Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

PAGE THE POWERS OP A G RAND MASTER 233 NEGLECT OF GRAND V ISITATIONS 234 INFORMATION WANTED 234

THE INTERNATIONAL MASONIC PETE AT LIEGE 234 & , 235 THE CRAFTMetropolitan ... ... .. 236 Provincial ... ... ... 236 ROYAL

ARCHMetropolitan 237 INSTRUCTION 237 MARK MASONRY ... 237 BIRTHS , MARRIAGES , AND DEATHS 238 . ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS ... 238

OBITUARYBro . Augustus Union Thiselton 238 BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED IN GRAND LODGE ... 238 MULTUJI IN PARVO 239 NOTABLE ROSICRUCIAN WORKS 239

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCEThe Graud Master 23 S " Freemasonry and the Laws of the Land " ... 239 A Caution ... 240 ANCIENT AND MODERN MYSTERIES ... 240 RED CROSS OP ROME AND CONSTANTINEInauguration of the Kenlis Conclave , No . 20 ,

at Kendal 240 GRAND LODGE OF IRELAND 241 GRAND LODGE OP SCOTLAND 241 PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OP DURHAM 242 AMGI 2 NT AND ACCEPTED

RITEAVilliam de Irwin Chapter of Sovereign Princes , at Weston-super-Mare 242 MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 243

The Powers Of A Grand Master.

THE POWERS OF A GRAND MASTER .

Br CIPES . There is nothing in Freemasonry concerning which misapprehension seems more extensively to prevail among Freemasons , than the office and tlie powers of ; i Grand Master . On the one

hand , a Grand Master seems often to be regarded as if he were merely regarded as the Master of a Grand Lodge , whose office derives its existence from that of the Grand Lodge ; on the other , it appears to be supposed that he possesses an

absolute power , which he may exercise in the most arbitrary manner aud withont control . Both of these notions are utterly erroneous , aro contrary to the whole spirit of Freemasonry , and betray great ignorance at once of its nature and of its history .

The office of Grand Master existed long before there was any Grand Lodge , and derives its ori gin from the very constitution of the Masonic Fraternity . His powers aro great , but they are limited by the very landmarks of the Order , as well as

by the regulations of the Grand Lodge over which he presides ; and in the exercise of them he is subject to the control of assembled brethren , according to that principle of liberty and brotherhood on which the whole system of Freemasonry is based .

The fourth landmark of tho Order is thogovernment of the Fraternity by a Grand Master , elected from tlie body of the Graft . " No brother can bo a Warden , until he has passed the part of a Fellow Craft ; nor a Master , until he has acted

as Warden , nor Grand Warden , until he has been Master of a Lodge ; nor a Grand Master , unless ho has been a Fellow Craft before his election . " The fifth landmark is the prerogative of Grand Master to preside over every assembly of

tho Craft , whensoever and whensoever held . It is in virtue of this landmark , derived from ancient usage , and not of any special enactment , that the Grand Master assumes the chair , or , as it is called

in Scotland , the throne , at every communication of tho Grand Lodge , aud that he is also entitled to preside at every communication of any lodgo holding charter of the Grand Lodge , when he may happen to be present . The sixth landmark

The Powers Of A Grand Master.

is the prerogative of the Grand Master to grant dispensations for conferring degrees at irregular times , without the usual probation , so that a candidate may be initiated at once . This

prerogative anciently belonged to all Masters , before the enactment of a law requiring probation . The R . W . Masters of lodges no longer possess it , although an assembled lodge in a case of

emergency may , but the Grand Master possesses it unimpaired . The seventh landmark is the pi"erogative of the Grand Master to grant dispensations for opening and holding lodges , " lodges

under dispensations , " which are created by him at his pleasure , and which he in like manner can dissolve . The eight landmark is the prerogative of the Grand Master to make Freemasons at

sight , which follows of necessary consequence from that just noticed , for whenever a Grand Master grants his dispensation to an unchartered

lodge to dispense with the necessary probation , and personally presides at the conferring of the degree , he virtually makes a Mason at sight .

