"White For—Black Against."

He prefers his request and we sit in judgment on him ; this helplessness on his part surely ought to influence us to let " Prudence direct us and justice be the guide of our action . " It is always an invidious and unpleasant position for a man to find himself black balled in any society or club , and often carries with it a social stigma totally undeserved . It frequently brands a man with

unnecessary severity , as no reasons can be demanded or explanations sought ; the bare , bald fact lies there , he has been rejected—the reasons may be good , bad or indifferent , he cannot compel the divulgence of them—he has submitted himself to a silent tribunal , and though conscious of his own rectitude he cannot take a single step to prove the decision wrong . Surely , therefore , as right thinking

men , we ought to be very carefnl to do that which is equitable to a man who has placed himself so unreservedly in our hands . I hold that it is utterly unfair for us to declare that a man is unfit to join our Craft except upon the most powerful reasons . On this head I know that I go further than some of my brethren , for I am of opinion that my personal likes or dislikes ought not to be allowed to

influence me in voting . Individually , I feel that all that ought to weigh with me is whether or not the Candidate is an honourable upright man , likely to become an honour to the Craft and an advantageous member of the Lodge . Though I do not like him , I would never oppose a Candidate on that ground alone , still less would I wound his self-respect and his social status by a black ball .

A man who asks to become one of us pays us the compliment of thinking us a body of which he would like to form a part , thereby indicating " A favourable opinion preconceived of the Institution , " if nothing else . In many cases he has friends or relatives in our ranks—in others the associations of past days carry remembrances of those whom he knew to be Masons , whose life he honoured and

whose death he regretted . Such a man cannot conceive other than that his desire to join us will meet with fair consideration and an equitable decision—his ideas of our integrity are high—he believes us to be boand together by bonds invisible to the outer world , but which are evidenced by their results , and he feels safe in awaiting the decision of such a Court . To my mind , whatever it may be to

others , it is a supreme height of cowardice and cruelty to hit an absent , defenceless man with a black ball , unless we are convinced that he is unfit to be a Freemason , and that our duty to the Craft demands that we shall reject him . Rightly or wrongly . Freemasonry is generally held to be a respectable and reputable association , and the fact that a man has

been ignoniiniously rejected therefrom carries with it , to very many people , a serious stigma—at any rate , brethren , we may take it as a general principle that to black ball a man is to inflict a wound upon him personally , sometimes upon those who are near and dear to him , and not unfrequently to seriously prejudice him in many ways . As I have before said , no man has a right to demand

admission amongst us ; through the voice of one of our brethren he a sits us to receive him—willing to join us in all good faith—knowing little or nothing of the nature of our Institution , but , assuming the good , he desires to cast in his lot with us . Let us then , brethren , take heed that no man suffers injury at our hands improperly by

closing our door in his face , unless , after due thought and strict examination , we feel impelled to do so in the interest of the integrity and welfare of our Craft , in the prestige and prosperity of our Lodge . And now , brethren , in the second place , we go on to consider our votes in connection with the

PROPOSER AND SECONDER OF THE CANDIDATE . As in the former case we are , at the outset , face to face with responsibilities , viz ., those of the Proposer and Seconder , and those of the Voter . None of us ought ever to forget that on his entrance into the Lodge the Candidate has to pledge himself that he is " Unbiassed by the improper solicitation of friends , " which clearly

carries home to us that we ought to be very guarded not to unduly influence any man to seek to join us . We ought never to tempt a man to join us in the hope of pecuniary gain in any way or shape , or simply that our Lodge may benefit to the extent of his fees . Every Candidate ought to know that Freemasonry is not a benefit society , and we should be cautious how we lead men to seek

admission into out ranks under any other idea than that honour and integrity are our bond of union , and no man out to be allowed to ask to be made a Freemason in the expectation that he will get absolutely 20 s . or more , in meal or malt , for every sovereign he pays to us—this is a responsibility which meets us as between

Craftsmen and those who have a desire to become so—do not let us even by implication mislead those who wish to join us . I think we may take it that , generally sjteaking , it is a great pleasure to any earnest member of a Lodge to propose for initiation a worthy man , and we cannot conceive a good Mason proposing any

"White For—Black Against."

other ; at the same time it is a pleasure which carries with it a serious responsibility , because if once admitted the nominee must always remain a Freemason , and may largely make or mar the happiness of our Lodge—he may bring disgrace upon us , or he may attain " The highest honour the Craft can give or the Lodge bestow . " More especially does this responsibility heavily rest

upon brethren who are matured members of the Lodge , or have attained any rank therein—and , generally speaking , it is considered desirable to have propositions made by brethren who have been members of the Craft sufficiently long to have acquired a knowledge of the landmarks , as well the unwritten laws which are i \ cognised . In many cases it must needs be that the person

proposed is totally unknown to some of the brethren—possibly to the greater part—and then it necessarily follows that those brethren have little or nothing to guide them in their decision but the remarks made by the Proposer . Seconder and Supporter ( if any ) . Here then is the responsibility which rests upon the sponsors of a Candidate—they are the only guarantees of the fitness of the

