The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-10-13
DEMHTTHNG.
By GEO. H. GRAY, sR.

extremely desirable. There is, in the first
place, wide difference of opinion as to the
intention or effect of demit, some contend
ing that it operates a. a perfect dissolution
Of the connection between the brother and
the Lodge, while others contend that it has
that effect only IL ase the member removes
from the iurSdicl Il aud affiliates with an
other Lodge. Again. there il q difference
Of opinion as TO the relations and duties
subsisting between the Lodge and the de-
uitted brother. IL is contended bv some
that every Mason is bound by the princi-
Mes and landmarks of the Order to use due
md reasonable diligence to connect himself
Syith some working Lodge, and that a fail
,re 10 comply with this rule should DEPRIVE
him of all the rights and privileges OF the
Order: while others think Lodges have no
right to impose penalty of so great sever!
tx The granting OF DENTS is transaction
. nf more serious importance than is general
Iv supposed and they are generally asked
tor and granted without sufficient consider
alton upon one side as to its propriety, or
,nou the other, as to its effect. There is.
indeed. no power in any Lodge to compel
brother to affiliate with its organization
or TO prevent his dissOlving his connection
when he chooses To do so; and there can be
no doubt that when a brother demands his
discharge from his membership, the strong
est reasons exist in favor of granting it.
The comforting Of the degrees of Masonry
,,n0n man does not, under the ordinary
avs Of Masonry. confer upon him a mem
harship WIN any particular Lodge. 1t Is
nDtiOnal with him after he has received his
degrees 10 become member of a Lodge or
otherwise and il is also optional with the
Lodge to receive him or not. He is not
bound by his obligation to fraternize i'm any
particular organization, and no Masonic
lodge is bound to admit him into their fold.
The rights and duties of both parties are
necessarily mutual. While, however,
BROTHER may have the pot0er to hold himself
aoof from utilization with particular
Lodge. it still remains an important ques-
ION Whether he has the moral right to do so
,ritbout sufficient cause. But. however,
his NAV be decided, no regular Mason can
absolve himself from his obligation to a
brother and TO the fraternity. nor can a
Lodge absolve the fraternity from their OBJ
legations to him. except tor gross unmason-
c conduct Although a Mason has the pow
er TO separate from his Lodge. or to refuse
IN connect himself with one, he has neither
the right nor power to shake OF his mason
ic duties pointed out in his original obliga- /
lions without the commission of crime |
which should he visited by the penalty of !
eyt,IlsiUn from the Order.
Wl,ea "a man is made Mason he assumes |
certain responsibilities from which 40 pow
or on earth ran relieve him. 1t is not an /
IDLE consideration which he receives. nor are /!
his duties of the fieeting, shadowy character
which SOME seem to suppose. The contract |
is lust, mutual aid binding forever upon |
both parties except when forfeited for
crime.
On former occasions ] have contended I
that initiation constitutes life membership /
in the fraternity by solemn contract be- |
tween the individual and the achOie fraterni- /
w. which made its obligations on both sides |
General and permanent. That Lodge mem |
berslp was the result of a temporary special |
contract between the individual aud the |
particular Lodge by which he became enti-
tied to special privileges, for which he en-
gagged to perform special duties, and to which
contract the individual and the particular
Lodge were the OnLy parties and as that act
was free and voluntary one on his part,
he had the right to withdraw from it at his
own will and pleasure. and that the right
was inherent in him, and by doing so, be
renquished those special privileges only,
which were bestowed on him by that tenn
norary special contract, and fell back on
those which he enjoyed before he entered
into IL, and which had in all times been be-
slowed Oh the initiate on his first admission
into the Order, long before Lodge member
ship had being.
Inmy article or generalization reference
was made to the bylaws of the Old Lodge
of Antiquity, of which Bro, Preston was
the Master, to show that the right 70 demit
or withdraw was not only recognized and
practiced by that Lodge, but that it was
provided for by special r. gulation. Enough
is known of that Old Lodge to justly belief
that the Masters ant members were well
acquainted with anc. It usages and customs.
The right was considered by them as inner
ent in every Mason, and has so continued
down TO the present time, and is now so
considered BY the oldest Grand Lodges in
America.
The following from the regulations of Vir-
siniaenbodies, in substance, the right as ac-
knOwledged by others; ANY member may
withdraw himself from the Lodge on pro-
ducing the Treasurer's receipt for all dues,
and giving notice to the Lodge either per-
sOnally or by proxy, but no member shall
be considered as having regularly with
drawn himself until he has complied with
this article" Also this from the Virginia
Text book: Every Brother ought to be a
member of some Lodge, nor is it proper that
any number of brethren should withdraw
or separate themselves from the Lodge in
which they were made, or afterwards adj
mitted members, without sufficient cause
although the right is an Inherent one. and can
never be restrained 6y amp pOirer JcbGteUer;
still such a separation would be improper
unless Lodges became TOO numerous for
working
Bro. Mackev says: ''To demit is to resign
ones membership &C. The right to demit
or sesign never has, until within Il few years.
Oeen denied ito interfere with this indlieRdbte
FFsrOgdiue of freeman would be an in
irIngement of privateright. in all times I'M
afliated Masons have existed" and after a
careful examination of the authorities L
cannot deny to any man the right of with
drawing whenever he pleases from vOlun-
'3ry association" In another place he says
We may saw then, that whenever a Mason ,
permanently withdraws his membership,
ne, at once and while be continues unatfili-
tel, discovers all connection between him.
Selt and the Lodge organization of the Order.
ne, by this act, divests himself of all the ,
rights aud privileges which belong to him
- member of that organization. Among
t!leSe rights and privileges are those ofvista- $
uon OF pecuniary aid, and of Masonic buri- [
a. But, from the well known and uni I
aYGLsAlly admitted maxim of once a Mason,
al"4ys Mason" it follows that Identified {
piO'her cannot by such demiSsion, divest |
himself of al his Masonic responsibilities l
" Ais brethren, nor be deyrired of their CO. I
heiaIlve responsibility to him. An unaffil-
1'eu Mason Is stu bound by certain Obli-
Gums tances, divest himself and bv similar I
Obligations SIRE the fraternity bound to him. j
and further says. that "denyin0 the right of
demissiOn is repugnant to the voluntary {
Character of the Order" I
Some MasOns seem not to understand the /
Inference between local or special privileges .
Arising from Lodge membership, and the q
general rights of the fraternity conferred by q
initiation, dc. and seem to limit the very ex-
seence of Masonry to the local and modern :
9s'em OF Lodge membership, as if their
news were carried ont, there would he no
AAsons but Lodge members-the Others be- s
.Is cut of by expulsion; therefore, # from
-! cause the Lodges were TO go down or :
pS lhen Masonry would die with them. !:
s DeL fortunately, for the vitality of the in
aeutlon, such is not the case, A brother, I
cough not a member of any particular Y
ssOdge carries with him all his peregina- :
o Soa Is the same rights. privileges and claims
~ me fraternity whenever to be met with I
:, s slh were bestowed upon him on his five
"IsnsSlon to the Order.
-, me light reflected from the blazing fire
ssoihted Star OF Fellowship, cannot be con- I
-, s-ed within the narrow limits of a Lodge {
Som but will cast its efIulgent rays ;
TNisoGghout the whole extent of the habita-
Al globe, that its benign influences may. in
ir,PIsAeeS, be felt and enjoyed by wander 8