Newspapers / Masonic Journal (Greensboro, N.C.) / July 14, 1876, edition 1 / Page 5
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i THE MASONIC JOURNAL o What the Masonic Press, may and Should be. In this OUT third article on the s-ubject we wish to write as briefly as we well may, fearing that we ma>y otherwise ex haust the, patience of our renders. That a Masonic press is advisable and impor tant, valuable and needful, to-day, we venture to-think ; that it may also be a great age to Freemasonry we also- hold, hub then it must avoid some of the-errors and guieksands which have abounded in itsprevious- course.. One- great defect as regards the Mason-ic Press has been its personality. It is lamentable'tothink what scurrility has sometimes found its way into Masonic columns. As the rep- rese'ntatives of a brotherhood professing fraternal love as its keynote, it would be amusing-, were it no-t so- saddening-, to observe this ineonsistenoy of humanity. Some of the most personal, and we- will add, vulgar, productions we ever read have emanated- from, a Masonic penman, writing, moreover, “ad fraties,” Strange inconsistency, but so it is. Nowin, sav ing this do not let any-.suppose that we undferrate the- importance of the real “hiteh of the matter," the actual difficul ties of the case. It is no doubt .some times hard to restrain a strongish, word or e-pithet, when we-have proof before our eyes of the ignorance of the sciolist or the audacity of the-charlatan. It ia not so easy always to keep within due-boiind'S, the eager disputant,, or the keen contro- versal'ist,. who finds his motives impug- iied, h-is vrord travestied, and his opin ions derid'eu by one whom he considers in the n.ature of things incompetenb to pass an, o|iinion on the merits of the oase. Many people rush into, the pages of a Masonic or profane newspaper whose views are, hazy and whose language is most insulbi'ng, and hardly a w.eek passes but we- see how true-it still is that “fools enter in, where angels fear to tread.” And hence a little-latitude must always exist for honest indignation,, and critical severity^ for the laudible exposure of the imposter and. impertinent, for the-ardent language and glowing fervour of the- in jured, the assailed, OE the defamed. But liaving said this, we feel that w.o have made all needful allowances for the ex igences of pussinc controversies and ex citable writers, and we are bound, it appears to us, to set our face against all press personalities. The imputative of evil motives, the covert in.sinuation, the open f ilsehood., the violence of some “feeble forcible,” and the mistaken ve- heme nee of some amateur libeller, are- all things “bene notand-a.” and,“bene evdan- da” in Masonic j.ournalism. Freemason ry will rise much higher in, the opinion of the outside world, when Masonic pa pers put on one s de that embittering tone which too often mars and-degrades their pages, when Masonic controversies rire conducted in a spirit of fairness-and tol eration, and \vhen all of attem.pted bul lying, or browbeating, or absurd as- 8um[>tion, or unreasonable dogmatism, shall have passed away from Masonic pamphleteers, and Masonic disputants, never to return. The judgement of the world, based on the evidence of the Ma sonic press, is too often unfavourable to Freemasonry on the ground that its prac tice does not square with its profession —that it says one thing and does the very contrary j and that while it openly asserts as its leading principles, the teaching of a charitable, elevated, toler ant, benevolent brotherhood, Freemasons show themselves to be very often in the press the most intolerant, the most unoharitaMe, the most vulgar, .and the most abusive of mankind. These aie hardish words, but tluy are true, and. above all, they are needed, -whether pop ular or unpopular, acceptable or unac ceptable. And another point for the Masonic press to avoid ia ritual pubiica- tis-n.. We have fallen into “evil courses” in th-ih respect, ai d must retrace our steps-. We ha.ve been pn.brishing far too much abou-t the “area,iiOf” andfoaporreta” of our Order, and must hold' our hands, there is plenty of ground for Masonic writers to travel over and for M.asonio publications to dwell upon, without load ing our pages with ritual and ceremonial. Masonic arehseology has plenty of hope for the student and the teacher, and ex cept for the sake of illu.