THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

same district, were deemed constitutional.[34] But in 1718, a year
after
the formation of the Grand Lodge of England, this power of meeting _ad
libitum_ was resigned into the hands of that body, and it was then
agreed
that no lodges should thereafter meet, unless authorized so to do by a
warrant from the Grand Master, and with the consent of the Grand Lodge.
But as a memorial that this abandonment of the ancient right was
entirely
voluntary, it was at the same time resolved that this inherent
privilege
should continue to be enjoyed by the four old lodges who formed the
Grand
Lodge. And, still more effectually to secure the reserved rights of the
lodges, it was also solemnly determined, that while the Grand Lodge
possesses the inherent right of making new regulations for the good of
the
fraternity, provided that the _old landmarks be carefully preserved_,
yet
that these regulations, to be of force, must be proposed and agreed to
at
the third quarterly communication preceding the annual grand feast, and
submitted to the perusal of all the Brethren, in writing, even of the
youngest entered apprentice; "_the approbation and consent of the
majority
of all the Brethren present being absolutely necessary, to make the
same
binding and obligatory_."[35]
The corollary from all this is clear. All the rights, powers, and
privileges, not conceded, by express enactment of the fraternity, to
the
Grand Lodge, have been reserved to themselves. Subordinate lodges are
the
assemblies of the craft in their primary capacity, and the Grand Lodge
is
the Supreme Masonic Tribunal, only because it consists of and is
constituted by a representation of these primary assemblies. And,
therefore, as every act of the Grand Lodge is an act of the whole
fraternity thus represented, each new regulation that may be made is
not
an assumption of authority on the part of the Grand Lodge, but a new
concession on the part of the subordinate lodges.
This doctrine of the reserved rights of the lodges is very important,
and
should never be forgotten, because it affords much aid in the decision
of
many obscure points of masonic jurisprudence. The rule is, that any
doubtful power exists and is inherent in the subordinate lodges, unless
there is an express regulation conferring it on the Grand Lodge. With
this
preliminary view, we may proceed to investigate the nature and extent
of
these reserved powers of the subordinate lodges.