The Revised Book Of Constitutions.

is needless to say that we consider the new rule preferable ; it is a great improvement on the existing Rules , both as regards completeness ancl clearness . Rule No . 178 , like Art . 4 , p 80 , of which it is almost a

verbal reproduction , provides that a " Lodge may regulate its own proceedings . " No . 179— " voting " —is the second paragraph of Art . 2 , p 62 , but modified with advantage , as will be seen by contrasting the two .

EEVISED EDITION . " Whenever it shall happen that the votes are equal upon any question to be decided by a majority of a lodge , either by ballot or otherwise , the master in

the chair shall be entitled to give a second or casting vote . "

EXISTING EDITION . 2 ( p 62 ) . . . . Whenever it may happen that tho number of votes shall bo equal upon any question to be decided in a lodge , either by ballot or otherwise , the master

in the chair shall be entitled to give a second or casting vote , excepting upon a ballot for a candidate for initiation or a brother to join . "

The alteration of the words " in a lodge in the first clause of the existing Rule into " by a majority of a lodge " renders the excepting clause unnecessary ; though , having regard to existing Art . 4 , p 85 , which provides for the rejection of a candidate " if three black balls appear

against him , " we are at a loss to understand how any such excepting clause can have found its way into the said existing law . No . 180— " Admission of members "—embodies most of

the contents of Art . 12 , p 65 , introductory paragraph at p 82 , " Of proposing members , " & c , and Art . l , p 79 . Here again it will be seen that the proposed new Rule is incomparably superior to the Rules it is intended to supersede .

EEVISED EDITION . " 180 . Great discredit and injury having been brought npon our ancient and honourable fraternity from admitting members and receiving candidates , without

due notice being given , or inquiry made into their characters , and qualifications ; and from passing and raising masons without due instruction in the respective

degrees , it is declared to be specially incumbent on all members of lodges to see that particular attention be paid to these particular points . "

EXISTING EDITION . 12 ( p 65 ) . " No lodge can make a mason , or admit a member , without strictly complying with all the regulations enacted for the government of the craft . "

( p 82 ) . " Great discredit and injury having been brought upon onr ancient and honourable fraternity from admitting members and receiving candidates , without

due notice being given , or inquiry made into their characters and qualifications ; and from passing and raising masons without due instruction in the

respective degrees , it is declared that a violation or neglect of any of the following laws shall subject the lodge offending to erasure , and no emergency can be allowed as

a justification . " 1 ( p 79 ) . "No brother shall be admitted a member of a lodge

unless the laws of the craft relating to the proposing and admitting of candidates shall have been strictly complied with . "

We have but one suggestion to offer , and that is of an unimportant character . To avoid tautology the Rule should read "to see that strict" —instead of "particular "— " attention be paid to these particular points . " Rules Nos . 181— " Initiation " —and 182 , " Initiation in

cases of emergency " —correspond with the first and second paragraphs respectively of Art . 2 , pp 83 , 84 . As regards No . 181 the words " unless his name , profession or occupation , " are substituted for " unless his name , addition or profession , "—what " addition " may be is a mystery of

mysteries—while the words , " with the names of his proposer and seconder " are very properly added . No . 182 is , in all important particulars , a reproduction of the second paragraph of the said Art . 2 , p 84 , the words " the name , profession , or occupation , and place of abode , " being

rightly substituted for " the name , & c . For the clause , " or in a summons for a lodge of emergency , to meet at a period of not less than seven days from the issuing of the summons therefor , " which is a very clumsy compilation , we would suggest , " or in a summons for

a lodge of emergency , to meet at a period of not less than seven days from date of issue , " witb , if thought desirable , the words " of the said summons " superadded . The last sentence of the proposed

Rule , " The master shall previously to the ballot being taken , read the proposition , and state to the lodge the cause of the emergency , which shall be recorded in the minutes , " is better than the corresponding passage in the

