M A S O N I CE

PARLIAME NTARY LAWAPPLIED TO THE

GO VE RNME NT O F MASO NIC BO DIES .

A G U D E FO R I

T HE T RA N S ACT O N O F I B US I NE S S IN LO D G E S ,

CO MMAN D E RIE S .

BY

A LBE RT G . MA C "E Y M D ,
; .
,

P A'S T G E NE RA L G RA N D 91 011
-
P RI E S T , u . s . A . A UT H O R o r T H E E N C Y C LO PE DI A o p

PH I L AD E LP HI A
Mo s s C O MP A N Y ,

4 3 2 C H ES T N U T S T RE E T .
 C O NT E NTS .

C HA P TE R I .

PRELIMI N RY A
C H AP TE R II .

OR B U
S IN E SS DO DG E S AND ,
b W
F OR" G L
IN O D GFS .

C HAP TE R III .

OF A QU U M
OR

C HAP TE R IV .

C HAPT E R V .

C HAP TE R VI I .

OF T HE MO T IO N ITS E L F , A ND H O W IT MUST BE O FF DE RE

C H APTE R VIII .

OF T HE DE B A
TE , A ND H W OMU DU
IT ST BE C O N CT ED
 C O NT E NT S .

C H APTE R I X .

OF THE VO TE , A ND H o w MU
IT A"E
ST B E T N .

C H A P TE R X .

OF T HE U
A NN O N C E ME NT O F THE D E CI S I O N , A ND H o w IT U
M ST BE

MAD E .

C H AP TE R XI .

OF S U DA
BS I I RY MO T I O NS

C HAP TE R X II .

D
O F A ME N ME NTS

C H AP TE R X III .

OF T HE MO T IO N To AMEN D AN A MEN MENT D

C HA P TE R XIV .

OF THE MO T IO N To LI E H TA
ON T EE BL

C HA P E R T XV .

OF T HE MO T I O N To P O ST PO N E I ND E F N I IT ELY

C H AP TE R XVI . .

OF THE MO T I O N TO PO STPO N E A D CE A
To AY RT IN

C HA PTE R XVII .

OF THE MO T I O N T O C O MMIT

C HAP TE R XVIII .

OF I N D EN A QU
CI T L E ST I O N S

C H A P TE R XIX .

OF QU E ST I O NS O F OR D ER
C HAPTE R XX .

OF QU E S T I O NS FO R RE A G PA
D IN PE RS
 C O NT E N T S . ix

C H APTE R XX I .

OF QU E S T I O NS O N L A E W H D AW M
E V TO IT R O T I O NS

C H AP TE R XXII .

OF QUE S T I O NS O N SU D G A RU
SPE N IN LE

C H APTE R XXIII .

OF QU E S T I O NS O N CA G Y
LL I N NA FO R T H E E As A N D YS

C HAPTE R XXI V .

OF QU EST I O NS O F P RIV I L EG E

C HAPTE R XXV .

O F PR IV I LE G ED QU E S T I O NS

C H AP TE R XXV I .

OF THE MO T I O N FO R R DE A
E C O NS I R T IO N

C HAP TE R XXVII .

OF T HE MO T I O N FO R RE DE A
C O NS I H BA R T IO N O F T E LLO T

C H AP TE R XXVIII .

O F S P ECI A L ORDE RS .

C HA P E R T XXI X .

OF THE OR D ER OF B US IN ES S
C H APTE R XXX .

OF T HE APPO I N T MENT AND FU C MM

N CT I O N S O F O ITT EES

C HAP TE R XXX I .

OF T HE RE PO RT OF A C MM EE O ITT

C HAP TE R XXX II .

OF T HE RE PO RT OF A C MM EE C HA A E
O ITT ON R CT R
x C O NT E NT S .

C HAPT E R XXX III .

OF F I LLI NG B LAN"S

C HAP TE R XXX IV .

O F CO -
G QU
E X I ST I N E ST IO N S

C HAP TE R XXXV .

OF T HE D IV I S I O N OF T H QU
E EST I O N

C H APTE R XXXVI .

O F AmE ND ME NT s T o T HE BY LAws
-

C H AP TE R XXXVII .

O F NO MI N A T I O NS T o O FF IC E

C H AP TE R XXXVIII .

OF T HE CO N F MA
IR H M U
T IO N O F T E IN T ES
 P RE F A C E .

R WI LSO N in h is ve ry ab le n es t of P arliam en
.
,

ta ry La w ha s re m ar k ed tha t it wo uld b e well fo r

,

p erso n s pres idin g at m ee t in gs o f a n y de s crip t i o n to m ak e

t he m selves fam ili ar with th e rule s o f Parli am en t in regard to

q ue st i o n s an d am end m en ts which ha ve b een te s te d b y l o n g

experience and are fo und as s i m ple an d ef cien t in pract ice
, ,

as t hey are l o ic al in p rinciple

g .

Much experience in c o nduc t in g th e b us ine ss o f Mas o nic

bo dies o r in seeing it c o nduc ted b y o thers h as c o nvin ced
, ,

m e th at a tre at i s e which s h o uld in pers picu o u s l an gu ag e pre

, ,

s cri b e th e ru le s fo rth e go vern m en t o fLo d ge s C h ap ters o r any

, ,

o t her ass e m b lie s o f Maso n s in t heir Mas o nic cha r ac t er c o ul d ,

not f ai l if pr o perly execu t ed t o b e o f s ervice to th e C raft

, , .

I t is evident th at when o n e is fo r th e rs t t i m e c al led to

, ,

pres ide o ver a Lo d ge o f F reem as o n s he m ust c om e to th e

,

p e rfo rm ance o f that i m p o rtan t dut y ei ther wi th no kn o wl

,

ed ge whatever o f the rules o f o rder that go vern th e pro ce e d

in gs o f deli b erat ive bo die s o r wi th a fam ili ari ty wi th th o se
,

rule s o nly that are exclus ively derived from th e o rdin ary
parli am en tary law .

Fr o m ei ther o f the s e c o ndi t i o n s erro rs m u st inevi tab ly

,

a ris e
. He wh o k n o ws n o thin g o f th e rules which d irec t a n d
go vern deli b erat ive bo die s will when he tak e s th e O rie n tal
, ,
x P RE F A CE .

ch ir nd hi m s el f at n abso lu te l o ss to c o n t ro l a de bate o r
a ,
a

to p t a q ue s t i o n
u H e wh o derive s h is k n o wled g e fr o m o nly
.

th e g eneral principle s o f p arli m en tary law will b e c o n t i n a ,

u ally c o m m i t t in g err o rs b y a pplyin g th o s e principle s wi t h ,

o u t m o dic at i o n t o th e go vern m en t O f a Lo d g e
,
.

Th e b us ine ss o f Mas o nic b o dies m u st b e c o nduc ted b y e s

tablish e d rule s ; bu t t he s e rule s di f fer in m any re s pec ts fro m
t h o s e which g o vern o t her as s em b lie s A p ro per text b o o k .
-

o f Maso nic parli am en t ry law S h o uld b e o n e in which th e

a

law o f P arli am en t s h o uld b e g iven as it is m o died b y th e

hi gher law o f Mas o nry ; so that th e pre s idi ng o fcer o f a
Lo d g e o r C h ap ter m ay n d in it th e au th o ri t y fo r h is deci
s i o n s o n po i n ts o f o rder an d a
gu ide fo r th e direc t i o n o fh is
,

c o nduc t in c o n t ro llin g th e deli b erat i o n s an d di s cuss i o n s o f

th e b re thre n o ver wh o m he h as b een pl a ced .

Manu als o f p arli am en tary law are n o t u nc o m m o n But .

unless they are acc o m panied b y t h o s e m o d ic at i o n s which

mak e t he m applic able to Mas o nic law t hey a e n o t o nly us e ,
r

le ss bu t pro duc tive o f erro r to th e Mas o n wh o take s the m fo r

,

h is gu ide .

A b o o k which s h o uld p o in t o u t th e e ss en t i al di fference s

b e tween th e o rdinary law o f P arli am en t and th e parliam e n
ta ry l w o f Mas o nry h as never hi ther to b een wri tte n
a , T he .

pre s en t wo rk as an ini t i at ive atte m pt to s upply a l o n g re

,

c o g ni ed deciency is fratern lly O ffered to t h e C raft

z , a .

A LBE RT G MA C"E Y M D . . . .

1 44 M S 0 WA H G
T .
, D C S IN TO N, . .

May I , 1875 .
 PARLIAMENTARY LAW
A P P LI E D TO T HE

GO VE RNME NT OF MASO NIC BO DIES .

C H A PT E R I .

P RE LIMIN A RY .

A RLIA ME NTA RY La w or the Lax Par ,

lza m en ta m a is tha t unwri tt en la w originally

'

collected out of records and p recedents * for the

government of th e Parliamen t of Great Britain
in the transac tion of its business and s u bs e ,

quen tly adopted w i th necessary modications

, ,

by the Congress O f th e U nit ed S ta t es .

I t must not be supposed from th e name that , ,

no such law was known before the esta blish

ment of the B ritish Parliamen t It is evident .

that at all time s when and in all countries where

, ,

deliberative bodies have exis t ed it must have ,

been found necessary t o esta blish some regula

S uch i
s th e deni ti n o o f S ir E dw rd C ke a o
z
I4 M ASO NIC P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

tions by which busin e ss migh t be facili ta t ed .

The parliamen tary law of E ngland and A merica

has been reduc e d by long experience t o th e
accu racy of a science bu t it is well k n own that
,

o t her though simpler sys t ems prevailed in for

, ,

mer t imes I n t h e Roman S ena t e for ins ta nce

.
, ,

al though j udging fro m th e charac t er of such

,

produc tions as Cicero s O ra tions against Ca ti

line and his P hilippics agains t A n t ony rules of

, ,

o rde r could n o t have been rigidly enforced ; ye t

we know from his toric evidence tha t the pro
c e e din s of that body were regula t ed by an
g
established sys t em of rules The parliamentary .

law of Rome wa s n o t so ex tensive as tha t of

E ngland o r A merica bu t it was jus t as posi tive
, ,

for all th e pu rposes which it was intended to

accomplish Thus th e times and places of meet
.
,

i ng and adjou rnmen t of t h e S ena te th e q u ali ,

ca t ions o f its members th e number tha t cons ti ,

t u t e d a quorum and th e mode and manner of

,

t aking th e q u es t ion o r of p roposing and perfect

ing a la w were all absolu t ely dened by s ta tutory

,

regula tions th e in t en tion of w hich was to secu re ,

a fai thful and orderly t ransac tion o f public bu si

n ess . A simil a r sys t em p revailed in all th e o ther
cou n t ries of an t iqui ty w here delibera tive bodies
,

exis t ed I n th e popular assemblies of t h e

.
 M ASO NIC P A RL IA ME N T A R Y LA W
. I S

Greeks in their S ena t e of Five Hu ndred their

,
'
,

Cou rt o f A re o pag u s and in all their legal or ,

poli t ical mee tings t h e business was condu cted

,

by es tablished r u les of order .

Bu t wha t was found requisi t e for th e regu la

t ion of public bodies tha t order migh t be secured
,

and th e righ t s of all be respec t ed has been ,

fou nd equally necessary in priva t e socie ties .

I ndeed no associa tion of men could mee t

,

t oge ther for th e discussion of any subj ec t wi t h ,

th e sligh t es t probabili t y of ever coming to a

conclusion unless its deba tes were regulated by

,

cer tain and acknowledged rules .

The rules t hus adopted for its governmen t are

called its parliamen tary law and t hey are select ed ,

from th e parliamentary law of th e na tional as

s e m bly because t ha t code has been ins t i t u t ed
,

by the w isdom of pas t ages and m odied and ,

p erfec t ed by th e experience of Subsequen t ones ,

so tha t it is now universally ackno wledged that

there is no be tter sys t em of government for
delibera tive socie t ies than th e cod e which has so
long been in Opera tion under the name of Par
lia m e n ta ry La w .

Ha ts e ll in his well kno w n work on

,
P rece

den ts o f th e P roceedings of th e H ouse of Com

mons cites the remark of Mr S peaker O nslow
,

.
16 M ASO NIC P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

t ha t

t h e forms ins t i t u t ed by ou r ancestors
opera t ed as a check and con trol o n th e ac t ions
of th e maj ori ty and were in m any ins tances a
,

shel t er and p ro t ec t ion to th e minori ty against

t h e a t t empt s of power A nd Ha t s e ll himself
. ,

w h o se long experience as Clerk of the Com

mons gives his Opinio n a peculiar weight of
authori ty says t ha t it is n o t so material t hat
, ,

t h e rule S hould be established on t h e foundation

of sou nd reason an d argumen t as it is t hat order , ,

decency an d regularity S hould prevail in a nu

,

"
m e ro u s assembly .

O f cou rs e as private societies are restrained

,

within inferior limi t s exercise less extensive ,

powers and diffe r in t heir organi z ation and in

,

the obj ec t s of their associa tion many portions ,

o f the parliamen tary law which are necessary ,

in th e busin ess of P arliamen t or Congress must ,

be inapplicable to them Bu t so fa r as their .

,

peculiar character requires th e parliam entary ,

la w has been adop t ed for the government of

t hese socie t ies .

S eeing then h o w necessary it is t hat every

, ,

associa tion convened for delibera t ive pu rposes

,
,

should have specic rules for it s government ,

and seeing also tha t j us t such a code of rules ,

the result of the sagaci t y of wise m e n and well ,

 MA S O N IC PA RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W . I7

tried by the experie n ce of several cen tu ries is to ,

be found in th e parliamen tary law it is su rpris ,

ing that any one S hould be found who would

obj ec t t o t h e applica t ion of this law to the gov
e rn m e n t of Masonic bodies ; and yet there are

Masons who really believe tha t th e governmen t

of a Lodge or Chap ter by parliamentary law
would be an infringemen t on th e ancien t land
m arks and a viola t ion of th e spirit of the I nsti
,

t u t io n
. A nd these men t o o at th e very time of
, ,

their obj ec t ing are bene ting by the ligh t s and

,

following th e direc tions of t his very law to ,

w hich t hey appear to be so inimical ; for no pre

siding O fc e r can recogni z e speaker pu t a ,

ques t ion or decide th e resul ts of a division

,

wit hou t referring for th e man n er in which t hese

du ties are performed to the usages of parlia
mentary law .

There are it is true on th e o ther ha nd so m e

, , ,

Masons not well ins t ruc ted in th e ju risprudence

,

of th e O rder and n o t conversan t wi th those

,

peculiari t ies of the orga ni z a tion in w hich it dif ,

fers from other associa t ions wh o would apply to ,

it indiscrimina t ely th e rules of parliamen tary la w ,

and t hus would decide many ques tions con t rary

to the S piri t of the I ns t i t u t ion Bo th of these .

are wrong There is a m ez z o te rm zn e or neu

'

.
,

2 * B
IS M AS O NI C P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

t ral grou nd on which it i s wises t to res t H ere

, . ,

as else w here , a m iddle cou rse will be fou nd t h e

safes t : Me dia tu tzs sz m u s z zs w e S hall con sult
' '

tru t h and proprie t y by avoiding all ex t remes .

The t ru e s ta t e O f t h e case is this : Mason ry

has an organi z a t ion peculiar to i t self W he rever .

t his organiza t ion comes in conic t with t ha t of

o ther associa t io ns the parliamentary la w will be

,

inapplicable W here on the contrary this o r

.
, ,

a n iz a t io n does not diff e r in a Lodge from t ha t

g
of o ther delibera t ive bodies t h e rules of order ,

by which su ch a Lodge should be governed will

be best fou nd in the p rovisions O f the pa rliam e n
ta ry la w . Let u s illustra t e this by examples .

U nder th e opera tion of th e u nwri t ten law of

Masonry a Lodge canno t adj ou rn bu t mu s t be ,

closed by th e W orshipful Master at his g o od will

and pleasu re N ow in th e parliamentary law
.
,

there are provisions for th e governmen t of a d

j o u rn m e n ts such for instance as tha t a mo tion
, , ,

t o t hat e ffec t is a lways in order and mu s t t ake ,

precedence of every o ther mo t ion This rule is .

applicable to all socie ties w herein th e members

have reserved to t hemselves th e right of adjou rn
men t ; bu t is wholly inadmissible in a Masonic
Lodge where no su ch righ t exis t s I f then a
, .
, ,

mo tion for adjournmen t should be made in a

 M AS O NI C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 9
Lodge it wou ld n o t be necessary t ha t th e pre
,

siding O fce r should refer for his ins t ruc tion to

th e provisions of parlia m en tary la w in reference

to adjournmen t H e should a t once declare t h e

.

proceeding o u t of order and properly refuse to ,

en tertain t h e mo t ion .

Again al though th e members of a Lodge can

,

n o t selec t th e time o f adjou rnmen t t hey have an ,

u ndoub ted righ t t o close at any time a deba te ,

in which th e Lodge may be engaged when t hey ,

deem it i m proper or inexpedien t to con tinu e th e

discussion N o w t here are various modes of
.
,

closing a deba t e all of which are dened and

,

regula ted by parliamen tary law O ne of t hese .

is by a call for th e previous ques tion Al though .

there is no posi tive la w on th e subjec t ye t t h e ,

spiri t of comi ty and cou r tesy w hich prevails in

th e I ns ti tu t ion th e au thori ty of t h e bes t Masonic
,

j urists and th e general usage of th e Fra t erni ty

, ,

have concurred in th e decision tha t th e previous ,

ques tion canno t be m oved in a Masonic Lodg e .

All th e provisions therefore of th e pa rliam e n

, ,

t ary law which refer to t h e subj ec t of th e pre

,

v io u s qu es t ion are inapplicable in Masonry and

, ,

need n o t be s tudied by th e Mas t er of a Lodge .

Bu t th e o ther me thods of closing a deba te are

n o t in t his ca tego ry These m e thods are to
.
,
20 MA S O N IC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

pos tpone to a time certain to postpone inde ,

n it e l
,y and to lay on th e t able E ach O f t hese
.

methods mu s t be inaugu ra t ed by a mo tion to

t ha t effect and t hese mo t ions are regula t ed by
,

parliamen tary law having each an o rder of pri

,

o rity and preference and two of them being

,

deba ta ble as to th e expediency of adop t ion ,

while t h e t hird ad m i t s of no discussion bu t mus t ,

be pu t t o t h e assembly immedia t ely aft er it is

made I n all of t hese cases it is necessary t ha t
.
,

th e p residing ofcer should be conversan t wi t h

t h e parlia m en tary law in th e premis es if he ,

would avoid confusion and facilita t e the despa t ch

of business .

N o t only t hen is a t horough kno wledge of

, ,

parliamen tary law necessary for th e presiding

o fcer of a Masonic body if he would discharge ,

t h e du t ies of th e chair w i t h credi t to himself and

comfor t to t h e members bu t he mus t be pos ,

sessed of th e addi tional in forma tion as t o wha t

par ts of tha t la w are applicable to Masonry and ,

w hat part s are n o t ; as t o where and when he

mu s t refer to it for th e decision of a qu es t ion ,

and where and when he mus t lay it aside and ,

rely for his governmen t upon t h e organic la w

and the ancien t usages of th e I ns ti tu tion .

H ence a trea t ise which shall accu ra t ely de

 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 21

ne the parliamen ta ry la w in its application to

th e governmen t of Masonic bodies S howing pre ,

c is e ly the poin ts in which it m ust be pursued and

t hose in which it mus t be abandoned which

shall indica t e the al terna ting prominence of th e

parliamentary law and th e organic law of Ma
so mry and which shall t hus present the pre
,

siding o fce r with a chart poin ting out the intri

,

ca t e channels and hidden rocks and u nder

currents which render every discussion in a
deliberative body liable to confusion which give ,

rise to turbulence which needlessly pro t rac t

,

business and make doub tful the success of

,

t ruth cannot be unaccep table or u nprotable

as a contribution to th e ju risprudence of th e
O rder .

I purpose then in th e present work to under

, , ,

ta ke such a task Dening accu rately the pre

. , ,

ro ative s O f the chair and the privileges of

g
the members and th e difference between th e
,

bu s iness and the we re of a Lodge t erms ,

of great signicance and which have a n import

,

ant bearing upon th e rela tions of the parlia

mentary law with the law of Masonry I S hall ,

proceed t o lay down th e rules and regula tions

by which the Mas t er of a Lodge may be enabled
to conduct the b u siness of th e body over which
22 MA S O N IC P A R L I A ME N T A R Y L A W .

he has been called to preside according to those

well se ttled principles of government by which
alone confusion can be arres t ed and o rde r pre
se rved .

A l t hough the t erm Master o f a Lodge is u sed

for th e sake of brevi t y of expression and to ,

avoid a needless aug m enta tion of words it mu s t ,

be u nders t ood tha t th e remarks made in refer

ence t o tha t o fcer are equally applicable to th e
presiding o fcer of higher bodies such as Chap ,

ters Councils and Commanderies u nless th e

, , ,

charac t er of th e remark i tself or a specic notice

,

made a t th e t im e should indica t e tha t th e prin

,

c i le laid down is t o be res t ricted t o symbolic

p
Mason ry .

Bu t it mu s t n o t be inferred t ha t what is said

of th e governmen t of subordinate Lodges o r
Chap t ers Councils or C ommanderies is equally
, ,

applicable to th e Grand Bodies in those re s pe c

t ive divisions of the Ri t e A Grand Lodge for
.
,

ins tance has a differen t organiza tion from that

,

of its subordina tes The prerogatives O f a

.

Grand Mas ter are more ex t ensive than those of

a Mas t er ; and the p rivileges of the representa
t iv e s who make up t h e governing body are

necessarily superior to those which inu re to th e

members of the subordinate bodies H ence .
 MA S O N I C P A RL AI ME NT A R Y LA W . 23

there is some discrimina t ion to be obse rved i n

the application of th e parliamentary law to the
government of Grand Lodges Grand Chapters , ,

Grand C ou ncils and Grand Commanderies

,
.

The s e will t herefore be on appropria te occa ,

sion s s pecically referred to as well as made in

, ,

distinct chapters th e sp ecial subj ects of investi

a tio n
g .

I n the next chapter I shall en t er as a pre lim i ,

nary labor in t o an inquiry as t o what are the

,

preroga tives of th e Mas ter of a Lodge and as to ,

what are the privileges of its members ; an in

quiry which will necess a rily include a discus s ion
of tha t importan t and in t eresting qu estion "

W hat is the difference be tween th e war/e and th e

bu s in es s of a Lodge ? This indeed will be found , ,

to be as we go on a key for th e solution of

, ,

many of th e most difcul t problem s of Masonic

parliamentary law .
 C H A PTE R II .

OF B US INE SS LO D G E S A N D OF WO R"ING LO D G E S .

MO N G the differen ces which distin g uish a

Masonic Lodge from any other society one ,

of the most peculiar is t hat the Lodge presents ,

i tself to u s in the twofold aspect of an associa

t ion for business a nd an associatio n fo r work .

The du s zne ss of a Lodge is t ha t which it does in

'

common with o ther socie ties ; su ch fo r instance , ,

as th e regula t ion of its nancial affairs and the

adop tion of su ch measu res as circu ms tan ces may
from t ime to time require for th e good of th e ,

Lodge or the convenience of its membe rs The

, .

wane of a Lodge is t h e t echnical term in t e nded

to deno t e th e recep tion of candidates and the
*
conferring of degrees .

The business of a Lodge is condu cted u nder

the parliamentary law so far as it is n o t re pu g ,

nan t to t h e peculiar charac t er of th e I n sti tu t ion .

Work is th e o lder
rd d w exclu ively u ed in
wo , an as s s th e
pri m it ive ritu l T h w rd Z
a s . w m re c m m nly
e o a ar, no o o o em

pl yed i h wever ex ctly yn ny m u

o ,
s, o ,
a s o o s .
 MA S O N IC P ARL I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 25

B u t the work of a Lodge is regulated simply by

th e will of the Mas t er To it th e parliamentary
.

law can in no way apply and this arises from th e

,

dis tinc tive design of the Masonic organi z a tion .

A Lodge is dened in th e old Charges t o be

a place where Masons assemble and work .

W hile thus assembled and at work a Lodge of ,

Masons has a peculiar reference to those ancient

building associa tions from whom the socie ty has
derived its exis t ence and organiza tion and even ,

its name . The Operative Masons were engaged

in th e cons t ru ction of ma terial t emples The .

specula t ive Masons are occupied in the erec tion

of a spiritual temple From t h e Opera tive art
.
,

th e specula tive science has borrowed n o t only

its t echnical language its implements and it s

, ,

ma terials to all of which it has given a spiri tual

,

signica tion ; but it ha s adopted its working

regulat ions for its o wn symbolic pu rposes Thus .

the Mas t er of th e Lodge is th e m a s ter qf l/z e work .

H e lays down his designs upon th e tres tle board -

tha t th e craft may pursu e their labors He alone .

is responsible for the delity of t h e work and ,

must therefore be invested w ith th e mos t ample

power to carry in t o effec t th e designs which he
has prepared From the workmen
. th e mem

bers of th e Lodge h e has a righ t to expect

3
26 M A S O NI C P ARL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

implici t obedience H is decisions in rela t ion to

.
.

work or labor are nal and withou t appeal s o , ,

far as the Lodge i t self is concern ed H e may .

be censu red overruled an d even susp ended o r

, ,

removed by th e superior au thori ty of a Gran d

,

Master or a Grand Lodge ; bu t the Lodge i t self

has no power of sup ervision over th e decrees or
t h e actions of its Mas t er when it is at work The .

principle of au tocracy p revails in all t h e O ld

Charges and Cons titu tions by which t h e socie ty
was governed in its earlie r days Thes e docu .

ments cons tan tly S peak of the Master as t h e one

who was to control t h e wo rk while t h e craft ,

were merely to Obey his commands This pri n .

c i le has t herefore been carried in t o th e modern

p , ,

Masonic Lodges where the symbolic work of

,

s peculative Mason ry is governed by th e same

regulations as t hose that were i n u se among ou r

opera t ive predecessors .

H ence t o a Lodge when at work in th e tech

, ,

n ica l meaning of th e expression the

pa rlia m e n ,

ta ry law or any other rules of order w ould be

, ,

wholly inapplicable The will of th e Mas t er is

.

t h e rule of t h e Lodge W hat are called th e

.

O ld Y ork Cons titu tions say tha t eve ry work ,

man shall recei ve his wages meekly and wi thou t ,

scruple ; which symbolically i nt erpre ted means

, ,
 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 27

that the decisions of th e Mas ter shall be accep t ed

wi t hou t qu es t ion .

But th e case is different when the Lodge ,

having completed its work proceeds to th e t rans ,

ac t ion o f ordinary business Rules of order are .

now required to regula t e t h e discussions which

spring up and th e parliamentary law as it affords
, ,

th e bes t sys t em may now be applied to th e

,

government of t he Lodge .

Bu t a Masonic Lodge even when engaged i n ,

business only di ffers very ma terially from any

,

other society The fea tu res of u ndivided re s po n

.

s ibility which pertained to the Mas ter and of im ,

lic it obedience which was requi red from t h e

p
craft in t h e Opera tive sys tem con t inue to exert ,

t heir in fluence upon th e conduc t of a Lodge not ,

only when at work bu t also when engaged in

,

business ; and even here t herefore th e parlia , ,

mentary law mu st be applied wi t h some m o di

ca tion
. This will appear in t h e subsequ ent
chapters of this treatise Bu t it mus t always be.

borne in mind tha t wheneve r we speak of the

,

applica tion of parliamen tary law to a Masonic

Lodge we mean a Lodge engaged in business
, ,

and no t a Lodge at work ; and this dis t inc t ion

be tween a business Lodge and a working Lodge
mus t never be forgo tten .
 C H A P TE R III .

OF A QU O RU M .

H E parliamen tary law provides that a de

libera tive body shall no t proceed to busi
*
n ess u n til a quorum of it s members is presen t .

W hat t his quoru m is has to be se ttled by a spe

c ic regula t ion of each o rganiza tion Thus in .
,

the E nglish H ouse of Lords t hree cons titu te a

quorum and for ty in th e H ou se of Commons
,
.

I n bo t h H ou ses of t h e A merican Congress and ,

in many of th e S tate Legi s la t u res a majority of ,

t h e members is required to make a quorum .

But no ma tt er what is the number it is s e ttle d

, ,
'

by the general parliamen tary law t hat no busi ,

ness can be t ransac t e d unless the quoru m what ,

ever it may be is present The o nly excep tion , .

derived fr m th L tin f rm f c m m i i n fth

Qu oru m is o e a o o o ss o s o e

pe ce which
a ,
ddre ed t ever l per n f w i w q
are a ss o s a so s o zo uo

ru m ce t in nu m ber
a required t f rm leg l b rd
r a are o o a a oa .

S ub t n tively it den te th nu m ber f per n bel nging t

s a ,
o s e o . so s o o an

as sem bly c rp r ti n , ciety which i required t tr n ct

o o a o , or s o s o a sa

bu ine
s ss .
 MA S O N IC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 2 9
to t his rule is that after waiting a reaso nable
,

time if no quorum can be obtained the members

, ,

presen t may organi z e for th e pu rpose of an im

mediate adjou rnment to some o ther t ime .

W i th th e exception of this provision th e par ,

liam e n ta ry law of quorums is applicable t o Free

mason ry and indeed is made S O by special reg
,

u la t io n s I n the technical language O f ou r ri t ual

. ,

a Lodge to be capable of doing work or trans

,

ac ting business mu st be ju st perfec t and reg
, , ,

ular . A jus t Lodge is one which has the
Book of th e La w u nfolded wi th th e square and ,

compasses lying thereon ; a perfec t Lodge is

one t ha t consists of th e requisi te number of

bret hren ; and a regular Lodge is one that
has a warran t of constitution authori z ing it to
mee t The second only O f these provisions re
.

fers to a quorum bu t each is equally n e cessa ry ,

to th e validity of th e mee ting I n o ther words .

,

no Lodge of Freemasons can be opened u nless

there be a su fcien t number of bre thren present ,

having a Bible square and compasses and a , , ,

charter or warran t O f cons titu tion A ccording

, .

to O liver an exception in th e E nglish Lodges

,

may be made in th e la tter case for he says that ,

after t h e Lodge has been legally recogni z ed by
t h e au t hori t ies and regis t ered in t h e Grand
5?
3
30 MA S O N IC P AR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

Lodge books t h e absence of th e warran t would

,

n o t vi t ia t e t h e proceedings bu t a di fferent doc

t rine prevails in t his cou n t ry where it is held ,

that th e presence of th e w arran t of cons t i tu t ion

is essen tial to th e legali ty of th e proceedi ngs .

A s to t h e composi tion of a perfec t Lodge ,

tha t is to say as t o t h e nu mber of bre thren

,

necessary to make a quorum for th e t ransac t ion

of bu siness the O ld Cons ti t u tions and regula t ions
,

are S ilen t and th e au thori t ies con sequ en tly differ

, .

I n reply to an inqui ry directed to him in 1 8 5 7 ,

t h e edi t or of th e Lo n do n F re e m a s o n s Mag a z in e

a frmed t ha t ve Masons are sufcien t t o ope n

a Lodge and carry on business o ther than in iti
,

a tion : for which la tter pu rpose s e ve n are n e c e s

sary This opinion appears to be th e general
.

E nglish one and is acquiesced in by Dr O liver ;

, .

but there is no au thority of law for it A nd .

when i n th e year 1 8 1 8 t h e sugges tion was made

, ,

that some regulation was necessary rela t ive to

the number of bre thren requisi t e to cons t i tu t e

a legal Lodge wi t h compe t ent powers to perform
,

th e ri t e O f ini t ia t ion and t ransac t all o t her busi

,

ness the Boa rd of General P u rposes of t h e

,

Grand Lodge of E ngland t o whom t h e s u gg e s ,

tion had been re ferred replied wi t h an ove r , ,

*
M nic J uri p udence ch p vi ec t i
aso s r , a . .
, s . .
 MA S O N IC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
3I

abu ndance of cau tious t i m idity tha t it is a ,

ma t ter of so much delicacy and di fcul ty tha t it ,

is thought advisable n o t t o depar t from t h e si

lence on th e subjec t which had been Observed i n
all the Books of Cons ti tu tions .

A t a rs t glance th e au t horized ri tual wo u ld

,

appear to promise us a solu tion of t h e p roblem .

There th e answer t o th e ques tion i n each de

g ree H ow many co m pose a Lodge ? ough t to

,

supply us wi th th e rule by which we are to es t ab

lish th e quorum in th a t degree For wha tever .

number composes a Lodge tha t is th e nu m ber ,

which apparen tly S hould au t horize th e Lodge to

proceed t o business The ri tual has t hu s es tab .

lis h e d th e number which cons t i tu tes a perfec t

Lodge and wi thou t which number a Lodge
,

canno t be legally Opened .

A ccording to t his rule seven cons t i tu t e a ,

perfec t E n t ered A ppren tice s Lodge ve a

Fellow Craft s and three a Mas t er Mason s

-

,

.

W i thou t this requisi t e number no Lodge can be ,

opened in ei ther of these degrees I n a Chap t e r .

of Royal A rch Masons nine Companions cons ti

t u t e a quorum and i n a Commandery of "nigh ts
,

" *
Templars nine night s al though u nder cer tain , ,

T hi
by recen t deci i n c nrm ed by th Gr nd E
s is , s o s, o e a n

cam pm t Th ld ri tu li tic rule m de eleven

en . e o c n ti t u t i n l
a s a a o s o a

qu ru m in C m m ndery f "nigh t T e m pl r
o a o a o s a s .
32 MA S O N IC P AR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

well known circumstance s three "night s are

-
,

competent to transact bu si ness .

B ut i n th e provisio n O f the ri tual we meet with

cer tain practical di fcul t ies s o fa r as symbolic ,

Mason ry is concern ed Thus although it ha s.

,

been p rescribed t hat three are su fcient to Op en

a Master s Lodge it is evident to eve ry one ao

, ,

u a inte d with the ritual that it would be utterly

q ,

impossible to confer the Master s degree with

that number And therefore in this cou nt ry the

.

au thority of the ri tu al in respect to a qu oru m has

n o t been generally recogni z ed except for the ,

mere ac t of opening .

Looking to t h e fac t s that th e p eti tio n for a

dispensation or charter must be signed by at least
seven Master Masons ; that a Lodge o f E ntered
A pprentices mu s t consis t of n o t les s tha n s even ;
and tha t originally all working or subordina t e
Lodges were composed p rincipally of E ntered
A pprentice s and were therefo re A pprentices
, , ,

Lodges th e Grand Lodges of A m erica which

, ,

have adopted any explicit rule on the subj ect ,

have generally agreed to conside r seven as th e

proper number t o cons t itute a quo rum for busi
ness in a Master s Lodge C hase seems I think

.
, ,

to have adopted the proper view of the subj ect ,

when he s ay s that th e minimu m number to
 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
33

whom a dispensa tion or chart er can be granted ,

may be considered as th e m inimu m number t o

cons ti tu te a quorum for the transaction of busi
ness I f seven be th e number necessary to form
.

a Lodge then seven is th e number n ecessary to

,

con tinue a Lodge and to t ransac t its

I n t h e absence of any landmark or specic
ancien t la w wri tten or u n w ri t ten on th e subjec t
, , ,

I am t herefore inclined to t hink tha t seven

, ,

should cons ti tu t e th e p roper quorum for w ork

or bu siness in any of th e symbolic degrees A .

Mas t er would be correc t in opening his Lodge

wi th t wo assis tan ts on th e thi rd degree beca u se ,

the ri tual declares tha t t hree Mas t er Masons

cons ti tu te a perfect Lodge But he would .

hardly be jus tied in ballo ting for candida t e s ,

or in making app ropria tions from t h e fu nds of

th e Lodge w hen so small a number of th e mem
,

bers whose in terests would be affec t ed by ei ther

,

of these acts was presen t A nd as to work a l

, .
,

t hough a candidate who had been elec t ed a t a

previous communication migh t be present the ,

natu re of the ceremonies would preclude th e

possibili ty of th e Mas ter conferring th e degree
wi t h only two assis tan ts .

It would be be t t er after th e Lodge had been

,

M nic D ige t p 7 9
as o s , . .
34 MA S O N IC P A RL I A M E N T A RY LA W .

opened wi t h only t hree members that the ,

Master nding no accession to the nu mber by

,

n e w arrivals S hould close it wi t hout p roceeding

,

to business or work .

I have said that th e provision of parliamentary

law which permits less than a qu oru m to organize
for th e pu rpose of immediate adj ournment is not
applicable t o a Masonic Lodge A dj ou rnment .

is a mode of concluding bu siness which is u n

known ih Freemasonry The Lodge is Opened .

an

d closed at th e will and pleasu r e of the
W orshipful Master and hence as a motion fo r
, ,

adj ou rnment would be o u t of order no good ,

could be accomplished by th e temporary organi

z a t io n of a less number t han a qu orum I n P ar .

lia m e n t or i n Congress th e appointed time of

,

mee t ing having expired it is necessary t hat a ,

n e w time should be appoin t ed fo r t h e next meet

ing ; for which pu rpos e those p resent althou gh ,

less than a quorum are permitt ed by t hei r a d

,

o u rn m e n t to designate t hat time

j .

Bu t no such necessity exists in Mason ry for ,

t h e Mas t er of a Lodge has t h e power of calli ng

the Lodge toge ther at any t ime .

The quoru m i n Grand Lodges depends upon

special enactmen t and differs in t h e different
,

j u risdic tions The quorum i n a G ra nd Lodge is

.
 M A SO NIC PA RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
35

generally reckoned no t by th e number of per

sons presen t bu t by t h e number of Lodges re pre
,

sented A Grand Lodge might be opened in

.

th e t hird degree wi t h th e quorum prescribed for

a Lodge of t ha t degree Bu t I do n o t t hink

.

that it could proceed to th e t ransac tion of bu si

ness u nless th e number of Lodges required by
,

its cons titu tion was p resent The same rule

.

prevails in respect to th e qu oru m of a Grand

Chapter or a Grand Commandery .
 C H A PTE R I V .

OF T H E P RE S ID IN G O FF IC E R .

