Masonic Jurisprudence.

which the Grand Master acts , namely , the authority and sanction of Grand Lodge , and also refers to the fact of the petition . Thc names of the petitioners follow , and they are in so many words constituted into a lodge of specified name and number , and the proposed place and time of meeting are inserted . The said

lodge , " when duly congregated , ' is empowered to make , pass , and raise Freemasons . The phrase noted is allied to thc antient expression beloved of lodge Secretaries " opened in due and antient form , " and it practically means that the ceremonial work described is only to be performed when the prescribed numbers

are present in the respective Degrees . The Grand Master goes on to nominate three of the brethren already named to / ill the three chairs , but is carefu in so doing to base his nomination on the prayer of the petition . These brethren arc to hold office till another Master is elected and installed .

Now , at this stage , the bye-laws have not been drawn up . It is competent for thc brethren to draw up regulations which provide for the days of election and installation occurring earlier than the anniversary of the lodge ' s formation , and thus the Master designated in the warrant might conceivably hold office

for only three months . Would he in such case rank as a P . M . ? His appointment differs from that of all other subsequent Masters , inasmuch as it is on the nomination of the Grand Master , and by warrant , and the warrant says nothing about a year of office .

At all subsequent installations ( but not necessarily , though possibly , at his own ) the Master is obligated to hold office for a year , and until his successor bc appointed and installed in his

stead . As there are no bye-laws , it is difficult to see how such complete obligation can be imposed on the first Master , and in the extreme case suggested it is the opinion of several eminent brethren whom the writer consulted that the rank of a Past

Master could bc claimed . In the writer ' s opinion , Article 9 , which does not make any exception in favour of first Masters , would retop any such claim . At the same time , it seems hard that a lodge should by its byelaws be able to practically disestablish its Master when it likes ,

and most probably such a bye-law would not be passed . The warrant next lays an especial charge upon the Master designate —that he " take care that all and every the said brethren are , or havc been , regularly made Masons . " This is somewhat

ambiguous and apparently superfluous , as it apparently means that the selected brother is , after his election , to put the other six brethren through their Masonic facings ! If it means anything else , it is not obvious .

Flic new lodge is then enjoined to observe not only the Book of Constitutions , but all regulations which may from time to time be transmitted by thc Grand Master or his Deputy . In the not inconceivable case of a Grand Master differing from Grand

Lodge on important and even vital points , this injunction might possibly have embarrassing results , as the observing of the dicta of the Grand Master might be inconsistent with obedience to the Book of Constitutions .

The injunctions which follow are practically the charter of the lodge . Bye-laws , or local regulations , are drawn up , " not inconsistant with the general laws and regulations of the Craft . " These are to be transmitted to the Grand Master , and such inconsistency would appear to be the only ground upon which

the Grand Master could refuse to sanction them . These byelaws and " an account of all proceedings in your lodge " are to be correctly entered . In olher words , a minute book is to be kept . The specific mention of a minute book in the warrant ,

gives it a standing and importance which is attached to no other lodge record . Cases have not been unknown where the minute book has been officially called for b y the Provincial Grand Master , and where the Worshi pful Master , as its custodian , has refused to produce it , and , very properly , been suspended .

In other words , the minute book is not a private possession , and the writer recalls the case of a visitor , who was asked to withdraw on thcr ground of private business being about to be entered upon , but who successfully maintained his right to

remain where he was till the minutes had been read . Had the W . M . persisted on his withdrawal , he would , of course , have had to go , but probably Mould have maintained his position on appeal .

The last injunction in the warrant provides for the annual transmission of returns and fees . This is the general form of warrant , and it is signed hythe Grand Secretary and the Deputy Grand Master . Occasionally modifications of local significance are admitted , and are shown marginally . The warrant is in the

custody of the Master for the time being , and he is to produce it at every meeting ( Article 125 ) . Inferentially the absence of the warrant invalidates all proceedings of the particular meeting . The absence of the warrant may be due to its being lost or " withheld by competent Masonic authority , " in which case no I

Masonic Jurisprudence.

meeting can be * held until a warrant of confirmation be granted or the withheld warrant be restored . Article 127 prohibits any such irregular procural of a . warrant as was described in the case of thc Madras lodge mentioned at the beginning of this article

and Article 221 provides for the future of the warrant in the event of the dissolution of a lodge . In such case thc warrant books , and papers ( i . e ., minute book , candidates' declarations ' etc ., but not necessarily the Stewards' books ) are to go to the Grand Master .

Article 139 specifies that thc "books and papers" ( as above described ) are to bc produced when required by competent authority . In thc case already referred to , the Worshi pful

Master , while ready to produce the warrant , of which he was the constitutional custodian , declined to produce thc minutes until authorised by a vote of the lodge ; a subtle distinction which the authorities failed to appreciate .

There are three exceptional classes of warrants which may be referred to . There is the military warrant , which authorises the constitution of a travelling lodge attached to a regiment . Such lodge may not initiate any inhabitant of any place in which the regiment may for the time bc located .

In connection with military lodges , there is a curious distinction which is possibly accidental . If an ordinary lodge is dissolved its warrant goes back to thc Grand Master , but under similar circumstances thc warrant goes to , the Grand Secretary !

or it may change its character , and if a competent number of its members agree it may become a civil lodge with the same number . This is an unusual occurrence , but Article 157 is meant to provide for the case of a regiment being disbanded .

