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CHAPTER V.

Of Grand Lodges in general.

A grand lodge consists of the masters and wardens of all the regular lodges within its jurisdiction, with the grand master at their head, the deputy grand master on his left, and the grand wardens in their proper places; attended also by the grand secretary, grand treasurer, grand marshal, grand sword bearer, grand tyler, grand pursuivant, and other necessary officers, as will be explained in the proper places; all of whom must be master masons.

No new lodge is acknowledged, nor can their officers be admitted into the grand lodge, until such new lodge is first regularly constituted, and registered by the authority of the grand lodge.

All past grand masters, past deputy grand masters, and past grand wardens, are considered as members of, and admitted to vote in, all grand lodges. By courtesy, as well as custom, past masters, past grand secretaries, and past grand treasurers, have the privilege of sitting in all grand lodges, and voting in such matters, as, by the rules of the grand lodge, they might or could have voted in, while in office.*

No master, warden, or other member of the grand lodge, should ever attend the same, without the jewels which he ought to wear in his own particular lodge, except for some good and sufficient reason to be allowed of in the grand lodge. And when the officer of any particular lodge, from such urgent business, or necessity, as may regularly plead his excuse, cannot personally attend the grand lodge, he may nominate and send a brother of his lodge, with his jewel and clothing, to supply his room, and support the honour of his lodge in the grand lodge.

A brother of eminence, and of the rank of master, having business, or whose attendance is necessary in any point of evidence or intelligence, may be admitted into the grand lodge upon motion, or leave asked and given; but such brother, thus admitted, shall have no vote, nor be allowed to speak to any question, without leave, or unless desired to give his opinion.

The grand lodge should meet four times a year statedly.

So long only as they continue members of a working lodge.

for quarterly communications,* and should also have occasional meetings and adjournments, monthly or otherwise, as business may require; and such meetings shall be held in the hall of the grand lodge, unless for some particular reason the grand master should think fit to appoint some other place of special meeting.

All matters in the grand lodge shall be determined by a majority of votes, each member having one vote, unless the grand lodge leave any particular thing to the determination of the grand master.

The business of the grand lodge, whether at quarterly communications or other meetings, is seriously to communicate and consider, transact and settle all matters that concern the prosperity of the craft and the fraternity in general, or private lodges and brethren in particular. Thus all differences, that cannot be accommodated privately, nor by a particular lodge, are to be seriously considered and decided. And if any brother thinks himself aggrieved by such decision, he may, by lodging an appeal in writing with the grand secretary, have the matter reheard, and finally determined upon at the next ensuing quarterly com munication, provided it be not the annual grand lodge, or the feast days of St. John; on which, by the new and wise regulations, it is agreed and ordered that no petitions or appeals shall be heard, nor any business transacted, that tends to interrupt the harmony of the assembly; but all shall be referred to the next meeting of the grand lodge. And, in general, whatever business cannot be transacted or finished at any one meeting of the grand lodge, may be either adjourned to the next, or referred to a proper committee, to be by them heard, considered and reported upon to the said next meeting.

The officers of all private lodges, under the jurisdiction of the grand lodge, shall, at every quarterly communication, (except the distant lodges, which shall annually on or before the festival of Saint John the Evangelist) deliver an exact list of such members as have been made, or even admitted by them, since the last preceding communication; and books shall be kept in the grand lodge, by some able brother to be appointed grand secretary, in which the said lists and returns shall be duly recorded; together with all the lodges in communication, the usual times and

• In some of the states the meetings of the grand lodge take place semi. annually.

places of their assembly, and the names of all their members. In the said books are also to be registered, all the proceedings, and other affairs of the grand lodge, which are proper to be written.

The grand lodge shall likewise consider of the most prudent and effectual means of collecting, and managing, what money may accrue to the general charity fund.

SECTION 11.

Of the Election of the Grand Master.

The grand lodge must meet in some convenient place, in order to elect new or reappoint the old officers, and such election or reappointment shall be made in such season that the grand lodge may be completely organized, and duly prepared for the celebration of the annual feast in June, and other important business of the season.

