Page:Manual of the Lodge.pdf/269

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224
GENERAL REGULATIONS.

the Wardens of that Lodge, or any other brethren he pleaseth to attend and act as his Wardens pro tempore.

II. The Master of a particular Lodge has the right and authority of congregating the members of his Lodge into a Chapter at pleasure, upon any emergency or occurrence, as well as to appoint the time and place of their usual forming; and in case of sickness, death, or necessary absence of the Master, the Senior Warden shall act as Master pro tempore, if no brother is present who has been Master of that Lodge before; for in that case the absent Master's authority reverts to the last Master then present; though he can not act until the said Senior Warden has once congregated the Lodge, or, in his absence, the Junior Warden.

III. The Master of each particular Lodge, or one of the Wardens, or some other brother by his order, shall keep a book containing their by-laws, the names of their members, with a list of all the Lodges in town, and the usual times and places of their forming, and all their transactions that are proper to be written.

IV. No Lodge shall make more than five new brethren at one time, nor any man under the age of twenty-five, who must be also his own master; unless by a dispensation from the Grand Master or his Deputy.

V. No man can be made or admitted a member of a particular Lodge without previous notice one month before given to the said Lodge, in order to make due inquiry into the reputation and capacity of the candidate, unless by the dispensation aforesaid.

VI. But no man can be entered a brother in any particular Lodge, or admitted to be a member thereof, without the unanimous consent of all the members of that Lodge then present when the candidate is proposed, and their consent is formally asked by the Master; and they are to signify their consent or dissent in their own prudent way, either virtually or in form, but with unanimity: nor is this inherent privilege subject to a dispensation; because the members of a particular Lodge are the best judges of it; and if a fractions member should be imposed on them, it might spoil their harmony or hinder their freedom,