roe Lodge No. 77, September 5, 1881; George H. Peck, John Dove Lodge No. 78, August 19, 1881; Thomas Johnson, Malta Lodge No. 80, March 4, 1881; B. W. Dalgarn, Malta Lodge No. 80, February 23, 1881.

A memorial page, as directed by the Grand Lodge, is thus inscribed :

"To keep forever green the memory of Albert Gallatin Mackey, a distinguished masonic scholar, author and jurist, this page is inscribed, by order of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia."

Upon the next page of the proceedings there is a biographical sketch of the masonic life and labors of the lamented Bro. Mackey, written by R. W. Ira G. Berry, Grand Secrotary of the Grand Lodge of Maine.

APPENDIX.

DIGEST OF DECISIONS.

In the following digest, the substance of the decisions of Grand Masters and Committees on Masonic Jurisprudence approved by the Grand Lodge, is presented. The decisions are arranged in chronological order, and the name of the Grand Master appended. "C. J." refers to the regular Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence for the year named. Amendments of the first Constitution of the Grand Lodge were adopted in 1867 and in succeeding years, and a new Constitution, making radical changes, was adopted in 1876. The Constitution of 1876, with the slight change made in 1878 is still the law of the Masonic Fraternity in West Virginia and is hereto appended.

It is not expedient for Masons to hold joint occupancy of Lodge rooms with Sons of Temperance, Good Templars, Odd Fellows, or any similar society.

A Lodge has the right to try a suspended Mason on a new charge for unmasonic conduct, and expel him, if the offense be of a character to justify such punishment.

After a petition for initiation has been received and road, it cannot be withdrawn under any circumstances, but a ballot must be had in all cases.

No petition for initiation or membership can be received or acted upon except at a stated meeting of the Lodge.

To form and open a Lodge, and to make Masons after the "ancient form and manner of the Craft and not otherwise" is all the power granted by a Dispensation.

A Lodge may be "called off" from time to time in the same day or evening; but it is irregular to "call off" from one day to another.

No brother can be Master of a Lodge unless he has served as Warden. If he has received the degree of Past Master in a Chapter, it is not necessary for him to receive it again before being installed as Master.

All candidates for advancement must be examined in open Lodge.

It is not proper to confer degrees upon more than one candidate at the same time.

One negative ballot is sufficient to reject a petitioner for membership.

There is no authority whatever that. can compel a Lodge, against its will, to admit a petitioner for membership.

No business can be transacted at a special commmunication, except the special business for which the Lodge was convened.

No Lodge or Master of a Lodge has any right to declare the case of a candidate for initiation to be one of emergency. That power is vested in the Grand Master alone.

BATES, 1867.

When charges are preferred against a Mason, any Master Mason can be a witness and his testimony is to be taken on his honor as a Mason, in open Lodge; the testimony of other witnesses, not Masons, should be had by the committee, the said witnesses being first placed under oath by some legally authorized officer.

When a Mason has been suspended for non-payment of dues he cannot be charged with dues during the period of such suspension.

When a Mason has been suspended for a definite period, the Lodge has the power to reinstate him before the expiration of the period named, but only with the consent of the brethren who were present when the punishment was inflicted.

C. J., 1869.

Resolved, That this Grand Lodge cordially approves the course pursued by the M. W. Grand Master in rejecting all applications for dispensations to confer degrees in less time than is required by the General Regulations, except where the petitioners are engaged in the naval or military service.

C. J., 1870.

A civil engineer whose duties require him to be temporarily at various points, is within the jurisdiction of the Lodge where he "makes his home" and such Lodge may receive and ballot upon his petition.

Objection made to the initiation of a candidate, even after a clear ballot, stops further proceedings, and the degree cannot be conferred until the objection is disposed of. A second ballot in such a case is not admissible.

A Lodge under dispensation cannot affiliate members, nor is it proper for such a Lodge to exact dues.

E. A. or F. C. not being Master Masons are not entitled to the rights and privileges which Master Masons enjoy-for instance, that of Masonic burial-neither have they a right to ballot upon the proficiency or eligibility of a candidate; nor are they eligible to membership in any Lodge; yet, on the other hand, they are amenable to the Lodge within whose jurisdic

tion they reside or sojourn, for unmasonic conduct, and subject to discipline. It is generally held that a Lodge making an E. A. or F. C. shall finish the work which it has begun; but should circumstances arise in which one, having taken either one or two degrees and not the remainder, changes his residence, a Lodge into whose jurisdiction he may remove with the intention of remaining as a resident, can, after the party has remained the time prescribed by the By-Laws, and petitions for the remainder of the degrees, confer them upon him; the Lodge intending to confer the degrees must, however, obtain the consent in writing of the Lodge which conferred the previous degrees.

A Lodge U. D. can claim no rights except those which have been granted in its dispensation—that is, to initiate, pass and raise.

It is not essentially necessary that the Master of a Lodge U. D. should be a Past Master.

C. J. 1871.

A brother under suspension for non-payment of dues can be tried under charges of unmasonic conduct. He cannot appear in the Lodge during his trial, except by his attorney, who must of course be a Master Mason. He can, however, appear before a committee.

A brother who had lost his right leg (after he was made a Master Mason) was elected Master of his Lodge. The question of his eligibility having been referred to me, was decided in the negative.*

A brother has the right to object to the advancement of a candidate, even after a ballot has been taken and found clear. Such objection may be made in open Lodge, or may be made privately to the Master, and for a time estops the advancement of the candidate. In such cases, charges should be preferred against the candidate and trial proceeded with as in case of charges against a Master Mason, except that the candidate cannot appear in the Lodge during his trial. He may appear, bowever, before a committee, or by attorney before the Lodge.

It does not require a unanimous vote to receive a petition, a majority vote is sufficient.

A Lodge cannot discipline a member for refusing to pay a special or extraordinary assessment for building or other purposes, unless the brother consented to such assesssment at the time it was made or subsequently.

A Lodge is not justified in granting a dimit to a brother under charges. Charges may be brought after a dimit is ordered by vote of the Lodge, and if the dimit has not been delivered it

*This decision was dissented from by the Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence in cases where the loss had been so supplied by mechanical aids as to enable the party to conform in all respects to the ritual, but ilie Grand Lodge sustained the decision as above.