A Constitutional Ramble.

A CONSTITUTIONAL RAMBLE .

It is to be regretted that brethren do not more frequently consult the Book of Constitutions . We are prepared to admit that it is not a work of a very exciting or exhilarating character . We are , indeed , pretty much of the opinion to which the late Bro . HAVERS once gave expression at a provincial meeting held within something less than a hundred miles from

Freemasons' Hall , that it is " a dreary" book , and " dreary" books , as a rule , are not much sought after . But it is a useful , or rather a necessary , work , on which we have from time to time to depend for guidance in the solution ol knotty questions concerning lodge procedure , lodge management , or other matters of a complex nature . In fact , we are unable to fulfil our duties

either as members or officers of a lodge without occasionally consulting its pages ; and yet the book is virtually unread except by the legal brother , who is now and again called upon to pronounce judgment on some matter in dispute between lodges or brethren ; by the Masonic newspaper Editor , who is held lo be capable of answering every question that can be propounded ,

even by the most ingenious of querists ; and by the few upon whom dreariness may be supposed to exercise a fascination . We say this is to be regretted , firstly , because some knowledge of , at all events , the most important of our Constitutions is indispensable to the proper conduct of our work ; and , secondly—and in this instance we speak from interested

motivesbecause we should escape the risk of being pelted with queries which are either too difficult for any but experts to answer , or too silly to require any answer at all . Recently we have been favoured with a series of questions relating chiefly to the duiies and responsibilities of Worshipful Masters and Past Masters . Here , for instance , is one , a solution of which is

desired because , as we are given to understand , a difference of opinion exists as to the correct interpretation of Article 141 , Book of Constitutions . That section of the Article in question to which our querist refers reads as follows : " In the Master's absence , the Immediate Past Master , or , if he be absent , the Senior Past Master of tire Lodge present , or if no Past Master

of the Lodge be present , then the Senior Past Master who is a subscribing member of the Lodge shall take the chair . " Here is the question we are requested to answer . " A , B , C , and D are Past Masters of the same lodge of one , two , three , and four years' seniority—in alphabetical order . A and B are present at the opening of the lodge , and in the absence of the W . M .

and LP . M ., 1 J being the senior P . M . present takes the chair and presides . Subsequently C is announced and admitted . Is B bound to give up the chair to C , who is his senior , and on the admission later on of D , who is senior to C , is the latter bound to give up to D ? In such case there might be five or six presiding Masters in the course of the evening . " To this

question , which we answer according to the light that is in us and as seriously as we are able , we reply , firstly , " No , " the only brother to whom the acting Master should vacate the chair being the W . M . in the event of his arriving upon the scene while the lodge is in session ; and , secondly—Heaven help the lodge of which the Past Masters are manifestly

so jealous of each other's rank that they cannot even allow the duties of the evening to proceed' uninterruptedly . The next question propounded is suggestive of anything but that peace and harmony by which the proceedings of Freemasons should at all times be characterised— " Is the presiding Master of p . lodge empowered to refuse admittance to a member ( whether

he be a Past Master or nol ) after he attempts to force an entrance into the lodge during a discussion in which he is asked to wait the decision before his entry ; and if he gives the Tyler battle , and again attempts to enter by

climbing over a window and making free use of a stick to those within the lodge as well as of abusive and un-Masonic expressions—is it competent for the lodge to exclude that brother according to Page 94 , Rule 210 of the Book of Constitutions ? " We trust we shall be

forgiven if our answer to this query is in some measure vague . We are unable to grasp the situation as described by our querist , who , if we are to assume that the occurrence took place , must have had all his ideas thrown into a confusion , from which they have not yet recovered . The Position , as we take it , must have been somewhat as follows : The lodge

was in session , a discussion was in progress , and the decision thereon was on the point of being reached , when a member arrived on the scene , and was requested to wait till the discussion was over . But the new arrival , instead of complying with this request , attempls to force his way into the lod ge . He fails in his first attempt , but a second , is more successful .

