THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

the Order consists, but really and conscientiously believing that its
actual strength will be promoted by the increase of the number of its
disciples; they look rather to the _quantity_ than to the _quality_ of
the
applicants who knock at the doors of our lodges.
Now a great difference in respect to the mode in which the ballot is
conducted, will be found in those lodges which are free from the
presence
of such injudicious brethren, and others into which they have gained
admittance.
In a lodge in which every member has a correct notion of the proper
moral
qualifications of the candidates for Masonry, and where there is a
general
disposition to work well with a few, rather than to work badly with
many,
when a ballot is ordered, each Brother, having deposited his vote,
quietly and calmly waits to hear the decision of the ballot box
announced
by the Chair. If it is "clear," all are pleased that another citizen
has
been found worthy to receive a portion of the illuminating rays of
Masonry. If it is "foul," each one is satisfied with the adjudication,
and
rejoices that, although knowing nothing himself against the candidate,
some one has been present whom a more intimate acquaintance with the
character of the applicant has enabled to interpose his veto, and
prevent
the purity of the Order from being sullied by the admission of an
unworthy
candidate. Here the matter ends, and the lodge proceeds to other
business.
But in a lodge where one of these injudicious and over-zealous Brethren
is
present, how different is the scene. If the candidate is elected, he,
too,
rejoices; but his joy is, that the lodge has gained one more member
whose
annual dues and whose initiation fee will augment the amount of its
revenues. If he is rejected, he is indignant that the lodge has been
deprived of this pecuniary accession, and forthwith he sets to work to
reverse, if possible, the decision of the ballot box, and by a
volunteer
defense of the rejected candidate, and violent denunciations of those
who
opposed him, he seeks to alarm the timid and disgust the intelligent,
so
that, on a _reconsideration_, they may be induced to withdraw their
opposition.
The _motion for reconsideration_ is, then, the means generally adopted,
by
such seekers after quantity, to insure the success of their efforts to
bring all into our fold who seek admission, irrespective of worth or