VWB Brian B. Hardy Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington for 2007-2009 Mailto: Brian B. Hardy

“The Book of Constitutions you are to search at all times.  Cause it to be read in your Lodge, that none may pretend ignorance of the excellent precepts it enjoins.”

These words should be familiar to you.  They are given to every Master of the Lodge during his investiture, as the Book of Constitutions is presented to him as one of the implements used in his Lodge.

It sounds kind of strange doesn’t it?  I’m sure that none of us actually hope that the Master would sit in the East and simply read sections of the lengthy Washington Masonic Code to us all evening during a meeting.  Or, that he would point to another Brother known for his oratory skills to stand and read a chapter or two either.  Boy, that would be boring, wouldn’t it?  However, there are many times when we all hope that our officers and other members know the rules of our fraternity when tending to the business of our Lodges.  I contend that the words given actually mean that opportunities should be provided so all officers and members will know our Constitution.  How else will they learn this? 

Certainly, the Proficiency in Lodge Management program is one way.  It has been in place for a number of years, and attempts to stimulate the members who choose to pass this test to read parts of the Book of Constitutions on their own.  Some would argue that all this does is cause men to find a few specific answers to questions, but what I and others hope this does, is to teach a man, any member, how to reference the Constitutions, and enable him to find answers to other questions that may inevitably come up.  That is what this program does.  Even more hopeful would be that he actually becomes so interested in them that he reads the entire Volume, and begins to understand them.  Now that would be a prepared individual, ready to govern a Lodge, or challenge a Lodge when it is known that it is out of line. 

To know the rules, leads to applying them correctly, and then this guards against errant behavior that may need to be unnecessarily remedied.  That is why we all need to study the rules - to apply our rules correctly.  To read it is to learn.

One more thing.  Unlike the Sacred Volume or a novel, the Code changes in some way nearly every year.  It is a dynamic document and requires continuous study as changes are made to it.  I hope all our Lodges take the time to study resolutions as they come before the Grand Lodge each year, and more importantly, that each Lodge take time to review the changes before the Lodge so all present know what new or changed rules are to be followed. 

Here is a practical example I found myself caught in recently.  As a first time Master a few years back, I researched the rules governing proper behavior during balloting of petitioners and wrote them down.  I then read selected sections to the members of my Lodge prior to balloting to remind them of how serious misbehaving can be.  Over time, I see that what I did became a standard procedure used by some other Masters.  Recently, in my current role as Master again, I see my paper notes were out of date.  The Code had changed rules for balloting from Chapter 19 to Chapter 20.  Oops!  There I was quoting the wrong Chapter.  What do your notes say?

So, why is there so much negativity surrounding this attempt to make passing the Proficiency in Lodge Management Program a requirement to sit in the East?  It has but two goals: 1) to make sure that a Master knows the standard ritual of opening and closing Lodge, and 2) shows that he can research the Constitutional law and recommended procedures to learn what is right or wrong.  Is this too much to ask?  I think not.  It’s what we all expect.  It doesn’t mean he will be perfect.  It only means he has learned how to use his working tools a little better.

Thanks to both the District Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4, and the Masonic Monitor which publishes his articles for allowing us to reprint them.  The Masonic Monitor is published monthly (except August) under approval of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington.  The Masonic Monitor can be contacted at: 6619 132nd Avenue NE, PMB 237, Kirkland, WA, 98033-8627, USA.  Phone: (425) 822-4605 - FAX: (425) 822-2535 - Email: masonicmonitor@earthlink.net.