Honorary Members.

adopted and acted upon by other Grand Lodges . But surely this ought not to be . The political world , composed as it is of totally independent nations , claiming no common origin , and which does not pretend to anything like

uniformity of law or precept , has nevertheless felt the necessity in many cases of assimilating the principles affecting all major questions of universal application , and has gradually established a code of international law .

Ereemasonry—though claiming a common and sole origin , as well as uniform fundamental principles ( by laiv as immutable as those of the Medes and Persians)—though claiming for its members throughout the universe to belong to one

common and sole family , has nothing of the kind , and each Grand Lodge acts and legislates as if no other Grand Lodges were in existence . That confusion , conflicts—in fact , that a state of anarchy must often arise from such a state of

. things—is self-evident . A reference to the relations existing between English , Scotch , and Irish Masons in the colonies and dependencies of Great Britain , as they have been laid before the Masonic public , as well in the columns of this MAGAZINE ,

as in the Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge , is all-sufficient . On a former occasion , in particular reference to a question of some importance , much debated upon in your columns , I ventured to express the opinion

"that , before Grand Lodge legislated on any question , it would be advisable and highly advantageous to ascertain what were the laws or customs adopted , and acted upon , by other Grand Lodges .

As regards the status of honorary members in lodges—the question now before us—I venture to reiterate that opinion .

It may therefore be of use , or at least of interest , . to state from personal experience , rather than from an examination of the written law , what is ¦ the position of honorary members in Swiss and -French lodges .

The Constitutions of the Grand- Lodge of Switzerland , although recognising and legislating for honorary members of Grand Lodge , do not allude to , or legislate for , honorary membersof private lodges ; and naturally so , as honorary membership

of a lodge confers no rank or privilege out of the individual lodge itself . Honorary membersof lodges , however , exist—are universally recognised—and their position is pretty

generally and sufficiently clearly established by practice and custom . Being myself an honorary member of several Swiss lodges , I have ever felt it to be Masonic tact not to speak or vote upon any question ,

particularly any question of a mere local nature , or unless invited to do so by the Worshipful Master , whatever my privilege as honorary member might be ; and I should therefore , perhaps , have been unable to state what those privileges really were ,

had it not been for a personal incident that occurred last year . A new lodge was being formed in a neighbouring town , and the brethren composing it requested me to be their first Worshipful Master . As in

Switzerland , by law , no Mason can be active ( subscribing ) member of more than one Swiss lodge , it was necessary for me to apply for my demit from the lodge to which I then belonged . Certain reasons made that lodge very unwilling to grant

me a demit for the purpose stated , and months passed before it was granted . In the meantime , a proposition was made—which was , however , for other reasons unacceptable—that the new lodge should make me an honorary member , and then

elect me to the chair ; and this proposition was backed by the Grand Master . It is thus evident that in Switzerland—there being no law to the contrary—an honorary member can accept office . I doubt , however , whether this

jiractice would be generally expedient ; at least , the occasion for it must be of a very peculiar nature—as , indeed , it was in this case . As to the right of voting on ballots either for initiation or elections , I cannot speak with such certainty . I

have , I think , voted on initiations , but never at elections ; and as I have stated , it is clearly Masonic tact , whatever may be the right , for an honorary member , in all ordinary cases , to abstain from voting .

Erom this it is clear that in Swiss lodges an honorary member , when present , has virtually all the rights and privileges of an active ( subscribing ) member , the only difference being that he is exempted from all , otherwise obligatory , financial

burdens . In respect to the law in France—for I believe it to be law—a personal experience of my own will clearly establish the position of honorary members in French lodges . I happened to pass two consecutive winters , and part of the following summer , in a small town in