N th e absence of the Master o f a Lodge the ,

S enior W arden or in that of bo th th e J u nior

,

W arden a s sumes the chair A n d it is n o t u nu

, .

sual fo r a W arden in su ch case to invite a Pa s t

, ,

Master of the Lodge who may be p resent to

take t h e gavel B ut whoever for the tim e being
.
, ,

p resides over the Lodge i s inve s ted fo r tha t , ,

time with all the prerogatives of an installed

,

Master so far as ruling the Lodge is concerned

, .

The possessio n of the chai r gives this authority ,

and hence the installa tion of th e Master is called

by ou r E nglish bre t hren passing the chair .

The German s p ress this idea by calling their ,

presiding ofcer the Meister im or the

Master in th e chair ; and Lati n Masonic w riter s
u se th e expression Magister Ca t hedrae which ,

conveys th e same idea W hoeve r t herefore is .

, ,

*
Frequen tly b t less c rrectly Mei ter o m S tuhl
, u o , s v .

36
 MA S O N IC P ARL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
37

in the chair con trols th e Lodge E ven the

,
.

Grand Mas ter if presen t can exercise no disci

, ,

pline u n til he has taken th e cha ir and assumed

th e gavel .

The du ties of a Mas t er are far more i m por

tant and his preroga t ives and privileges more
,

ex tensive than those of th e presiding o fcer O f

,

any o ther socie ty The la tter is direc ted and

.

con t rolled by th e provisions of th e parlia m en tary

la w but these are applicable to t h e Mas t er of a
,

Lodge only wi th many modica tions .

H ence th e Mas t er of a Lodge fai thfully to

, ,

discharge these impor tan t du ties should be pos ,

sessed of no ordinary qualica tions H e sh ould .

u ni te rmness of decision wi t h modera tion of

rule and S ho u ld have tha t spiri t O f concilia tion
, ,

and that ameni ty of manners which would te m ,

per th e exci t emen t o f passions and preven t or ,

calm u npleasan t discussions w i th a t th e same , ,

time t ha t rec t i t ude ofjudgmen t w hich w ill enable

, ,

him t o promp tly seize th e poin t of con t roversy

in a ques tion u nder debate S O tha t th e rules of ,

order necessary to direc t a discussion to its

,

t ermina tion m a y sugges t

, t hemselves almos t
in tui tively t o his mind .

Besides th e du ties of Opening and closing t h e

Lodge and direc ting th e work t he Mas ter in th e , ,
38 MA S O I
N C PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

ho u rs of bu sine s s become s the mode rato r or

,

regulator of discussions and debates pu t s th e ,

mo tions which are presen t ed to vote declare s ,

the result and decides all points Of order E ach

, .

of t hese must become t h e subj ect of separate

inquiry in s u cceeding chap t ers becau s e in each
,

t h e Master will be con trolled to a certain ex t ent

by t h e provisions of parlia men tary law .

 C H A PTE R V

OF A PPE A LS .

N every socie ty when , p residing o f ce r

th e

has made a decision on any ques tion which ,

is unsa tisfac tory to one or more of th e members ,

it is usual to take an appeal from t ha t decision

t o th e assembly which may by a vote sus t ain or
,

overrule it This is called the righ t of appeal

.
,

and is in accordance wi th th e principles of par

lia m e n ta ry la w and rules are to be found in
,

every legi slative assembly for the exercise of th e

righ t
.

But i n a Masonic Lodge or Chap t er from the

,

peculiar character O f th e Masonic organiza tion ,

an appeal from th e presiding o fcer t o th e body

over which he presides is not kno wn A n a p .

peal may be taken to the Grand Lodge or the

Grand Chap t er ; bu t an appeal made fro m t h e
decision of th e Mas ter to th e Lodge w ould at
once be ruled by t ha t o fcer as o u t of order .

This doctrine has been in this country de

39
 MA S O N I C PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
40 .

nit e ly s ettled by almost every Masonic authority .

I t is true that abou t twenty years ago the s ub

, ,

c t was freely discu sse d and that the G ran d

j e ,

Lodge of O hio and t h e committee on foreign

corresponden ce of Tennessee s u s ta in ed the ,

principle that an appeal would lie from the deci

,

sion of the Master t o th e Lodge B ut thi s opin .

ion met with no suppor t from th e Ma s onic j u rist s

of the time who all have concurred in the p rin
,

c i le that appeals t o t h e Lodge from t h e deci s ion

p ,

of the Master are n o t in accordance with Masoni c

la w ; and th e decisions of O hio and Tenness ee
were in subsequ en t years repudiated and re
versed in those j u risdictions .

A n attempt has been made by a few writers

to discriminate between t h e work and the bu si
ness of a Lodge Thus the committee of foreign
.
,

correspondence of Tennessee in 1 8 5 3 while , ,

admitting that so far as the m ere Masonic work

,

of a Lodge i s concerned there is s om e plau si

,

bility in the argu men t against an app ea l say s ,

B ut to contend that no appeal on any decisio n ,

whatever whether business or otherwise can

, ,

be taken to th e body of the Lodge is an a s s u m p ,

tion of power al t ogether too great to repo s e in

the hands of any one individua
Thi s attempt to discriminate between work
and busine ss would soon lead t o confu s ion I n .
 MA S O N I C PAR L I A ME N T A RY LA W .
41

many insta nces it would be di fcult to say

whe t he r a question of o rder properly per tained
to the work or business of the Lodge and hence ,

it is safer not to draw t his di stinction which has ,

accordingly been repudia t ed by the highest Ma

sonic authorities .

This theory i s founded o n the natu re of the

Masonic organiz ation I n th e early hi s tory of .

t h e O rder when it presented an almos t wholly

,

Operative character th e masses of the Fra t ernit y

,

consisted almost en t irely of Fellow C rafts ; while

t hose only were Mas t ers who presided over th e

workmen W hether degrees existed at that t ime

.

or not is a question tha t is now being agi ta t ed

,

by Masonic writers It is however undeniable .

, ,

that thes e Masters and Fellows constituted g ra

dations of rank The Master alone was made

.

respon s ible to th e lord for the perfection of th e

work while the Fellows w ere respon s ible to the
,

Master Hence one of the points of the

.
,

earliest of the old Consti tutions known as ,

th e Halliwell MS gave to th e Master th e.

,

absolute power to dismis s a Fellow and ,

required the workmen to receive their pay
full meekly such as it might be that is , ,

without doubt hesitation or obj ection which is

, , ,

equivalent to investing the Master with au t o

42 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

cra tic power * W hence follows th e doctrine that . ,

there can be no appeal from his decision .

A t th e revival in 1 7 I 7 a new division of th e Fra ,

t e rn ity presen ts i t self There is no qu es tion o f .

t h e insti t u t ion at tha t time of dis t inc t ive degrees .

Fellow Craft s were then p ermi tt ed to a c t as

-

W ardens and a Mas ter p re sided over th e Craft

, ,

which Mas t er according to th e Charges approved ,

in 1 7 2 2 was required to be chosen from among

,

the most expert of th e Fellow Craftsmen By -
.

this p romo tion it seems t ha t he received th e

Mas t er s degree Bu t the mass of the Fra

.

t e rnity who cons t i t u t ed t h e members of t h e

,

subordina t e Lodges wi th the excep tion of th e ,

O fcers were E n tered A pp ren tices and th e only

, ,

degree conferred in th e Lodges was that O f A p

pren t ice ; for th e thir teenth general regula tion ,

adop t ed in 1 7 2 1 declares tha t A ppren tices must ,

be admi tted Mas ters and Fellow Crafts only i n -

Th e i plici t bedience t th w rd f th M ter

s pirit of m o o e a a s o e as

perv de ll th ld M nu cript C n titu ti n T hu f ex m

a s a e o a s o s o s . s, or a

ple th C ke MS y ( 1
, e oo yf eny di c rde ch ll be bi
. sa s . s o s a

tw e neh ym nd h i f l w he ch ll bey bym m k ly d be

a s e o s, s a a e e , an

styll t th
e byddy g f h i m
a eter f th w d yn f hi
n o s as or o e ar e e o s

m ter in h i m
as t er b A nd th
s m e pirit f bedi
as
'
s a se ns .
"
e sa s o o

ence t th G m o th eA lderm n th W rden s

ra ce th e an s ,

e a

s, e a
'

, or

M ter
as uth rity perv de th C n tituti n f th E ngli h

s a o a s e o s o s o e s

no n m -
nic gild f th Middle Age C m p re th c llecti n
as o s o e s . o a e o o

of the m l b ri u ly m de by T ul m in S m i th in h i w rk n
a o o s a o s o o

Engli h Gild s s .
"
 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
43

the Grand Lodge u nless by a dispensa tion

,
.

H ence on t h e principle of subordina tion in

,

degrees which cons ti t u t es t h e very life of th e

,

Masonic ins titu tion th e decision of a Mas t er

,

Mason canno t be reversed by th e action of a

Lodge of E n t ered Appren tices Thus arose in . ,

th e beginning t h e Masonic doc t rine t hat no a p

, ,

peal can be en tertained by th e Lodge from th e

decision of th e Master ; and al though this dis
t inc tion of degrees bet w een th e Mas t er and th e

m embers no longer exis t s it bei n g required by

,

t h e modern Cons ti tutions of t his cou n t ry a t leas t , ,

t ha t all th e m e m bers of a Lodge shall be Mas t er

Masons ye t for o ther no t less cogen t reasons

,

th e doc trine and th e c u s tom are bo t h re tained : for

the Mas ter alone is s till responsible for th e good

conduc t of his Lodge To him th e Grand Mas t er
.

and th e Grand Lodge look for th e preserva tion

of order and th e observance of th e la w s and land
marks of th e I ns ti tu tion It would t herefore be
.
, ,

highly u njus t to permi t a Lodg e to overrule th e

decision of an o fcer bu rdened wi th so heavy a
responsibili ty I f he commi ts an error th e a p
.
,

peal mus t be m ade to th e Grand Lodge which ,

alone has th e power to reverse his decision ; for

in Masonic as in mu nicipal law t here is no wrong
, ,

Wi thou t its remedy u oi j u s ioi z e m e a iu m

.
44 MA S O N IC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

I f then an appeal is made by any member to

, ,

the Lodge from t h e decision of t h e Mas t er on

any qu es tion relating ei ther to work or business ,

it is th e du ty of th e Mas t er t o declare such an

appeal out of order and to refuse t o en t er tain it
,
.

This is t h e well se ttled law of Masonry on this

-

subj ect .

D ifde nt Masters sometimes doubtful of th e ,

correc t ness of their decisions have permi tt ed an ,

appeal oy cou r tesy This however is clearly

.
, ,

wrong ; for as it has been well said the admis

, ,

sion of appeals by cou rtesy might ul timately be

come a preced e n t t hrough which th e a bs o ,

lute righ t to take appeals would even tu ally be

claimed .

I n the case of a reasonable doubt th e Mas t er ,

may of cou rse avail himself of the advice and

cou nsel of th e mos t experienced members of his
L odge and especially of its P as t Mas t ers before
, ,

coming to a decision ; but having arrived a t tha t ,

decision and having o fcially annou nced it from

,

t h e chair it is irreversible by th e Lodge

, .

O n th e ques tion of appeals from the decision

of a Grand Mas t er or a Grand H igh P ries t in a ,

Grand Lodge or Grand Chap t er t h e Opinions of ,

Masonic authori ties are n o t u nifor m ly on o ne

side The Grand Lodges of Alabama I llinois
.
, ,
 M A SO NIC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
45

and perhaps a fe w o ther S ta tes permi t an appeal ,

to th e Grand Lodge fro m th e decision of t h e

Grand Mas t er Bro Abel "of California who

. .
, ,

s tands high as a Masonic j urist makes on this ,

subjec t t h e follo wing remarks :

W e consider a Grand Lodge in these days
as simply th e legisla tu re of th e Craft ; and as it
is th e supreme au thori ty beyond which t here is ,

no t ribunal where an appeal can be main tained

, ,

it see m s a very absurdi ty tha t on e man t h e t e m ,

po ra ry o fcer of its own eleva t ion should be ,

permi t ted unques tioned to declare upon wha t

, ,

subj ec t it shall or shall n o t delibera te and wi th ,

d e spo tic po wer to p ronounce an d maintain his

single opinion in opposi tion as it m ay be to th e , ,

uni ted voice of the body which crea t ed him I n .

t his opinion Bro Chase t h e author of the

. Ma ,

son ic Diges t concu rs

,
.

The Commi ttee o f Foreign Correspondence

of th e Grand Lodge of N e w Y ork adopted in I 8 5 2 ,

a con t rary m ode of reasoning They say : W e .

t hink tha t no appeal lies from the decision of th e

Grand Mas t er becau se he is in his ofcial posi

, ,

t ion requir e d like th e Mas t er in his Lodge to see

, , ,

t ha t th e Cons t i t u tion s and laws of Masonry are

fai thfully observed H e canno t do this if his

.

opinion or decision may be ins tan tly set aside by

46 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

an appeal to that majority which is about to vio

late them I n such case also he may close th e
.
, ,

Lodge to preven t th e violation ; so that calm

reason teaches us that there is n o o ther j ust rule
i n the ma tt er than that of t h e supremacy and in

violability of presiding o fcers .

Dr O liver is equally posi tive on this qu estion

.
.

H e says
I n some ins tances the Grand Ma s
ter s ruling of itself will decide a con t rover t ed

qu es t ion and there is no appeal from his decision

,

and if he should ever abuse his power there is no ,

exis ting law by which he can be called to accou n t .

H owever cogen t may be th e reasoning of B ro .

A bel "( and I admit tha t the legisla tive character

,

of a Grand Lodge as th e supreme t ribunal in its

,

ju risdic t io n might seem to ju s tify an appeal from

,

an improper decision of a Gran d Master as ,

affording th e only remedy for a wrong ) yet I am ,

obliged to confess t hat all the preceden t s an d ,

with the fe w excep tions already quo t ed all t h e ,

au thori ties are in favor of giving autocratic power

,

to th e Grand Mas t er and by analogy to the , ,

Grand Lodge ; so that it may be considered as

th e se t tled la w of Masonry i n t his country that ,

there is no appeal from th e decision of the Grand

Mas t er or Grand High P riest to the Grand Lodge

or Grand Chapter .

M nic J uri prudence ch p

as o s ii p 3 91, a . vu .
, sec . .
, . .
 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
47

In th e year 1 8 5 6 th e General Gra n d Chap te r

,

of t h e U ni ed S a tes adop ted a resolu tion tha t

t t

,

an appeal does lie in all cases from th e decision

of th e General Grand H igh P ries t to th e General
Grand Chap ter which alon e can in th e las t re
, ,

s or t by vote o ftwo thirds of th e m embers presen t

,
-

de t ermine what is th e Masonic law or cus tom .

Bu t a t th e same t ime it provided t ha t this reso

lu t io n as a rule should n o t be considered as
, ,

opera t ing or having any effec t in th e S ta t e Grand

Chapters or subordina t es .

I n t h e same year th e Grand E ncampm ent of

the U ni ted S tat es adop ted a similar resolution
and a similar provision The ac tion of these two
.

supreme bodies see m s to have se ttled t h e poin t

of la w tha t an appeal does no t lie fro m a Grand
,

High P ries t t o a Grand Chap t er or from a Grand ,

Co m mander to a Grand Commandery .

 C H A P TE R VI .

OF MO T IO N S .

H E members of every delibera t ive assembly

and it is in this aspec t tha t we are c o n s id
ering a Masonic Lodge are of cou rse called
upon from t ime to time t o declare their will or
, ,

judgmen t This can only be done upon th e

presen ta tion of a substan t ive p roposi t ion upon ,

which they are to express t heir Opinion This .

p roposi t ion is t echnically called a mo tion The .

discussion upon its merits is th e de bate a n d th e

'

judgmen t is arrived a t by a vo t e i n which each ,

member expresses his individual Opinion The .

greater number of votes whe ther for ass en t or

,

dissen t is considered an expression of th e will

,

of th e asse m bly ; because in parliamentary la w

t h e will of t h e m aj ori t y in general is t aken for
, ,

the will of th e whole .

Mo tions as thu s dened are of two kinds prin ,

c ipa l an d subsidiary . A principal mo tion is one

th a t proposes to express some fac t opinion or , ,

48
 MA S O N IC P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
49

principle of th e assembly and which on being , ,

adopted expresses that fac t opinion or princi

, , ,

'

ple A subsidiary mo tion is one w hich is in

.

t ended to change t h e charac t er of th e principal

mo tion as a mo tion to amend or to s t rike o u t

, ,
.

or insert certain words ; or t o control its dispo

s itio n as a mo t ion to pos tpone its consideration
, ,

t o refer it to a commi tt ee or t o lay it upon th e ,

table .

There is ano ther class of mo tions which in ,

parliamen tary language are called dila tory mo

t ions , because t heir sole Obj ec t is to delay t h e
progress of business They consis t usually of .

mo tions to adjourn al t erna ted wi th mo tions to

,

adjourn t o a certain day O n each of these mo .

tions th e ayes and nays are called and t hus t h e ,

t ime of t h e assembly is consumed to th e exclu

sion of th e main ques tion This sys t em was .

originally adop ted fo r th e pro t ec tion of th e mi

no rity w h o are t hus enabled to preven t for a
, ,

t ime and some t imes effec tually th e passage by

, ,

th e majori t y of a distasteful measu re I n Masonic .

bodies t hese dila t ory motions have no exis tence ,

because th e du ra t ion of th e deba t e and t h e con

duc t of business is under th e con t rol of th e pre
siding O fce r I n Masonry th e minori ty nd t heir
.
,

pro tection in th e benign principles of th e O rder

5 D
SO MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W

and in t h e justice and impartiali t y of th e Master

of the Lodge .

I shall devo t e t his and th e fou r su cceeding

chap t ers to t h e considera tion of a principal mo

tion t ha t is to say a subs tan tive p roposi t ion
,

which has been presen t ed to th e Lo dge for the

decision of its members t racing its progress from
,

its p resenta t ion through th e debate which may

,

ensu e t hereupon to its nal adop tion or rej e c

,

tion I s h all n o t encumber t h e subj ect a t this

.

t ime wi t h any remarks on t h e subsidiary mo t ions

which may arise I n other wo rds I will suppose

.
,

that a mo tion expressing some opinion has been

p roposed tha t it has been fairly discu ssed wi th
, ,

o u t any a tt emp t t o amend postpone or o t her , ,

wise evade its immediate disposition and t hat ,

t h e discussion has been followed by a direct vo t e

upon its meri t s .

I n t reating this subj ect of motions fou r things ,

are to be considered :
I The motion i tself ; h o w it mu st be offered
. .

2
. The deba t e ; how it mus t be condu c t ed .

3 The vo t e ; how it mus t be taken

. .

4 The annou ncemen t of th e decision ; how it

.

must be made .
 C H A P T E R V II .

OF T HE MO T IO N IT S E LF , AN D H O W IT MU S T BE
O FF E RE D .

H E N any member desires to make a mo

t ion he rises and addresses th e chair
, .

Having offered his mo tion it mus t be seconded ,

by some o ther member For it is well settled .

by parliamen tary law t ha t no mo t ion which is ,

*
n t seconded can be enter tained
o The concu r .

rence of two members is necessary to secu re its

considera tion H ence if a mo tion is n o t s e e
.
,

o n d e d it falls to th e ground and t h e chair and

, ,

th e Lodge will take no fur ther no t ice of it A nd .

this rule applies to all principal mo t ions but ,

n o t as will be seen hereaft er to all subsidia ry

, ,

ones .

The motion being thus made and seconded , ,

If a pr p iti n i n t ec nded th S pe ker t ke

o os o s o s o , e a a s no n tice
o

o fit, a n d n thing i d ne in c n equence fit H t

o s o o s o . a s e ll s P re ce
de n ts ,
ii 1. 20 .
 MA S O IC L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
52 N PAR .

mu s t be redu ced to wri t ing * if i nsisted u pon by ,

any m ember ; and it is a good rule that every ,

mo t ion should be written out a s confusion or ,

con t roversy a s to its t erms or language is t hu s

preven t ed in the subsequent p roceedings Many .

Lodges have a provision to t hi s effect i n t hei r

by la w s ; an d where su ch provisio n exists the
-

rule m us t of course be s t rictly enforced by th e

, ,

presidi ng ofcer Bu t in th e absence of su ch .

,

rule th e common law of Parliament give s any

,

member th e privilege of demanding that it be

written Ha ts e ll one of the best authorities on
.
,

parliamentary law s ays : I t i s to be put into ,

wri t ing if the H ouse or S peaker require it

, ,

and mu st be read to the H ou s e by th e S peak e r -

as oft en as any member desires it for his informa

tion This is the rule of the B ritish H ou se of
C ommo ns and the same rule exists in both ,

H ouses of the A merican Congre s s .

S
The rule of the enate is W hen a motion shall
:

be made and seconded it shall be reduced to writ ,

ing if desired by the P resident or any member

, ,

delivered in at the t able an d read by the P resi ,

H t ll tell th t m re th n three hundred ye r

a se s us
go
a o a a s a ,

A pril 57 1 th rule w
, d pted th t fr m hencef rth m n
1 , e as a o
"
a o o e

m king m ti n s h ll bring the m in writing d th cu t m

"
a o o s a , an e s o ,

he y h been uni f rm ly d pted ever n c

sa s, as o a o Si

u . 1 12 .
 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
53

dent before the same shall be debated That .

of the Hou s e of Rep resen ta t ives is in the follow

ing words : E very motion shall be reduced to
wri ting if the S peaker or any member desire
,

it .

I n parliamentary law a mo tion thu s made sec , ,

o n de d and reduced to wri t ing comes at once

,

in t o the po s session of th e H ouse But in th e .

practice of Masonry ano t her step i s to be taken

before we can arrive at t hat condition The .

au tocra tic power of th e Master or presiding ,

o fcer of a Lodge makes him the only and nal ,

arbiter of que s tions of order The Mas ter may .

,

t herefore declare tha t th e motion is not i n order

,

that is not capable of being entertained

,

and decide that it shall not be received ; and

from this decision there can be no appeal to
t h e Lodge The mo tion mu st be passed over
.

w ithou t discussion or if th e Master neglec t s or ,

omits to make such ruling it is competen t for ,

any member to make a similar objection which ,

objec tion shall be duly considered by the Mas t er

without any deba t e .

W hen a motion in a Masonic Lodge is thus

m ade seconded reduced to writing and n o t
, , ,

overruled on a poin t of order by the Mas t er t h e ,

Lodge is then placed in possessio n of it The .

5
-

5
54 M AS O NI C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

Mas ter reads from th e chair an d says A re

it , ,

you ready for t h e que stion I f no one desire s

t o discu ss it s meri t s th e vote is t o be imme
,

dia te ly taken in t h e form hereaft er t o be de

scribed But if t here is a differen ce of opi nion
.

a mong the membe rs some being i n favor of and

,

o thers opposed to it a debate w ill ensu e which

, ,

con stitu t es the second s tage of t h e p roceedings .

 C H A P T E R V III .

OF T HE DE B ATE , A N D H O W IT MUS T BE CO N
D UCT E D .

E BA T E S in a Masonic Lodge must be

conduc t ed according to th e fr a ternal prin
c i le s of th e I ns t i tu t ion I n th e language of D r
p . .

O liver The s t ric t es t cou r t esy shall be observed

,

du ring a deba t e in a Mason s Lodge on ques

,

t ions w hich elici t a difference of opinion ; and

any gross viola t ion of decorum and good order

is su re to be m e t by an admoni tion from t he

chair . It mus t always be remembered t ha t th e ,

objec t of a Masonic discussion is to elici t t ruth ,

and no t si m ply t o secu re vict ory H ence t hose .

,

means of supp ressing due inquiry which are so ,

common in popular ass em blies are to be a voided ; ,

t herefore it is t ha t t h e mo tion for th e pre vio u s

gu es tion so frequen tly resor t ed t o by parlia

,

men tary s t ra t egis ts as a means of s tiing deba t e

,

and silencing th e voice of th e minori ty is never ,

admi tted in a Masonic Lodge The discou rtesy .

55
56 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

which Su ch a motion exhibi t s on th e par t of the

m aj ori t y an d it s eviden t Obj ec t t o preven t in
,

quiry make it en tirely an t agonis tic t o t h e be

,

n i n a n t principles of th e Masonic ins t i t u t ion I

g .

have never in my own experience known th e

, ,

mo tion for th e previou s qu estion to be made in
any Masonic body and I suppose tha t t h e inc o m,

p e te n c y of such a mo t ion has never been doubted .

B ro Benjamin B French who from his long ex

. .
, ,

p e rie n c e as Clerk of th e U ni t ed S ta t es House of

Represen ta tives had become an expert i n th e
,

science of parliamen tary law and who was ,

equally skilful in Masonic prac tices said t hat ,

Freemason ry knows no p rev ious ques t ion

,

and no Masonic body S hould ever t olerate

A no ther me thod adop t ed in parliamentary
bodies and public assemblies by which t h e fu r ,

the r discu ssion of a proposi tion is a t t emp ted to

be s tifled is by a mo t ion to adj ou rn th e debate

, .

I t mus t however be observed tha t the Mas ter of

, , ,

a Lodg e as th e au tocra t ic arbiter of order always

, ,

possesses th e power t o su spend th e further dis

c u s s io n of a n y subj ec t when in his opinion such , ,

discussion would t end to impair t h e peace and

harmony of th e Lodge or o therwise i nj u riously ,

affec t th e in t eres ts of Masonry Y e t t h e e xe r .

A m eric n Qu rterly Review f Free m

a a nry l i p 3 5 o as o , vo . .
, . 2 .
 MA S O N I C PAR L I A ME N T A RY LA W .
57

cise of this prerogat ive is one which no Master ,

not of a very arbitrary disposi tion w ould exercise ,

wi thout reluctance H e would u nless there were

.
,

imperative reasons to th e contrary desire to ,

leave th e prolonga t ion or the discontinuance of

the debate to be determined by the wishes of the
members .

U nder such circumstances I see no rea s on ,

why a motion to adjou rn t h e debate might no t

be made al though th e Mas t er could in the p roper
, ,

exercise of his preroga t ive decline to put the ,

motion to a vo te S hould he however accept

. , ,

the motion it must be governed by the principles

,

of parliamentary law as applied to questions of

that kind O f these th e only ones that are applica
.

ble to Mas onic practice are : I That no mem .

ber who h as already spoken o n the question i s

permitted to make a mo t ion for the a dj ournment
of the debate 2 That if such a motion has been
. .

negatived it cannot be renewed until there has

,

been some in t ermediate proceeding I n parlia .

menta ry bodies it is usual to alternate motio n s

,

for adj ou rnmen t of th e deba t e with motions for

the adjou rnment of th e house I n a Masonic .

Lodge there could be no su ch alternation as a ,

motion for the adjournment of th e Lodge i s inad

mi ss ible ; yet as the members who at an early , ,
58 MA S O N IC P ARL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

s tage of th e debate migh t be u nwilling to stop

, ,

would perhaps at a la te r period become wearied

and desire t o pu t an end to a t ediou s discussion ,

it would be bet t er to so in t erpret the p a rlia m e n

tary rule as t hat the motion for the adj ou rnment
,

of th e deba t e having been n egatived should not

be renewed until some t ime had elapsed and of ,

t h e su fciency of that interval the presiding o f

cer would be t h e p roper j udge 3 That when . .

a deba t e has been adjou rned t o a part icular time ,

on its resumption it assu mes the p recise place

that it had occupied when it was adjou rned and , ,

t herefore no member who had already spoken

,

before t h e adjou rnment can aft erwards speak to

t h e main qu es t ion 4 That al though a m ember
. .

had already S poken to the ques tion u nder dis

c u s s io n he may also S peak on t h e qu estion of
,

adj ou rnment of th e deba t e because that is really ,

a new qu es tion 5 That the usual form of the

. .

mo t ion is tha t the debat e be n o w adj ou rned .

6 Tha t when such a motion is made and secon ded

.
,

and admi tt ed by th e chair it mus t be put to the,

Lodge u nless w ithdrawn by general con sent

, ,

before t h e deba t e can be resumed A ll discu s .

sion ceases u n til th e resul t of t h e mo t ion is de

t e rm in e d I f adop t ed the deba t e ceases at once
.
, ,

and th e Lodge proceeds to other bu siness If .

n egatived th e debate goes on as before

, .
 M ASO NIC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
59

W hen in a debate a bro ther desires to speak

, , ,

he rises and addresses th e chair The presiding .

o fcer calls him by his name and thu s recog ,

n iz e s his righ t to the oor W hile he is S peaking .

he is n o t t o be interrup ted by any o ther member ,

except on a poin t of order I f called to order by .

any m ember th e speaker is immedia t ely to take

,

his seat un t il the poin t is sta ted when t h e Ma s ,

t e r will make his decision wi thou t deba t e The

speaker will then rise and resume his discou rse ,

if n o t ruled o u t by th e Mas t er Du ring th e .

t ime t ha t he is speaking no mo t ion is permissible , .

E very member is perm i tt ed to speak once on th e

subj ec t u nder discussion ; n or can he speak a
second time excep t by permission of t h e Mas t er
, .

The rule res t ric t ing me m bers to one speech

is in accordance wi t h t h e general principles of
parliamen tary law * and is fou nded on t h e v e ry ,

natu ral doc t rine t ha t a fair discussion implies ,

the righ t of every one to express his sen timen t s .

But as this can be done in a single speech a ,

second one is prohibi ted les t t h e speakers should ,

e en ti l y H t ll t th de p tch f bu ine th t
It is ss a , sa s a se ,
o e s a o s ss, a

th rule
e d rder f th an H u e th t
o m e m beroh uld p k e o s , a no s o S ea

twice t th m e que t i n
o h uld be trictly dhered t
e sa s d ito , s o s a o an

i th duty f th S pe ker t m in t in th
s e o e b erv nce f thi rule
a o a a e o s a o s

with ut w iting f th in terp iti n f th e Ho e

o a or Pr e d nt os o o us ece e s,

vol ii p.
5 .
, . 10 .
60 MA S O NIc P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

become tediou s by n eedless repe ti tion the di s ,

cu s s io n be ino rdina t ely prolonged and t h e tim e ,

of the as s embly be u n necessarily wasted .

S ome Lodges ho w ever are more liberal o n

, ,

this point and by a sp ecial by law p ermit each

, ,
-

member to speak t wice o n th e same s ubj ect ; an d

s uch a rule would of cou rse override the par, ,

liam e nta ry law ; but where no su ch by law exist s -

the parliamen tary law would com e into O p eration ,

a n d mu s t be rigidly enforced .

To this law there are t wo exceptions which ,

must now be noted

F ir s t A ny member in a parliamentary body
.

that i s a body governed s t ric tly by parliamentary

,

usage is permitted t o speak a s econd time an d ,

even oftener by t h e consen t of t h e assembly ;

,

but as this s econd speaking is ac tually a breach

of the rules of order which rules of order are on ,

that point and for that occasion suspended or

overruled to enable th e member to speak a s ec
,

ond time and as th e decision of all qu es tions of

,

order in a Masonic Lodge are vested not i n the

Lodge but in the Mas t er th e power of granting
, ,

thi s consent is i n Masonry transferred from the

, ,

Lo dge to the presiding o fcer H ence in the .

,

application of the parliamen ta ry law on thi s sub

j e ct to Ma s onic bodies we mu st make this dis ,
 MA S O N IC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 61

t inction By th e parliamen tary law no perso n

.

is permi tt ed to speak more than once on th e

sa m e subj ec t excep t wi th th e consen t of th e as
,

s e m bly In a Masonic Lodge n o bro ther is per

.

m itt e d to speak more t han once on th e same

subj ec t excep t wi th th e consen t of th e presiding

,

ofcer unless th e by laws give him th e privilege

,
-

of a second speech .

S econdly The right of speaking t wice is

.

always given to th e mover of t h e resolu tion who , ,

if he desires it may close th e deba te after which

,

it would be o u t of order for any o ther member

t o speak Parliamen tary juris t s are in doub t
.

Whe ther this privilege exis ts as a ma tter of righ t ,

or S imply by th e cour t esy of th e assembly Bu t .

tha t it does exis t and tha t it is cons tan tly exert ed

, ,

and has al ways been unques tionably recognized ,

is perhaps su fcien t to make it a ma t t er of righ t

, ,

by th e law of preceden t This privile ge is .

acceded to th e mover no t only on a principle ,

of j us tice to himself bu t of expediency to t h e ,

asse m bly It is to be presumed tha t th e m over

.

of a resolu tion mus t know more of the subj ec t

ma tter which it embraces or a t leas t t ha t he is ,

be tt er acquai n t ed w i t h th e reasons w hich he

t hinks should induce t h e adoption of th e propo

s it io n than any o t her member

, H e ought there .
,

6
62 MA S O N IC P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

fore to be perm i tt ed for his own j ustication

, , ,

as well as for t h e informa t ion of his fellow mem -

bers to reply t o any argu men t s which have been

,

made by it s adversaries in t h e cou rs e of t h e de

ba t e o r to correc t wha t he may dee m any mis
,

statemen ts o f facts by th e opponents of t he

measu re But to accomplish these obj ects it is
. ,

n ecessary that he should conne himself to th e

arguments which have been advanced or to the ,

stat emen t s which have been made H is reply .

must be wha t a reply actually means namely , ,

that which is said in answer to what has been

said by anothe r and nothing more , H e can .

enter in t o no n ew eld of argument nor intro ,

du ce any n ew topics which h ave not been t ouched

upon by the p reviou s discussion I f he does his .
,

speech ceases to be a refutation of the arguments

of his Opponents and the new argu men ts intro
,

du ce d by him in his second speech give them in

tu rn the right to a reply provided tha t th e ,

speakers so replying have n o t before spoke n

to the qu es t ion Thu s Cu shing says : I f a
.

,

member therefore in his reply goes beyond

, , ,

th e proper limi t s an d in t rodu ces new ma t t er ,

o ther members are at liber ty to speak to t h e

qu es tion .

There is no t hing in t hese principles of parlia

 MA S O N IC PAR L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 63

mentary law which is Opposed to or inconsistent

wi th th e landmarks of Freemasonry or th e pe cu ,

liar organi z ation o f the I nsti t u tion ; and hen ce , ,

this parliamentary la w is stric tly applicable to th e

governmen t of a debate in a Masonic Lodge .

The rule thus Obliga tory on a Mas onic Lodge

may be enu ncia t ed in th e language of the six ty
t hird rule of the A merican House of Re p re s e n

ta tive s which I adop t as th e simples t in its

,

terms the necessary change being made from

,

leave of t h e H ouse to leave of the presiding

o fcer :

N o member shall speak more than once to
t h e same ques t ion withou t leave of the chair
, ,

unless he be th e mover proposer or introducer

, ,

of th e ma tter pending in which case he S hall

,

be permitted t o speak in reply bu t no t un til ,

every member choosing to speak shall have

S po ke n f

Bu t if a change is made in the nature of th e

ques tion by the in t roduc tion of a subsidiary mo
t ion then th e right t o speak again accrues to
,

every member no twi ths tanding he may have

,

spoken o n th e principal mo tion Thus if an .

,

amendmen t is offered t hen as th e a m endmen t

, ,

in t roduces a new issu e th e freedom of debate

,

r equires t hat all th e members who desire shall be

64 MA S O N IC P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

permi t ted to discuss it s meri t s The amendment

.

assumes for the ti m e being th e charact er of a

n e w mo tion and the deba t e on it mus t be gov
,

e rned by t h e sam e principles that are applicable

to th e original mo tion But the inquiry in to the
.

na tu re of amendmen t s will occupy ou r a t t en tion

i n a succeeding chap t er .
 C H A PTE R IX .

OF T HE VO T E ,
A N D H O W IT MU S T BE TA "E N .

LL the members who desire to express

thei r opinion on the subjec t ma t ter which -

is presen t ed in t h e mo tion having spoken a nd ,

th e mover of th e resolu t ion if he w ishes to avail ,

himself of his privilege having replied t o th e ,

argumen t s which have been advanced agains t

t h e measu re th e nex t thing to be done is to ob tain
,

th e voice of th e Lodge on t h e ques tion tha t is

embraced by t h e mo tion and a formal expression ,

of its opinion whe ther favorable or o therwise

,

This is t echnically called P u tting th e ques tion ,

and like all parliamen tary proceedings is con

, ,

d uc t ed wi t h cer tain forms from w hich it is n o t safe

,

to depar t A s a general rule in parliamen tary

.

bodies th e q u e s tio n is pu t in this form : S o

,
'

ma ny as are in favor of th e mo t ion will say aye ;

and then S o many as are of a con t rary opinion
,

will say n o Bu t in Masonry it is a w ell es tab

.
-

lis h e d rule al though often neglec t ed t o take

6 E 65
66 MA S O N IC P A R L A ME N T A R I Y LA W .

the opinion of t h e Lod ge n o t by t h e vocal u tter ,

ance of aye or n o bu t by a s h o w of ba n ds I n t h e ,
.

General Regula t ions of t h e Free and A ccep t ed

Masons revis ed approved of and ordered to be
, ,

p u blished by th e Gran d Lodge [of E ngland"

,

J anuary 2 8 I 7 6 7 a par t of A rticle XIII is in th e

, ,
.

following words

The opinions or vo t es of th e members are
always t o be signied by each holding up one
o
f h is na n ds : which u plifted hands t h e Grand
W ardens are to coun t unless th e number of ,

hands be so u nequal as to render th e cou nting

useless N or should any o th er kind of division
.

be ever admit t ed on su ch This

rule is still in force in the Grand Lodge of E ng
land withou t o ther change t han tha t o f making
,

it th e duty of th e Grand W ardens or Grand

Deacons to cou n t th e vo t es This mode of .

pu tting t h e qu es tion involves th e necessi ty of a

change of phraseology on th e par t of the pre
siding o fce r The usual formula in this cou ntry
.

is as follows : S o many as are in favor of th e
hi w
T very ncient m de f v ting I n th p pul r
s as a a o o o . e o a

e m blie f th Greek th uffr ge were l w y t ken by

as s s o e s, e s a s a a s a

h lding up th h nd Hence v ting w c lled k t

o e a s . o as a c

e zro on z a , o r

h nd extending
a -
d v ter w , h nd
an a o as a or a a

extender A h w f h nd .
"
till m e n in Engli h th e

s o o a s

s a s, s ,

expre i n f v te
ss o o a o .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 67

motion will signify the same by raising the right

hand ; and t hen S o many as are of a contrary
,

opinion will make th e same sign I n some .

