Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-16
Suspension and striking from
Roll.

Some of our Lodges and Brethren do
not appear TO understand the difference
between suspeladiHg for non-payment Of
dues, and dropping from the roll for the
same cause To US, the difference is
great, indeed, though the means taken
to accomplish the one or the other ought
to be the same; for we hold that no Ma
son can be suspended from the privileges
of Masonry. or stricken from the roll
except upon conviction after trial and
that striking his name from the roll of
members of the Lodge, under bylaw,
whilst it does not affect a Brothers
standing in the Fraternity, nor debar
him from any privileges of Masonry, ex-
cept that of membership in the particu
| lar Lodge. ought to be after trial only
| Indeed, in a case, not year old, the
Grand Master Of Louisiana thus decided,
and that decision has met the approval Of
our most enlightened jurists. Suspension
from the rights and privileges Of Mason
~ is next to the severest penalty in the
catalogue of Masonic punishments. 1t
is, in fact, Masonic imprisonment, OF
deprivation of rights guaranteed to every
Mason on his first admission to the Or
der, and of which he was only to be de-
prived after fair trial and impartial
| Judgment by his fellows. The Suspen-
sion of Mason by the mere operation Of
his Lodge, without any opportunity hav-
ing been given him to explain or defend
/ a-- ha
law should not be enforced in his case,
or to prove that he has not violated its
provisions,-would, under any other cir
cumstances, and In relation to any other
| ofense, be at once admitted everywhere
to be most manifest violation Of all
Masonic law and equity. If then, 1t be
admitted, as we have no doubt it will,
that suspension cannot be inflicted with
out trial, and that simply because it Is
a punishment, and because punishment
should always follow, and not precede
conviction; then to strike the name Of a
member from the roll Of his Lodge,
would be equally as illegal, unless he
was called upon to show cause why it
should not be done. The Que principle
is strictly analogous to the other. Ifyou
cannot suspend without trial, neither can
you strike from the roll without trial.
This striking the name from the roll Of
Lodge is altogether a modern practice,
taking its rise since the modern orgaui-
cation Of permanent Lodges. In ancient
times, Lodges were temporary organiza-
tons Of Masons for special and limited
purposes. Preston informs US, that
originally sufficient number Of Ma
sons met together within a certain dis
trict, with the consent Of the Sheriff OF
Chief Magistrate Of the place, were en-
powered to make Masons, aud practice
the rights Of Masonry without warrant
Of Constitution. Then, Of course, there
being no permanent organization, there
were no permanent members, and conse-
quently no payment of arrears, and no
striking from the roll 1t was only af-
ter 1T17, that all those things were in
troduced, and as Lodges pay some CON
tribution to the Grand Lodge for each Of
their members, it is evident that a mem
Der who refuses or neglects to support
the general Lodge fund, will become pc
cuniarily onerous to the Lodge. Still,
the non payment of dues is only a viola
ton of a special voluntary obligation to
particular Lodge, and not to the Fra
ternity at large. The punishment, there
fore, inflicted Of it is to be considered
at all as punishment is only partic-
ular, and not general one, affecting his
relations with the whole Order. When,
then, his name is stricken from the roll,
it should only be after an opportunity
has been afforded of defense, that is,
after fair trial, precisely as in the case
Of suspension, which is punishment,
not particular, but general in its effects
Canadian Freemosoa.