The election shall be made either by holding up of hands or by ballot, as may be agreed by the majority, on motion made and seconded for that purpose; provided always, that the brother recommended by the grand master in office, as his successor, be the first voted for, either by holding up of hands or by ballot, and if he is not chosen, the other candidates in the order they were proposed, until one has the majority of voices or ballots. When the election is thus made, he is to be proclaimed, installed and saluted, if present; but if not present, a day

is to be appointed for this ceremony. The ceremony of installing the new grand master is to be conducted by the last grand master; but he may, nevertheless, order any brother well skilled in the ceremony to assist him, or to act as his deputy, on the occasion.

In case the new grand master, when nominated or chosen, cannot attend at the time appointed for his instalment, he may be installed by proxy, on signifying his acceptance of the office; but such proxy must be either the last or a former grand master, or else a very reputable past master.

SECTION III.

Of the Election or Appointment of the Deputy Grand Master.

The last grand master thus continued, or a new grand my ster thus appointed and installed, hath an inherent right

to nominate and appoint the deputy grand master; because, as the grand master cannot be supposed to be able to give his attendance on every emergency, it hath been always judged necessary, not only to allow him a deputy, but that such deputy should be a person in whom he can perfectly confide, and with whom he can have full harmony.

SECTION IV.

Of the Grand Wardens.

The grand lodge has the right of electing the grand wardens, and any member has a right to propose one or both the candidates, either the old wardens, or new ones; and the two persons who have the majority of votes or ballots, are declared duly elected.

SECTION V.

Of the Grand Secretary.

The office of grand secretary hath become of very great importance in the grand lodge. All the transactions of the lodge are to be drawn into form, and duly recorded by him. All petitions, applications and appeals, are to pass through his hands. No warrant, certificate or instrument of writing from the grand lodge, is authentic, without his attestation and signature, and his affixing the grand seal, as the laws require. The general correspondence with lodges and brethren over the whole world, is to be managed by him, agreeably to the voice of the grand lodge, and directions of the grand master or his deputy, whom he must, therefore, be always ready to attend, with the books of the lodge, in order to give all necessary information concerning the general state of matters, and what is proper to be done upon any emergency,

For these reasons, at every annual election or appointment of grand officers, the nomination or appointment of the grand secretary has been considered as the right of the grand master, being properly his amanuensis, and an officer as necessary to him as his deputy. But in America, grand masters, not being tenacious of prerogative, have relinquished this privilege; and the grand secretary is chosen by nomination and vote of the grand lodge.

The grand secretary, by virtue of his office, is a member of the grand lodge, and may sit and vote accordingly.

The grand secretary may have an assistant, with the consent of the grand lodge: but he will not be considered as a member, nor admitted to vote.

SECTION VI.

Of the Election and Office of Grand Treasurer.

The grand treasurer is elected by the body of the grand lodge, in the same manner as the grand wardens; he being considered as an officer peculiarly responsible to all the members in due form assembled, as having the charge of their common stock and property. To him is committed the care of all money raised for the general charity, and other uses of the grand lodge; an account of which he is regularly to enter in a book, with the respective uses for which the several sums are intended. He is likewise to pay out, or expend the same upon such orders, signed, as the rules of the grand lodge in this respect shall allow to be valid.

The grand treasurer, by virtue of his office, is a member of the grand lodge. He shall always be present in the lodge, and ready to attend the grand master, and other grand officers, with his books for inspection when required; and likewise any committee that may be appointed for adjusting and examining his accounts.

SECTION VII.

Of the Grand Tyler, and Grand Pursuivant.

These officers of the grand lodge must be master masons, but none of them are members of the grand lodge. The tyler's duty is to attend at the door, to see that none but members enter into the lodge.

The business of the pursuivant is to stand at the inward door of the grand lodge, and to report the names and titles of all that want admittance, as given to him by the tyler. He is also to go upon messages, and perform other services known in the lodge.

The grand deacons, whose duty is well known in the grand lodge, as particular assistants to the grand master and senior warden, in conducting the business of the lodge, are always members of the same; and may be either nominated occasionally on every lodge night, or appointed annually.

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