Lodges I have heard this phraseology : S o

many as are in favor of th e motion will signify
"
t h e same by t h e usual sign of the O rder Bu t .

as raising th e righ t hand is no t what i s tech

n ically unders tood as a s ig n of te O r de r the ex ,

pression is eviden tly incorrect and therefore the ,

formula rs t given is to be p referred .

I f the number of hands raised on each branch

of the ques t ion is so unequal tha t t here is no ,

difculty in deciding which number is th e greater ,

the Mas ter next proceeds to announce th e resul t ;

which however will be th e subj ec t of the su c
, ,

c e e ding chap t er .

B u t if t h e p residing o fcer has any doubt as to

which side has the preponderance of hands he ,

may for his own sa tisfac tion require t he vote to

be again taken or direct t h e S enior Deacon to
,

coun t the votes ; or if after making his a n ,

n o u n ce m e n t a n
, y member is dissa t ised he may ,

call for a division .

I n popular asse m blies th e vote is rst taken by

ayes and nays and th e decision of the chair
,

is based on th e preponderance of sound whe ther ,

of the afrmative or negative s ide A s this de .

68 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

pends on the accu racy of th e ear the decision ,

may sometimes be erroneous H ence a division .

may be demanded so as t o make the result cer

,

tain by exact cou nting I n a Masonic body

. ,

when the votes are cou n t ed by the D eacon a s ,

there can be t hen no inaccu racy in the count it ,

would s eem u nnecessary to call for a division ,

and such would be th e fac t were it not that there

,

is another sou rce of error I n taking the qu e s

.

tion in the ordinary mode many on both sides , ,

from indifferen ce or some o t her cau s e neglect ,

to vote But when a division is called every one

. ,

present is required to vo t e u nless formally ex ,

cu s e d ; and hence a division even after the count,

of the D eacon is admissible because only in that

, ,

way can the Opinion of every member be o b

t ain e d
.

This division of the Lodge is not to be con

founded wi t h a division of the qu e stion which is ,

hereafter to be considered I n the H ou s e of .

Commons a division is ma d e by one party going

forth and the o ther remaining i n the H ous e ;
whence it becomes impor tant who are to go
forth and who are to remain becau se the latter ,

gain all the indole nt th e indifferent and the in

, ,

attentive ; and th e general rule has t herefore

been adopted tha t t hose shall remain in who
,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W 69

vote for the preservation of the existing order

of things and those go o u t who are in favor of
,

a change A si m ilar man ner of dividing the

.

H ouse in the A merican Congress having been

found i nconvenien t th e present rule was adopted
, ,

by which those in th e a frma tive of the question

rst rise from their seats and after wards those
,

in the negative This mode has been generally

adopted in Lodges and the cou nt of the sta nd
,

ing members is made by the S enior Deacon .

W hen therefore a division is called for those i n

, , ,

the afrma tive are reques ted to stand who are ,

to be cou nted by th e S enior Deaco n and then ,

tho s e in the nega tive s tand who are counted in

,

t h e same manner It is a general principle of

.

parliamen tary law tha t all who are present shall

,

vo t e on one side or the o ther unless excu s ed by

,

th e H ouse A s this rule is fou nded on the just

.

principle that no man shall be permi tted to evade

,

his responsibility as a legisla tor the rule seems ,

equally applicable t o Masonic bodies where ,

every Mason owes a cer tain responsibili ty t o the

O rder of which he is a m ember .

In the usual mode of vo ting either with or ,

wi thout a division it is di fcult to enforce th e

,

rule beca u se it is impossible to determine wi th

,
70 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A RY LA W .

*
cer tain t y those who have declined to vote In .

parliamentary bodies when t h e yeas and nays ,

are called it is easy to enforce th e rule ; bu t it is

,

not cus tomary and I think not proper to demand

, ,

the yeas and nays in Lodges I n Grand Lodges .

,

where th e members are responsible to a co n s tit

n ency whom t hey represent t h e vote by Lodges ,

is oft en called for which is equivalent to de ,

manding th e yeas and nays ; and I have no doubt

t ha t in such cases every member is bou nd to

vo t e unless excused by th e Grand Lodge

, .

The rule mus t also be enforced in a s u bo rdi

na te Lodge on the ballot for a candidate for ini
tia t io n where every member is requi red to
,

deposi t his ballo t A nd t his is founded on the

.

grea t pri nciple of u nanimi ty as it is set for th in ,

A rticle V I of th e General Regulations of 1 7 2 1

.
,

where it is said tha t no man can be en tered a
bro ther of any par ticular Lodge or admitted to ,

be a member thereof wi thout t h e u n a n im o u s con ,

s e n t of a t"th e m e mbers of th a t Lod e th e n pres e n t

g
when th e candida t e is proposed and t heir con ,

sen t is form ally asked by the Mas t er .

It is a well se t tled principle tha t on th e ballot

*
c m peten t f
Y e t it is o
y t c ll th ttent i n
or an one o a e a o o f th e
ch ir t th f ct th t cert in m e m ber h
a o e a a a t v ted a as no o . Th e
br ther m u t then v te
o s ffer n ccep t ble excu e
o or o a a a s .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
71

fo r a candida t e every member presen t mu s t vo t e ,

for u nanimi ty canno t be predicated of a ballo t

where even one has declined to deposi t his ball .

I n parliamen ta ry law th e presiding o fcer is

,

required to vo t e only w hen th e H ouse is equally

divided or when his vote if given to th e minority
, , ,

would make the division equal whereby the

qu es tion would be los t .

I n so exercising th e privilege of a cas t ing vo t e ,

it is usual for the S peaker or Chairman t o ex

press the reason o f his judgmen t which has ,

us u ally been to so vo te on any m easu re as to

give to th e H ouse th e oppor tu ni ty of fur ther dis
c u s s io n and n o t to make th e decision nal u nless
, ,

some impor tan t principle was involved S uch a .

ru le of cou r tesy should also direc t th e Mas ter of

a Lodge who in giving th e cas t ing vo t e on a
, ,

closely con tes t ed ques tion should always respec t

,

as much as possible th e doub tful opinion of th e

Lodge .

I n parliamen tary practice there is no regula

t ion which gives t o t h e presiding ofcer his own

individual vo te as a member in addi tion to th e

cas ting vo t e N o such rule exis t s in th e E nglish
.

Parliamen t nor in th e A merican Congress ei t her ,

in th e H ouse or in a commi tt ee I n th e House .

of Commons it was claimed in I 8 3 6 by th e chair

,
72 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

man of a committ ee but the claim was dis ,

allowed by th e H ou se Bu t it was subsequ en tly .

ordered t hat in com m i tt ees on p rivate bills all

qu es t io n s shall be decided by a majori t y of vo t es ,

inclu ding the voice of th e chairman and whenever ,

the voices are equal th e chairman shall have a ,

second or casting vo t e .

This is an excep tion t o the gen eral parlia

men ta ry law but in Masonry it is the permanent
,

rule I n a Masonic Lodge the p re s iding o fcer

.

is en t i tled to a vo t e like any other member and , ,

in addi tion to this gives a ca s ting vote when th e

,

Lodge is equally divided The parliamenta ry .

rule therefo re that when the H ou se i s equally

, ,

divided the vote is lost can never apply in ,

Mason ry since on an equal division of the Lodge

,

the cas t ing vote of the p residing o fcer always

gives a preponderance to on e s ide or the o t her ,

as the case may be .

I am not aware of any specic law or ancient

landmark which gives t his supplemental cas t ing
vo t e t o the Master when there is a tie u nless it ,

be N o X I I of the O ld Regulations adopted

. .
,

by th e Grand Lodge of E ngland in 1 7 2 1 which ,

says : A ll matters are t o be determined in th e

* T re ti e n th e L w Privilege P ro ceeding
a s o a ,
s, s , an d U gesa s of

Pa rli m en t by S ir Th m s E r kine May " C

a ,
o a s , . . B .
, p .
3 87 .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
73

G rand Lodge by a maj ori ty of votes each mem ,

ber having one vote and the Grand Mas t er ,

having two vote s A nd this law is s till in
.

force Dr O liver says of the E nglish usage that

. .

in case of an equality of votes the decision cen

tres in the Master but he makes no reference to,

*
his additional vote besides the casting one The .

practice of giving the Master t wo votes in cas e

of a tie is I think almost u niversal in this coun
, , ,

try 1 .

There are some o ther regulations of parlia

men tary law in reference to vo t ing which seem
applicable to Ma s onic bodies becau s e they are ,

fou nded on the principles of right and expediency ,

and do not con t ravene any of the landmarks or

Cons titutions of the O rder .

Thus in pu tting the question th e afrma tive

, ,

mus t be pu t rst and then the negative and , ,

un t il both are put it i s no full question .

I t is therefo re a principle of parliamentary law ,

that aft er the afrmative vote has been taken and

before the negative has been put it is in order ,

for any member to speak if he has not spoken ,

before This rule i s fou nde d on the principle that

.
,

Mas o nic J uris prudence p 3 , . 22 .

1 1 h ve heard f fe w excepti n but they

a o a o s, are not s ufcient
to ffect th e pred m in ance o fth e r le
a o u .

7
74 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

every debatable qu es tion may be discu ssed up to

the moment of it s being fully put A lthough I have
.

very s eldom known any m ember of a Ma s onic

Lodge to avail himself of th is privilege yet I s ee ,

no rea s on why it should not be accorded if de

m a n de d
. A gain no member who wa s not pre s
, ,

ent when the ques t ion was begu n to be put can ,

be allowed to vote or ta ke par t in the p roceed

ing s ; nor any division be called fo r after the
presiding o fcer has an nou nced th e result if any ,

n e w matter has intervened A divi s ion mu s t

.

only be called fo r immediately after the an

n o u nc e m e n t of the vote and before the intro
,

duction of new business .

S uch are the rules which govern a Masonic

body in putting t h e qu estion upon any matter
which has b e en su fciently debated and by which ,

the opinion of the maj ority of the m ember s has

been obtai ned The next s ta ge of the proceed
.

ing s i s the annou ncement of that opinion as thu s ,

obtained by the presiding o f cer The form in

, .

which this announceme nt is to be made will con

s titu te the s ubj ect of the next chapter .
 CH APT E R X .

OF T HE A NNO U NC E ME NT OF T HE D E C I S I ON , AND
H O W IT MU S T BE MA D E .

H E ques tion having been thus pu t and de

cided by a m ajori ty of votes for except ,

in special cases where the concurrence of t wo

,

t hirds or three fourths of the vo t ers presen t is

-

required for the adop tion of a proposi tion the ,

voice of a bare majority always rules the next

stage is th e announcemen t of the result Thi s .

is to be done by th e presiding o fcer and mu st,

be effected after a cer tain form It migh t seem

.

indifferent wha t form should be adopted so long ,

as the assembly is pu t in possession of the

kno wledge that a decision has been arrived at ,

and what that decision is .Bu t it is scarcely

necessary to dilate on the expediency of forms
in all ma tters of business or to quo t e any au
,

th o rity for their excellence as checks upon irreg

u larity or arbitra ry authority The form adopted
.

in all delibera tive assemblies is very nearly th e

same ; and tha t which has been fou nd expedient
75
76 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

in o ther socie ties may very well be pu rsued in

Masonic Lodges .

The presiding o fcer having himself cou n t ed

,

t h e uplift ed hands on ei t her side or in case of , ,

doub t or of a division having caused t hem to be

,

cou nted by the S enior D eacon and th e cou nt ,

communica t ed to him by that o fcer should then ,

announce th e resul t in the following words :

The ayes have it the motion is adopted ; o r
The nays have it the mo tion is lost .

The annou ncemen t having been t hus made ,

any member who is no t sa tised Wi th the cor

*
re c tn e s s of the coun t may call for a division ,

which can never be refused if made a t this t ime .

The Mas t er then puts the vo t e a second time ,

requesting t hose on each side to stand al t erna t ely

While t hey are cou nted The S enior Deacon
.
,

having rst cou nted the afrma t ive voter s reports ,

the number and t hen coun ting those in the n eg

,

ative reports t hem also ; upon which the pre

siding ofcer makes th e an nou ncement in the
formula already described and from this a n ,

n o u nce m e n t upon a division t here is no appeal

, , .

The subj ec t is then closed and cannot be t e ,

opened a t the same communica tion for it is a ,

principle of parliamenta ry law that no qu estion ,

H t ll
a seP recedent ii p 1 40
on s, .
, . .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
77

can be again offered which is substantially the

same as one upon which th e H ouse has already

expressed its judgment This is necessary .
,

says May *
in order to avoid contradict ory
,

decisions to prevent su rprise and to afford

, ,

proper opportuni ties for determining the several

questions as they arise I f th e same question .

could be proposed again and again a session ,

would have no end or only one q u e s tio n co u ld,

'

be de t ermined and which would be resolved rs t

,

in th e affi rmative and then in the nega tive accord ,

ing t o the acciden t s to which all vo ting is liable .

I f therefore a question which has been de t er

, ,

mined by the Lodge should be again proposed

a t th e same commu nication ei t her in t h e same ,

language or in l anguage subs tantially th e same ,

if it had been nega t ived or in language of a di ,

re c tly con t rary import if it had been adop t ed it , ,

would be the duty of th e Mas t er to rule it as out

of order and refuse t o present it for considera
,

t ion
.

The subj ect may however in some cases a nd, ,

under some condi tions be re Opened by a mo ,

-

t ion for reconsidera t ion the rules for making ,

which Will be hereafter discussed .

I n those ins tances where a concu rrent vote o f

T re ti e n L w t
a s f P rli m en t ch p x p
o a , e c 83
.
, o a a , a . .
, . 2 .

7X

78 MA S O N I C PA R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

more than a bare maj ority is required fo r the

adoption of a proposi t ion ; as for example i n , ,

voting on an amendme n t to t h e C onstitution ,

which requires a vot e of two thi rds or three -

fou rths for it s passage t h e formula of an nou nce

,

ment is different H ere t h e votes having been

.
,

counted by the S enior D eacon and the result

communicated to the Ma s t er the latter makes ,

the annou ncement as follows : Two thirds ( o r

-

th ree fou r ths as th e cas e may be ) of the mem

-
,

bers p resen t having vo t ed in th e a frm ative the ,

amendm ent is adop t ed ; or Two third s of the -

member s present no t having voted in th e afrm a

tive the amendmen t is los t and the same form
,

will be followed m a ta tzs m a ta n dzs in all case s

' '

, ,

where a vote of t wo thirds o r three fourth s is

-

required for the passage of a proposi tion .

I have been particular in the description of

these forms no t becau se t hey are in th emselve s
,

important but because experience has shown

,

that they consti t ute the best mode of commu ni

cating to the assembly the result of the discus
s ion and vote t hrough which it has j ust pas s ed ;
and although to thos e familiar with parliamentary
,

form s the in s truction may seem trivial there are ,

many Ma s ters of Lodges who not having had ,

that advantage will not nd the informatio n

,

u nacceptable .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.
79

Hav m g thus disposed of independent motion s ,

and shown ho w t hey should be offered and h o w

they should be discussed h o w the question
,

s hould be put and h o w the resul t should be

annou nced I shall next proceed to th e co n s id
,

e ratio n of subsidiary mo t ions These therefore

.
, ,

will constitute th e subj ect ma tt er of the next

-

chapter.
 CH APT E R X I .

OF S U B S I D IA RY MO T I ONS .

A V IN G
treated in former chapters of p rin
c i al motions or as they are t echnically
p , ,

called main ques tions we come next to the
, ,

considera tion of subsidiary mo t ions by which ,

t erm in the language of Parliament is meant

, ,

t hose mo t ions which are made u se of to dispose

of t h e principal mo tion either temporarily or ,

permanen tly without coming to a direct vote

,

on it .

But as it is a general principle of parliamenta ry

la w that t wo independen t proposi tions cannot
,

be at the same ti m e before the assembly and as ,

these subsidia ry mo t ions have th e especial privi

lege of being presented at any time no twith ,

sta nding th e pendency of ano ther proposition and

during its consideration they are also called ,

privileged ques t ions .

A ccording to parliamenta ry law when a qu es ,

t ion is u nder debate no motion can be recei ved

,

except :
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
. 81

H To adj ou rn ;
N To lie on t h e table

W For the previous question ;

P -
To postpone to a day cer tain ;
i
g To commi t ;
a To amend ;

7 To pos tpone indenitely ;

.

and these several mo tions have precedence in

the order in which they are arranged S uch is .

the modern rule in th e popular branch of th e

A merican Congress It differs from th e former .

rule as well as from t hat prevailing in th e S e n

,

ate where th e mo tion to a m e nd is the last in

,

order all th e o ther subsidiary mo tions taking pre

,

ce de n c e of it A nd no twi ths tan ding t h e n e w rule

.

adop ted in 1 8 2 2 by th e H ouse of Representa ,

t iv e s whereby a mo tion to a m e n d mus t be put

,

before one to pos tpone in de n ite ly th e old rule , ,

which is also tha t of the S enate s till p revails in ,

all popular assemblages and a mo t ion to pos to n e ,

indenite ly while a mo t ion to a m en d is before

,

t h e mee ting is admissible and if adopted carrie s

, , , ,

the amendment as well as the original motion on ,

which it hangs away from the assembly , .

Bu t of t hese subsidiary mo tions or privileged

ques tions it has already been shown tha t th e
,

motion to a dj ou rn and that for the previo u s gu es

F
82 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

tion are repugnant to the principles which regu

la t e th e Masonic i nsti tu tion and cannot there
, ,

fore be applied to the government of Masonic

,

bodies .

The only subsidiary mo t ions that can be en

t e rta in e d in a Masonic Lodge du ring the discu s
,

sion of th e main qu estion are the followi ng :

,

1 . To lie on the table ;

2 . To postpone indenitely ;
3 To postpone to a day ce rtain
.

4 To commit ;
.

5 To amend ;
.

which several motions have precedence in the

order in which they are above arranged That .

is to say the main ques tion being be fore the

,

Lodge a mo tion may be made to amend it I t

, .

may then be moved to commit the motion and

the amendment to a committee for report .

W hile this question is pending a motion may be ,

made to postpone th e question to th e next com

m u nica tio n or t o any other specied time
, Thi s .

may be replaced by another mo tion to postpone ,

the fur ther considera tion of the motion inde

n ite ly ; and las t ly before any one of t hese privi
, ,

le g e d ques t ions has been put to th e Lodge a ,

motion may be made to le t th e whole subj ect lie

on the table ; and t his if adop ted puts an end
, ,

at once to all fu rther di s cu ssion .

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 83

O r a principal motion being before th e Lodge

, ,

a mo tion to amend it may be offered and im ,

mediately th e whole four privileged qu es tions

may be presen t ed at t h e same t ime by fou r dif
fe re nt members O ne may move to commi t ;
.

another to pos tpone to a day certain ; a third to

, ,

pos tpone indeni tely ; and a fou r th t o lay the ,

motion on th e table Then each of these qu es

.

t ions mus t be p u t in th e o rder of it s precedence .

The presiding o fcer will rs t pu t t h e mo t ion to

lie on t h e table this being rej ec ted he will pu t ,

that for indenit e pos tpone m en t ; if tha t is re

j e cte d he will then pu t th e m o t ion for pos tpone
,

men t to a day certain ; on its rej ec tion he will ,

pu t th e mo tion to commi t ; tha t being los t he ,

will pu t th e amendment ; and if that is rej ec ted , ,

he will conclude by proposing th e main qu es tion

or principal mo tion .

It will be seen tha t a mo t ion to amend is th e

las t in ord e r and that when it is offered there
, , ,

are four ways besides and before rej ec tion by

, ,

which it may be pu t o u t of t h e presence and pos

session for th e ti m e being of th e Lodge Y e t
, , .

as amendmen t s are offered more frequen tly than

any of t h e o ther secondary ques tions on th e rs t
presen ta tion of th e principal mo tion and as th e ,

other subsidiary motions only affect th e tim e

84 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

o r mode of consideration while amendment s are

,

intended to change t h e form the s ub s ta nce , ,

and sometimes th e very obj ect of the main qu e s

tion it seems proper t hat they should be rst
,

con s idered ; aft er which th e other subsidiary mo

tion s will be taken up in the order of their p re
-

ce de n ce : the one which overrides all the other s

being the rst to be considered W e shall thu s .

proceed by a descending grada tion from the

highe s t to the lowes t p recisely in the order in
,

which these various privileged que s tion s would

be put by the chair The order of consideration
.

will therefore be as follows

1. O f amendmen t s ;
2. O f the motion to lie on the table ;
3 O f the motio n to pos t pone indenitely ;
.

4 O f the mo t ion to postpone to a day certain ;

.

5 O f th e motion to commi t
. .

E ach of these will form the s ubj ect matter of -

a di s tinct chapter .
 CH AP TE R X II .

OF AME N D ME NT S .

TY MO LO G IC A LLY , to amend is to

make better by expunging a fault I n the

, .

language of parliamen ta ry law to amend is to ,

make a change whet her it be for the better or

,

the worse .

W hen a motion is pending before a Lodge it ,

i s competent for any member to propose an

amendment there to which amendment having ,

been seconded * takes precedence of the original

,

motion that is to say it must be considered and

, ,

adopted o r rejected before the question can be ,

put on the original mo tion I f the amendment .

be lost then the qu estion must be put on

,

the original mo t ion I f th e amendment be .

adopted the ques tion will be on the original

,

motion as so amended ; and then if th is question ,

be lo s t the m otion falls to the grou nd The

, .

adoption of the amendment brings an entirely

n e w motion more or less altered from the origi
,

Th e endm en t m u t like th rigin l m ti o n be s ec nded ;

am s , e o a o ,
o

but thi rule is o ften neglected in p pul r ss e m blie s

s o a a .

8
86 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A RY LA W
.

nal one before the Lodge and the original mo

, ,

tion disappear s and is no m ore heard o f The

,
.

not u nu sual mis t ake of some p residing of cers i n ,

supposing that the adop t ion of an amendmen t pre

c lu d e s the n ecessity of putting the que s tion on the

original motion must be carefully avoided The

,
.

adoption of an amendmen t is so far from adopt

ing the motion which it amends that it actuallyde ,

stroys it and brings a n e w motion before the body

,
.

The change effected by th e amendment has given

a different form to t h e origi n al proposition .

A n amendment can only be made i n on e of

t hese three ways namely : by s triking out certain
,

words ; by adding or inserting certain words ;

or lastly by striking out certain words and in
, , ,

sert ing other s .

1 S trihing ou t cer ta in words A proposi t ion .

may be amended by striking out a part of it but ,

th e par t so stricken o u t should not by its omis

sion affect the coheren ce or grammatical con
,

ru it
g y of the remainder of the sentence from
which it is to be omi tt ed The sentence le ft .

should p resent a correc t grammatical co ns tru c

tion This is apparen tly a small matter bu t the
.
,

neglect of it s observance frequently leads to awk

ward phraseology which require s fu rther amend
,

ments to correct it .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 87

I f an amendment to strike out certain words

be rejec ted no subsequ en t amen dmen t can be
,

offered to s t rike o u t the same words or any pa rt ,

of them ; but it may be again moved to s t rike

out the same words or any part of them wi th ,

o ther words provided th e n e w proposi tion sub

,

s ta n t ia lly differs in meaning and e ffec t from th e

one previously rej ec t ed It is an essen tial rule
.

that th e new proposition shall differ subs ta ntially

from th e one previously rej ec ted because as it , ,

may be s ta t ed once for all it is a well set tled

,
-

principle of parliamen tary law that no question

,

can again be proposed during th e same session

( which i n reference to the business of a Lodge
, ,

is equivalen t to t h e same communica tion ) upon

which th e house has already expressed its judg

men t A nd this is a necessary rule to avoid
.

contrary decisions to preven t surprise and to

, ,

afford a proper oppor tuni ty for de t ermining

ques tions as t hey severally arise .

I n accordance wi th this principle if the mo tion ,

to s t rike o u t certain words prevails no s u bs e ,

quent mo t ion can be en tertained t o inser t t h e

sa m e words or any par t of them in th e same
place Bu t a motion may be en t er tained to in
.

ser t them or any part of t hem in ano ther place ,

or to insert them or any part of them wi th o ther

88 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W

word s in the same place p rovided that the addi ,

tion of the new words consti t utes a s ub s tantially

different proposition .

A motion may be made to s trike out all after

the word That and su ch a motion would be in
,

order as one of the legi t imate mean s of defeat

,

ing a p roposi tion I f adopted t h e effect woul d

. ,

be to re du ce the original motion to a nonentity ,

which in that case would be quie tly pas s ed ove r ,

*
the Lodge proceeding to o he r business t .

The usage in the B ri t ish Parliament in putting ,

the question on striking out words is not S hall ,

the words h e s tricken out but S hall they s tan d ,

a s part of the motion This cu s tom i s founded

.

on certain historical and poli tical rea s on s which ,

do not affect t his cou ntry ; and hence in A meri ,

can legisla tive assemblies the qu estion is a direct ,

on e on striking o u t which u sage u niformly p re

,

vail s .

2
. I ns erting cer ta in words The rule s here .

a re the s ame as those applicable to striking out .

I f an amendmen t to insert certain words be re

j e cte d no motion can be entertained for the
,

in s ertion of the sam e words or any part of them

M y in h i T re t i e n P rli m en t ry L w ( p
a , s a s o a
gives
a a a , .

two precedents f thi kind w hi h

o s ccu ed in th e Ho u s e o f
c o rr

C om m o n s Th e equiv len t m ti n in th C o ngre s s o fth e United

. a o o e

State s is to s tri k e t th e en cting cl u e f a b ill

ou a a s o .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW . 89

in t h e same place but it may be moved to insert ,

the same words in ano ther place or to insert ,

t hem or any part of t hem wi t h o t her words in t h e

same place p rovided t h e addi tional words make

,

a subs tan tially differen t p rep o s it io n .

O n th e o ther hand if th e motion t o inser t cer ,

tain words prevails no mo t ion can aft erwards be ,

en t ertained to s t rike them or any par t of t hem

out I t is r es a diu dica ta ; the judgmen t of t h e
.

Lodge has been given and it would be idle to ,

a tt emp t to reverse it Bu t a mo t ion would be .

en t ertained to s t rike o u t these words or any par t

of them wi th o t her words provided by t h e addi , ,

t ion of thos e other w ords a new p roposi tion was ,

submi tted .

3 . S trih ing ou t cer ta in words a nd ins e r ting

o th e rs This is a combina tion of th e t wo preced
.

ing qu es tions and m us t be t rea t ed i n t h e same

,

way A rule of th e H o u se of Represen ta tives

. "

provides tha t a mo tion to strike out and inser t

is n o t divisible bu t must be pu t as a whole , .

This is n o t however in accordance wi t h the

, ,

general usage of popular assemblies and would , ,

if enforced be oft en productive of inconvenience

, .

S ome members migh t be in favor of s t riking o u t

and inser t ing o thers of s t riking o u t bu t n o t of
,

inserting and o thers again migh t be opposed to

,

8X
-
9
0 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

any change The bes t method of givi ng t o each .

of these an opportuni t y of expressing his opin

ion is by dividing t h e qu estion H ence o n the .
,

demand of any member th e qu es tion may be ,

divided so as to make two rs t on striking

,

o u t and t hen o n inser t ing *

, .

The proper manner of s ta t ing the qu estion is

rst to read the original passage as it stands ;
then th e words proposed to be s t ruck out ; n ex t
t hose to be inserted ; and las tly th e whole pas ,

sage as it will stand when amended I f desi red .

,

the qu estion is then to be divided and p u t rst ,

on striking o u tsj

During the pendency of th e motion to strike

out it may be amended by mo tions to modify it
,

so as to re tain a part of th e words The form .

of this proposition would be to leave out a part

of the words of t h e amendmen t which is equ iv ,

ale u t to reta ining t hem in the mo tion .

u hing i c ntr dict ry in th expre i n f h i pini n n

9
"C s s o a o e ss o o s o o o

thi ubj ect H y ( N 3 5 3 ) th t it i c m m n in thi

s s . e sa s o . 1 a

s o o s

c untry t pr vide th t th m ti n t trike t d in ert h ll

o o o a e o o o s ou an s s a

no t be divi ible b t he h d previ u ly t ted ( N

s , 1 33 5 ) th t u a o s s a o . a .

th tw m t i n m u t be
e o op t c n ecut ively t th que t i n r t
o s s u o s o e s o , s ,

t
o le ve t th w rd bj ected t n d ec nd t in ert th
a ou e o s o o, a s o , o s e

ther pr p ed in their pl ce T hi c nfu i n f pini n ee m "

o s o os a . s o s o o o o s s

t h ve ri en fr m h i referring t n t i m e t
o a a s th rule
o fC n s a o e o e o o

gre d t n ther t th
ss , an u ge f p pul r em blie T h e
a a o o e sa o o a as s s .

l tterh I think been pr perly c n idered in th e text

a as , o o s

.
,

T H t ll ii pp
a se 8 87 , .
, . 0 .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
91
I f t h e motion to strike out prevails then the ,

next question will be on inserting the proposed

words H ere again amendments may be pro
.
, ,

posed to change those words by leaving o u t a ,

part of the m o r by inser ting n e w words I f t h e .

mo tion to insert prevails t hen the words so o r

,

dered to be inserted will constitute a part of th e

main motion I f it is rej ected then the main
. ,

motion remains wi th the words stricken o u t and ,

none substituted in their place .

Bu t if the motion t o s t rike out is rej ected t hen ,

the mo tion to insert cannot be put The resolve .

n o t to strike out is equivalent to one to re tain ,

and if the words are to be retained the o ther ,

words cannot of course be sub s tituted for t hem .

Bu t because it has been resolved not to s trike

out certa in words for th e pu rpo s e of inserting
others it doe s n o t follow that a mo tion may not
,

be made to s trike out th e same words for th e

purpose of inserting o ther and different words .

The rule laid down by J efferson * on this point

is as follow s
A mo tion is made t o amend by striking out
certain words and insert ing others in their place ,

which is negatived Then it is moved to s t rike

.

o u t the same words and to in s ert others of a

,

M l ec t xxxv
an u a , s . .
92 MA S O N I C P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

tenor en tirely different from those rst proposed .

I t is negatived Then it is moved to s t rike out

.

the same words and to inser t no thing which is ,

agreed to A ll this is admissible ; becau se to

.

s t rike out and insert A is one proposi tion ; to

s t rike out and inser t B is a differen t proposi tion ;
and to s trike o u t and insert no thing is s till dif
fe re n t. A nd th e rej ec tion of one propositio n
does n o t preclude t h e offering a differen t one .

W hen th e qu es t ion is divided and th e mo tion ,

to s t rike o u t is rs t pu t and then t ha t to insert ,

Mr J e fferson th inks tha t th e same rule should

.

p revail al though he expresses th e opinion

,

doub tingly because it may be though t t ha t
, ,

having decided separa t ely not to s t rike o u t the

passage th e same ques tion for s t riking o u t could
,

n o t be
p u t over again It is however m ore .
, ,

reasonable and convenien t as he admi t s to con , ,

"

sider t h e s t riking ou t and inser ting as forming

one proposi tion al though p u t in t wo separate
,

qu es t ions Therefore it may be laid do w

. n tha t ,

t h e mo tion to s t rike o u t having been rej ected ,

the mo tion to inser t canno t be pu t bu t t hat a ,

new mo tion may be made to s t rike o u t for th e ,

purpose of inser ting o ther wo rds differing in ,

subs tance from those at rst p roposed ; o r a

mo tion may be made to s t rike out wi thou t any
mo tion to inser t .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.
93
A ny number of amendments may be proposed
to a motion and be all offered before the ques
,

tion i s taken on any of them B ut there i s no

.

other rule of precedence than that which comes

from priority of presenta tion They must be
.

put in the order in which t hey were offered .

W e are next to consider the natu re of amend

ments to an amendmen t and th e rules which
,

regulate them and t his w ill constitute th e s u b

,

j ce t of the following chapter .

 C H AP T E R X III .

O F T HE MOT I ON To AME N D AN AME N D ME NT .

S it is possible that the p ropo s ed amend

m ent to an O riginal propo s ition may be a s
obj ectionable to some of the member s a s the main
p roposition itself an d may s eem in their O p inion
, , ,

equally to require a change and as the same

,

condition might occu r in referenc e to the amend

m ent to the amendment and so on a d in nitu m
, ,

there would not s eem to be any reason why the

p roposing of amendments t o amendments might
not be illimitable o r limi t ed only by the will o f
,

the members O f the assembly B u t the fact i s.

,

that su ch a piling on o f question s to use the par ,

liam e n ta ry phrase would result in great co nfu

,

sion and embarrassment The line s ay s J e f
.
,

fe rs o n, mus t be drawn s omewhere an d usage ,

has drawn it after the amendmen t to the amen d

ment which is called the amendm ent in the s ec
,

ond degree . This is a rule founded entirely o n

the p rinciple of exp ediency ; but the rea s o n fo r
9
4
 M A S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
95
it is so eviden t tha t all parliamen tary bodies have
concurred in recognizing its exis tence .

I f any par t of t h e amendmen t to th e amend

men t be Objec t ionable th e only way of effec ting
,

an improvement in it is to rej ec t this amendmen t

in th e second degree ; and t hen after giving it ,

the improved form which may be desired to pro ,

pose it again as an amendmen t t o th e amend

men t Thu s pending a certain qu es tion it is
.
, ,

proposed to amend by inser ting a form of words

whi ch m ay be represe nt ed by A B This it is .

prop osed t o again amend by inser t ing C D aft er

A B This is admissible ; but if it were desired
.

to amend C D by adding E so as to make it ,

C D E this would be an amendmen t in the t hird

,

degree and therefore would no t be admissible

, , , .

The only way of reaching this result would be to

rej ec t the proposi t ion to insert C D aft er A B ,

and then to move an amendment to th e amend

men t A B by addi ng C D E .

W hen an amendmen t to an a m endmen t to an

original mo tion is pending th e ques tion mu s t ,

rs t be pu t on th e amendmen t to t h e amendmen t .

I f this be adop ted or rej ected t hen th e ques tion

, ,

will recu r on th e amendmen t ; and if t his be re

j e ct e d then on th e original mo t ion ; or if th e
, ,

amendmen t be adop t ed on th e mo tion as so ,

9
6 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.

amended A ll th e rules which a ffect an amen d

.

men t in t h e rst degree are equally applicable

to one in th e second except t hat t h e la tt er can
,

n o t be amended .

B efore dismissing the subj ect o f amendments ,

it may be proper to say that an amendment need

not be of th e same character as or germane to, ,

the original m o t ion Hat s e ll says t hat one way

.

O f getting rid of a proposition is to make su ch

am endments to the qu estion as to change the

nature of it and to make it Obj ec tionable to those
.

even who proposed it Thu s an amendment

,

might be Offered to strike o u t everything after

the word Res olve d an d to insert new words of

,

an en ti rely different or even contradictory im

por t
.
 CH APT ER X I V .

OF T HE MOT I ON T O LIE ON T HE T A B LE .

E FFE RSO N s ays that when the H ou se ha s
,

something else which claims its present at

tention but woul d be willing to reserve in
,

their power to take up a proposition whenever it

shall sui t them they order it to lie on the table
, ,

and it may be called for a t any time .

This was undoubtedly th e original intention

, , ,

u nder the parliamentary law of the mo tion to lie ,

on the table W ith this view it was Often made

.

by the friend s of a proposition who however , ,

desirous of entertaining it were u nable at that ,

momen t to con s ider it But no w this Obj ect is

.

much better attained by a motion to pos tpone to

a time certain I n mo dern A merican usage the
.
,

motion to lie on the t able is made by th e ene

,

mies of a propo s ition and as Barclay says is

, , ,

intended to give it its dea th blow for th e meas
'
-
,

ure s o laid on the table is very rarely ever taken

up again .

The motion to lie on th e ta ble takes prece

de ncy of all other motions and w hen made ,

9 G 97
9
8 MA s o m c P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.

th e que s tion must be immediately put without

deba te .

The motion to lie on the table is not debatable ,

because to permit debat e on it would be to fru s

t rate the very obj ect for which the motion was

made I t is moved to lay a p roposi tion on the

.

ta ble becau se it is supposed that the enterta ining

,

of that p ropositio n would imp ede or po s tpon e

th e considera t ion of o t her and more p re s sing

business W hatever may now be the intention

.

of the motion such was certainly originally its

, , ,

obj ect The motion to lie on the table i s then

.

made to prevent an interruption of the regular

business N o w to go into a prolonged di s cus
.
,

sion on th e merits of this s ubsidiary question ,

would be only to p rolong the delay and interrup

t ion the very inconvenience sough t t o be avoided
, .

H ence the mo tion to lie on the table is to be pu t

,

at once without deba t e .

W hen a mo tion to lie on the table ha s been

rej ected it cannot be renewed u nless s ome ne w
,

matter s hall have been in t rodu ced Thu s if o n .

,

th e failu re of th e mo tion to lie on the table a ,

new amen dment is offered to the original p ropo

s itio n then the mo t ion to lie on the table may
,

be again made but not u ntil then , .

The adop tion O f the motion to lie on the table

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .
9
9
not only carries wi th it the immedia t e subj ect to
which it had been direc t ed bu t also every thing ,

t ha t in parliamentary phrase adheres t o it :

, ,

thus a substan t ive proposition being before th e

,

assembly an amendmen t has been offered t o t hat

,

proposi tion and then an amendmen t is moved to

,

that amendmen t I t is n o w moved tha t th e

.

amendme n t t o t h e amendmen t lie on th e table .

I f this mo t ion is adop t ed not only the amendment ,

to the amendmen t bu t th e rs t amendment also, ,

as well as the original proposi tion go to th e table , .

