PRACTICAL ASPECTS
OF FREEMASONRY
These
consist of Masonic Relief, Masonic Visitation, and Masonic Burial.
MASONIC
RELIEF:
Masonic
Relief may be applied for by any Master Mason - either to his own Lodge, or to an
individual Master Mason. In every case, the
individual asked has the right to determine the worthiness of the request and whether such
aid can be granted without material injury to his family.
Relief is a voluntary function of both the Lodge and the individual. If the Lodge’s financial condition will not
allow it to help, he can apply to the Grand Lodge for help.
In order to be eligible for Masonic Relief, the Brother must not have been
suspended in the past five years, and there can be no charges pending against him at the
time of application. The widow and/or orphan
of a Master Mason, who was a member of the Lodge at the time of his death, are entitled to
consideration if they apply for assistance. The
same conditions as to worthiness and the ability and willingness of the Lodge apply in
these cases.
MASONIC
VISITATION:
Visitation of other Lodges is one of the greatest privileges of being a Master Mason. Before you can sit in another Lodge, you must
prove yourself to be a Mason in good standing. If
you can so prove, and if no member of the Lodge you are visiting objects to you sitting in
the Lodge, you may do so. In order to attend
another Lodge, you should learn the memory work and modes of recognition in each Degree
(if you have not already done so), and carry your paid-up dues card with you at all times.
You
can gain admission to another Lodge in one of two ways - examination or avouchment by a
Brother who has sat in Lodge with you previously. An
examination usually consists of showing your dues card, followed by examination by a
special committee appointed by the Master of the Lodge. After successfully passing the
examination, the committee will vouch for you and you may be admitted to the Lodge.
THE
RIGHT OF BURIAL:
The
Masonic Funeral Service is conducted only at the request of a Brother or some member of a
Mason’s immediate family. The choice
belongs to the family, not to the Lodge. This
service can be held in a church, the Lodge room, funeral parlor or grave site. It is a beautiful and solemn ceremony and, like
Masonry herself, does not conflict with a man's personal religious beliefs.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MASTER MASON
The
constant responsibility of a Master Mason is “to preserve the reputation of the
Fraternity unsullied”. Leading a good
life is the best means of carrying through our individual responsibility to our Lodge and
our Craft. The conduct of each Master Mason
is strictly his own responsibility. He should
choose the course which will bring credit to himself and honor to the Fraternity.
We
would all do well to remember that brotherhood is the cornerstone of our Fraternity. Treat
others with the same respect and consideration with which you would like to be treated. In
all your actions, be an example of brotherly love in action.
Be not hasty to
condemn others. How do you know that in their
place, you could have resisted the temptation? And
even were it so, why should you condemn one who is weaker than you? If
your brother should slip, offer your hand to him without judgement or harsh criticism. Judge him not by your standards but by his own.
We
do not have a mandatory attendance requirement as ancient Lodges did; nor is there a
penalty for not attending, as there once was. However,
every Master Mason has an obligation to be loyal to the Lodge which gave him Masonic Light
and all the benefits which come with his membership.
This should be your inducement to attend Lodge as often as possible and to
join in the fellowship that is an important part of Freemasonry.
Only Members in
good standing have a right to vote. No member
present can be excused from balloting on any petition before the Lodge. No member will be permitted to retire from the
Lodge to avoid casting his ballot. The white
balls indicate an affirmative, or favorable ballot, and the black cube indicates a
negative, or unfavorable ballot. If you have
no reason to believe otherwise, then you should accept the word of the Investigating
Committee and cast a favorable ballot on a petition for membership. If you have an objection to an applicant, the time
to raise that objection is before the ballot is
taken. You have the right to speak to the
Master privately and express your objection. This
is one of the reasons we wait a full month after a petition has been presented before
voting on it. However, if you know of some
legitimate reason why the petitioner is unworthy, for strictly Masonic - not personal -
reasons, a black cube may be cast to protect the Lodge from an undesirable member.
As you approach
the ballot box, examine your motives and be sure that the ballot you are about to cast
will do justice to the candidate and Freemasonry. The
Right to Secrecy of the Ballot is guaranteed by Masonic law, and custom allows each member
to have perfect freedom in balloting on petitioners.
No brother should disclose how he voted and no brother should inquire into
how another brother voted on a particular candidate.
DEFINITIONS OF NON-AGE, DOTAGE AND FOOL
In
the jurisdiction of California, non-age refers
in this Degree to one who is not yet 21 years of age.
Dotage is a condition associated
with old age, and is marked by juvenile desires, loss of memory and failure of judgement. Being old does not bar someone from seeking
membership, but we require that he be mentally alert and healthy. A fool is a mature man without good sense. Legally, he may be of age, but mentally he is
incapable of understanding.
