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Article THE REVISED BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS. ← Page 2 of 3 Article THE REVISED BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS. Page 2 of 3 →
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The Revised Book Of Constitutions.
to be printed or published , the proceedings of any Indue , or any part thereof , without the consent of the grand master , or provincial or district grand master , or print
or publish any thing which by the laics and regulations of masonry is improper to be published . Nor shall any brother publish or circulate any document relating to
any case of masonic complaint be . fore the regularly constituted authorities , until after final adjudication thereon , and then only
if the same be proper to be published according to the laws of masonry . "This law does not extend to
furnishing printed copies of documents for the use of any board or committee investigating the matter , provided the same are sent through the grand secretary ,
provincial or district grand secretary , or the secretary of such board or committee respectively , nor to the writing , printing , or publishing of any notice or summons , issued
to the members of a loclgo , by the authority of the master , nor to the proceedings of any festival or public meeting at which persons not masons are permitted to be present . "
cause to be printed and published , the proceedings of any lodge , or any part thereof , or the names of the persons present at such lodge , without the consent of the grand
master , or provincial grand muster , under pain of being suspended or expelled the order . " This law is not to extend to the writing , printing , or
publishing of any notice or summons , issued to the members of a lodgo , by the authority of the master , or the proceedings of any festival
or public meeting at which persons not masons are permitted to be present . "
Whal we have printed in italics constitutes the material additions to the existing law , nor is there any reason to find fault with their insertion . On the contrary , as we
have said already , they extend the contingencies for which legal provision must be made to the utmost limit . As regards the penalty for violating the law , provision appears to be made in Rule No . 204 . There are one or two minor
amendments we would suggest . Thus , in line 6 of the first paragraph we would insert , after " print or publish , " the words , " or cause to be printed or published ; " and in the third line of the second paragraph , for the words "investigating the matter , " we would read " investigating such case of masonic complaint . "
No . 203— " Public appearance in masonic clothing — embodies in brief but sufficient compass all the requirements of Art . 2 , p 94 ; Art . 3 , p 41 ; Art . 1 , p 93 ; Art . 18 , p 67 ; and Art . 3 , p 94 . As another specimen of compactness it is worth reproducing . " No brother
shall appear clothed in any of the jewels , collars , or badges of the craft , in any procession , or at any funeral , ball , theatre , assembly , or meeting , or at any place of public resort , unless the grand master , provincial grand master , or district grand master , as the case may be , shall have
previously given permission for brethren to be there present in masonic clothing . " The last of the four Rules as to " Offences , " has the marginal note , " Other offences , " ancl corresponds with the first part of Art , 31 , p 71 , concerning such other offences committed by a Lodge , and Art . 7 ,
p 82 ( first part ) , concerning the same when committed by a brother . Rule No . 205 , respecting " Fines" in like manner embodies the second and third parts of the same two articles , one concerning a Loclgo offence , and the other concerning a brother ' s offence , and the application of the Pines .
No . 206— " Exclusion from the lodge "—is Art . 20 , p 67 , but apparently with a penalty far less severe in one respect .
EE VISED EDITION . " 206 , If any brother behave in such a manner as to disturb the harmony of the lodgo , ho shall be formally admonished by the master ; and , if he persist in
his irregular conduct , he shall be punished by censure , fine , or exclusion for the remainder of the meeting , according to tho
opinion of the majority of tho members present , or tbe case may be reported to higher masonic authority . "
EXISTING EDITION . 20 ( p 67 ) . "If any brother behave in snch a manner as to disturb the harmony of the lodge , he shall be thrice formally admonished by the master ; and ,
if he persist in his irregular con . duct , he shall be punished by censure , fine , or exclusion , accoidiug to the by-laws of the
lodge ; or the ease may be reported to higher masonic authority . "
No . 207 , as to the " mode of exclusion , " is Art . 21 , p 68 , but very much enlarged , and with great advantage , as will be seen by a comparison of the two . EE VISED EDITION . EXISTING EDITION . " 207 . Every lodge has the 21 ( p 68 ) . "No lodge shall
The Revised Book Of Constitutions.
