and hope itself ceased to exist-and when closed, every Brother should take care that it is done in a Masonic spirit and according to Masonic form. In a Masonic spirit, because personal prejudices and resentments should never be permitted to operate at the ballot box. In a Masonic form, so that right may be done according to the Land-marks of the Order, and the banished Brother feel that no part of its rules has been violated, that justice swayed in all and crowned the whole. That Brother received notice is not denied by him, but he objects, that he did not receive Masonic notice; and here the Committee agrees with him. The objection may be looked upon as technical, if such a term can be known to Masonry; still he is entitled to the benefit of it. Nor can the Committee deny it to him-for to yield here would be to introduce a precedent that might be hurtful hereafter. 9 The Masonic Institution, substantially one of Charity, is strengthened by forms; these constitute the chain which has kept it together in times past, and must continue to preserve it in all time to come. Let but one link be broken, and who can tell how far that chain may be unravelled. The duty of a Brother to attend the summons of his Lodge is not denied; nor can any Mason, having a proper sense of such duty, fail to obey it. What constitutes that summons is another question, and here the Committee wish to be explicit. The Master of a Lodge cannot, of his own motion, summon a Brother-this must be done by the action of the Lodge itself, upon a motion made, seconded, and adopted. What is the evidence of such action? A copy of the resolution under the seal of the Lodge, signed by the Master and attested by the Secretary. This is the true Masonic evidence. A summons so prepared, and duly served, would be a regular summons. Here the Lodge had a seal, but it was not attached, nor does it appear from the notice served by the Secretary and signed by him alone, that he referred to any resolution of the Lodge, calling upon Brother to appear before it. Indeed, from a careful examination of their report, it does not appear that such a resolution, in form was passed, and without it there could not have been any regular Masonic summons served upon the Brother. The Lodge, in the opinion of the Committee on the report of its Committee of Investigation, should have adopted a resolution, summoning the Brother to appear at a certain time before that Committee or the Lodge, caused a copy of the same, signed by the Master, and attested by the Secretary under the seal of the Lodge, to be served upon the Brother, and on proof of such service, and the Brother failing to appear, to have proceeded to his expulsion. All this may be looked upon as form, but it is form having deliberation and justice in view. It is intended to give every opportunity to the accused to explain, modify, defend, or justify, as his case requires. As in a criminal proceeding, the forms of law are never overlooked, however gross may be the crime of the offender, so in Masonic action, the rules of the Craft should be scrupulously observed, deeply committed as a Brother may have been in his violations of the duties of the Order. Better, far better in every case, that the offending party should escape, than that fixed and settled principles should be made to yield, that he might be punished and disgraced. The Committee observe, too, that while the original charges against the Brother were for unmasonic conduct, the resolution for expelling him states, that his contemptuous treatment of the Lodge, subsequently to the presentation of those charges, is one of the causes of his expulsion. Of this the Brother certainly had no notice, as will appear from a perusal of the Secretary's communication. The Lodge therefore expelled him for an act which was not regularly made a charge against him by any Brother, and which he had no opportunity of explaining away, and in this particular were certainly wrong, admitting that they had observed every form in regard to the original accusations and proceedings thereon. The Committee, therefore, offer the following resolutions: set aside and annulled, it appearing upon the face of the record of the said Lodge, and by production of the notice, to which exception has been taken by the said Brother, That he was not summoned to appear, answer, and defend the charges preferred against him, according to Masonic usage and custom, and the Land-marks of the Order. Resolved, That the Grand Secretary be directed to furnish a copy of the Report of the Committee and the resolutions attached thereto, duly authenticated, Lodge, No. to Respectfully submitted. at ANNUAL GRAND COMMUNICATION. Held December 27, 1871 (A. L. 5871). The following resolution was adopted, viz.: Resolved, That no Lodge located beyond the City of Philadelphia shall initiate a resident of said City for a less sum than is required to be charged by Lodges located in said City. INDEX то CEREMONIALS, FORMS, AND DECISIONS OF GRAND LODGE. ANCIENT CHARGES, to Master on his installation,. APPLICATION, for initiation and membership, form of, for initiation and membership after rejection, form of, petition for permission to make, for membership, BURIAL SERVICE, in Lodge, at the grave of a deceased brother, 166 to representative near another Grand Lodge, to a brother after his restoration to good Masonic standing, of Grand Lodge to a member, 196 of R. W. G. M. at the conclusion of constituting a new Lodge, .. 177 or certificate to representative near another Grand Lodge, or deputation to visit Lodges, to a District Deputy Grand Master, COMMITTEE, 199 196 CORNER-STONE, (See Ceremonies, Masonic Hall, Invocation, Public Buildings.) a Lodge has a right to summons for installation or any other pur- 217 relative to conducting elections, and impropriety of admitting 217 referring-petitions for remission of dues to Committe on Finance, 219 relative to charges against a brother who has received only the relative to persons rejected in this jurisdiction, and initiated in 223 members of Lodges to rise on the entrance of Grand Officers, |