Lodge Southern Cross #44 AF & AM
Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon

The New Year 1

by M.W.Bro. J. J. Miller

Old Anno Lucis and Old Anno Domini have again been labelled and filed away - No. 5923 and No. 1923. Fifty-nine centuries have elapsed since that divine clarion call rang out over the darkened world - "Let there be Light!" Nineteen centuries have been registered since the shepherds first heard the midnight song in Bethlehem, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth Peace, Goodwill toward Men."

The new-born year has already taken a bird’s eye view of the activities and general conditions on this mundane sphere. As it came in it heard the echo of the Christmas anthem, "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men," and it saw what the Great Architect of the Universe saw fifty-nine centuries ago - that this world was very good indeed to look upon.

But “beside the thorn shall grow up the myrtle bush." Beside the joy and pleasure spring up sorrow and anguish. With all that is good to look upon there is heard the whirl of machinery building engines of destruction - warships, aeroplanes, cannons - and in the air hangs a deathly odour from the manufactures of poisonous gases. From many tongues come forecasts of the great war to be fought in the sky. All about are reports of the building of tens of thousands of aircraft by warlike nations. We almost see the beginning of the fulfilment of the prophesy of Tennyson:

"Heard the heavens filled with shouting,
And there rained a ghastly dew
From the nations' airy navies
Grappling in the central blue."

But we seem to sense, too, the meaning of the poet's further words, for we see in actual existence the nucleus of his "Parliament of Man" in our present League of Nations.

"There the common sense of most
Shall hold a fretful realm in awe,
And the kindly earth shall slumber
Lap't in Universal Law."

So the year 1924 has started on its rounds. During its three hundred and sixty-five gyrations, every unit will expose some great anomaly, some great inconsistency, something to make the angels weep.

But changes come as the years pass. Already there is heard an appeal for unity of thought and action, for the uplift of suffering humanity, for a more intense brotherhood amongst men. Powerful agencies are at work to secure this end. And so we may hope that future years will see Peace, Love, and Gladness covering the earth as the waters cover the sea.

This is reviewing time – stocktaking time. The balance sheet for 1928 has been struck.

How does Freemasonry stand?

“That which they have done is but earnest of the things that hey shall do.”

Does Freemasonry, then, stand to the good on the year's operations?

It does. It has had a magnificent year the world over. From all countries we learn that never before have such numbers sought admission to the Ancient Craft. Here is ample proof that Freemasonry has not failed. People do not seek alliance with an institution that is a failure. Men who wish to join the Order come "with a good opinion preconceived of the Order, a general desire for knowledge and a sincere wish based upon worthy motives of being ranked among its members, so as to be more extensively serviceable to their fellow creatures." A splendid prompting!

All Grand Lodges report satisfactory financial statements. This fact shows that the members of the Craft have met their responsibilities in contributing of their substance to the maintenance of the Order, so as to enable it to dispense charity and benevolence, to help the poor and distressed, the widow and the orphan. The brethren of the United States of America are building many monuments and memorials of Masonic benevolence, and the same can truly be said of the brethren of Canada, of Australia, of the Old Country and elsewhere. This Benevolent awakening has been marvellously worldwide. One Australian brother, in 1922, gave half a million dollars himself to erect and maintain a college for the education of sons of poor Masons, and during 1923 he donated another one hundred thousand dollars for the further development of that work. This and other such openhearted, open-handed benevolence must be credited to the operations of Freemasonry in the hearts of men, and it may therefore be put on the credit side of the balance sheet.

Many subordinate lodges also show good balance sheets. They have been active during the year in the work of making Masons - that is, conferring degrees and distributing Master Masons' certificates. Whether those certificates are to be relied upon, of course, remains to be seen. A parchment certificate no more proves a man to be a Mason than his income tax receipt. His real certificate is the open hook of his life and actions - the porch book, the hospital register, the help he has given the poor and distressed - all those deeds which proclaim whether or not he has been living up to the virtues our Institution inculcates.

So, if lodges generally, in conferring the degrees - which are only means to an end - have inculcated the true principles of the Craft, have so moulded the minds of their initiates as to lay the foundation for a solid and firm superstructure, then they have had a good year - they can show a good balance sheet for 1923.

Errors and mistakes are fingerposts. These fingerposts of 1923 direct the way for 1924. The usefulness of the Masonic Institution this year depends then upon how faithfully the pointing fingerposts of the past are followed during the months ahead.

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1 "The Square", R.J. Templeton, editor. p. 15-17

© 2006-2008, Lodge Southern Cross No. 44, BC&Y
Last Updated: 28 Dec, 2007/TMC