OLD REGULATIONS. NEW REGULATIONS. This old and laudable practice often renders a deputy necessa secretary, shall at least once go round and visit all the lodges about town during his master-ry: when he visits them, the se ship. XXI. If the grand-master dies during his mastership; or by sickness, or by being beyond sea, or any other way to be rendered incapable of discharging his office, the deputy, or in his absence the senior grand warden, or in his absence the junior grand warden, or in his absence any three masters of lodges shall assemble at the grand lodge immediately, in order to advise together upon the emergency, and to send two of their number to invite the last grand nior grand warden acts as deputy, the junior as the senior, as above; or if both, or any of them be absent, the deputy, or he that presides for him, may appoint whom he pleases in their stead, pro tempore.* For when both the grandmasters are absent, the senior or junior grand warden may preside as deputy in visiting the lodges, or in the constitution of a new lodge; neither of which can be done without at least one of the present grand officers; except in places at too great a distance from the grand lodge, and in such case some faithful brother, who has passed the chair, &c. shall have a proper deputation under the grand lodge seal,t for the constituting of such new lodge or lodges, in distant or remote countries, where the grand officers cannot possibly attend. XXI. Upon such a vacancy, if no former grand-master, nor former deputy be found, the present senior grand warden fills the chair, or in his absence the junior, till a new grand-master is chosen; and if no present nor former grand warden be found, then the oldest free-mason who is now the master of a lodge. This privilege is generally given up to the master of the oldest lodge, without regard to the age of the man, or the time he was made. The brother appointed must be a master mason. The grand-master, or his deputy, may use their private seals; but if the order is made in their absence, the grand lodge seal must be affixed thereto. OLD REGULATIONS. master to resume his office, which now of course reverts to him; and if he refuses to act, then the next last, and so backward: but if no former grandmaster be found, the present deputy shall act as principal till a new grand-master is chosen; or if there be no deputy, then the oldest mason, the present master of a lodge. XXII. The brethren of all the regular lodges in and near the city of London, shall meet in some convenient place on every St. John's day; and when business is over, they may repair to their festival dinners, as they shall think most convenient; and when St. John's day happen to be on a Sunday, then the public meeting shall be on the next Monday. The grand lodge must meet in some convenient place on St. John the evangelist's day, in every year, in order to proclaim the new, or recognize the old grand-master, deputy and grand wardens. NEW REGULATIONS, XXII. Or any brethren a round the globe, who are true and faithful members of the ancient craft, at the place appointed, till they have built a place of their own; but none but the members of the grand lodge are admitted within the doors dur. ing the elections of grand officers. N. B. It is the general custom to choose the grand officers a considerable time before St. John's day, viz. on the first Wednesday in December, or sooner. XXIII. If the present grand- XXIII. Application shall be master shall consent to conti- made to the grand-master, by nue a second year, then one of the deputy, or such brother the grand lodge, deputed for whom the grand lodge shall apthat purpose, shall represent to point, in case of his failure, at all the brethren, his worship's (least one month before St. John good government, &c. and turn- the evangelist's day, in order to ing to him, shall, in the name enquire whether his worship of the grand lodge, humbly re- will do the fraternity the great quest him to do the fraternity honour, or kindness, of continuthe great honour, if nobly born, ing in his office a second year, if not, the great kindness, of or of nominating his successor; continuing to be their grand-and if his worship should at that master for the year ensuing; time happen to be out of town, and his worship declaring his or the person whom he shall consent thereto, in manner he think proper to succeed him; OLD REGULATIONS." thinks proper, the grand secretary shall thrice proclaim him aloud, Grand-Master of Masons.* All the members of the grand lodge shall salute him in due form, according to the ancient and laudable custom of free masons. NEW REGULATIONS. then the secretary shall write to either, or both, concerning the same, the copies of which letters shall be transcribed in the transaction book of the grand lodge, as also the answers received. XXIV. The present grand- XXIV. This is the general master shall nominate his suc-practice of grand lodges, for cessor for the year ensuing; they seldom or never disapprove who, if unanimously approved the choice. of by the grand lodge, and there The present grand-master present, he shall be proclaimed, may order any brother, well saluted and congratulated, the skilled in the ceremony, to asnew grand-master, as before sist him in installing the new hinted; and immediately install-grand-master. ed by the last grand-master, ac cording to an ancient usage.t But if that nomination is not There has been no occasion