THE BUILDER February 1918

EDITORIAL

THE CONTRACT WITH THE CANDIDATE

FROM conversation with the average member of the fraternity one may
be in doubt as to the claims of the candidate upon the Lodge. He
probably gets too often less consideration than is due him. Is the
work interesting to the spectators ? Does the rendition of the
ritual cause a thrill of pride in the officers? Then all is well.
And yet--

These are indeed of much moment. They are objective points to be
diligently sought. When attained, these are advantages of very
great consequence in the progress of the Lodge and the edification
of its members. But they are not all.

When the candidate has presented his petition and the necessary
preliminaries have been completed and he submits himself for
initiation, he has complied with the conditions laid down for his
acceptance. Thereupon an equally weighty responsibility rests with
the Lodge. Thus far they have been concerned in his fulfilling in
every particular, to the last iota of technical requirement, the
lawful demands of the fraternity upon the applicant. Thus far,
also, they have been insistent upon the candidate and the examining
brethren enduring and enforcing a rigid investigation to the end
that no unworthy person may pass the barriers.

Now we will assume that the scrutiny is entirely satisfactory. From
now on the candidate may advance, step by step, to the goal of his
heart's desire in the Masonic Lodge.

Having gained admission by merit and submission, he is entitled to
what sort of treatment? Surely in a democratic institution
regarding no man for his purely worldly wealth or honors, nothing
less would be fair than to give him just what was offered under the
best circumstances. Has the work ever been rendered in that Lodge
with such excellence as to arouse warmest commendations from the
most critical? Then why is not every candidate there justly due the
same treatment ?

Of course we can readily understand how exceptionally favorable
circumstances may prevail at an initiation. It may be that there
are present a corps of expert ritualists seldom assembled. Perhaps
the visit of some dignitary of the Craft has also had an effect
upon the attendance of the highly-skilled brethren and has also
spurred the officers to special efforts.

All this is plausible enough. It explains much but excuses nothing.
Rather than give an applicant an inferior reception it is really
worth while to consider whether the candidate's claims do not
justify a postponement until the ceremonial can be performed in the
most creditable manner.

If we hold that the candidate has no just claims for the best that
the Lodge can do for him, then we need not ponder over the matter--
it solves itself. But fairminded brethren will not rest content
with any such assumption.

There is a strong temptation for the presiding officer to fill the
one chair or another with an ambitious brother seeking an
opportunity to show what he can do. If the responsible officer
knows what the amateur is capable of doing and if he is also
convinced that the quality of the work will not suffer then there
is the less room for objection. But suppose the presiding officer
does not know these conditions but is willing to take a chance. If
he does this, then he loses sight of the candidate's claim upon the
Lodge.

To permit an untried member to undertake a responsible duty with
the ritual is an experiment to be shunned. There is nothing that so
spoils the work as the blundering of a well-meaning but incompetent
or unruly associate on the team. He signally fails to pull his
share of the load. What then should be done?

There is only the one answer. Every candidate deserves a perfect
reception.

From a long study of the conditions, there are a few simple rules
that present themselves for our consideration.

Have sufficient and regular rehearsals of the work. These perfect
the officers and enable the presiding officer to make use of and
improve the other available supply of ritualists.

Do not overload the willing brother. A really able brother is
liable to be overlooked. He may already be in the line of officers
and is then moved from place to place even in a single session. One
Worshipful Master has a practice of moving his officers from their
stations so that with every successive candidate upon any given
date there is not in any instance a repetition anywhere in the
line-up. On the second candidate, the Senior Warden succeeds to the
Worshipful Master's station, and so on all the way down the line to
the door. With the third candidate, the Junior Warden is in the
East. Here and there are occasionally introduced members from the
side-lines to give a charge or lecture or something else.

A likely result of this intermittent and irregular mixture of the
official material is that everybody has a smattering of the whole
message but few if any have specialized. A better plan is to see
that each officer is equipped to do the work of the brother ahead
of him in the line. Then cases of absence may be remedied with ease
as it is unlikely that two of the brethren exceptionally informed
and competent to fill any particular place would be absent at the
same time. This plan would therefore provide for a corps of
officers fully in touch with the requirements and in position to
acquit themselves with great credit to their lodge. Is not the
candidate deserving of this attention?


It is by no means rare for a Worshipful Master to call anyone to
the East. This is a compliment always in order where the brother so
welcomed is by service worthy the honor. Cases are found where the
brother invited has not such qualifications and sometimes is not
even a Warden. Then the practice is an experiment hardly to be
encouraged.

The English practice of preserving the seat in the East only for
those who have by election sometime qualified for the Oriental
chair, is one that rather appeals to us. Branding as it does the
occupant as of at least a certain seasoned rank it gives dignity
and honor to the opportunity afforded the one placed therein. He so
chosen of his brethren, even for a temporary occupancy, will
appreciate the place all the more when the position is restricted
in that manner.

Customs change and on many matters of Masonic etiquette there is
much scope for interchange of ideas. Some of the thoughts here
ventilated will not apply to such jurisdictions as do not allow the
practices condemned. But in each Lodge as in every family there are
usages permitting of betterment to the end that the candidate may
be the more highly and permanently impressed with the lessons
taught.

By all means is it worth our while to continually ask ourselves
these questions during the work: In what way can we make Masonry
the more stimulating and instructive, a force for service and for
righteousness? How can Masonic education be best communicated? Is
our system and our method in this Lodge the most nearly what it was
planned to be by the Grand Lodge to which will be in due course
accredited this candidate?
R.I.C.
