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

proper to give a determinate period to what was before indeterminate,
and
to declare that on such a day the suspension shall cease, and the
offender
be restored. In a case of this kind, action on the part of the lodge is
necessary to effect a restoration.
Such a sentence being intended to last indefinitely--that is to say,
during the pleasure of the lodge--may, I conceive, be reversed at any
legal time, and the individual restored by a mere majority vote the of
lodge. Some authorities think a vote of two-thirds necessary; but I see
no
reason why a lodge may not, in this as in other cases, reverse its
decision by a vote of a simple majority. The Ancient Constitutions are
completely silent on this and all its kindred points; and, therefore,
where a Grand Lodge has made no local regulation on the subject, we
must
be guided by the principles of reason and analogy, both of which direct
us
to the conclusion that a lodge may express its will, in matters
unregulated by the Constitutions, through the vote of a majority.
But the restoration of an expelled Mason requires a different action.
By
expulsion, as I have already said, all connection with the Order is
completely severed. The individual expelled ceases to be a Mason, so
far
as respects the exercise of any masonic rights or privileges. His
restoration to the Order is, therefore, equivalent to the admission of
a
profane. Having ceased on his expulsion to be a member of the lodge
which
had expelled him, his restoration would be the admission of a new
member.
The expelled Mason and the uninitiated candidate are to be placed on
the
same footing--both are equally unconnected with the institution--the
one
having never been in it, and the other having been completely
discharged
from it.
The rule for the admission of new members, as laid down in the Thirtynine
Regulations, seems to me, therefore, to be applicable in this case; and
hence, I conceive that to reverse a sentence of expulsion and to
restore
an expelled Mason will require as unanimous a vote as that which is
necessary on a ballot for initiation.
Every action taken by a lodge for restoration must be done at a stated
communication and after due notice, that if any member should have good
and sufficient reasons to urge against the restoration, he may have an
opportunity to present them.
In conclusion, the Grand Lodge may restore a suspended or expelled
Mason,