Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-23

/. Would our Lodge be justified IN
disregarding said protest?
2. Is it necessary for a brother pro-
testing against the advancement of
candidate in Lodge of which he is
not member to give his reasons for
such protest?
4.-Yes. Nevertheless the fact of
such objection being made should put
the brethren on their guard and cause
them to thoroughly investigate the
4 character and qualifications of the ap-
plicant before advancing him any fur
Their.
3 Certainly, if he expects his pro-
test to be respected. If the objector
has any good reason why the brother
should not be advanced, he should place
the Lodge in possession of all the facts
in the case.
l6. Q-Can visiting brother object
to the initiation of a candidate who has
been elected By our Lodge, and should
his objection be respected the same
as if made by a member of the Lodge,
without his giving any reasons there
for?
/ II think not If the visiting
brother knows Of any good and sufi-
cient reason why the candidate ought
not to be +" made a Mason" he should at
once put the members of the Lodge in
/ possession of all the facts bearing upon
/ the case, and upon which his objections
are based, so that they, having due
and timely notice, = may govern them
selves accordingly The Lodge may
1 then Judge of their suffciency, and
/ if considered well founded, will of
course refuse to initiate the candidate
Every Lodge is the judge of who shall
be its members. To hold that a pro-
test or objection against the initiation or
advancement of candidate made by a
I brother not a member of such Lodge,
should have the same effect and be re
! spected the same as if made by one Of
/ its own members, it seems to me, would
be equivalent to extending the ballot
to all Masons not members of the Lodge.
Il. Q-Has the Worshipful Master
the right to order the Secretary not to
write down certain portions of the testi
mony given in Masonic trial
A.-That would depend entirely upon
/ the circumstances of the case and the
nature of the testimony. If the testi-
mony was such as might tend to disclose
to the prOfane such things as are i'm
proper to be written" it may be sup
pressed, but not otherwise.
Is. Q-Is the brother who prefers
charges against another a competent wit
ness on the trial of the case? Or should
his interest exclude him
A.-He is a competent witness. But
if interested, that fact, with all its at
tendant circumstances, should be consid-
cred and weighed in connection with
other testimony.
10. Q.-After a witness against the
accused in a Masonic trial has been ex-
amined, and cross-examined, has the !
Worshipful Master the right to examine
the witness further, calling it rebutting
testimony; and also prohibit the ac-
cused brother from examining !
the witness as to such rebutting testi-
mony?
Ale has the undoubted right to
examine the witness further, and it is |
his duty so TO do, if the case before the
Lodge can be calculated thereby, and |
the truth made to appear more fully. |
But he has no right to prohibit the ac-
cused or any other member Of the Lodge /
from asking the witness any proper /
questions that may tend to establish I
either his guilt or innocence The grand /
object of a Masonic trial is to ascertain !
the truth without extenUation or exagge-
ration, and every facility should begiven /
to discern the truth of the allegations
without regard to any mere technicalities
or bubbles of law.
20 Q.-Has brother on trial for IN
masonic conduct the right to impeach
member of his own Lodge who is a wit !
ness against him, and thus relieve him
self from the results of false testimony
against him
Al any witness be examined Of
notorious bad character, whether Mason
or profane, whose testimony is material
to the issue, and the facts Justify it, his
evidence may be impeached In fact, it
might be necessary to do so to protect
the innocent against the effects of false |
testimony. However, it is to be hoped |
that there are no Masoas of so bad char
acter that it is possible to impeaeh their
testimony If there are, get rid of
them as soon as possible, and let them
no longer disgrace the name of Ma
sonry.
q. Of a brother under charges
for unmasonic conduct demands that all
the members of his Lodge should be
summoned to attend the meeting at
which the trial is to take place, can
such trial be had and vote taken there
on without his demand being complied
with
At would be irregular to try and
convict brother for unmasonic conduct
without summoning all the members Of
the Lodge living within its jurisdiction,
more especially when it is demanded BY
the accused. Otherwise it would be pos
sible to do the accused great injustice,
by summoning only such as were known
to be unfaEorable to him, and that would
vote for his conviction, and perhaps ex-
pulsion. Rule seven of the Digest of
Masonic Law Of trials and punishments,
reads as follows: " All trials Except
for offenses committed in open LODGE, I
shall be had in a Lodge specially no
titled and convened for the purpose,
etc"
-. Q.-When a majority of the men,
bers of a Lodge disregard all Masonic
law and usage, and being thus in the
majority, elect officers Of the same char
aeter, and therefore cannot be disci- .
plined, can the evil be corrected, and if
50, how? I
Al the difficulty lies with the
Master, his jewel can be ar 4
rested and he be removed from office IN
til the next meeting Of the Grand Lodge.
If it lies with the Lodge, upon a proper !
showing, their charter can and should :
be taken from them. [ sincerely hope
here is no case within our jurisdiction ]
such extreme measures. IfI
20, give me all the facts, properly ag- 9
henticated
%, Owe are informed that in
Pennsylvania Lodges they exact pay for
I, lox-.oo- =, I | 81