Your committee have recast the article, and herewith present it in the form of a new article, entitled Article 4th; embracing the subject of trials, to be substituted for the present regulations. Having thus briefly stated their views upon this important matter, your committee respectfully commend them to the careful consideration of the Grand Lodge. TRACY P. CHEEVER, EDWIN WRIGHT, WARREN B. ELLIS, JOHN H. ROBERTS, Committee. PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE IV. OF THE GRAND CONSTITUTIONS. ARTICLE IV.. TRIALS, SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS. SECTION I. The Grand Master shall annually appoint a Board of five members of the Grand Lodge, to be styled the Commissioners of Trials. The first named of said Board shall be the president and recording officer thereof, and three members shall constitute a quorum. Whenever a member of a Lodge, or a Brother under this jurisdiction shall be accused of any offence, which, if proved, would subject him to expulsion or suspension from the rights and privileges of Masonry, the proceedings in the premises shall be conducted agreeably to the following rules: 1. The accusation shall be made in writing, with specifications of the offence, under the signature of a Master Mason, and given in charge to the President of the Board, who, under direction of the Board, shall cause the accused to be served with an attested copy of the charges, together with a summons to appear within twenty days from the date of said summons, and make such answer to the charges as he may desire. Such appearance may be made in person before the President, or by filing an answer in writing with the President. If the residence of the accused be out of the Commonwealth, or unknown, the commissioners may proceed to examine the charges ex parte; but if known, and out of the Commonwealth, a summons shall be sent him, by mail or otherwise, sixty days, at least, before the time appointed for his appearance. The service and the return thereof shall be according to regulations to be made by the commissioners, and when so made, shall be conclusive. 2. The examination of the charges shall be had at some convenient place and time, to be designated by the commissioners, of which due notice shall be given, and no visitors shall be admitted, except as counsel or witnesses. Unless otherwise ordered by the commissioners, the testimony may be taken by the President, who shall reduce the same to writing, to be submitted to the Board. Witnesses, if Masons, shall testify on their honor as such. Other witnesses shall be duly sworn before their testimony is taken. 3. Any Brother may appear as counsel in support of, or in opposition to, the charges, before the President during the taking of the testimony, and before the commissioners in the argument of the cause. 4. A full record of the proceedings in each case shall be made by the President, to be transmitted to the Recording Grand Secretary, by him to be placed on file. A succinct report of each case shall also be made, embracing in substance the action of the commissioners thereon, including the sentence, if any, imposed upon the respondent, which, if approved, shall stand as the judgment of the Grand Lodge. The finding of the commissioners shall be conclusive as to matters of fact, but their doings in other respects, in each case tried before them, shall be subject to correction or review by the Grand Lodge, who may order a new trial, or otherwise dispose of the case. SECTION II. Any five members of a Lodge, or the District Deputy Grand Master, may impeach the Master of said Lodge before the Grand Master, who shall order an investigation of the charges; and if, in his opinion, they are well founded and of a character to justify the proceeding, he may suspend the delinquent and summon him to appear before the commissioners for trial. The foregoing rules, as far as the same shall be applicable, shall be observed in the trial of a Master of a Lodge before the commissioners. SECTION III. The President of the commissioners shall receive for his services and for necessary expenses in each case, such compensation as the Grand Master shall determine and allow, upon the certificate and recommendation of the commissioners therein. SECTION IV. Whenever a complaint against a member of a Lodge shall be presented to the commissioners, the Lodge of which he is a member shall, prior to the time appointed for the trial of the complaint, deposit with the President of the Board the sum of fifty dollars toward defraying the expenses of such trial, unless otherwise ordered by the Grand Master. In case of complaints against unaffiliated Masons, the commissioners shall make such order in regard to the expenses of the trial as they shall deem just. SECTION V. An expulsion or suspension of a Brother from a Royal Arch Chapter or a Commandery of Knights Templars, shall not operate as an expulsion or suspension from Masonry, or from the Lodge of which he is a member. SECTION VI. No Lodge under this jurisdiction shall expel or suspend a member from the rights of Masonry. The report was accepted, and the proposed amendment referred to R.W. William S. Gardner, Sereno D. Nickerson and Edward Avery. The Committee on Ritual presented their report on the work and lectures of the third degree; and on motion of R.W. Henry Chickering the report was unanimously adopted as the ritual of this Grand Lodge for the work and lectures of the third degree. Voted, That the Committee on Ritual be continued until further ordered by the Grand Lodge. Voted, That the Committee on Ritual be instructed to consider the propriety of preparing a Masonic Trestle Board for the use of the Lodges in this jurisdiction. Voted, That the Committee on Ritual be instructed to communicate (orally) the work and lectures of the three degrees as now adopted by the Grand Lodge, to the Grand Lecturers, and to such other officers of the Grand Lodge and Masters of Lodges as may apply for the same. The committee to whom had been referred the proposed amendments to the Grand Constitutions, submitted their report as follows: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON AMENDMENTS TO THE GRAND CONSTITUTIONS. IN THE GRAND LODGE, June 9, 1875. To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge : — The committee, to whom certain amendments to the Grand Constitutions were referred at the last Quarterly Communication, respectfully report as the result of their deliberations : That while the committee favor the design of the proposition to amend Section 17, Article VIII., Part I., in lieu of the present form of the proposition, they submit the following amendment: Amend Part I., Article VIII., Section 17, by striking out the words, "before the Grand Lodge, on the Thursday following the Annual Communication in December in each year," and substitute therefor the words "at such times and in such places as the Grand Master shall direct," and by making such minor changes in the phraseology that the section will then read, "Three Past Masters shall be annually appointed Grand Lecturers, whose duty it shall be to exemplify, for the benefit of the Brethren generally, the work and lectures of the several degrees at such times and in such places as the Grand Master shall direct." In the judgment of the committee, the proposed amendment to Section 10, Article VIII., Part I., ought not to pass. The adoption of the amendment recommended by the committee will afford ample opportunity for the District Deputy Grand Masters to hold exemplifications of the work and lectures of the degrees without any actual compulsion, which would be found at times positively inexpedient and burdensome. The committee recommend the adoption of the proposition to amend Part I., Article II., Section 1, by changing the rank of the Grand Officers after W. Grand Marshal, so as to conform to the following order: — 14. W. Grand Lecturers. 15. W. Senior Grand Deacon. 18. W. Grand Sword-Bearer. |