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Article BROTHER J. LEE STEVENS. ← Page 18 of 23 →
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Brother J. Lee Stevens.
men , viz . —Alderman Thomas Wood , Dr . Crucefix , and John Lee Stevens , Esq ., were suspended from their Masonic functions . Alderman AVood and John Lee Stevens , Esq . for having , at a public meeting , used words alleged to have a tendency of disrespect to Plis Royal Plighness the Duke of Sussex , the Grand Master of the Order ; and Dr . Crucefix , for being in the Chair at the said meeting , and allowing such language to be used . The abovementioned Board is entrusted with full power to suspend any Brother of the Order , as will be seen by the extracts of their By-Laws of Government ,
called the Book of Constitutions . A short time after the Board of General Purposes had so suspended these gentlemen from their Masonic functions , they lodged an appeal with the Grand Secretary , ( such appeal being allowed by the laws of the Order , ) to the Grand Lodge , and gave the proper notices . And it is as to the effect of such appeal that your opinion is requested . The question submitted is , whether , upon the true construction of the following laws , the appeal suspends the execution of the judgment until the Grand Lodge shall finally determine the appeal . A case will be submitted in the course of a day or two , stating the Masonic rights of these gentlemen , and requesting your opinion as to the legal remedy , should they be obstructed in the pursuit of them ; but at present , your opinion is only required as to the operation of the appeal .
" OF APPEAL . —As the Grand Lodge , when congregated , is a representation of every individual Member of the P " raternity , it necessarily possesses a supreme superintending authority , and the power of finally deciding on every case which concerns the interest of the Craft ; any Lodge or Brother , therefore , who may feel aggrieved by the decision of any other Masonic authority or jurisdiction , may appeal to the Grand Lodge against such decision . The appeal must be made in writing , specifying the particular grievance complained ofand he transmitted to the Grand Secretary . A
, notice and copy of the appeal must also be sent by the appellant to the party against whose decision the appeal is made . " —Page 100 , Const . " S ECTION 5 . —The Board has authority to hear and determine all subjects of Masonic complaint , or irregularity respecting Lodges or individual Masons , when regularly brought before it , and generally to take cognizance of all matters relating to the Craft . It may proceed to suspension , admonition , or fineaccording to the laws of the Society : and its decision shall be final
, , unless an appeal be made to the Grand Lodge . But should any case be of so flagrant a nature as to require the erasure of a Lodge , or the expulsion of a Brother , the Board shall make a special report thereon to the Grand Lodge , with which body alone , the power of erasure and expulsion resides . " Page 110 , Const .
" SECTION 9 . —AVhen the Board has investigated and decided on any ease which , in its judgment , requires the admonition , fine , or suspension of a Lodge or Brother , the fact alleged as the offence , shall be fully stated in the minutes , shall be declared to have been proved , the law relating to the offence ( if particularly provided against ) quoted , and the decision recorded , and then acted upon . " —Page 112 , Const .
" I am of opinion , that the sentence passed by the Board of General Pur-« poses against these parties , cannot , consistently with the Masonic laws , " be carried on to execution , until the appeal ( supposing it to have been " properly made ) has been finally determined by the Grand Lodge . The " Board of General Purposes may , it seems , proceed to suspension , admo" nition , or fine , and its decision will be final , UNLESS an appeal be made to " the Grand Lodge ; it appears to me , therefore , to follow , as a necessary " consequence , that a decision by tbe Board of General Purposes will not be " final , or , in other words , cannot be legally carried into effect , in those " cases in which an appeal to the Grand Lodge has been properly made ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Brother J. Lee Stevens.
men , viz . —Alderman Thomas Wood , Dr . Crucefix , and John Lee Stevens , Esq ., were suspended from their Masonic functions . Alderman AVood and John Lee Stevens , Esq . for having , at a public meeting , used words alleged to have a tendency of disrespect to Plis Royal Plighness the Duke of Sussex , the Grand Master of the Order ; and Dr . Crucefix , for being in the Chair at the said meeting , and allowing such language to be used . The abovementioned Board is entrusted with full power to suspend any Brother of the Order , as will be seen by the extracts of their By-Laws of Government ,
called the Book of Constitutions . A short time after the Board of General Purposes had so suspended these gentlemen from their Masonic functions , they lodged an appeal with the Grand Secretary , ( such appeal being allowed by the laws of the Order , ) to the Grand Lodge , and gave the proper notices . And it is as to the effect of such appeal that your opinion is requested . The question submitted is , whether , upon the true construction of the following laws , the appeal suspends the execution of the judgment until the Grand Lodge shall finally determine the appeal . A case will be submitted in the course of a day or two , stating the Masonic rights of these gentlemen , and requesting your opinion as to the legal remedy , should they be obstructed in the pursuit of them ; but at present , your opinion is only required as to the operation of the appeal .
" OF APPEAL . —As the Grand Lodge , when congregated , is a representation of every individual Member of the P " raternity , it necessarily possesses a supreme superintending authority , and the power of finally deciding on every case which concerns the interest of the Craft ; any Lodge or Brother , therefore , who may feel aggrieved by the decision of any other Masonic authority or jurisdiction , may appeal to the Grand Lodge against such decision . The appeal must be made in writing , specifying the particular grievance complained ofand he transmitted to the Grand Secretary . A
, notice and copy of the appeal must also be sent by the appellant to the party against whose decision the appeal is made . " —Page 100 , Const . " S ECTION 5 . —The Board has authority to hear and determine all subjects of Masonic complaint , or irregularity respecting Lodges or individual Masons , when regularly brought before it , and generally to take cognizance of all matters relating to the Craft . It may proceed to suspension , admonition , or fineaccording to the laws of the Society : and its decision shall be final
, , unless an appeal be made to the Grand Lodge . But should any case be of so flagrant a nature as to require the erasure of a Lodge , or the expulsion of a Brother , the Board shall make a special report thereon to the Grand Lodge , with which body alone , the power of erasure and expulsion resides . " Page 110 , Const .
" SECTION 9 . —AVhen the Board has investigated and decided on any ease which , in its judgment , requires the admonition , fine , or suspension of a Lodge or Brother , the fact alleged as the offence , shall be fully stated in the minutes , shall be declared to have been proved , the law relating to the offence ( if particularly provided against ) quoted , and the decision recorded , and then acted upon . " —Page 112 , Const .
" I am of opinion , that the sentence passed by the Board of General Pur-« poses against these parties , cannot , consistently with the Masonic laws , " be carried on to execution , until the appeal ( supposing it to have been " properly made ) has been finally determined by the Grand Lodge . The " Board of General Purposes may , it seems , proceed to suspension , admo" nition , or fine , and its decision will be final , UNLESS an appeal be made to " the Grand Lodge ; it appears to me , therefore , to follow , as a necessary " consequence , that a decision by tbe Board of General Purposes will not be " final , or , in other words , cannot be legally carried into effect , in those " cases in which an appeal to the Grand Lodge has been properly made ,