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Suspension And Its Penalties.
SUSPENSION AND ITS PENALTIES .
AS onr readers are aware , the Board of General Purposes , at a meeting specially convened for dealing with the matter , not long since sentenced a brother to
suspension from all his Masonic rights and privileges for a period of two years . The crime laid to his charge was that of having , in his capacity of Chairman of Scrutineers at the last Communication of Grand Lodge , permitted or
connived at an erroneous return of the result of snch
scrutiny ; and having heard the evidence and defence , the Board arrived unanimously at the conclusion that the charge was proved , and the sentence then and there passed was one of two years' suspension as just stated . This , as a matter of course , will form part of the Board's Report ,
which will be submitted to Grand Lodge on Wednesday next for confirmation , and as the verdict was unanimously given , there can be little doubt that Grand Lodge will endorse the sentence of what is virtually its Standing Committee on all matters affectine- the welfare of the Craft .
We may assume , therefore , that the brother in question will be shut out for tho period named from all communication with his fellow Craftsmen—qua fellow Craftsmenand will not resume his Masonic status till tho term for which his sentence holds good is complete . But several of our readers have asked us what the effect of this
sentence will bo , and as we rejoice to say that ib but rarely happens there is any occasion for the infliction of punishment of this degree of severity within the jurisdiction of our Grand Lodge , we shall do our best to enlighten our readers on the subject .
The only two works on Masonic Jurisprudence to which we can refer for guidance with any feeling of confidence are those of Oliver and Paton , and the latter , as intended primarily as a text book for Scottish Freemasons , will be of service only in so far as its dicta consist generally with
those of his English brother writer . In treating of Masonic punishments , Oliver includes that of suspension among the penalties intended for the graver class of offences . He distinguishes between that suspension which is definite , and th . it . which is indefinite and may be intended
to be indefinable . The former is for a fixed period , and when that is determined , the brother on whom it has been inflicted , ipso facto , resumes all those rights and privileges of which by sentence ho had been deprived . The latter is for any period , and may be mado longer or shorter
according to the will of the Lodge or superior authority which inflicts it . It may terminate at the end of three or six months , or it may never come to any end at all . However , the following is the passage as quoted from Oliver ' s work , and our readers will be able to judge for
themselves of the character of this particular punishment . At page 231 , our late learned brother having defined definite suspension , proceeds as follows : — " And this frequently assumes the character of a milder phasis of expulsion ; for the suspended brother very
seldom renews his connection with the Craft , although his readmission could be effected , as a matter of course , without ceremony or inquiry . " With all due deference we cannot allow this view to pass unquestioned . One of those whom onr American friends are wont to speak of as " real
grit" would probably not renew his connection with the Fraternity ; his sense of shame at having committed a crime worthy of severe punishment would be too great . In such cases definite suspension would be "a milder phasis of expulsion ; " but in the case of a brazen-
Suspension And Its Penalties.
faced and overbearing brother , having no sense of shame in his mental constitution , he would not , in onr judgment , have the slightest hesitation in renewing his connection with the Society , or even in committing the same offence a second or third time , if he thought he could do so without
discovery . But Dr . Oliver—kind-hearted , unworldlyminded man that he was—considered all Masons good meu and true ; the world knows otherwise . However , to return to the subject in question . Dr . Oliver then adds , " Suspension has placed him , for the time being , on a level with
the cowan , or profane ; divesting him of his Masonic privileges , incapacitating him from attending a Lodge , or being acknowledged in any shape as a Brother ; for it is idle to argue , as some do , that his connection with the Lodge
remains unbroken , and his Masonic rights only placed in abeyance . ' They are really and absolutely severed during the period of suspension , nor can any Lodge dues be demanded of him . "
How far Paton is in accord with his late English confrere , may be gathered from the following excerpt from his " Freemasonry and its Jurisprudence . " Having described this punishment as of two kinds , definite and indefinite , he writes in respect of the former : " By definite
suspension is meant a deprivation of the rights and privileges of Masonry for a fixed period of time , which is always named in the sentence . By the operation of this penalty a Mason is for tho time being prohibited from the exercise of all his Masonic privileges . His rights are placed
in abeyance , and he can neither visit Lodges , hold Masonic communication , nor receive fraternal relief , during the period for which he has been suspended . " Of course , when the period has expired , then he " at once resumes his former position in the Order , and is reinvested with
all his Masonic rights , whether these rights be of a private or of an official nature . " Indefinite suspension differs only in this respect from the former , that its term is not fixed , but tho nature of the punishment , while it lasts , is exactly the same .
It will be seen from these extracts that there is a general and sufficient agreement between these two authorities—except , perhaps , in one respect , which , however , need not be noted here—and as there is no reason to imagine the sentence will not be confirmed at the Quarterly Communication on Wednesday next ,
it only remains for us to point out to our readers how the suspended brother stands in relation to his fellows , and how he will stand during the term of his punishment . As a Past Grand Officer , he will be unable to take his nsual seat in Grand Lodee . He will cease to be a member of the
Board of General Purposes and Colonial Board . His connection with the Committee of Management of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will cease and determine . Any other position of trust or control to which he may have been elected in reference
to our Schools must be forthwith vacated . Whatever office he may hold in any of the Lodges , of which he is a member , must be held hy other brethren . He is ineligible to be received into any Lodge or Lodge of Instruction , on any pretext or under any
circumstances , until the two years shall have elapsed , and then only will he be in a position to mingle again , as heretofore , among his brethren in full Lodge assembled . As regards his status in Royal Arch Masonry , no doubt the
necessary steps have been , or will be , taken in order to ensure his suspension from all offices he may hold , and from all Chapters to which he may belong , for so long a time as he is suspended from Craft Masonry . This is only just and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Suspension And Its Penalties.
