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views as to the impropriety of the present arrangement , that new Lodges are organised exactly after the manner of old Lodges . We should , therefore , be told first of all what this organisation is , ancl then it will be time to describe the steps that must be taken in order to constitute a new Lodge .

For our own part , this constituting of a new Lodge being , as we have said , a mere ordinary Masonic incident , we should prefer seeing the regulations affecting it placed in a group by themselves as a kind of Appendix to the

division , " Private Lodges . " Thero is , indeed , no sufficient reason , as far as we can see , why the existing head " OF CONSTITUTING A NEW L ODGE" should not be retained , so much of the Ceremonial and Directions as are obsolete

being omitted , and their place supplied by the directions now observed . As to the rules for the establishment of new Lodges , they are an improvement on those now in existence . See the first , seocnd , and third paragraphs " OP C ONSTITUTING A NEW LODGE , " at pp 12 G-7 .

EEVISED EDITION . " 116 . Every application for a warrant to hold a new lodge must be by petition to the grand master , signed by at least seven master masons regularly

registered under the constitution of the grand lodge of England , and specifying the lodges to which they belong , or formerly belonged . The petition must be

recommended by the master and wardens of a regular lodge , and be transmitted to the grand secretary ; and in the case of any petitioner who is not a present

subscribing member of a lodge , his clearance certificate from his last lodge must also be transmitted to the grand secretary . If the lodge is proposed to be holden in a province , or district , the petition and

certificates are to be forwarded in the first instance to tbe provincial or district grand master , as the case may be , or to his deputy , who is to forward them with his recommendation or

opinion thereon to the grand secretary for tho decision of the grand master . " " 117 . The grand master may authorise district grand masters ,

in snch districts as he shall think proper , to grant provisional warrants for the formation of new lodges within their respective districts upon the petition of any seven master masons regularly

registered under the constitntion of the grand lodge of England . The authority when given to continue during the pleasure of the grand master . "

" 118 . Whenever such provisional warrant shall have been granted , the master of the new lodgo shall , within one month , apply by petition to the grand master for a regular warrant of

constitution ; and upon receipt of such petition , which must state the fact that a provisional warrant has been granted and be countersigned by the district grand master , a regular warrant shall be issued . "

EXISTING EDITION . P 126 . " Every application for a warrant to hold a new lodge must be by petition to the grand master , signed by at least seven regularly registered masons j and

the lodges to which they belong , or formerly belonged , must be specified . The petition must be recommended by the officers of a regular lodge , and be transmitted

to the grand secretary , unless there be a provincial grand master of the district or province in whioh the lodge is proposed to be holden , in which case it is first

to be sent to him , or to his deputy , who is to forward it , with his recommendation or opinion thereon for the grand master . "

" The M . W . grand master may authorise district grand masters ,

in such districts as he shall think proper , to grant provisional warrants for the formation of new lodges within their respective districts upon the petition of any seven regularly registered

masons , who shall have fully complied with the rules and regulations in force relating to the constituting new lodges . The authority when given to continue during the pleasure of the grand master .

" Whenever such provisional warrant shall have been granted , the master of the new lodge shall , within one month , apply by petition to the grand master for a regular warrant of consti .

tionj and upon receipt of such petition , which must state the fact that a provisional warrant has been granted and be countersigned by the district grand master , a regular warrant shall be issued . "

The clause in italics in No . 116 is an additional , and at the same time a most important , provision . Without such certificates to guide him , the Grand Master might grant a warrant on the petition of unworthy brethren . It is

further to be noticed that the petitioners must , at least to the number of seven , be Master Masons , which will also secure a stronger class of brethren as the founders of a new Lodge .

