XII. The Grand Lodge consists of, and is formed by the

Masters and Wardens of all the regular particular Lodges upon record, with the Grand Master at their head, and his Deputy on his left hand, and the Grand Wardens in their proper places ; and must have a Quarterly Communication about Michaelmas, Christmas and Lady-day, in some conven- ient place, as the Grand Master shall appoint, where no Brother shall be present who is not at that time a member thereof without a dispensation; and while he stays, he shall not be allowed to vote, nor even give his opinion, without leave of the Grand Lodge asked and given, or unless it be duly asked by the said Lodge.
All matters are to be determined in the Grand Lodge by a majority of votes, each member having one vote, and the Grand Master having two votes, unless the said Lodge leav*»
THE WRITTEN LAW. 69
any particular thing to the determination of the Grand Mas- ter for the sake of expedition.
XIII, At the said Quarterly Communication, all matters that concern the Fraternity in general, or particular Lodges, or single brethren, are quietly, sedately and maturely to be dis- coursed of and transacted ; Apprentices must be admitted Masters and Fellow Crafts only here * unless by a dispensa- tion. Here also all differences, that cannot be made up and accommodated privately, nor by a particular Lodge, are to bo seriously considered and decided ; and if any Brother thinks himself aggrieved by the decision of this Board, he may appeal to the Annual Grand Lodge next ensuing, and leave his appeal in writing with the Grand Master, or his Deputy, or the Grand Wardens. Here also the Master or the Wardens of each particular Lodge shall bring and pro- duce a list of such members as have been made, or even admitted in their particular Lodges since the last Communi- cation of the Grand Lodge ; and there shall be a book kept by the Grand Master, or his Deputy, or rather by some Brother whom the Grand Lodge shall appoint for Secretary, wherein shall be recorded all the Lodges, with their usual times and places of forming, and the names of all the mem- bers of each Lodge ; and all the affairs of the Grand Lodge that are proper to be written.
They shall also consider of the most prudent and effectual methods of collecting and disposing of what money shall be given to, or lodged with them in charity, towards the relief only of any true Brother fallen into poverty or decay, but of none else ; but every particular Lodge shall dispose of their own charity for poor brethren, according to their own by-
* This is an important Regulation, the subsequent alteration of which, by universal consent, renders many of the Old Regulations inapplicable to the present condition of Masonry. For whereas formerly Entered Apprentices constituted the general body of the Craft, now it is composed altogether of Master Masons ; hence many Regulations, formerly applicable to Apprentices, can now only be interpreted as referring to Master Masons.
70 THE WRITTEN LAW.
laws, until it be agreed by all the Lodges (in a new regula- tion) to carry in the charity collected by them to the Grand Lodge, at the Quarterly or Annual Communication, in order to make a common stock of it, for the more handsome relief of poor brethren.
They shall also appoint a Treasurer, a Brother of good worldly substance, who shall be a member of the Grand Lodge by virtue of his office, and shall be always present, and have power to move to the Grand Lodge any thing, especially what concerns his office. To him shall be com- mitted all money raised for charity, or for any other use of the Grand Lodge, which he shall write down in a book, with the respective ends and uses for which the several sums are intended ; and shall expend or disburse the same by such a certain order signed, as the Grand Lodge shall afterwards agree to in a new Regulation ; but he shall not vote in choos- ing a Grand Master or Yfardens, though in every other trans- action. As in like manner the Secretary shall be a member of the Grand Lodge by virtue of his office, and vote in every tiling except in choosing a Grand Master or Wardens.
The Treasurer and Secretary shall have each a clerk, who must be a Brother and Fellow-Craft,* but never must be a member of the Grand Lodge, nor speak without being allowed or desired.
The Grand Master or his Deputy shall always command the Treasurer and Secretary, with their clerks and books, in order to see how matters go on, and to know what is expe- dient to be done upon any emergent occasion.
Another Brother (who must be a Fellow-Craft) * should be appointed to look after the door of the Grand Lodge ; but shall be no member of it. But these offices may be further ex- plained by a new Regulation, when the necessity and expedi- ency of them may more appear than at present to the fraternity.
* Of course, in consequence of the change made in the character of the Dody of the Fraternity, alluded to in the last note, these officers must now be Master Masons.
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XIY. If at any Grand Lodge, stated or occasional, quarterly or annual, the Grand Master and his Deputy shouid be both absent, then the present Master of a Lodge, that lias been the longest a Freemason, shall take the chair, and preside as Grand Master pro tempore;* and shall be vested with ail his power and honor for the time ; provided there is no Brother present that has been Grand Master formerly, or Deputy Grand Master ; for the last Grand Master present, or else the last Deputy present, should always of right take place in the absence of the present Grand Master and his Deputy.