19. W. Grand Standard-Bearer. 20. W. Grand Pursuivants. Respectfully submitted. The report was accepted. SAMUEL C. LAWRENCE, L. CUSHING KIMBALL, Committee. The recommendation of the committee to amend Part I., Article II., Section 1, was adopted by a unanimous vote. The amendment of Part I., Article VIII., Section 17, proposed by the committee as a substitute for the amendment which had been referred to them, was referred to R.W. William S. Gardner, Sereno D. Nickerson and Edward Avery. R.W. John McClellan moved that five hundred dollars ($500) be appropriated for charitable purposes, to be disbursed by the Committee on Charity, and the motion prevailed. Grand Master Bassett, of Kansas, before retiring from the Grand Lodge, spoke of the pleasure he had enjoyed in being present at this Communication of the Grand Lodge, and commended the methods of business and character of the work he had witnessed. He was conducted from the hall with due honor, the Brethren all rising. The Committee on By-Laws made report, which was accepted, and the recommendations adopted. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON BY-LAWS. IN GRAND LODGE, BOSTON, June 9, 1875. To the Most Worshipful Grand Master and Members: The full codes submitted by Mount Moriah Lodge, of Westfield, have received the careful attention of the committee, and many changes have been made to bring them in accord with the Constitutions and regulations of the M.W. Grand Lodge. These changes have been made after consultation with officers or representatives of the several Lodges, and are acceptable to them. None of the codes contain description of seal, as required by regulations of the Grand Lodge. With the changes made by the committee, and description of seal being furnished, we recommend the approval of the five full codes. In conclusion, the committee cannot refrain from calling the attention of the Lodges and members of the Craft, having in charge the preparation of full codes or amendments to By-Laws, to the regulations relating to By-Laws adopted by the M.W. Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Meeting in June, 1873. Careful conformity to those regulations will save much trouble to the Lodge and the examining committee. Fraternally submitted, WILLIAM F. SALMON, THOMAS W. DAVIS, Committee. The committee to whom was referred a communication relating to Masonic insurance, submitted the following report : REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MASONIC INSURANCE. BOSTON, June 8, 1875. To the M. W. Grand Master and members of the M. W. Grand Lodge of Massachusetts: At the last Quarterly Meeting, the undersigned were appointed a Committee to consider the following petition : To the M. W. Grand Lodge of Massachusetts : — The undersigned respectfully petitions that the M.W. Grand Lodge consider the expediency of recognizing, and regulating, or exercising a suitable supervision over such co-operative Life Insurance Associations as have been, or may be, established within the body of Freemasonry, and the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge, for the purpose of ensuring a better protection of the rights of individual Brethren, who may unite themselves therewith. BENJAMIN POPE, Prest. of Eastern Mass. Mutual Relief Association. In the discharge of our duty we have given the petitioner a hearing, and have carefully considered the subject in all its bearings. We find that the Legislature of Massachusett by actss, passed in 1874 and 1875, evidently attempted to provide security by law for associations of the character mentioned, and that there is nothing in the Constitutions of this M.W. Grand Lodge to prevent Masonic Mutual Relief Associations from availing themselves of the provisions of said acts. We also find that our Grand Constitutions provide ample protection for Masons in their several relations to the Craft in general, to particular Lodges, or to individual Brothers. We therefore report that it is inexpedient to take further action on the petition. Fraternally submitted, WILLIAM F. SALMON, ELIJAH W. BURR, CHARLES D. ANNABLE, Committee. The report was accepted. The committee to whom was referred the appeal of Brother Albert F. Kelley from the ruling of the W. Master of John Cutler Lodge, in the case set forth in the appeal, made report. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON THE APPEAL OF A. F. KELLEY. IN GRAND LODGE, June 9, 1875. The committee to whom was referred the appeal of Brother A. F. Kelley from the ruling of the W.M. of John Cutler Lodge, have attended to that duty, and find the circumstances to be the following: — John Mann, 3d, was proposed for the degrees April 27, 1874. A committee of investigation was appointed, and every member of the Lodge was notified that John Mann, 3d, was to be balloted for. The committee reported favorably, May 25th, and he was elected. June 29th, objections were made in writing by a member, to the effect that, "if there had been a full meeting of the Lodge the candidate could not have been elected;" also, "that a majority of the members are opposed to Mr. Mann's receiving the degrees," and asking that a new ballot be ordered. The W.M. appointed a committee of three to investigate the objections, and July 27th a majority of the committee reported that the objections were not sustained. The Lodge voted to accept this report. At a meeting held three months later, Oct, 19th, the W.M. ordered a new ballot. Brother Kelley moved that the first three officers of the Lodge be a committee to present the case to the Grand Lodge, and ask for a decision. The W.M. declared the motion out of order. A ballot was taken and John Mann, 3d, was declared rejected. These are the facts. The committee feel that, although a candidate should be stopped at any time in his progress in Masonry, if sufficient cause is shown, and that the burden of proof should rest upon the candidate, and not upon the Lodge, in all cases, still that a candidate for the degrees has some rights which a Lodge is bound to respect. The committee consider that these fundamental principles of Masonic law and usage were fully satisfied by the appointment of this second committee of investigation, and that their report when accepted by the Lodge should be final, and that a second ballot was a violation of Masonic law, especially under the circumstances which followed. That the only effect it could have was to give an individual an opportunity to attain his purpose by the blackball, which he could not or would not obtain by a statement of facts before the second committee of investigation. |