Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

' Festival last year . It supported the " Oueen Victoria Jubilee Presentation the J ? r Widows" with £ 13 is . 6 d ., and I have no doubt it will furnish a Steward or fund tor Q ; r ] s ' Centenary Festival . Wakefield Lodge , now known as No . 495 , m ° . ,, M „ 727 , was opened ioth April , 1844 , at the new rooms in Thornhill-streec , " uin William Slatter , who had been initiated in Unanimity Lodge , 4 th January , ff hen B ' - ta -ie ( j first VV . M ., and this distinguished surgeon and physician is still pre-, 84 ' . Yf ' and active and hearty for his years . It should be mentioned that the lady sen t wun , ^ brethren 0 f this i j contributed in a most magnificent manner towards tela t ' fn ; nire of the premises and accessories to the lodge , and donations towards the

1 keenine-of the Masonic Hall , Zetland-street . It has some 5 b members . Bros . h ° rund Leach eave to the 89 th Boys' Festival last year 20 guin-as between them . •. '•Ind-re and chapter to the Jubilee presentations , 1 SS 7 , has contributed 43 guineas . 3- fhp coming Girls' Centenary Festival it has promised 16 Stewards , representing 160 •% Sincerity Lodge , No . 1019 , was consecrated on 22 nd June , 1 S 64 , by our gU ' tp ' rl Bro Bentley Shaw , when Bro . W . Hy . Gill was installed as it first « Jhioful Master . He is better in health , and is an ex-Mayor of this On the roll of its members are the names of Bro . John Wordsworth , our late D ' the Rev A . F . A . Woodford , Sir Hy . Edwards , and Bro . Henry Lee ( the present M or of Wakefield ) . Bro . J . Hazlegrave was a Steward of £ 10 ios . last year to the Girls ' stewards inecnair

i tival - and Sincerity Lodge also lurnisned tour , or MIC iuugc , ¦ ( tip oe ' rson of the W . M . for the time being , was made Vice-President , and Bro . r nrp-e I " Lampen , a donor , making 66 guineas in all , to the Boys' 1887 th Festival . TW ? lodge and chap ter contributed 17 guineas to the West Yorkshire Jubilee Presentai - n Fund and it furnishes four Stewards and a donor to the coming Girls' Centenary Ictival amounting to 50 guineas . To these Charities last year its total contributions

rae to £ 143 guineas , amongst 58 members on the register ot the lodge , lt must De ° atifvins * to this Provincial Grand Lodge to be reminded , that in a town which has llnne so much in providing funds for its Bishopric and Palace it has been so largely unificent in the cause of Masonic Charity . Well done , this trio of most excellent j " . . [ gt us all explain and praise and thank them . I must not omit to mention that i « rin ? ' the Jubilee year , 18 S 7 , the Craft throughout the world gave £ 61 , 060 for the

three Masonic Chanties ; in addition to this , brand Lodge distributed j _ 10 , 509 for tne relief of 405 cases of distress , West Yorkshire contributing a total towards this large amount of £ 3974 * as well as £ 208 to the Royal Imperial and Colonial Institute .

Masonic Offences And Masonic Punishments.

MASONIC OFFENCES AND MASONIC PUNISHMENTS .

( BY " LEX SCRIPTA . " ) In the regretted absence of a reliable modern work on our system of jurisprudence an attempt , however slight , to investigate a branch of the subject , which is of the utmost importance when any question arises , may not be without value . Happily questions demanding Masonic punishment are , with us , of rare occurrence ,

but their very rarity makes it all the more desirable that the principles governing them should be well understood , or serious injury may be caused to brethren , lodges , or even to the Craft as a whole . An attempt therefore to investigate those princip les will not be thrown away , should it only lead to the attention of brethren being drawn to the subject , who are better qualified than the writer to deal with the

matter . Whilst some difference of opinion may exist as to what are Masouic offences , cognizable by Masonic tribunals , no one will deny that there is , somewhere , a distinct power to visit with Masonic punishment Masonic offences ; and it will be necessary , in deciding what really are Masonic offences , to bear in mind the twofold aspect of