Candidate to those brethren to whom he is unknown , hence it is the duty of every man before he prop ses a Candidate to satisfy himself , as far as may be , as to his moral fitness and general reputation . To most brethren it would be a matter of grief and regret if a Candidate they had proposed ultimately brought disgrace upon himself and the Craft , and if such a Candidate had

been recklessly and incautiously introduced , a certain amount of regretable blame might attach to the proposer . More especially does this apply to Past Masters and Officers of the Lodge—their position demands that they shall exercise the greatest possible care and scrutiny before they submit a proposal to the Lodge . They are men of leading amongst us , and their influence is too great to

be used lightly . In the case of a brother held in high esteem in the Lodge proposing a Candidate , the simple fact of his doing so would , by many , be accepted as sufficient evidence in itself of the entire suitability of the nominee for election . Therefore , brethren of Masonic rank and position are under the gravest responsibility not to propose any man until they are able to speak with perfect

confidence that to their knowledge he has not done anything unfitting him for the honour of election . When a brother proposes a Candidate in whom he has implicit confidence , he naturally expects his election—he looks forward with pleasure , possibly with pride , to the introduction of his nominee , especially if that gentleman is a personal friend . The Proposer anticipates with

gratification the pleasure of having his friend one of us , proud that he has been able to swell the ranks of the Lodge , and well satisfied that he has been the means of enabling his friend to gratify a laudable desire . All at once , unexpectedly and undeserved , he sees all this shattered to the winds . He has to tell his nominee

that he is rejected , though he cannot tell him why , and instead of having been a friend to his friend he suddenly feels conscious that he has brought his name to a place where it can be tarnished cruelly and mercilessly without resistance , without appeal , without a word of sympathy , silently , effectively , irresistably the bolt is shot—no heed is taken that it wounds a man with his hands tied

and his mouth closed . Brethren , from my heart I pity the man who has to tell his friend that all this has been through the medium of himself—it is an uncalled for hardship , but if I pity the Proposer in such a case , what about the brother who has black baUed from childish , thoughtless , or unworthy motives . I pity him , too , that he has so little true manhood about himhe is a

, Mason in name , but that is all . Nothing but an overpowering sense of duty could render such an action tolerable , L t alone justifiable . The effect of black-balling not based upon equity must have a serious effect on the Proposer , Seconder and Supporters of a Candidate—to most men it would be a matter of deep chagrin and disappointment , others , conscious of the rectitude of their

nomination and the entire suitability of their Candidate , might think it a side blow at themselves , others might suspect an unworthy combination to thwart the prosperity of the Lodge , but to one and all where the rejection has no foundation in equity the result must be untoward , as it destroys the feeling of repose and safety which a consciousness of existing equity inspires . If we

cannot feel that our brethren will mete out to us perfect justice ( at least in these matters ) , our confidence is impaired , an atmosphere totally foreign to that of fraternity is introduced amongst us , and comparative discord takes the place of accord . The Proposer and Seconder feel that a slight has been put upon them , and in the case

of unexpected black balling they feel that an injury has been done to them and their nominee , inasmuch as no one was good enough to "Timely warn them of approaching danger . " Every proposer of a Candidate , in perfect good faith , and with due care , is efficiently performing one of his Masonic duties , viz .. that

Metropolitan Lodge And Chapter Meetings For The Current Week.

Metropolitan Lodge and Chapter Meetings for the Current Week .

" All Lodges held within Ten Miles of FREEMASONS' HALL , LONDON , are LONDON LODGES . "—General Laws and Regulations L ° < iae NAME OF LODGE AND CHAPTER . PLACE OF MEETING . Lodge . NAUE OF LODGE AND CHAPTER . PLACE OP MEETING .

( THIS DAY ) ( 2 nd ) THURSDAY , AUGUST 8 th . 1076 | Capper | Guildhall Tav ., Gresliara Street ( 2 nd ) FRIDAY , AUGUST 9 th . —Nil . ( 2 nd ) SATURDAY , AUGUST 10 th . GENERAL COMMUTERHOYS' SCHOOLAT 4

, , ( by adjournment from 3 rd inst . ) 1685 | Guclph | Town Hall , Lcyton ( 2 nd ) MONDAY , AUGUST 12 th . 17 Hi ) I Ubiquc I Catt lloyal , Regent Street , \ V . 1922 | Earl of Lathom | Greyhound Hot ., Strcatham

( 2 nd ) TUESDAY , AUGUST 13 th . 1769 | Clarendon | Guildhall Tav ., Gresham Street , E . C . ( 2 nd ) WEDNESDAY , AUGUST 14 th . GENERAL COMMITTEE , BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION , AT 4 . 1228 Beacontree PrlRoomlied Lion HotLcytonstone

. , ., 12 G 0 John Hervcy F . M . II . 1586 Upper Norwood White Hart Hot ., Upper Norwood , S . E . ( 3 rd ) THURSDAY , AUGUST 15 th . R . A . C . I —— I 507 | United Pilgrims | b \ M . II .