lodge, asking to enter or seeking for assistance, he is to be met in the light of a profane.  He may knock, but the door must not be opened—­he may ask, but he is not to receive.  The work of the lodge is not to be shared by those who have thrown aside their aprons and their implements, and abandoned the labors of the Temple—­the funds of the lodge are to be distributed only among these who are aiding, by their individual contributions, to the formation of similar funds in other lodges.

But from the well-known and universally-admitted maxim of “once a Mason, and always a Mason,” it follows that a demitted Brother cannot by such demission divest himself of all his masonic responsibilities to his Brethren, nor be deprived of their correlative responsibility to him.  An unaffiliated Mason is still bound by certain obligations, of which he cannot, under any circumstances, divest himself, and by similar obligations are the fraternity bound to him.  These relate to the duties of secrecy and of aid in the imminent hour of peril.  Of the first of these there can be no doubt; and as to the last, the words of the precept directing it leaves us no option; nor is it a time when the G.H.S. of D. is thrown out to inquire into the condition of the party.

Speaking on this subject, Brother Albert Pike, in his report to the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, says “if a person appeals to us as a Mason in imminent peril, or such pressing need that we have not time to inquire into his worthiness, then, lest we might refuse to relieve and aid a worthy Brother, we must not stop to inquire as to anything.”  But I do not think that the learned Brother has put the case in the strongest light.  It is not alone “lest we might refuse to relieve and aid a worthy Brother,” that we are in cases of “imminent peril” to make no pause for deliberation.  But it is because we are bound by our highest obligations at all times, and to all Masons, to give that aid when duly called for.

I may, then, after this somewhat protracted discussion, briefly recapitulate the position, the rights and the responsibilities of an unaffiliated Mason as follows: 

1.  An unaffiliated Mason is still bound by all his masonic duties and obligations, excepting those connected with the organization of the lodge.

2.  He has a right to aid in imminent peril when he asks for that aid in the proper and conventional way.

3.  He loses the right to receive pecuniary relief.

4.  He loses the general right to visit[95] lodges, or to walk in masonic processions.

5.  He loses the right of masonic burial.

6.  He still remains subject to the government of the Order, and may be tried and punished for any offense as an affiliated Mason would be, by the lodge within whose geographical jurisdiction he resides.

Book Fourth.

Of Masonic Crimes and Punishments.