The
question of women’s role in Freemasonry has arisen many times. When we were an operative craft, the buildings
were built by masons who were, by all accounts, men.
The Craft became a fraternity for men.
Thus, it was a practice that only men became operative masons. This practice has continued down through the
years.
Certain
Masonic Lodges do admit women, but they are not recognized
[See REGULARITY AND RECOGNITION
below] by the Grand Lodge of California.
Women
are certainly included in the Family of Freemasonry through Concordant Bodies, such as the
Order of the Eastern Star, the Order of Amaranth, and so on.
This
responsibility belongs to the Lodge itself and is delegated by the Master to a committee
of Brethren who are to satisfy themselves that the visitor is a Master Mason in good
standing in a regular and recognized Lodge. The
Master may call upon any member of the Lodge to serve on the examining committee.
It
should ever be remembered that the purpose of examination is to prove that a visitor is a Mason, not to prove that he is not a Mason. Kindness and courtesy should be shown to all
visitors at all times.
Before
endorsing the petition of anyone for initiation into our Mysteries, you should take the
time to discuss Masonry with the applicant. You
should know why he wishes to become a Mason, what he expects and what may be expected of
him. The Investigating Committee should
explain much of this to him, but you should be satisfied with his understanding and know
that he is of good moral character. The
signing of the petition should be a source of great pleasure for you.
You
should also remember that signing the petition of a man who wishes to become a Freemason
is a significant responsibility. By doing so,
you are committing to assist him to learn and grow as a Mason. Nor does your responsibility end when he has been
Raised. From the moment your sponsor his petition, you are bound to him by a strong tie.
This
responsibility belongs to every member of the Lodge, and should not be taken lightly.
Serving on an Investigating Committee should be regarded as a mark of special trust by the
Master of your Lodge. It is a solemn
responsibility. Only those who can be counted
on to make a complete and impartial inquiry into the petitioner’s character and
determine his worthiness to become a Mason, should be selected. The members of the Investigating Committee are
known only to the petitioner and to the Master who appointed them.
Your
financial responsibilities are twofold. The
first is in the area of mandatory support - the payment of annual dues. The second is in the area of voluntary
contributions to certain charities, distressed worthy Brothers, and other Masonic
organizations as you desire. By paying dues,
each Brother carries his share of the expenses to run his Lodge. Regarding voluntary financial support, he must
determine the extent of his participation, measuring the need against his ability.
Any member failing to pay his dues for a period of more than twelve months is subject to
suspension. There is no reason a
Brother should be suspended for non-payment of dues.
Not being able to pay dues can be handled easily and without embarrassment. No Lodge desires to suspend a Brother who is
unable to continue payment of dues. A
distressed Brother should inform the Master or the Secretary of his situation. One of these Officers will take care of the
situation so no record is shown on the books and no debt is accumulated. This is not Masonic Charity, but rather Brotherly
Love. In most cases, the other Brethren in
the Lodge know nothing about his situation.
Although
Entered Apprentices are considered Masons in every sense of the word, one does not become
a member of a Lodge until after being Raised. Termination
of membership can occur in one of four ways - demit, suspension, expulsion or death. One can apply for a demit (or transfer to another
Lodge) if his dues are current and he is otherwise in good standing. You can also hold plural or dual membership in
more than one Lodge. This sometimes occurs
when one Lodge raises a candidate and he then moves to another area and wants to become
active in a new Lodge. One must be a member
of a Lodge in order to become an officer there. Plural
Membership refers to being a member of more than one Lodge in this Jurisdiction
(California), while Dual Membership refers to being simultaneously a member in this
jurisdiction and in a Lodge of another jurisdiction.
See your Lodge secretary for proper handling of the paperwork.
You can be suspended for nonpayment of dues or “unmasonic conduct”. If suspended for nonpayment of dues, you can
apply for reinstatement. At any time, you may
pay back dues for the year of nonpayment, plus the current year. If suspended for “unmasonic conduct”,
you may petition for reinstatement through the proper procedures and channels. If convicted of unmasonic conduct by trial, the
trial board may direct expulsion from the order. The
verdict can be appealed to the Grand Lodge. A
Mason suspended or expelled from a Lodge is automatically denied membership in all Masonic
organizations.
ENTERING OR RETIRING FROM A LODGE
Courtesy dictates
that you should always arrive before a Lodge meeting is scheduled to begin. This also allows you to share in the fellowship of
the Lodge, meet any visitors who may be present, and so on.
If you are unavoidably detained and arrive after a meeting has begun, you
should clothe yourself properly, inform the Tiler, and ask to be admitted.
