RWB Doug,
Is there a Manual, link to our Web Page, or somewhere where I can educate myself on some Information on Meetings?
Here is where I'm going with this. Are there certain things that can only be done on the Master Mason Degree . We read a petition a couple of weeks ago and we were open on the Fellowcraft Degree . Someone leaned over to me and said we can't do that on this degree, it has to be done on the Master Degree.
I elected not to interrupt the meeting as I wasn't sure that was the case. Can you read petitions, vote, etc. on any degree as long as only Master Masons discuss and vote?
Other things have come up over the years that escape me right now, but I'm looking for information to educate myself so that I can speak confidently on it when it comes up and better serve our Lodge.
Thanks
Hello W. Brother,
There is a book called the Minnesota Masonic Manual, which has a chapter on opening and closing the lodge includes sections on stated communications and special communications for degree work. We made the change about 10 years ago to allow for business on any degree at the Master’s discretion, so many of the brothers who are more involved with the running of the meeting prior to that time probably remember how it was when they ran their meetings, and of course everything was done the Master Mason Degree. So that may be why they are telling you that you couldn’t do that a couple of weeks ago. But we do now allow business to be conducted on any degree and if you’re open on the Entered Apprentice Degree you can read petitions, ballot on petitions and any other type of business you might normally do on the Master Mason Degree. Should you have other Masons present who are only of the Entered Apprentice Degree or the Fellowcraft Degree, they would not be allowed to vote but they would be allowed to be present, they do not have to leave the meeting.
The complete Minnesota Masonic Manual is on our Grand Lodge website as well as a printed version being available from the Grand Lodge office for $10. Here is a link to the website http://www.mn-masons.org/lodge-resources/secretarys-resources/documents-manuals-forms and if you desire a bound copy in a little book the same size as the cipher just let me know and I’ll get one to you.
There is a lot of good information in the Minnesota Masonic Manual so if you do not have one, you should probably get one, or read it on line.
Doug
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Douglas Campbell,
Grand Secretary Emeritus
Every day , before I retired, I would receive a wide variety of questions and comments from Constituent Lodge Secretaries and other officers, many of which are quite applicable to other lodges. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them.
Douglas Campbell,
Grand Secretary Emeritus
About the Grand Secretary Emeritus
While the Grand Master is the official spokesman for Minnesota Masonry, many of the day-to-day questions about rules, procedures, upcoming events and many other topics can easily be answered by the Grand Secretary. "What makes the Grand Secretary the expert?" This is a valid question. The short answer may be one of institutional memory. With over twenty four years of service as an officer of the Grand Lodge, including twenty one terms as Grand Secretary, having attended almost every meeting and planning session of our Board of Corporate Trustees since 1993, with over twenty five years of service as a Custodian of the Ritual Work, and a Past Chairman of that Board, having served on the Jurisprudence Committee for many years and a Past Chairman of this committee; all would seem to add up to the experience needed to know or be able to find the answers to most questions. And most questions seem to have come up at least once or twice in the past. If you can't find what you are looking for on the Grand Lodge of Minnesota website or in some other way, feel free to contact the Grand Secretary and we will do our best to serve you.
Any views, opinions, or thoughts articulated in postings and/or comments from any contributors to this weblog do not in any way represent the views of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, its constituent lodges, officers or employees.
This Publication is issued with the permission of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of Minnesota.
While the Grand Master is the official spokesman for Minnesota Masonry, many of the day-to-day questions about rules, procedures, upcoming events and many other topics can easily be answered by the Grand Secretary. "What makes the Grand Secretary the expert?" This is a valid question. The short answer may be one of institutional memory. With over twenty four years of service as an officer of the Grand Lodge, including twenty one terms as Grand Secretary, having attended almost every meeting and planning session of our Board of Corporate Trustees since 1993, with over twenty five years of service as a Custodian of the Ritual Work, and a Past Chairman of that Board, having served on the Jurisprudence Committee for many years and a Past Chairman of this committee; all would seem to add up to the experience needed to know or be able to find the answers to most questions. And most questions seem to have come up at least once or twice in the past. If you can't find what you are looking for on the Grand Lodge of Minnesota website or in some other way, feel free to contact the Grand Secretary and we will do our best to serve you.
Any views, opinions, or thoughts articulated in postings and/or comments from any contributors to this weblog do not in any way represent the views of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, its constituent lodges, officers or employees.
This Publication is issued with the permission of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of Minnesota.