A Voice From The "Antients."

joined a Lodge of the " Moderns , " and afterwards went over to the " Antients . " He worked twelve hours a day , he says , for a master painter , so that apparently he was not rich in time or substance . Yefc he soon distinguished himself as a

Mason , and in a comparatively short time he was in possession of sufficient means to make liberal contributions to the Craft . Although the record Bro . Bywater has consulted begins in 1751 , it is not until February 1752 that

Dermott appears in Grand Committee . From that period to 1771 he acted as Grand Secretary , and was hands , eyes , and soul to the " Antient" brethren . He was bard , historian , aud philosopher . He composed songs , and sang them with such force that on one occasion it was made a

charge against him that he sang the brethren out of their senses . With true Irish readiness he proposed that ho should sing tbe senses iu again ; and forthwith he proceeded to carry out his suggestion , to the pleasure of the

brethren who heard him . We shall have occasion to speak presently of his records , and proceed just now to notice Dermott as a philosopher . In 1756 be produced his "Ahiman Rezon : or , a Help to a Brother , " a work that

will preserve his name green for ages in the annals of Freemasonry . Speaking of this book Bro . Carson , of Cincinnatti , says , " The ' Ahitnan Bezon' is one of the most famous books in connection with Masonic literature . It

was the ' law-book ' of the ' Antients , ' in contradistinction to Anderson ' s ' Book of Constitutions , ' the book of the ' Moderns . ' Dermott was the literary man of

the'Antients . ' " We should add that Bro . Bywater gives a facsimile of the title-page of the work , and as it is a table of contents as well , and intensely interesting , we quote it in full .

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AHIMAN REZON : OR , A Help to a Brother ; Shewing the EXCELLENCY of SECRECY , And the first cause , or Motive , of the Institution of F R E E-M A S O N R Y T IT E PRINCIPLES of the CRAFT , And the Benefits arising from a strict Observance thereof ; What Sort of MEN ought to be initiated into the MYSTERY , And what sort of MASONS are fit to govern LODGES , With their Behaviour in and out of the Lodge . Likewise the Prayers used in the Jewish and Christian Lodges , The Ancient Manner of Constituting new Lodges , with all tbe Charges , & c . Also the OLD and NEW REGULATIONS , The Manner of Chusing and Installing Grand-Master and Officers and other useful Particulars too numerous here to mention . To which is added , The greatest collection of MASONS SO . NUS ever presented to public View , with many entertaining PROLOGUES and EPILOGUES ; Together with SOLOMON ' S TEMPLE an ORATORIO , As it was performed for the Benefit of FREE-MASONS . By Brother LAURENCE DERMOTT , Sec . L 0 N D O N : Printed for the EDITOR , and sold by Brother James Bedford , at the Cream in St . Paul ' s Church-YarJ . MDCCLVI . ( To be continued ) .

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A Mark Lodge , to be called St . Anne ' s Lodge of Mark Masters , No . 351 , will be consecrated at the Masonic Hall , East Looe , Cornwall , on Monday , the 13 th inst . Bro . Sir Charles B . Graves-Sawle , Bart ., P . G . M ' . M . M . will perform the ceremony .

Bye-Laws Of Masonic Lodges

BYE-LAWS OF MASONIC LODGES

EVERY Masonic Lodge must have a code of bye-laws for its government . Unlike most other organized bodies , however , the power to enact its own bye-laws does not reside primarily in a Lodge , but in the Grand Lodge under which it holds its charter . Some Grand Lodges

exercise their full powers by adopting a uniform code of bye-laws for Lodges holding charters under them , while others concede to Lodges in part the right to adopt their own . In the latter case , however , such bye-laws do not

become valid until approved by the Grand Lodge , so the enactment of them is really by the Grand Lodge . When thus approved , they become a law for the government of the Lodge , and must be followed strictly in the transaction

of business and rainagemeut of its affairs . They cannot be altered or amended except in the manner provided ia them for alterations or ana ^ ndments , and any change made must be submitted for the approval of tho Grand Loige , as in the first instance .

In many organizations the practice of suspending a byelaw for the time being prevails , in order to meet some emergency that has arisen , in which the body desires to act contrary to its provisions . That such a right exists is

very generally conceded where there is no law prohibiting it . In a body thus empowered to adopt its own bye-laws its government is wholly within itself , and if the members by unanimous consent decide to suspend one or

more of its bye-laws , for the time being , there is nothing to prevent it , although such action is always of doubtful expediency , and is often productive of bad results .

Unless all the members have been duly notified of such proposed action it is not treating the absent ones fairly , as they have the right to expect that the proceedings will be in accordance with existing regulations .

As a Masonic Lodge cannot change one of its bye-laws without the consent of the Grand Lodge , it must necessai'ily follow that it cannot suspend one for the time being without the same consent . It cannot , of its own volition ,

set aside what it cannot make . No emergency can arise to justify such action . The Worshipful Master , and every other Officer , before being installed into office is obligated to support and maintain the Constitution and general

regulations of the Grand Lodge , and to discharge the duties of his office to the best of his ability . He will not , therefore , knowingly permit any violation of Masonic law , and should be especially careful to see that the bye-laws of his Lodge are strictly enforced .

In noting tbe proceedings of the various Grand Lodges , as they come to hand , we find in the official reports of Grand Masters many dispensations granted to Lodges to perform some act contrary to the provisions of their

bye-laws . We have always supposed that it was the duty of a Grand Master to see that existing laws were enforced , and that , of all others , he should be the last to assist in violating them . Some of these Most Worshipfuls seem

to think differently . They appear to be as much of an autocrat as was King Solomon in his palmy days . As dispensators they are a success . If a Lodge wants to spread a ballot in less than the required time a

dispensation is granted . We notice one instance of a dispensation to receive the petition and ballot for the candidate at a special meeting . How about the previous notice and due inquiry into his character , that the W . M .,

obligated himself , should have in every instance ? " What right has a Grand Master to obligate a Mason not to perform a certain act , and then give him permission

to violate his obligation ? The right does not exist , and we have no hesitation in saying that the exercise of such power by a Grand Master is outside the line of his duty and authority . —Masonic Advocate .

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