-itration, ceremo nial ought not to be dwelt upon by Ma sonic writers. We have latterly exclud ed ritual discussions from the I^reemason, and vve shall continue to do so. There is quite sufficient in the current ne^s of the day, ill the abstract principles of Free masonry, in the onward progress of Ma sonic affairs at home and abroad, and, above all, in the intere.sting study of the annals and antiquities of our great Or der, to occupy the leisure of the Masonic correspondent, to. lend force to the exhortation of the Masonic teacher, to enliven the contribution of the Masonic critic, and to claim the close attention of the Masonic editor. Guided by the principles we have laid down of abstention and caution, we have no doubt ourselves but that the Masonic press has a useful jind beneficial, a great and goodly future before it. In all that it seeks to proclaim and to en force, d'idac-tioally or hortatory before the Craft, its utterances ought always to be marked by distinct adherence to princi.-- pie, and an elevated tone to all things, through evil report or good report, pop nlan or unpopular, it should never truckle to expediency, but should always display before all men that noble banner of blue, on which glitter in letters of gold the talismanic-w.ords. Honour, Jus tice, Loyalty, Charity, Broths-H,y Love, Toleration^ Truth,—London Freemason. I. o. q. F. Conclusions from Facts. When that time-comes-,, can the Gitand Lodge-, as at present organized, keep its expenditures within such limit? Cer tainly not. As such a crisis is inevitable, would it not be prudent,. laeaiiwhile, to discuss the subj.eet, and to. take the neces sary precautions? Thera a-re but tw-j alternatives offered to the Grand Lodge : Additional taxa tion, and retrenchm.ent. The first would not, I think, be favorably considered by the Order; an.d recourse must, of course, be had to the reduction of the outlay to the income. This -w'ill involve a reorgan ization of the G. L. U. S. That Body is too large. It consisted, at the session of 1875, of one hundred and fifty-three members, viz.-. officers, 10; P. G. Sires. 6, (with a possibility of 12), and 137 rep resentatives. Consolidation of the State Grand Lodges and Grand encampments would reduce the number of representatives lo seventy-nine, and if the Constitution were adhered to, and the P. G. Sires re quired to pay their own expenses of at tendance, the entire assembly, including the ten officers, would not exceed eighty- nine. This would save moie than one- third of the annual expenses. Biennial sessions would effectually preclude all hazard of excess. The con trast between the expense of annual ses sion of 153, and the expense of a biennial session ol 8-9, will con.vinee any one who would make an estimate. S-neh a Legis lature might remain in session two or three weeks, with honor to itself, and benefit to- the Order, It wouid: have time ta gjiv.e due consideration, to every subject, a-iidi its deoisfons-would not be precipitated'by “previo-us questions,” nor “points of order.” P'arliamenlaEy strat egy is practiced for the protection, of po litical or partisan interests, but it ought not to be tolerated in a tribunal for pure ly benevolent purposes. There is no ar gument in force, and victories won by such means provoke resentment and re- taliationn. They are certainly out of place in a Council of Brethren. A Grand Lodg.e fewer in, num.ber and. more seldom in session, would! nob suffer them, to be in troduced,:—Odd'Fellows' Companion. 3Y. P. », H. AT LKB. Tlie-Grand Seoretany, in. his report, last year, informed, the G. L. U. S., that “the- Eeveiiiie, from, all sources, will not meet the current expenses of 1876.,” and recommends the sale of a .small amount : of United States Bonds. The expends i tures of the year, ending August S.ist, 1875,.amounted to $43,586.98, Wing $4,- j 149.10 in access of regular income. The ; G-rarid Secretary says-on.the same sub- ' jpet, that “the per diem, and mileage ex penses of the session will materially ex- ' ceed the cash balance standing to the ; credit of the Giaiid Lodge at tlie making ' up of this Bepor.t;. and although the rev enue of the coming year nuvy, be sufficient to cancel the balance and cover the annu al, expenses, it is quite certain that suck. ' revenue, even if sufficient for the pui- ' poses indicated, cannot be avails 1 of in time to-meet the great expenses incurred, in the first part of the year, for printing the Hev.ised Journal, etc.”; wherefore, the Gr.tnd'treasurer se.,.oiided the