The expression which is put in capitals—­“provided always that the old landmarks be carefully preserved”—­is the limiting clause which must be steadily borne in mind, whenever we attempt to enumerate the powers of a Grand Lodge.  It must never be forgotten (in the words of another regulation, adopted in 1723, and incorporated in the ritual of installation), that “it is not in the power of any man, or body of men, to make any alteration or innovation in the body of Masonry.”

“With these views to limit us, the powers of a Grand Lodge may be enumerated in the language which has been adopted in the modern constitutions of England, and which seem to us, after a careful comparison, to be as comprehensive and correct as any that we have been able to examine.  This enumeration is in the following language: 

“In the Grand Lodge, alone, resides the power of enacting laws and regulations for the permanent government of the craft, and of altering, repealing, and abrogating them, always taking care that the ancient landmarks of the order are preserved.  The Grand Lodge has also the inherent power of investigating, regulating, and deciding all matters relative to the craft, or to particular lodges, or to individual Brothers, which it may exercise either of itself, or by such delegated authority, as in its wisdom and discretion it may appoint; but in the Grand Lodge alone resides the power of erasing lodges, and expelling Brethren from the craft, a power which it ought not to delegate to any subordinate authority in England.”

In this enumeration we discover the existence of three distinct classes of powers:—­1, a legislative power; 2, a judicial power; and 3, an executive power.  Each of these will occupy a separate section.

Section II.

Of the Legislative Power of a Grand Lodge.

In the passage already quoted from the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England it is said, “in the Grand Lodge, alone, resides the power of enacting laws and regulations for the government of the craft, and of altering, repealing, and abrogating them.”  General regulations for the government of the whole craft throughout the world can no longer be enacted by a Grand Lodge.  The multiplication of these bodies, since the year 1717, has so divided the supremacy that no regulation now enacted can have the force and authority of those adopted by the Grand Lodge of England in 1721, and which now constitute a part of the fundamental law of Masonry, and as such are unchangeable by any modern Grand Lodge.

Any Grand Lodge may, however, enact local laws for the direction of its own special affairs, and has also the prerogative of enacting the regulations which are to govern all its subordinates and the craft generally in its own jurisdiction.  From this legislative power, which belongs exclusively to the Grand Lodge, it follows that no subordinate lodge can make any new bye-laws, nor alter its old ones, without the approval and confirmation of the Grand Lodge.  Hence, the rules and regulations of every lodge are inoperative until they are submitted to and approved by the Grand Lodge.  The confirmation of that body is the enacting clause; and, therefore, strictly speaking, it may be said that the subordinates only propose the bye-laws, and the Grand Lodge enacts them.