The reason for this rule if no t immediately ,

Obvious will be u nders t ood after a very brief

,

considera t ion Let u s represent the original

.

m otion by th e le tt er A ; let th e amendment be

represen t ed by B ; and th e amendment to the

amendm e nt by C NO W when th e amendmen t .
,

B is offered the proposition before th e assembly

,

ceases to be A and becomes by the proposed

,

addition or incorporation of th e amendment B a ,

n e w proposition which may be represen t ed by

,

th e form A B Again : if to this amended form

.

of A ano ther amendment ( C ) is Offered t hen a ,

n e w proposition diff ering bo t h from A and from

,

A B is presented for consideration and for a c

,

t ion ; and t his n e w propo s ition by the addi t ion ,

of C to A B assumes the form which may be

,

represented by A B C .
IO O MA S O N I C PA R L I A M E N T A R Y LAW .

The only way to bring A B back to the as

s e m bly from which it has been t emporarily re
,

m oved for the new formula which was made by

the incorpora tion wi th it of C is to rej ec t or as, , ,

the ma thema t icians would say to eliminate C , .

The question mus t be ca t egorically determined

whe ther C shall be adop t ed or rej ec t ed I f it be .

rej ec ted then th e formula to be considered would

,

be A B and if tha t be rej ec t ed th e n th e discus

,

sion would be upon A .

But a mo tion t ha t C shall lie on t h e table is

not to rej ec t or to eliminate it I t still remain s .

an integral part of the last form or proposi t io n

which had been presen t ed for consideration .

Y ou canno t consider A B becau se tha t proposi

,

t ion wa s removed o u t of sight by the n ew formula

A B C I f you refuse then to consider C you

.
,

canno t t ake up A B for t here is now no such

,

proposition in ac tual exis t ence I n t he language .

of parliamentary law C so adheres to A B as t o

,

make an integral par t of it and if it be laid on,

t h e t able A and B mu st lie t here too I n like .

mann er and for a similar reason if C should be ,

rejec t ed and t hen a m o t ion be made and adop t ed

,

tha t B lie on the table A mu st go to the table

,

w i t h it
.

This rule althoug h very general i s not uni

, ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
. 10 1

versal I n the business of legislative bodies

.

there are a few excep tions to it O f these only .

one it appears to me has any reference to th e

, ,

governmen t O f a Masonic Lodge : tha t is t ha t on , ,

t h e reading of th e minu t es a motion to lay a pro

,

posed amendmen t t o th e m inutes on the table

will no t if adop t ed affect the minutes which will ,

remain as if no mo tion to amend had been made

and of cou rse a subsequen t mo tion to conrm
, ,

the minu t es wi thou t any reference to th e amend

,

ment may be en ter tained

, .

A mo tion to lay a m o tion for reconsidera tion

on t h e table is a ttended wi th a peculiar e ffec t ,

which will be no ticed when we come to trea t the

subject of reconsideration of m otions .

Lastly it may be observed that a mo tion to

, ,

lie on the table may like all other motions if

, ,

adopted be reconsidered
, .

9*
 CH APTE R XV .

OF T HE MO T I ON TO P OS T P ON E I ND E F I N I T ELY .

HIS is peculiarly an A merican mo tion ,

un

known to the Bri t ish Parliament and rst ,

used in t he Congress of th e U nited S ta t es in th e

year 1 8 0 6 .

It is an adverse motion : t ha t is one to be ,

u sed only by th e Opponen t s of a proposi tion fo r

it is equivalen t for all pract ical pu rposes to a re
, ,

j e c tio n. I ts effect is to take the proposi t ion t o

which it is applied o u t O f th e assembly for that

session or mee ting The rule of th e H ou se of
.

Representatives is t hat when a qu estion is post

,

poned indeni t ely t h e same shall not be ac t ed

,

upon again du ring th e session .

A mo tion for inden it e postponement is de

ba table bu t th e deba t e is of a very limi t ed char
,

acter The meri t s or demeri t s of the original

.

p roposi tion should fo rm no part of the discussion ,

which should be rigidly restric t ed t o the pro

p rie ty or expediency of pos tponing the qu es t ion .

A skilful and experienced presiding O fcer will

be careful to see that th e deba t e does not trans
gress this narrow and p rescribed limit
 CH APT E R XV I .

OF T HE MO T I ON TO P OS T P ON E TO A D AY C ERT AI N .

H E mo t ion to pos tpone to a day cer tain is

in ge neral a friendly mo tion that is on e , ,

which is made by th e friends of a proposi tion to

facili ta t e or at leas t n o t to embarrass its recep
, ,

t ion. W hen a proposi tion is p resen ted to an

assembly for the considera tion of which it is n o t
,

then ready perhaps from th e pressure of more

,

urgen t bu siness or from the wan t of cer tain in

,

forma tion n o t t hen in its possession or from ,

some o ther cau se which makes the discussion of

the proposition at tha t t i m e inexpedien t or in
convenien t a mo tion may be made t o pos tpone
,

its considera tion to some cer tain day or to make ,

it th e special order for t hat day .

The effect O f the adop tion of a motion to pos t

pon e to a day cer tain is to remove th e proposi
t ion wi t h all tha t is connec ted wi t h it from th e
, ,

assembly un til th e day specied when it comes ,

up as a privileged ques t ion .

A motion to pos tpone to a day certain may be

1 03
1 04 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.

amended by striking out the day an d i nserting

another .

O ne form of postponing to a day certain and in ,

parliamentary bodies the most usual form is to ,

move that the qu es tion be made the special order

for a certain day Bu t the na t u re of t his motion
.

will be be tt er t rea t ed when we come to the con

sidera tion of th e subj ec t of S pecial O rders .

The mo t ion to pos tpone to a day cer tain is

some t imes used by the Opponen t s of a measu re
to s t ifle a proposi tion by naming some day when
it will be impossi ble to consider the qu es tion ; as ,

i n Congress to a day beyond th e end of the ses

,

sion or in a socie ty to a day which w ill fall afte r

, , ,

t h e adjou rnmen t of t h e body S uch a mo tion

.

is equivalen t to a suppression o r rej ection of t h e

proposition .

I n Lodges and Chap t ers the motion to post

pone to a day certain is seldom if ever u sed bu t ,

it is n o t unu sual to employ it in Grand Lodges

or Grand Chap t ers It is eviden t tha t such a
.

mo t ion would only apply to bodies which meet

for several days I n a Lodge o r Chapter a
.

mo tion is sometimes made and p roperly enter

t a in e d to postpone th e consideration u n til a later

hou r in th e evening ; but the rules which govern

such a motion are precisely the same as those
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 10 5

which apply to the motion for postponement

to a day cer tain on ly t hat h o u r is subs t i t u t ed for
,

The deba t e on this motion like t ha t on th e

,

motion for indenite pos tponement is exceed ,

ingly li m i t ed being conned to argument for and

,

a gainst the expediency of pos tponemen t wi t hout ,

any reference to the merits of the original prop

o s it io n
.
 C H A P TE R XV II .

O F T HE MO T I ON TO C OMMI T .

HE N it is desired to make a fuller inve s

t ig atio n
of a subj ect than is likely to be
obtained by a discu ssion in full assembly it i s ,

u s ual to refer it to a committee when it i s s aid ,

in parliamentary phrase to be committed or if ,

it has alre ady been in t h e hands O f a committe e ,

it is the n said to be recommitted The us u al

"

form of the motion in a popular assembly i s that ,

the s ubj ect be referred to a commi ttee I f it be .

to a standing committee the committee is named

,

by the mover ; and if to a s peci al committee it

, ,

i s s o s ta ted and the number of th e committee i s

,

usually designated .

S ometime s it is p rovided by law that a s ubj ect

s hall whenever presen t ed be referred to a com
, ,

m itte e as in the case of a p etition for initiation

, ,

o r membership in a Masonic Lodge I n such a .

case it is not necessary to make a motio n fo r

,

commitment or reference The p residing ofcer .

will refer the petition as a matter of co u r s e

,
,

106
 MA S O N I C PA R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 107

u nder the general la w , to the appropriate com

m itt e e .

A mo tion to commi t may be amended as for , ,

instance by adding wi th ins t ructions t o report
, .

The deba t e on a motion to commi t like that ,

on a mo t ion for pos tponemen t is limi ted and in ,

th e same way ; that is it mus t be not on th e

,

meri t s of th e original question bu t on th e pro ,

p rie ty or expediency of commi tting it .

S ome times the report of a committ ee is not

sa t isfac to ry and t hen a mo t ion may be made to
,

recommi t it wi th or wi thou t instruc tions for the

, ,

purpose of having an a m ended or altered repor t .

The mo tion to recommit may be made a t any

t ime before th e adop tion of t h e report I f a mo .

tion to recommi t is adop t ed the whole ma tter is

,

brought back t o t h e condi t ion in which it was

a t t h e t ime of th e original appointment o f t h e

committee and an a m enda to ry or revisionary

,

repor t is made a t a subsequen t time .

 CH AP T E R XV I II .

OF I N C I D E N T A L QU EST I ON S .

N C ID E NTA L qu estions are dened by

Cushing to be t hose which arise out of an d
are conn ec t ed wi t h ( though t hey do not n e ce s s a
rily dispose O f) o ther qu estions to which they
relate and which for the time being they super
, , ,

s e de f

I t is evident that there must be a vast nu mb e r

of qu estions which will be continually springing
u
p du ring the discu ssion of any proposition and ,

which are suggested extemporaneou sly by points ,

in the discussion These are called incidental

.

qu estions because t hey are really o nly i n cide nts

,

of t h e debate . I t is impo s sible to anticipate

all t h e ques t ions t ha t might thu s arise i n the
course of a discussion Five however being
.
, ,

of more frequ en t occu rrence and of a more im

portan t charac t er than t h e others may becom e ,

the s ubj ects of ou r considera tion These are.

1 08
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 10 9
1 . Q ue s tion s of order .

2 . Q ue s tion s fo r reading papers .

3 . Q ue stion s on leave to withdraw motions .

4 . Q ue s tion s on suspending a rule .

5 . Q uestion s on taking th e vote by yeas and

nays .

E ach of these will constitute the s ubj ect matter -

of a separate chap ter .

Before proceeding to the separate considera

t ion of each O f these incidenta l questions it mu st ,

be observed that t hey are always i n order and ,

fo r a t ime take precedence of and suppress th e

question before the mee t ing provided that they ,

re fer to that question Thus it is always in o r .

der during the discussion of any proposition to

, ,

m ove a qu estion of order or to read papers or , ,

t o wit hdraw a motion o r to suspend a rule p ro , ,

v ide d that the point of order the paper the mo , ,

tion or th e rule has a dis t inct reference to and

,

a direct bearing on t h e proposi tion then before

the assembly .

These incidental ques t ions are also s ubj ect t o

the operation of subsidiary questions Thus it .

may be moved to lay any one of them on th e

table to postpone or to commit it A s a gen
, , .

eral rule however the adoption of the subsidiary

, ,

[0
I IO MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME NT A R Y LA W .

m otion doe s not necessarily carry the main p rop

o s itio n u nder debate wi t h it ; but the inciden ta l
,

qu estion being laid on the table or postponed , ,

or o ther wise disposed of by a s ubsidiary motion ,

the m ain discussion is resumed as if no su ch in

cide n tal qu estion had been made This rule. ,

although general i s not universal and the e xce p

, ,

tion mu st be determined by the natu re of each

qu estion .
 CH A P TE R XI X .

OF QU E S T I ON S OF ORD E R .

N any assembly of persons together for m et

th e purposes of deliberation and discussion ,

no sa t isfac tory resul t can be attained u nless th e

discussion is regula ted by well known and gen -

o rally recogni z ed rules I t is by such rules only

.

that order and decoru m can be m ain tained dis ,

cord and confusion preven t ed and a concu rrent ,

harmony of opinion be reached These are .

therefore th e rules of order and their impor tance

,

is such that it becomes th e interest of every

member to see them enforced .

Rules of order relate t o the present action of

th e body no t to any pas t or prospec t ive pro
,

c e e din s Th e y prescribe th e charac t er of t h e

g
.

mot ions tha t may be m ade th e time at which

,

t hey ough t to be made and th e precedency of

,

one mo tion over another ; they impose th e n e c e s

sary limi ts t o deba t e and indicate th e bou nds
,

beyond which it is n o t lawful for a speaker t o

pass in his discussion of the ques tion before th e
body .
1 12 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LA W .

E very permanent deliberative body adopts a

code of rules of order to sui t i t self ; but t here
are certa in rules derived from what may be,

called th e co m mon law of p arliament th e wisdom ,

of which having been proven by long experience

t hey have been deemed O f force at all t imes and

places and are with a few necessa ry excep tions

, , ,

as applicable to Lodges and Chap t ers as to other

socie ties .

These universal rules of order sanc tioned by ,

uninterrupted usage and approved by all au thor

i ties may be enumerated u nder th e following
,

distinc t heads as applied t o a Masonic body :

,

1 Two independent original p roposi tions

.

cannot be presen t ed at the same time to th e

mee ting I f a Lodge is discussing a mo t ion no
.
,

other independen t mo tion can be entertained ,

although a subsidiary one may u ntil the rst ,

motion is disposed o f .

2 A subsidiary motion cannot be offered out

.

of its rank of precedence Thus when a motion .

,

has been made t o lay any p roposi tion on th e

table it would be a breach of order to a tt empt
,

to supersede that mo tion by one to commi t or to

pos tpon e The mo tion to lie on t h e table must
.

be rs t pu t That being rej ected th e o ther mo

.
,

t ion to commit or to postpone may be O ffered .

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 13

3 W hen a bro ther in tends to speak he is re

.
,

*
quired to s tand up in his place and to address ,

himself always to the p residing O fcer It is a .

breach of order to address any o ther member or

bro ther during th e debate .

4 W hen t wo or more brethren rise nearly at

.

t h e same time t h e presiding O fcer will indica t e , ,

by m en tioning his name th e one Wh o in his , ,

opinion is en ti tled t o th e floor

,
.

5 A bro ther is not to be in terrup t ed by any

.

o ther member excep t for th e purpose of calling ,

him to order nor while he is on th e oor can ,

any mo tion be made or question put .

6 N o bro ther can speak oftener t han th e rules

.

permi t but this rule may be dispensed wi th by

,

th e Master if he sees good reasons for doing ,

so .

7 N o one is to dis turb th e speaker by hissing

.
,

unnecessary coughing loud whispering or o ther , ,

unseemly noise nor shall he pass be tween t h e ,

speaker and t h e presiding o fce r l All of these .

'

T hi cu t m f t nding when pe king ee m t h ve been

s s o O s a S a s s o a

derived fr m th u ge f very e rly ntiquity

o e It i every sa s o a a .

s

where b erv ble i o ncient uth r

s y Archbi h p P tter
a ,
n a a o s,
"
sa s s o o ,

th t per n f wh t r nk qu li ty ever pre u m ed t

a no so , o a a or a so , s o

S pe k itting A h l G
a s p 86 .
"
rc a . rceca , . .

TW nd thi rule exi ting t

e e rly peri d in M nry
s s a an a o as o

as a pecic regul ti n independen t f th p rli m en t ry l w

s a o , o e a a a a .

10 * H
I I4 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

are breaches of decorum for w hich the o ffender ,

may be called t o order .

8 N o personality abusive remarks or othe r

.
, ,

improper language should be u sed by any brother ,

in deba t e I f used th e speaker should be im m e di

.
,

a t ely called to order by th e p residing o fcer or any

o t her member I n Parliamen t or in Congress a . ,

member who has been guil t y of disorderly con

du c t is sum m arily deal t wi t h ; and if he is dis o be
dient to the repeated admoni tions of t h e p re
siding ofcer he has been even rej ec t ed from ,

t h e H ouse There is I think no doubt that a

.
, ,

similar power is ves t ed in th e Mas ter of a Lodge ,

who may direc t a disorderly brother to be ex

cluded from th e mee ting if he p ersists in his mis
behavior .

9 If t h e p residing o fcer rises to speak while

.

a bro t her is on the oor that brother should ,

immediately s it down tha t th e presiding o fcer ,

may be heard .

10 E very on e who speaks should speak t o th e

.

qu es t ion This is perhaps the mos t impor tant

.

of all th e rules of order becau se it is th e on e ,

T hu in th
s, h rge f 7 th M n i directed n t t i
e C a s o 1 22 , e as o s o o n

t
e rrupt th M ter W rden
e y br ther pe king t th
as , or a s , o r an o s a o e

M t er
as A nd thi regul ti n w derived fr m
. lder l w
s a o as o an O a

ext nt in th MS C n tituti n f th f urteen th n d fteen th

a e . o s o s o e o a

cen turie s.
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 15

most necessary for bringing th e deba t e to a sat

is fa c to ry conclusion To speak impertinen tly
.
,

therefore that is to speak to poin t s n o t per

,

t in e n t and relevan t to t h e subj ec t under discussion

is always viewed as a gross viola t ion of th e

rules of order But commensu ra t e wi t h it s im
.

portance is th e di fcul ty of de termining when it

is violated It is en t irely wi thin th e discre tion
.

of t h e Mas t er of th e Lodge to decide h o w far a

member should be indulged in a line of argu m en t
n o t precisely w i t hin t h e scope of th e qu es tion

under discussion The principle has been laid

.

down by an experienced au thori ty Mr S peaker , .

Cornwall of th e E nglish H ouse of Commons

, ,

that no matter in troduced in t o a debate w hich ,

the qu es t ion before th e House cannot decide

upon is regularly deba table ; and this may be
,

considered as a correc t express ion of th e rule .

N o subj ect should be in t roduced in to a deba te ,

t h e meri ts of w hich could n o t be decided by th e

ques tion under discussion and by tha t alone , .

W hen a me m ber is in possession of t h e H ouse ,

says S ir T ; E May he has ob tained a righ t t o

.

,

speak generally ; bu t is only en ti tled to be heard

upon th e ques tion then u nder discussion or upon ,

a qu es t ion or amend m en t in t ended to be pro

posed by himself o r upon a poin t of order
, .
1 16 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

W henever he wanders from it he is liable to be

interrupted by cries of Q u es t ion ; and in th e

Commons if th e topics he has in t roduced are

,

clearly irrelevan t th e S peaker acquai n t s him that ,

he mus t speak t o the qu estion .

11 A s a sequ ence to this las t rule it follows

. ,

that there can be no speaking u nless t here be a

question before th e Lodge There must always
be a mo tion of some kind to au thorize a deba t e .

It is a rule says S ir T E May tha t should

,

. .
,

always be stric tly observed that no member may ,

speak excep t when there is a qu es tion already

,

before th e H ouse or the member is abou t to ,

conclude wi t h a motion or a m e n dm e n t .
'

P arliamen tary cou rtesy however permi ts a , ,

member who is abou t to make a mo tion t o speak

, ,

in its favor before he ac t ually proposes it but ,

always wi t h th e unders tanding t hat h e will speak

t o t h e qu es t ion and t ha t he will conclude by,

formally proposing his mo tion It is however .

, ,

always be tt er t ha t th e me m ber should rs t make

his mo tion and secu re a second b efore he speaks ,

to it .

These rules of order are so essentially n e ce s

sary to the decorous conduc t of a discussion and
T re ti e
a s on Pa rli am en t ry L w p 98
a a , . 2 .

l id p 3
.
, . 0 1.
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW . I I7
to its successful conclusion in t h e resolution and
determination of th e question which is its sub
j c e t ma tter that every member is deeply inter
-
,

e s te d in it s observance The du ty of maintaining

.

them belongs it is tru e in a peculiar manner to

, , ,

the presiding o fcer who should ever be on th e

,

alert to detect and check any breach of t hem .

Bu t it is also th e privilege as well as th e duty of

every o ther member to exercise th e same vigil
ance H ence it is always in order for any mem
.
,

ber to rise to a point of order .

W hen a breach of order has occu rred which

has escaped th e no tice of t h e chair or even ,

before t h e chair may have had time to check it ,

any me m ber may call the a tt ention of the p re

siding O fce r to the viola t ion of th e rule To do .

so he will rise from his sea t and say I rise to

,

,

a poin t of order ; upon which th e Mas t er will

request him to s ta t e his poin t th e speaker o b ,

j e cte d to having t aken his sea t where he rem ain s ,

until th e poin t of order is decided The poin t .

being stated either orally or if required by th e , ,

chair in wri ting th e Mas ter gives his decision

, , ,

whe ther a violat ion of th e specied rule of order

has been co m mi tt ed or not I f the la t ter he says .
, ,

The poin t is n o t well taken and direc ts th e ,

speaker to resume his argumen t I f th e former .

,
1 18 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

he s ays The point is well ta ken and eithe r
, ,

p reven ts th e speaker from fu rther discussion if ,

it is the discu ssion i tself which is obj ected to as

being o u t of order or direc t s t h e speaker to
,

resume his argument with the necessary cau t ion ,

i f the obj ect ion has been to the man ner or s cope
of his speech .

I n o ther societies this decision of the p residing

,

o fcer al though generally acqu iesced i n is som e

, ,

times obj ec ted to by one or more of the mem

bers when an appeal is taken from the decision
,

to the mee ting who decide without debate

,

whe t her t o sus tain or to overrule the decisio n

of the o fcer But as has already been shown
.
,

there is in Masonry no appeal from th e deci

sion of th e p residing o fcer on a point of order ,

and that decision is therefore conclu sive .

 CH APT E R XX .

OF QU E ST I ON S FO R R EA D I NG P AP E RS .

0
member can be requ ired to vote on any
paper th e contents of which are u nknown
to him H ence any member has a right to call
.
,

for the reading of any paper for instance a ,

repor t which constitutes at the time th e sub

j e ct matter of a proposition if it has not yet been
-

read .

But if the paper has already been once read ,

or if al though referring indirectly to th e sub

,

j e ct of discussion it cons ti tutes no actual part

,

of th e proceedings then it can only be read by

,

cons en t of th e meeting which consent must be

,

obtained on a motion regularly made .

 C H AP TE R XX I .

OF QU E S T I ON S ON LE AV E TO W I T H D RAW MOT I ONS .

H E N a motion has once been made an d

s econded an d read from the chair it
, ,

becomes th e prop er ty of th e assembly I f t h e .

mover t herefore desires to wi t hdraw it he can

, , ,

only do so by cons ent of the meeting which con ,

sent mu st also be u nanimous A n d there is .

reason in th is ; for if the meeting no twith s ta nd

'

ing th e Obj ection of any member were to grant ,

leave for th e wi thdrawal of a motion it could ,

gain no thing by the proceeding for the obj ecting

,

member might immedia t ely renew the motion .

I t is not always deemed necessary to make a

fo rmal motion for th e pu rpose of a withdrawal .

The mover who desires to wi thdraw his mo t io n

, ,

asks permission to do so the request b eing

,

annou nced by the chair ; if n o one obj ects the ,

consen t is supposed to be informally granted ;

but if any member says I obj ec t the matter
, ,

is dropped and the discussion con tinu es

The motion o r in the form above stated the
.

, ,

1 20
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW . 12 1

requ e s t for p ermission to wi t hdraw a motion

may be made at any stage of the proceedings
before th e nal vote is declare d and if adop ted ,

or granted it removes th e proposi tion of which

,

it is the subject from the mee ting at once and ,

all further proceedings on it are suppre s sed or

cease B ut when an amendment has been pro
.

posed to a motion the original motion cannot be

,

wi thdrawn un t il the amendment has r s t been

wi thdrawn or negatived * and if the amendment ,

has been adopted it is not in order for the mover

,

of the original motion to ask leave to withdraw

itri B y the adoption of the amendment the ,

original p ropo s ition has changed its form and

ceased to be the sam e question so that the pro ,

po s er ha s no longer any control over it :

Q uestions for the wi t hdrawal of papers are in
the natu re of questions for the wi thdrawal of
m otion s and are subj ec t t o the sa m e regulations
, .

Reports of commi t tees petitions or protests of

, ,

member s and all other documen t s of any kind

, ,

when once presented to a Lodge whe the r

t hey be read and received as informa t ion or n o t ,

read and merely laid on the table and their con ,

sidera tion pos tponed or referred t o a commi t t ee

M y L w f P rli m ent p 6
a , a o a a , . 2 0.

TW il o n D ige t p 1 N 7 9
s , s , . 2, o . .
122 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

become the proper ty of th e

Lodge an d can ,

be withdrawn only upo n mo t ion or requ est an d ,

th e consen t of a majo ri ty of th e members A .

motion for the withdrawal of su ch papers is a l

ways in order .

But an excep t ion t o this ruling mu s t be made

in th e case of pe t i tions for ini tia tion which by a ,

recogni z ed law or usage of the O rder can not be

wi t hdrawn after having once been presented to
a Lodge ; and a mo tion for th e wi thdrawal of
su ch a pe ti t ion would always be o u t of order .

A l though we can nd no regula t ion to this effec t

in any of the ancien t Cons t i tu tion s ye t th e con
,

s tan t and universal usage of th e Craft has given

to it the force of an u nwri tt en law and the rea ,

so n fo r its existen ce mus t be sough t in t h e sym

bo lic charac ter of ou r I ns t i tu t io n and it s o riginal
connec tion w i th an opera tive a rt The candida t e
.

for Mason ry has al ways been considered sym ,

bo lic a lly as ma t erial brough t up for the building

,

of the Temple This material mu st be rej ected

.

or accep t ed It canno t be carried elsewhere for

.

fu r ther inspec t ion The Lodge to which it is rs t

.

brought mu st decide upon its t ness T O wi th .

draw th e pe t i t ion would be to preven t th e Lodge

from making that decisio n and t herefore no p e
,

tition for initiation having been o nce read can

, ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 123

be wi thdrawn it must go through the necessary

form : hence a mo t ion to wi thdraw it would be
clearly o u t of order .

A differen t regulation prevails in Com

m a n de rie s of "nigh t s Templars Grand Mas t er .

B B French made while presiding over th e

. .
,

O rder in this country a decision in th e following

,

words

Commanderies having exclusive power to
,

decide all qu es t ions concerning membership ,

must decide all ques tions concerning pe ti t ions

t herefor by vo t e such as whe t her or no t a

pe ti tion may be withdrawn e t c , .

This decision was approved and conrmed by

the Grand E nca m pmen t at its session in 1 8 6 2 at
, ,

Columbus .

I t is surprising that one so experienced as

Grand Mas ter French in parliamentary usage
should have clo thed th e language of his decision
in such ambiguou s and inaccu rate phraseolo g y .

From its t erms we can ga ther only and that ,

merely by implica t ion tha t i n a Com m andery a

,

pe t it ion for membership (which we may suppose

t o include a peti t ion for ini tia t ion ) may be wi th

dra w n by a vote of th e bo dy Bu t we are left .

in doubt whether that vote shall be a vote of the

majority of two thirds or the unanimous vote
,
-

,
1 24 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

of all pres ent W e must therefore apply the

.

ordinary rules of interp re ta t ion of documen t s

and th e principles of analogy to enable u s to ,

determine wha t sort of vo t e is required to

au t horize t h e wi thdrawal of a p etition which h as
been presented to a Commandery .

N ow we can not say t hat th e word vote

,

means in this decision a m aj ority vo te or a tzvo ,

th ir ds vo te because as t h e context declares that

, ,

all ques tions concerning pe ti tions for mem
be rs h ip are t o be decided by vo t e this would ,

i nclude qu estions on admis sion as well as wi t h

dra wal and thus it would follow that a ballo t for
,

admission need not be u nanimous which would ,

be contrary to th e recogni z ed s tatutes of the

O rder as well as th e set tled law of Masonry in
,

its o t her branches .

I n t his u ncertain ty we must come to th e con

clu s io n tha t t h e decision se tt les only one poin t
,

namely t ha t a Commandery may en t er tain a

,

qu estion as to the w ithdra wal of a petition for

membership which by a very liberal construc tion
,

we may ex t end t o pe t i t ions for initia t ion B ut .

as th e decision is en t irely silen t as to what nu m

ber of v otes is n ecessary to decide t hat qu es t ion ,

we must settle that poin t by a reference to th e

character of the qu estion and t o the manner
,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 125

in which qu estions of a similar character are

s ettled .

N ow it is a rule in all Commanderie s tha t

,

every peti tion for initia t ion when presented mu st

, ,

be referred to a committ ee and on the report of ,

that commi tt ee be subj ect ed t o a ballot W hile .

this rule is in force no peti t ion can be withdrawn

,
.

A motion to wi thdraw it is equivalent to a mo

tion to suspend the rule It will be s een here
.

after that no Masonic Lodge can suspend any of

its rules or laws excep t by superio r authority .

But the decision of Grand Mas t er French and it s

approval by th e Grand E ncampment gave to
Commanderies th e po wer of suspending the
rule which requires a ballo t on a petition and
, ,

under the suspension of wi thdrawing it B ut as .

no rule can be su spended except by general con

sent u nless o therwise provided by another rule
, ,

it follows that a Wi t hdrawal of a pe ti tion which , ,

as I have said is to be cons idered in t h e charac t er

,

of a suspension of a rule can only be done by ,

general consen t t ha t is by a u nanimous vote

,
.

A nd this is in be tt er accord with th e dignity of

the subject ; for if a Commandery were per
m itte d by a mere majori ty vo t e to evade the re
sponsibility of deciding on th e character and
qualications of its candida t es and to throw it on
1 1*
126 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

some other C o mmandery to which by this with

, ,

dra wal the candidate would be permitted to a p

,

ply mu ch evil might it is evident arise and much

, , , ,

inju ry be in icted on the O rder .

I do not for a moment doubt that the with

dra wal of petitio ns for ini tiation is contrary to
t h e spirit of the Masonic institution an d I regret ,

t ha t any decision was ever made from t h e loose ,

te rms of which the implied power of wi t hdrawal

can be ex torted Bu t as t his decisio n has been
.

made the law of Templarism all that can n ow b e

,

done is to guard and restrict its exercis e by th e

most rigid interpre t a t ion I therefore conclu d e
.

tha t a motion to withdraw a peti t ion for membe r

ship in a Com mandery may be entertain ed bu t ,

can be decided in the afrmative only by a u n a n i

m ou s vote .
 CH APT E R XX II .

OF QU ES T I ON S ON S U SP EN D I NG A R L U E .

H E RE is a recogni z ed power in every de

liberative body to suspend any one of its
rules for th e pu rpose of considering proposi tions
or t ransact ing busi ness which would be under ,

the general rule o u t of order and n o t admissible

,
.

It is a general principle of parliamen tary law ,

t ha t any thing may be done by general consent ,

and t herefore any rule may be suspended a t any

t i m e by a u nanimous vo t e Bu t u nder cer tain .

circums tances provided by t h e rules themselves

, ,

a rule may be suspended by a simple vo te of th e

majori ty * .

H ence if the constitu tion of a Grand Lodge

, ,

or th e by laws of a subordina t e Lodge include a

-
,

sys t em of rules of order in which there is a pro

vision for t heir susp ension by unanimous consen t
or by the vo t e of a majori ty of t hose presen t it ,

I n th H u e f Repre en t tive
e o s ruleo be u pended s a s, a ca n s s

o nly fter
a d y n tice d by tw third v te except in
o ne a

s o an a o -
s o ,

one c e where b re m j rity i ufcien t ; b t th gener l

as , a a a o s s u e a

u ge in cie tie i t require un nim u v te

sa so s s o a a o s o .
128 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

will be in order to move su ch su spension which ,

motion is not deba table nor subj ec t t o amend

,

men t nor can it be laid on th e table nor post

,
-

poned indeni tely bu t mus t be brought to a

,

direc t vo t e ; nor having been los t can it be re

, ,

n e w ed for the same pu rpose ; nor having been ,

adop t ed can it be reconsidered

, .

Bu t it mu st be remembered t ha t all this refers ,

so far as a Masonic body is concerned only to ,

su ch rules as con tain a provision fo r t heir sus

pension W hen there is no clause in t h e cons t i
.

t u t io n or bylaws which prescribes that a pa rticu

lar rule may be suspended and di rec ts th e mode
O f suspension a mo t ion to su spend would be o u t
,

of order and could n o t be en t er tai ned .

It refe rs also only to mere rules of order for

it is now u niversally admi t t ed by Mason i c j u ris t s
t hat a subordinate Lodge has no power to sus

pen d its by laws -

Bu t on t his subj ec t I have
.

wri tt en so fully in my work on Masonic j u ris

pru dence that I canno t do be t ter than to repea t
,

here what I have t here said .

From th e fac t t hat th e by laws of a Lodge -

mus t be submi tted t o the Grand Lodge for its

approval and conrma t ion arises the doc t rine ,

t ha t a subordinate L odge canno t even by u nani ,

mous consent s u spend a by law A s t here is no

,
-
.
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 12 9
error more commonly committed than this by
u n thinking Masons who suppose tha t in a Lodge
, ,

as in any o ther socie ty a by law may be su s ,

-

pended by unanimous consen t it will n o t be ,

amiss to consider th e ques tion wi th some degree

of care and attention .

A n ordinary socie ty makes its own rules and

re u la tio n s in de e n de n t o fany o ther body subj ec t
g p , ,

to no revision and requiring no app roba t ion o u t

,

side of i t self Its own me m bers are th e sole and

.

supreme judges of wha t it may or may no t enact

for its o wn governmen t Consequ en tly as the .
,

members the m selves have enac t ed th e rule th e ,

members t hemselves may unanimously agree t o

suspend to amend or t o abolish it
, , .

Bu t a Masonic Lodge presen t s a different o r

a n iz a tio n It is not self crea t ed or independent
g
-
. .

It derives it s po w er and indeed it s very exis t

,

ence from a higher body called a Grand Lodge

, , ,

which cons ti tu tes the supreme t ribunal to a dj u di

ca t e for it A Masonic Lodge has no power t o
.

make by laws wi thou t the consent of th e Grand

-
,

Lodge in whose jurisdic t ion it is situa t ed The .

by laws of a subordina t e Lodge m ay be said only

-

t o be proposed by t h e Lodge as t hey are not ,

opera t ive un til they have been submi tt ed t o th e

Grand Lodge and approved by that body N or .
1 30 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

can any subsequent altera t ion of any of them

take place unless it pass es through the same
.

ordeal of revisi o n and approbation by the Gran d

Lodge .

H ence it is evident that the control of th e by

laws rules and regula t ions of th e Lodge is taken
, ,

en t irely out of its hands A c e rtain law has bee n

.

agreed to we will say by th e members I t is

, ,
.

submi tt ed to th e Grand Lodge and approved .

From that moment it becomes a law for t h e gov

e rn m e n t of t hat Lodge and canno t be repealed
,

wi thout th e consent of th e Gran d Lodge S o .

fa r t hes e s tat ements will be admitted to be cor

rec t Bu t if a Lodge canno t alter annul or t e
.
, ,

peal such law wi thou t th e consent of t h e Grand

,

Lodge it mu st necessarily follow t hat it cannot

,

su spend it which is for all p ractical p urpo s es a

, , ,

repeal for a t emporary period .

I will suppose by way of example that it is

, ,

p roposed to suspend th e by la w which require s -

tha t a t the an nual election all t h e ofcers shal l

be elected by ha llot so as to enable the Lodge
,

on a particular occasion to vo t e viva voce N ow .

,

this law must of cou rse have been originally

, ,

submi tted t o the Gran d Lodge and approved by

t ha t body S uch app roba t ion made it the enac t
.

ment of the G rand Lodge I t had thu s declared .

that in that particular Lodge all elections for

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . I3I
o fcers should be determined by ballot The .

regula tion became impera tive on t h e Lodge I f .

it de t ermined even by u nanimou s consen t to

, ,

suspend the rule and on a cer tain occasion t o

,

proceed to th e election of a particular ofcer by

acclama tion or viva vo ce then th e Lodge was a b ,

ro a t in
g g for the time a law t ha t th e Grand Lodge
had declared was binding on it and establishing ,

in it s place a n ew one which had n o t received ,

the approba tion of th e supre m e t ribunal S uch .

a rule would t herefore for wan t of this c o nrm a

,

t ion be inopera t ive

,
It would in fac t be no rule
.
, ,

a t all o r worse it w ould be a rule enac t ed in

,

o pposi tion t o th e will of t h e Grand Lodge This .

principle applies of cou rse to every o ther by

, ,

law whe ther t rivial or impor tan t local or gen

, ,

eral in its character The Lo dge can t ouch no

,
.

regula tion after th e decree of th e Grand Lodge

for its conrmation has been passed The regu .

la t ion has gone o u t of t h e con t rol of th e Lodge ,

and its only duty then is i m plici t obedience .

H ence it follo ws tha t it is n o t compe t en t for a

subordina t e Lodge even by unanimou s consen t
, ,

to suspend any of its by la ws S hould such a -

.

proposi tion be made it would be t h e du ty of th e

,

presiding ofcer to rule it o u t of order and to ,

refuse to en t er tain th e ques tion .

 CH AP TE R XX I II .

OF QU E S T I ON S ON C A LLI NG F O R T HE YEA S AN D
N AY S
N all A merican legislative assemblies it is
provided that on any pending question a vote
,

by yeas and nays may be called for ; t ha t is that ,

the vote of each member shall be openly given

and recorded in th e j ou rnal The obj ect of thi s .

proceeding is to secu re the responsibility of the

representat ive to his constituents who are thus ,

enabled to know how he vo t ed and to call him ,

to an account should he have voted contrary to

,

the views or principles which he was elected to

represen t .

It is evident that there can be no necessity for

su ch a proceeding i n a Masonic Lodge where ,

every m ember is independent and responsibl e

only to God and his own conscience for th e votes
which he may give The call for the yeas an d
.

nays being then repugnant to th e principles

, ,

upon which the Masonic insti t ution is founded ,

if a mo tio n or call for that pu rpose were to be

132
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 133

made the Master of the Lodge should very prop

,

erly rule it o u t of order .

Bu t a differen t system prevails i n conducting

th e business of Grand Lodges which consist of ,

represen ta tives responsible to a constitu ency

,

whose instructions t hey are bound to obey .

H ence in these bodies a vote by Lodges which

, , ,

may be considered as equivalen t to a vo t e by

yeas and nays is allowed and sometimes pre
,

scribed by posi tive rule .

The calling in Grand Lodges for the vote by

Lodges mus t in all cases where the constitu t ion ,

of the body has provided no special rule on the

subjec t be governed by th e general pa rliam e n
,

tary law which regulates the vote by yeas and

nays.

