On The Origin Of Grand Lodges And The Powers Of Grand Masters.

common to , and binding upon all the people of each ancl everv State , as the ancient charges and landmarks are upon , the whole Praternity of Preemasons . Whatever is of a general ancl universal nature , not local , but of a national importance , has been trusted under the Constitution to the General Government . No State , communitor individualcan properly violate its

y , , provisions ; but yet there are no powers belonging to the General Government or which it can properly exercise by implication merely ; none save those clearly contained in the Constitution itself . . All others are reserved to the States or to the people . So it is in the Masonic organizationas evidenced

, hy the ancient Constitutions , as found in the " old charges " of 1723—and though no national organisation exists , yet the repeated attempts to form one for the management of the most general features of the institution most clearly indicates the necessity for such an organization . So soon as the plan for forming

such an organization was presented , as the foregoing principles of our government has indicated , we see it adopted , and we trust to see it carried into successful operation ere three more years shall have elapsed .

But to continue our analogy , as the best method of expressing our ideas , the citizens of each State , liaving through their representatives , formed a general government for general purposes only , reserving to themselves all other powers and rights not thus expressly granted , have also delegated another portion of their rihts and powers to another organizationnamelya

g , , State Government , making all its powers subordinate to those general powers granted to the General Government , and j * et giving it a more particular control over the affairs and interests of each individual State ; yet even in this grant of power , every right not expressly granted , was reserved to the citizen , in his

individual capacity . So it is in the form of government in this institution . The Masons meet , through their delegates , and form a Grand Lodge , iu all its powers ever subordinate to the general Constitutions of the Order , confined in all its operations to its own jurisdictionand limited to the express provisions of

, its articles of formation . All other powers are reserved , and belong to Masons in their individual capacity . But the analogy extends even farther , ancl we

continue oui- illustrations because it is more familiar than any other that could be adduced . Most of our States , all , in fact , in a more or less complete form , are composed of little democracies , or communities , in which all citizens take a direct part in the transactions of government , such as the common school district ancl town of iNew Englandthe townshiand counties of

, ps the Middle ancl Western States , the counties and parishes of the South ancl South-west . In like manner , the Preemasons of each community form a Lodge , and meeting together as a pure democracy , make their own laws and legislate for themselves in all their oivn private and particular concerns , always

obedient to the will of the majority when properly expressed , and ever subservient to the grants of power they have made through their delegates to their respective Grand Lodges , and to the general Constitutions of the Order . Such is the nature of our organisation , ancl ivith a proper understanding of it , is dissipated into thin air , the—shall we say absurd—ideas of the inherent rights

ancl iiowers of Grand Lodges ancl then- original supremacy over subordinate Lodges ancl the craft . After this illustration of the nature of Grand Lodges , their rights , powers , and duties , that of Grand Masters will require but a word . They briefly possess none other than those directly conferred upon them

in those " old charges , " ancl in the Constitutions of their respective Grand Lodges , or such as are absolutely essential ancl necessary to the proper performance of the duties imposed upon them by those Constitutions and charges . All inherent and other claimed rights and powers not thus granted or by a

necessary implication to be inferred , never existed , but have been , in every instance , a mere assumption of poiver , the continual exercise of which never becomes perpetuated into a right . It is easy , also , after this to properly define the rihtsduties & c . of Lod the members of Lod

g , , ges , ges , and their representatives in Grand Lodges . Each Lodge undoubtedly possesses the right of expressing its opinion on any Masonic subject , and so far as such expression goes , of instructing its representatives in the Grand Lodge . Should any Lodge , however , vote

an instruction on every question to its delegate , and that delegate be bound to vote as instructed , there would be no further use for representatives in the Grand Lodge . A Grand Secretary to receive ancl record these votes , ancl a Grand Master to execute them when voted by a majorit }* , is all that would be necessaryThe exercise of the power of instruction

, also supposes that each Lodge is sufficiently wise in ancl of itself , ancl that its representatives can receive no light from communion with their brethren from other communities or Lodges . Such a supposition is arrogant ancl absurd , ancl yet it forms the basis , not only of th . argument for the right of instruction , but is also the

principal reason urged against the formation of a General Grand Body . It is the bane of all deliberative assemblies , ancl destructive of all enlightened legislation and all true progress in government . It presupposes tbe possession of that wisdom which can neither need nor receive enlihtenmentand often

g , places the party instructed in the awkward predicament of voting for what lie knows to be an absurdity , perhaps worse , or of dodging the question—not voting at all .

It is also easy to perceive as a necessary eorrollary from the preliminary remarks , that the presiding officer of a Masonic body necessarily possesses no other powers than those granted him , whether that officer be a Master or Grand Master . His business , when the Lodge is in session , is to preside as the president of any other boddoesbut it by no means

y , follows , unless it is so expressly named in the grant , that he is above all control of his fellow members . He is bound equally with them to laws of the Orderof the Lodge , of the Grand Lodge , and of the " old charges . " Should tiie Master , in the opinion of any one , offend as to any of these laws , an appeal lies to

his superior , as from a justice's court to the higher court of appellate jurisdiction , ancl should the Grand Master offend in the opinion of any , an appeal would lie to his peers , the members of the Grand Lodgein all cases , however , under such regulations as are legally enacted , and so that the harmony or progress of tho Order should not be disturbed . We have thus , at somo length , though more ob-