The Revised Book Of Constitutions.

existing Rule , " The master shall , previous to the ballot being taken , cause the propositions and emergency , to be recorded in the minute book of the lodge . " In the 6 th line of the new Rule for " circumstance" read " cir . cumstances . "

No . 183 , like the earlier portion of Art . 3 , p 84 , states what must be the " age and circumstances of a candidate , " the requirement that he shall be " bis own master " beinorightly struck out . No . 184 is the latter portion of the same article , but with the addition of the following

sentence : " A person who cannot write is consequentl y ineligible to be admitted into the order . " This , being a self-evident proposition , is hardly necessary ; but if it is retained we should prefer the word " society " or " fraternity " for " order . " No . 185—as to " Military candidates "

—is Art . 8 , p 86 , but for the words at the end of the latter , " or by dispensation from the grand master , or provincial grand master " are substituted , " or by dispensation from the grand master , or provincial or district grand master of the province or district wherein the lodge

may at the time be held . " Some such extension of this part of the existing clause is clearly necessary in order to define its application . No . 186—as to " Joining members " —is virtually the same as Art . 1 , p 83 , while No . 187 is Art . 4 , p 85 , reproduced textually , with a wise provision

added to the following effect : " and by-laws may also enact that a prescribed period shall elapse before any rejected candidate can be again proposed in that lodge . " As regards No . 188— "An initiate may claim membership "—it must be read side by side with Art . 13 , p 65 , from which , on the surface , it does not appear to differ .

EEVISED EDITION . " 188 . Every lodge must receive as a member , without further proposition or ballot , any brother initiated therein , except a serving brother , unless such

brother express his wish to the contrary on or before the day of his initiation , as no lodge should

introduce into masonry a person whom the brethren consider nnfit to be a member of their own lodge . "

EXISTING EDITION . 13 ( p 65 ) . "Every lodge must receive as a member , without further proposition or ballot , any brother initiated therein , provided such brother express his

wish to that effect on the day of initiation , to ascertain which the master shall call his attention to

this law , as no lodge should in-. reduce into masonry a person whom the brethren might con - sider unfit to be a member of

their own lodge . The insertion of the words " except a serving brother , " may be thought necessary in order to give greater completeness , though the case is provided for under Rule No . 190 . But the alteration of the clause , " provided such

brother express his wish to that effect on the day of his initiation , " into " unless such brother express his wish to the contrary on or before the day of his initiation " hardly appears to us to be a change for the better , as the latterin our judgment at least—does not quite convey the same force as the clause for which it is to be substituted . The

reason assigned is , in both cases , the same , namely , that a Lodge shonld not introduce into Masonry a person whom it does not consider fit to be one of its members . But is not this end more likely to be secured by requiring that the candidate shall express a wish to become a member of

the Lodge wherein he is initiated rather than that he has no such wish ? When a Lodge knows the person it is about to initiate is anxious to become one of its members , the brethren will naturally be more careful to make themselves certain of his being worthy of being introduced into

Masonry . If , on the other hand , they know beforehand that he does not wish to be one of themselves , it is on the cards that they may concern themselves less immediately as to his worthiness to be admitted to the Fraternity . For ourselves , we should leave this clause as it is , only

altering the words " on the day , " into " on or before the day . " As to No . 189 , which , like Art . 6 , p 86 , limits the "number that can be initiated on same day" to five , " unless by a dispensation , " the new Rule provides that

the dispensation shall come " from the grand master , or the provincial or district grand master , " whereas the existing Rule merely states that a dispensation for initiating more than five is necessary .

Bro . J . Terry P . P . G . J . W . Herts has kindly consented to rehearse the consecration and installation ceremonies in the West Middlesex Lodge of Instruction , No . 1612 , held at the Institute , Baling , on Tuesday , 19 fch inst ., at 7 p . m . It is expected there will be a goodly number of the brethren . Masonic clothing is to be worn on this occasion .