VI. A Lodge has the right to elect its officers. It

is a Landmark of the Order that every Lodge should be governed by a Master and two Wardens, and that the secrecy of its labors should be secured by a tiler. These officers it is the inherent right of every Lodge to select for itself, and that right has never been surrendered to the Grand Lodge, and therefore is still vested in the Lodges, under such regulations as may from time to time be adopted. The other officers have been the creation of Grand Lodge regulations, and they vary in name and functions in different countries. But whatever may be the nature of the offices, the power of selecting the office-bearers is always vested in the Lodges. There is no law now in existence, nor ever was, which gives the Grand Lodge the power of selecting the officers of one of its subordinates
* There is no limit, except convenience, to the number of members of which a Lodge may consist. Dalcho says that, " more than fifty, when they can attend regularly, as the rules of the craft require, are generally found inconvenient for working to advantage." — Ahiman Iiezon, 1822, p. 40, I do not understand his objection, as no matter what may be the number of members present, only a certain portion of them can take a part in the labors of the Lodge. Dalcho's estimate, however, exceeds the usual limit in this country ; for, taking the Masonic population of ten States Lt random, namely, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Indiana, I find that the average population of each Lodge in seven of them falls below fifty members, the average of the T?hole ten being only forty-five members to a Lodge.
324 POWERS OF LODGES WORKING
But the mode and time, and many other circum- stances incidental to the election, are regulated by the Grand Lodge ; and this apparent interference with the rights of the Lodges has been wisely con- ceded, that strict uniformity in Lodge organization may exist in each jurisdiction, so far as its own limits extend. These regulations respecting the officers of subordinate Lodges will be the special subject of consideration in the following chapter.