Admitting Vistors
Torence
brought to my attention, not from any recent action here in my
jurisdiction, but elsewhere. Can a Grand Master bar a particular
sojourner from a recognized Grand lodge from visiting lodges in his
state?
The right of individual members to choose with whom they allow into
the intimacies of their local lodges, at least in my jurisdiction
regards visitors, is indisputable. Indeed, I would assume the right to
object to the presence of a visitor not a member of one’s lodge to be
one of those landmark, characteristic operating procedures that
predates Grand Lodges and Grand Masters; and, for the sake of harmony
should never be rethought or reconsidered. But it is a prerogative
that belongs to the constituent members and one that cannot extend
beyond the four walls of their own tiled lodge.
A circular sent to Local Lodge Masters from a Grand Master directing
them to bar a particular visitor from outside his state would violate
another landmark characteristic, the right of an individual member,
though a sojourner, to due process. I find nothing in the record or By-
Laws to permit GMs that power.
A Grand Master has the ability to deny recognition for entire Grand
Lodges with whom his jurisdiction holds fraternal correspondence; and,
also, he can alert individual lodges of questionable activity; but, it
seems to me that he cannot order a blanket denial of entry and must
leave it to the local lodge to decide who they admit as long as the
visitor is a regular and current member of a recognized Grand Lodge.
Certainly, no repercussions against an innocent lodge should be
allowed if they choose to admit the sojourner regardless of the GMs
personal feelings.
How would you weigh in on this question?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138, Lansing, Illinois
Doug Freyburger
>
> One of those questions of Grand Master authority was recently
> brought to my attention, not from any recent action here in my
> jurisdiction, but elsewhere. Can a Grand Master bar a particular
> sojourner from a recognized Grand lodge from visiting lodges in his
> state?
Sounds like fallout from a jurisdiction that recently expelled a PGM.
> How would you weigh in on this question?
Good thing grand officers are elected annually in my
jurisdictions California and Illinois and are as well in
that other jurisdiction. You recently wrote about
electioneering. Such a blunder is a fabulous way to
do electioneering against one's own reelection. I
would make a point of attending GL and voting for the
opposition.
Dave Vick, PM
> A circular sent to Local Lodge Masters from a Grand Master directing
> them to bar a particular visitor from outside his state would violate
> another landmark characteristic, the right of an individual member,
> though a sojourner, to due process. I find nothing in the record or By-
> Laws to permit GMs that power.
More to the point, do you find anything in your Constitution & By-Laws
that *denies* him that power? Remember; the Blue Book doesn't
necessarily tell you what you *can* do, it tells you what you *cannot*
do.
Personally, I'm of two minds on this... On the one hand, I agree that
it's primarily the constituent Lodges' business who they admit. But on
the other hand, the Grand Master is the primary guardian of the Craft.
Seems to me in the absence of legislation barring such an edict, he is
within his rights to issue the same.
--
Dave Vick, PM
Lansing (Michigan, USA) Lodge #33 F&AM
Okemos (Michigan) Lodge #252, F&AM
(still sitting in Los Angeles, soon to move to San Francisco)
Torence
> On Jun 16, 6:49 am, Torence <torence...@aol.com> wrote:
> More to the point, do you find anything in your Constitution & By-Laws
The "Powers" of a Grand Master are spelled out by the
Constitutional Amendments, and By-Laws; and, there is no blanket
provision for him to invent any new powers. He can decide on matters
of law when the Grand Lodge is not in session; but he cannot invent
new ones or interpret beyond a Code that clearly states that the
perogative resides with the individual lodge member as to whom to
admit as a visitor.
GMs are not members of any lodge but their own.
The alpha and omega of authority for all Grand Lodge Officer
powers, as well as deciding their duties, derive from the Grand Lodge
which consists of the sitting Masters and Wardens, or their proxies,
and a handful of others.
Or so, that is my understanding of these things.
> Personally, I'm of two minds on this... �On the one hand, I agree that
> it's primarily the constituent Lodges' business who they admit. But on
> the other hand, the Grand Master is the primary guardian of the Craft.
> Seems to me in the absence of legislation barring such an edict, he is
> within his rights to issue the same.
In my opinoin, a recomendation not to admit the sojourner bearing
the signature of the current Grand Master, with no hint of penalty to
a lodge or its officers, would acheive his desired effect without
disturbing the Craft too much or interfering with harmony, insulting
the other jurisdiction, etc. and is the better course for a GM to
take.
