No. 22. Supercedure Of Wardens
Decision: The Master of a lodge cannot supersede a Warden by appointing a Deputy to preside over the lodge in the Master's absence: such power is only in the Grand Master or Grand Lodge.
General Regulations, Article II, Sec. 2.2.13. May 18, 1847. (Van Slyck, GM)
No. 23. Trials And Member-Lodge Relationship
Decision: That the action of the Grand Lodge granting a new trial leaves a brother's relationship to his lodge as it was previous to his trial by the lodge.
General Regulations, Article IV, Sec. 2.4.3. May 17, 1847. (Van Slyck, GM)
No. 24. Withdrawing From Freemasonry
Decision: It is not within the power of any Mason, or any body of Masons, to voluntarily withdraw from Freemasonry.
Constitution, Article VII, Sec. 1.7.3. November 16, 1874. (Morton, GM)
No. 25. Reimbursement For Relief
Decision: A Lodge of Masons contributing to the relief of a distressed sojourning Mason, has no right to demand reimbursement from the lodge of which such distressed sojourning Mason is a member.
General Regulations, Article II, Sec. 2.2.6. November 16, 1874. (Morton, GM)
No. 26. Blank Ballots At Election Of Officers
Decision: Upon the question as to what disposition should be made of a blank ballot found in the box at an election of officers? I decided that a blank piece of paper had no value, expressed no choice, and should be thrown out before the vote was declared.
Constitution, Article VII, Sec. 1.7.4. May 15, 1882. (Freeman, GM)
No. 27. Minimum Required To Confer Degrees
Decision: Upon the question as to whether the second degree could be conferred when only six brethren were present? I replied that while I should think it advisable under such circumstances to postpone work, yet I was not aware of any regulation of this Grand Lodge or in the General Regulations of Freemasonry that would forbid it. That while it required seven members of a lodge to ballot for initiation or membership, yet according to the old rituals three Master Masons could open a Lodge of Master Masons, for work, provided they possessed the necessary constitutional qualifications.
Constitution, Article VII, Sec. 1.7.19. May 15, 1882. (Freeman, GM)
No. 29. Resident With Foreign Degrees
Decision: A person who while absent in foreign country received the degrees, upon his return to this jurisdiction desire to visit a lodge. I decided that he could not be allowed to visit, and that the brethren must not hold Masonic intercourse with him. Afterwards he desired to affiliate with the lodge, and I authorized the Master, if he was satisfied that the person referred to was ignorant of our regulations, and innocent of any attempt to contravene them, to examine him, and if he was satisfied that he had been made in a regular lodge, and had the proper vouchers, to receive his application for membership in the usual way, and admit him upon a unanimous ballot, and the payment of the regular fee.
Constitution, Article VII, Sec. 1.7.20. May 15, 1882. (Freeman, GM)
General Regulations, Article II, Sec. 2.2.3.
General Regulations, Article II, Sec. 2.2.7.
No. 30. Determining The Validity Of Objections
Decision: Objecting to profanes becoming members of the lodge, when the names of the persons objected to are not before the lodge, is not an objection within the meaning of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge; to be a valid objection it should be made personally, either to the Master, or to the lodge when open in due form, because an objection can have no weight unless made after a ballot has been taken and found to be clear, and no objection can be valid previous to the action of the lodge.
Constitution, Article VII, Sec. 1.7.21. May 15, 1882. (Freeman, GM)