The Tiler will
inform the Junior Deacon, who will then request permission from the Master that you be
admitted. The Junior Deacon will notify you
when it is appropriate to enter and also of the Degree in which work is taking place. When permitted to enter, proceed West of the
Altar, give the due guard and sign of the Degree, and then quickly take a seat. Keep in mind that you are likely interrupting the
business of the Lodge, so be as unobtrusive as possible.
Retiring from a
Lodge is accomplished in much the same way. Move
West of the Altar, give the appropriate signs, and then leave.
Your
deportment while the Lodge is open should be governed by good taste and propriety. You should not engage in private conversations,
nor through any other action disrupt the business of the Lodge. Discussions in the Lodge are always a healthy
sign and promote the interest of the Lodge - if properly conducted. If you wish to speak, rise and, after being
recognized, give the due guard and sign and make your remarks. Always address your remarks to the Master, even if
you are responding to a direct question from another Brother. When finished, you may then be seated. Religion, partisan politics and any other subject
which might disrupt the peace and harmony of the Lodge, should not be discussed in Lodge. Voting on routine matters is usually conducted
through a voice ballot.
There
are five elected officers of a Masonic Lodge: the Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden,
Treasurer, and Secretary. The Master appoints
the Chaplain, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Marshal, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Tiler
and Organist. The Master, Wardens, and Senior Deacon must be proficient in the Work of
their respective positions, and the District Inspector must certify their proficiency. Any qualified member may be elected by the Lodge
to hold office, but most officer lines are progressive.
APPENDANT AND CONCORANT BODIES
Once you have been
Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, you may choose to join any number of Masonic
Appendant Bodies. The two most common
Appendant Orders are known as the Scottish Rite and the York Rite.
The Ancient &
Accepted Scottish Rite is an additional system of degrees from the early 19th
Century which are designed to add further Light to one’s Blue Lodge experience. The Scottish Rite is divided into four
interrelated bodies, each of which deals with the recovery and meaning of the True Word of
a Master Mason. The Scottish Rite system
progresses through the 33°, but it should be remembered that the highest degree in
Masonry is the Third Degree. Thus, the
Scottish Rite degrees are more properly called additional degrees, rather than higher
degrees. The Scottish Rite is well known for
the pageantry and flair with which it presents its beautiful degree ceremonies.
The York Rite is a
confederation of three independent Masonic bodies: The Royal Arch Chapter, the Cryptic
Council, and the Knights Templar Commandery. The
Royal Arch is the foundation of the York Rite, and it is here that the recovery and
meaning of the True Word of a Master Mason is dealt with.
The Chapter confers four degrees. The
Degree of Royal Arch Mason is often described as the most spiritual and mystical of all
the degrees of Freemasonry. The Royal Arch is
also known as a “gateway” degree, and membership entitles one to join certain
smaller rites and orders, such as the Allied Masonic Degrees, Knights Masons USA, Red
Cross of Constantine, and so on.
The Cryptic Council
confers three degrees which help explain how the True Secrets of a Master Mason were
safeguarded until the time when future ages should discover the right.
The Knights Templar
is the third body of the York Rite. It is
Christian in character and content, and describes the passage of pilgrims on their way to
Jerusalem during the Crusades.
32° Scottish Rite
Masons and Sir Knights of the Knights Templar Commandery are eligible to join the Ancient
Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners), a benevolent and social Masonic
organization. The Shrine is particularly well
known for the many hospitals it maintains for the care of children. This care is offered to all children in need at no
cost to them or their families. It is
supported entirely from the donations of members of that body.
There are other
rites, degrees, and organizations one may join upon becoming a Master Mason, depending on
one’s interest in searching for further Light in Masonry. California has four Research Lodges, each of which
is dedicated to promoting scholarly Masonic study and discussion. The Philalethes Society is an International
organization of Masonic Research and offers members an outstanding quarterly publication,
The Philalethes magazine, which includes excellent Masonic information from around the
world. The Societas Rosicruciana in
Civitatibus Foederatis (the Masonic Rosicrucian Society of the United States) is the most
esoteric of all the rites and degrees of Freemasonry.
It is an invitational body open to Master Masons.
The Order of the
Eastern Star, Order of the Amaranth, and the White Shrine of Jerusalem are popular
concordant bodies which admit both men and women. Often,
they provide the chance for a husband and wife to share in the Masonic experience
together.
There are also
three Masonic Youth Orders in California, which include boys and girls (and young men and
young women) in the family of Freemasonry: The International Order of DeMolay for Boys,
the International Order of Job’s Daughters, and the International Order of Rainbow
for Girls.
Each of the these
Appendant and Concordant Bodies is an important part of the larger Family of Freemasonry
in California, and each must obey the rules and regulations of the Grand Lodge.