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  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • Jan. 2, 1869
  • Page 12
  • MASONIC DISCIPLINE.—V.
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Jan. 2, 1869: Page 12

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Masonic Discipline.—V.

in the " Constitutions " for the election of officers ; in fact none at all . It will be universally admitted , that generally speaking , every brother desires to attain to the dignity of the chair , ancl it will be equally universally conceded , that it would be very

unfair if one brother , who joined a lodge subsequently to another , should be permitted to precede the latter in office , while the latter was willing , capable , and worthy of fulfilling his official duties . Yet this is precisely what is permitted by the

second paragraph in the chapter in the " Constitutions" relating to "Private Lodges . " It is there distinctly stated that " he ( the Master ) shall appoint his wardens aud other officers , except the treasurer . " According to this law , a Master

might select the I . G . to be his S . W . in total disregard of the moral just claims of the intermediate officers . Before proceeding auy further , we have no hesitation in saying that this paragraph requires considerable modification . It may be remarked

that promotion is not conferred in the army according to seniority , merit , or ability , but we do not adduce that instance for imitation in detail , but simply to be copied for its unanimity . We do not assert that military discipline , so far as promotion

is concerned , is worthy of close imitation , but we maintain that an imperfect state of discipline , provided it be identical in the separate incorporations constituting a whole community , is infinitely superior to none at all .

The principle therefore that we advocate for unanimous adoption in lodges , aud which should be enforced by the " Constitutions" is that of seniority , dating from the time of admission into the lodge ; , whether as an initiate or a joining

member , modified by the ballot . So far as the election of the W . M . is concerned , this principle does prevail in many lodges , notably so in those having valid pretensions to good working , but it is not sufficient , in the cause of discipline , that so

important a measure should be left to the discretion of individual lodges . It should be recognised by all as one of our " laws aud regulations . " In accordance with the principle of promotion we are advocating , provided the S . W . fulfil the conditions

of willingness , capability , and merit , he becomes entitled to the chair , so soon as his year of office expires . There is just here one question to be disposed of before proceeding . It may occasionall y occur that the brethren have excellent reasons for not wishing- the S . W . to assume the position of W . M . Iu a word he may not fulfil the condition

of merit , and therefore the brethren should have the power of rejecting him b y ballot , which is not given to them in the paragraph of the " Constitutions " already alluded to . The only requisite demanded in the " ' Constitutions" for a brother to be eligible to the chair , is that he should have "served as a warden of a

warranted lodge for one year . " In other words , a brother may become a Master , after being a member of the fraternity a little over one year , for he might be placed in the chair of the J . W . two months after his initiation , ancl in a year from that

time be made W . M . This is about equivalent to making a man colonel of a regiment , one year after he had first put on regimentals . There is no reason that we are aware of , why all the officers from the W . M . dowu to the I . G . should not be selected

by the brethren according to seniority . The latter condition would not of course apply to the secretary , treasurer or tyler . The universal rule for the election of officers , applicable to every lodge would then run as follows . " The officers of every lodge

with the exception of the secretary , treasurer and tyler , to be elected annually by seniority , subject to the approval of the brethren by ballot . The secretary , treasurer and tyler to be elected by ballot . In the event of no brother under the rank of W . M .

being willing to take the chair , the present Master or any of the P . M . ' s to be eligible , and their election to take place by ballot . " We have yet another point to consider , and one of which we have received numerous

complaint . We have known members to secede from a lodge where the following system has been in full force . It is the practice of re-electing officers to duties that they have fulfilled previously , to the exclusion of younger members that are

willinoto undertake and competent to perform them . This is a crying evil , and one that deserves severe censure ; for it virtually puts a bar to the proper aspirations and lawful anticipations of every brother who joins the Fraternity . The remaining case

to be disposed of , is where an officer is absolutely incapacitated , by no fault of his own nor by incompetency , from proceeding to a higher degree . We hold in the interests of a lodge considered in the aggregate , and in accordance with the rule

suggested , that if a brother of his own free will and inclination declines to proceed to a higher degrees , he loses his turn , and cannot regain it , unless the brethren choose to permit it by a tacit agreement at the next annual ballot . The