A ny member may demand the vote by Lodges ;

and if t here is a provision in th e rules of t h e
Grand Lodge which requires a certain number
to concur in the demand it is the duty of the ,

Grand Master or presiding o fcer to ascertain

whe ther there is t hat requisi t e number This
would be mos t convenien tly don e by calling on
t hose who were in favor of the vote by Lodges

to rise when the votes would be counted by the

,

S enior Deacon .

The demand fo r a vote by Lodges may be

12
1 34 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

made at any time not only du ring the voting on

,

the qu estion in another form but even aft er the

,

decision has been made by the chair provided ,

the Grand Lodge has not proceeded to other

bu siness
.

I f a demand for the vote by Lodges has been

once made and refu sed by th e Grand Lodge it ,

is not in order to make th e demand a second

time on the same ques tion Bu t th e demand
.

or mo tion for a vote by Lodges having been

nega t ived it is in order for any one who voted
,

in the majority that is on th e negative side

,

t o move for a reconsidera t ion of th e vote which ,

preliminary qu es tion will be set tled by a mere

maj ori ty vote .

W hile the vote is being taken and a t any t ime,

before the decision is annou nced by t h e chair it ,

is permitted to any member to change his vote .

The parliamen tary rule is tha t no one shall

,

be permi tted to vote on a call for the yeas and

nays who was not wi thin th e bar ; t ha t is in ,

the house when th e ques t ion was sta ted Bu t I .

do n o t think that this rule has ever been rigidly

enforced in Grand Lodges where every member
,

is permit t ed to vo t e on su ch an occasio n if ,

present du ring the roll call al t hough he may

-

have been absent when t h e qu es t ion was s tated .

 C H AP TE R XX I V
OF QU E ST I ON S OF EGE
P RI V I L .

N all parliamentary or legisla tive bodies there

occur certain ques tions which relate to mat
ters affecting th e dignity of th e assembly or the
righ t s and privileges of some of it s members and ,

t hese are hence called ques t ions of privilege .

S uch for ins tance are motions arising o u t of or

, ,

having rela tion to a quarrel be t ween two of the

members an assaul t upon any member charge s
, ,

affec ting th e integrity of the assembly or any of

its members or any other matters of a similar
,

character Q uestions referring to any of t hese

.

mat t ers take precedence O fall o ther business and ,

hence are always in order .

It is impossible t o make a complete enumera

tion of all these qu es tions and parliaments con
, ,

g re s s e s
,
and legisla t ures have generally been
guided by th e precedents supplied by th e deci
sions O f former sessions in deciding wha t are
ques t ions of privilege .

The analogies exis ting i n many respects be

I 3S
1 36 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.

tw een a Ma s onic Lodge and a legis lative assem

bly leave no doubt in my mind that in the former ,

as in the latter qu estions of p rivilege may arise

,
.

The only di f culty to be en cou ntered is as t o

what matter s can occur in a Lodge or Chapter
that would p roperly give ri s e to qu estion s of
privilege But a s any p roposition that involve s
.

a question of privilege is to be con s idered i n

preference to any o ther business it is important ,

that th e presiding o fcer who s e du ty it is to ,

decide th e point of order should have som e guide

,

by which he may arrive at a correct decision .

The following li s t although n ecessarily in co m

,

ple te is pre s ented as an approximation to a cata

,

logue of what may in a Ma s oni c a ss embly be

deemed qu e s tion s of privilege
1 A ny matter which affects the character of a
.

member H ence qu es tions relating to charge s

.

of miscondu ct are question s of p rivilege an d ,

may be p resented at any time ; and it is a p rin

c iple of parliamentary courtesy to grant an u n

usual la titude to the member who is making a

personal explanation because of it s importance
,

to his reputation .

2 Mat ters that affect th e character of the

.

Lodge such as fal s e and scandalou s report s o f

,

its proceedings .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 37

3 . Matters affec ting the secrecy or safety of

the Lodge where a brother deems it necessary
,

to give th e proper precautions .

Under these three heads I think may be em , ,

braced all those subj ec t s u sually enumera ted

in works on parliamen tary law as ques tions of
privilege so far as t hey refer to a Lodge .

A ques tion of privilege is always in order .

W henever a member rises and says I rise to a ,

ques tion of privilege t h e ques tion mus t rs t be
,

s ta ted The presiding o fcer will decide whe ther

.
.

it is or is n o t such a question I f he decides that.

it is then th e considera t ion of any o ther business

,

wha t soever t hat may a t t hat t i m e be before th e

Lodge must be suspended u ntil th e ques tion of
privilege is di sposed o f .

A nd t his disposi t ion of the ques tion may be

ei ther by en tertaining it a t once and deciding it ,

on its merits or by any o ther of th e modes of

,

disposi tion to which any o t her question is subjec t .

I t may be ordered to lie on t he table be pos t ,

poned deni t ely or indeni t ely or be commi tted ,

for investigation and repor t to a commi tt ee I n .

t h e las t case th e character of a ques tion of priv

ilege adheres to the report the p resenta tion of,

which will al ways be in order and will take pre

-

c e de n ce of all o t her business Bu t it does n o t .

12 *
1 38 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

follow that the immediate consideration o f and

nal action on the report mus t be had ; for t h e
report like the qu estion t o which it refers is sub
, ,

j e ct to the operation of any of the subsidiary

motions and may like any other report be laid
, , ,

on th e table pos t poned or recommitted

, ,
.

Q ues tions of privilege it must be remembered

, ,

are en ti t led to presen tation at any time for i n ,

this consists their privilege ; but that privilege

does not extend to t heir consideration H aving .

been once presen t ed they become as to t h e time

, ,

and man ner of their considera tion subj ect to the

,

rules which affec t all other qu es t ions .

W hen th e qu es t ion of p rivilege has been dis

posed o f in such a manner as may be deemed
proper or expedient th e subj ect of discu ssion or
,

proposition which had been interrup t ed and su s

pended by its introduc tion is at once resumed
,

at th e precise point at which the interruption had

intervened .
 CH AP T E R XXV .

OF E GE D QU E ST I ONS
P RI V I L .

H E RE is ano ther class of qu es tions called ,

privileged ques t ions which are n o t h o w
, ,

ever to be confounded wi th the class considered

,

in t h e previou s chapter ; for al though all qu e s

tion s of p rivileg e are privileg e d qu es tio ns it ,

does no t follow that all privileg e d qu es tio ns a re

qu es tion s of privileg e S t ric tly speaking in th e
.
,

language of parliamentary law ques t ions of ,

privilege rela te to th e house or its members ,

and privileged ques tions rela t e to ma tt ers of

business .

P rivileged ques t ions are dened to be those

t o which precedence is given over all o t her

qu es tions They are of fou r kinds

.

1
. Those which rela t e to th e right s and privi
leg es of the assembly or any of its members ;
2. Mo t ions for adjou rnment ;
3 Mo tions for reconsidera tion ;
.

4 S pecial orders of th e day

. .
1 40 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

The rst of these classes has been discussed in

the preceding chapter The second or motions
.
,

fo r adjou rnm ent it has been here t ofore sho wn

, ,

are u nknown in th e usages or in th e parlia

mentary law of Masonry and may therefore be
,

dismissed wi thou t further discussion The t hird .

and four th will cons ti tu t e the s ubj ect matter of -

succeeding chapters .
 C H APT E R XXV I .

OF T HE MO T I ON FO R R E C ON S I D ERAT I ON .

Y th e original parliamenta ry law a motio n ,

for reconsidera tion is not a privileged

question I ndeed in th e E nglish House of
.
,

Commons whence our laws of parlia m en t have

,

derived their origin the ques tion of reconsider

,

a tion is u nknown There a qu estion having

. ,

been once carried canno t be ques tioned again

, ,

bu t mus t s tand as t h e judgmen t of th e H ouse ;

and when a bill is once rejected ano ther of the ,

sa m e substance cannot be proposed a t th e same

session This rule has oft en led to much in co n
.

v e nie n c e and many expedien t s have been re

,

sor ted to for obvia ting its effec t ; su ch as t o pass

an a ct to explain or to enforce and make more
,

effec tual or to rectify th e mistakes of an a ct

,

which has been once however u nwisely passed, , .

N o thing could p ossibly be more absu rd than

such a regula tion which forbids all change of
,

Opinion ; and t herefore t h e A merican House of

14 1
142 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

Representa t ives has adopted a rule that a motion ,

for recon sidera t ion on th e same day o r the day ,

after is always i n order and shall take prece

, ,

dence of all other mo t ions except mo tions to ,

adj ourn He nce in this cou n t ry the motion

. , ,

for reconsideratio n has become a privilege d

question .

It is however regulated by certain rules which

, , ,

prescribe th e time when the person by whom , ,

and th e ques tions on which it may be p roposed , .

1 .The motion for reconsideration must be

made says th e congressional rule on the same
, ,

day or t h e day aft er The operatio n of this rule .

in a Grand Lodge or Grand Chapter must evi

d e n tly be the same I n a Lodge where the ses .

sion does not con t inu e beyond a day or rather ,

an evening it is eviden t t hat the mo tion for

,

reconsidera t ion t o be within this rule must be

, ,

made at th e same commu nica tion at any time

before the Lodge is closed W hatever has been .

don e at one commu nication cannot be recon

s ide re d at a subsequen t one any more than an ,

. ct.
passe d by C ongre ss a t one s e s s io n ca n be
reconsidered at another I f it is deemed a dv is a .

ble at a future communication t o do away wi t h

a resolution which had been adopted at a p re
c eding one the proper motion would be not to
,

reconsider but to resci n d or repeal

, .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 14 3

2 . N o one who had vo t ed in the minori ty on

any qu es tion can move a reconsidera tion The .

right of doing so is restric ted to those who had

*
vo t ed in the majori ty A nd th e reason of this .

is obvious I f it were p ermitted that those who

had been defea t ed migh t seek to renew the
contest in ano ther trial of s t rength t hen th e t ime ,

of th e assembly migh t be wasted by th e repea t ed

efforts of the fe w who were discon ten t ed to , ,

obtain a reconsidera t ion and a new discussion of

ques t ions which had been already set tled by the
many to their o wn satisfac tion .

3 The mo tion for reconsidera t ion can only be

.

made in reference to mat ters tha t remain wi thin

the control of th e mee ting Thu s when an appro .
,

p riatio n has been made and under its a u thority ,

the Treasu rer has paid o u t t h e money it will be ,

t o o la t e to move a reconsideration of th e resolu

tion making th e appropria t ion I ndeed where .
,

the order consequent on a resolu t ion has been

only commenced a n d not ye t execu ted in full ,

T h at inning ide T here m y be que ti n where

is , on th e w s . a s o s

th m j ri ty w ill be th l
e a o er T hu m ti n t
e m end th
os s . s, on a o o o a e

C n titu ti n where
o s tw third
o , three f urth v te i req ired
a o -
s or -
o s o s u ,

a m j rity f th
a o m e m ber m y v te f
o e th m end m en t sd a o or e a an

y t there m y
e t be en ugh f the m t m ke t h
a no required
o o o a e co n

s tit tiu l m j ri ty f tw
ona third three
a o f urth H ere th m i
o o s or o s .
e

n or ity eviden tly th w inner d m ti n f rec n ider ti n

a re e s , an a o o or o s a o

m u t be m de by
s f the m
a It i lw y th winnin g id
o ne o . s a a s e s e

t h t m u t m ke th m t i n
a s a e o o .
1 44 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.

strict parliamentary law deems it improper to

move a reconsidera t io n al though the completion
,

of the order may be p revented by a resolution

to discharge or rescind so mu ch of it as yet re
mains u nexecuted But this would not be tech
.

n ically a reconsideration of th e question .

There are several rules in relation t o motion s

fo r reconsidera t ion which require no t ice
1 . A mo tion for reconsideration is not de
ba table if th e ques t ion proposed to be recon
,

s ide re d is n o t Cushing lays down a different

.

rule bu t in the H ouse of Representatives where

, ,

the p ractice of reconsidera t ion rs t arose it has ,

been frequen tly decided that debate cannot be

allowed on a motion to reconsider a qu estion
that was not itself deba t able .

2 .A l though an original p roposition may re

quire for its adop t ion a vo t e of two thirds or t hree -

fourths the m o tion for it s reconsidera tion may be

,

carried by a mere majori ty .

3 W hen a motion for reconsideration is made

.

within the proper limi t of time and the c o ns id ,

c ration of it is postponed to a day beyond that

time if then it is wi t hdrawn by t h e m over it can

, ,

not be renewed : the t ime for making su ch a mo

tion has passed But here it mus t be remarked
.
,

that if t h e session of th e body in which such ,

motion for reconsidera tion has been postponed ,

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 14 5

should termina te withou t any action on su ch

pos tponed mo tion it would fail,
Thus in a .
,

Grand Lodge if a mo tion to reconsider a ques

,

tion should be pos t poned to the t hird day of th e

session and th e Grand Lodge should close wi th
,

o u t ac t ing o u t h e mo t ion for reconsidera t ion it ,

would fall to th e grou nd and the original propo

,

s itio n would re m ain i n force This is fou nded .

on an opinion expressed by two S peakers of the

H ouse of Represen ta tives t hat where the term,

of th e members expires wi thout acting on th e

mo t ion to reconsider for th e wan t of time or
,

inclina tion the motion of cou rse fails and leaves

,

the origi nal proposi tion O perat ive .

4 W hen a mo t ion for reconsidera tion has

.

been decided ei t her in th e a frma tive or nega

tive or while it is s t ill pending no second mo
, ,

t ion for reconsidera tion of th e same proposi t ion

can be made Bu t if on reconsidera tion th e

.
, ,

proposition has been al tered in form by n e w

amendments a mo t io n for reconsidera t ion w ill
,

then be in order To permi t th e same proposi

.

t ion aft er reconsidera t ion t o be again recon

, ,

s ide re d would be an idle waste of t ime and an

,

u npro table renewal of alterca tion .

5 A mo t ion for reconsidera tion may be pos t

.

B rcl y D ige t 64
a a , s , 1 .

"
1 46 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LA W .

poned deni t ely or indeni tely or laid u po n the ,

table I f pos tponed deni t ely or to a day cer

.
,

tain it is subj ect to th e p rovisions already m en

,

t io n e d in a preceding paragraph I f pos tpon ed .

indenitely or laid upon the table th e effect is to ,

kill it and to leave the original proposition in force

,
.

I ndeed in th e H ou se of Represen ta tives whe n it

, ,

is desired to pu t a measu re o u t of all reach of

danger it is an expedien t oft en resorted to for
,

the friends of t h e measu re to move a re c o n s id

e ra t io n and im m ediately t hereon t o move to lay
,

the mo tion for reconsidera tion on t h e table The .

effect of this p roceeding is tha t no second mo ,

tion for reconsideration can be made and the ,

rst canno t be taken up o u t of its order which it ,

is not probable will be reached and th e original ,

proposition is thus secu red as an accomplished

and unchangeable fact This is recognized par .

lia m e n tary prac t ice and I see no reason why it

,

should not be pu rsued in t h e proceedings of

Masonic bodies .

6 The rst effect of a m otion for reconsider

.

a tion is tha t du ring its pendency th e opera t ion

,

of the original m o tion is suspended Thu s a .

,

resolu t ion having been adopted to execu te a cer

tain a c t and a mo t ion to reconsider t ha t act hav
,

ing been made the act cannot be executed un til th e

,

mo tion fo r reconside ra tion has been disposed o f .

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 147

7 . The effec t of th e mo tion t o reconsider if ,

it is carried is to place the original proposi tion

,

in pr e cisely the posi tion it occupied a moment

before its adop tion W e are no t carried back to.

t h e form of t h e original proposi t ion when it was

rs t in troduced bu t to t h e form which it had

,

assum ed a t t h e time tha t th e nal vo t e on its

adop tion was taken Thus we will suppose that .
,

a resolu tion had been proposed which we will ,

call A ; to this B has been offered as an amend

men t so as to give it th e form of A B ; and to
,

this again ano ther amendment C has been p ro , ,

posed so as to make it assume the form OfA B C

, .

Bo t h amendmen t s bei ng carried th e vo t e is ,

taken on th e p roposition in its amended form

A B C and t his being adopted a mo tion for
, , ,

reconsidera t ion is made and carried N ow the .

,

e ffect of t his will be to presen t to t he assembly

fo r discussion not t h e original proposi tion A but
, ,

t h e proposi tion i n its amended form A B C , .

The mo tion for reconsideration applies no t to all

the preliminary proceedings but only to the nal ,

vo te S o in parliamentary prac tice when a bill

.
, ,

has been read a third t ime and passed a mo tio n ,

for reconsideration if it prevails places the bill

, ,

in th e posi tion of having received its second

reading and not t h e rs t or th e second but only
, ,
 14 8 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

th e t hird reading is brough t by th e recons idera

t ion before th e house t o be again ac t ed upon .

8 W hen th e mo t ion for reconsidera t ion has

.

been carried th e original proposi tion to be recon

,

s ide re d comes up i m m edia t ely for ac t ion It .

may be discussed ( if it is a debatable ques tion )

, ,

amended pos tponed laid on the t able or sub

, , ,

j e c te d to any o t her opera t ion to which it was

liable du ring it s original passage A nd the e f .

fe e t of a successful m o t ion for reconsideration is

su ch t ha t even if th e original p roposi tion were
,

not then before the assembly bu t having been ,

adopted o t her measu res had been ac t ed on it

, ,

comes up immedia t ely for action I n Congress .

it would at once take the place to which it be

longs in the general order of business or wo u ld ,

go over t o th e nex t day on which business of the

same descrip tion would be in o rder Bu t in a .

Lodge whose session seldom exceeds a fe w

,

hou rs no such nice ty of arrangement can be o b

,

served and the discussion of th e proposition

,

ordered t o be reconsidered mus t immedia t ely

follow upon the vo t e fo r reconsidera tion .

A ll t ha t has been said i n this chap t er refers

to t h e reconsidera tion of mo t ions o r resolu t ions .

The reconsidera tion of t h e ballot is an en t irely

differen t thing and will form th e subj ect of th e
,

su cceeding chapter .
 CH APTE R XXVII .

OF T HE MO T I ON E ONS I D E RAT I ON OF
FO R R C T HE
BA LLO T .

H E RE is no ques tion wi thin the range

of Masonic parliamen ta ry law tha t is of
graver impor tance than that which forms th e sub
j e c t Of th e presen t chapter The great danger
.

t o th e I ns ti tu t ion is not from a decline by reason

of its unpopulari ty but ra ther from th e to o rapid

,

and incautious admission of members and hence ,

th e sacred and indefeasible righ t of a secre t and

independen t ballo t should be tenaciously guarded

as th e bes t securi ty agains t such a danger .

W hen fears are expressed by t h e leading minds

of th e Fra t erni ty tha t th e portals of th e temple
are too widely t hro w n open it becomes meces ,

sary that all who wish well to th e O rder should

see tha t its ancien t puri ty is preserved by a ,

rigid and u nal terable de t ermination tha t s o far ,

as t heir inuence can avail th e inviolabili ty of

,

th e ballo t box shall be main tained

-
.

I n a Lodge where every member has a correc t

13 * I4 9
1 50 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W
.

notion of the righ t of h is fellow members to ex -

pre ss their preference for or t heir opposition to , ,

a can didate for ini tia t ion and w here there i s a ,

disposi tion to work harmoniou sly with a few

rather than discordan t ly wi t h many when a bal ,

lot is ordered each bro ther having deposited his

, ,

vote quietly and calmly wai t s to hear the decision

,

of th e ballot box annou nced by the p residing

-

o fcer I f it is clear all are pleased that a
.
,

profan e has been fou nd w ort hy to receive a por

tion of the illumina ting rays of Mason ry But .

if it is foul e ach one is sa t ised with the re
,

s ult and rej oices t hat al t hough knowing nothing

, ,

him s elf against the candidate some o ther mem ,

ber has bee n present whom a more intimate

acquaintance wi th th e character of the applicant
has i nduced to interpose his veto and prevent ,

th e pu rity of th e O rder from being sullied by the

admission of an u nworthy candidate A nd even .

if that candidate be his friend and he has him ,

s elf a conviction of his worth he will not hastily ,

impugn th e motives of t h e on e who has cas t the

black ball bu t will generously suppose t hat cir
,

cu m s tan c e s and proper i nuences of which he ,

has no cognizance have led to th e rej ection

, .

H ere the mat ter ends and t h e Lodge p roceed s

,

to other business .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 151

Bu t his harmonious condi tion of things does

t

n o t always exis t S ome times an injudiciou s

.

bro ther over zealous for t h e admission of t h e

,
-

applican t becomes dissa t ised wi th th e resul t

, ,

and seeks by a defence of th e candida te and by ,

i m pugning t h e mo tives of some of t hose who

vo ted agains t him to indu ce t h e bre thren to
,

desire a n e w t rial in th e hope of a more success

,

ful verdic t .

A mo tion for a reconsidera t ion of th e ballo t is

t h e means generally adop t ed for ob taining this

obj ec t and it is proper t herefore that th e legali ty

, , ,

and regulari ty of t his mo tion should now be dis

cussed .

I commence then wi th announcing th e propo

s itio n tha t a mo t ion t o reconsider an u nfavor
,

able ballo t is u nau thorized by t h e parliamen tary

la w of Masonry ; w ould be a t all times o u t of
order ; and could n o t t herefore be en tertained
, ,

by th e presiding ofcer The elemen t s n e ce s

sary to bring such a mo tion w ithin th e provisions
of parliamen tary law are wan ting A mo tion .

for th e reconsidera tion of any p roposi tion mus t ,

as has already been said be made and can only , ,

be made by one who has vo t ed in th e majori ty

or on th e prevailing side ; because if this priv ,

ilege were ex tended t o t hose who had vo t ed in

152 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

the minority who had been defeated an d were

, ,

t herefore na t urally discon t en t ed th e t ime of the ,

assembly would be wasted and th e members ,

would be annoyed by repeated agita tions of th e

same proposi tion ; so t hat it could never be
kno w n when a ques tion was denitely deter
mined .

N o w as the vo t e on th e applica tion of a can

,

dida t e is by secre t ballo t in which no member is ,

permi tt ed to divulge th e natu re of his vo t e t here ,

is n o record of th e votes on either side and it is ,

t herefore impossible t o know when th e mo tion ,

for reconsideration i s made whether th e mover ,

was one of the majority or of the minori ty and ,

whe t her he therefore is or is n o t en ti tled to

, ,

make su ch a mo tion N or is there any p rescribed

.

mode of arriving a t tha t in forma tion The pre .

siding o fcer cannot ask th e qu es t ion nor if he , ,

should so far forge t his du ty as t o propose th e

interroga t ory could th e mover answer it wi thou t
,

violating the principle of secrecy which so rigidly ,

adheres t o the ballo t The motion would there .

,

fore have to be ruled out for want of certain ty

,
.

Bu t al though no mo t ion for reconsidera tion

can be made t here are circums tances which
,

would au thori z e t h e Mas ter or p residing o fcer

of his own mo tion to order a second ballo t , ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 53

which may be considered as prac tically the same

t hing as a reconsidera t ion Thus on the rst
.
,

ballo t there may be bu t one black ball N ow a .

,

single black ball may have been inadvertently

cas t th e member vo ting it may have been
favorably disposed toward th e candidate and yet ,

from th e hurry and confusion of voting or from ,

th e obscuri ty of ligh t or the inrmi ty of his eyes

, ,

or from so m e o ther equally na tural cause he ,

may have deposi ted a black ball when he in t ended

to have deposi ted a w hi t e one I t is t herefore
.
, ,

a ma tter of prudence and cau t ion tha t when only ,

one black ball appears th e presiding ofcer

,

should order a new ballo t in th e presump t ion

,

tha t on t his second ballot more care and vigilance

will be exercised so that th e reappearance O f th e

,

rejec ting ball will show t ha t it wa s designedly de

posi ted in the box A nd the founda tion of this
.

rule in sound sense and jus tice is so well ad m i t ted ,

tha t in almos t all Masonic bodies th e by laws -

provide for a second ballot in cases where one

black ball appears in th e rs t But if there .
,

should be no such by law it is compe t ent for t h e

,

presiding ofcer t o exercise his discre t ion in th e

premises and direc t a second ballo t if he t hinks
,

it is expedient .

Bu t although it is t h e prerogative of the

1 54 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

Mas t er or presiding o fcer u nder circu m ,

th e

stances described to order a reconsideration yet, ,

t his preroga t ive is accompanied wi t h certai n re

strictions which it may be well to no t ice

,
.

I n the rs t place th e Master canno t order a ,

reconsidera t ion on any other night than tha t o n

which th e original ballot was taken A ft er th e .

Lodge is closed th e decision of the ballot is nal

, ,

and t here is no human authority tha t can reverse

it The reason of this rule is eviden t I f it were
. .

otherwise an u nworthy Master might on any

,

subs equen t evening avail himself of th e absence

of t hos e who had voted black balls to order a
reconsideration an d t hus su cceed in introducing
,

an u n t and rej ected candidate into t h e Lodge ,

contrary t o the wishes of a por tion of its mem

bers .

N either can he order a reconsideration on t h e

same nigh t if any of the brethren who voted
,

have re t ired A ll who expressed their opinion

.

o n th e rst ballot mus t be presen t t o exp ress it

on the second Th e reasons for this restric tion
.

are as evident as for the former and are of the ,

same charac t er .

It may be asked whe t her the Grand Master

cannot by his dispensa t ion permit a re co n s id
, ,

e ra t io n I answer empha tically N o The Grand

.
, .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW . 155

Mas t er possesses no such preroga t ive There is .

no la w in th e whole ju rispru dence of the In s titu

t ion clearer than t his : tha t nei ther t h e Grand

Lodge nor th e Grand Mas t er can in terfere wi t h

th e decision of th e ballo t box -
I n th e six th of
.

the thir ty nine General Regula tions adop t ed in

-

1 7 2 1 and which are n o w recognized as a par t of

,

t h e common law of Maso n ry it is said tha t in

, ,

the elec tion of ca ndida t es th e members are to

signify t hei r consen t or dissen t in their o wn pru
den t way ei ther vir tually o r in form bu t wi t h
, ,

u nanimi ty ; and t h e regula t ion goes on to say :

N or is this inheren t privilege subjec t to a dis

p e n s a t io n beca u se th e members of a Lodge are
,

t h e bes t ju dges of it ; and if a frac tious member

should be imposed u pon them it might spoil ,

t heir har m ony or inju re t heir freedom or even ,

break and disperse th e Lodge which ough t to ,

be avoided by all good and t ru e bre thren .

This se t tles th e qu e s tion A dispensa tion to

.

reconsider a ballo t would be an in t er ference wi t h

th e righ t of t h e m e m bers to give their consen t

in their o w n pruden t way ; it would be an in

fring e m e n t of inheren t privilege and nei ther ,

t h e Grand Lodge nor t h e Grand Mas er can t

issue a dispensa t ion for such a purpose Every .

1 56 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

Lodge must be left to manage its o wn elections

of candida t es in it s own pru den t wa y .

From what has been said we may deduce the ,

following fou r principles as se tting forth in a

, ,

summary way th e doc t rine of Masonic parlia

,

mentary law in referen ce to motions for a recon

siderat ion of the ballo t
1 .I t is never in order for a member to move
for the reconsideration of a ballo t on the pe ti tion
of a candidate n or for a presiding o fcer to e n
,

t e rtain such a mo t ion .

2 .The Master or presiding o fcer alone can ,

for reasons satis facto ry to hims elf order such a ,

reconsideration .

3 The p residing o fcer cannot order a recon

.

s ideration on any subseque n t night n o r on the ,

same night after any member who was present

,

and voted has departed .

4 .The Grand M aster cannot grant a dis pe n

sation for reconsideration nor in any o ther way

,

interfere wi th the ballot The same restriction

.

applies to the Gra nd Lodge .

 CH APT E R XXV II I .

OF SP EC IA L O RD E RS .

H E mos t common class of privileged ques

t ions in parliamen t ary assemblies is tha t t o

which is technically given th e name of orders

of th e day W hen th e considera tion of any
.

ma tter is by a resolu tion pos tponed to a cer tain

, ,

day th e ma tter so assigned is called when th e

, ,

day for its consideration arrives th e special order ,

fo r th at day .

By this act th e order of th e day becomes a

privileged ques tion and takes p recedence of all
,

o thers .The parliamen tary regula tions which

refer to this ques tion are numerous and int ri
ca te bu t very few of them h ave an applica t ion
,

to Masonic Lodges or Chap t ers .

For ins tance in all parliamentary assemblies

,

the business is dis t ribu ted by certain rules which ,

canno t easily be s e t aside Thus public mo tions

.
,

must be considered on one certain day of th e

w eek ; priva t e ones on another A third day is .

directed to be devo t ed to the co nsideration of

14 I S7
158 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

peti tions a fou r th one t o appropria t ions and so

, ,

on ; so tha t t h e class of business w hich is arranged

for one day cannot be discussed on another ,

unless t his rule is suspen ded N o w to make any .

,

qu es t ion a special order for t h e day and to give ,

it precedence on t ha t day over all other qu estions

over in fac t th e very class of ques tions that
, ,

has been appropria t ed to that par ticular day

would be t o viola t e t h e rules of th e house A nd .

therefore it has been decided tha t when any ,

proposi tion is made an order for a subsequent

day,it is to be considered t ha t the rules for that
occasion have been suspended Bu t a rule can .

not be suspended by the vo t e o f a mere majority .

A vo t e of two t hirds is required for that pur

-

pose ; and therefore to make any question a ,

special order it is necessary t hat two thirds of

,
-

th e members should vo t e i n favor of th e propo

s itio n although when the special order comes

, ,

up a bare maj ori ty may postpone its considera

,

tion .

N 0 such rule has been es tablished in Masonry .

A majori ty vote only is necessary in a Lodge or

Grand Lodge to make any hour or day the
spec ial ti m e for t h e conside ra t ion of any propo
-

s itio n ; or in o ther words to make it th e special

, ,

order for tha t hou r or day .

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 15 9
The limi ted period app ropria t ed t o th e com
m u niCa tio n of a Lodge makes it very u nusual t o

adopt th e pract ice of special orders ; al though a

p roposi tion in t rodu c e d in th e early par t of th e
evening migh t be and sometimes is made th e
, ,

special order for a later hour Bu t th e pro t racted .

session of a Grand Lodge or Grand Chap t er oft en

gives rise to special orders ; and therefore th e
parliamen tary rules tha t govern them so far as ,

t hey are applicable to Masonic bodies must be ,

considered .

The proper form of making any proposi t ion a

special order is as follo ws : O n th e presen ta tion
of any proposi tion whe ther it be a mo t ion a
, ,

pe ti tion an elec tion or any o ther subs tan t ive

, ,

ma tter which it is then proposed to discuss any

, ,

member m ay rise and say I move tha t t his ,

m o t ion ( or whatever else it may be ) be made th e

special order for 1 0 o clock on W ednesday morn

ing or any o ther hour and day that he may
,

select This mo tion being seconded is pu t by

.
, ,

the presiding ofce r and if adop ted by a ma , ,

o rity of vo t es h proposi tion becomes th e

j t e ,

special order fo r tha t hou r and day .

A ccordingly when th e day and hou r s e t apart

,

for t h e considera tion of th e special order has

arrived that special order takes precedence of
,
1 60 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

all o ther business The presiding o fce r or any

.

member m ay call it up and to do so may in t er ,

rup t any one al though th e la tt er may a t th e t ime

,

have possession of th e oor and be addressing ,

th e mee ting W ha tever business is then before

.

the Lodge must be su spended at once tha t the ,

special order may take its place and be brought ,

before th e assembly .

But al though th e special order will thus o b

,

trude i t self before th e Lodge a t th e sacrice of

all o ther business it does n o t follow tha t it meces
,

s a rily will retain th e a t tention of t h e members .

Like eve ry o ther proposi tion it is subj ect to ,

variou s subsidiary mo tions It m ay be dis .

charged or be postpon ed to another time

, .

I f a mo tion to discharge t h e special order pre

vails then it ceases any longer to be a special
,

order I t loses its speciali ty and its privilege

.
,

and subsides into the class of motions to which

it properly belongs and can be called up only in
,

t h e regular order of bu siness at the t ime when ,

a motion t o call it up would be in order The .

business which had been su spended is a t once

resumed and proceeded wi th .

Bu t a mo t ion may be made and may prevail , ,

to postpone t h e sp ecial order t o a futu re day or

hou r Th e effect of this motion is different from

.
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 16 1

that which discharges the order The special .

o rder here loses its speciality and privilege only

t emporaril y and on t h e arrival of the time to
,

which it had been pos tponed it resumes its

special privilege and may be called up as at the
,

original time ; still however subj ec t t o the same

, ,

motions for discharge or for further postpone

ment .

A s pecial order m ay also be disposed of in a

third way A lthough it is the righ t it is not the
.
,

duty of any member to call up th e special order .

H ence if a proposi tion has been made the

,

special order for any hou r of any day and that ,

hou r passes without any action being taken to

proceed wi th it the special order is dropped and
, ,

can only come up thereaft er as unnished busi

ness and as an u nprivileged qu es tion The time .

appointed to consider it as a special order having

passed it loses its charac t er as a special order
, .

Let u s illustra te this usage I t is a very com.

mon prac tice in Grand Lodges to set apart a

certain day and hou r fo r proceeding t o the elec
tion of o fcers for the ensuing year N ow we .
,

will suppose t hat on Monday a mo t ion is made ,

and tha t tha t mo tion prevails maki n g t h e elec t ion

,

of o fcers th e special order for 1 2 o clock on

W ednesday morning W hen the hour of 1 2 on

.

14 * L
1 62 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

W ednesday arrives th e Grand Lodge may be ,

engaged in some o ther business no twi ths tanding ,

which any member may call up th e special order

,
.

I f this be concu rred in t h e Grand Lodge pro ,

c e e d s to the elec tion Bu t a mo tion m a y be made

.

t ha t th e special order be pos tponed u n til 1 2

o clock on Thu rsday and if this mo t ion prevails

t ha t hou r is s e t apart for th e elec t ion and a t t hat ,

hou r th e special order again comes up A mo .

t ion m ay however be made to discharge the

, ,

special order and if tha t motion is adop ted no

, , ,

futu re time is appoin t ed for th e elec tion and a ,

new mo tion mus t be made to provide for it .

A gain on th e arrival of th e hou r of 1 2 on W ed

,

n e s da y no on e may feel disposed to interrup t th e

business t hen in hand and consequ en tly no ,

no tice would be taken of th e special order which , ,

in tha t case would be dissolved and th e elec tion

, ,

could only be held in consequ ence o f some fu tu re

mo tion .

I f however th e mo tion to m ake the special

, ,
"
order had been to make it for W ednesday and ,

1 2 o clock o n W ednesday t ha t is to

n o t for

say fo r th e whole day and n o t for any par ticular

, ,

hou r of it then it would be in order t o call it

,

up a t any t ime during th e session of W ednesday .

W hen a special order has been taken up it ,

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 03

may be proceeded wi th to th e exclusion of all

other business un til it is concluded I f n o t n .

is h e d a t th e t ime of calling o ff which in ano t her

,

socie ty would be th e adjou rnmen t it is to be ,

resumed the nex t day as u nnished business ,

having however th e preference over all other

, ,

business unless a mo tion be made t o pos tpon e

,

or to discharge it .

It is n o t uncommon for several orders to be

made for t h e sa m e day in w hich case the one
,

rs t made takes precedence of th e o thers ; and

if th e whole day is consumed by it t hen th e ,

o ther orders lose their speciali ty for they canno t ,

be considered special orders for th e ensuing day .

I n Congress it is usual to frame th e resolu tion

making a special order so tha t th e proposi t ion is
m ade th e special order for t h e day of
and from day to day u n til th e sa m e is disposed
,

of A resolu tion so framed would carry over a

.

special order from one day when it had been ,

omi tted to t he succeeding day This is n o t th e

, .

form gen erally adop t ed in condu c ting th e busi

ness of Grand Lodges bu t I see no reason why
,

it should n o t be ; and if a mo t ion in t ha t form be

made and adop ted th e effec t of it in a Grand
,

Lodge would be th e same as in Congress where , ,

al though th e rs t day may be consumed in th e

1 64 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

considera tion of a sp ecial order p reviously made ,

the second one does n o t lose its speciality but ,

on the su cceeding day comes up and t akes pre

c e de n c e of all o t her business .

These are all th e rules of parliamen tary law

in reference t o special orders which appear t o
be applicable to t h e government of Masonic
bodies .
 CH APT E R XX I X .

OF T HE O RD E R OF B US I N ES S .

H AT t here may be no confusion or n u

necessary delay in th e t ransac tion of busi
ness tha t every thing m ay be considered at th e
,

proper t ime and tha t due precedence may be

'

given to th e mos t importan t ma t ters or to t hose ,

which claim precedence from some special reason ,

it is necessary in all delibera t ive assemblies t hat

, ,

t here should be some well unders t ood arrange

men t ei ther by regula t ion or by cus tom for th e

, ,

govern m en t of t h e order and sequence in which

t h e various proposi tions t ha t are likely t o be

brough t before th e mee ting shall be considered .

A se ttled order of business says j efferson is

, ,

necessary for t h e governmen t of th e presiding

o fcer and to restrain individual m e m bers from
,
w

calling up favori te measu res or m atte rs u n de r

their special pa t ronage o u t of their jus t turn and ,

it is also useful for direc t ing th e discre t ion of th e

members when they are moved t o take up a par
t icu la r matter to t h e p rejudice of o t hers having
1 65
1 66 MA S O N I C P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

p riori ty of right to t heir a ttention i n the general

order of business .

H ence an arrangement of business under

,

proper heads and by a predetermined rule will

be convenien t to th e Master of a Lodge because ,

he is thu s enabled to carry on th e business of the

Lo dge wi t hout unnecessa ry delay an d embar
ra s s m e n t and will be necessary for t h e govern
,

m en t of th e members becaus e by it useless and

,

troublesome con ten t ions for the p recedency of

proposi tions will be avoided .

I n every Masonic body therefore the by laws , ,

-

should pr e scribe an O rder of B usiness and in

,

propor tion as t hat order is rigorously observed

will be the harmony and celerity with which the
business of the Lodge will be despatched .