A centenary " warrant" is practically only a written permission to wear a certain jewel , and conveys also the official recognition of the fact that a lodcrc has had a continuous

working existence of 100 years . Ihe fact that it is 100 years old goes for nothing . Lodge Rock of Trichinopoly , No . 260 , is put down in the Calendar as dating from 178 7 , but probably thc best part of thc present century will have passed before it

establishes its claim to a centenary warrant . The Constitutions prescribe an " uninterrupted" existence of a century , that is to say in the case of thc lodge mentioned , between any one period of abeyance and the next !

A warrant of confirmation is granted when it is proved to the satisfaction ol the * Grand Master that the original warrant is

lost . We have in a former article referred to thc case of Lodge Southern Cross , No . 1758 . This lodge was warranted in 18 7 8 ,

but was so unfortunate as to havc its warrant eaten away either by rats or white ants , and instead of applying for a warrant of confirmation , allowed itself to be erased in 188 9 , and was reformed the same year under a neu < warrant , No . 2298 .

In conclusion , the fees may bc mentioned . For a new warrant the fee is 15 , 10 , or live guineas , according to the location of the lodge , whether in London , the provinces , or the districts . A warrant of confirmation costs two guineas , and a centenary warrant live .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of North And East Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE .

A special meeting was held in the Masonic Hall , Duncombe-place , York , on the invitation of the York Lodge , No . 236 , on Friday , the Sth instant , when there were present—Bros , the Most Hon . the Marquess of Zetland , K . T ., Prov . G . M . ; the Very Rev . the Dean of York , P . G . Chap . Eng ., Dep . Prov . G . M . ; Sir Joseph Sykes-Rymcr , P . M . 326 , Prov . S . G . W . ; Jno . Wm . Tindell , W . M . 1 C 05 , Prov . J . G . W . ; T . B . Whyteliead , P . M . 2 * 528 , P . G . S . B . Eng ., M . C . Peck , P . M . 2494 , P . G . Std . Br .

Eng ., P . G . Sec , W . H . Cowper , P . M . 602 , P . G . Std . Br . Eng ., Gilbert Wilkinson , P . M . 250 , Mark Scott , 50 'G , Charles M . Forbes , 236 , and Thomas B . Redfcirn , P . M . 2134 , P . Asst . G . Secretary , Past Prov . Grand Wardens ; Rev . Francis Grant James , 1618 , and Rev . C . H . Steel , 1 S 4 S , Provincial Grand Chap lains ; the Rev . J . E . Mayne Young , P . M . 236 , the Rev . J . li . Torbett , P . M . 123 , and the Rev . E . Fox-Thomas , P . M . 312 , P . P . G . Chaps . ; Jas . York Torr , P . M . - ' 5 ° - Prov . G . Treas . ; Geo . Bolin , CIO ., P . M . 1010 , S . Border , P . M . 236 , and J . H-

Buchanan , M . D ., P . M . 1416 , P . P . G . Regs . . Robert Cuff , M . D ., P . M . 200 , a «| J . Edmund Jones , P . M . 2328 , Prov . S . G . Ds . ; E . W . Purnell , P . M . 23 6 ( lord Mayor of York ) , J . Linley Spetch , P . M . 1611 , and Fras . R . Hansell , I ' - " * 1416 , P . P . G . Ds . ; John Thomas , P . M . 602 , Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; Thomson Foley , P . M . 294 , P . P . G . Supt . of Works ; Jno . Geo . Wallis , P . M . iS l '< Prov . G . D . C . ; Geo . H . Walsliaiv , P . M . 200 , Geo . Potter-Kirby , P . M . VA and Henry Foster , M . D ., P . M . 236 , Past Prov . Grand Directorsof Ceremonies ; ' Coates Turton , P . M . 610 , Prov . A . G . D . C . ; Robt . McBean , P . M . 643 , P . P . A . G . D . "';

Wm . Bungay , P . M . 5 61 , P . P . G . S . B ., acting Prov . G . S . B . ; M . J . Martenscn , P . M . 57 , P . P . G . D ., and Ueo . Leigh , P . M . 2134 , P . P . G . Std . Br ., acting Prov . o . Std . Brs , ; B . Kilvington , W . M . 1611 , Prov . G . Org . ¦ C . G . Padel , P . M . 2 J- '' P . P . G . Org . ; David Young , P . M . 1991 , P . P . G . Purst ., acting Prov . G . Pur * * ' *' J . R . Porter , 57 , F . G . Hobson , 294 , H . Newson , 561 , and Chas . Foster , . ^' Prov . G . Stwds . ; and Chas . Travess , P . M . 1428 , Prov . G . Tyler . Visitors •Bros . W . Watson , PM . Gi , P . P . G . W . W . Yorks ; G . E . Dunsford , 973 ; and J . " * Calverley , 2 SC 9 . The W . Masters , Past Masters , VVardens , and many brethren <*• the various lodges in the province . The Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened indue form , the P ( ° Grand Director of Ceremonies called upon the brethren to salute the Pf 0 V '