E. H. ADDINGTON

OF FREEMASONRY IN LOUISIANA. 39
all York, French and Scotch Rite lodges in the State,§ with a written
notice, to be signed by the Grand Master and the committee, that the new
code would be strictly enforced on and after the above date.
This code of General Regulations consists of 384 articles; a more complicated
document was never penned, and its provisions are conflicting and
contradictory. A large portion of the code is devoted to forms, ceremonies,
and the honors to be paid to the Grand Officers, etc., and is borrowed from
the Scotch Rite, but its chief object was to subvert the system of Masonic
government which had existed from the formation of the Grand Lodge.
For this reason its principle provisions require notice:
Art. 6 declares "there exists for all symbolic lodges in this State but one
centre of Masonic authority, under the denomination of the Grand Lodge
of the State of Louisiana;" and by Arts. 30 and 34, the Masters and Wardens
of the subordinate lodges, on their installation, were obligated to obey
the general regulations and bear true allegiance to the Grand Lodge, "tha
only law-giver and regulator of symbolic lodges in this State."
Under the section entitled "Of the Organization of the Grand Lodge,"
the perpetuation in power of the city life members is carefully provided
for. Art. 200 reads as follows:
The Grand Lodge is composed: 1st. Of all those who are actually
members of it. 2d. Of all the Past Masters of the lodges of the jurisdiction,
when they are active members of one of the lodges meeting in New
Orleans, who are alone entitled to be placed upon the register as members
of the Grand Lodge.
It is also composed: 1st. Of the W. Masters of the lodges of the jurisdiction.
2d. Of the Wardens of the lodges meeting in New Orleans, during
the year they are in office. 3d. Of the representatives of the other lodges
during the year for which they are appointed, when borne upon the Tableau,
but only as representatives of their respective lodges.
This article gives the members (the Past Masters of the city lodges) the
entire control of the Grand Lodge, which is further provided for in the
chapter entitled "Of the Manner of Conducting the Work:"
Art. 261 declares that the Grand Lodge cannot be opened unless seven
•members are present, and that the "work" is to be conducted in conformity
with the usages and customs of the York Rite.
Arts 1 . 262 and 263 relates to the positions of the Grand Officers, etc., in
the Grand Lodge.
Art. 264 provides that when a motion, or proposition, is seconded, it must
be submitted to the Grand Lodge, and either decided, postponed, or referred,
before any other business can be taken up. But the right to vote belonged
exclusively to the members, as is shown by
A*rt. 265. All questions, or propositions, are decided by a majority vote
of the members present; each member of the Grand Lodge having a vote, but
the Grand Master, or any other Grand Officer presiding, has the casting vote,
when the number of votes is found to be equal; in all other cases, the Grand
Master, or the officer presiding, has but one vote, as the other members of
the Grand Lodge.*
§ In December, 1832, there were 20 lodges in Louisiana under the jurisdiction of the
Grand Lodge, of which 6 were located in New Orleans, and 14 in the country parishes;
the 3 Scotch arid 3 French Rite lodges in New Orleans, increased the number of lodges
in the state to 26.
•In case of a ballot three had to be taken before the Grand 1 Master was entitled
to the casting TOte. Art. 302 provides that "in all deliberations where a ballot
becomes indispensable, if upon the first and second ballots the votes are equally
divided, a third takes place, and ij the votes are again equally divided he has a
double vote, but in no other case."