Constitutions Of Freemasonry.

CONSTITUTIONS OF FREEMASONRY .

LONDON , SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 16 ,. 1861 .

In resuming our review of the Constitutions of tie three Grand Lodges , perhaps , we cannot do better than in the first instance refer to a letter we have received on the subject , in which our correspondent—a very old friend of THE MAGAZINE—says : —

"In your remarks about Scotch Grand Lodge , you say that in Scotch Craft Lodges only , the jewels of the Craft are allowed to-be worn , and not even those of the Eoyal Arch . I cannot say it is not so , but when in Scotland two years ago , I was going with a friend to visit his lodge , of which he was "VOL , and also an office bearer in Grand Lodge , and a member of the higher decrees , and he insisted

on my wearing the jewels I was , then wearing , having been dining at a Grand Conclave of K . T ., and he was also wearing his Christian Degree jewels , those of the Eoyal Order , and the Eoyal Arch jewel ,. At the lodge I saw several members -wearing jewels of every degree , and I understood myfriendto say that was a universal practice , and ,. I thought , legal in Scotland . Not having the . Constitutions of Scotland to refer , I await , your reply . "

We , too , have seen Masons and-those of high standing in Scotland wearing the jewels of all the various degrees referred to by our correspondent in their Craft lodges , but we are endeavouring to show the brethren not what is the practice , but what is the law , as laid down in The

Boole of Constitutions , which distinctly says that the Grand Lodge of Scotland recognises no degrees but those of " Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason , denominated St . John ' s Masonry ; " and further , in Cap . xxiii , sec . 11 , " No clothing , jewels , or other decorations purporting to be Masonic shall be worn in Grand

Lodge , or any subordinate lodge , except those appertaining to St . John ' s Masonry , which alone are recognised and acknowledged . " Having shown our correspondent how distinct the law is upon that point , we proceed with our review . "We may pass over the mere local regulations providing for the proper return of the names to Grand Lodge of

those officers of the various lodges who are entitled to sit in it , and the punctual payment of dues , and we at once come to the holding of Grand Lodges . In England , it is provided that four meetings shall be holden " in each year , viz ., in the first "Wednesday in the months of March , June , September , and December ; " and it has

been ruled by the Grand Master , on what we have always considered very insufficient grounds , that no adjournment of these meetings can take place . In Scotland they also meet four times a year , viz ., "on the first Mondays in February , May , Augustand

, November , " and " when necessary , these meetings may be adjourned to a future day or days ; " a right which we think ought to belong to every deliberative body . In Ireland , however , it is perhaps of comparativel y little consequence , inasmuch as the Grand Lodge meets

monthly on the first Tuesday , " and shall not at any time be closed for a lon ger period than one month , " there being in the other countries power of calling interim , or as

they are called in England , Emergency Grand Lodges ;¦ ¦ — whilst the words we have just quoted . would also imply that in Ireland Grand Lodge may meet offcener than once a month . In the same clause of the English Boole of

Constitutions which provides for the holding of the quarterly meetings , it is laid down that " none shall be present but the proper members , without permission ofilio Grand Master "—a privilege very rarely sought or granted , excepting by brethren from foreign lodges ; and indeed

we believe would not be granted , to English Masons not members of Grand Lodge ,, excepting they had some special question to support , as in the recent case of the proposed erasure of No . 49 ( afterwards confirmed ) , when Bro . Madden , an old P . M ., was allowed to be present to protest against such erasure .

In Ireland the Grand Master or presiding officer has the power of permitting any " Master Mason , though not a member of the Grand . Lodge , to be present , " but in Scotland they are more liberal , and " each member of the Grand Lodge may give an order of admission to a brother , being a Master Mason ,. to attend one meeting

of the . Grand . Lodge ; " such visitors to occupj'the gallery , it being , however , as in the House of Commons , " the . undoubted right of any member , on a motion to that effect , to have the Grand Lodge cleared of strangers without discussion . " In England and Ireland no visitor is alloAved to speak to any question , except with the

eonsent of the Grand Master or presiding officer , but in Scotland they go still further , and declare that in " no case" shall he be allowed to speak ; the right of voting being in each very 23 roperly withheld from all but the members .

Each of the Books of Constitutions provide for the due regulation of the business , and against the brethren being taken by surprise b y the bringing forward of motions o £ which they have not had proper notice . Thus , in England a general committee , consisting of the " past and present Grand Officers and the Master of

every regular lodge , " is held a fortnight before Grand Lodge , at which meeting " all reports or representations from the Most Worshipful Grand Master , or the Board of General Purposes , or any board or committee appointed by the Grand Lodge , shall be read ; and any member of the Grand Lodge intending to make a motion

therein , or to submit any matter to its consideration , shall , at such general committee , state , in writing , the nature of his intended motion or business , that the same may be read . No motion , or other matter , shall be brought into discussion , in the Grand Lodge , unless it shall have been previously communicated to this general committee . "

In Ireland it is provided that all matters concerning the "fraternity in general , particular lodges , or individual brethren , " are to be considered in G-rand Lodge , " the same having been previously examined into , prepared , and arranged in a digested , form by the B oard of General Purposes , who shall ^ report and ofFer their re-