I n Lodges whose by laws have prescribed no

-

se ttled order th e arrangement of bu siness is left

,

t o the discre t ion of th e presiding o fcer who will ,

not however depend entirely on his own j udg

, ,

ment since he mus t be governed to some extent

,

by cer tain general rules founded on the princi,

ples of parliamen tary law or on the suggestions ,

of common sense Thus th e proprie ty o fg e tt ing

rid of th e unnished business before any n e w
proposi tions are entertained will natu rally sug
gest itself as a rule of expediency ; for if ne w
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW . 1 67

p ropositions were permi tted to be entertained

before old ones which had been proposed at
,

fo rmer commu nica tions were disposed of by their

,

adoption o r rej ec tion or some equivalent dispo

,

s itio n of them the business would so accumulate

,

as to lead to confusion and embarrassment I t .

i s there fore a se ttled rule of parliamentary law

, , ,

that the consideration of unnished business

should take the precedence of that which is n e w .

Again there are certain proposition s which

, ,

whenever they may arise must be entertained to , ,

the s upp ression of o ther matters for the time ,

because they are ques tions of p rivilege A nd .

,

la s tly there are special orders the time for the

, ,

con s ideration of which mus t have been provided

at th e tim e when their speciality was determin ed
'

Governed by thes e general rules where as I , ,

have al ready observed no special rules have ,

been provided and exercising a wise judgment

,

in the distribution of ma tters n o t coming under

the s e heads the presiding o fcer will nd no
,

di fculty in conducting th e business of the meet

ing with ease to himself and wi t h sa t isfaction to
the members ; but if o n th e contrary he shall
, ,

permit propositions to be in t roduced a t improper

ti m es irrelevant qu e s tions to be presented and
, ,

a regular arrangement to be n eglected he will ,

168 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

soon nd himself i nvolved in a labyrinth of per

ple xit ie s ex t rica tion from which will be di fcult
, ,

if n o t impossible ; and as this judicious man ag

,

men t of business con s ti tu t es on e of the mos t

impor tant fu nc tions of a Mas te r of a Lodge as a
presiding of cer so does it s absence or n egl e ct
,

mos t s trikingly develop his incapaci ty and u nt

ness for t h e posi t ion which he occupies .

E xperience has shown tha t th e following ar

rangemen t or order of business is the one most
calcula t ed to facili ta t e th e considera t ion and dis
posi t ion o f th e subj ects t hat a re usually brought
before a Masonic body and it is the one t here , ,

fore that has been mos t generally adopted

, .

A fter th e Lodge has been Opened the p rocess ,

of which ceremony as it is prescribed by the

,

ri tual needs no explana t ion here th e rst busi

, ,

ness is t o read th e minutes of the preceding

commu nica tion and this is to be followed im
,

mediately by th e ques t ion on their conrmation .

This refers only however to sta t ed co m m u n ica

, ,

t ions because as t h e law of Masonry p rescribes

,

t hat th e proceedings of a s ta ted commu nica t ion

canno t be altered or amended a t a sp ecial com
m u nica tio n it is n o t necessary nor u sual at the
,

la tter t o read th e minutes of a s ta t ed one tha t

had preceded it The minu tes therefore except
.
, ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 16 9
for information are n o t read a t special co m m u
,

n ic a tio n s The m inu t es then having been read

.
, ,

and conrmed th e mode of doing which will

,

consti tu t e th e subj ect of ano ther chap t er th e ,

nex t t hing will be the considera tion of un nished

business This will be p resen t ed by th e S ecre
.

tary through th e Mas t er t o th e Lodge in regular

, ,

order The reports of committees appoin ted at

.

t h e former mee t ings will n o w be taken up for

reading and considera t ion O f these th e reports

.
,

on pe ti t ions for ini tia tion or aflia tion t ake pre

c e d e n c e of all others I f t hese reports are favor
.

able th e next business will be th e ballo ting for

,

t h e candidates O ther repor ts of s tanding or

.

selec t commi tt ees will be nex t in order Those .

of selec t commi ttees as seeming to have a more

importan t charac t er should take precedence of
t hose of s tanding commi tt ees Mo tions made .

a t a former meeting and pos tponed for consider

ation or laid upon th e table may no w be called

, ,

up : if pos tponed withou t reference to any hou r ,

they will be in order a t any t ime aft er th e recep

tion of and ac t ion on th e repor ts of commi ttees .

I f they had been pos tpone d to a par ticu lar hou r ,

they t hen become special orders and can be ,

called up only when tha t hou r arrives ; bu t

whether in the one or the other ca t egory it is ,

IS
17 0 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

not the duty of th e presiding o fcer to call th e

attention of the Lodge to su ch motions * and if ,

they are not called up by th e special motion of

a member they will pass over without notice
, .

The u nnished bu siness being thu s disposed of ,

the Lodge is now p repared for the considera tion

of any ne w proposi tion which may be presen te d ,

and th e precedency of these proposi tions will be

regula t ed by th e parliamen ta ry la w as already
described in th e present work .

The presiding ofcer having learned ei t her by ,

direct inqui ry or by observa t ion t hat no fu rther ,

business is likely t o be transacted will direc t th e ,

Lodge to be prepared fo r ini tia t ion if t here be ,

any candida t es in waiting for this is always done

aft er th e bu siness o f the Lodge is transacted .

A fter which th e Lodge is closed .

It was formerly th e u sage but one which is ,

now to o much neglected to read t h e rough ,

minutes of t h e evening before closing the Lodge ,

and t his was done n o t for t heir approval because

, ,

no qu es t ion of conrma t ion was taken at th e time ,

but that the members presen t might sugges t to

the S ecretary th e correc tion of any errors tha t he
It is n ot duty b t he m y like y ther m e m ber x
h is ,
u a , an o ,
e er

ci e th
s e right d theref re if he ch e he m y c ll tten tio n
,
an o , oos s, a a a

to th e s peci l rder
a o .
 MA S O N I C PA R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 17 1

might have inadverten tly m ade This practice .

,

though peculiar to Masonic bodies is a good one , ,

and should not be neglected .

The order of business thus detailed may for ,

convenience of reference be placed in the fol

,

lowing tabular form

1
. O pening the Lodge .

2. Reading and conrmation of the minute s .

3 Report s on pe t itions
. .

4 B alloting for candidates

. .

5 Reports of s elect commi ttees

. .

6 Reports of s t anding commi t tees

. .

7 Consideration of mo tions made at a former

.

meeting if called up by a member

, .

8 N ew business
. .

9 I nitiations
. .

10 Reading of the minutes for information

.

and correction .

11 C lo s ing the Lodge

. .
 C H AP T E R XXX .

O F T HE A PP O I NT ME NT A N D F UN CT I ON S O F CO M
MITT E E S .

OR the pu rpose of expediting busine s s by ,

dividing the numerous labors of a delibera

tive body among various class es of it s member s ,

or to obtain the investigation of a particular

subj ect more convenien tly by the i nquirie s of a
,

few than could be secu red by the whole body

, ,

it has always been u sual t o appoint a certa in

number of members t o inquire in t o and to repo rt
to the main body on any part icular proposi tion ,

and the members t hus appointed are called a

com m itte e, b ecause th e subj ect has been com
m itte d or intrus t ed t o them for inqui ry .

Committees are divided into two kind s i n ,

reference to th e subj ec t s committed to them and ,

to the du ration of t heir fu nc tions and these two

,

kinds are s ta n ding and s elect .

S tanding commi ttees are thos e to whom all

p ropo s ition s relating to a particular s ubj ect a s ,

1 72
 MA S O N I C P A RL I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 17 3

they arise from time to time are submitt ed , .

Thus to a s tanding commi ttee on nance

,

would be referred all ma tters rela ting to th e

funds of th e Lodge as t heir inves ti tu re or e xpe n
,

dit u re and t o a s tanding com m i tt ee on chari t y

,

would be submitted all applica tions for aid and

relie f .

S tanding committees are usually appoin ted

a t t h e beginning of th e Masonic year and con ,

tin u e in o fce un til it s close The m ode of their .

appoin t m e n t depends on th e provisions of th e

by la w s which some times designa t e th e mem
-

bers and some ti m es direct the m to be elec ted

,

by th e Lodge or appointed by t h e Mas ter .

Thus as to th e rs t class many Lodges have

, ,

provided t hat th e rs t ve or th e rs t three

,

o fcers shall cons t i tu t e a s tanding com m i t tee

on nance to whom all nancial ma tters shall
,

be submi tted A nd in reference to th e o ther

.
,

class it is also some tim es provided tha t t hree

, ,

or ve members shall be appoin ted by th e new

Mas ter or elec ted by th e Lodge on t h e nigh t of
,

t h e annual elec tion who shall a c t as a co m m i tt ee

,

on chari ty to whom all pe ti tions for relief and

,

assis tance made to th e Lodge during th e coming

year shall be submi tted Ther e may be o ther .

s tanding commi t tees as for ins tance on th e , , ,

15 *
17 4 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

library or on the hall who are appointed in one

, ,

of th e ways already designa t ed but to consti tute

t hem s tanding commi t t ees in t h e s t ric t t ech , ,

n ica l sense of t h e term their appointmen t o r

,

elec t ion should be made a t th e beginning of th e

Masonic year and their fu nc tions should con tinu e
,

u n t il it s close ; and t his appoin t men t or elec tion

should not be made u nder th e au t hori ty of a
resolu t ion bu t of a special by law or clause i n
,
-

th e cons t itu t ion of th e Lodge j ust as standing ,

commi ttees are formed u nder th e rules appoin t ed

a t the beginning of the Congress Committees .

es tablished a t any other time by a mere resolu ,

t ion al though t hey may be appoin t ed for an

,

indeni t e period and may be direc t ed to have

,

cogni z ance n o t of a single proposi tion bu t of all ,

propositions of a par ticular class t hat may from ,

time to time presen t themselves for considera

,

t ion can be viewed only as qu a s i stan ding com

,

m itt e e s but are really select commi t tees and

, ,

are to be governed in t h e mode of t heir appoint

ment by th e rules tha t regulate t h e appoin tment
of such bodies .

S elec t commi ttees are appointed u nder a

resolu t ion of th e Lodge for th e inves tigation and
consideration of some proposi tion which having ,

been presented it is deemed more convenien t

,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 17 5

should thus be inquired into by a few members ,

who can more readily than a large nu mber pu t

th e ma tt er in to proper shape for th e ac tion of th e

whole body I n th e discussion of this subj ec t we

.

are rs t to look to th e m ode of their appoin tmen t ,

and then to th e manner in which they are to dis

charge t heir functions which o f course includes
, , ,

the ques tion of their du t ies and powers .

I n th e rs t place as to th e mode of thei r a p

,

poin tmen t : H ere th e parliamentary and t h e

Masonic la w differ very widely A ncien tly in .
,

the E nglish House of Co m mons it was th e prac ,

t ice when a commi t t ee was ordered for th e

, ,

members of th e H ouse to call out names for th e

com m i ttee and for th e clerk to take do w n th e
,

names wi thou t any formal qu es tion un til t h e ,

requisi t e number had been ob tained But this .

prac tice has been abandoned and it is no w th e ,

usage for th e person wh o moves for the com

m itte e also t o move th e names of t hose who are

t o compose it each one being proposed sepa

,

ra te l
y and th e vo t e is t hen taken on his accep t
,

ance ; and al though as a ma tter of cour tesy th e

, ,

lis t proposed is generally accep t ed it is compe ,

t en t for th e H ouse to rej ec t any one or all of

t hem and by an amendmen t t o each mo tion to

, , ,

place so m e o ther m ember on th e lis t in th e place

of t h e one rejec ted .
170 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

I n the A merican H ouse of Represen ta t ives th e

rule is for th e S peaker to appoin t all committees ,

u nless otherwise specially ordered by th e H ou se ,

i n which case they are to be appointed by ballot .

But the latter mode is now never resorted to ,

and th e pres en t prac tice is for the H ouse to

direct the S peaker to appoin t all commi tt ees ,

standing and select .

By th e u niversal u sage of Mason ry the ap ,

poin tmen t of all selec t commi ttees that is to ,

say all com m i tt ees crea t ed by special resolu

,

tion is u nless o therwise specially provided fo r

, , ,

ves t ed in th e presiding o fcer ; therefore when a ,

motion is adop t ed which crea tes a commi tt ee ,

and charges it wi th th e considera tion of a par

t icu la r subj ec t it is n o t n ecessary as it is in o t her
, ,

deliberative bodies for th e Mas t er or presiding

,

ofcer t o inqui re H ow shall th e commi ttee be

appoin t ed ? U nless t h e resolu t ion crea t ing th e
committee p rovides a t th e same time for t h e
election of its members by the Lodge the powe r ,

of th e appointmen t is in th e presiding ofcer .

I n t h e motion for th e crea tion of a commi tt ee

the number of members is oft en left blank and , ,

aft er th e adop tion of th e resolu tion it becomes ,

n ecessary to ll up the blank wi t h some specied

number This may be done as the lling of any
.
,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LA W . 17 7

other blank by several m o t ions for differen t

,

numbers in which case th e presiding o fcer will

,

put the question on each number beginning wi th ,

t h e highest u ntil one of t hem is adopted

, Bu t .

more frequ ently the blank is lled up upon th e

mere suggestion of some m ember which s u gg e s ,

tion is informally adop t ed if t here be no Opposi

tion.

A s to the nu mber of which a committee is to

be composed there is no other rule than the
,

pleasure of the Lodge ; but uniform custom has

res tricted committees to as fe w as can co nve n
ie n tly and judiciously discharge the duty on t h e ,

ground tha t a few may be more easily brought

t ogether than many are a less unwieldy body to
,

organiz e and can more readily agree upon

,

measures A n odd nu m ber is also selected in

.

prefer e nce to an even one because as a m ajori t y , ,

of the committee mak e th e repor t an odd num ,

ber always secu res a majori t y on one side or th e

o ther of the qu es tion if t here be a difference of
,

opinion ; whereas in an even number there

might be a tie and the committee could come
,

t o no conclusion .

The committee is appoin t ed by the Mas t er s

reading out the names of the members whom he

has selected which duty he may perform at once ;
,

M
17 8 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LA W .

o r he may require time fo r a j udiciou s s election ,

when he a nnounces that he will mak e the ap

pointment at his leisu re .

There is no positive rule to regulate the pre

s iding o fcer in the choice of commi ttee men bu t -

the courtesy of parliamentary law ha s alway s in

dica te d that t h e pe rson who makes the motio n
for the creation of a committee s hould be the r s t
o ne placed on it and not to so name him would
,

be considered as an a ct of discourte s y .

I n naming the other members of the comm ittee ,

respect should be had to their p eculiar views of

the subj ect to be referred I t is a parliamentary
.

practice not to appoi n t persons o n a co m mittee

who are oppo s ed to th e p roposi t ion which i s to
be referred I t being the obj ect of a committee
.

to prepare the ma tte r with which they have been

charged and to put it into a shap e t for th e
,

action of the body which they repre s ent it i s ,

evident that they should be so fa r its friend s a s

to lead them to such a result The en emies of a
.

proposition would be more likely to s ti e it than

to give it a proper form for fu t u re discussion In .

the forcible language of a parliamentary writer ,

The child is not to be pu t t o a nu rse that cares

not for it . B ut where th e p roposition with which
a committee is charged consists of s everal part s ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W 17 9
it is no obj ection to th e appointment of a mem
ber that he is opposed to some of these par ts so ,

long as he is favorable to th e general proposition .

H is par tial opposi tion migh t lead him in th e

committee to propose such al t era t ions and
amendments as would give t h e en tire subj ect a
more accep table shape in th e Lodge when it was
reported by th e commi ttee than it had in its ,

original form .

By cour t esy the rs t named person is co ns id

-

ered as th e chairman of th e commi tt ee and he ,

is recognized as such a t leas t so far as to call

,

the commi tt ee to order a t its rs t mee ting But .

every commi tt ee has t he righ t to selec t its o wn

chairman and may a t its rs t mee ting displace
, , ,

t h e one named by th e presiding ofcer and elec t

ano ther in his stead This has some ti m es been

.

done but th e more general usage is t o accept

,

t he rs t named me m ber as th e chairman

-
.

I n s t ric t parlia m en tary law to give legali ty to

,

the ac ts of a com m i tt ee it has been considered

,

necessary that every member should be presen t

at its delibera t ions unless a t th e t i m e of its
,

appoin t men t or by some general rule of th e body

,

which has appointed it th e number requir e d to

,

cons ti t u t e a quorum shall have been expressed .

Bu t this rule no longer exis ts in this coun t ry and ,

1 80 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

it is generally recogni z ed as good parliam entary

la w t hat a majori ty of th e members of a com
m itt e e will constitu t e a legal quorum to do bu si
.

ness .

U nless th e time and place for th e meeting of

a committee have been specically expressed by
the body appoi n ting it these ma tt ers are left to
,

the discre t ion of th e commit t ee which without , ,

such ins t ru c tions may meet at su ch time and

,

place as to the majori ty shall seem most ex

p e die n t and convenient B u t a quoru m of th e
.

commi ttee must mee t formally to t ransact any

bu siness ; the opinions of the members cannot
be taken by the chairman separately from which ,

opinions he is to make up his report E very .

thing agreed upon must have been submitted in

commit t ee and an opportunity given for free
,

discussion .

Business is transacted i n a commi ttee with

less formali ty than in the delibera tive body from
which it emana t es The members are permi t ted
.

to speak as O ft en as they please and are not ,

required to s tand when addressing the Chair .

Bu t all t h e rules which gover n mo tions and qu es

t ions in deliberative bodies are equally applica

ble to commi ttees .

A commi ttee is restricted to the con s ideratio n

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LAW . 18 1

and inve s tigation of the propo s ition wi th which

it is charged I t cannot go beyond it nor take
.
,

up o t her matters irrelevant to and u nconnect ed

wi t h it A ppointed with a denite obj ec t it must
.
,

conne itself to that obj ect .

A committee may adjou rn from time to time ,

u n til a majority of its members shall have come

to an agreement on th e matter which had been
referred to it This agreement it annou nces to
.

the body which had appointed it in a document

drawn up by the chairman or s ome other mem
,

ber of t h e committee appointed for that pu rpose .

This document is called its report which will ,

constitute the s ubj ec t matter of the following

-

chapter .

16
 CH APTE R XXX I .

OF T HE R P E O RT OF A C O MMI T T EE .

H E N a commi t tee t o which a subj ect

,

h a d been referred has completed it s in

,

v e s t i a tio n and com e t o an opinion it directs its

g ,

chairman or some o t her m ember to prepare an

expression of its views to be submitted to th e
,

assembly u nder whose direc tion it has been act

ing The paper containing this expression of
.

views is called its report which may be framed

,

in three differen t forms : It may con tain only an

expression of opinion on the subj ect which had
been referred ; or it may con tain in addi tion to
this a deni t e resolution or series of resolu tions
, ,

t h e adop t ion of which by t h e assembly is re co m

mended ; o r lastly it may con tain one or more

, ,

resolu t ions withou t any prelimina ry exp ression

,

of opinion .

The report when prepared is read to t h e

, ,

members of th e committee and if it mee t s wi th

, ,

thei r nal sanc tion th e chairman or one of th e

,

members is directed to pre s ent it to th e assembly .

1 82
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W 183

The mode in which the repor t thus prepared

is to be p resen ted to th e assembly nex t requires
a tten tion In th e Bri tish P arliamen t th e presen
.

ta tio n of th e repor t of a commi tt ee is a cco m

p a n ie d wi t h several forms which have long since

,

been abandoned in th e parliamen tary bodies

of t his coun t ry A nd while in ou r popular as
.

s e m blie s and in Masonic bodies the forms of

recep tion and considera t ion of a report are still

simpler t han they are in th e N ational Congress
or t h e S ta t e Legisla t u res t hey s till preserve
,

eno u gh of th e spi rit of th e parliamen tary law to

insure expedi tion and regularity .

S tanding up in his place in th e Lodge t h e ,

chairman or o ther member appointed for that

,

purpose annou nces to the p residing ofcer that

,

t h e commi tt ee t o which such or such matters

had been referred is ready to report .

The ques tion which n o w ough t to be put to

th e meeting by the presiding o fcer is : S hall

t h e report be received ? But here th e ction
of t h e parliamentary law like th e c t ion of th e
,

com m on law in many cases supplies the place ,

of fac t and th e ques tion is supposed to be put

,

and carried by th e silen t acquiescence of th e

members and t h e chairman then reads the report
,
.

But al though it is t aken for gran ted when ,

1 84 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

there is no opposi tion tha t th e report has been ,

received it is compe tent for any member t o move

,

t ha t it be n o t received The effect of th e adop t ion

.

of su ch a mo tion would I t hink be to suppress , ,

the subjec t al t ogether and to dismiss it s fu r ther ,

co nsidera t ion u nless a mo tion was also made to

,

recommi t the repor t Cu shing says t hat it is .
,

n o t apparent what the precise effec t of the de

c is io n would be whe ther t h e committee would

be discharged and the matter t here stop or ,

whether the refusing to receive the report would

be equivalent to a recommitment ; bu t he admi ts
that if the report so rej ected be the nal report
of the committee which had adj ourned without ,

day the committee would be fu n ctu s oicio

, ,

discharged from far ther duty u nless revived , .

I t is I t hink mos t reasonable to suppose that

, , ,

if the assembly refuses to receive the report of

the committee the matter necessarily drops , ,

u nless revived by a subsequent resolution to t e

commit the report The committee in making .
,

its report has accomplished the du ty conded to

,

it an d nothing more remains or is competent

,

for it to do To refuse to accep t th e repor t

.

u ncondi tionally is to give the quietus not only

,

to it but t o the subject ma tter on which it is

,
-

based .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 185

But on th e announcemen t of th e chai rman t hat

the commit tee is ready to repor t if a mo t ion be ,

made to receive th e repor t or if no express o p ,

posi tion being made it is tacitly received then the

, ,

nex t thing is for the chairman to read it The .

parliamen tary usage is for th e chairman t o read

the repor t in his place and then to hand it to ,

the clerk who reads it again Bu t in popular as

, .

s e m blie s and in Masonic Lodges t his formality is

n o t adhered to S ome times t h e chairman reads

.

the repor t and some times th e S ecre tary reads it

for him and it is not read th e second t ime unless
,

t h e s e co n d reading is called for .

The reading of th e report is its reception I t .

is t herefore an error al though a very common

, , ,

one among persons u nacquainted wi th parlia

men tary law to m ove after it has been read t ha t
, , ,

th e repor t be received This has already been .

done and such a mo tion would n o w be u n n e ce s

,

sary and o u t of time .

The report having been received and read th e ,

commi ttee is thereby discharged in the case of ,

a nal repor t from any fu r ther considera tion of

,

th e subjec t and is V i rtually dissolved

,
It is u n .

necessa ry therefore t o make a mo tion for its

, ,

discharge .

The next qu es tion then t ha t comes up is th e

, ,

16 *
1 86 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A RY LA W .

disposi t ion to be made of the report A nd here .

it is usual for the friends of t h e repo rt t o move

that it be adop t ed N o w t h e report may be
.
,

made as has already been said i n three forms :

, ,

as a mere expression of opinion as tha t expres ,

sion accompanied by resolu t ion s or simply as a ,

resolution or series of resolu tions .

I f th e report be in the rs t of these forms it ,

does not seem necessary to move its adoption .

For as th e opinions of a deliberative body can be

expressed only in th e form of resolu tions t h e ,

adop tion of a mere opinion can have no binding

e ffec t I t is best therefore t o let su ch a repor t
.
, ,

pass without any mo tion wha tever and then it ,

would go on th e records simply as th e opinion

of the members of the commi tt ee I f th is opin .

ion is t o become operative as a rule of ac t ion ,

t ha t can be effected only by some resolu tion based

upon its recommenda t ions which resolu t ion may

,

be made by any member of th e Lodge or assem

bly This is the parliamen ta ry me thod of pro
.

c e e din
g but it is n o t always observed in Lodges
, ,

where th e mo t ion to adop t a mere declara to ry

report is oft en made Bu t if th e mo tion is car
.

ried its effec t is precisely t ha t above s ta t ed

,
.

S u ch a motion has no more l egislative valu e than

t h e piece of pap er on which it is written .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 187

But th e report may be submi tted in its second

or third form that is to say th e e xpression of
, ,

Opinion may be accompanied Wi th resolu tions or ,

th e repor t may consis t simply of a resolu tion or ,

series of resolu tions no t preceded by any pre

,

liminary expression of opinion .

H ere th e mo tion for adoption would be stric tly

regular and its effec t w ould be tangible I f the
, .

mo tion to adop t a repor t having resolu tions

annexed or consisting only of resolu t ions be
, ,

carried then th e adop tion of th e report is also

,

th e adop t ion of th e resolutions w hich t hus be ,

come th e expression of th e will of th e assem

bly and have t h e same legal effec t as they would
,

have if they were resolu t ions which had been

independen tly proposed by some member irre
s p e c t ive of th e commi tt ee .

Bu t if the mo tion t o adop t is lost t hen th e

, ,

ma tter is defu nc t The effec t of a refusal to

.

adop t a report is th e sa m e as a nega tive vo te on

a mo tion By t h e refusal it ceases to be be fore
.
,

th e body and goes in t o parliamen tary dea th

, .

But on th e recep tion of a report t here is

ano ther me thod besides adop t ion or non adop
,
-

t ion by w hich it may be disposed of

,
I ns t ead .

of moving t ha t it be adop ted a mo t ion may be ,

made t ha t it be recommi t ted I f t his m o tion be

.
1 88 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

carried the commi t tee which had become fu n c

, ,

tu s o cio by the recep t ion of its repor t is in ,

s ta n tly revived The repor t is handed to th e

.

chairman and th e commi tt ee in du e t ime makes

,

ano ther report which passes through t h e same

,

s tages and is governed by the same rules as in

,

t h e case of t h e rs t report .

This recommi t men t may be accompanied wi th

ins t ruc tions bu t t hese ins t ru ctions can refer only
,

t o so m e legislative a c t su ch as t h e preparation of
,

a resolu tion for future action I n parliamen tary .

bodies repor t s are oft en recommi tt ed wi th in ,

s t ru c t io n s to a commi ttee to prepare a bill .

A nalogous to t his would be the ins t ru c tions of

a popular assembly to it s commi ttee to prepare
a resolu tion But in the case of th e p arliam e n
.
,

t ary body t h e p repara t ion of the bill by th e com

,

m itte e is in t ended to expedite the forms of le g is

lat ion N o thing of this kind could be a e com

.

plis h e d by causing a commi tt ee to prepare a

resolu tion since the resolution could be more
,

readily offered by a me m ber and ac ted on a t ,

once by th e assembly I t is n o t t herefore u sual

.
, ,

to recommi t repor ts wi t h such ins t ruc tions ,

al though su ch a co u rse would be perfec tly reg

ular and parliamentary S ome times however .
, ,

reports ha ve been rec ommi tted wi t h instruc t ion s ,

to change th e opi nion s t herein expressed This .

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 18 9
i s altogether incorrect and u nparliamentary .

The members of a commi tt ee cannot be re

quired to change thei r views on any particular
subj ect merely to gra t ify a majority Wh o hold
,

different views ; and t o require them to express

on paper an Opinion that they do not enter tain ,

would be an u njus t assump t ion of power .

The better cou rse is when the report of the

,

committee is obj ectionable to rej ect it at once

,

on the question of its adoption N ew resolu .

tion s can then be offered t o meet the views of

the maj ority independen tly of the report if it
, ,

contain resolutions I f it was only the expres

.

sion of an opinion wi thou t resolutions the mere ,

reception of it does no t give th e sanction of the

body to th e views expressed in it ; but if it be ,

thought necessary a declaratory resolu tion in

,

opposi tion to the report might be offered and

adopted .

Committees go out of exis t ence only on the

reception of their nal report P reliminary t e .

ports for the pu rpose of asking information o r

,

instruction in reference to the subj ect matter -

which has been referred to it may be made by a ,

commi tt ee at any t i m e during its session with ,

out affec ting its con t inuance .

S ometimes th e sta t ed period arrives for a

committee to make it s report which however , , ,
1 9
0 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A RY LA W .

it is not prepared to do in consequence of not

,

having comple t ed the investiga tion of the mat

ter referred t o it The usage t hen is for th e
.
, ,

commi tt ee simply to repor t progress and ask ,

leave t o sit again This being gran t ed th e
.
,

committee re su mes its sessions and makes its

report a t some subsequ ent time .

W ha t has been hi t her to said refers only to

select commi t tees S tanding committees are
.

governed by differen t rules Their repor t s are .

al ways in order and t h e reception of the report

,

of a standing committee does no t affec t t h e con

t inu a n ce of t h e commi t tee .

Min ority Report It some times happens that

one or more members of a commi ttee will dis
sen t from th e views of th e majori ty and t ha t they ,

will na turally desire to express their anta gonis tic

opinions in a w ri tt en paper This paper is u su .

ally called a minori ty report Bu t th e term is.

an inaccu ra t e one s ince the decision of parlia

,

mentary law is that th e minori ty of a committe e

,

c anno t make a report a minori ty not being a

,

commi ttee S uch reports are not known in the

.

Bri tish Parliament bu t in Congress by a cou r

, ,

t esy of th e House they are on motion received

,

wi th t h e report of th e majori ty and are printed ,

postponed or considered in t h e same manner

, .

Their effect seems to be t o serve as a basis fo r

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 91
amendmen ts to be moved in th e resolu t ions pro
posed by t h e majori ty It has been u sual
. ,

al though n o t stric tly parlia m en tary in popular ,

assemblies when there are two repor ts to move

, ,

t ha t th e repor t of t h e m inori t y be adop t ed S u ch .

a mo tion is only admissible on th e ground tha t it

is t o be vie w ed as a mo t ion for a subs t i tute by ,

way of amendmen t to th e r e port of th e majori ty .

I f such a mo tion is adop ted its effec t is th e change

,

of th e charac ter of th e majorit y repor t and the ,

adop tion of th e report as so amended Bu t a t .

t his s tage a mo t ion m igh t be m ade to lie on t h e

t able to commi t or to pos tpone
, ,
I n a word th e
.
,

repor t of a minori ty can only be t rea ted as any

o ther amendmen t t o t ha t of t h e maj ori ty .

O ne more observa tion is necessary The re .

port o f th e minori ty does n o t I think so adhere , , ,

in parliamen tary phrase to t ha t o f th e majori ty

, ,

tha t a vo t e to lay th e former on th e t able would

carry th e former w i th it It is one of t h e e xce p

.

t ions to t h e general rule t ha t wha t ever adheres

,

to t h e subj ec t of a mo t ion goes t o th e t able

wi th it .

The report of a commi t t ee on th e charac ter

of an applicant for ini tia tion or aflia tion is a
m att er pec u liarly Masonic and req u ires a special
,

considera t ion .It w ill t here for e cons t i tu t e t h e

subjec t of th e ne x t chap t er .
 CH APT E R XXX I I .

OF T HE R P E O RT OF A C O MMI TT EE ON C HA RA C T ER
.

H E N a petition for the ini t ia tion of a can

dida t e in t o the mysteries of Masonry or
for the application of a brother who has demitted
from the Lodge to which he was formerly at
t ach e d is pres ented the application is by a law
, ,

so u niversal that it almost has acqui red th e

natu re of a landmark referr e d to a committe e
,

of investigation or as it is often called a com

, , ,

m itt e e on character .

The importance and indeed the absolute n e

,

ce s s ity of a proper and careful inqui ry in t o the

,

character of candidates for ini tia t ion cannot be

too often or too deeply impressed upon th e mind .

I t is th e greatest of all t h e guards that the wis

dom of ou r predecessors has thrown like ram
parts arou nd the securi ty and safe t y of ou r
O rder .

S O important has this preliminary step towards

ini tiation been deemed that the General Regu
,

lation s approved i n the year 1 7 2 1 prescribe it
, ,

1 9
2
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 9
3

as a positive law tha t N o man can be accepted

a member of a particular Lodge without previou s ,

no t ice one month before given to the Lodge in ,

order to make due inquiry into the repu tation

and capacity of the candida t e u nless by dis pe n ,

sa tion .

This ancien t regula tion has perhaps on a c ,

count of its eviden t i m por tance to the safe ty o f

t h e I nsti tution been be t t er observed tha n any
,

o ther of the old landmarks W hile the con t em .

p o ra n e o u s rules in rela tion to the exclusion of

mai m ed candidates to the absence of religious
,

t es t s and many more of equally positive enact

,

ment have from time to time been neglec ted or

,

denied I know of no Grand Lodge tha t has

,

th ought proper to abolish the due i nqui ry into
charac ter The Grand Lodge of Virginia did
.
,

it is true s ome years ago propo s e to abolish

, ,

committees of investiga tion and to cons titute all

,

th e member s of the Lodge a committee of th e

whole on the charac t er of th e applicant ; but t h e

opposi tion here was no t to t h e investiga t ion bu t ,

to t h e mode in which it wa s cond u cted .

W e are then to i nquire i n t o the parliamen ta ry

form which i n Masonic bodies is adop t ed i n th e
, , ,

cons t i t u t ion of this commi tt ee ; nex t in t o th e ,

d u t ies which it is required and expec ted t o per

17 N
1 9
4 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

form ; and las tly into th e mode i n which its

, ,

report is to be made and ac tion to be taken

thereon .

A s soon as a petition for initiation or a flia t ion

has been read it mus t be referred to a com
,

m itte e for investiga tion into t h e character and

qualication of the candidate S ometimes this .

commit t ee is appointed on a motion made by

some member Bu t as in every Lodge there is
.
,

or ought to be a rule requiring the submission

,

of the peti t ion to a commi ttee it is not essentially

,

n ecessa ry that any su ch motion should be made .

The presidi ng o fcer may of his own mo t ion

make the reference and appoin t the committee .

The old regula tion already referred to de s ig

, ,

nates specically the time du ring which th e com

m itte e is to exercise the inquiry and th e na tu re ,

of the inquiry tha t is to be made I n o t her .

words it denes p recisely th e duties and func

,

tions of t h e committee and t his deni tion has

,

been made the basis of all subsequent regulations

by Grand Lodges on t h e subj ect .

A s th e old regula tion prescribes t ha t a pre

vio n s notice of one month shall be given to th e
Lodge it is to be inferred that du ring that month
,

the committee should be engaged in its i nvesti

a tio n so that having been appointed a t on e
g , ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 95
regular meeting it shall be in order for it to re
,

port a t th e nex t This t ime is prescribed no t

.
,

merely to afford th e commi t t ee a n ample o ppo r

t u nit y for inves tiga tion bu t t ha t by th e
,
p revious

no t ice every one who knows anything that is
u nfavorable to the charac t er of the applicant
may by being advertised of his petition be e n
, ,

abled to com e forward and sta te his obj ections .

It is a sacred du ty which every Mason owes to

his O rder tha t he should no t wai t u n til he is
,

asked for the informa tion in his possession bu t ,

t ha t he should volun tarily and wi t hou t any s o

,

lici tation make kno wn all tha t he thinks would

,

render t h e proposed candida t e unworthy of ini

t ia tio n .E very member of the O rder should be ,

in fac t a guardian watching a t t h e portals of the

,

Temple t o see that none pass into the sanctuary

,

bu t he who has clean hands and a pure hear t .

W e are next to inquire wha t are t h e fu nctions

to be discharg ed by th e commi t tee during t his
interval of a mon t h be tween th e time of its ap
poin tmen t and tha t of its report or in other , ,

words what is the nature of th e investigat ion

,

tha t has been commi tt ed to it N o w the old .

,

regula t ion says that t h e inquiry is made that

reputa ion and capaci y of the candidate
the t t

may be discovered There is then a twofold

. , ,
1 9
6 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LA W
.

obj ect in the inve s tiga tion The one as relates .

to his reputation the o t her as to hi s capaci ty

,
.

The reputation of the candidate will affect th e

s tanding and charac t er of the I n s ti tution in t o
which he applies fo r admission for good or for ,

evil accordingly a s he shall be fou nd wor thy or

,

u nwor thy of the favor t hat ha s been bestowed

upon him H e must be u nder the tongu e of
.

good report and th e Lodge which should admit

,

a m e m be rwith o u t this indispen s able qualication ,

would be bringing into ou r fold not a lamb th e , ,

emble m of in nocence and pu rity but a ravenous ,

wolf who will inevitably destroy the ock

, .

But it i s not simply into the reputation of th e

can didate that inquiry is to be made : his ca
pac ity pre s ent s also a subj ect of i nvestiga tion .

By the capaci ty of th e candidate we u nderstand

his tnes s to receive and to comprehend ou r
sublime my s terie s A ccording to th e u nwritte n
.

law of the O rder a fool or an idiot an old man

, ,

in his dotage or a young one u nder age is con

, ,

s ide re d as an imp rop er applicant for initiation ,

becau se in these ins tances there is either a t o ta l

, ,

wan t of min d or an im paired or u ndeveloped in

tellect which would render it impossible for the
,

par ty initiated properly to appreciate the mo ral

and philosophic instruction s imparted to him .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 9
7

H ence the Grand Lodge of E ngland in view of

, ,

this mental capaci ty has provided in its regula

,

tion that the candidate should be a lo ve r of the
s

liberal arts and sciences and have made s ome

,

progress in one or other of them .

The s e tw distinc t ions of the reputation
o

and the capaci ty of the candidate are allude d

to in what is technically called th e inve s titure ,

or th e presentation O f th e lambskin apron which ,

t h e neophyt e is told to wear wi t h pleasure to

himself and honor to the Fraternity The .

plea s u re to himself mus t depend on hi s capa city

t o apprecia t e and enjoy the symbolic instru c t ion

of the I nsti tu t ion ; the honor to t h e Fraterni ty

will resul t from the rep u ta tion which he may
bring to the support of th e O rder .