SUSPENSION AND ITS PENALTIES .
AS onr readers are aware , the Board of General Purposes , at a meeting specially convened for dealing with the matter , not long since sentenced a brother to
suspension from all his Masonic rights and privileges for a period of two years . The crime laid to his charge was that of having , in his capacity of Chairman of Scrutineers at the last Communication of Grand Lodge , permitted or
connived at an erroneous return of the result of snch
scrutiny ; and having heard the evidence and defence , the Board arrived unanimously at the conclusion that the charge was proved , and the sentence then and there passed was one of two years' suspension as just stated . This , as a matter of course , will form part of the Board's Report ,
which will be submitted to Grand Lodge on Wednesday next for confirmation , and as the verdict was unanimously given , there can be little doubt that Grand Lodge will endorse the sentence of what is virtually its Standing Committee on all matters affectine- the welfare of the Craft .
We may assume , therefore , that the brother in question will be shut out for tho period named from all communication with his fellow Craftsmen—qua fellow Craftsmenand will not resume his Masonic status till tho term for which his sentence holds good is complete . But several of our readers have asked us what the effect of this
sentence will bo , and as we rejoice to say that ib but rarely happens there is any occasion for the infliction of punishment of this degree of severity within the jurisdiction of our Grand Lodge , we shall do our best to enlighten our readers on the subject .
The only two works on Masonic Jurisprudence to which we can refer for guidance with any feeling of confidence are those of Oliver and Paton , and the latter , as intended primarily as a text book for Scottish Freemasons , will be of service only in so far as its dicta consist generally with
those of his English brother writer . In treating of Masonic punishments , Oliver includes that of suspension among the penalties intended for the graver class of offences . He distinguishes between that suspension which is definite , and th . it . which is indefinite and may be intended
to be indefinable . The former is for a fixed period , and when that is determined , the brother on whom it has been inflicted , ipso facto , resumes all those rights and privileges of which by sentence ho had been deprived . The latter is for any period , and may be mado longer or shorter
according to the will of the Lodge or superior authority which inflicts it . It may terminate at the end of three or six months , or it may never come to any end at all . However , the following is the passage as quoted from Oliver ' s work , and our readers will be able to judge for
themselves of the character of this particular punishment . At page 231 , our late learned brother having defined definite suspension , proceeds as follows : — " And this frequently assumes the character of a milder phasis of expulsion ; for the suspended brother very
seldom renews his connection with the Craft , although his readmission could be effected , as a matter of course , without ceremony or inquiry . " With all due deference we cannot allow this view to pass unquestioned . One of those whom onr American friends are wont to speak of as " real
grit" would probably not renew his connection with the Fraternity ; his sense of shame at having committed a crime worthy of severe punishment would be too great . In such cases definite suspension would be "a milder phasis of expulsion ; " but in the case of a brazen-
Suspension And Its Penalties.
faced and overbearing brother , having no sense of shame in his mental constitution , he would not , in onr judgment , have the slightest hesitation in renewing his connection with the Society , or even in committing the same offence a second or third time , if he thought he could do so without
discovery . But Dr . Oliver—kind-hearted , unworldlyminded man that he was—considered all Masons good meu and true ; the world knows otherwise . However , to return to the subject in question . Dr . Oliver then adds , " Suspension has placed him , for the time being , on a level with
the cowan , or profane ; divesting him of his Masonic privileges , incapacitating him from attending a Lodge , or being acknowledged in any shape as a Brother ; for it is idle to argue , as some do , that his connection with the Lodge
remains unbroken , and his Masonic rights only placed in abeyance . ' They are really and absolutely severed during the period of suspension , nor can any Lodge dues be demanded of him . "
How far Paton is in accord with his late English confrere , may be gathered from the following excerpt from his " Freemasonry and its Jurisprudence . " Having described this punishment as of two kinds , definite and indefinite , he writes in respect of the former : " By definite
suspension is meant a deprivation of the rights and privileges of Masonry for a fixed period of time , which is always named in the sentence . By the operation of this penalty a Mason is for tho time being prohibited from the exercise of all his Masonic privileges . His rights are placed
in abeyance , and he can neither visit Lodges , hold Masonic communication , nor receive fraternal relief , during the period for which he has been suspended . " Of course , when the period has expired , then he " at once resumes his former position in the Order , and is reinvested with
all his Masonic rights , whether these rights be of a private or of an official nature . " Indefinite suspension differs only in this respect from the former , that its term is not fixed , but tho nature of the punishment , while it lasts , is exactly the same .
It will be seen from these extracts that there is a general and sufficient agreement between these two authorities—except , perhaps , in one respect , which , however , need not be noted here—and as there is no reason to imagine the sentence will not be confirmed at the Quarterly Communication on Wednesday next ,
it only remains for us to point out to our readers how the suspended brother stands in relation to his fellows , and how he will stand during the term of his punishment . As a Past Grand Officer , he will be unable to take his nsual seat in Grand Lodee . He will cease to be a member of the
Board of General Purposes and Colonial Board . His connection with the Committee of Management of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will cease and determine . Any other position of trust or control to which he may have been elected in reference
to our Schools must be forthwith vacated . Whatever office he may hold in any of the Lodges , of which he is a member , must be held hy other brethren . He is ineligible to be received into any Lodge or Lodge of Instruction , on any pretext or under any
circumstances , until the two years shall have elapsed , and then only will he be in a position to mingle again , as heretofore , among his brethren in full Lodge assembled . As regards his status in Royal Arch Masonry , no doubt the
necessary steps have been , or will be , taken in order to ensure his suspension from all offices he may hold , and from all Chapters to which he may belong , for so long a time as he is suspended from Craft Masonry . This is only just and