Back to: Protected: The Master Mason Lesson
THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF FREEMASONRY
THE RIGHTS OF A MASTER MASON
These consist of Masonic Relief, Masonic Visitation, and Masonic Burial.
Masonic Relief
Masonic Relief of the distressed is one of the primary duties of all Masons. Relief may be applied for by any Brother – either to his own Lodge, or to an individual Master Mason. In every case, the individ ual has the right to determine the worthiness of the request and whether such aid can be granted without material injury to his own family.
Relief is a voluntary function of both the Lodge and the individual. The Brother requesting the relief has no vested interest in the Lodge or claim upon any individual Master Mason. If the Lodge’s financial condition will not allow it to help, it can apply to the Grand Secretary of 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 also.
If you happen to become destitute while in a strange city, you can apply for assistance to a local Board of Relief or through the Masonic Relief Association of the United States and Canada. They will contact your local Lodge and explain the situation to one of the Officers.
Masonic Visitation
Visitation of other Lodges is a right you acquire when you can prove yourself to be a Master Mason in good standing and if no member of the Lodge you are visiting objeds. In order to get into another Lodge, you should learn the memory work in each Degree (if you haven’t already done so), and carry your paid-up dues card with you at all times.
You can gain visitation rights to another Lodge by two ways. First, by undergoing “strid trial or due examination,” or second, by being vouched for by a Brother of the Lodge you are visiting.
Undergoing examination usually consists of showing your dues card, then the Worshipful Master appoints a Committee to examine you. After the examination, the Committee will vouch for you in open Lodge.
The Right of Burial
Masonic Funeral Rites are conducted only at the request of the Brother while living or of some member of a Mason’s immediate family. The choice belongs to the family and not to the Lodge. These Rites can be held in the Lodge, a church, or at the graveside.
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 condud of each Master Mason is stridly his own responsibility- he should choose the course which will bring credit to himself and honor to the Fraternity.
Lodge Attendance
We do not have a minimum attendance requirement, as ancient Lodges did, nor is there a penalty for not attending, as there once was. However, every Master Mason has a moral obligation to be loyal to the Lodge which gave him Masonic light and all the benefits which come with it. This should be your inducement to attend Lodge as often as possible and to join in the fellowship which makes up one of the basics of Freemasonry.
The Responsibility of Balloting
Only Members of the Lodge have a right to ballot. No Member present can be excused from balloting on any petition for the Degrees or for Affiliation, except by a vote of the Lodge, and only when good cause is shown. No Member will be permitted to retire from the Lodge to avoid casting his ballot.
The white ball is the affirmative or favorable ballot, and the black cube is the negative or unfavorable ballot.
If you do not know of anything unfavorable against the petitioner, then you should accept the word of the Investigating Committee and cast a favorable ballot. However, if you know of some reason to indicate the petitioner is unworthy, do not hesitate to use the black cube to protect the Lodge from undesirable Members. As you approach the ballot box, examine your own motives and hope that the ballot you are about to cast will do justice to the candidate, to Freemasonry, and to yourself. Only by doing so, will we be able to continue building a membership of worthy Brothers. If in doubt, vote in favor of the Lodge 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 may disclose how he voted, and no Brother should inquire into how another Brother voted on a particular candidate. To do so will subject him to the preference of charges for un-Masonic conduct.
The Responsibility to Examine Visitors
This responsibility belongs to the Lodge itself and is delegated by the Worshipful Master to a committee of Brethren who are to satisfy themselves that the visitor is a Master Mason in good standing and a Member of a regular Lodge. The Worshipful Master may call upon any Member of the Lodge to serve on the examining committee.
The Responsibility of Vouching for a Petitioner
Before endorsing the petition of anyone for initiation, 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 yourself should be satisfied with his understanding and know that he is of good moral character, and the signing of the petition should be a source of great pleasure for you.
The Responsibility to Investigate Petitioners
This responsibility belongs to every Member of the Lodge and when being assigned to an investigating committee by the Master of the Lodge should not be taken lightly if your own Lodge is to be proteded against undesirable Members. The Investigating Committee is a recent addition of Freemasonry, but this does not relieve you of the responsibility to scrutinize the moral charader of those who seek to enter the Lodge.
Serving on the Investigating Committee should be regarded as a mark of special trust by those selecied. The Lodge depends on those seleded to make a complete and impartial inquiry.
The Financial Responsibilities of a Mason
These are twofold. First, in the area of mandatory support, or Lodge dues. Second, in the area of voluntary support of distressed worthy Brothers, their widows and orphans.
