Thus a blind man has been initiated in Mississippi, and a one-armed one in Kentucky; and in France a few years since, the degrees were conferred by sign-language on a deaf mute! [65] Namely, the incorrectly presumed operative origin of the Order.

The whole of this report, which is from the venerable Giles F.Yates, contains an able and unanswerable defense of the ancient law in opposition to any qualification.
[66] See proceedings of New York, 1848, pp.

36, 37.
[67] Such is the formula prescribed by the Constitutions of England as well as all the Monitors in this country.
[68] See Mackey's Lexicon of Freemasonry, 3d Edit., art, _Ballot_.
[69] Book of Constitutions.Edit.1755, p.

312.
[70] See Mackey's Lexicon of Freemasonry, 3d Edit., art.

_Ballot_ [71] Except when there is but one black ball, in which case the matter lies over until the next stated meeting.