The Revised Book Of Constitutions.

THE REVISED BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS .

( Continued from page 340 . ) ETJLE No . 141 provides for the " Death or incapacity of the Master , " his removal from office , and his absence from the Lodge , so that , in this instance likewise , the marginal note is not sufficiently descriptive of the tenour of the law . The Rule itself compares with Art . 6 , p 78 , with which it agrees almost word for word , bnt there is added the

following sentence embodying certain important reservations in the case of a "Warden ruling a Lodge : " When a warden rules the lodge he shall not occupy the master ' s chair , nor can initiations take place , or degrees be conferred unless the chair be occupied by a brother who is a master or past

master in the craft . It were as well perhaps if the Rule stated authoritatively the position to be occupied by the ruling Warden , and also if , in respect of Lodges in remote districts , especially in the colonies and foreign countries , some conditional latitude were allowed for the initiation of

candidates for Masonic light , and the conferring of degrees by a Warden . It must be remembered that in India , South Africa , and our Australian Colonies , for in ? tance , there are Lodges in very out-of-the-way places , and by no means easily accessible . In such cases , in the absence of

the Master and Past Masters , which might easily happen , neither initiations could take place nor degrees be conferred , and worthy men or members might be very seriously disappointed , and perhaps even disgusted , at the very outset of their career , because the Master chanced to have

a sharp attack , say , of influenza or gout , and the business obligations of the Past Masters precluded them from acting in his stead . This difficulty would be felt principally by young Lodges of two or three years standing only . Dr . Oliver , who , in matters of this kind , is a safe guide to follow ,

remarks , m his " Jurisprudence , " that , in tbe case of such Lodges , initiation and the conferring of a degree by a Warden wonld not be viewed with disfavour by the authorities . Moreover , it would be easy to provide safeguards against the abuse of such a relaxation .

Rules Nos . 142-146 , both inclusive , treat of private Lodges when visited by the Grand Master or his Deput y ( Nos . 142 , 143 ) , the Provincial or District Grand Master or his Deputy ( Nos . 144 , 145 ) , and by Grand Officers deputed by the Grand Master . Our remarks on these

ttules have been in great measure anticipated by a correspondent ' s letter published last week , the writer of which considers , for reasons he is at the pains of explaining * at considerable length , that they should more properly have been placed , Nos . 142 and 143 under the head of " Grand

Lod ge , " and Nos . 144 and 145 under that of " Provincial and District Grand Lodges ; " No . 146 being unnoticed by " ] In . He argues , and we entirely agree with him in bis argument , that as it is the Grand Master , or Provincial or District Grand Master , who takes the initiative in visiting '

a Lod ge or Lodges , and as , consequently , the latter has no voice in the matter ; or , to put the case still more forcibly , as these Rules ascribe to the Grand Master and his Deputy , ? "d the Provincial or District Grand Master and his e Puty , certain powers which , in the exercise of their clis

The Revised Book Of Constitutions.

ere tion , it is lawful in the case of the first two , and permissible in that of the last two , for them to exercise , they belong only indirectly , and in a very subordinate way , to the category of Rules for " Private Lodges . " Primarily , they concern the Grand Master and his representatives at

home and abroad , aud for that reason their proper place in the Book of Constitutions is , as already pointed out by our correspondent , and endorsed by us—as regards Nos . 142 , 143 , under " Grand Lodge , " and as to Nos . 144 , 145 , under "Provincial and District Grand Lodges . " To this we

would add , that No . 146 , which g ives the Grand Master power " to send his grand officers to visit any lodgo he may think proper , " should also be removed from this division and placed under that of the " Grand Lodge . " One point , as being apparently outside the scope of our said coi * res

pondent ' s remarks , is deserving of notice . No . 142 states that the Grand Master , and No . 143 that in his absence the Deputy Grand Master , " has full authority to preside in any lodge , " while No . 144 , as to the Provincial or District Grand Master , and No . 145 , as to , in his absence , the

Deputy Provincial or District Grand Master , lay it down , the former that ho " may preside in every lodge he visits within his province or district , " and tho latter that he " may preside in any lodge he visits within his province or district . " We see no reason why there should

be any difference in the wording of these laws . The Grand Master ov , in his absence , bis Deputy " has full authority to preside , " but he is not compelled to exercise that authority . A Provincial or District Grand Master , or , in his absence , his Deputy " may preside " if he

chooses , but he need not so choose . There is , therefore , really no difference in the powers ascribed to either group , and there should consequently be no difference in the language ascribing such powers , especially as tho Provincial or District Grand Master is as supreme in somo respects in his Province or District as the Grand Master is in the

whole Craft . We may add that No . 142 must be compared with Art . 5 , p 31 ; No . 143 with Art . 2 , p 33 ; No . 144 with Art . 3 , p 46 ; No . 145 with Art . 2 , p 50 ; and No . 146 with

Art . 6 , p 31 . The proposed laws do not differ materially from the present Regulations . No . 147 treats of visiting , and is much briefer than Art . 19 , p 67 , with which it corresponds : —

EEVISED EDITION . " 147 . The master and wardens of a lodge are enjoined to visit other lodges as often as they conveniently can , in order that the same nsages and customs may

be observed throughout the craft , and a good understanding cultivated among freemasons .

EXISTING EDITION . 19 ( p 67 ) . "All lodges are particalarly bound to observe the same nsages and customs ; every devi . ation , therefore , from the established mode of working is highly

improper , and cannot be justified or countenanced . In order * to preserve this uniformity , and to cultivate a good understanding among free-masons , some members of every lodge shonld be deputed to visit other lodges aa often as may be convenient . "

The proposed Rule has the merit of compactness , but what it has gained in this respect it has lost in emphasis and comprehensiveness . But few , if any , of those who are accustomed to compare different readings "will deny that the existing law states its purpose clearly , emphatically ,

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