By paying dues, the Brother carries his share of the expense imposed by the Lodge. In voluntary 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 being dropped from the rolls for Non-payment of Dues, (N.P.D.). Not being able to pay dues can be handled without embarrassment. No Lodge desires to drop a Brother if he is unable to continue payment of dues if this is due to circumstances beyond his control. In most cases, the other Brethren in the lodge know nothing about his situation.
A distressed Brother should inform the Worshipful 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. It is felt that a Brother who finds himself unable to pay his dues has an obligation to make his situation known to the Worshipful Master or Secretary.
LODGE MEMBERSHIP
You become a Member after being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. Termination is accomplished in one of four ways – dimit, suspension, expulsion, or death.
You can apply for a dimit (or transfer to another Lodge) if you are currently a paid-up member and in good standing. You can also hold plural memberships in more than one Lodge in most Jurisdictions.
This is sometimes done when one Lodge raises you to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, and then you move to another area and want to start in the chairs in the new Lodge. You must be a member of a Lodge in order to become an Officer of that Lodge. See the Secretary for proper handling of the paperwork.
If suspended or expelled for “un-Masonic conduct”, you may petition for reinstatement through the proper channels.
ENTERING OR RETIRING FROM A LODGE
First of all, you should be there before Lodge opens to join in the fellowship. If circumstances will not warrant this, you should inform the Tyler, who will make the alarm and inform the Junior Deacon that the Brother is properly clothed and vouched for and desires to enter. The Tyler should also let you know which degree is being worked on that night.
If the Lodge is in the process of opening, the Tyler should wait until the Junior Deacon has informed him that the Lodge is opened before giving the raps on the door.
When the Master gives his permission to enter, you should approach the Altar, salute the Master using the signs for the Degree in which they are open, and then be seated.
DEPORTMENT WHILE IN LODGE
Your deportment while the Lodge is open is governed by good taste. You should not engage in private conversations, or through any other action, disrupt the business of the Lodge.
Discussions in the Lodge are always a healthy sign and promotes the interest of the Lodge – if properly conducted. If you wish to speak, rise, and after being recognized, make your remarks, then sit. You should observe rules of propriety and refrain from mentioning personalities or disturbing the peace and harmony of the Lodge.
Religion, partisan politics, and any subject which might disrupt the peace and harmony of the Lodge may not be discussed in the Lodge.
Voting is performed by a show of raising the left hand. When petitions are balloted on, the ballot box is used. At the annual meeting for election of officers in December, a written ballot is required.
THE OFFICERS OF A LODGE
The officers were named and an explanation of their respective duties was given to you in the first Degree booklet. The Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary and Treasurer are elected by the membership each November through December 15th, at the will of the Lodge. Any member in good standing of the Lodge may hold any of the elective offices to which the members of the Lodge see fit to elect him.
MASONIC LAW
Every Lodge is governed by the Grand Lodge in its jurisdiction, and must adhere to the Rules and Regulations of the Grand Lodge. These Rules and Regulations are discussed at every Grand Lodge meeting, and amendments or alterations are made if passed by the required vote.
MASONIC OFFENSES
What constitutes a Masonic offense?
- All acts prohibited by the laws of the land, and all acts involving moral turpitude,
- Attempting to give the aid of Freemasonry, in organized or individual form, to any lottery or gift enterprise, or the sale, purchase, or drawing of lottery tickets,
- Using the phraseology or emblems of Freemasonry for advertising or other commercial purposes,
- Attempting to thwart the legitimate work of the Lodge,
- Expressing the opinion that a particular brother cast a black ball,
- Disobedience of a Masonic summons,
- Having liquor in the Lodge.
Willful failure to comply with any of these requirements is a Masonic offense, and you would be subject to disciplinary action, from which you could appeal.
THE GRAND LODGE
The Grand Lodge is the supreme governing body, and it is said that it derives its power from the Craft itself. In Alaska we elect the Masters and Wardens of the individual Lodges and they along with Past Masters serve as the voting representatives of the Grand Lodge. Thus the supreme body (or Grand Lodge) derives its power from the Craft.
The function of the Grand Lodge is that of a supreme legislative, judicial and executive body when it is in session.
It is legislative in making the laws governing the subordinate Lodges and every Mason in its jurisdiction.
It is judicial by sitting in judgment on all appeals made to it.
Finally, it is executive in that it determines the policies of the Craft and sees that they are executed.