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

Master is by the obligations of his office and the superintendence of
the
Grand Lodge, while the placing in the hands of the craft so powerful,
and,
with bad spirits, so annoying a privilege as that of immediate appeal,
would necessarily tend to impair the energies and lessen the dignity of
the Master, at the same time that it would be totally subversive of
that
spirit of strict discipline which pervades every part of the
institution,
and to which it is mainly indebted for its prosperity and perpetuity.
In every case where a member supposes himself to be aggrieved by the
decision of the Master, he should make his appeal to the Grand Lodge.
It is scarcely necessary to add, that a Warden or Past Master,
presiding
in the absence of the Master, assumes for the time all the rights and
prerogatives of the Master.
Section III.
_Of the Mode of Taking the Question._
The question in Masonry is not taken _viva voce_ or by "aye" and "nay."
This should always be done by "a show of hands." The regulation on this
subject was adopted not later than the year 1754, at which time the
Book
of Constitutions was revised, "and the necessary alterations and
additions
made, consistent with the laws and rules of Masonry," and accordingly,
in
the edition published in the following year, the regulation is laid
down
in these words--"The opinions or votes of the members are always to be
signified by each holding up one of his hands: which uplifted hands the
Grand Wardens are to count; unless the number of hands be so unequal as
to
render the counting useless. Nor should any other kind of division be
ever
admitted among Masons."[53]
Calling for the yeas and nays has been almost universally condemned as
an
unmasonic practice, nor should any Master allow it to be resorted to in
his lodge.
Moving the "previous question," a parliamentary invention for stopping
all
discussion, is still more at variance with the liberal and harmonious
spirit which should distinguish masonic debates, and is, therefore,
never
to be permitted in a lodge.