O ur nex t inquiry is into the mode in which

th e report is to be made and the action to be
,

t aken thereon . A nd here it may be observed ,

t hat the report of this commi t t ee sta nds on a

different foo ti ng from tha t of any o t her com m it

te e
. The law or at leas t the usage of Masonry
, ,

has prescribed a partic u lar process t hrough which

candidates must pass before they can obtain a
right to ini t ia t ion or a fliation O f this proce s s
.

t h e appoin t ment of a committee and the inve s

,

t ig a tio n and report of that commi tt ee within a

17 *
1 9
8 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

specied t ime form in t egral parts A s no mo

, .

t ion could be en t er t ained when the peti t ion was

,

rst read to lay it on th e table or to pos tpon e

, ,

its considera t ion or to dispose of it in any o t her

,

form than by reference to a commi tt ee so when ,

the mon t h appropria t ed by t h e law to the inv e s

t iga tio n of c h arac t er has passed and th e com ,

m it te e comes up t o make its report it is n o t I , ,

conceive in order to make any mo tion for th e

,

pos tpon em en t of th e repor t which must as a ,

matter of cou rse be received I f it were in order .

to move its pos tponemen t it would be in order ,

to move it s postponement deni tely or inde

n it e ly Bu t t o pos tpone th e recep tion of th e
.

repor t indeni t ely would be equal to a wi th

dra wa l of t h e pe t i tion which th e concurring opin
,

ion o f all Masonic ju ris ts has decided canno t be

done ; and so t ha t which it is u nlawful t o do
directly might be accomplished in an indirect
way .

The t ime then having arrived for th e report

, ,

t o be made t ha t is t o say the regular mee ting

-
,

immediately su cceeding the on e at which t h e p e

tition had been read and referred the report
is called up by the presiding ofcer in t h e regular
order of u nnished bu siness The chairman or .
,

some member of the committee rises in his sea t ,

 MA S O N I C PA R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 1 9
9
and makes th e repor t or as is more usual the re
, , ,

por t is sen t to t h e S ecre tary s desk and read by

t ha t o fcer .A nd here occurs the only con t in

g e n cy in which th e repor t may be pos tponed ; for
t h e co m mi ttee if it nds th e du ty of inves tiga t ion
,

more di fcult t han had been expec ted may ask ,

for further time which will generally be gran ted

, ,

u n til th e nex t regular mee ting ; bu t if th e com

m itt e e has comple t ed its inquiries t h e report ,

will then be read The commi ttee is n o t n e ce s

.

s a rily conned t o any p recise formula of lan

guage and may or may n o t give its reasons for

,

the opinion at which it has arrived But this .

opinion mus t be deni t ely expressed as being ,

favorable or unfavorable to th e pe ti tion .

The report of any o ther commi ttee having

been read t h e ac tion of th e Lodge which follows
,

would be ei t her for it s adop tion its rej ect ion to

, ,

lay it on t h e t able t o pos tpone it or to make

, ,

some other parliamen tary disposi t ion of it ; bu t

none of t hese rules are applicable t o th e report
of a commi tt ee on charac t er H ere t h e ancient
.

and u nin t errup t ed usage of the O rder requires

tha t th e ac tion of th e Lodge on such a report
mus t take th e form of a ballo t on th e pe ti t ion .

The presiding o fcer as soon as t h e favorable

,

repor t is read will order th e ballo t t o be taken

, ,
2 00 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y L AW

and the result declared There can be no di s.

c u s s io n on the nature of the report or th e char

acter of t h e applicant but th e ballot must imme

diat e ly follow the reading of the repor t .

B ut the report may be u nfavorable ; and in

prescribing what ac t ion is t hen to be taken we ,

are embarrassed by the fac t t hat Masonic jurists

here materially differ in their views S ome con .

tend that a o unfavorable report requires a ballot

ju s t as mu ch as a favorable one and that there ,

is no mode of rej ecting a candidate except by

the ballot But o t her ju rists of equal reputation
.

contend that an u nfavorable report is equal to a

rej ec t ion without a ballo t and in that case th e
,

ballot should be dispensed with I confess that .

I have always entertained the latter opinion and ,

that if the report of the commi ttee is u nfavor

able the candidate is at once rej ec t ed withou t
,

ballot This usage is fou n ded on the principles

.

of common sense ; fo r as one black ball is s u f

cient to rej ec t an application the u nfavorable ,

report of a commi t tee mus t necessarily and by

consequ ence include two unfavorable votes at
leas t It is therefore u nnecessary to go into a bal
.

lo t after s u ch a report since it is to be taken for

,

granted that the bre thren who reported u nfavor

ably would on a resort to the ballot cast their
, ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A RY LAW . 20 1

n egative votes Their report is indeed virtually

.

considered as th e cas ting of such vo t es and th e ,

applican t is therefore a t once rejected wi thou t a

fur ther and u nnecessary ballot .

Let us suppose that th e o ther rule is th e cor

rect one and that a ballo t must be taken on an
,

u nfavorable repor t N o w it might be possible

.
,

tha t when th e ballot was taken th e members of ,

th e com m i tt ee would be absent from th e Lodge .

The ballo t migh t t hen also be clear a n d thus a ,

candidate would be elec t ed in t h e face of th e

declara t ion of three members that he was u n wo r
thy and who if n o t preven t ed by circums tances
, , ,

would have been presen t and would have de po s

it e d black balls .It canno t be denied t ha t su ch
a proceeding would be worse than a farce ,

becau se it would be a viola t ion of th e entire

spiri t of th e Masonic sys t em i n reference to th e
elec t ion of candidat es .

It will be proper in conclusion to say some

, ,

t hing o i th e proper me thod in w hich t h e mem

bers of th e commi ttee should discharge th e du ty

conded to them and th e form of the repor t
,

which t hey should make .

O f all th e committ ees appoin t ed for the con

v e n ie n ce of bu siness by a Lodge t here is none ,

so impor tan t as t ha t t o which has been consig n ed

202 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

the du ty of investigating the character of a peti

tio n e r for initia t ion I t is always unfortu nate for
.

the interest of Masonry when su ch a committee

is ei t her ignorant of th e responsibility of th e task
imposed on it or is careless in performing it .

W hen an architect is appointed to superin t en d

the construction of a building he will if honest , ,

and capable inspect wi th th e utmos t care the

,

character of eve ry piece of material that th e

builders propose to use H e will make no s u .

p e rc ial examination nor rest sa t ised wi t h th e

,

general appearance of th e stone or timber that

is submitted to his inspection H e will by a .
,

thorough and minute scrutiny assure himself that ,

the materials are of good quali ty tha t t hey h ave ,

been properly prepared and that t hey will secu re

,

s trength and stability to the edice H e doe s .

all this because he knows that if when th e stru e ,

ture is completed it should prove weak and

,

imperfect his professional repu ta tion would be

,

impaired ; and that if any fata l accident should

result from t his weakness or imperfection he ,

would be held morally and perhaps legally re

, ,

sponsible for the consequ ences of such disaster .

N ow if th e Lodge is as ou r symbolism teache s

, ,

us,
the spiritual anti type of a material temple ,

of which every member con s titutes a s tone and ,

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 2 03

if in that temple it is required that none but

perfect s tones should be admi tt e d then it follows
, ,

in pursuance of th e same sy m bolic idea tha t th e ,

making of new Masons is t h e building up of th e

temple A nd in th e process of t his cons t ruc t ion
.

t h e members of th e commi tt ee on character are

the architects who are to judge of the quali ty of

t h e ma t erial tha t is brought up and they mus t
,

pu rsue the same rule of cau t ion and diligence

t ha t th e professional archi t ec t would in s u pe rvi

sing a ma t erial t emple .

W hen th e builder presen ts a s tone that has

been made ready for th e building th e architec t ,

does n o t say I have heard no one say anyt hing

,

against this stone ; nobody has told me tha t it is

un t ma terial ; you may deposi t it in its de s ig

n a te d place ,but he examines it for himself ; he
applies t o it th e tou chs tone of his o wn p ro fe s

s io n al knowledge ; he says t his is n o t grani t e
, ,

but sands tone ; it is t o o soft and cr u mbling ; if

we use it th e wall would be weak
,
O r he t ries
.

it wi t h t h e plumb and square and level and

declares it is to o long ; it mus t be made

shorter ; or its angles are no t square and its
sides not perpendicular ; it will n o t do A nd .

t hus he rej ec t s th e ma t erial as un t for use Or .

,

if th e inspec tion has sa t ised him he s a ys , ,

2 04 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

almost in th e language of ou r own ritual : This

is good work tru e work square w ork such work
, , ,

as we are au t horized to receive and t h e stone ,

is then placed in t h e wall and the building gains ,

strength from the addition .

S o too th e committee on character when a

, , ,

candidate is submi tt ed t o t heir inspec tion mus t ,

pursu e the same cau t ious and prudent cou rse in

determining Whether he is o r is no t a s tone t
for the spiritual t emple I n making up their .

report they must not be content to say : W e

,

have heard nothing agains t t his candidate ; no

one has come to us accusing him of crime ; we

there fore recommend him for admission S uch .

a recommenda t ion is based on nega t ive informa

tion or t o speak more correc tly has no basis at
, , ,

all because no in forma tion has been received

, .

The Lodge demands fo r its own secu ri ty some

t hing more It does not need to know only wha t
.

evil has n o t been said of the candidate bu t also ,

what good has been said of him General rep .

u ta t io n is not su fcient E ach member of t h e" .

committee should inquire fo r himself n o t merely ,

whe t her th e candida t e bears a good character in

t h e commu ni ty wherein he lives for men t o o ,

oft en seem t o be what they are not but what is ,

his occupation reputable or i n famous ? his habi t s

, ,
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 20 5

his intelligence his disposi tion his private as

, ,

well as his public walk and on this and any

, ,

addi t ional informa tion like this derived from

such an inquiry they should found their repor t
, .

The brief and u nsatisfac tory reports to o often ,

made by t hese commi t tees are in language like ,

t his : W e recommend the candidate fo r ini tia
tion. O n such a report which really gives no
,

informa tion th e memb e rs are called upon to cast

,

the ballo t and trus ting to the fallacious hope that

,

the commi ttee has done it s du t y they vo te white ,

balls and thus to o often ignoran tly introduce a

,

very bad stone in to the temple .

Bu t le t us suppose tha t th e commi t tee after ,

s t rict inquiry were to make a report some thing

,

like thlS '

W e nd t ha t th e candida t e is an in
du s trio u s mechanic ; t ha t he hones tly and respec t
ably supports his family by his daily labor ; that
he is dis t inguished by an amiable disposi tion and
gentle manners ; that he is temperate in his habi ts
and upright in his dealings ; that he is a t ender
husband an affectiona te fa ther a fai thful friend
, , ,

and possessor of the amount of intelligence and

in t ellectual cultu re t ha t will enable him to com
prehend and valu e the teachings of our In s titu

tion.

O r again suppose unfortunately fo r the

,
206 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

aspirant the committee should report thu s

,

W e nd that the candidate is a professional
gambler of intemperate habits of coarse man
, ,

n ers of belligerent disposition and of so low a

, ,

grade of intellect that if admitted he could neither

u nderstand nor properly app reciate th e lesson s

of ou r ritual .

I n each of these supposed cases the members

of th e Lodge would nd no di fcul t y in making
a right decision I n the former case good ma
.
,

t e rial would be accepted ; in the latter worthless ,

would be rej ected .

B u t it may be said that the inquiries which

must be instituted and pu rsu ed to enable the
committee to make such a report would involve
too mu ch time and labor The obj ection is .

worthless I f in a Lodge of forty or fty mem

.

bers few have less and many have more ,

three men cannot be fou nd who wi th a mon th ,

to do it in can divide the labor of such an in

,

quiry between them then it were better t hat ,

su ch a Lodge should close its doors to all admis

sions and remain content with its original mem
,

be rs h ip Better not grow at all t han to grow by

.

t h e accre tion of bad materials I ll w eeds grow .

apace says the proverb But Lodges should
, .

not be like ill weeds but rather like salutiferous,

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 20 7

plant s whose growth though s lo w will end in

, , ,

the production of wholesome fruit .

Reform on thi s s ubj ect is u ndoubtedly needed ;

and as a s tep towards it it i s recommended that
, ,

the committee o n character to which a petition ,

on initiation is referred should be supplied with ,

a form in which the following heads s hould be

p rinted the blanks to be lled a s fully a s possible
,

by the committee

RE P ORT O N THE PE T IT I ON OF

W e nd the following fact s in reference to

the applicant

A ge .

Place of nativity .

O ccupation .

H abit of life ( S aher indu s triou s or other

.
, ,

Manners ( Pleasa n t a n d ag ree a le or ru de

.
,

a nd hois terou s e tc
) , .

Disposi t ion ( A m ia ble g en tle or oth erwise )

. , , .

Married or s ingle .

Domes tic relations ( Condu ct a s a ha s tana .

,

fa ther ie n d e tc )
,
'
, .

Ass ociat ions ( I/Vith repu table ge ople or with

.

A mount of intelligence or intellectual cul

ture .
2 08 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LA W .

Miscellaneous . A
( yn thin
g els e th a t th ey m ay
kn o w f o

W i t h such a report before it no Lodge could ,

err i n coming to a conclusion on the impor ta nt

qu estion of admi tting a new member into the
great family of which it constituted a part I .

am su re that if t his or some similar form were

, ,

once adopted no fur ther complai nt would be

,

made as is now to o oft en done of th e careless

, ,

n ess or ine fciency of committees on character .

A mon th might not be always a su fcient time in

which to obtain the informatio n thus required .

I f not le t there be no hu rry ; the committee

,

should have further time I t is better that the

.

candidate should wai t a year than that the Lodge

should make a mistake .
 CH A PTE R XXXI II .

OF F I LLI NG B LA N "S .

PRO P O S I TI O N is sometimes p re s ented t o

a mee ting and even adopted in an inco m
,

p le te form ; as when in a motion for an appro

,

p ria tio n for money th e precise amount is not

,

s tat ed ; or when in a proposition to do s omething

a t a future time the exact day is left for s u bs e
,

quent consideration I n each of these ca s es a

.

bla n k occu rs which mu st be lled up It is

, .

usual to leave the lling up of the blank u ntil

the motion is adopted because if it should be
, ,

rej ected any fu rther discu ss ion of the subj ect

,

would be unnecessary .

A fter the proposition has been adopted the ,

next question to be put by the chair is Ho w ,

shall the blank be lled ? A nd then a s the mo ,

t ion to ll th e blank is not considered in the

light of an amendment to the original motion ,

but rather as an independent proposition which ,

is intended to give it completion any number of ,

these propositions may be made But of course .

18 * O 20 9
2 10 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

there must be an order in which they are to be

considered .

I n the early days of th e B ritish P arliament ,

these blanks generally referred to the amount

of taxes to be levied and to the t ime at which
t hey should be collected A nd as the obj ect of
.

th e members was t o reduce as mu ch as possible

the burdens of the people the effort was always ,

made to ll th e blank for money wi t h the smallest

sum and th e blank for th e day on which it was
,

to be collected with the longest time H ence .

sprang the rule which s t ill exists in Parliament

, ,

t hat in lling blanks t h e smallest sum and t h e

longes t t ime shall be rst put * .

But in this cou ntry a different rule prevails .

H ere the reason t hat governs is no t to begin

at that extreme which and more being as J e ffe r , ,

s o n citing Grey says within every man s wish

, , , ,

no one could n ega t ive it ; and yet if he should ,

vote in the a frmative eve ry qu estion for more

,

would be precluded ; bu t at the ext reme which

would u nite fe w and t hen to advance or recede
,

un til you get a number which will uni t e a bare

majori ty H ence th e rule in th e Congress of the
.

U ni t ed S tates which has been u niversally adop t

,

ed in all public meetings in this cou ntry is to ,

S H t ll P rec iii 1 84
ee a se , .
, . .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W 211

begin wi th th e highes t sum and th e longest time

and therefore th e presiding o fcer will con tinue
pu t ting th e proposi tions for lling the blank in
t his order un t il t h e assembly comes to one on
,

which a majori ty of the members can agree .

S ometimes th e sum or time will be inser t ed by

th e mover in th e original motion so tha t no ,

blank occu rs Y e t as th e sum or time proposed

.

may no t be sa tisfac tory to all an effort m ay be ,

made to change it Bu t this can only be done

.

in the form of an amendmen t by moving to ,

s t rike o u t and inser t and here the rule of th e

,

larges t sum or th e longes t time will not p revail ,

but th e parliamen tary law of amendmen t will

be in force O ne a m endment only and one
.
,

amendmen t to it is permissible and th e lat t er

, ,

must be pu t to th e qu es t ion rs t Thus th e .

original mo tion may be to appoin t a commi t tee
of th re e persons A n amendmen t may be
.

o ffered to s t rike out th re e and inser t ve ; and

t his may again be a m ended by a mo tion t o insert

s eve n ins t ead of

ve The mo tion to s trihe o u t
.

a n d in s e r t may be divided I f the m o tion to

.

s trihe ou t be los t th e mo t ion t o inser t canno t be

,

pu t bu t a new mo t ion may be made to s tr ih e o u t

,

th ree and inser t n in e or some number o t her than

,

ve o r s eve n I f the motion to strike out be

.
2 12 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

adopted then th e amendment to insert s e ve n will

,

be pu t in order ; and that being lost then the

, ,

qu estion w ill recu r on inser ting ve I f this also .

be lost th e proposi tion will remain i ncompl e te

, ,

because th ree has been stricken out and nothing

i nser t ed in its place and a n e w amendmen t must
,

be offered for the inser tion of some other nu m

ber A nd the proceedings will con tinu e by the
.

introdu c tion of n e w gu res until the original

,

proposi t ion is perfected by the adoption of some

nu mber which will be satisfactory to the maj ori ty .
 C H AP TE R XXX I V .

O F CO XI S T I
E NG QU EST I ONS .

T is a p rinciple of parliamen tary law that two

independent proposi tions cannot be at the
same time before a mee t ing But during the .

pendency of a main qu es tion a privileged motion

,

may be made and en t er tained and then these ,

two motions the original and the privileged one

, ,

constitute what are called co exis t ing question s

-
.

N ow it may be asked wha t becomes of the origi

,

n al motion if the privileged one be decided in

,

the afrmative The answer will depend on the

.

nature of the privileged mo t ion tha t has been

adopted The parliamentary law prescribe s that
.

when a motion for adjou rnmen t is made and

carried during the pen dency of a question that ,

question is suppressed and cannot agai n at a

,

subsequent meeting be revived except by a new

motion A s the closing of the Lodge is in Ma
.

s onic u sage equivalen t t o an adjournment it i s ,

evident that the closing of the Lodge during the

p endency of any ques tion must have the same
2 13
2 14 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

effect But the inconvenience an d oftentimes

.
,

the injus tice that would result from the rigid e m

,

forcemen t of such a rul e has led to the adoption

by Congress of a special regulation by which ,

such in t errupted proposition s are considered not

as to tally suppressed but only as thrown into,

the class of u nnished business to be taken up ,

a t the proper time when su ch unnished busines s

,

would be in order A nd although no such spe

.

c ia l regulation should be fou nd in the rule s of

order of a Lodge the spirit of comi ty and the

,

dic tates of convenience will always prevail and

hence a question in terrupted by the closing of
the Lodge is only suppressed for the time and ,

will be renewed at the next communication as

u nnished business .

S o du ring th e pendency of any discussion if

, ,

the hou r for any special order has arrived and

that order is taken up the pending qu estion is ,

sup pressed for th e time but will be ipso facto re ,

newed when the special order h as been di spo s e d

of.

The pending qu estion is also a ffected by some

other motions which are to lay on the ta ble to
, ,

postpone indenitely t o pos tpone to a cer tain

,

t ime or to commit ; all of which may co exist

,
-
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 2 15

with it and must be taken up in the order of

,

their precedence as privileged qu es tions .

I f all these mo t ions are rejec t ed th e discussion

,

of t h e original proposi tion of cou rse goes on .

But if any one of t hem is adop ted th e effect will

,

be various I f the proposi t ion is laid on the table

.
,

it is suppressed u n t il called up again ; if post

poned indenitely it is permanen tly suppressed ;
,

if it be pos tponed to a certain t ime it becomes ,

a special order and at tha t t ime takes preceden ce

,

of all o ther mo tions ; when it is committed it ca n ,

only be renewed by th e report of the committee

to which it has been committed .
 C H A P TE R XXXV .

O F T HE D IV I S I ON OF T HE QU EST I ON .

T is a well settled principle of parliamentary

-

law tha t when a question contain s more

,

part s than one it may be divid e d in t o t wo or

more qu es t ion s B ut to be thus divisible the
.
,

question mus t contain independent p ropo s itions

so distinct and entire that one of them being
ta ken away the other may sta nd perfect and
,

complete For if by the s triking out of one of

.
,

the p roposition s the other will becom e mean

,

ingle s s the qu estion can not be divided

, The .

division of a question must be so made that each

clause can stand by itsel f Thu s a motion to .
,

appropriate money fo r the relief of a member i s

not divisible because if the clause to appro
, ,

ria t e money be s tricken out the clau s e for
p ,

the relief of a member would be wi thou t mean

ing The congressional rule is very explicit th at
.
,

the que s tion may be divided if it comprehend s

propo s itions in s ubstance so dis tinct that one
2 16
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 2 17

being taken away a substan tive proposition shall

,

remain for the decision of t h e H ou s e .

B y the parliamen tary la w of the E nglish Com

mons the H ouse mu st decide whether a qu estion
,

is or is not divisible Bu t th e rules of the A meri

.

can S enate and House of Representatives say

that any member may call for the division of
,

the qu estion bu t as it is subsequently p rovided
,

that the division may be made if the qu estion

comprehends proposi tions that are substantially
distinct it would necessarily follow that the
,

S peaker and of course the House may overrule

, ,

the demand for a division on th e ground that the ,

question does not comprehend distinct proposi

tions and therefore is n o t divisible S u ch is
, , .

the usual p ractice in popular assem blies and the ,

same rule affect s Masonic Lodges A ny mem .

ber may call for a division of the qu e s tion I f .

the pre s iding ofcer overrules the call the divi ,

s ion cannot be made because t here is no appeal,

from his decision I f any other member obj ects

.
,

the point mu st be se ttled by a vote of the Lodge .

B ut if the call for a division is not overruled by

the chair o r no objection is made the p roposi
, ,

tion will be divided and the question be put on

,

each clause separately .

The call for a division of the question may be

I 9
2 18 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

made at any time be fore th e vote is taken on th e

main question The rules t hat prevail on this
.

subj ect in th e government of Masonic bodies

may be briey sta t ed as follows
1 A ny member may at any time before the
.
,

vote is taken demand a division of the qu es t ion

, .

2 The presiding o fcer may overrule the

.

dema n d becau se i n his opinion the qu es tion is

not capable of an intelligen t division and this ,

puts an end to the matter .

3 A ny member may obj ect to th e demand

.
,

and then the motion whether the qu estion shall

,

be divided mu s t be pu t to t h e Lodge .

4 I f t h e demand is not overruled by the pre

.

siding o fcer and no obj ection is made th e

, ,

qu es tion will be divided and each clau s e of t h e ,

division will t hen be treated as a separate and

independent qu es t ion .

5 N either clause so divided is subj ect to any

.

of th e subsidiary motions excep t amendment , .

I t may be amended but it canno t be laid on th e

,

table or postponed The question must be direct

.

on its adoption .
 CH A PT E R XXXV I .

OF A ME N D ME NTS TO T H E BY LA -
WS .

H O S E rules which regulate and dene th e

duties and privileges of its members in a
Grand Lodge are called th e Co ns titu tion and in ,

a S ubordina t e Lodge th e By La zvs W hat Mr -

. .

Rawle remarks of poli tical consti tu t ions may be

j us t as well applied to those of private socie ties .

H e says :

O n th e voluntary associat ion of men in s u f
cien t numbers to form a poli tical commu nity the ,

rs t s t ep to be taken for their own security and

happiness is to agree on th e terms on which they
are to be united and to act They form a con .

s titu tio n or plan of governmen t sui t ed t o their

character t heir ex igencies and their future p ros

, ,

pe e ts They agree that it shall be the supreme

.

rule of obligation among them .

A n essen t ial elemen t of this instrument is its

permanency at leas t so far as that no change
,

can be made without due no tice so that the ,

V ie w f th C n titut i n f th U ni ted S t te p 5
o e o s o o e a s, . .

21 9
2 20 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

me m bers may no t be taken by su rprise by th e ,

sudde n enactmen t or repeal of a law .

H ence in every con s ti tu t ion and code of by

,

laws t here is a provision by which embarrass

men t s are t hrown in t he way of change A sim .

ple resolu t ion may be passed or be rescinded by

a bare majori ty vo t e ; bu t to enact a new by law -

or to repeal one that had been already enacted ,

requires th e a frma t ive vo t e of som e t imes two

t hirds and some times three fou r th s of the mem -

bers present and tha t to o only after a pr e vious

, , ,

no tice given on e or two meetings before and

aft er two to three readings .

N ow th e provision for the mode of this repeal

,

alteration or amendment is a part of every con

, ,

s tit u t io n or code of b
y laws and by that provi
-
,

s ion the Lodge and th e presiding o f cer are to

be governed in the premises .

I f the by laws of a Lodge require that no alter

-

ation shall be made u nless it be p roposed in

writing at a regular commu nication laid over ,

u ntil th e next regular communication then read ,

a s econd time and adopted by the votes of two

t hirds of the members presen t it is evident tha t ,

the duty of th e presiding o fcer is to see that

these provisions are complied wi t h and t hey ,

themselves supply th e necessary instructions for

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 22 1

his government A ll that needs to be remarked

.

is that the amendment thus proposed take s the

,

character of a s pecial order and as a privileged ,

que s tion ha s precedence of every other propo

s itio n when the time f o r action on it has arrived .

B ut it i s necessary here to refer to one di th

cul ty which is sometimes thrown in the way of
a p residing o fcer and which he should by a , ,

p roper knowledge of parliamenta ry law be pre ,

pared to mee t A nd to understand this it is

.
,

most convenien t to supply an example .

Let u s suppose t hen tha t wi th such a pro

, , ,

vision in the by laws as tha t already cited there

-
,

i s a clause which enac t s t hat the Lodge shall
meet at 8 o clock P M on th e rst Monday of

. .

every month N ow an al teration may be pro

.

,

posed to s trike out rst Monday and insert

s econd W ednesday This being proposed in .

w riting read a t a regular communication and

, ,

recorded on the minutes becomes the special ,

order for the next regular communication ; and ,

being then read a second time will be adopted , ,

if two thirds of the members p re s ent concu r

-
.

But when the proposition is be fore the Lodge for

nal action some member may propose as an
, ,

amendment to this amendment to s trike ou t ,

W edn e s day and insert Thu rsday A nd it .

1 9 *
222 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

has been contended tha t such an amendment to

,

t h e amendmen t could be submi t t ed and be acted

on ; but su ch a doctrine is al toge t her erroneous .

The original amendmen t was to change the time

of meeting from th e rst Monday to th e

second W ednesday and this only can be
,

before th e Lodge for considera tion since it alone ,

has gone through th e regular and p rescribed

form of t wo readings The amendmen t to the
.

amendmen t which would make if adop ted an

, , ,

h
M
al era ion from t e rst onday to t e sec
t t h

ond Thu rsday has not been proposed at a

,

p revious co mmunica t ion has n o t been laid over

, ,

and has not passed through a second reading .

N o t having come before th e Lodge in accordance

wi th th e forms provided in th e by laws for alter -

a t io n s or amendments it would be o u t of order

,

for th e presiding o fcer to en tertain it .

I n other words it may be laid down as a

,

rule tha t no repeal al teration or amendment o f

, , ,

the by laws having been proposed can at any

-

, ,

futu re t ime in the proceedings be subj ected to ,

change or amendmen t The p roposed altera .

t ion mu s t be presen t ed for nal ac t ion in t h e

very w ords in which it was originally proposed .

The proper t ime fo r offering th e amendmen t to

the ame n dment would be when the former was
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 223

rst prop osed B oth th e amendmen t and th e

.

rider to it would thus go through the regular

cour s e and both would come up for a second
,

reading and for action at the subsequ e nt meet

,

ing I t is scarcely necessary to say that in that

.
,

case the amendment to t h e amendment would

be r s t in order of consideration .

I t has been contended that at th e time of

acting on a proposed amendment a change in ,

phraseology so as to improve th e language bu t ,

which does not affect t h e spirit and meaning of

the proposed amendment is admissible But a s
, .

it is no t always easy to determine whe ther the

change in language may not alter t h e p reci s e
meaning it is better to adhere to th e s t rict rule
, ,

which permi ts no change to be made bu t re ,

quires tha t t h e proposition shall be submitted to

a vote in its original form .

I t is admi tted that no change in th e by laws -

of a Lodge can become operative u n t il approved

and conrmed by the Grand Lodge But an ia .

experienced Master will sometimes permit a mo

tion for th e temporary suspension of a by law -
,

believing that such suspension may be made by

u nanimous consent ; bu t such a proceeding is in
violation of Masonic law I f a Lodge cannot re
.
2 24 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LAW .

peal any one of its by laws without the con s ent

-

of th e Grand Lodge it is an evident consequence

,

that it cannot suspend it ; for this is fo r all p rac,

t ical purposes a repeal for a denite although

, ,

temporary period I t is the du ty therefore of

, .
, ,

the presiding o fcer to rule any proposition for

a suspension of a by law to be out of order and
-
,

there fore not admissible .

 C H A P T E R XXXV I I .

OF NOMI NAT I ONS TO OFF I C E .

HE subj ect of nominat ion s to o i ce is ger

mane to a treat ise on the parliam enta ry
la w of Mas o nry be cau s e the propriety and le
'

g alit
y of s uch nominations ha s been made a
question in some quar t ers and therefore it be ,

comes the duty o i th e presiding ofcer if such a ,

nomination is made to decide whether it i s or is

,

not in order .

I f there be n o S pecial regu lation in the con

s titu tio n of a Grand Lodge or in the by laws
,
-

of a S ubordinate Lodge which forbids nomina,

t ions for o fce t hen suc h nomination s are in

,

order ; for nomina t ion is the Masonic rule and

usage and the neglec t of it the exception
,
.

The Olde s t record after t h e Revival that w e

, ,

have inform s u s that on j une 2 4 1 7 1 7 before
, , ,

dinner the oldest Mas t er Mason ( now the Ma s

,

ter of a Lodge) in th e chair propos e d a lis t of

ro er ca n dida te s ; and th e brethren by a major
p p ,

P 22 5
2 26 MA S O N I C P A R L I A M E N T A RY LA W .

ity of hands elected Mr A nthony S ayre gen t

,
. , ,

Grand Master of Masons

.

All the subsequent record s of the Grand Lodge

of E ngland show an u ninterrupted continuance
of the custom it being fo r a long time u s u al for
,

the G rand Master to nominat e his s u cce s sor .

The pre sent con s titution of that G ran d Lodge

requires that the Grand Ma s ter shall according ,

to an ancient u sage be nominated at the quar,

"
t e rly communication in December The cu s tom .

of nominatio n i s p ractised in s ome of the E ng

lis h Lo dges but disconti nued in other s ; and D r
, .

O liver i n his j uri s prudence thinks it a practic e

, ,

that i s Open to obj ection becau s e there are h e , ,

s ay s f
, e w brethren who woul d be w illing to incu r

the odium of voting again s t one who had been

n ominated B ut while disapproving of a nomi
.

n ation o n the grou nd of policy he doe s no t deny ,

its legality .

I f therefore there be no regu lation of a G ran d

, ,

Lodge or of a S ubordinate Lodge which s pe ci ,

cally p rohibit s nominations for o fce su ch nomi ,

na t ions will be in order and mu s t when they are , ,

made be enterta in ed by th e presiding o fce r

, .

A nders o n s C n t itu tio n s 2 d d p 109

* '
o s , c . , . .
 C H A PTE R XXXV II I .

OF T HE C ON FI RMAT I ON OF T HE MI N UT E S .

HE r s t hing in order after the ritual

t ,

ceremonies of opening have been per

formed i s the reading and conrmation of the
,

minutes and th e only question to be here con

,

s ide re d is the limit tha t is t o be made to proposed

amendments or alteration s of them ; for it is the

duty of the Mas ter aft er the mi n u t es have been
,

read for the information of the Lodge to inquire , ,

rst of the W ardens and then of th e brethren ,

whe ther they have any altera tions or amend

ments to s uggest .

N ow it ha s sometimes been s u pposed that if

,

any bu sine ss has been tra n sac t ed at the pre

vio n s meeting of which the minu t e s purport to
be a record which it is desired t o re s cind or re
,

peal th e proper method will be t o propose an

,

altera tion of th e minutes be fore conrma tion by ,

which all reference to such busine s s will be

s tricken out But this evidently is an erroneou s
.

interpretation of the law which proceeds from a

,

227
2 28 MA S O NIc P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W .

mis u ndersta nding of the true character of the

minu t es .

The minutes of a Lodge are supposed t o be ,

and ough t always to be a j ust and true record ,

of all things proper to be wri t ten They con

s titu t e the j ou rnal of th e proceedings of the
meeting to which they refer as those proceed ,

ings actually occu rred I f altered by the e xpu r.

a t io n of any part they cease to be a record

g , .

I t has occu rred in the p roceedings of the E ng

lish P arliament and the A merican Congress that
portions of th e j ournal which contained th e rec
ord of transactions which had become o bno x
ious have been expunged by a vote taken sub
,

sequ en t to their conrmation ; an d t hese prece

dents it is supposed would au t hori z e a Lodge to
, ,

rescind or annul or even to expunge from its

, ,

minutes any particular port ion .

Bu t th e question on so rescinding annulling , ,

or expu nging must be made after the minutes

have been conrmed The rst question and .
,

the only question in order after th e minutes

have been read is S hall the minutes be con
, ,

rmed ? A nd this question is S imply e qu iva
lent to this other one : I s it t h e sense of th e

Lodge that the S ecretary has kept a ju st and

tr u e record of the proceedings A nd the alter .
 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 22 9
a t io n sor amendments to be suggested before
t his ques t ion is put are not to change the record
,

of what has really occurred but to make th e ,

record jus t and t rue .

The decision has been made in Congress that

when a member s vote is incorre ctly recorded

it is his righ t on t h e next day while the journal ,

is before the Ho u se for its approval to have th e ,

jou rnal corrected accordingly But it is no t i n .

order to change a corr ect re cord of a vote given

"
u nder a misapprehension .

I n the Grand Lodge of E ngland th e usage ,

has been when th e question is on th e co nrm a

,

tion of th e minutes of a previous communica t ion ,

to en tertain a motion for the non co n rm atio n -

of the record of any resolu t ion the effec t of ,

which is to rescind the ac t ion of the p receding

Grand Lodge S ometimes the mo tion has been
.

made to conrm one part of a resolu t ion which

had been adop t ed and n o t to conrm the o ther
,

par t This irregulari ty was so apparen t t ha t in

.
,

1 8 5 9 the E arl of Z e tland who was t hen Grand

, ,

Master declared that such a mo tion would be out

,

of order H e admit t ed however th e righ t of the

.
, ,

Grand Lodge to refuse to conrm th e minutes

in reference to an individual resolution al though ,

it was not denied that the record was correct .

20
2 30 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W

This u sage is so incorrect that it is not su r ,

prising tha t the E arl o f Z etland in an nou ncing ,

his decision should have declared that the prac

,

tice in th e Grand Lodge was so lit tle analogou s

to that pursu ed in P arliament that he could in , ,

making up his opinion derive no assistance ,

from parliamentary usage N ei ther is it su r.

p rising that a n i n t elligent writer in the Free
masons Magazi ne for S ep t ember 1 8 5 8 should

, ,

have condemned what he calls this piece of
absu rdity frequ entl y performed i n Grand

Lodge .

N o one he says can when the minute s
, , ,

are correct with any regard to truth move that

, ,

such minutes be not conrmed nor can any ,

amendment be entertained on t h e qu es t ion that

the minutes be conrmed which tends to alter
or erase a minute correc tly entered on the

record .

This enou nces the true principle The ques .

tion on conrmation of the minutes S imply re

'

la t es to the correctness of the record and no ,

motion or suggestion for an altera t ion can be

made except it be to correc t a mis take or to
,

supply an omission The sugges t ion of any .

altera tion which woul d affe c t t h e corre ctness of

the record would be out of order and could n ot
, ,

be en t ertained by th e presiding o fcer .

 MA S O N I C P A R L I A ME N T A R Y LA W . 23 1

Finally as it is an accepted principle of

,

Masonic law that the p roceedings of a regular

or s tated commu nica t ion can not be reviewed or
overruled at a s pecial one it follows that it is
,

not compe ten t at a S pecial mee t ing to read for ,

conrmation th e minu t es of the preceding

,

regular communication H ence no minutes are

.

read at S pecial mee tings excep t perhaps at the

,

close for th e informa t io n of the members and

, ,

for the correction of errors or for supplying

omissions But the minutes can be read for
.

conrma t ion only at a regular communication .

 I ND E X .

OU RN ME NT o f a deb te 56
A o f Lo dge 1 8
DJ a , .

a , .

A d pti n o f a rep rt 1 86
o o o , .

A frm tive v te t ken r t 7 3

a o a s , .

A lterati o n o f th by l w 2 2 e -
a s, 0 .

o fth e m inute 227 s, .

Am end m ent 8 5 , .

in th e eco nd degree 9
s 4 , .

in th third degree 95
e , .

intro duce s a n w i ue 63 e ss , ,

to an am end m ent 9 4 , .

to an m endm en t f th e by law
a o -
s, 22 1 .

A m endm en t t th by l w 1 9 s o e -
a s, 2 .

A ppe l deniti n fth term 39

a , o o e , .

fro m th e Gener l Gr nd High P ries t a a , 47 .

fro m th e Gr nd C m m nder 47 a o a , .

fr m th e Grand H igh P rie t 44

o s , .

fr m th e Gr nd M ter 44
o a as , .

fr m th e Gr n d M ter f T em pl ars
o a as o , 47 .

fro m th M ter 3 9 e as ,
.

A rgum ent perm itt ed c pe f 1 1 5

,
s o o , .

Aye and n ays 7

s , 0.

ALLOT di pen ti o n f reco n ider ti n of

B reco n ider ti n f 48 , 1 54
, s sa or s a o .

s a o o , 1 .

s ec o nd when l l wed 53 ,
a o ,
1 .

20
2 34 I N D EX .

B l ank s o f lling
, , 20 9 .

B us ines s Lo dge s ,
24 .

o rder o f, 1 6 5 .

