The Placer herald., 1867-05-25
[From the ST. Louis Frecmason.l |
Masonic Government.

In the first place, W. NJ. is a sovereign
his will, under the Grand Lodge restrict
is supreme. No such thing can possibly be
known in Masonic body as a Lodge "tryng
its Master" He may err; but if be does he
is only amenable to the Grand Body. of
which he is ipso tacto member. He may
make wrong decision, but there is no APP
peal to his Lodge from that decision; it can
only be carried to the Grand Assembly of
sovereigus, over whom presides the "Grand
Master OF Masons," clothed with such dig
nifty and power that he is considered so in
capable of "doing wrong" that there has
never been enacted a code by which he may
be tried; and, while he reigns, bis decision
is so far the law that there is no appeal
from it to any power on earth. Lie may
make a wrong decision, but it cannot be
appealed from; all the Grand Lodge can do
is TO enact statute that will reverse its
force, provided it can be done under the
Constitution aud Ancient Regulations, a.
dopted from time to time for many centuries
back, and codifed in 1921 by the Grand
Lodge of England. A Lodge cannot be "ad
journed" by the members, because that
would conflict with the will Of the Master,
who may close bis Lodge whenever he sees
proper. Lodge cannot he called together
by The members, because that would ignore
the master as the sovereign parent who
knows that it is best for the interests Of his
family; the most the Lodge can do in that
direction is TO establish Bylaws fixing its
stated meetings, snd even they must be ap
proved by the Grand Lodge.
A al III obl blnn Il
bateabIe, because it is high prerogalive of
Mason to be heard upon every question at'
tecting the interests of the grea, brotherhood;
he can alone be decided in order or out of
order by the Master, who is presumed TO
know more about the interests of the Fra.
ternty than his members
There is 20 such thing known in the
Lodge as the "previous question:" for the
simple reason that no Mason is so humble
but he shall be protected in his right to
speak, and shal not be choked off 10y a
majority of his equals; the only power who
can say when the Question" shall be put IS
the Master, and he is sworn never to rule
the brethren in any "arbirary manner"
The members cannut decide what work shall
be done or not done, for the Master is the
master Workman" and the Craft are to
90 according to the designs he has laid down
on the "trestle board"
There is no such thing as "commlttee
of the whole" among Masons; Lodge new.
er cegses to be a Ladge, nor the Master to
be "Master" while in the chair. The Mas
ter has the first right to be heard upon all
matters brought before bis Lodge, although
he should never, with propriety, be garruI'
Gus, az kings but seldom make speeches, but
when be rises all Others must be seated.
To the profaue the question might be
asked, "whether," after all these prorogatives
of the Master, "any rights are left to the
members?" There are, and very sacred ones,
too.
Any member has the right to make
motion, and if it be Masonic is entertained;
if not Masonic, he would oppose it himself.
Every member has the right, when he
speaks, to be respectfully heard, and no
member dare interrupt him by talking, walk
ing, or any other system of annoyance, un'
less. he is out Of order, and only then by the
point of order" being briefly stated, and as
briefly decided by the Master, without de-
bate.
Every brother has the sacred right to vote
as be pleases, and there is no power except
the Almighty so supreme that can even i'm
pugp or question it. Every Masoo meets
in the Lodge on the most perfect equality,
as to rights and powers, except the Master,
while all are taught "lo meet on the level
OF Masonic love and respect.
The members have the right to select
their officers once year-therefore, he who
may be the lowest now may soon rule the
highest; in that sense, Masonry is sdemocrallc;
and through those officers the fraternity may
elect the Grand Master-in that sense 1t is
republican, or representative. Alter the
election, however, the scene changes; for
brethren having chosen their rulers, they
must be dutiful subjects, for those rulers are
clothed with the attributes of kings, while
they in turn are governed by the we'll defined
principles of constitutions.
There is scarcely code of laws OF any
other society that could apply in Masonic
Lodge; and yet there are some young Ma
sons land we do not mean by that young
men) who come from other Orders, and who
cannot understand this fact, and they are
therefore continually trying TO help Masonry
along, by introducing some regulation or
rule of order that would be as horrliylng to
an experienced Mason as it would be TO see
some brother get up and move that the
Master be requested to resign" the very
thing he could not do if he wanted to.
Here is a graphic description OF the
American like appearance OF the House OF
Commons during the late Reform discussion;