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SECTION V.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATE.

A strict, though private and impartial inquiry will be made into your character and ability, before you can be admitted into any lodge; and by the established rules of the order, (from which there is never any deviation) no friend who may wish to propose you can show you any favor in this respect. But if you have a friend who is a Mason, and is in every way satisfied in these various points and particulars, his next step is described in

SECTION VI.

OF PROPOSING CANDIDATES.“

Any individual desirous of being made a Free Mason, shall be proposed by a member of the lodge he intends to join, who shall present a petition signed by the candidate, stating his age, profession, and residence, and any other requisitions which may be enjoined by the rules of the Grand Lodges under whose jurisdiction the lodge is held. It is required that such petition be recommended by two Master Masons, also members of said lodge, who ought to be personally acquainted with the candidate, or at least know enough about him to give a fair statement to any questions which any member of the lodge may propound to them. Such proposal shall always take place at a stated lodge night, and during lodge hours,* at least one month prior to initiation, in order that all present may have sufficient time and opportunity to make a strict inquiry into the

* From 25th March to 25th Sept., between the hours of 7 and 10. 25th Sept. to 25th March,

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morals, character, and circumstances of the candidate; for which purpose a special committee is usually appointed; although standing committees in some lodges have charge of all such petitions. It is to be regretted that in some lodges this custom prevails: it ought universally to be abolished, strict justice and impartiality require it. The recommending brethren are always excluded from such committees, in order that the investigation shall be just and impartial

The brother who proposes a candidate, shall at the same time deposit such a sum of money as the by-laws of the particular lodge may require, which is forfeited to the lodge. if the candidate should not attend, according to his proposal, within a certain time, as stipulated by the by-laws, but is invariably to be returned to him, if he should not be approved or elected. In case of his approval or election, he is to pay, in addition to the deposit money, such further sum as the by-laws of the lodge require.

Having shown that a strict scrutiny will be made into your character, justice requires that you should also be advised to be alike circumspect on your side, and to make inquiry into the character of the lodge and its members, for there is no excellence without its opposite.

SECTION VII.

THE CANDIDATE.

Although I have partially explained the tenor of this section, in the General Regulations, page 51, justice to the candidate requires that he should be put in full possession of his rights and privileges.

In the first place, he has a right before admission, to desire his friend who proposed him to show him the warrant by whose authority the lodge is held, as also the list of the members, and perusal of the by-laws, by which he

is to judge for himself whether he thinks proper to associate with them, and submit to be conformable to the bylaws. Being thus free to judge for himself, he may either withdraw, or if he thinks proper to continue the primary steps taken for his admission, he will find that he has no cause of regret of having been admitted into a society where he will meet with men of honor, be exercised in all the offices of brotherly love, and be made acquainted with mysteries which it is not my province here to describe, but which can be obtained by any brother who has the prescribed requisitions, and will pay due attention to the lectures which are explained in the lodge. He also ought to reflect in his own mind whether he could conscientiously subscribe the following queries, which in some lodges is required to be given before admission, signed by the candidate in presence of two witnesses.

“I, A. B., do seriously declare, upon my honour, that unbiassed by friends, and uninfluenced by unworthy motives, I freely and voluntarily offer myself a candidate for the mysteries of Free Masonry; that I am solely prompted by a favourable opinion preconceived of the institution, a desire of knowledge, and a sincere wish to render myself serviceable to my fellow creatures; and that I will cheerfully conform to the established rules and customs of the order.

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Having in the foregoing chapter treated as briefly as possible of the temper and qualifications of those who wish to become free and accepted Masons, I shall now proceed to collect and digest the regulations of a Lodge and its go

vernment.

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CHAPTER II.

OF A LODGE AND ITS GOVERNMENT.

SECTION I.

OF A LODGE.

A LODGE is a place where Masons congregate and work; the assembly of such a body of Masons is called a Lodge, just as the word church or chapel is expressive both of the congregation of people, and of the place in which they meet for worship, and every brother ought to belong to one, and to be subject to its particular by-laws, and the rules of the G. L. under whose jurisdiction it is situated. In ancient times, no brother could absent himself, especially when summoned to attend, without incurring a censure, until he could satisfy the Lodge that pure necessity, and not neglect, had been the cause of his absence.

SECTION II.

OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS IN GENERAL.

A Lodge ought to assemble for work at least once in every calendar month, or as often as the by-laws of each particular Lodge require; and must consist of one Master, two Wardens, Secretary, Treasurer, two Deacons, two Stewards, a Tyler, and as many members as the majority of the Lodge from time to time think proper; although more than forty or fifty, when they can attend regularly, are generally found inconvenient for working to advantage; and therefore, when a lodge comes to be thus numerous, some of the ablest master workmen, and others under their

direction, will obtain leave to separate, and apply to the Grand Lodge for a warrant to work by themselves, in order to the further advancement of the order. But such warrant cannot be granted to any number of Masons, nor can a new Lodge be formed, unless there be among them three Master Masons, to be nominated and installed officers, for. governing and instructing the brethren of such Lodge, and promoting them in due time according to merit.

SECTION III.

OF THE MASTER, HIS ELECTION, OFFICE AND DUTY.

Preferment among Masons depends on real worth and personal merit only, in order that the society may be well served, and the ancient order maintained.

No brother should be elected to serve as master or presiding officer, until he has first served a Lodge in the capacity of Warden; unless in extraordinary cases, or when a new Lodge is formed, and no Pastmaster or former Wardens can be found among them. But three Master Masons, although they have not served in any offices, may, if well skilled in the art, be constituted Master and Wardens of such new Lodge, or of any old Lodge, in such cases as laid down by the rules and regulations of the Grand Lodge, under whose jurisdiction they are; it is a duty incumbent on the presiding officer, and in fact of every subordinate officer and member, to qualify themselves thoroughly for the offices they are called upon to fill, or to the work entrusted to them.

The Master of the Lodge shall be annually chosen by ballot,* on a stated meeting, of which each member ought

* In some Countries the election takes place semi-annually, the rules of the G. L. and by-laws of the Lodge generally regulate this matter.

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