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1869-01-02, Page 12” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 11 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_02011869/page/12/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
Untitled Article 2
ADDRESS TO OUR READERS. Article 3
INDEX. Article 5
MASONIC PERSECUTION.—I. Article 9
GRAND LODGE OF IOWA.—I. Article 10
MASONIC DISCIPLINE.—V. Article 11
THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. Article 13
CHAPTER XII. Article 14
CHIPS OF FOREIGN ASHLER. Article 16
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 17
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 19
ANTIQUITY OF CHRISTMAS GAMES. Article 20
MASONIC MEMS. Article 21
METROPOLITAN. Article 21
PROVINCIAL. Article 22
SCOTLAND. Article 24
CHANNEL ISLANDS. Article 25
MARK MASONRY. Article 25
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. Article 25
RED CROSS OF ROME AND CONSTANTINE. Article 25
MASONIC LIFEBOAT FUND. Article 25
MASONIC FESTIVITIES. Article 26
REVIEWS. Article 27
FUNERAL OF THE LATE BRO. JAMES CHALMERS WITH MASONIC HONOURS. Article 27
Obituary. Article 28
METROPOLITAN LODGE MEETINGS, ETC., FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 9TH, 1869. Article 28
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 28
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Masonic Discipline.—V.

in the " Constitutions " for the election of officers ; in fact none at all . It will be universally admitted , that generally speaking , every brother desires to attain to the dignity of the chair , ancl it will be equally universally conceded , that it would be very

unfair if one brother , who joined a lodge subsequently to another , should be permitted to precede the latter in office , while the latter was willing , capable , and worthy of fulfilling his official duties . Yet this is precisely what is permitted by the

second paragraph in the chapter in the " Constitutions" relating to "Private Lodges . " It is there distinctly stated that " he ( the Master ) shall appoint his wardens aud other officers , except the treasurer . " According to this law , a Master

might select the I . G . to be his S . W . in total disregard of the moral just claims of the intermediate officers . Before proceeding auy further , we have no hesitation in saying that this paragraph requires considerable modification . It may be remarked

that promotion is not conferred in the army according to seniority , merit , or ability , but we do not adduce that instance for imitation in detail , but simply to be copied for its unanimity . We do not assert that military discipline , so far as promotion

is concerned , is worthy of close imitation , but we maintain that an imperfect state of discipline , provided it be identical in the separate incorporations constituting a whole community , is infinitely superior to none at all .

The principle therefore that we advocate for unanimous adoption in lodges , aud which should be enforced by the " Constitutions" is that of seniority , dating from the time of admission into the lodge ; , whether as an initiate or a joining

member , modified by the ballot . So far as the election of the W . M . is concerned , this principle does prevail in many lodges , notably so in those having valid pretensions to good working , but it is not sufficient , in the cause of discipline , that so

important a measure should be left to the discretion of individual lodges . It should be recognised by all as one of our " laws aud regulations . " In accordance with the principle of promotion we are advocating , provided the S . W . fulfil the conditions

of willingness , capability , and merit , he becomes entitled to the chair , so soon as his year of office expires . There is just here one question to be disposed of before proceeding . It may occasionall y occur that the brethren have excellent reasons for not wishing- the S . W . to assume the position of W . M . Iu a word he may not fulfil the condition

of merit , and therefore the brethren should have the power of rejecting him b y ballot , which is not given to them in the paragraph of the " Constitutions " already alluded to . The only requisite demanded in the " ' Constitutions" for a brother to be eligible to the chair , is that he should have "served as a warden of a

warranted lodge for one year . " In other words , a brother may become a Master , after being a member of the fraternity a little over one year , for he might be placed in the chair of the J . W . two months after his initiation , ancl in a year from that

time be made W . M . This is about equivalent to making a man colonel of a regiment , one year after he had first put on regimentals . There is no reason that we are aware of , why all the officers from the W . M . dowu to the I . G . should not be selected

by the brethren according to seniority . The latter condition would not of course apply to the secretary , treasurer or tyler . The universal rule for the election of officers , applicable to every lodge would then run as follows . " The officers of every lodge

with the exception of the secretary , treasurer and tyler , to be elected annually by seniority , subject to the approval of the brethren by ballot . The secretary , treasurer and tyler to be elected by ballot . In the event of no brother under the rank of W . M .

being willing to take the chair , the present Master or any of the P . M . ' s to be eligible , and their election to take place by ballot . " We have yet another point to consider , and one of which we have received numerous

complaint . We have known members to secede from a lodge where the following system has been in full force . It is the practice of re-electing officers to duties that they have fulfilled previously , to the exclusion of younger members that are

willinoto undertake and competent to perform them . This is a crying evil , and one that deserves severe censure ; for it virtually puts a bar to the proper aspirations and lawful anticipations of every brother who joins the Fraternity . The remaining case

to be disposed of , is where an officer is absolutely incapacitated , by no fault of his own nor by incompetency , from proceeding to a higher degree . We hold in the interests of a lodge considered in the aggregate , and in accordance with the rule

suggested , that if a brother of his own free will and inclination declines to proceed to a higher degrees , he loses his turn , and cannot regain it , unless the brethren choose to permit it by a tacit agreement at the next annual ballot . The

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