unanimously approved, the new for this old regulation in our grand-master shall be chosen time, the grand lodge, as before, immediately by ballot, viz. ev-having constantly approved of ery master and warden writing the grand-master's choice; and his man's name, and the last my reason for inserting it is, grand-master writing his man's lest any brother acquainted with name too, and the man whose the old constitutions, should name the last grand-master think the omitting it a defection. shall first take out casually, or by chance, shall be grand-master of masons for the year ensuing: and if present, he shall be proclaimed, saluted, and congratulated, as before hinted, and forthwith installed by the last grand-master, according to u sage. *The masons of old addressed their grand-masters by the title of right worshipful; but the modern masons, by a refinement peculiar to themselves, give the title of right worshipful, to every master of a private lodge. And that of most worshipful not only to their grand-master, but even to the deputies of provincials. This is a most noble and grand ceremony, but cannot be described in writing, nor ever known to any but master-masons. OLD REGULATIONS. NEW REGULATIONS. XXV. 1. The last grand- XXV. 1. A deputy was al master thus continued, or the ways needful when the grand new grand-master thus install-master was nobly born, and this ed, shall next, as his inherent old regulation has been always right, nominate and appoint his practised in our time. deputy grand-master, either the last or a new one, who shall also be proclaimed, saluted and congratulated in due form. 2. The new grand-master 2. This old regulation has shall also nominate his new sometimes been found inconvegrand wardens; and, if unani-nient; therefore the grand lodge mously approved by the grand reserve to themselves the eleclodge, they shall also be forth-tion of grand wardens; where with proclaimed, saluted, and congratulated in due form. XXVI. That if the brother whom the present grand-master shall nominate for his successor, or whom the grand lodge shall choose by ballot, as above, be out of town, and has returned his answer, that he will accept of the office of grand-master, he shall be proclaimed, as before in old regulation XXIII. and may be installed by proxy, which proxy must be the present or former grand-master, who shall act in his name, and receive the usual honours, homage and congratulations. XXVII. Every grand lodge has an inherent power and authority to make new regulations, or to alter these for the real benefit of the ancient fraternity, provided always, that the old land marks be carefully preserved, and that such new regulations and alterations be proposed and agreed to by the grand lodge, and that they be any member has a right to nominate one, and the two persons who have the majority of votes, still preserving due harmony, are declared duly elected. XXVI. The proxy must be either the last or former grandmaster, or else a very reputable brother. Nor is the new deputy, nor the grand wardens, allowed proxies when appointed. XXVII. All the alterations, or new regulations above written, are only for amending or explaining the old regulations for the good of masonry, without breaking in upon the ancient rules of the fraternity, still preserving the old land marks; and were inade at several times, as occasion offered, by the grand lodge, who have an inherent OLD REGULATIONS. NEW REGULATIONS. submitted to the perusal of all power of amending what may the brethren in writing, whose be thought inconvenient, and approbation and consent, or the ample authority of making new majority thereof, is absolutely regulations for the good of freenecessary to make the same masonry, which has not been binding and obligatory; which disputed; for the members of must, therefore, after the new the grand lodge are truly the grand-master is installed, be so-representatives of all the fraterlemnly desired and obtained nity, according to old regulafrom the grand lodge, as it was tion X. for these old regulations, by a great number of brethren. END OF THE OLD REGULATIONS. Regulations for the Government of the Grand Lodge, during the time of public business. XVIII. 1. That no brothers be admitted into the grand lodge, but the immediate members thereof, viz. the four present and all former grand officers, the treasurer and secretary, the masters, wardens, and past masters, of all regular lodges, except a brother who is a petitioner, or a witness in some case, or one called in by motion. 2. That at the third stroke of the grand-master's gavel, there shall be a general silence; and that he who breaks silence, without leave from the chair, shall be publickly reprimanded. 3. That under the same penalty every brother shall keep his seat, and keep strict silence whenever the grand-master or deputy shall think fit to rise from the chair, and call to order. 4. That in the grand lodge every member shall keep in his seat, (according to the number of his lodge) and not move about from place to place during the communication, except the grand wardens, as having more immediately the care of the grand lodge. 5. That no brother is to speak but once to the same affair, unless to explain himself, or when called upon by the chair to speak. 6. Every one that speaks shall rise, and keep standing, addressing himself in a proper manner to the chair; nor shall any presume to interrupt him, under the aforesaid pen |