As all Master Masons are the guradians of the Craft and certainly
the best judges in their own balliwiks, seems to me that such a notice
would ward off enough lodges from admitting the sojourner. Those that
choose to do so having read the GM's complaint, and hearing no
obljection, are admitting the sojourner for their own prudent,
respectable reasons. The GM, IMHO, has no recourse unless the
sojourner is under the penalty of suspension or expulsion. Should he
have cause, let him try the sojourner or have the sojourner's lodge
consider any charge.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois
Jack Wise
I cann't speak for other Jurisdictions (Nor can I speak offfcially or
authoritively for Texas), but the fact is that the GM can issue an
*Edict* on any matter pertaining to Masonry. Here in Texas such edict
has the force of Masonic Law until overridden by Grand Lodge in regular
session or by an Edict of a subsequent Grand Master.
Here, one of the regular items of business is the Grand Master's Report;
the Report lists all the GM's decisions, rulings and edicts for his
term in office. Portions of the report can be amended to reject any or
all of the GM's decisions, rulings and edicts.
Thus the powers of the GM are subject to the will of Grand Lodge.
--
Jack Wise
Secretary (Until June 28, 2008), Oak Wood Lodge No. 1444, AF & AM, The
Woodlands, TX
(www.txmason.com) ( Lodge E-Mail: oakwo...@hal-pc.org )
PM, Jacques DeMolay Lodge No. 1390, AF & AM, Houston, TX
( www.jd1390.org/jdmlodge.htm )
TEXAS red wine: renowned for its smoky-mesquite-bbq & jalapeno
overtones, the perfect foil for a meal of tacos and refried beans...
Torence
> Torence wrote:
> > On Jun 16, 5:08�pm, "Dave Vick, PM" <dave.v...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >>On Jun 16, 6:49 am, Torence <torence...@aol.com> wrote:
> Here, one of the regular items of business is the Grand Master's Report;
> the Report lists all the GM's decisions, rulings and edicts for his
> term in office.
Hello Brother Jack-
Just as a segway, when do your delegates get the Grand Master's
Report in Texas? It used to be that when we registered for Grand Lodge
we got the GM's, GS's and GT's Reports in printed form at registration
so that we could read about any changes that these GLOs plan to
suggest before they come up for consideration.
Lately, (Since 2000), Illinois GM's hold back the printed copies,
reads his report; and, at the end of his presentation makes his
recomendations and calls for approval. After all this, the DDGMs give
the delegates their copy.
Is this how the GM's Reports are handled in the other jurisdictions?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138- Lasning, Illinois
Jack Wise
Brother Torence:
All proposed changes in the law including GM recommendatons are
distributed to the individual Lodges before Grand Lodge meets.
Grand Master's Edicts are published whenevert they are pronounced.
Grand Master's decisions are included in his annual report which is
printed and distributed at Grand Lodge. The GM's verbal report is
generally a summary which refers to the printed material.
Also remember that here in Texas, all Past Masters are voting members of
Grand Lodge and thus GM actions are relatively easy to over-ride.
Unknown
"Torence" <toren...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:a614c634-ddba-4837...@f36g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> One of those questions of Grand Master authority was recently
> brought to my attention, not from any recent action here in my
> jurisdiction, but elsewhere. Can a Grand Master bar a particular
> sojourner from a recognized Grand lodge from visiting lodges in his
> state?
The GM actually has limited powers - for example he can't issue decrees such
as recognising or de-recognising other Grand Lodges. This is the
prerogative of the Grand Lodge at its various Quarterly Communications.
The administration of the Grand Lodge on a day to day basis is managed by
the Board of General Purposes, and vested with such authority it would (I
imagin, at least in UGLE) have power to warn lodges not to admit a certain
person - or indeed any person posing as a certain person.
It would however need to have good reason for doing so, and this would need
to be consistent with the Consitution of the Grand Lodge and its various
edicts enacted to date.
I presume that such a warning might be given if it is known that a
particular Grand Lodge certificate is being used by one or more imposters in
an attempt to gain admission,
Unknown
"Dave Vick, PM" <dave...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:bd48ab5a-c915-4278...@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>> them to bar a particular visitor from outside his state would violate
>> another landmark characteristic, the right of an individual member,
>> though a sojourner, to due process. I find nothing in the record or By-
>> Laws to permit GMs that power.
>
> necessarily tell you what you *can* do, it tells you what you *cannot*
> do.
Not so - a Constitution grants powers to officers or groups (eg. a
committee). If the power isn't granted, then it doesn't exist and may not
be exercised.
This is nothing specific to Freemasonry - just a general practice in the
drafting and interpretation of Constitutions.
If a Constitution restricts powers, that's because it has granted a more
general power which the designers of the Constitution though best to limit
in certain respects.