power to permanently exclude any of its members for sufficient cause , provided that such member shall have received due notice in writing of the complaint made against him , and of the time appointed for its consideration , when ho may attend and be heard . This power of exclusion can only be exercised by a
majority of not less than twothirds of the members present . The name of every brother exclnded from a lodge , with the cause of tho exclusion , shall be
forthwith sent to the grand secretary ; and , if the lodge be a provincial or district lodge , also to the provincial or district grand secretary . "
exclude any member withon * giving him due notice of the complaint made against him , and of the time appointed for its consideration . The name of every brother excluded , with the cause of exclusion , shall be sent to the grand secretary ; and , if a country lodge , also to the provincial grand master . "
We omit tho note as to the difference between " expul . sion " and " exclusion , " because it is verbatim the same in both editions . As to the proposed rule , we think it is a Avise provision that the sentence of exclusion can only be carried against a brother in the event of there boing a
twothirds majority in its favour . In respect of Provincial or District Lodges , we see no reason for altering " provincial grand master , " as in the existing rule , into " provincial or district grand secretary . " In previous cases the word " master " has been maintained .
We have already referred to No . 208— " Power to reinstate excluded brethren" —in connection with New Rule No . 87 , and pointed out that functions appertaining to the Grand Master , and Provincial or District Grand Masters , should have their place , the former under the head of
" Grand Lodge , " and the latter under that of " Provincial and District Grand Lodges , " even though it should be necessary to have a corresponding rule or rules under " Private Lodges . " The first paragraph corresponds with Art . 9 , p 32 , of the existing edition , which is placed under
the heading " Grand Master . " The second paragraph corresponds with the second paragraph of Art . 4 , p 46 , which is under "Provincial Grand Master , " and the third is , of course , a necessary addition , to provide for District
Grand Masters . The existing arrangements appear to us to be satisfactory , nor can we understand why they shonld not be retained . We give the proposed and the existing regulations side by side .
EEVISED EDITION . " 208 . Shonld the grand master be satisfied that any brother has been illegally , or without sufficient cause , excluded from any of his masonic functions or
privileges , he may order him to be reinstated , and may suspend , until the next ensuing quarterly communication , any lodge failing to comply with his order .
" A provincial grand master has the same power within his province . " A . district grand master has the same power within his
district , and in case of failure to comply with his order may suspend the offending lodge during such time as he thinks proper . "
EXISTING EDITION . 9 ( p 32 . ) " If the grand master should be satisfied that any brother has been illegally , or without sufficient cause , excluded from any of his masonic
functions or privileges , by a private lodge or other authority , he may order him to be reinstated , and may also suspend , until the next ensuing quarterly communication .
the lodge cr brother who shall refuse to comply with hia order . " 4 ( pp 46 , 47 ) second para . " The provincial grand master has no power to expel a mason .
though he may , when satisfied that any brother has been illegally excluded from any of his masonic functions or privileges , by a lodge within his district
order him to be immediately restored , and may suspend , until the next quarterly communication , the lodge or brother , who shall refuse to comply with such order . "
That the proposed Rule is well drawn up must be allowed , but this does not appear to us to justify its appearing under " Private Lodges . " Or , by slightly altering the wording , and making the brethren of a private lodge the subject , the proposed arrangement might stand .