With reference to No . 119 , which contains the " form of petition for a warrant to hold a new lodge , " we would observe that what we will call the preamble— " We , the undersigned , being regular registered masons of the lod ges mentioned against our respective names , having the prosperity of the craft at heart "—is not strictly in accordance with the Rules Nos . 116 and 117 , which prescribe that the

The Revised Book Of Constitutions.

petition must be " signed by at least seven master masons regularly registered under the , " < fcc . It is true nothing has beeu said as to the exclusion of F . C . and E . A .. P . Masons from the category of petitioners for a new Lodge , and the term " regular registered masons" may apply with equal

force to them as well as to Master Masons . But we neces - sarily attach importance to the substitution in the said Nos . 116 and 117 of the words " Master Masons" for " regularly registered Masons . " A careful comparison of the proposed with the present regulations induces us to

believe that the qualifying words , " at least seven , " are not intended to imply that , whatever the number and status of the petitioners may be , " at least seven" of them must be " master masons , " but rather that the petitioners must be all Master Masons , of whom , however , there need not

be more than " seven " to justify the petition . For thia reason , therefore , we would insert in the form of petition the word "Master , " so that the proposed Rule should begin , " We , the undersigned , being regular registered Master Masons of the , " & c .

No . 120 corresponds with the paragraph at p 128 , which immediately follows " the form of petition for a warrant , " aud with Art . 10 , p 64 , with the exception of the first sen . tence , Side by side they read thus : —

" 120 . In order to avoid irregularities , every new lodge should be solemnly constituted , according to antient usage , by the grand master , with his deputy and

wardens ; or , in the absence of the grand master , by his deputy , who shall choose some master of a lodge to assist him . If the deputy be absent , the grand

master may appoint some other grand officer or master or past master of a lodge to act as deputy pro tempore . No lodge shall be acknowledged , nor its officers

admitted into the grand lodge or a provincial grand lodge , nor any of its members entitled to par . take of the fnnd of benevolence or other masonic privilege , unless it has been regularly constituted and registered . "

P . 128 . " In order to avoid irregularities , every new lodge should be solemnly constituted by the grand master , with his deputy and wardens ; or , in the

absence of the grand master , by his deputy , who shall choose some master of a lodge to assist him . If the deputy be absent , the grand master may appoint some

other grand officer or master of a lodge to act as deputy pro tem . pore . 10 . ( p . 64 ) " No lodge shall be acknowledged , nor its

officers admitted into the grand lodge or a provincial grand lodge , nor any of its members entitled to partake of the general charity or other masonic privilege , unless it has been regularly constituted and registered . "

The only remark we need offer upon this is that , according to the proposed Rule , a " past master , " as well as a " master , " may act as " deputy pro tempore " in the absence of that officer . Under the existing law the deputy ' s place can only be taken by a " master "— " some other grand

officer" being common to both rules . There cau be no objection to this extension of the present rule , but in such case , if a deputy ' s place can be occupied by a " master or past master of a lodge , " why should not the law allow the said deputy to " choose some master or past master of a

lodge to assist him ? " If a "past master " is held competent to discharge the functions of deputy , he' must be equally competent to " assist " him . Or , if he is incomgetent to " assist " him , a fortiori must he be incompetent

to take his place . No doubt the omission to which we have called attention is an oversight , and will be made good , when the Revised Edition comes to be carefully considered rule by rule , and clause by clause .

Rule No . 121 is new , and , in our opinion , is quite superfluous , while the marginal note flatly contradicts the purport of the proposed law . It lays it down that " No brother shall be installed as master or invested as a warden of a new lodge , except the brother named in the warrant for

such office , unless by special sanction of the grand master . " The marginal note reads— " The officers named in the warrant cannot be altered , " notwithstanding the law itself says they can be altered " b y special sanction of the grand master . " '

Rule No . 122 must be read with the first sentence of Art . 10 , p 64 , and Art . 1 , p 44 . These fit together appropriately enough , as will be seen when they are placed side by side with the existing separate rules .

" 122 . Lodges shall rank in precedence in the order of their numbers as registered in the books of the grand lodge . The grand stewards' lodge shall not have a number , bnt shall be registered

in the books of the grand lodge , and placed in the printed list , at the head of all other lodges , and rank accordingly . "

10 ( p 64 ) . " Theprecedency of lodges is derived from their constitution , as recorded in the books of the grand lodge . " .... 1 ( p 44 ) . " The grand stewards ' lodge shall not have a number ,

but shall be registered in the hooks of the grand lodge , and placed in the printed list , at the head of all other lodges , and rank accordingly . "