The reception of visitors with the honor due to their rank is an ancient custom of the fraternity which should never be omitted. It is an act of great discourtesy to a visiting officer to omit his formal reception by the Lodge, and in an official visitation the visiting officer should ordinarily require it. On the occasion of visits not official it will be found to greatly increase a true fraternal feeling when courtesy is properly shown.
I.--Grand Lodge.
When a visit from the Grand Lodge is expected, the Master will see that a convenient apartment is provided for the use of the Grand Lodge, where the same can be opened in the proper form. On being notified that the Grand Lodge is opened and prepared for the visitation, the Master, the Lodge being opened on the third degree, will send a committee, headed, if possible, by a Past Master, with the Masters of Ceremony with their rods, the Deacons with their rods, and the Marshal, to escort the Grand Lodge. A procession is formed in the following order:
Marshal.
Masters of Ceremony.
Committee.
Deacons.
The Grand Lodge.
On arriving at the door, the Grand Marshal will announce:
"The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of F. and A. M. of the State of Arkansas."
The procession enters, the Masters of Ceremony and Deacons halt inside the door and cross their rods, the committee proceed, followed by the Grand Lodge in the inverse order of their rank. When the Grand Master arrives in front of the altar, he halts, and the Grand Lodge filing to the right and left form a line across the hall. The committee then introduce The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Arkansas. The Grand Master then advances to the East, and the Master receives him according to ancient usages, with the private Grand Honors of Masonry, and resigns to him the chair and the gavel, each other Grand Officer taking his station in place of the corresponding officer of the Lodge, and the brethren are seated.
The Grand Master, at his pleasure, resigns the chair to the Master, whereupon the other Grand Officers resign their respective stations to the proper officers of the Lodge, and repair to the East, and take seats on the right of the Grand Master.
The Grand Lodge should retire before the Lodge is closed. When the Grand Master announces his intention to retire, the Lodge is called up, the Grand Honors are given, and the Masters of Ceremony and Deacons repair to the door and cross their rods, the Marshal conducts the procession of the Grand Lodge to the door, and salutes as the procession pa.s.ses him.
II.--The Grand Master.
When a visit from the Grand Master is expected, the Master will see that a convenient apartment is provided for his use and that of his suite.
When the Grand Master"s visit is announced, the Master sends the Marshal, Deacons, Masters of Ceremony, and one of the oldest members (a Past Master, if practicable) bearing the Book of Const.i.tutions, to escort him to the Lodge Room. A procession is formed in the following order:
Marshal.
Masters of Ceremony.
Suite.
Brother with the Book of Const.i.tutions.
Grand Master.
Deacons.
The Marshal announces to Tyler, Tyler to J. D., and J. D.: "The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons of Arkansas," when the Master calls up the Lodge. The Masters of Ceremony stop inside, and cross their rods, while the others proceed towards the East. On arriving at the altar, the suite open inwards, the Grand Master pa.s.ses through, and the others, filing to the right and left, form a line across the hall. The private Grand Honors are then given. The Grand Master advances to the East, and the Master receives him, resigns to him the chair and the gavel. The suite take place on the right of the Master, and the Lodge is seated.
The Grand Master may decline to receive the chair and gavel, or at his pleasure may resign the same.
When the Grand Master announces his intention to retire, having previously resigned the chair and gavel to the Master, the Lodge is called up, the Private Grand Honors are given and the Master directs the proper officers to attend for the escort of the Grand Master. The Masters of Ceremony halt at the door, cross their rods, and the other officers escort the Grand Master to his apartment.
III.--The Deputy Grand Master, Grand Wardens, Etc.
The form will be the same as for the Grand Master, except that the Book of Const.i.tutions will not be borne before them.
IV.--Other Brethren.
When a brother visits a Lodge for the first time and has been vouched for, the Master will send the Senior Deacon to introduce him. That officer conducts him to the Altar and says:
"Worshipful Master, I have the pleasure of introducing to you Brother ......, of ...... Lodge ......"
The Master calls up the Lodge and says:
"Brother ......, it gives me pleasure to Introduce to you the members of ...... Lodge and to welcome you to a seat among us. We meet on ......, and shall be very glad to welcome you to any of our meetings."
The Senior Deacon conducts the visitor to a seat and the Lodge is seated.
If the visitor is to be examined the W. M. appoints a committee, who retire at the door of the preparation room, the S. D. pa.s.sing them out.
When the committee are ready to report, they make an alarm at the door of the preparation room. The S. D. attends to it, and reports that the examining committee desire admission. The W. M. directs him to admit them. When he goes to the door, if the committee expect to report favorably they will introduce the S. D. to the visitor. The committee then come in and make their report at the altar that they have examined ......, who claims to be a member of ...... Lodge No. ......, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of ...... and find him to be a Master Mason (or, that they are not satisfied to vouch for him as a worthy Mason). The W. M. seats the committee, and asks if there is any objection to the admission of ...... as a visitor. Any member of the Lodge has the right to object to the admission of a visitor, but the grounds of the objection must be stated to the W. M., who shall judge of the sufficiency thereof. If there be no objection, the W. M. directs the S. D. to introduce the brother. The S. D. presents him at the altar and introduces him to the W. M., who in turn introduces him to the Lodge in the form above. No brother should be allowed to visit a lodge for the first time without an introduction. If the visitor is a Past Master, he should be invited to a seat in the East.
Election and Installation.
The Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer and Secretary of a chartered Lodge must be chosen annually by ballot, and by a majority of votes, at the time fixed in the by-laws. The Senior and Junior Deacons and Tyler are appointed by the W. M. A Chaplain and Senior and Junior Masters of Ceremony may be appointed also.
If a lodge fails to elect officers at the time appointed, it may at said meeting, or at the next regular meeting thereof, appoint a day for such election, not more than three months from the regular time, and may, without dispensation, elect officers at said appointed time and install them at once.
No member in arrears for dues at the time of the regular election shall be elected or appointed to any office in the Lodge, nor be allowed to vote at such election.
Every voter is eligible to any office except that of Master.
Where a Lodge finds it absolutely necessary to elect a brother W. M., who has not served as Warden, the facts must be reported to the Grand Master, and the Master-elect must not be installed without his dispensation.
When vacancies occur in any of the elective offices of the Lodge, they must be filled by seniority or pro tem. appointments during the remainder of the term. No election can be held to fill them except by dispensation of the Grand Master.
Each Lodge may make its own rule as to whether nominations shall be made or vote without nominations.
No one can be installed by proxy.
Officers re-elected must be installed after each election.
Membership in a Lodge is necessary to eligibility to office except in case of Tyler and Organist.
Any Past Master in good standing of a Blue Lodge can install the officers of a Lodge.
INSTALLATIONS.
Officers of a New Lodge.
The new Lodge having been const.i.tuted, etc., the Grand Master says:
G. M.: This Lodge having been const.i.tuted, I will now install its officers. Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master, collect the official jewels, place them upon the altar, and present Brother ---- ----, who has been elected Worshipful Master.