Such are the powers of the Grand Master j ancient and unquestionable powers , secured by the very landmarks of the Order . Beyond these , however , he has no power but what is conferred

by special statute or regulation of tlie Grand Lodge over which he has been elected to preside . Nothing can be more contrary to all principles of Freemasonry , than the notion apparently

entertained by some , that the Grand Master can make a Freemason " at sight , " without the presence or concurrence of any of his brethren ; that he can , if he so chooses , retire with the candidate

into a private room , and there at once confer the degrees of Freemasonry upon him . A Freemason can only be mado in a lodge , and the Grand Master ' s only mode ot' exercising his

prerogative of making Freemasons at si ght , is by summoning to his assistance at least six other Masons , constituting a lodge by which the degrees are then conferred on sight of the candidate , without

any previous probation . Q'his commonly takes place when sovereigns or princes are admitted into the Jlasonic body . When the purpose for which the lodge has been constituted is fulfilled

it is dissolved by tho Grand Master . A lodge thus convened and constituted for a special purpose , is called an occasional lodge . The Grand Master ' s prerogative , according to the seventh

landmark , entitles him to convene such a lodge at his pleasure , but he has no right to confer Jlasonic degrees except in a lodge duly constituted .

Individually , he has no more power in this matter than any other member of the Graft ; he must act with the concurrence of a number of brethren

sufficient to constitute a lodge . Tlie power of convening an occasional lodge for a special purpose has been often exercised , especially in England , when a member of tho lloyal Family was

to bo made a Freemason , but it has never been exercised otherwise than in the manner just described . The Grand Master ' s jjrorogativo of making a Freemason at sight , is thus subject to

a most important and necessary limitation , a limitation without which it might bc abused to the entire subversion of tlio first principles of the Order , and would in fact be , in its very nature , inconsistent with them .

The Grand Muster presides in tho Grand Lodgo at any communication of a lodge holding charter from it at which ho may happen to bo present .

But lie presides because his brethren havo appointed him to preside . He is elected to his office , which may be likened to that of the President of a Republic , rather than to that of an

The Powers Of A Grand Master.

absolute monarch , who occupies his throne by right of conquest or by hereditary descent . He has no despotic authority . In the lodge , he is

amongst brethren , not amongst subjects . He is the chairman of the meeting , and it belongs to him to maintain order . He mav call a brother

to order who is guilty of any irregularity in conduct or in speech , and he is entitled to expect the fullest support of the assembled brethren in doing so . He is entitled to interrupt any

brother who , in speaking on any question , introduces things plainly irrelevant to it , and , if necessary to compel him to be silent . It belongs to him , also , to put questions to the vote , and to

declare the result , but he has not the power of preventing a question from being brought before the lodge . "When the nature of the question is such as it is proper for the lodge to consider ,

he has not the power of preventing the fair discussion of it j he has not the power of determining it himself , but must put it to the vote ; and if there is any uncertainty as to the

mind of the lodgo , the roll must be called , that each brother present may vote in answer to his name . The Grand Master has not the power of refusing to allow the roll to be called when there

seems to be a difficulty of ascertaining the judgment of the assembled brethren , for this power , if admitted , would make him virtually despotic ,

and the bringing of a question before the lodge at all , would be a more farce . In like manner , if a pretext is taken by any brother against the decision of the lodge , it must be taken . IT IS TEIU

PRIVILEGE OF EVERY BROTHER TO PROTEST WHEN HE THINKS IT NECESSARY TO DO so , and the Grand Master has no more power than any other member of tho Craft ; to shut his mouth , and to refuse him the privilege of protesting .

Nothing could be more fatal to the interests of Freemasonry than to invest the Grand Master with despotic power , or in other words with power to debar tho members of the Fraternity

from the exercise of the rights which belong to them as such . It would , in fact , be a subversion of the whole system of Freemasonry . Tho Grand Master is the officer and organ of the Craft , and

is responsible to his brethren . He is placed at the head not merely of the Grand Lodge , but of the whole Craft . Lie is never styled " Grand Master of the Grand Lodge , " but always "Grand

Master of Masons . " The election of tlie Grand Master by the Grand Lodge , is a mere arrangement of convenience , which was first adopted iu England in 1717 , and has since been adopted in

Scotlaud and other countries . The power exercised by the Graud Lodge in the election of Grand Master is to be regarded as a mere delegated power . As to his responsibility to the Craft for

the discharge of the duties of his office , nothing can be plainer than the language of one of the regulations adopted in 1721 : — "If tho Grand Master should abuse his power , and render

himself unworthy of the obedience and subjection of the lodges , he shall be treated in a way and manner to be agreed upon in a now regulation ; because hitherto the ancient Fraternity have had

no occasion for it , their former Grand Masters having all behaved themselves worthy of that honourable office . " No new regulation on this subject , however , has yet been made or found

necessary . Grand Masters having always conducted themselves in a manner generally satisfactory to the Craft , showing respect to the

landmarks , and duly recognising the rights and privileges of their brethren . Freemasons are freo men . There whole system