Having drubbed the Tyler , he climbs over a window , and with the aid of a stick , which he freely uses upon the members within the lodge , and a few Well-delivered volleys of abusive and un-Masonic expletives , he ultimately reaches the goal of his ambition , and scats himself in lodge . Here we are invited to state , as regards the first act of this wretched drama , if the pre-

A Constitutional Ramble.

siding Master has the power to refuse the obnoxious member admittance ; and , as regards the second act , if it is competent for the lodge to exclude him under Article 210 . As regards the right of an acting or actual Master to refuse admittance to a member , the Book of Constitutions is silent . By Article 151 he is empowered

to refuse admission " to any visitor whose presence he has reason to believe will disturb the harmony of the lodge or to any visitor of known bad character . " But a member has the right to be present in his lodge and take part in its proceedings ; and though it is of daily occurrence for a membsr to be requested to wait a few moments until something which is in progress at

the time is ended , the right of admission cannot be denied him , even though , as appears to have happened in this case , he creates an uproar in the anteroom . Possibly , loo , this member may have been deeply interested in the question under discussion , and may have made up his mind to vote for or against it . In such circumstance his refusal to wait until the decision was

arrived at would be only natural , though it ought not to have taken the form it did—of battling with the Tyler , climbing into the lodge over a window , and belabouring the members with his stick and abusing them like pickpockets . Nothing could excuse such disgraceful conduct —on the assumption that our querist is presenting us with a real , not an

imaginary , occurrence—and we should certainly recommend that the assistance of Article 210 be invoked in dealing with such an offender . There is yet a third question among those which have been submitted to us , and to which , in the brief space remaining at our disposal , we are desirous of calling attention . " Is it compulsory , " asks our correspondent , " for the

Senior Past Master present to preside over the lodge in the absence of the W . Master and Immediate Past Master ; and in the event of his allowing his junior to preside , is he responsible for the acts or irregularities of his junior ? " Here , the law says , absolutely— " shall take the chair ;" but there is nothing that we are aware of to prevent the Senior Past Master

from waiving his right in favour of a Junior Past Master , in which case the latter would be responsible for his " acts or irregularities . " Under Article 3 , he has " all the rights , powers , and duties of the Ollicer .... in whose place he shall act , " and wc fail to see how he can be dissociated from the responsibilities . Here , for the present , our " Constitutional Ramble " must come to an end , and the queries wc have still before us must stand over for the present .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Sussex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SUSSEX .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex was held on Thursday , the 2 ( 5 th tilt ., in the Music Room , Royal Pavilion , Brighton . In the unavoidable absence of H . R . H . the Duke ot Connaught , Provincial Grand Master , and of Bro . the Right Hon . Sir W . T . Marriott , Q . C , M . P .,

P . G . S ., Deputy Provincial Grand Master , the chair was taken by Bro . the Very Rev . E . R . Currie , Dean of Battle , P . G . Chap ., who was supported by several of the Grand Officers of England , by a large gathering of the Present and Past Provincial Grand Officers , and also by many of the brethren of the lodges in the province .

Previous to the formal business of the afternoon , the ACTING DEPUTY PROVINCIAL GRAND SECRETARY read the following address which had been received from the Provincial Grand Master :

To the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex . I regret exceedingly that I am unable to be present on Thursday at the annual meetingof the Provincial Grand Lodge , more especially as I have just received information that my Deputy Prov . Grand Master , the Right Hon . Sir W . T . Marriott , is detained in Egypt by a professional engagement , and cannot possibly return in time . I have therefore deputed the Very Rev . E . R . Currie , Dean of

Battle and Past Grand Chaplain , to preside in my place and invest the officers whom I have appointed . I assure you it is only my paramount desire to properly fulfil the duties I have undertaken in assuming th « command at Aldershot which prevents me from attending . In response to an urgent invitation from the Worthing Lodge of Friendship , I did propose to hold the annual meeting this year at Worthing , but in consequence of the distressing epidemic from which the

inhabitants are still suffering , although I am glad to hear the illness is subsiding , I did not think it wise or prudent that the meeting should take place there this year , but hope it may be held there on a future occasion . I am glad to find from the returns that there has been a fair number of initiates during the year , and , in consequence of the establishment of the two new lodges , a large number of joining members , but this does not represent a similar increase in the actual numbers of individual brethren , as many are still subscribers to other lodges . The increase

on paper is from 131310 1382 , but as many are duplicates the numberof subscribing numbers at June last was only about 1270 . When we met last 1 told you I thought the two next lodges which 1 had recommended would supply all the requirements of the province for some time , but the energy and perseverance displayed by a few brethren who wished to start a lodge at Pevensey was such that after a large amount of consideration and consultation with my Deputy Provincial Grand Master , I felt I could not refuse to recommend