Freemasonry as ( 1 ) a system of morality , and ( 2 ) an organised society for the purpose of carrying out that system . ln this country , at all events , it should be remembered that this Society is not a brand new Institution starting with a complete and definite code for every point that may arise , but that such code of laws as it possesses has been of gradual growth . The laws of Masonry may well be compared to the laws of England ,

consisting of ( 1 ) the Common or unwritten law , corresponding to the Common or unwritten law of the realm ( 2 ) the written Constitutions , answering to the Statute Law , and ( 3 ) the decisions of the Grand Lodge , like the decisions of the Courts of Law , defining and elucidating the Common and Statute Law , binding the tribunals till they have been either overruled by subsequent cases correcting erroneous decisions , or set aside by express enactment of the legislature altering the Common

or Statute Law on which those decisions have been founded . The Grand Lodge , like the High Court of Parliament , representing the whole body of the society , has undoubtedl y a final appellate jurisdiction , as well as its legislative functions ; it has also ( Rule 4 ) a power of initiating proceedings as well as being the final Court of Appeal , and no appeal can lie from its decision except to itself , and even if its

decisions are contrary to the unwritten law or to the landmarks of the Order ( though R . 4 provides that the ancient landmarks be preserved ) they can onl y be reversed by subsequent proceedings in Grand Lodge itself , taken for the express purpose ot putting matters on a more satisfactory footing . Its decisions , therefore , should not be taken without full deliberation , and a thorough appreciation of the consequences involved ; neither should they be questioned , but with uLniusc

»•- lespect , ana witn a lull confidence tnat from a perfect sense ot justice the wand Lod ge will cheerfully reconsider any unintentional error or hardshi p in its proceedings if properly made known . If , therefore , in tho course of this investiga-« on the writer should unfortunately have occasion to differ from any decision of the "rand Lodge , it is with no disrespect , but in perfect reliance that G . L . will ultimatel y do what is right for the welfare of the Craft as a whole .

though it may seem to be somewhat reversing the natural order , it may clear ground . If we first see what authorities the Book of Constitutions recognises as ;„ n-. , ° ^ ' mfl'cting Masonic punishment , and what punishments it permits to be inflicted by each authority . " punishments recognised by the Book of Constitutions seem to be' •Admonition .

a - Censure . 3- Fine . 4- Temporary exclusion . 5- permanent exclusion . - * ** •Suspension . 7 * Expulsion from the Craft , and Craft r j , * *^ 11 of w l " > except the last , are applicable to members of the "> and the ist , 3 rd , 6 th , and last to lodges .

1 . Admonition may be inflicted on a lodge or individual brother in repect of all subjects of Masonio complaint or irregularity respecting lodges r individuals within his province or district—by a Provincial or district G . M . minute of proceedings stating offence , law applicable , and decision to be sent to G . M . —R . 92 . , . 1 offences against any law or regulation of the Craft to which no Pecihc penalty is attached—b y G . L ., or any of its delegated authorities , or by 4 P- or D . G . M . —R . 207 . - ' ••- ' » > 1

_ ^ Un a brother for disturbing the harmony of the lodge—by the Master . 2 * Cm * ° " Iod ge or Bro - —by Board of General Purposes , —R . 273 . in lod " '

Masonic Offences And Masonic Punishments.

On a brother—for persisting 111 irregular conduct in Iodge after admonition—by Master—upon vote of majority present . —R . 209 . On lodges or brethren—by Board of General Purposes . —R . 273 . 4 . Temporary Exclusion ( i . e . for the remainder of the meeting ) may be in « flicted on a brother from Grand Lodge—for thrice transgressing the rules of order—by the G . M—R . 71 .

From a private lodge—for persisting in irregular conduct after admonition —by Master—upon vote of majority present . —R . 209 . 5 . Permanent Exclusion may be inflicted on a brother from Grand Lodge—for hissing at a brother or his speech . —R . 72 . [ N . B . This may be considered permanent as the offender is rendered incapable of being a member of G . L . till at another time he publicly own

his fault and obtain grace . ] From a private lodge—for " sufficient cause " after notice in writing of the complaint and of the time appointed for its consideration—by a lodge upon a vote of a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present . Name of offender and cause ot exclusion to be forthwith sent to the Grand Secretary , and if in a province or district also to the Prov . or Dist . G . S . — R . 210 .

A brother excluded not to be eligible to join any other lodge until that lodge has been made acquainted with circumstances to enable the brethren to exercise their discretion as to his admission . —R . 212 . A brother excluded may demand a certificate stating circumstances and such certificate is to be required by and produced to any other lodge of which he is proposed to be admitted as a member , previously to the ballot being

taken . —R . 213 . 6 . Suspension may be inflicted on lodges or brethren for contumacy in not producing papers upon summons—by Prov . or Dist . G . Master—proceeding to be notified to G . L . or G . M . —R . 91 and 139 . Or for not attending and producing papers upon summons—by Board of General Purposes , and proceedings to be notified to G . L , —R . 274 .

