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  • June 10, 1871
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, June 10, 1871: Page 1

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    Article THE BALLOT IN THE LODGE. Page 1 of 1
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Ar00100

( Contents . PAGE FKEEJIASON S' MAGAZINE : — The Ballot in the Lodge 441 Proxy Masters 442 Tbe Orders of Chivalry in Canada 442 The Defective Stone 445

Masonic Jottings—No 73 446 Masonic Notes and Queries 44 G Correspondence 448 Masonic Sayings aud Doiugs Abroad 449 MASONIC MIKEOK : — Masonic Mems 4 o 0 United Grand Lodge 450 CKAET LODGE MEETINGS : —

Metropolitan 453 Provincial 453 Royal Arch 455 Knights Templar 455 Ancient and Accepted Rite 456 Scotland 456 Laying the Foundation-Stone of the Weymouth Infirmary ... 456 Obituary 459 Poetry 459 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 460

The Ballot In The Lodge.

THE BALLOT IN THE LODGE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JUNE 10 , 1871 ,

Simple as tlie matter may appear , the use or the Ballot in the Loclge is not understood as it should be . If the case brought before the Grand Lodge at its last communication should , as we believe ifc to

be proved but one of many , ifc is highfcly necessary that the nature and use of the Ballot should be clearly explained to the Graft . In the case mentioned , the W . M ., according to the evidence , instead of ruling his Lodge in an

impartial manner , constituted himself a parfcizan of the rejected candidate , and threw fche weight and influence of his important position against the expressed objection , whether just or unjust is immaterial fco the candidate . If the ballot

is to be maintained as an an integral part of our Constitutions , then ifc must be carried out in its entirety . The founders of our laws exercised a wise discretion in introducing that clause in our

regulations whicli gives power to a small minority to reject any applicant , however , worthy , apparently , from a society amongst whom perfect harmony is desired to be maintained .

The Ballot having' been taken aud proving unfavourable , we hold that beyond giving a opportunity for correcting an unintentional adverse vote , the subject should be finally considerd disposed of , and that neither the Master , nor any other member of the Lodge should question the propriety

of the vote . Ifc may be that from private knowledge on the part of even one member , there are circumstances connected with the character of the candidate which , though well know to the objector ifc would not be prudent or

proper fco announce . Therein lies the whole power of the ballot , and for the rendering available such knowledge was at first established . The Board of General Purposes , ( in the ranks of which may be numbered some of our best

authorities on Masonic jurisprudence , ) in the case of the Lodge of Israel , strongly expressed their opinion upon this subject , by suspending the Lodge , and bringing under their censure both the Master and Immediate Past Master of the Lodge .

A circumstance recurs to our memory , which was recently related in a Foreign Masonic journal : A Candidate , whose antecedents were of the most unobjectionable character , had on the ballot been rejected , to the surprise of nearly all present . One black ball in this case was sufficient to

exclude . Enquires were made as to the objectors , bufc without response . The feeling arose that some mistake had occured . One by one the brethren disavowed their objection , till bufc one remains . Thus one , on being pressed for his reasons for

voting against the candidate , felt ifc his duty to inform , the AV . M ., that his objection was based on the fact , within his certain knowledge , that the candidate had been guilty of criminal intercourse with a near relative of his ( the W . M / s ) own , and

under these circumstances he coulcl not conscienously vote for him as a Ut ancl proper person to become a Mason . The ballot is open to many objection . In some

cases ifc is used as the means of annoyance to an unpopular W . M ., a small clique posssessing the power fco refuse the admittance of any candidate , worthy or unworthy during the tenure of his office .

The Master has undoubtedly the power to reprimand his Lodge for any dereliction of duty on the part of the members , bufc the ballot must be kept secret . Every master should know sufficient of Masonic Law , to convince him that

every brother has an inherent right to exercise its free use , and that any interference on his part would be a usurpation of power , that will never be tolerated by the Supreme power of English Craft Masonry .

