Adjournment Of Lodges.

ADJOURNMENT OF LODGES .

LONDON , SATUZDJX , OCTOBER 10 , 1801 .

Om- readers will perceive , by reference to a report of the proceedings of the Harbour of Refuge Lodge ( No . 1066 ) , held at West Hartlepool , that in consequence of the extent of the business of the evening , the initiations and passings were duly performed , and the raisings

adjourned to the following evening . It is not our custom to remark upon the proceedings of private lodges , but an adjournment from one evening to another is so opposed alike to the laws and spirit of the Order , that we cannot help referring to it in order to guard

other lodges from falling into a similar error . A Masonic Lodge is an emblem of the clay , and is divided into three parts—how to be employed we need not tell the brethren—and with the closing of the lodge all business ceases , and cannot be resumed until the next

regular period of meeting , unless a lodge of emergency be called in the meantime , for which provision is duly made , it being within the power of the W . M . at any time to summon such a lodge should he see fit . On the subject of adjournments , Dr . Oliver in his Masonic Jurisprudence says : —•

"A lodge is incapable of being- adjourned except at the will and pleasure of the Master , who has the sole power of regulating its motions . He may open and eiose it , —and when closed all business is brought to a legitimate conclusion ; and he may call ifc from labour to refreshmenfc for a time ; but in this case he cannot finally close ifc until it has been resumed by returning from

refreshment to labour . This power is distinctly admitted at every opening and closing by a public declaration that they are both effectuated solely " by the command of the "Worshipful Master , " and that the lodge is called from labour to refreshment " at his will and pleasure . " The authority thus centring in himself alone ,, a motion by a private brother for adjournment cannot be entertainedbecauseas the

; , members of the lodge have the ' undoubted disposal of all motions by a majority of votes , it is evident that fche proposition of an act over which they possess no control , and which they cannot dispose of hy vote , would be equally illegal and untenable . " .

He then proceeds to speak of the closing of the lodge in the following terms : — " The closing of a lodge is a matter of solemn importance . In the United States some appropriate portion of Scripture is usually read ; -but amongst ourselves ifc is neither enjoined nor generallpractised . Many Masters substitute

y the closing passage ot' the ancient charges ; which is to be commended as a very judicious practice . The legitimate ceremonies , however , being of ancient date and unquestionable authority , cannot , under any circumstances , be dispensed with ; for if a lodge be not closed in form , the transactions will be divested of their legality . "

We have given the clause relative to adjournments in full , because by the insertion of the words " at the will and pleasure of the Master , " it might appear as though the Master had the power of adjourning from day to day , which is not the case , it being a portion of

wellunderstood -Masonic law , that , when a lodge is once opened the brethren cannot separate until it has been legally closed , when , in the words of Dr . Oliver , "all business is brought to a legal conclusion . " And further ,

he says , " if a lodge be not closed in form , the transactors will be divested of their loyalty . " Of course we do not know whether iu the ease which has called forth these remarks , a lodge of emergency had been convoked for the "Wednesday for the purpose of raising the brethren—because , if so , there would be no

illegality on closing the lodge in adjourning it until the next evening—but if no notice of such lodge of emergency had been given , and the adjournment was determined on at the meeting of the lodge on the Tuesday , either with or without the consent of the Master , the proceedings are illegal , and all the business transacted " null and void "—and the brethren raised to the third

degree should again go through the ceremony , or be at least re-obligated . How stringent this law of non-adjournment is construed is shown by a reference to the proceedings of Grand Lodge in 1858 , when , at the quarterly communication of September , considerable confusion having ensued

principally in consequence of the manner in which a , Prov . G-. M ., who was illegally in the chair , ruled the lodge , Bro . Warren moved its adjournment for a month , which was carried : and on the first of October the

brethren met and transacted business , in spite of the protest of Bro . Beadon and other brethren that the proceedings would be illegal—it being-, however , ruled b y the then acting Grand Master—another Prov . G-. M . —that business might be proceeded with , and the very brother commencing proceedings being

another Prov . G-. M . But what was the result ? the M . W . G-. M . convened a Grand Lodge of Emergency for the 19 th of November , when he declared that the whole of the proceedings were null and void—and though we published the proceedings in full in our number of

December , 1860—as many of our present readers were probably at that time not even members of the Order , we make no apology for reproducing the Grand Master ' s speech in full , as it will there be seen that he laid it distinctly down that neither a private lodge or Grand

Lodge has the power of adjournment , and that the lodge being once closed , no business could again be taken up , excepting at the next regular meeting , or a lodge of of emergency specially called for the purpose .

" The GrEAWD MASTER said—Brethren , I think it due to Grand Lodge that I should now state my reasons more immediately for calling this Grand Lodge , and I trust I shall be able to show you , in connection with those reasons , thafc I have taken this step simply , because , in my opinion , it was a sfcep necessary to the faithful discharge of my duty . At the September Quarterly Communication the Grand

Lodge passed a resolution that the Grand Lodge should adjourn to the 1 st of October , and now I have to give my most decided opinion that such an adjournment was illegal ( hear , hear ) , and that whatever proceedings took place at such adjourned meeting are null and void . ( Hear . ) Brethren , I will now state ray reasons for coming to this decision . By the Book of Constitutions 19 article 7 the law states

, page , , that there shall be ' four Quarterly Communications in each year , viz ., on fche first "Wednesday in the months of March , June , September , and December , at which none shall be present but the proper members , without permission of the Grand Master , nor shall he , on any occasion , be permitted to vote . ' But there is hot one word in the Book of Consfci-