upon the candidate. How necessary it is, therefore, that they shall measure up to the highest possible standard in character, good breeding and gentlemanly deportment!

The same high qualifications are also essential attributes in the Deacons, especially the Senior Deacon.

When a stranger applies for admission the Worshipful Master appoints a Committee to examine him. The Committee and the would-be visitor are strangers, at least Masonically. In a way he is the defendant and the Committee's sole duty—acting as the proxy of the Worshipful Master—is to prosecute an examination, or investigation as to the applicant's right to visit.

He should be treated fairly and courteously.

It is his place to know, and the Committee's place to examine and find out. It is no part of their duty to prompt, suggest or instruct, neither should they, having finished the examination, say to the visitor, "We are satisfied," or "You are all right," or otherwise as the case may be, but the Committee should return to the Lodge room and present their report, and if favorable the Worshipful Master will direct the Senior Deacon to retire and introduce the visiting Brother. The Worshipful Master will, without approaching the Altar or arising from his seat, welcome the Brother in a few kindly words and direct the Senior Deacon to conduct him to a seat, and the Senior Deacon should quietly introduce him to one or more of the nearby Brothers.

As soon as the Lodge has been called to refreshment, Officers and brethren should hasten to extend to him a true Masonic greeting. Every visitor should be made to feel that he is among friends and Brothers in such a genuine way that he will become the medium to herald to other Lodges the Masonic hospitality and fraternal fellowship that had been accorded to him.

Let us strive to make our several Lodges helpful in every way, not alone to our own members but to the stranger within our gates, dwelling places of harmony and peace, where one can always find sympathy and hope and the truest charity.

I would make of every Lodge a home where a Mason would find not only a fraternal welcome, but an atmosphere so congenial so abounding in kindness, in generous thoughts, and all good, works that to miss a meeting would be considered a serious misfortune.

"At the same time forbidding all private committees or other un-Masonic conduct whereby the peace and harmony of the Lodge might be disturbed." It seems to me that this means any improper act or departure from the rules governing the conduct of Masons, or disregard of the proprieties sanctioned by tradition and custom and of the proper reverence of sacred things and solemn ceremonies.

How often we hear, during the conferring of the obligation and in other parts of the work, when the utmost decorum should prevail, the snap and see the flash of a match, as some good but thoughtless Brother renews the fire upon the altar of the passions of a self-indulgence that should, in due respect to Masonry and the occasion, be dispensed with.

Most of us like the taste and aroma of a good cigar, but none of us would think of entering a church with a lighted cigar, or into many other places, and a Lodge room during work is as sacred in many ways as a church. The church is open to all alike; the doors of Masonry are closed to all but the chosen and the supposedly worthy. Let us keep our habitations clean and our tabernacles void of offense.

During the examination of candidates in open Lodge and in the conferring of Degrees, no alarm should be given. If necessary, members should be allowed to enter and retire only by way of the door into the preparation room and in a noiseless manner. The constant opening and closing of doors during these periods are not only distracting and annoying, but they are subversive of the dignity and good order of Masonry and injurious to the candidate, as they detract from the good opinion he had formed of the Institution.

If we would make Freemasonry in truth the great moral science and educator, we claim that it is, we should afford our mem- bers all possible opportunities to read and study its history and its interesting and instructive symbolism, and for that purpose there should be in every Lodge a well selected library of Masonic books, among them the following:

Historical Landmarks of Freemasonry----------Oliver
Antiquities of Freemasonry -.—---------------Oliver
Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Freemasonry---Macoy
Lexicon of Freemasonry-----------------------Mackey
Encyclopedia of Freemasonry- ----------------Mackey
Masonic Parliamentary Law--------------------Mackey
Masonic Jurisprudence------------------------Mackey
Principles of Masonic Jurisprudence----------Simons
History of Freemasonry-----------------------Gould
History of Freemasonry-----------------------Mackey
Early History and Antiquities of Freemasonry-Fort
History of Freemasonry and Masonic Digest----Michell
General History of Freemasonry---------------Rebold
History of Freemasonry-----------------------Findell
The Symbolism of Freemasonry-----------------Mackey

Short talks on Masonic subjects should be made a regular practice, and each member should be encouraged to add something to the common store.

