SECTION IV.

THE SECRETARY.
The Secretary, like the Treasurer, is only a business officer of the Lodge, having nothing to do in the ritualistic labors. The charge which he re«
SECRETARY. 381
leiv-es at his installation into office, as it is given by Preston, Webb, and Cross,* notwithstanding they all differ, does not contain a full summary of his duties, which are very extensive. I am inclined to think that the usage of the craft is at fault in mak- ing the Treasurer the senior officer, for I think it will be found that the duties and labors of the Secretary are not only more onerous, but far more important to the interests of the institution.
The Secretary acts, in his relation to the Lodge, in a threefold capacity. He is its recording, cor- responding, and collecting agent.
As the recording agent of the Lodge, it is his duty to keep a minute of all the proceedings, except such as are of an esoteric character, and which the peculiar constitution of our society forbids him to commit to paper. After these minutes have been approved and confirmed, it is his duty to transfer them to a permanent record book. It is also his duty, whenever called upon, to furnish the Grand Master or the Grand Lodge with a fair transcript of any portion of his records that may be required. As the recording agent, he is also expected to fur-
* " It is your duty to record the minutes and issue out the summonses for the regular meetings." — Preston, p. 79.
" It is your duty to observe the Worshipful Master's will and pleasure, to record the proceedings of the Lodge, to receive all moneys, and pay them into the hands of the Treasurer." — Webb, p. 104.
" It is your duty to observe all the proceedings of the Lodge ; make a fair record of all things proper to be written ; to receive all moneys due the Lodge, and pay them over to" the Treasurer, and take his receipt for the same." — Cross, p. 76.
It will be observed that the words of Cross agree more closely than the others with the ritual in general use at the present time in this country.
382 SECRETARY.
nisli, at every communication of the Lodge, a state- ment of the unfinished business which is to be called up for action.
As the corresponding agent of the Lodge, he re- ceives and reads all communications which have been addressed to the Lodge, and replies to them, under the directions of the Lodge or the Master, whenever any action has been taken upon them. He also issues all summonses for special or stated communications. This duty, particularly in refer- ence to the stated communications, is sometimes improperly neglected. Every Mason is entitled to a summons, either verbal or written, to every meet- ing of his Lodge. The Secretary is also the proper officer to make out the returns to the Grand Lodge, and to communicate to it, through the Grand Se- cretary, notices of rejections, suspensions and ex- pulsions. He is, in fact, the organ of communication between his Lodge and the Grand Lodge, as well as all other Masonic bodies. He affixes his signa- ture and the seal of the Lodge to all demits, diplo- mas, and other documents which the Lodge may direct. For this purpose he is the keeper of the seal of the Lodge, and is also the proper custodian of its archives-."
As the collecting agent of the Lodge, he keeps the accounts between itself and its members, re- ceives all dues for quarterage, and all fees for initia- tion, passing and raising ; and after making an
* He combines the duties of Secretary with those of Archivist and Kcepe? of the Seals, to be found in the French and many German Lodges.
SECRETARY. 383
entry of the sums and the occasions on which they were paid, he transfers the money forthwith to the Treasurer, and takes his receipt. In this way each of these officers is a check upon the other, and a comparison of their books will enable the Lodge at any time to detect the errors of either.
The books and accounts of the Secretary, like those of the Treasurer, should be examined at least once a year by a committee appointed by the Lodge, and they should be at all times ready for the in- spection of the Master.
It is customary in many Lodges, on account of the numerous and often severe duties of the Secre- tary, to exempt him from the payment of annual dues, and sometimes even to give him a stated salary. I see no objection to this, for he does not thereby cease to be a contributor to the support of the insti- tution. His contribution, though not in the form of money, is in that of valuable services.*
The office of Secretary, like that of Treasurer, can only be vacated by death or expulsion, when a new election may be ordered under the Grand Mas- ter's dispensation. It must "be remembered that nothing can be done in Masonry out of the regular time appointed by law, unless the proper authority disjjenses, for that particular occasion, with the operation of the law.
* It is very properly maintained as a principle that no Mason should re- ceive pecuniary compensation for his services in the work of Masonry. But the Secretary is the only officer in the Lodge, except the Tiler, whose labora in Masonry do not cease when the Lodge is closed. Nearly all of his work is unconnected with the ritual, and much of it is done during the recess of the Lodge.
384 DEACONS.