Lecture 1
To every Brother Buff, when one is in quite a reflective mood, the thought must often have obtruded itself, what, after all, do I know about Buffaloism.
True, I can work myself in and out of a Buffalo Lodge: I know when I meet a man on the ordinary business affairs of life, whom I have never before, whether or not that man is a brother by his responding to certain Signs I may give him or the contrary.
If I am a Primo, the mysteries enacted in both Lodges, viz: P. & K. are familiar to me. I know the rules governing the policy of the Banner under which I am enrolled fairly well, and many other similar matters connected with the R.A.O.B. but beyond these, what do I know?, Practically nothing.
The origin of my Order beyond an uncertain rumour, and even that is fast dying out, is unknown to me, I am accustomed to one ceremonial mysteries performed, both at P. & K. making of which no explanation is given to either initiate, nor any promise held out that an explanation can be obtained in the proper quarters, should the curiosity to know, which is frequently the case, be aroused in the mind of the initiative.
When I come to reflect on these matters I find that I am equally in the dark as to the meaning, the why and the wherefore let me say, for the mysterious laying out of an R.A.O.B. Lodge. I can see the major and minor officers of the Lodge wearing different coloured collars and regalia of which no explanation has ever been given beyond this; that one colour typifies one officer, another colour another officer, and so on; but why these colours should have been selected and who selected them, is all Greek to me, and so with all other matters connected with the laying out of an R.A.O.B. Lodge. Instinctively I feel that there is a reason all I am accustomed to see and hear, but when I question myself for that reason, a dead blank stares me in the face; through this blank it seems hopeless to me my mind will ever penetrate.
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