The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-09-22

:
il appear that he is actually a member of a
regular Lodge" Such, says the Grand
Master, was the construction put upon this
masonic law by the oldest Lodge in Ameri-
ca over century ago. and adds an unafiili-
ated Mason was cut of from all the rights
and privileges of the Order. This ron
qUitur- The construction placed on the old
law was in my opinion the only proper one
that could be determined on at that or this
time. Non afiiliated Mas0ns were denied
the use 0 f privileges to which they were not
entitled, but the refusal TO allow them to sit
in the Lodge did not cut them off from all
the rights aud privileges OF the Order. If
that were the case. 1t would justify an in
ference that Masonry was only to be found
within the walls of Subordinate Lodge
But lille they were refused admittance as
VISITORS, they were not suspended or expell-
ed, and II Is by those sentences alone that
Mason can be cut off from all the rights and
! benefits of the Order. They were left in the
full enjoyment of those general rights and
privileges which are Inherent in every Ma
son, and which are independent of SubOr-
dinate Lodges except in cases of unmasonie
conduct. Should it be asked what they are,
1 | will answer now by asking in what man
| ner was Masonry disseminated? how was it
carried into foreign countries? how has il
spread over the whole face of the globe 1t
| " AS not carried by Lodges. How then, if
not by virtue Ofrights and privileges vested
in Masons, each one individually, and equal,
and independent of local associations or or
'"
| be specified in proper place. 1t is seen
| that the right of Withdrawing or dimitting
has always been conceded and is now prac-
! ticed in England; aud by reference to the
| custom handed down by the oldest Lodge in
America, aud now practiced in Massachu-
sets. it will be found that members have
| the right to dimit at pleasure and remain
unatiiliated, and that even when they are
/ DISTINGUISHED or excluded from the Lodge
! for delinquency, their general privileges as
! Masons remain mpaired.-(See NJ. Mag.
Vii. /, p. 200)
am not advocating. nor do | approve,
the practice of remaining unatfiliated. |
believe with the Old Charges, that every
Brother ought to belong to Lodge. My
practice bears me out in this assertion. |
was made in Benevolent Lodge, No. "a, at
Jerusalem, Va, in 1924, in which | held
membership until | left the State; and in
1882 Joined the Lodge in this place, and my
membership has not ceased day, and | ex-
pect 70 remain working member rs long
as | may be able to attend. But there has
been so much written and said or the sub
iect of non-affiliated Masons and their rights
that the practice was unconstitutional and
unmasonic, aud they unworthy, &C., that l
could not resist the inclination which sliced
me on reading your article to answer your
inquiry and to point to the hole in the wall
through which SO many have escaped and
passed out, that it may be inspected, exam |
iBed, 10 see whether it is an unlawful breach |
or If it is not, in fact, door, left open for |
eGfeS>. Bear With me awhile, Bro. MOTIFS, /
beg yOu--this subject cannot be disposed |
of a word. | Will be as brief as the sub |
ject will admit. The opinion prevails gen. |
orally, especially among that class of Ma |
sons that the general privileges OF the Or /
der which they possess, independent of local |
Lodge benefits, extend far beyond the /
real legitimate limits-consequently many |
are content to remain unaffiliated, especial |
ly as the Lodges generally grant them all |
the benefits they desire to enjoy, and, as that /
is the case, their condition is infinitely bet
ter than that of Lodge members. Now,
where is the fault? Not so much with them
as with the Lodges and Grand Lodges
We are all prone to accept and enjoy all the /
benefits bestowed on us. But this is a mat
ter for the Grand Lodges to settle within
their respective Jurisdictions. Let them
take the matter in hand, investigate their
claims, add specify the particular rights and
privileges to which they are entitled in
their general relation to the fraternity, in
dependent of Lodge membership, and draw
the line distinctly between the general rights
and privileges of the Order and the special
benefits accruing from the local compact of
Lodge membership, and require their Sub
ordinates to enforce compliance-that is, to
refuse them any participation in any bene-
fits to which they are entitled. The Grand
Lodge possesses the right TO exclude them
from the benefits arising from a special
compact under their jurisdiction, but may
not restrict or interfere with those of gem
eral character. The difference between the
rights anu Claims OF nO1-dIHIi3Ieu MdSO0S |
and members is very great, and it requires
only that it should be properly and distinct
ly denied and made known by the proper
authority, to drive that class of drones from
the nest in which they now so quietly and
cOntentedly repoSe, and cause them TO ask
for a participation in those benefits which
they prize most highly, to seek for afilia-
ton aud knock again at the door of the
Lodge for admission.
If you will pardon the presumption,
viii specify what | consider to be the rela-
tive positions of the two classes. On adj
mission into fraternity, secrets are entrust-
ed to the Brother which are safely locked up
in the breast Of every good Mason. Their
appropriate use is to distinguish our Breth-
rem. of every nation, and kindred, and
nation are recognized as Brethren and
thereby entitled to privileges which
the world can never enjoy in common. In
the language of distinguished Brother
found. Are you Free and Accepted Ma
son. you have home in every country, and
a friend and a benefactOr in every worthy
Brother throughout the whole fraternity
Are you driven to a returnlesS distance, or
cast on the shores of a foreign land, the
hand of brother is there extended to allie
viate your wants, to animate your sinking
spirits or console your agOnized mind Do
you fall into the mereiless hands of the I'M
Turks, even there the shackles of
slavery are broken from your hands
through the interposition of a Brother. Do
you meet an enemy in battle array, the to-
ken of "a Brother Mason instantly converts
him into a guardian angel. Even the
bloody flag of the pirate is changed to the
olive branch OF Ieace by the mysterious
token of a Mason. The language of Ma
son is universally understood by all tie /:
Brotherhood wheresoeVer found. 1t speaks '
to the heart, is answered from the heart,
and excite such feelings as mingle in kin
bred souls. Wherevera Mason may sOjourn,
he may be found, whether in pros
perity or adversely, on throne or in dun
geon, the same interchange of feeling and ,
affection, and union Of hearts,
exists in every country and In every nation
the door of every Lodge opens to welcome
his admission and every hand presents a ,
pledge of brotherly affection" The above ,
are the benefits arising from knowledge OF
the secrets of the Order, and the right to use
hem. The right to make himself known as
/ Mason wherever he may chance to be !
placed. and of receiving and enjoying any !
ind all benefits which might in consequence
be bestowed on him, was vested in him on
ais admission into the fraternity. That of
speaking to his Brethren "by that hero
,lyphic sign which none butICraftSmen ever
Know" and knowing that besides the COM {
non ties of humanity he had still stronger !
claims on his affections and kind offices, is a
privilege OF which he cannot be Invested ex- :
.ept for gross unmaSonic conduct in the
manner peculiar to the order.
Now, while a member of Lodge enjoys !
All the benefits and rights, and claims above
specified, he by the association with his
Brethren in their special compact of Lodge !
membership becomes entitled to additional |
ghts and claims which are most dear to {
very good Mason, viz; That of .assoeiatlng !
It stated and other meetings IN social and
masonic intercourse with the favored few
of visiting any Lodge as often as inelina-