On Lodges or Brethren—for subjects of Masonic complaint—by Prov . or D . G . M . See " Admonition . "—R . 92 . On brethren for assisting at irregular lodges , & c . —R . 204 . [ N . B . —This rule does not use the term " suspension , ' * ' but the effect seems to be a practical suspension . ] On lodges—for non-compliance with order of G . M . re-instating a brother excluded from any Masonic functions or privileges—until next Quarterly

Communication—by the G . M . or a Prov . G . M ., or for same reason—during p leasure—by a D . G . M . —R . 211 . [ N . B . —It is apprehended that the intention of this rule is that the G . M . or P . G . M . shall report to the next Quarterl y Communication , and the D . G . M . to the next practicable Quarterly Communication for the Grand Lodge to take further action ; but it is not expressly so stated . ] , On lodges or brethren , "according to the laws b y Board of General Purposes . "—R . 273 .

[ N . B . —Suspension for any period of a lodge means the suspension of its warrant , during which time the lodge cannot meet or perform any of its Masonic functions ; but not of individual members . See report of Grand Lodge meeting on 3 rd March , 1885 . Freemason—Vol . XVIII ., p . 118 . ~ ] 7 . and 8 . Expulsion and Erasure .

A motion for can be made only after summons to answer complaint . — R-73-Power of inflicting reserved to Grand Lodge alone . —R . _ . But entrusted to District Grand Lod ges subject to appeal to the Grand Lodge . —R . 106 . Cases deserving of , in the judgment of a P . G . Mi , to be specially reported to Grand Lodge . —R . 93 .

Erasure is to be inflicted on a lodge for sale or irregular procurement of warrant , and brethren concerned are to be deemed lo have committed a Masonic offence . —R . 127 . A lodge is liable to erasure for neglect to make returns and payments to Grand Lodge for 12 months . —R . 180 . Also for non-payment of fines or for a third offence within three years of second offence . —R . 208 .

Also for failure to meet for one year . —R . 220 . [ N . B . —No express limitations ( except that their proceed ! ngs ' and decisions are to be governed and controlled by the laws of Grand Lodge , as laid down in the Book of Constitutions—R . 108 ) are stated as to the offences for which D . G . Lodges may exercise their powers of erasure , expulsion , investigation , regulation , and decision on all matters relating to lodges and Masons

within their respective districts . —R . 106 . But all powers given by the Book of Constitutions to Board of General Purposes in cases of Masonic complaint or irregularity may be exercised by D . G . Lodges or a Board or Committee thereof . —R . 107 . ] The Colonial Board has similar powers as regards the Colonies and foreign parts to those of the Board of General Purposes . —R . 286 . The effect of the foregoing abstract appears to be that in certain specified

cases : — A lodge may inflict on its own brethren admonition , censure , fine , temporary exclusion , and for " sufficient cause , " permanent exclusion . A Prov . G . M . —Admonition , fine , and suspension . A District G . M . —Admonition , fine , and suspension . Board of General Purposes , Colonial Board , Boards and Committees of

D . G . Lodges . —Admonition , fine , and suspension . The Grand Master . —Temporary exclusion of a brother from G . L ., and temporary suspension of a lodge , The Grand Lodge . —Any penalties open to subordinate authorities , and also erasure and expulsion . Subject in all cases except the last to an appeal to the higber authorities

if any , and ultimately to G . L . A Provincial or District Grand Master , and Prov . and District Grand Lodges , can of course , exercise jurisdiction only over lodges and brethren within the province or district . In cases ot ( a ) admonition by the Master under R , 209 , and temporary exclusion by the G . M . from Grand Lodge under R . 71 , and possibly of

exclusion from Grand Lodge under R . 72 , no trial or formal investigation is needed ; ( b ) temporary exclusion under R . 209 , and , possibly of exclusion from Grand Lodge under R . 72 , a summary vote of the majority of thc members present is sufficient . ( c ) Permanent exclusion under R . 210 formal notice to the party incrimi » nated , due trial , and a two-thirds vote of those present is necessary .

( d ) In all other cases it is apprehended that formal notice to tbe party in = criminated , a full and fair trial , and , where the decision is by any other authority than a P . G . M . or D . G . M ., a majority of the Court would bo required even if the law , if any , creating the offence or determining the tribunal to adjudicate do not expressly require it . The decisions of the

Grand Lodge ( R . 75 ) and of the Board of General Purposes ( R . 263 ) are to be decided by a majority of votes—not of members present—but it is submitted that in questions of erasure or expulsion from the Craft a twothirds majority of votes at least , should by parity of reason , be required , { To be continued . )