Rules Nos . 209— " Excluded brethren joining another lodge " —and 210— " Certificate to be furnished , and reproduced when joining "—correspond with Art 5 , p 81 , the former with the first , and the latter with the second sentence . They are substantially the same as the existing
Rule . No . 211—as to " Differences and complaints "will be found to compare with Art 6 , p 81 , Art . 18 , p 25 , ancl Art . 6 , p 74 , the last prescribing that lodges in places where there is no Prov . or D . G . M . must submit " their communications and complaints direct to the grand secretary in London . " The new Rule reads well . " All differences
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Revised Book Of Constitutions.
to be printed or published , the proceedings of any Indue , or any part thereof , without the consent of the grand master , or provincial or district grand master , or print
or publish any thing which by the laics and regulations of masonry is improper to be published . Nor shall any brother publish or circulate any document relating to
any case of masonic complaint be . fore the regularly constituted authorities , until after final adjudication thereon , and then only
if the same be proper to be published according to the laws of masonry . "This law does not extend to
furnishing printed copies of documents for the use of any board or committee investigating the matter , provided the same are sent through the grand secretary ,
provincial or district grand secretary , or the secretary of such board or committee respectively , nor to the writing , printing , or publishing of any notice or summons , issued
to the members of a loclgo , by the authority of the master , nor to the proceedings of any festival or public meeting at which persons not masons are permitted to be present . "
cause to be printed and published , the proceedings of any lodge , or any part thereof , or the names of the persons present at such lodge , without the consent of the grand
master , or provincial grand muster , under pain of being suspended or expelled the order . " This law is not to extend to the writing , printing , or
publishing of any notice or summons , issued to the members of a lodgo , by the authority of the master , or the proceedings of any festival
or public meeting at which persons not masons are permitted to be present . "
Whal we have printed in italics constitutes the material additions to the existing law , nor is there any reason to find fault with their insertion . On the contrary , as we
have said already , they extend the contingencies for which legal provision must be made to the utmost limit . As regards the penalty for violating the law , provision appears to be made in Rule No . 204 . There are one or two minor
amendments we would suggest . Thus , in line 6 of the first paragraph we would insert , after " print or publish , " the words , " or cause to be printed or published ; " and in the third line of the second paragraph , for the words "investigating the matter , " we would read " investigating such case of masonic complaint . "
No . 203— " Public appearance in masonic clothing — embodies in brief but sufficient compass all the requirements of Art . 2 , p 94 ; Art . 3 , p 41 ; Art . 1 , p 93 ; Art . 18 , p 67 ; and Art . 3 , p 94 . As another specimen of compactness it is worth reproducing . " No brother
shall appear clothed in any of the jewels , collars , or badges of the craft , in any procession , or at any funeral , ball , theatre , assembly , or meeting , or at any place of public resort , unless the grand master , provincial grand master , or district grand master , as the case may be , shall have
previously given permission for brethren to be there present in masonic clothing . " The last of the four Rules as to " Offences , " has the marginal note , " Other offences , " ancl corresponds with the first part of Art , 31 , p 71 , concerning such other offences committed by a Lodge , and Art . 7 ,
p 82 ( first part ) , concerning the same when committed by a brother . Rule No . 205 , respecting " Fines" in like manner embodies the second and third parts of the same two articles , one concerning a Loclgo offence , and the other concerning a brother ' s offence , and the application of the Pines .
No . 206— " Exclusion from the lodge "—is Art . 20 , p 67 , but apparently with a penalty far less severe in one respect .
EE VISED EDITION . " 206 , If any brother behave in such a manner as to disturb the harmony of the lodgo , ho shall be formally admonished by the master ; and , if he persist in
his irregular conduct , he shall be punished by censure , fine , or exclusion for the remainder of the meeting , according to tho
opinion of the majority of tho members present , or tbe case may be reported to higher masonic authority . "
EXISTING EDITION . 20 ( p 67 ) . "If any brother behave in snch a manner as to disturb the harmony of the lodge , he shall be thrice formally admonished by the master ; and ,
if he persist in his irregular con . duct , he shall be punished by censure , fine , or exclusion , accoidiug to the by-laws of the
lodge ; or the ease may be reported to higher masonic authority . "
No . 207 , as to the " mode of exclusion , " is Art . 21 , p 68 , but very much enlarged , and with great advantage , as will be seen by a comparison of the two . EE VISED EDITION . EXISTING EDITION . " 207 . Every lodge has the 21 ( p 68 ) . "No lodge shall
The Revised Book Of Constitutions.
