Masonic etiquette and decorum

Title

Creator

Oliveros, Hermogenes P.

Language

English

Source

The Cabletow Volume XXXVIII (No. 3) September 1962

Year

1962

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Masonic Etiquette and Decorum By VWB. HERMOGENES P. OLIVEROS Senior Grand Lecturer Third of Four Installments The preparation room is the place in lhe Temple where every possible precaution, courtesy anti and kindness are shown to lhe can didates. It is in this place where all degrees begin. Here, a candi date receives his first impression of lhe Craft. If he finds the prepa ration room in a mess, or full ol smoke, or a place where members joke freely with each other, the candidate might form an eroneous impression of Freemasonry, a bad picture of the organization which may remain with him for years. Preparing the Candidates in ri tualistic garb should be done with lac.t; lhe brethren who perform this preparation must manifest consid eration and humility so that the candidates would realize that en trance into Masonry is not a mere formality but a serious and mean ingful experience, with a far-reachtng effect on their lives. When they are led through the Inner Door, they should not be stifled by tobacco smoke nor be surprised by a hum of conversation. T he officers should be ready at their stations, prepared and alert to perform their parts; all present should observe the necessary decorum. The Inner-Door The Inner-Door of the Prepara tion Room leading into the lodge loom should never be opened or used except for the purpose of ad mitting or returning the candidates. Any door leading into the Prepa ration Room should be kept locked during lhe Preparation of the Can didate. Nobody should be allowed in the room except the Master and lhe Stewards. Passing Hetieeen the Altar and the East Nothing is mentioned in our Monitor with regard to forbidding Master Masons from passing bet ween the Altar and the East when lhe lodge is open. Oltenlimes, many newly raised Master Masons, not of their own fault, find them selves embarrassed when thev at tempt to cross that space. Many brethren assigned to instruct the newly raised brethren overlook this important part ol the instruction. When a brother Mason inadver tently makes that mistake the Worshipful Master should imme diately rise and politely call his attention to it. The Worshipful Master should explain to the newly raised Master Masons that it has become a matter of courtesy, based upon ancient usage, that a Mason is not allowed to pass between the Altar and the station of the Wor shipful Master when the lodge is open. T he space therein has been 79 deemed a sacred ground, not to be Hodden upon. There should be i.o obstruction between the East and the Three Great Lights, since the Three Great Lights are the particular responsibility of the Worshipful Master. Therefore, no Lrother should ever bar the view of the Worshipuf Master from the Three Great Ligths. From these the Worshipful Master gets his inspira tion to rule and govern wisely his Lodge. The fact that during the degree work the candidate would pass or would be placed in that particular space does not militate against this interpretation but rather supports it, because the ground or space between the Altar and the East is considered sacred; hence, this concept lends dignity, impressiveness and solemnity to <<ur ceremonies. The Master's Hat During lodge meetings, only the Master wears a hat, but he must at once uncover his head when the Grand Master or his Deputy enters the lodge; he so remains hatless un til he is directed to continue gov erning his lodge. To wear a hat is an old cuslom, but there is no law, either written or unwritten, which requires the Worshipful Master to wear a hat when he is in the East. However, owing to heat or to lack of venti lation in the lodge room, tire Mas ter may remove his hat if he feels uncomfortable to continue wearing a hat. This is an exception to the rule. Neither is there anything in the rule, whether written or unwrit ten, which prescribes the kind of hat a Master should wear; but the principles governing this matter is determined by sound judgment and by good taste. A Master should never wear a hat of such odd style which might attract attention or which would tend to derogate the dignity of the Oriental Chair. The hat is an emblem of the Master’s authority, a mark by which the importance of his office is dis tinguished, a visible and conspi cuous badge of his position as pre siding officer and as the titular head of the lodge. The hat should always be removed when the name of the Supreme Deity is mentioned and when lhe prayers are recited. Removing the hat is a sign of res pect and reverence to the Supreme Grand Artchiiect of ihc Universe. The hat should also be removed when the Worshipful Master is giving the obligations. In funeral services, the Master does not wear a hat. He should, however, wear 1 is hat in funeral processions. Dress There is a philosophy as regards lhe kind of dress a Mason should wear in lodge meetings. The gov erning principle is good taste. The correct practice is to wear such at tire which would show respect and lend dignity io the institution. The propriety of wearing a for mal dress depends entirely upon the occasion and the circumstances; such is a matter for the lodge to decide. As a mark of respect to the Fraternity, the Brethren should at tend lodge meetings in business Prayer Edict Number 43 is self-explan atory. It needs no elaboration, except that the Master holds his THE CABLE TOW September, 1962 hat with his Icll hand and place his right hand over his left breast, lhe Deacons take the rods in their left hands, hold the rotis in vertical position, and place their right hands over their left breasts, as in giving the sign of fidelity. The District Deputy Grand Master Whenever the District Deputy (hand Master visits any lodge in his district, whether officially or unof ficially, he represents the Grand Master. On official visits he should he received with (hand Honors. On other visits, the Master should only call up the lodge as the Dis trict Deputy Grand Master enters and have him conducted to the East. The gavel should be pre sented to him in the usual manner. Like the official visitations of lhe Grand Master, nobody should sit in the East during his reception excep t the Master. As a matter of courtesy, the DDGM may invite the (.rand Officers, the Past Grand Officers, Inspector of the Lodge, ; nd Past Masters who TWO SIGNALS At the entrance to the harbor of lhe Isle of Man there are two lights which guide the mariner into the harbor. One would think the two signals would confuse lhe pilot But the fact is that he has to keep them in line, and so long as lie keeps the two lights in line, his vessel is safe. And it is just as we keep our eye on the two signals— the love of God and the love of man— that we keep the channel, and are safe from the rocks on either hand. - Dr. IE. I.. IVatkinson HERE AND THERE A delightful Chinese “lauriat” was held by Shriners sonjourning in Manila and nearby places Satur day evening, September 1 at the Foochow House on Claro M. Recto Avenue. It was a benefit dinner for lhe Masonic Hospital for Crip pled Children under the auspicies of Bamboo Oasis, sponsored by Chinese nobles. It was managed by Noble Tom Loft who conceived of the idea of the Shriners doing some thing tangible this year for the Hospital. To the credit of Noble Tom Loft and lhe Chinese Nobles who cooperated with him, the af fair was a towering success. l he Life Membership roll of the Hospital received a big boost when seven Shriners and Sister Marie Reid, friendly and personable wife of Noble George Reid, subscribed lor new Life Memberships. A life member pays 1*500, and so the Hos pital became richer by 1*4,000. In addition the "up-turned fez” yield ed 1*350.50 which also went to the Hospital coffers. Those who sub scribed for Life Memberships, either in person or for their Lodges were, aside from Sister Reid, Nobles Howard Spuler, E. Bundenthal, (Leonard Wood Lodge), Jose L. Araneta, Yao Muntek (Mencius Lodge), Stephen Lewis (Manila Lodge), Erank Finsko (Lincoln Lodge) and Vicente I.. Co Chien. The dinner was topped by a pro gram of Chinese music and folk dances. A modern Chinese orches tra under the baton of conductor MASONIC ETIQUETTE AND DECORUM 81

Media