After a candidate has received the Apprentice Degree, he should be thoroughly instructed in the lecture and then given a carefully prepared treatise on the aims, principles and philosophy of the degree; and the same course should be pursued in each of the other two degrees; and I would not admit the newly-made Master Mason to any of the rights or privileges of a Mason until he had so perfected himself.

I would not have a candidate expressed through the degrees, taught a brief catechism, given a few pass-words, signs and tokens, and then told that he was a full-fledged Mason, qualified to go out into the world, work and earn a Master's wages.

He should be made to understand that while these things are necessary and important, and the thorough learning of them should be encouraged and commended, yet they do not constitute the true work of a Mason. The true work, the real test of a Mason, the work that stands out clear and distinct, and that differentiates him from other men, is his steadfastness to the vows he has assumed, his faithfulness to every trust, his devotion to duty, his loyalty, his zeal, his readiness to labor unceasingly in promoting a real genuine and abiding fraternity among men, and in living up to the teachings and principles of Masonry.

The symbols and ceremonies of Masonry are nothing if back of them we do not catch the gleam and feel the exalting inspiration of that truth, that charity, that sympathy and brotherhood that make of Masonry an irresistable uplifting power to true manhood everywhere.

I would discourage the advancement of anyone to the socalled higher degrees until he had proven by service as a Master Mason he was justly entitled to further light, and to further fields of research where other beauties awaited him. I believe that Masonry would be stronger in every way if we could eliminate from our membership the luke-warm, careless and indifferent. They are but drones and a positive detriment to the institution.

All Masonic conversation in the presence of an outsider as to what was being done, was proposed to be done or had not been done should be absolutely prohibited. No member should be permitted to tell an outsider that So-and-So had petitioned, or been rejected, or that charges were going to be brought against a member, or that So-and-So was going to be initiated, passed or raised on a certain date. Neither should allusion ever be made outside our own circle that such a thing as a Masonic ritual exists.

As the wise physician cuts out the foul tumor in time and the patient lives, unpoisoned by its deadly growth, so Masonry should treat one who, by his acts and words, brings reproach and degradation upon it. Kindly but firmly endeavor to correct the fault and save him if possible but, failing in this, it should cut promptly and efficiently and remove the blight from its midst. As the one black spot on a field of white involuntarily attracts and holds the eye, so the one unworthy Mason becomes the cynosure of all profane eyes and the gossip of tongues; and the Craft as a whole is held up to public shame.

I would have Masons remember their obligations when, through honest belief, they are constrained to take opposite sides on public questions and affairs of State. It matters little what our politics may be or what our religion may be; if we are true Masons, we shall be honest men, loyal to truth and honor, and faithful to each other and to our country.

If one wished to become a cynic or pessimist, I could point to no surer way to attain that deplorable condition than a faithful perusal of a certain class of alleged newspapers and other publications, where every effort and act to benefit humanity, from an honest and unselfish desire to give to society an equitable and impartial administration of public office to the voluntary gift of wealth for the erection and endowment of a hospital, school or asylum, is credited to the basest motives, the most infamous desires. There is wrong enough in the world, and sorrow and pain. They are not lessened, but aggravated many-fold by the constant publication and malicious exaggeration of every error and mistake. Slander was ever an assassin of character and covert insinuation the weapon of a coward.

Were the same energy and zeal displayed in heralding the thousand kindly deeds and generous gifts and words of loving sympathy that are done and occur in our midst every day, the sky would have a deeper blue, the air a sweeter fragrance, the earth a richer emerald; the hearts of men would echo to a happier anthem, and all over the world would rest the hallowing influence of the benediction of God.

Justice

It may be that some particular friend, one whom we love and trust and all that, is not thought by some others as just the right sort to become a member of our favorite club or lodge. Well, are we going to better conditions any, are we going to improve his chances of eventually becoming a member by continually dwelling upon and talking about what we are pleased to term an injustice? Somehow we have faith to believe that every injustice will eventually be righted. If Masonry means anything—and we believe it does—it means charity, toleration, sympathy and loving kindness, and if we are right and if our cause is right, both will in due time be so recognized by others; and in the meantime, we shall hasten the consummation of our desires by working for the advancement and upbuilding all along the line and in every department of our Institution for those things that shall quicken the best that is in us, that shall enlarge our usefulness and make of us in very truth a Brotherhood where each individual member shall forget self in the greater glory of the institution as a whole.