power to permanently exclude any of its members for sufficient cause , provided that such member shall have received due notice in writing of the complaint made against him , and of the time appointed for its consideration , when ho may attend and be heard . This power of exclusion can only be exercised by a
majority of not less than twothirds of the members present . The name of every brother exclnded from a lodge , with the cause of tho exclusion , shall be
forthwith sent to the grand secretary ; and , if the lodge be a provincial or district lodge , also to the provincial or district grand secretary . "
exclude any member withon * giving him due notice of the complaint made against him , and of the time appointed for its consideration . The name of every brother excluded , with the cause of exclusion , shall be sent to the grand secretary ; and , if a country lodge , also to the provincial grand master . "
We omit tho note as to the difference between " expul . sion " and " exclusion , " because it is verbatim the same in both editions . As to the proposed rule , we think it is a Avise provision that the sentence of exclusion can only be carried against a brother in the event of there boing a
twothirds majority in its favour . In respect of Provincial or District Lodges , we see no reason for altering " provincial grand master , " as in the existing rule , into " provincial or district grand secretary . " In previous cases the word " master " has been maintained .
We have already referred to No . 208— " Power to reinstate excluded brethren" —in connection with New Rule No . 87 , and pointed out that functions appertaining to the Grand Master , and Provincial or District Grand Masters , should have their place , the former under the head of
" Grand Lodge , " and the latter under that of " Provincial and District Grand Lodges , " even though it should be necessary to have a corresponding rule or rules under " Private Lodges . " The first paragraph corresponds with Art . 9 , p 32 , of the existing edition , which is placed under
the heading " Grand Master . " The second paragraph corresponds with the second paragraph of Art . 4 , p 46 , which is under "Provincial Grand Master , " and the third is , of course , a necessary addition , to provide for District
Grand Masters . The existing arrangements appear to us to be satisfactory , nor can we understand why they shonld not be retained . We give the proposed and the existing regulations side by side .
EEVISED EDITION . " 208 . Shonld the grand master be satisfied that any brother has been illegally , or without sufficient cause , excluded from any of his masonic functions or
privileges , he may order him to be reinstated , and may suspend , until the next ensuing quarterly communication , any lodge failing to comply with his order .
" A provincial grand master has the same power within his province . " A . district grand master has the same power within his
district , and in case of failure to comply with his order may suspend the offending lodge during such time as he thinks proper . "
EXISTING EDITION . 9 ( p 32 . ) " If the grand master should be satisfied that any brother has been illegally , or without sufficient cause , excluded from any of his masonic
functions or privileges , by a private lodge or other authority , he may order him to be reinstated , and may also suspend , until the next ensuing quarterly communication .
the lodge cr brother who shall refuse to comply with hia order . " 4 ( pp 46 , 47 ) second para . " The provincial grand master has no power to expel a mason .
though he may , when satisfied that any brother has been illegally excluded from any of his masonic functions or privileges , by a lodge within his district
order him to be immediately restored , and may suspend , until the next quarterly communication , the lodge or brother , who shall refuse to comply with such order . "
That the proposed Rule is well drawn up must be allowed , but this does not appear to us to justify its appearing under " Private Lodges . " Or , by slightly altering the wording , and making the brethren of a private lodge the subject , the proposed arrangement might stand .
Rules Nos . 209— " Excluded brethren joining another lodge " —and 210— " Certificate to be furnished , and reproduced when joining "—correspond with Art 5 , p 81 , the former with the first , and the latter with the second sentence . They are substantially the same as the existing
Rule . No . 211—as to " Differences and complaints "will be found to compare with Art 6 , p 81 , Art . 18 , p 25 , ancl Art . 6 , p 74 , the last prescribing that lodges in places where there is no Prov . or D . G . M . must submit " their communications and complaints direct to the grand secretary in London . " The new Rule reads well . " All differences