By Ia ws ,
-
lter ti n f 2 2
a a o o ,
0 .

m endm en t t
a 2 19 s o, .

m end m en t t
a m endm en t f o an a o ,
22 1 .

u pen i n f 2 2 3
s s s o o , .

A LLI NG ye nd n y 7 32 as a a s, 0, 1 .

C ndid te qu lic ti n
a af 9 5 , a a o s o ,
1 .

C ting v t e f th M t er 7 2
as o o e as , .

C h ir pre iding fcer i he wh

a , s it in th o s o s s e,

C h r cter f L dge que ti n

a a o ffecting 1 36
a o , s o s a , .

of m e m ber que ti n
a ffecting 1 3 6 , s o s a , .

rep rt f c m m ittee n 1 9
o o o o ,
2 .

C exi ting que ti n 2 1 3

o -
s s o s, .

C m m i t deb t e
o ,m ti n t 1 7 a on o o o, 0 .

m ti n t o1 6 o o, 0 .

C m m ittee
o d pti n f rep rt f 1 86
,
a o o o o o , .

pp intm ent n d functi n f 1 7 2

a o a o s o , .

by wh m pp in ted 1 7 6 o a o , .

di p iti n f rep rt f 86
s os o o o o , 1 .

num ber fm em ber f 7 7 o s o ,

1 .

n ch r ct er
o 9 a a , 1 2 .

n ch r c ter f rm
o f rep o rt o f
a a 5 , o o ,
20 .

n ch r ct er h w t m ke inquiry
o a a 1 , o o a , 20 .

recepti n f rep rt f 8 5 o o o o , 1 .

rec m m itm ent f rep t f 87

o o or o ,
1 .

refu l t receive rep rt f 84

sa o o o ,
1 .

rej ecti n f rep rt f 87 o o o o ,

1 .

rep ting pr gre 1 9

or o ss , 0 .

rep rt f 1 8 2 o o , .

rep rt f m in rity o f 9
o o o ,
1 0 .

rule fo th m eeting f 8
s r e o , 1 0 .

elect 1 74
s , .

t nding 1 7 3
s a , .

wh i ch irm n f 7 8
o s a a o , 1 .
 I N D EX . 2 35

Co nrm ti n a o o f th e m inute s , 2 27 .

Co un ting v te o s, 66 .

EB AT E dj urn m ent
Dh 56
, a o o f, .

be c nducted 5 5
ow to o , .

D eb te a uppre i n f 56
, s ss o o , .

D eci i n f M ter
s o t rever ible by th L dge 4 3
o as no s e o , .

f que t i n h w t be nn unced 7 5
o s o ,
o o a o , .

D enit e p tp ne m en t fm t i n os 3 o o o o , 10 .

D eniti n f p rli m en t ry l w
o o3 a a a a , 1 .

D i cu i n perm itted bef re nn uncem en t f v t e

s ss o o a o o o ,

D il t ry m ti n 49
a o o o s, .

D i rder h w c rrected 1 14
so , o o , .

D i t urbing pe ker f rbidden 1 3

s S a o , 1 .

D ivi i n f th L dge in v ting 67 7 6

s o o e o o , , .

fth que ti n
o 16 e s o , 2 .

XP U NGI NG fr inute
E
om m s , 228 .

I LLI NG bl nk
a s , 20 9 .

Fl r wh i entitled t
oo , o s o th e , 59 1 1 3 , .

F rm i m p rt nce f 16
o s, o a o , .

E N ERA L Gr nd High P rie t ppe l fr a s ,

a a om , 47 .

Gr nd C m m nder ppe l fr m
a o a , a a o , 47 .

Gr nd High P rie t ppe l fr m 44

a s , a a o , .

M ter ppe l fr m 44
as , a a o , .

L dge qu ru m in 34
o ,
o , .

HHi ing f rbidden 1 2

AND S
held up pr per m de o f v oting
ss o
, o

,
1 .
o , 66 .

N C ID E NTA L que ti n 8 s o s , 10 .

I ndenite p tp ne m ent 1 2 os o ,
0 .

I ndependent pr p iti n c nn t exi t t gether o os o s a o s o ,

1 12 .

I niti ti n petiti n f 12 2
a o , o o r, .

petiti n f in C m m nderie 1 2 3
o or o a s, .
2 36 IND E X .

I n s ert wo rd s m o ti o n to 88 , , .

I n terrupt i o n o f a S pe ak er fo rbidden ,
1 13 .

IE on i nt 9
th e ta 7 ble , m ot o o, .

include th wh le ubj ect 99s e o s , .

m y be rec n idered 10 1
a o s , .

t deb t ble 9
no 8 a a , .

t renew ble 9
no 8 a , .

Lo dge deniti n f 2 5
, o o , .

j u t 29
s , .

M ter f 3 7
as o , .

perfect 9 ,
2 .

qu rum in 3 4
o , .

regul r 29 a , .

L dge bu ine
o s, 24 s s s, .

w rking 2 4
o , .

w rking p rli m en t ry l w in a pplic ble

o , a a a a a

AI N que ti n 5 1 s o , .

M ter f L dge h i c ting v te 7

as o o , s as o , 2 .

h i du tie 3 7
s s, .

h i qu lic ti n 20 3 7
s a a o s, , .

Min rity rep rt 19

o o , 0 .

pr tecti n f in M nry 49
o o o , as o , .

Minute lter ti n f 2 7
s, a a o o , 2 .

c nrm ti n f 2 27
o a o o , .

expunging fr m 2 2 7 o , .

re ding f 1 68
a o , .

M ti n c nn t be ffered twice 7 7
o o a o o .

M ti n 48
o o s, .

dil t ry 49
a o , .

f dj urn m en t f deb te 57
or a o o a , .

f rec n ider tio n 14

or o s a , 1 .

f rec n ider ti n f b ll t 1 49
or o s a o o a o , .

h w m u t be ffered 5 1
o s o , .

l t c nn t be renewed 7 7
os , a o , .

m u t be m de bef re pe king 1 1 6
s a o s a , .
 I N D EX . 2 37

Mo ti o n su t be eco nded 5
m s s , 1 .

m u t be writt en 52
s , .

precedency f 82 o , .

princip l 48 a , .

ub idi ry 4980
s s a , , .

t dj urn t perm i ible 8

o a o no ss ,
1 .

t m end 8 5
o a , .

t c m m it 1 6
o o , 0 .

t c m m it deb t e n 1 7
o o , a o , 0 .

t l yo th t ble 9
a 7 on e a , .

t p o tp ne indenitely 1 2
os o , 0 .

t p o tp ne rec n ider ti n 144

os o o s a o , .

t p tp ne t
o d y cert in 1 3
os o o a a a , 0 .

t u pend rule 7
o s s a , 12 .

M ver f re luti n perm itted t pe k

o o a so o o s a

E GA T IV Ev te t ken l t 7 3 o a as , .

N m in ti n t fce 2 2 5
o a o s o o , .

uth rity 42
B E D IE N C E to a o , .

Obj ecti n t m ti n 53 o s o a o o , .

Once pe king nly perm i tted 63

S a o , .

Order f bu ine 165

o s ss, .

que ti n f 1 I 1
s o s o , .

rule f s o ,
1 12 .

vi l ti n f h w t be n ticed
o a o o , o o o , 1 17 .

Order peci l 57
s, S a , 1 .

o f th e day, 1 57 .

A P E RS que ti n f re ding 1 1 9
P P rli m ent ry l w deniti n f 13
, s o s or a , .

a a a a , o o , .

nece ity f kn wledge f 2

ss o o o , 0 .

obj ecti n t c n idered 7

o s o, o s , 1 .

P er n li tie in deb te f rbidden

so a s
3 a o , 11 .

P e titi n f ini ti ti n
o s or a o , 12 2 .

f ini ti t i n in C m m nderie
or a 1 3 o o a s, 2 .

P in t f o rder h w m de 1 7
o o , o a , 1 .
2 38 INDE x .

p ne indenitely m o ti o n t
Po s t o , o , 10 2 .

t d y cert in m ti n t
o a a 1 3 a , o o o, 0 .

P recedency f m ti n 82 o o o s, .

P re iding fcer f L dge wh o i th

s o o a o , s e,

P revi u que ti n 1 95 5
o s s o , , .

P i vileged que ti n
r 1 39 s o s, .

P rivilege que ti n f 1 34, s o s o , .

P r gre
o rep rt ing 1 9
ss , o , 0.

P utting th que ti n 6 5 e s o , .

UE S T IO N , divi i n s o o f th e , 2 1 6.

be p t 65
h o w to u , .

m e m ber m u t pe k t th 4 s s a o e, 1 1 .

nce l t c nn t be rene wed 77

o os , a o , .

Que ti n s exi ting 2 1 3

o s , co -
s , .

f re ding p per 1 1 9
or a a s, .

f u pending by l w 8
or s s a -
a , 12 .

f wi thdr wing m ti n
or 0 a o o s, 12 .

inciden t l 1 8 a , 0 .

f rder 1 I 1
o o , .

f privilege 1 34
o , .

privileged 1 39 , .

Q u rum deniti n f 8
o , o o ,
2 .

in C h pter 3 1 a a , .

in C m m ndery 3 1
a o a , .

in Gr nd C h pter 3 5
a a a , .

in Gr nd C m m ndery 3 5
a a o a , .

in Gr nd L dge 34a a o , .

EAD I NG p per que ti n f

RRecep i 9
a s, s o o r, 1 1 .

n f rep rt 1 8 5 t o o a o , .

Rec m m itm en t f rep rt 1 87

o o a o , .

Rec n ider ti n m ti n f
o s 14 1 a o , o o o r, .

m ti n f c nn t be m de twice
o o o r, a o a , 14 5 .

m ti n t p o tp ne 44 o o os o , 1 .

f b ll t 49
o a o ,
1 .

Reply by th m ver o f re luti n 62 e o a so o , .

 I N D EX . 23 9
R ep o rt d o pti n f 1 86
, a o o , .

d i p iti n f 1 86
s os o o , .

m in ri ty 1 9 o , 0.

n recepti n
no f 1 84
-
o o , .

f c m m i ttee 8
o a o , 1 2 .

f c m m i tt e
o a que ti n f privilege
o e on a s o o , 137 .

f c m m itt ee
o a ch r cter 1 9
o on a a , 2 .

f c m m ittee
o a ch r cter f rm f 5
o on a a , o o ,
20 .

recepti n f 1 8 5 o o , .

rec m m i tm en t f 1 87
o o , .

E C O N D to an am endm ent , 85 .

i n 51
to a m ot o , .

S ecrecy fety f L dge que ti n

o r sa o o , s o s a ff ecting ,

S elect c m m ittee 174 o s, .

S even c n titu te qu rum 3 3

o s a o , .

S h w f h nd v ting by 66

o o a s, o , .

S itting m em ber c nn t pe k while

, a o s a ,

S pe king rule f
a 59 3 , 4 s o r, ,
11 ,
11 .

ec nd tim e 6
s o , 0 .

t th que ti n
o 5 e s o , 11 .

S peci l rder 1 57
a o s, .

di ch rge f 1 6
s a o , 0 .

p tp nem ent f 16
os o o , 0 .

S t nding c m m i ttee
a 7 o s, 1 2.

S t nd m em ber while pe king m u t

a , S a s ,

S trike t d in ert w rd m ti n t
ou an s o s, o o o, 89 .

t w rd
ou m ti n t 86
o s, o o o, .

S ub idi ry m t i n 49
s a o o s, .

S uppre i n fth deb te 56

ss o o e a , .

S u pending by l w
s 8 a -
a ,
12 .

rule 12 7
a , .

in v oting
T
IE , 72 .
2 40 I N D EX .

O TE by L dge 1 33 o s, .

by ye d n y 7
as an 3 a s, 0, 1 2.

c ting 7 1
as , .

h w c un t ed 66
o o , .

h w t be t ken 65
o o a , .

Vo ting by h w of h nd
s 66o a s, .

no one excu ed fr m 69 s o , .

I NN I NG s ide lw ys th m j rity n ot a a e a o ,

Withdr wing m endm ent 1 2 1

a a s, .

m ti n
o o s , 1 20 .

p per
a 1 s 12 .

petiti n f initi ti n 1
o s or a o , 22.

petiti n f initi ti n in C m m nderie

o s or a o o a s,

Wo rking L dges 4 o ,
2 .

E AS andn y c llin g f a s, a o r th e ,

v oting by 7 , 0,
 m os t I m porta n t Ma sonic Wo rk eve r P u hlis h ed .

E N C Y C LO P/E D I A
OF

F RE E MA S O N RY .

Wj itt illurtmtiunr .

BY
A LB E RT G MA C "EY M .
, . D .
,

A uth o r of LE XI C O NFR MA SO N RY
OF A T E XT
EE BO O " ,

OF MAS O N C J UR I S P RUD N C
I S YMB O LI S M
E E ,
"

O F F R E E MASO N RY Et Et , c .
,
c .

Th e wo rk is prin ted in ro yal o c tavo c o n tainin g 96 , 0

p ages o n ne p per an d in b e u t i ful cle ar type c s t e s pe

,
a , a ,
a

c ially fo r t hi s b o o k Many o f th e ar t icle s

. e illustrat ed ar

wi th ne en gravin gs A n ad m ir b le li k eness o f th e au t h o r
. a ,

en graved b y J o hn Sarta in e m b elli s he s th e v o lum e as

, a

fro n t i s piece .

P R IC E .

H a n ds o m e ly bo u nd in C l o th ,G i t S idel
S h e e p , L i a ry S t y e , Ma r
br l bl e E dg e s
H a f Mo ro cco , Ma r e E d ge s
l bl
l
H a f Ru s s ia

S old E x clu s ive ly hy S u hs cription .

MO S S CO .
,

4 3 2 C H EST N UT S T REET ,
P H I LADE LP HI A .
 T H E E N C Y C L O P E D IA O F F RE E
MA S O N RY A N D I T S C O LLAT E RA L
S C I E N CE S ,

By A lber t G Mackey M D i s the most learned

.
, . .
,

and complete of any Masonic work ever

writ ten I t embraces articles on the RI TUA L
.

I S M j URI S P RUD E N C E B I B LI O GRAP H Y B I OG RA P H Y

, , , ,

H I STO RY L ITE RATURE P H I LOS OP H Y E T H I CS A N D

, , ,

S Y MB O LI SM O F T HE O RD E R .

T he
ncycl o p ae di a o f Free m as o nry rec o m m end s i ts el f
E
to th e pat r o n ag e o f th e F rat ern i t y fo r th e fo ll o wi ng c o n
s iderat i o n s
1. T here is n o wo rd u s e d in Mas o nry o f which th e read e r
will n o t n d a full expl an t i o n a .

2. Th e hi s to ry o f th e ri s e th e p ro gre ss an d th e pre s en t
, ,

c o ndi ti o n o f Mas o nry n o t o nly in every S tate and T erri to ry

,

o f th e U NI T E D S T A T E S b t in every C O U N T RY in th e WO RLD
,
u ,

is g iven u n der th e appr o pri at e he a d .

3 I t c o n ta in s an cc o un t o f every Mas o nic wri ter wh o h as

. a

ever exi s ted livi ng o n es excepted an d a full b i o gra phic al

, ,

s k e t ch o f th e m o s t d i s t in g ui s he d s uch as O liver W e bb, , ,

P re s to n H u tchin s o n e t
, ,
c .

4 E very s ym bo l is fully expl a ined

. its hidden as well as
its c o m m o nly a ccep ted m e an i n g is g iven its rel at i o n to o t her ,

s y m b o l s an d t h e hi st o ry o f its o ri g in an d a d o pt i o n as a s ym
,

bo l are t re at ed in th e m o st exha u s t ive m nner T h e Mas o n a .

wh o atten t ively re ad s t hi wo rk c a nn o t fa il to b e an ae c o m
s

plish e d m as t er o fth e s cience o f Maso n ic s ym b o li sm .

 E N C YC LO P E D IA O F F RE E MA S O N R Y .

5 . very E R i t e in M a s o nry is de s cri b ed Th e hi s to ry o f .

its o ri g in t h e t i m e an d pl a ce when it was i ns t i t ut e d th e

, ,

n am e o f th e inven to r th e peculi a r ch a ra c t er o f th e Ri t e th e
, ,

n u m b er and n am e s o f th e d e g ree s o f which it is c o m p o s ed ,

a nd its pro g re ss to th e p re s en t day o r if o b s o le t e th e t i m e , , ,

an d m o de o f its dec a y a e g iven in th e fulle s t m an n er

,
r .

6 O ver fo u r hundred Maso nic d e g ree s a e de s cri b ed a nd

. r ,

o f the s e th e m o s t i m p o r ta n t are t re at e d in an exh au s t ive

m anner th e hi sto ry o f their o ri g in th eir o bj ec t an d d e s i gn , ,

an d p o r t i o n s o f t heir ri t u al e g iven ar .

7 T h e Le gend s an d My th s o f Free m aso n ry a k n o wled g e

.
,

o f which is s o i m p o r tan t t o th e Mas o nic s t uden t are all fully ,

d e ta iled Wi th o u t an ac qua in tance wi th t he s e legend s it

.
,

wo uld b e i m p o ss i b le to c o m prehend c o rrec tly th e t rue cha ra c

t e o f S pecul at ive M so nry
r T hey h ave fo r th e rst t i m e
a .

b een c o llec ted to ge ther in this wo rk .

8 Th e s u bj ec t o f Mas o nic j uri sprudence h as b ee n c a re

.

fully tre ted a E very po ss i b le q ue s t i o n o f Mas o nic law h as

.

b een di s cussed and b y re ference to th e appro pri te art icle s

,
a ,

th e re ader m ay m ak e hi m s el f ac q u a in t ed wi th all q ue s t i o n s
relat ive to th e ri ghts prero gat ive s and d u t ie s o f Lo dge s
, , ,

C hap ters C o uncil s an d their c an d id at e s an d o fcers

, , Fo r .

exam ple u nder th e article S us pen si o n th e law o n that

, ,

s u bj ec t will b e fo u n d cle anly enunci ated S o also o f .

C ri m e s P uni sh m en ts an d all o ther m att ers t re ated

, ,

o f in a b o o k o n Mas o nic j uri s prudence .

9 T h e s tudy o f th e O ld Manus crip t C o n st i tu t i o n s o f th e

.

C r ft wri tt en b e fo re th e ei gh teen th cen tury m o s t o f which

a , ,

h ave b een b t recen tly di s c o vered h as b ec o m e bso lu tely

u ,
a

n ece ssary to a pro per appreci at i o n o f th e hi s to ry o f Mas o n ry

a s a s ecre t o rgani ati o n O f every o ne o f the s e M nu s crip ts

z . a

a f ull acc o un t is g iven in th e E ncyclo paedi a No t o n e h as .

 E N C YC LO P E D IA O F FR E E MA S O N RY .

b ee n o m tt hence t hi s wo rk b ec o m e s e sse nti ally

i ed , a nd

nece ssary to any o ne wh o wo uld d e s ire to b ec o m e acqu ainte d

wi th t hi s in t ere st in g par t o f Mas o nic hi s to ry .

10 . T here is n o par t o f t hi s wo r k m o re in te re s t in g to th e
g eneral s ch o lar as well as to th e Mas o n t han t ho s e ar tic le s ,

which g ive a hi s to ry o f th e a nc ien t Mys t erie s an d o f t h e

s ecre t so cie t ie s o f th e Middle A ges T h e cl o s e c o n n ec t i o n
.

in de s i gn b e tween t hes e as s o ci at i o n s an d Free m as o nry h as

m ade it n ece ssary t h at t hey S h o uld b e t h o r o u g hly u nde rs to o d
b y th e Maso ni c s cho lar T h ere is n o o ther wo rk ex tant
.

in which t heir hi s to ry is e m b ra ce d un d er o n e c o ver Th e .

s t uden t wo uld h ave to l o o k fo r it el s ewhere in m an y

wo r ks m o st o f the m o f di fcul t a cce ss fr o m t heir rari t y o r
, ,

co s tline ss .

I I In s h o r t there is n o s u bj ec t in teres t i ng to th e Free

.
,

m aso n whe ther it b e th e reli g i o u s b e arin g th e ri tual th e

, , ,

hi sto ry th e phil o so phy th e law o r th e s ym bo li sm o f the

, , ,

I n st i tu t i o n th at is n o t t re ate d in th e m o re than
, ar ti cle s

o f t hi s ex ten s iv e d ic t i o n ary I t will s upply th e place to all

.
,

excep t t h os e wh o wo u ld s tudy Mas o nry as autho rs o fa c o stly ,

an d ext en s ive li b ra ry W i th t hi s b o o k in h is po sse ss i on th e

.
,

Maso n m ay devo te a few ho urs fro m tim e to t i m e to its peru

sal and at th e cl o s e o f h is re ad in g will b e be tt e r v e rs ed in
,

all t h at is c o n n ec t ed wi t h th e O rder t han nin e t e nth s o f th ose -

wh o have n o t h ad th e adv a n tag e o f thi s co m pac t ye t e xte n ,

s ive s o u rce o f in st ruc t i o n .

 NOTICES OF THE PRESS .

"
eystone Phil adelphi a .

M c k ey s E ncycl o p di f Free m aso nry is th e l te t n d

a

e a o

a s , a

r nk wi th th e very be st o f m dern wo rks up o n th e t cience

a s , o ar , s ,

an d h ndicraf t o f Maso nry

a It i n o rigin l wo rk ; n t b re . s a a o a a

c m pil ti n D r M ckey i n uth rity o n M nry ; h i e

o a o . . a s a a o as o s s n

t n
e never s lip s ho d n h i pini o n sh all w H d he
ce s are , or s o s o . a

indeed ch s en to b e a m ere c m piler he co uld h ve g thered

o o ,
a a

fr m h i o wn v o lum in o u writing
o s wi th o u t c o n ulting thers s s, s o ,

m t eri al
a to ll am ple
s v lum e th e pre s en t
as ; th t a o as one a ,

h wever h as n t been h i im E very bro ther wh h been

o , o s a . o as

br ught to l gh t n d de ire t live in th e light h uld wn

o i , a s s o , s o o

thi v lu m e
s nd h ve it h ndy c nt inu ally f
o , a o r reference
a a o .

Forneys Press , Phil ade lphi a .

Up t th pre en t tim e th m dern liter ture o f Free m nry

o e s e o a as o

h been diffus e nd unreli ble Of c o urs e this o v lum e

as a a .
,
ne o

will uper ede th e lu m bering ft y v lu m e wri tten by D Oliver

s s o s r .
,

wh e w rk s os e n o t a ccepted
o rth d x ar ccur te by well as o o o or a a

inf rm ed m em bers o f th e Order T h e wh o be r in m ind th t

o . os a a

th w rd E ncycl p e di derived fr m th Greek m e n cir

e o o a, o e ,
a s a

cle f in tructi o n need t be t ld th t D M ckey gre t

o s ,
"
no o a r. a
'
s a

w rk tell everything th t m y be kn o wn b o ut th e M
o s nic a a a as o

Order p t n d pre s ent

, as a .

Philadelphi a Eve ning Telegraph .

A
very im po rt nt nd v lu ble c ntributio n t th liter ture
a a a a o o e a

o f Freem nry h been m de by D Albert G M ckey T hi

as o as a r . . a . s

i by ll dd th e m o st le rned el b rate re d ble

s a o s d i t a , a o , a a , an n s ru c

t ive w rk n F reem so nry w h ve ever m t with ; d it i

.

o o a e a e an s

de erving f a pl ce in every libr ry th at m ke s ny preten i n

s o a a a a s o

t c m plet ene ss
o o .

21 *
 N OTIC ES O F T HE P RE S S .

Union He rald, Charleston, 8 C . .

Every intelligen t every M o nic lib ra ry sho uld

Mas o n , an d as ,

n o t fail t o pro cure it It c m pri e th re ult f m o re th a n thirty

. o s s e s o

ye ars o f lab r tudy nd re e rch every line o fwhich h as b een

o , s , a s a ,

wri tten by th e di tingui hed uth o r s s a .

Masonic J ewe l, Me mphis , Te nn .

uperio r t y w rk fth kind ever b efo re publish ed

It is far s o an o o e

th e cro wn b k f ll f M ckey publicati o n B ible to

oo o a o a
'
s s a

Freem so nry N t th t w end r e B r ther Mac key in all h i

a . o a e o s o s

vie w o believe h im c rrect in ll h i t te m en t but thi b o o k

s, r o a s s a s, s

c o m e o ne r being c m plet e libr ry o n M s o nry in i t elf

s s a a o a a s ,

th t we
a e di p o ed t
ar give it unqu lied end o r em en t
s s o our a s .

T h e wo rk is very l rge n ; th le rning n d re s e arch dis

a a o e e a a

pl yed therein is w nderful d exceeding tho ro ugh

a o an .

We ekly Harper s '

.

T hi s b o o k will b e welc m ed by M nic tuden t s th e m o st o aso s s a

v luable c n tributi o n which h

a o ppe red either in th e United as a a

S t te s o E ngl nd
a r T h w rk i th re ul t o f m ny ye ars o f
a . e o s e s a

p tien t re s e arch inve tig ti n d th ughtful study

a , s a o ,
an o .

London ( Eng land) Free m ason .

B ro ther Mac k ey s l t re ched thi s co untry It

'
wo rk h as at as a .

do e s n ot belie th e gre t f m e high bility o f o excellent a a or a ur

Am erica n br ther It w ill be welc m ed by ll M o nic tuden ts

o . o a as s

as th e m o s t v lu ble c n t i bu t i n t M
a anic rche o l o gy hi st ry
o r o o as o a , o ,

an d s cience which h y t ppe red in th U nited S tate o as e a a e s r

Gre t B rit in Th e wh peru e it will nd the m elve s m ply

a a . os o s s a

rew rded fo th e expendit ure f ti m e d m ney It is wo rk

a r o an o . a

which ght t be in th libr ry f every Lo dge n d o f every

ou o e a o a

M so nic tuden t I m t credit ble t

a s . brother n h o n o r
s os a o o ur , a

to A m eric a n d de tined w believe t

,
a dv nce th e gre at n d
s , e , o a a a

h appy c au e o f M nic li ter ture

s as o a .

6
 N OT I C ES O F T HE P RE S S .

Willim antic J ournal Conn , .

N m e m ber f th Order
o be wi th ut it if they de ire t be
o e can o ,
s o

th r ughly p
o o ted in th hi t ry d ym b li m f th Fr ter
os e s o an s o s o e a
'

n ity .

i i Fre e m asons Re pos tory, Provde nce , R I

'
. .

W e h ve ri en fr m c reful ex m in ti n f M ckey
a a s o a a a a o o a

E ncycl p di f Free m nry with feeling f pr f und gr ti

o e a o as o a o o o a

tude t th uth r f th v lu ble c n tributi n which he h

o e a o or e a a o o as

m de t a th hi t ry cience d liter ture f th M nic in

o e s o , s ,
an a o e aso

stit ti u I n te d f th crude d ill expre ed t tem ent

on . s a d o e an -
ss s a s an

O pini n c m m n in t m ny w rk f th kind th e w rk
o s so o o oo a o s o e ,
o

exem plie th fruit f exten ive re ding d ch l rly re e rch

s e s o s a an s o a s a ,

e m belli hed with th gr ce f rhet ric d th cc m p ni m en t

s e a s o o an e a o a s

o f pure cl
a ic tyle N w nder he h ttr cted th tt en ti n
as s s . o o as a a e a o

o f th le rned e Th t L t there be light

a h .
g f th e a , e , as one or .

Th printing pre i c ttering n every h nd th le ve f

e -
ss s s a o a e a s o

M nic kn wledge d cul ture

as o o an .

The Free m ason, St Louis, . Mo .

hi plendid w rk will l ng t nd gr nd m nu m ent t it

T s s o o s a a a o o s

au th r f inv lu ble w rth t th C r ft It i f uperi r t

o , o a a o o e a . s so ar s o o

any f h i f m er eff rt
o d ther M
s nic dicti n rie th t
or o s, an o as o o a s, a

c m p ri n i t f th que ti n It i lm t i m p ible t
o a so s ou o e s o . s a os o ss o

think f n y ubj ect c nnected wi th ecre t

o a cietie c gn te t
s o s so s o a o

Freem nry which it d e t fully dene

as o o s no .

i c iladelphi a Sunday Dspat h, Ph .

H ere t be f und expl n ti n frequen tly ught f by

are o o a a o s so or

hi t ric l tudent b t dif lt lm t i m p ible t be b

s o a s s, u cu a os o ss o o

t i d excep t by l ng re e rch
a ne d kn wledge f th urce f o s a an o o e so s o

inf rm ti n fr m which l ne th in tructi n required

o a o o be a o e s o can

obt ined Th w rk i m uch m re th n C ycl p di f Free

a . e o s o a a o e a o

m nry It i cycl p di fm yth l gy knighth d religi n

as o . s a o e a o o o , oo , o ,

and f lm t every curi u

o af ct c nnected with
os ci ti n o s a o as s o a o s

o fm n It i e b k which every M n wh t ke
. s in t
a t oo as o o a s an e res

in th hi t ry d pr gre fh i Order ught t h ve

e s o an o ss o s o o a .
 N O T I C ES O F T HE P RESS .

The Bulletin, Norwich, Conn .

v lum e tre ats up n th rder f Mas o nry fro m its f n da

The o o e o o ou

t i n giving a c nci e de i ti n
o ,
n d hi s to ry o f all th e s y m b l
o s n o a o s

a n d gr de s o f th e Order pr per t
a be pl ced o n p aper ; h i o o a a s

t i l ket ch o fth e
o r ca sps nd d wn f th e Order it per ecuti n
u a o s o , s s o s

an d m rt yrd o m s th e li fe a d ervice
a , f ll th e princip l m mn s s o a a e

ber f th e Order wh o ye r g deed th e who le w rld d

s o , a s a o, o ,
an

t
s oo d by th e gre t light d truth th t a e to be le arned wi thin
a s an s a r

th e L dge Ro o m o nd n t nly th e o f th e d ark d y f

, a o o os a s o

M nry but o f m o re m o dern t im e

as o , A full d es cripti n f th s .
"
o o e

C ru der is l
sa to be f und in it p ges wi th
s a so hi t ry f th
o s a ,
a s o o e

o rder f th "nights T em pl r T h b o k is o ne th t will c m

o e a . e o a o

m nd th
a tten ti o n o f ll e ad every per o n wh i f rtun t e
a ,
an s o s o a

en ugh t p o ss e ss a c o py will be unwilling to p art with it t ny

o o a a

price .

B rethren s u ffer a wo rd f exh rt ti n pro cure a co py f thi

, o o a o o s

E ncycl pe di ; yo u will h ve cc i n t refer to its am ple p ge

o a a o as o o a s

a g in an d ag in Th e inf rm ti n y thu s receive will en ble

a a . o a o ou a

y ou t c o m prehend intelligen tly ll s ubj ect pert ining t th

o a s a o e

C r ft n d give
a re aso n to y o u elf fo th e h o pe th t i wi thin
a a rs r a s

yo u .

Public Le dge r, Philadelphi a .

ro b bly th e m o st co m plete n d exh u stive Mas o nic w rk y t

P a a a o e

publi hed is th e E ncyclo p di f Freem o nry n d its "indred

s e a o as a

S ciences by D A lbert G M ckey

, r
.Its prep arati n h i . a . o as n

v lved pro digi o u am un t f l b o r n d re e rch H h

o a s o o a a s a . e as

w ritten o ther an d s m aller w rk th e s ubj ect ; b t in t hi n o s on u s o e

h g thered everything th t
as a be obt ined in th e wh le r nge a can a o a

o f hi t ry an d li terature th t hed
s o n y light up o n th e ex t en ive
a s s a s

a n d p o werful s o ciety t o which he h s dev o ted s o m uch tt en ti n a a o .

A in d x i al so dded which i o f gre t u se to th e re ader

n e s a , Th s a . e

w rk i t el f is a ne s peci m en f t yp gr phic art a nd i quit e

o s o o a , s

credit ble to both printer n d publi her

a a s .

8
 N OT I CES O F T HE P RES S .

WT The Argus, Port Townse nd, . .

Every m em ber d every c n tituted b dy f every rite ught

, an o s o o , o

to be th p e r f c py f thi w rk It i th l rge t
e oss ss o o a o o s o . s e a s ,

ne t nd m t perfect c m pendium f Freem nry ever pub

s , a os o o as o

lis h e d .

The Daily Oregoni an, Portland, O regon .

Matters c o nnect ed with Free m a s o nry h a ve been th e s tudy o f

D r Ma ckey s life ti m e a n d n o m a n living is be tt er qu ali fi ed th a n

.
,

he t o w t t ri e he m .

London ( Engl and) Masonic Magaz ine .

h n r t D M ckey f th ze l he h evinced d th
A ll o o o r . a or e a as an e

sa crice he m u t h ve m de in th g d c u e f M nic lit

s s a a e oo a s o as o

t
e ra u re , nd ll pr i e t h im
a d gr titude fr m m ny
a a s o , an a o a a

M nic tuden t f th e l b r he h underg ne th kill he h

as o s , or a o as o , e s as

em pl yed d th le rning he di pl y in thi h i l t d m t

o ,
an e a s a s s s as an os

striking li ter ry pr ducti n It i th ma t cle r nd o o . s e os a , a co n

d d
ense d c m p c t dicti n ry fFree m
,
an onry n w in exi tence
a o a o as o o s ,

an d cur ry peru l h c nvinced h w c refully Br ther

a so sa as o us o a o

M ckey h c ll ted ll h i uth ritie verified h i qu t ti n

a as o a a s a o s, s o a o s,

an d h w very ble o hi w per n l edi t r hip

a d nt ibare s o n so a o s an co r u

ti no fr m r t t l t f which he pe k w b erve in s uch

s o s o as ,
o s a s, e o s ,

m de t t erm
o s s .
 MASONIC CERTIFICATES .

FRO M S T E E L P L A TE S . O r ig in a l D es ig n s .

Maste r Maso n s '

D ipl o m a s .

S iz e, 10 x 1 5 in hc es .

B nk N t P p r
a o e a e

B nk N t P p r C l th C f P k
a o e a e , o as e , or oc et

Bri t l B rd Sh t f Fr ing
s o oa ee s, or am

P r h m t Sh t f
a c en e e s, or

P r hm t i M r
a c en ,
n C f P k t o o cco as e s , or oc e

Life Me m be rs C e rticate s fo r Maste r Ma so ns

.
,

S iz x 5 in h e, 1 0 1 c es .

B nk N t P p r Sh t
a o e a e , ee s

B k N t P p r Cl th C f P k t
an o e a e , o as e , or oc e

B ri t l B rd Sh t f Fr m i g
s o oa ee s, or a n

P r h m nt Sh t f Fr m ing
a c e e e s, or a

P r h m nt in M r
a c e , C f P kto o cco as es , or oc e

Maste r Mas o n s Wido w s Ce rt icate

.

Siz 5 in h e , ro x 1 c es.

B k N t P p r Sh t
an o e a e , ee s

B nk N t P p r i C l th C f P k t
a o e a e , n o as e , or oc e

B ri t l B rd Sh t f Fr i g
s o oa ee s, or am n .

P r h m nt Sh t f
a c e ee s, or

P r h m nt in M r
a c e , C f P k t
o o cco . as e s , or oc e

Maste r Mas o n s D e m its o r Lo dge Ce rticate s

, .

S iz 5x 8 i h e, 1 1 nc e s.

B k N t P p r Sh t
an o e a e , ee s

B k N t P p r i Cl th C f P k t
an o e a e , n o as e , or oc e

Maste r Mas o ns Trave ll in g C e rt i cate s

.

S iz 5 8 i h e, 1 x1 nc es .

B k N t P p r Sh t
an o e a e , ee s

B nk N te P p r in Cl th C f P k t
a o a e , o as e , or oc e

IO
 MA S O N I C C E RT I F I C A T E S .

Maste r Mas o n s
D iplo m a .

S iz e , 1 6x2 0 i n ch e s .

B kN Ppr
an o te a e , S h e e ts .

B kN t P p r
an o e a e ,
in C l o th Ca f se , or

Bri t l B rd S h
s o oa e e ts , fo r
P r h m t Sh t f Fr m i g
a c en e e s, or a n

P r h ti M r
a c m en T k C f
n o o cco uc as e , or

Ro yal A rch D ip l o m a .

S iz 6x i h e, 1 20 nc es.

B k N t P p r Sh t
an o e a e , ee s .

B k N t P p r i Cl th C f
an o e a e , n o as e , or

Bri t l B d Sh t f Fr m i g
s o o ar ee s, or a n .

P r h t Sh t f Fr ing
a c m en ee s, or am

P r h t in M r
a c m en T k C f P k t o o cco uc as e , or oc e .

Ro ya l a n d S e le ct Ma s te r s D i p l o m a
.

S iz 6x i h e, 1 20 nc es.

B k N t P p r Sh t
an o e a e , ee s

B nk N t P p r i Cl th C f
a o e a e ,
n o ase , or

B i t l B rd S h t f
rs o oa e e s, or

P r h t Sh t f Fr m i g
a c m en ee s, or a n

P r hm t i M r
a c T k C
en f
n o o cco uc ase , or

"n ig h ts T e m pla r D iplo m a .

S iz 6 i h e, 1 x2 0 nc es .

B k N t P p r Sh t
an o e a e ee s

B nk N t P p r i Cl th C f Pc ket
,

a o e a e , n o as e , or o

Bri t l B rd S h t f Fr m i g
s o oa ee s, or a n

P r h t Sh t f Fr i g
a c m en ee s, or am n

P rh ti Mr
a c m en T k C n f P k t o o cco uc as e , or oc e .

M M R A a n d " T D i pl o m a
. .
,
. .
, . . .

O P r hm
n t ba c d t g th r M r
en ,C f P k
o un o e e ,
o o c co as e , o r oc e t, e a ch , 5 00

M M R A R an d S an d " T D iplo m a
. .
,
. .
, .
, . . .

O n P r hm
.
t b
a c d t g th r M r
en ,C f P k
o un o e e , o o cco as e , or oc e t, e a ch , 6

Sent on rece i p t of price to a ny a ddres s .

MO SS CO .
,
P UB LI S H E RS ,

4 3 2 Ch es tnu t S tre e t, P hila d elp h ia .