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1871-06-10, Page 1” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 4 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_10061871/page/1/.
  • List
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Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
THE BALLOT IN THE LODGE. Article 1
PROXY MASTERS. Article 2
THE ORDERS OF CHIVALRY IN CANADA. Article 2
THE DEFECTIVE STONE. Article 5
MASONIC JOTTINGS, No. 73. Article 6
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 6
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 8
GRAND LODGE. Article 9
GRAND LODGE—MOTIONS, &c. Article 9
MASONIC SAYINGS AND DOINGS ABROAD. Article 10
MASONIC MEMS. Article 10
UNITED GRAND LODGE. Article 10
Craft Masonry. Article 13
PROVINCIAL. Article 13
ROYAL ARCH. Article 15
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. Article 15
ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE. Article 16
SCOTLAND. Article 16
LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE WEYMOUTH ROYAL HOSPITAL AND DISPENSARY. Article 16
Obituary. Article 19
Poetry. Article 19
LIST OF LODGE MEETINGS &c., FOR WEEK ENDING JUNE 17TH, 1871. Article 20
METROPOLITAN LODGES AND CHAPTERS OF INSTRUCTION. Article 20
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Ar00100

( Contents . PAGE FKEEJIASON S' MAGAZINE : — The Ballot in the Lodge 441 Proxy Masters 442 Tbe Orders of Chivalry in Canada 442 The Defective Stone 445

Masonic Jottings—No 73 446 Masonic Notes and Queries 44 G Correspondence 448 Masonic Sayings aud Doiugs Abroad 449 MASONIC MIKEOK : — Masonic Mems 4 o 0 United Grand Lodge 450 CKAET LODGE MEETINGS : —

Metropolitan 453 Provincial 453 Royal Arch 455 Knights Templar 455 Ancient and Accepted Rite 456 Scotland 456 Laying the Foundation-Stone of the Weymouth Infirmary ... 456 Obituary 459 Poetry 459 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 460

The Ballot In The Lodge.

THE BALLOT IN THE LODGE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JUNE 10 , 1871 ,

Simple as tlie matter may appear , the use or the Ballot in the Loclge is not understood as it should be . If the case brought before the Grand Lodge at its last communication should , as we believe ifc to

be proved but one of many , ifc is highfcly necessary that the nature and use of the Ballot should be clearly explained to the Graft . In the case mentioned , the W . M ., according to the evidence , instead of ruling his Lodge in an

impartial manner , constituted himself a parfcizan of the rejected candidate , and threw fche weight and influence of his important position against the expressed objection , whether just or unjust is immaterial fco the candidate . If the ballot

is to be maintained as an an integral part of our Constitutions , then ifc must be carried out in its entirety . The founders of our laws exercised a wise discretion in introducing that clause in our

regulations whicli gives power to a small minority to reject any applicant , however , worthy , apparently , from a society amongst whom perfect harmony is desired to be maintained .

The Ballot having' been taken aud proving unfavourable , we hold that beyond giving a opportunity for correcting an unintentional adverse vote , the subject should be finally considerd disposed of , and that neither the Master , nor any other member of the Lodge should question the propriety

of the vote . Ifc may be that from private knowledge on the part of even one member , there are circumstances connected with the character of the candidate which , though well know to the objector ifc would not be prudent or

proper fco announce . Therein lies the whole power of the ballot , and for the rendering available such knowledge was at first established . The Board of General Purposes , ( in the ranks of which may be numbered some of our best

authorities on Masonic jurisprudence , ) in the case of the Lodge of Israel , strongly expressed their opinion upon this subject , by suspending the Lodge , and bringing under their censure both the Master and Immediate Past Master of the Lodge .

A circumstance recurs to our memory , which was recently related in a Foreign Masonic journal : A Candidate , whose antecedents were of the most unobjectionable character , had on the ballot been rejected , to the surprise of nearly all present . One black ball in this case was sufficient to

exclude . Enquires were made as to the objectors , bufc without response . The feeling arose that some mistake had occured . One by one the brethren disavowed their objection , till bufc one remains . Thus one , on being pressed for his reasons for

voting against the candidate , felt ifc his duty to inform , the AV . M ., that his objection was based on the fact , within his certain knowledge , that the candidate had been guilty of criminal intercourse with a near relative of his ( the W . M / s ) own , and

under these circumstances he coulcl not conscienously vote for him as a Ut ancl proper person to become a Mason . The ballot is open to many objection . In some

cases ifc is used as the means of annoyance to an unpopular W . M ., a small clique posssessing the power fco refuse the admittance of any candidate , worthy or unworthy during the tenure of his office .

The Master has undoubtedly the power to reprimand his Lodge for any dereliction of duty on the part of the members , bufc the ballot must be kept secret . Every master should know sufficient of Masonic Law , to convince him that

every brother has an inherent right to exercise its free use , and that any interference on his part would be a usurpation of power , that will never be tolerated by the Supreme power of English Craft Masonry .

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