Summary Of Masonic Law.

One who is rejected by a Lodge without having applied , or being proposed without his knoAvledge or present , is unlawfully rejected . The rejection is Avithout jurisdiction over the candidate , and is void . —New York . A petition is defunct by rejection , and a neAV one is required for any new action . —Ib . When a Mason , having good reason to believe that

one is ineligible , or unworthy , recommends him to the lodge , he becomes liable to discipline , and ought to be punished . —lb . Petitions for membership may be acted upon instanter , or referred , or postponed , at the pleasure of the lodge . —Florida . Petitions must be presented at a stated communication ,

referred to a committee for investigation , and then lay over at least four Aveeks , unless by the unanimous vote of the members present it shall be declared a case of emergency , AA'hen action may sooner be taken thereon . —Ohio . No one is eligible to the office of Master but actual Past Masters , Past Wardens , and Present Wardens , who have been regularly elected and lawfully installed . —

Minnesota . When a petition has been received , and the candidate elected , and before the degree is conferred , a Master Mason , not present when the ballot was taken , objects to the applicant receiving the degrees , the vote on the . applicant ' s election can not be reconsidered . —Delaware . A petition once read gives the lodge the right to the

material presented against all others . A petitioner petitioning another Lodge , pending his petition in one , is guilty of fraud , and deserves rejection at the hands of both . A Lodge knoAvingly receiving and acting on the second petition in such case , acts in bad faith and against the law , and is liable to censure , or , in an extreme case , to a suspension of charter . But if it do so through

ignorance , it should , if required , pay the fees to the Lodge first petitioned . — Georgia . A petitioner moving to the jurisdiction of another Lodge before ballot on his petition , the Lodge may proceed to ballot , and if elected , request that other Lodge to confer the degrees . —Ib . A petition lying over , and not acted on for four years , is functus viriute , and the candidate must petition de novo . —Ib .

An application to which the candidate has affixed " his mark , " should not be received . —Maine . It is proper to AvithdraAv a petition of one totally disqualified to receive the mysteries of Masonry , as all such petitions are ipso facto null and void . —Missouri . A petition for the degrees of Masonry must be signed by the candidate , and in any action that a Lodge may take upon a petition by other than the applicant , is null and void . —New Jersey .

EEJEOTION . The rejection of a candidate for initiation by a Lodge , although said Lodge had no jurisdiction , is a bar to any other Lodge from receiving his petition until the constitutional period has elapsed to renew it . —Alabama . After the lapse of a reasonable time for objection to be waived or withdraAvnnotice of rejection should be

, given as in other cases , and the money accompanying the petition should be returned . —Illinois . A Lodge can not reconsider a vote on the petition of an applicant for either the mysteries of Masonry or for affiliation when duly rejected . A profane may again apply in six months Irom the date of his rejection , and a brother Master Mason ling for affiliation

appy may ap ply at every regular communication of the Lodge , if he desires to do so , until he is elected , and his standing as a Mason is not affected in the least by said rejection ; and furthermore , he may apply to any other Lodge he may select . —Kansas .

After a candidate is declared rejected the result cannot be changed , even though the brother states he threw the black ball by mistake . —Maine . LODGE SEALS . All charters , certificates , circular letters , or any other documents requiring authentication ; by the seal of the Grand Secretary or the seal of any subordinate lodge ,

the same shall be duly impressed thereon , and not by printed seals attached thereto or printed thereon . — Oregon . Every subordinate chartered Lodge shall have a Masonic seal , to be affixed to its certificates and other documents . An impression from such is to be sent to the Grand Secretary , to be by him preserved in his office , and due notice to ba given him of any change in such seal , with an impression from the substitute . —Kentucky . SUSPENSION .

A sentence of suspension deprives a Mason of all rights and privileges of Masons ; and hence , a suspended Mason cannot visit a lodge . —Alabama . All Masons are prohibited from holding Masonic communication Avith a suspended Mason . —Ib . A Mason Avho has been suspended by a regular lodge under another jurisdiction , is to be regarded and treated

as duly and legally suspended by the Masons and lodges in every other juisdiction . —Ib . The Worshipfui Master of a lodge has no right to suspend a member of his lodge at will , and without trial . —Delaware . Indefinite suspensions does not relieve the suspended brother from his Masonic obligations , nor does it deprive

his lodge of jurisdiction over him . If during the suspension , he should be guilty of gross unmasonic conduct , his lodge has power to try him on charges and expel him . —Nebraska . A brother cannot be " excluded" by the effect of a bye-law , Avithout notice . Notice must be given to a brother in arrears to appear and show cause . —North Carolina .

TRIALS . No change of venue can be had in MasOnic trials . — Missouri . A Mason canot be tried for offences committed before he applied for the mysteries of Masonry . If , however , he fraudently withheld from the lodge or the committee of inquiry , matters that Avould , if known , have resulted

in his rejection at the time , he has received his degrees through fraud and imposition , and for this offence he may be subject to Masonic discipline ; because , from the date of his filing his petition the Lodge has jurisdiction of him , and , if he receives the degrees , the lodge can go back to the date of his application , and punish him for acts of omission , as well as commission , and if he omitted

to put the lodge in possession of a fact which showed him to be a man who did not " bear the tongue of good , report , " he may be dealt with for the same . Further than this , we are Avarranted in going : The committee of inquiry should put a petitioner on trial for his whole previous life , and their report , and the action of the lod thereon should be final for past acts / except in

ges the case above mentioned . —Missouri . The verdict of a jury is presumptive , but not conclusive , svidence of the guilt or innocence ot the accused . — Q . Can a lodge try a brother for unmasonic conduct committed before the lodge Avas in existence ?—A . It can , if the offending brother resides within the territorial jurisdiction of the lodge . —Tennessee .

A member residing within the jurisdiction of his lodge must be charged in , and tried by his own lodge . A non « affiliated Maon can be charged in , and tried by any lodge under Avhose jurisdiction he may reside ; and a lodge can try a brother for unmasonic conduct , being a resident in their jurisdiction , although his membership may be with a lodge of a sister grand jurisdiction . —Min nesota .