The Revised Book Of Constitutions.

THE REVISED BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS .

( Continued from page 387 . ) THE next batch of Rules that demands onr consideration is that-which concerns the "Board of Benevolehce , " and with reference thereto we may remark , in the first place , that the marginal notes , with here and there an exception , do not contain the reference numbers to the existing Rules with which they severally correspond The said

numbers , however , are given in the Synopsis . Rule No . 120 is verbatim Art . 1 , p 96—not Art . 1 , p 26 , as stated in the Synopsis . Existing Rule—Art . 2 , p 96 , is passed over under this head . It regulates the amounts to be paid to the Fnnd by the London and Provincial Lodges , and these

amounts will be found in the General Register of Fees , at the end of the Proposed Edition . Rule No . 22 corresponds , almost word for word , with the first sentence of paragraph 1 of Art . 3 , p 96—not Art . 1 as in the Synopsis . The marginal note should read— " Board of Benevolence . Of "

—not " By "— " whom it consists . " We note also that ifc is proposed to call it " Board " instead of " Lodge "—a point to be remembered by brethren who are sticklers for exactness . Rule No . 222 contains the " Disqualification " to which the Master of a Lodge is subject in certain

circumstances , and is the same as Art . 4 , p 99 . Rule No . 223 is the opening sentence of the second paragraph of Art . 3 , p 97 , and the only trifling observation we have to offer is that , as Grand Lodge is a body , not a person , the words " shall be submitted to grand lodge in December , who shall elect" should be altered into " shall be submitted in

December to grand Lodge , which shall elect . " No . 224 corresponds with the second sentence of paragraph 1 of Ark 1 , p 98 , No . 225— " Disqualification for vice president " —with the last sentence ; and No . 226 with the last sentence but one of the second paragraph , and No . 227 with the

last sentence of the first paragraph of the same article . Nos . 228 , 229 , and 230 correspond with the several parts comprised in the third paragraph of this article , bnt are arranged in a different order . This subdivision of one long article of three paragraphs into some eight or nine

separate rules is unquestionably an improvement . Rules Nos . 231 , 232 , and 233 compare with Art . 5 , pp 99 , 100 . As regards the first of these , the words in

the existing law , " have been registered in the books of the . grand lodge , " are properly omitted , the requirement of registration having already been provided for in the opening words , "No mason registered . "

No . 232 is much more compactly worded than tho part of the existing law with which it corresponds , as will be seen from a comparison of the two .

REVISED EDITION . " 232 . Secretaries who by the Bye . laws of their Lodges are exempted from the piyment of subscription , shall be considered in all respects as regular aabscribiug members of their Lodjres , their services being eqnivalent to subscription ; provided their dues

EXISTING EDITION . 5 ( pp 99 , 100 ) . " Secretaries who are by their Lodges exempted from the payment of subscrip . tion , shall not thereby be disqualified from obtaining assisttance from tho fund of benevolence , but shall be considered as subscribing members of their

The Revised Book Of Constitutions.

to the grand lodge have been lodges , their services being equiduly paid . " valent to subscription : provided thoir dues to fch ; grand lodge havo been duly paid . "

We would avoid the unpleasant jingle of " dues " and " duly" in the last clause by the omission of the latter , and we may remark also that in all previous rules the word " Bye-laws " is spelt " By-laws . " It is as well to be consistent even in trifles .

No . 234 is Art . 6 , p 100 . Nos . 235 , 236 , and 237 , concerning the relief of widows and children , correspond with Art . 7 , pp 100 , 101 , only No . 236 is an enlargement of the clause relating to certificates , or , rather , it embodies also Art . 11 , p 103 .

REVISED EDITION . " 236 . Before the petition of a widow or child shall bo takon into consideration , tho grand lodge or other mnsonio certificate

of the deceased brother , and those of his marriage and death , or burial , and in the cases of children , of their births or baptisms , shall be deposited with the

grand secretary . In the case of loss of any of the above-named certificates , or impossibility to procure them , the Board may , never-.

theless , grant relief if such loss or impossibility be proved , and the ^ acts otherwise established to the satisfaction of the Board . "

EXISTING EDITION . 7 . ( pp 100 , 101 ) . —" pro vided the marriage certificate and other proper certificates and testimonials be produced . "

11 ( p 103 ) . "Before the peti . tion of the widow or children shall be taken into consideration , the grand lodge or other masonic certificate of the deceased brother

shall be deposited with the grand secretary , unless it shall be satisfactorily proved that it has been lost . "

No . 238 is Art . 8 , p 101 , with some trifling alterations , Thus , " in the case of foreign brethren , " the words " exceeding three pounds " are altered to " exceeding five pounds , " and it is to be understood that such assistance

" is intended to assist them , ' not only " to return to their native land , " but , if they prefer it , or in the case of settlers in some colony , " to any country in which they have been established or have friends . " Sickness of course is an

exception from this understanding m both rules . Nos . 239 , 240 , and 241—relating to the " Form of petition , " " Recommendation of a petition , " and the " Form of recommendation , " respectively—are the same with Articles

9 , p 101 ; 10 ( first paragraph ) , p 102 ; and part of 17 , p 105 ; while No . 242— " Petitioners to be visited "—is the second paragraph of Art . 10 , p 102 , and the concluding section of Art . 17 , p 106 , and compares advantageously with the existing Rules .

REVISED EDITION . " 243 . A visit shall be paid to every applicant by the master or some member of the lodge , or some other brother , who shall , in writing , on a form to be from time to time settled by the president and vice-presidents of the board

of benevolence , and the grand secretary , certify to the best of his information and belief to the actual ^ ondition of the applicant , his age , profession or calling , means of subsistence , what aid he receives from his family , hi * 3

EXISTING EDITION , 10 ( p 102 ) . " A visit shall be paid to every applicant . by the master or some member of the lodge , or some other brother , who shall certify in writing tho result of his inquiries ; and in addition , in all town cases , the

brother giving the certificate , or some other brother who has visited the case , shall attend the lodge of benevolence , on the consideration of the petition . " 17 ( p 106 ) . . . . Certificate to be sent toith

Ar00101

- CjJr X fe S ( COMFORTING ) OOCOA ..