THE BUILDER NOVEMBER 1919

DEMIT OR DIMIT

We have been asked which form of this word is correct and why. Some
Masons use one form and some another, while still others use either
form without distinction. The leading dictionaries of the English
language are not in all respects uniform in their definitions of
these words, nor are they necessarily in conflict except as to some
unimportant details. These dictionaries are the Oxford in England,
and the Standard and Webster's New International in this country.
To these we might also add the Century and Worcester, though the
last named is now considered out of date. In order to avoid a one-
sided view of the subject we will consider what all these
dictionaries have to say about these words and their derivatives,
insofar as they have an application to Masonry. Therefore,
consulting these dictionaries we find that the verb "digit" is
given by the Century and Standard with the meaning, to dismiss, to
permit to go, to send away. It is given as obsolete but with the
same definition by the Oxford and Worcester, and it is not given at
all by Webster. The verb "demit" is given as obsolete by Worcester,
but all the others give it as a living word with the meaning to
resign, to give up, to lay down, (as an office, etc.).

The noun "dimit" is given by the Century as meaning a dimissory
letter, written permission to leave a lodge. The Standard gives it
with the same meaning, but marks it obsolete. None of the others
give it at all. The noun "demit" is given by the Standard and
Webster as meaning a letter of recommendation given a person
removing from one Masonic lodge to another; a letter, certificate,
or the like, certifying that a person has (honorably) demitted, as
from a Masonic lodge. The other dictionaries do not give it at all.

The noun "dimission" is given as obsolete by all the dictionaries
here quoted, but they all give the noun "demission" with the
meaning, a relinquishment, a resignation, etc.

Consolidating these definitions and assuming for the present that
we should recognize as valid a definition given as such by any one
of these dictionaries, we find that:

The verb "dimit" means to dismiss, to permit to go, etc.

The verb "demit" means to resign, to relinquish, etc.

Thus it would be incorrect to say "a brother dimits from a lodge"
since he does not dismiss or grant permission to go. The correct
word is "demit" in this case, since he resigns or relinquishes
membership. If the lodge had the right to accept or reject his
resignation, to grant or refuse him permission to go it might be
correct to say the lodge dimitted the brother. If, however, the
lodge has no option, but must grant the request of the brother, if
he is in good standing, it cannot be said that they permit him to
go. They cannot permit what they cannot refuse. The power to permit
implies also the power to refuse. A man cannot prevent the sun from
rising or setting and therefore cannot permit it. The sun does not
rise by reason of any such permission nor is a brother's right to
demit dependent on a permission granted by his lodge. In most
jurisdictions the only eases in which the lodge has an option in
the dismissal of a member is when he has been found guilty of
unmasonic conduct, and such dismissal is called expulsion.

The noun "dimit" is a written permission to leave a lodge and if
valid at all can apply only in cases where the lodge has the right
to grant or refuse such permission at its option. The noun "demit"
is "a letter, certificate or the like certifying that a person has
(honorably) demitted, as from a Masonic lodge." This correctly
describes the fact and should therefore be the proper word to use.
The definition given by the Standard also includes the definition
given by the Century for the word "dimit" and implies that under
either definition the word should be spelled "demit."

The fact that the word "dimission" is given as obsolete by all
these dictionaries and the word "demission" is given as valid by
all is further evidence that the best and most consistent usage is
to use the correlative verb and noun "demit" rather than "dimit."

When we consult Masonic authorities we find more diversity of
opinion and practice, but here also the weight of authority is in
favor of "demit" rather than "dimit." In England the word "dimit"
has never been used at all. Anderson's Constitutions, where the
word is used at all, gives it "demit." Dr. Oliver uses "demit" in
his Dictionary. The Proceedings of the Ars Quatuor Coronati Lodge
gives it "demit." The same thing is true of other English Masonic
writers. I have never seen the word "dimit" used by English writers
and even "demit" is now obsolete among English Masons. They use the
word "resign" and "resignation" instead. In this country the word
"demit" has been constantly used though not universally as in
England. In the English editions of Dermott's Ahiman Rezon as
published in 1756 and subsequently, the word is given "demit." The
same is true of the American editions, though in some the word '
resignation" takes its place. According to Mackey the word "dimit"
was not used in America prior to 1860, and he calls its use "a
modern, American, and wholly indefensible corruption of the
technical word 'demit."' He also says "A Mason demits from his
lodge: he resigns. He takes out his demit; he asks for and receives
an acceptance of his resignation."