lec- ommeiidation hy the Grand Secretary, of turning into cash such an amount of in vested bonds as may be reqi ired, which •was so. ordered by the Grand Lodge. As this application, for leave to sell: the- invested bo mis will probably become a, standing paragraph ia the Annual Re poits of the Grand Secretary and Treas urer, the $22,000 of Five Twenty Bonds,, now on hand, mast before manv ytars, b ‘ all soM, and the expenses of the Gi-nnd L'dge limited to the current reve me. JOHN CHAMBERLAIN GREEN^ORO,. K. G. D.E.VT.EI! IX Finei Watches, Jewelry, STEET.IXG SE.iVnflit.c'S: PLATED-WABE, Fine Spectacles, Ami everytliiiig-else in my line. Special .attention given to repainng amUiining of Fiue \Vatelies and Regulators. All work dime and all goods sold by me is giiSM'emleed lo be as represented. HAIRdH.lIXS, HAIK .lElVKLRV. DIA5IOMIS AXn Al.r, KIN DS OK FINK .IKH Kl.KY, (lOLl) AM) SILTKK IVATf ll UASK8, etc., etc. TIIK MAyUFACTCRE OF 18 CARAT ENGAGEMENT & AVEDDING RINGS A SPECIALTY. !My MACiirNEKY Uiud other api‘liaaces for diHiront part.s of Wutches, is- |>er haps the most e'xnensfve in Idio Suite, conse quently Fean iftianiiitee that any jiart of a watch nr clock, eu® be replaced with the ut most facility. I ouAHANTEE that my wojfk will com pare'favorably in eftiieienGy and finish with any in the lianil. CriAMUERLAIN, City .Teweler, 28- Gi'eensboi'OjN. C. Uirectory. Gk.ano CouNotL OF N. C.—C. M. VanOr-s- dell, of Wilmington, ilf. /. G..M.;V). W.Baiut Raleigh, G. liecorder. Gk.asd CiiAi’TEU OF N. C.—ThoP. S. Keenan, Wilson, G. li. 7'., D. W. Bain, Ral- oiali, G. HeeVi. Gband Lodge ofN. ('.—Geo. Wk Blount, Wilson, G. J/.-D.-W. Bain,Raleigh, G. tSeei’j/. Gkeensbouo ('oii.Ncii. No. 3, R. & S. JI.. Gi-eeiisboroN.. C,—Tlios. J..SIoan, T. I. M.,. S. E. Alien, Recorder. Time of meeting: 4tli AVednesday night of each montlu Chohazix- Chapter, No. 13, Greensboro, —d’hos. J. SJban, Jihjh rrieisi^ J. N. Nelson, Sp.rretary. Time ot meetiiii>-: 3rd Friday night of each month. Greensboro,. Louoe, 76, Greensboro, N. C.—,S C..Dodsoru If’. W. Dick, tjvy. Time of Regular Communication, Fiivt Saturday in January. Marcii, May, July, September and Nosvember.,. at 10 o’clock a. m., and on rir.t Saturda}’ hi each other month at night. Elmwo(^I) Lod^e,. No. 246, Greensboro, N. C.—J. A. Odell,, ir. J/., Jno. Chamberlain, iSerreturif. Orime of .Rogulai? Comnuuiications: second Saturday nighhof cuieh month.. THE NATIONAL H0TEL7’ Leiiglitfully situated, liALEIGIL F. C. A New IToiisp. Fine Rooms, Well Fur- niKlied’fiiid'Fined up in llie Be.st Slyle. Batli-Rqoms mid Water-Ooset.s on each Floor. Billiard Saloon in Basement. 0 S. BR(.>^VN, Pi-oprietor,. Lso. W. Kebb, Clerk. MRS. .'-1. M." S.\flTH’S 15 O A E D1N G HOUSE, Middle Street, one door below Patterson’s ^ Grocery Ston% 1- BEl^NK, N C. JAS. SLOAN’S SONS, GREENSBORO, N. C., GENERAL MERCHANDISE, Lime. ( enieiit and Plaster, Phosphates and ^ Agricultimal Inipleuients a ISpeeiallv. ENGENB S-CKEL, Druggist and Pharmacist, GREEli^BOKO,^^. C. Peivoiial atitentiou. to eoEnpoiimb’ng Pre- scri})tions at all lum?H—day or night. 2—2 EAEliETT SxMlTH, Life & Fire Insurance Agent, Greensboeo, N. C. Ei'pre-e.-.ts the ilKTHOPoi.tTAN Life of New York, the iiiauguratorof the two most popiila and equitable plans of Life Insurance, 'J'HE RESERVE ENEOWJIENT and THE RESERVE DIVIDEND PLANS, Every pledge of tliis eonipany is plainly written out. and tlie full rcsponsibiliiy ot the Company and assured defined, the Pol.icy of the Mktropolitak should be read btfore a PoUei/ in any other Cnvipany is accepted. Observe the following Ofiginal and Cliarae- teristic Provisions of tins Company : Its uays ol grace, frnai one month to si.x, de termined by tlie ago of tlie Policy. lts.eoiiti"aance ft-omoHe }nsiired period to another without increase of p emiuin. Its Reserve Dividend Fnodrcoiisii'ered as a deiwisit at an interest for tlie payment of tii- tiiu'e promiiams. ItsSpecitie Guarantees of Dividends and' gnrrender Value, Its Inetmtestalile Clause, operating from tlie liaym. nt ofthe tirst premium. Tlie amount explieitly stated to be f.tlD IX DEATH. The amount explieitly stated to he PAID IN I.IEE. .Uso represents several First-Class Fire Coni- ! pa-ncs, in whieli risks will he writien on al- eiasses of insurable proiierty, aiuioii the nmi t favorable teruis.
Masonic Journal (Greensboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 14, 1876, edition 1
5
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