The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-09-22
consolidating vIasOuS --.- Their.
Rights Nc.
By GEO. II. GRAY, sR.

d.. +
,,srbpr on a high hill or in low vale fol
he purpose OF admitting members into the
Crsrfrgigv. at which meeting some expert
Rrnthcr conducted the ceremonies. In after
time. they met together and held Lodges AZ
at partfruiar places designated within the
Iifi.ian az circnt in which they resided on
were ~aiQuruing, and there made Masons in
tba same manner. without any Lodge or
s.4uizatfou or regular Mister or Wardens.
In time 10 was discovered that a too free use
g8. made o. that privilege, and il was found
necessary 10 place u check or restraint on
their actions. Accordingly, at a meeting of
rEsGrand Lodge OF England on Dec. y. 1868,
Regulation was made as follows. viz
.'Tha, no person Of what degree soever be
made or accepted a Frecmason unless in a
regular Lodge. whereof one to be Master
ar arden in the circuit or division where
such Lodge is kept and another to be a
Craftsman in the trade of Masonry Here
afthi- General Assembly where all MasOns,
even she youngest T.. \. r., met III commit
uicatiUn. they agreed to rcliuquiSh aud give
gp the custom of meeting promiscuOusly
and admitting members, and that hence
forth 40 one should be admitted unless the
Master or a Warden OF 4 circuit or division
uf woTAmen, or in other words "a supcrln
teu1sut of Worhmen mot NJ. or w OF a
LODGE aud an operative Mason, that Is.
Craftsman in the trade Of Masonry, be pres
eat. Her. t. the iuitiaJory step towards
subordinate Lodge organlZatlOn-theTe WAS
d. that time no such thing n Lodge MEM
brrshsp. Preston asserts that up % the be-
ginning OF the Eighteenth Century Masous
bt the Ancient Charges had the right 81 as
soluble sufficient number OF MasOGs at any
Mace they chose. call a Brother TO the chair,
apen a Lodge, receive and act upon appli-
cations for the mysteries; and. further
more. TO make Masons, a record of such
pruGeediugs was made, and he who acted as
Master OF the Lodge for the time being was
fltr a ~ a ~ hHF a4t
inc Indeed. there was no such thing as q
Lodge Of regular and permanent members,
bu. alI members of the fraternity were alike
at liberty u form Lodge, to make Mas0ns,
and tine officers were only so for the time
being. The present system OF q Grand
!gle. ar Grand Master constituting
Lodge. uy appointment OF regular Masters
and Narlens. was not known. The An
Gent Charges were the only authority ap-
peaitd e., nor were there any laws or regu-
Aluus made OF attempted to be made in adj
diliOn 10 the charges. al HdSOES were
truly upon one common level and amenda-
Die only 70 each other under the authority
OF the charges when assembled at \ DIRK.
When a Lodge WIS formed by the assem-
blare OF sufficient number of Brethren,
tue atteStation Of these Brethren was the
highest authority of its legality and the
only written testimony offered in proof OF
Ebe makin-a Mason. BY this Ancient Reg
uaUou. Bro. Preston says, the Lodge or
AFt44t8 was always governed | desire
Won 10 bear this in mind, as | design to use
this Lodge OF Antiquity As evidence in sup
port Of ny position.
When the presen system of Subordinate
Lodges was adopted, each particular organ
iZati0n was of a local character. 1t was
voluntary association of Masons for special
purposes, and the laws and regulations en-
acted for their government were only bind
lug on the individuals entering into the
IL
thereof and did not, nor could they, in any
manner affect or interfere with the rights
and privileges Of i general character which
each Mason enjoyed before he united in
such voluntary association TO form partic-
U.ar Lodge. These were not surrendered
TO the Lodge. nor circumscribed to the
term of membership or Lodge jurisdiction
they were inherent and remained unim-
paired. While by entering into this COM
pact their duties and responsibilities were
increased. they at the same time acquired
additional rights peculiar to their organiZa-
ton.
1t will not be denied that up to this time
ail who had been initiated into the solemn
mysteries of Freemasonry were entitled, AS
NAsoNs, and not ny virtue ofL0dge mem
bership) to certain inalienable rights and
privileges-nor viii it be cOntended that
because it was forbidden to make Masons eX-
eepJ in a regular Lodge. that one so made
acquire the same iualienable rights and prl-
yileges as those made before subordinate
lodges were established, with the same
right 10 exercise them wherever destiny
might chance To place them. Could ! sup
p. sc that any would assume that position,
could point them to a time or times when
Lodges ceased to assemble, and were forced
% suspend operations and dissolve their or
CARNATIONS, and ask them if Masonry ceaS-
gu 10 exist because their Lodges were dor
manU: Ii would occupy more space
thga might be allowed, to specify times
and circumstances under which Masons gem
orally We're nou-a1fiIiated, and yet were in
fall possession of their general masonic pri-
FAeges \ Lodge may be either general or
particular, say the Ancient Constitutions
II Is general when acting as the agent OF the
fraternity and in the discharge of the gem
eral duties prescribed by their charters. In
introducing an individual into Masonry, il
aets BY the authority of the Grand Lodge to
which it is subordinate and to the fraternity
~ large The regulations which govern its
proceedings in Ihis respect, are the general
equations of the Craft. usually denomina-
.g1 lue Ancient Constitutions" They are |
we original and fundamental laws OF the !
ItaJeFnttY, and may not properly be chang
el 3y either Grand or Subordinate Lodges. !
Mason by his Initiation acquires certain |
general privileges, subject to the conditions |
Of the established Regulations and Consul |
lNtlons of the Craft. OF these he cannot be (
Invested except for immoral conduct, or /
Violation OF his general obligations and du- |
Ties as a member of the fraternity. He is /
Under no constraint to connect himself with (
0onot make it obligatory on him. He en-
e!s all the general benefits of Masonry
| Without it. But If he choose to affiliate him /
sslt- Re becomes entitled TO certain special /
ga'neges and subjects himself to certain /
special regulations. These are the condi- |
33sae Frf 81; mt IN
saleh he holds his connection with the fra /
.+AHg. The act of utilization is q voluntary 4
yollFact, TO which the Individual and the |
1;odge are the parties. If he fail to dis I
large the duties required of him by the I
9atFaeL the Lodge may dissolve the con-
-eeaou between them by discharging or
SAcading him, or declaring his membership
.oiiieited. Or if the member desires to dis
- - the connection by Withdrawing his
IIeo,--1o.ership, he has right to do so. and |
@ 1ett nothing ia the AneieHt Charges aud
~ 1'atlopS to preeeRt him. When his con-
fa,n ''oh Is dissolved he stands as he did be-
NJ, as Mason on the broad platform of /
vary, and not as member of any par /
eeiaf Lodge. We read in the Old Re- /
,oS that il was the manner in former /
ige ny : concerning demiting and withdraw /
as from from membership, that a member in or
nare - nave his name erased from the list of /
SeoeFs mad to give regular notice to the |
resrs airy IN open Lodge and pay up his ar
ni1od 40 snow that this right was rec0g-
(onea..a and sanctioned, let us refer to the Old |
tel ss luton and to some of the articles quo
n Opp; ou relied on by those holding contrary |
N Brot5OanAs. The Old Charges say that ''every |
N Hera 81 ought to belong TO some LODGE
N even y He right aud privilege of every Mason, |
n ola T :, A. rs and Z. C.'s, to be a member
guaraotge and assist In the work, is fully /
" perstinLt and ex pressed-yet it In not inn |
N Win. n !. on any to become 50 against his |
N The us ~ y not sine qua non of Masonry
WIN ought does not express or convey |