The American authorities usually cited to establish the validity of
word "dimit" are Lockwood's "Masonic Law and Practice," Chase's
"Digest of Masonic Law," Drummond's "Maine Masonic Text Book" and
Macoy's "Cyclopedia." On investigating the references to these
works, I find that Lockwood defines a "dimit" as the effect of a
majority vote granting the "dimission." This is certainly something
entirely different from the present idea of a demit and would not
apply to a ease where the lodge had no vote. It also loses sight of
the fact that all the dictionaries now give "dimission" as
obsolete. Drummond also makes the demit depend upon a vote of the
lodge granting it. Chase uses "demit" instead of "dimit" and I
cannot understand why he should have been cited as giving "dimit."
Macoy defines "dimit" as a withdrawal from membership, which is
contrary to the universally accepted definition of this form of the
word. He also says that the word "dimit" is from the Latin
"dimitto" meaning "I permit to go." This is true, and the word
"dimit" derived from it, if valid at all is "a permission to go"
not "a withdrawal."

Much confusion has been caused by a misconception of the derivation
of these words. It has been generally stated by Masonic writers
that "dimit" comes from the Latin word "dimitto" and "demit" from
the word "demitto." The latter word means I let down, I lower, I
sink, I stoop, etc., and there are English words derived from it
which have the same or similar meanings. This, however, is not the
word used in Masonry. The prefix "di" in Latin means away from, and
so does the prefix "de," but "di" means on the same level, while
"de" carries the idea of downward and a lower position. Many words
in passing from the Classical Latin into English changed their
forms, and so words in "di" frequently change to "de." That is the
ease with this word. The Century, the Standard, Webster's New
International, and the Oxford dictionaries are agreed that the word
"dimitto" in passing into English took both the form "dimission"
and "demission" and that the form "dimission" is now obsolete. When
we turn to the Latin dictionary we find that the word "dimitto" has
two meanings, (1) "I send away," "I dismiss," etc. (2) "I
voluntarily let go, give up, abandon."

Coming into the English by way of the late Latin or French, words
in "di" frequently change to "de" and thus it happens that both
"dimitto" and "demitto" came into English as "demission" instead of
"dimission." The dictionaries give the following:

Demission, from dimitto, obsolete. A lowering; degradation;
depression.

Demission, from demitto, living. A relinquishment; resignation;
transference.

Dimission, from dimitto, obsolete. Leave to depart.

Demit, verb, from demitto, obsolete. To lower; depress; submit;
humble.

Demit, verb, from dimitto, living. To lay down formally, as an
office; resign, relinquish; transfer. (Not given by Worcester.)

Dimit, verb, from dimitto, living according to Century and
Standard; obsolete according to Oxford, Worcester and Webster. To
dismiss; permit to go.

Demit, noun, from demitto. Living according to Standard. Not given
by Webster, Oxford, Century or Worcester. A letter of dismissal;
specifically, a recommendation given to a person removing from one
Masonic lodge to another.

Demit, noun, from dimitto. Not given by Standard, Century, Oxford
or Worcester. Living according to Webster. Act of demitting; also,
a letter, certificate or the like, certifying that a person has
(honorably) demitted, as from a Masonic lodge.

Dimit, noun, from dimitto. Not given by Oxford, Standard, Webster
or Worcester. Living according to Century. A dimissory letter;
written permission to leave a lodge, implying good standing in the
lodge left, and thus no disability to affiliate with another lodge.

As Worcester does not recognize either "demit" or "dimit" in the
form of either a verb or a noun, we shall confine our summary to
the other four dictionaries.

Of the living verbs, all four give "demit," and two, the Century
and Standard, also give "dimit," but with a different meaning from
"demit."

Of the living nouns the Oxford gives neither "demit" nor "dimit";
the Century gives only "dimit," and two, the Standard and Webster,
give "demit" with similar meanings though they derive it from
different Latin words.

C. C. Hunt, Iowa.
