FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91  
92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>   >|  
on," a parliamentary invention for stopping all discussion, is still more at variance with the liberal and harmonious spirit which should distinguish masonic debates, and is, therefore, never to be permitted in a lodge. Section IV. _Of Adjournments._ Adjournment is a term not recognized in Masonry. There are but two ways in which the communication of a lodge can be terminated; and these are either by _closing_ the lodge, or by _calling from labor to refreshment_. In the former case the business of the communication is finally disposed of until the next communication; in the latter the lodge is still supposed to be open and may resume its labors at any time indicated by the Master. But both the time of closing the lodge and of calling it from labor to refreshment is to be determined by the absolute will and the free judgment of the Worshipful Master, to whom alone is intrusted the care of "setting the craft to work, and giving them wholesome instruction for labor." He alone is responsible to the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge, that his lodge shall be opened, continued, and closed in harmony; and as it is by his "will and pleasure" only that it is opened, so is it by his "will and pleasure" only that it can be closed. Any attempt, therefore, on the part of the lodge to entertain a motion for adjournment would be an infringement of this prerogative of the Master. Such a motion is, therefore, always out of order, and cannot be; and cannot be acted on. The rule that a lodge cannot adjourn, but remain in session until closed by the Master, derives an authoritative sanction also from the following clause in the fifth of the Old Charges. "All Masons employed shall meekly receive their wages without murmuring or mutiny, _and not desert the Master till the work is finished_." Section V. _Of the Appointment of Committees._ It is the prerogative of the Master to appoint all Committees, unless by a special resolution provision has been made that a committee shall otherwise be appointed. The Master is also, _ex officio_, chairman of every committee which he chooses to attend, although he may not originally have been named a member of such committee. But he may, if he chooses, waive this privilege; yet he may, at any time during the session of the committee, reassume his inherent prerogative of governing the craft at all times when in his presence, and therefore take the chair. Section VI.
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91  
92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Master

 

committee

 

Section

 
communication
 
prerogative
 

closed

 
calling
 

Committees

 

refreshment

 

session


motion
 

pleasure

 

opened

 

chooses

 

closing

 
privilege
 

Charges

 

Masons

 

clause

 
reassume

inherent

 
presence
 

adjourn

 

governing

 

employed

 

authoritative

 

derives

 
remain
 

sanction

 

receive


special

 

resolution

 

chairman

 

appoint

 

provision

 

appointed

 

officio

 

Appointment

 

murmuring

 

meekly


mutiny

 

attend

 

finished

 

originally

 

desert

 

member

 
terminated
 

Masonry

 

Adjournment

 

recognized