candidates one or both of the former wardens, or to nominate new ones; and the two brethren, who have the majority of votes or ballots, are declared duly elect ed.

SECTION 5.-OF THE GRAND SECRETARY AND HIS DUTIES.

The office of grand secretary, is one of the most important in the masonic society. All the transactions of the grand lodge, are to be duly recorded by him. All petitions, applications, and appeals, must pass through his hands. No warrant, certificate, or instrument of writing from the grand lodge, is considered as authentic, without his attestation and signature, and his affixing the grand seal as the laws require. The general correspondence with lodges and brethren, over the whole world, is to be managed by him, agreeably to the voice of the grand lodge, and directions of the grand master or his deputy, whom he must, therefore, always be ready to attend with the books of the lodge, in order to give all necessary information concerping the state of masonry in general, and of what is necessary to be done on any emergency.

For these reasons, at every annual election, or appointment of grand officers, the nomination or appointment of the grand secretary, has been considered as the right of the grand master, to whom he acts as an amanuensis, and is fully as necessary as his deputy. It is, therefore, held under the old regulations which yet stand unrepealed, that if the grand lodge should disapprove, either of the deputy grand master or grand secretary, they cannot disannul their appointment, without choosing a new grand master, by which all his appointments will be rendered void. This is a case, however, which hath very seldom happened, in any part of the

world, and while brethren continue to be actuated by the benevolent principles of masonry, there will be little necessity for any provisions to guard against such a contingency.

son;

The grand secretary is, ex efficio, a member of the grand lodge, and may appoint an assistant or clerk. Such assistant or clerk, however, must be a master mabut he is not considered as a member of the grand lodge, nor allowed to speak to any question without permission, unless he have otherwise a right by having passed the chair in the grand, or some regular private lodge.

SECTION 6.- OF THE ELECTION AND OFFICE OF GRAND

TREASURER,

The grand treasurer is elected by the grand lodge, in the same manner as the grand wardens, and is considered as an officer peculiarly responsible to all the members in due form assembled; since he is entrusted with the charge of their common stock and property. To him is committed the care of all money raised for the general charity, and for other incidental expenses of the grand lodge, of all which he is to keep a regular account, and specify the respective uses to which the several sums have been appropriated. He is likewise to pay out or expend the same, agreeably to such orders, as the rules of the grand lodge shall allow to be valid.

The grand treasurer is, ex efficio, a member of the grand lodge. He may appoint an assistant or clerk, who must have attained, at least, the degree of a master mason; but such person so appointed, shall have no vote, nor liberty of speaking without permission, unless he be otherwise entitled to a seat or vote.

The grand treasurer or his clerk, shall be present at eyery meeting of the grand lodge, and be ready to attend

he grand master, &c. with his books for inspection, when required; and likewise, the meetings of any committee, which may be appointed to adjust and examine bis accounts.

SECTION 7.-OF THE GRAND TYLER AND GRAND PUR

SUIVANT.

Both these officers must be master masons; but neither of them being members of the grand lodge, has a right to speak upon any subject, which may be under discussion, without permission. The grand tyler's duty, is to guard the door on the outside, to see that none enter, except members, and to summon the members to assemble, when directed by the proper officers of the 'lodge.

The duty of the pursuivant, is to stand at the inward side of the door, and report the names and titles of all who desire admittance, as reported to him by the tyler. He is also to deliver messages, and perform sundry other services, which are known only in the lodge.

The grand deacons, whose duty is well known in the grand lodge, as particular assistants to the grand master and senior warden, in conducting the business of the odge, are always members of the same; and may be either nominated occasionally on every lodge night, or appointed annually by the grand master, or presiding officer.

SECTION 8.-GENERAL RULES FOR CONDUCTING THE BUSINESS OF THE GRAND LODGE, IN CASE OF THE ABSENCE OF ANY OF THE GRAND OFFICERS.

If the grand master be absent from any meeting of the

grand lodge, his deputy takes the chair; in the absence of both, the senior grand warden, and in case that he should likewise be absent, the junior grand warden presides. All grand officers, present and past, take place of every master of a private lodge, and the present grand officers have precedence of all past grand officers. Nevertheless, any of them may wave their privilege, in honour of any eminent brother and past master, whom the lodge may be willing to place in the chair, on some particular occasion.

If neither the present, nor past grand officers should attend at any grand lodge, duly summoned, the master of the senior private lodge, who may be present, is to take the chair, although there may be masters of lodges, who are older masons than he. But to prevent any altercation, the grand master, when he finds that he must necessarily be absent from any grand lodge, usually gives a special commission under his hand and seal, countersigned by the grand secretary, to the senior grand warden, or in his absence, to the junior, or in case of the absence of both, to any other grand officer, or particular master of a private lodge, past or present, to supply his place, if the deputy grand master be necessarily absent.

But if there be no special commission, the general. rule of precedence is, that the junior warden supplies the place of the senior in his absence, and if both be absent, the oldest former grand wardens take place immediately, and act as grand wardens pro tempore, unless they should wave their privilege.

When neither the grand wardens of the present, nor of any former year, are in company, the grand master, or he who legally presides in his stead, selects such brother as he deems best qualified to act as deputy grand master and grand wardens pro tempore; although the U

preference is generally given to the master, or past master, of the oldest lodge present. The presiding officer has the further privilege of appointing a secretary, or any other grand officer, if neither the stated officers nor their deputies be present; it being a standing rule, that the business of the grand lodge must never be suspended for want of officers.

In case of the death of a grand master, the same order of succession and precedency is to take place, as is above mentioned, until a new grand master be duly chosen and installed.

Those who may serve as officers in the grand lodge, may be again chosen officers of private lodges; but this does not deprive them of any of the privileges, to which, as former grand officers, they were entitled; only that a former grand officer, being the officer of a private lodge, must depute a past officer of his particular lodge, to act for him in the grand lodge, when he assumes his former rank in the same,

SECTION 9.-OF GRAND VISITATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS ANNUAL FESTIVALS, &C.

The grand master with his deputy, the grand wardens and grand secretary, shall, if possible, annually visit all the lodges under his jurisdiction; or when this laudable duty becomes impracticable, from the extent of his jurisdiction he shall as often as may b be necessary, and annually, if possible, appoint visitors of different districts, composed of his officers, and such other assistants as he may think proper, who shall report their proceedings to the grand lodge, agreeably to such instructions as may be given them.

When the grand master and his deputy are both absent, the senior or junior grand warden may preside as deputy in this general visitation er in constituting new