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ANNUAL ADDRESS of the Grand Master - Continued
We were lavishly and delightfully entertained for three days by the Grand Lodge of Cuba.
My Mother Lodge, Freeport, No. 23, held a reception in my honor at the Freeport Gymnasium on October 23, 1955, which was attended by 1,100 of my brethren, friends, relatives and their ladies. This was an occasion I shall never forget, with a program of entertainment including my four daughters. I was presented with a solid gold wrist watch, beautifully inscribed, a gift from my Grand Lodge Officers and from the brethren of my lodge. This is a token of affection and friendship which I shall deeply cherish the remainder of my life.
WASHINGTON CONFERENCES.
Masonic Week, so called, was held in Washington, D. C., February 21-24, 1955. Maine had a sizeable delegation in attendance at all meetings. The Grand Master was accompanied by the Deputy Grand Master Aubrey L. Burbank, Grand Secretary Convers E. Leach, immediate Past Grand Master Benjamin Ela, Past Grand Master David L. Wilson, Senior Grand Warden Philip D. Tingley, Past Grand Warden Everett S. Higgins, Grand Lecturer Raymond M. Rideout, Grand Sword Bearer Alpheus G. Dyer, and Brother I. Ray Libby, Grand Captain General of the Grand Commandery of Maine.
The Thirty-sixth Annual Meeting and luncheon of the Masonic Service Association was held on February 21. The reports of the committees of the Association were most interesting, and one cannot be familiar with the wonderful work done by this great organization without realizing the outstanding contribution it makes to World Masonry.
The hospital visitation program is one of the most realistic expressions of Masonic charity and brotherly love we have in this country. The Grand Lodge of Maine was honored by having its Grand Master appointed to the Finance Committee of the Association.
The work of this Association is conducted under the efficient and outstanding supervision of its executive secretary, Most Worshipful Brother Carl H. Claudy whom we are honored to have present today in this Grand Communication.
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It is important, I believe, to note that the Grand Lodge of Maine contributed $2,500.00 to the Hospital Visitation program while the Association expended $3,514.32 within the Grand Jurisdiction of Maine for the same purpose. I shall recommend an increase in our contribution.
On Tuesday, February 22, we attended the annual meeting of the George Washington National Memorial Association at the Memorial Building in Alexandria, Virginia. It was the pleasure of your Grand Master to present a check in the sum of $1,475.00. I shall recommend in this report a further contribution for the building fund.
We attended the sessions of the Grand Secretary's Conference on February 22, including the Grand Secretary's dinner, where we listened to an inspiring address by Past Grand Master Thomas S. Roy, of Massachusetts.
On February 23 and 24, we attended the sessions of the Grand Master's Conference and listened to several outstanding papers on a variety of interesting and timely Masonic topics.
The Grand Lodge of Maine was again honored by having its Grand Master appointed to the Conference Committee for 1956.
One of the outstanding features of Masonic Week in Washington was the breakfast tendered in honor of President Dwight D. Eisenhower by Frank S. Land, the founder of DeMolay, who was presently serving as Imperial Potentate of A. A. O. M. M. S. The color and entire atmosphere of this occasion was one we will never forget. The President, with most of the members of his Cabinet and several members of the United States Supreme Court, including its Chief Justice, Past Grand Master Earl Warren of California, were in attendance. The uniformed bodies and Choir of the Shrine Temple in Washington furnished a delightful musical program with the able assistance of the United States Marine Band orchestral section. The message of the President was inspiring, and his warm personality captivated every man present.
The Grand Lodge of Maine was again honored by having its Grand Master serve on the the formal committee to receive the President.
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On Thursday evening, I was the guest of Brother Robert S. Gass, Deputy for Maine, at the annual meeting and banquet of the Supreme Council of the International Order of DeMolay for boys. This was an outstanding occasion, and I only wish it were possible for the members of this Grand Lodge to learn of the work, sponsorship and support by a great majority of the Grand Lodges of this country in the work of this splendid youth organization.
BROTHERHOOD LODGE, U. D.
During the last three years, in the course of my visitations among the lodges in the City of Portland, I have encountered considerable sentiment in favor of a new lodge being created in that city.
On May 31, 1954, by arrangement, I met with a committee of nineteen brethren having membership in eighteen different lodges both within and without the State of Maine and all residing in and about the City of Portland. These brethren requested and received instructions on the procedure and routine for obtaining a dispensation for a new lodge as provided by our Constitution.
On July 6, 1954, written request to the five lodges whose jurisdiction would be affected was made by seventy-six brethren living within the jurisdiction of these Portland lodges. The request asking for a vote of approval to petition the Grand Master for a dispensation to form a new lodge to be known as " Brotherhood Lodge," alleged that a proper meeting place had been assured. This request did not state whether any or all of the men signing the request would sign the petition for the dispensation or would become a member of the new lodge if created.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 63 of the Constitution, these requests were presented at a stated meeting of each of the five lodges concerned and were held over and voted upon at the next stated meeting of each lodge. With the exception of one, all the lodges whose jurisdiction would be affected voted favorably on this request.
Austin Alden, District Deputy Grand Master for the 17th District gave his approval as required by the Constitution on September 10, 1954.
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Corner Stone Masonic Corporation voted on September 10, 1954, to make its hall and facilities available for the new lodge.
On November 22, 1954, a petition for dispensation was presented to me signed by fourteen Master Masons in good standing, all properly avouched for to me by Worshipful Brother Harlan E. Irish, Secretary, Corner Stone Lodge, No. 216. The number of signers upon this petition for dispensation was purposely restricted to a small group at my suggestion, on the ground that the Constitution required only seven members to be named in a dispensation, and I felt that for the Grand Secretary to write some seventy names into the dispensation in longhand would be an unnecessary amount of work.
Of the five lodges, having an aggregate membership of 3,378, whose jurisdiction would be affected, the lodge having the smallest membership, approximately twelve per cent of the total was the only one withholding its approval to the request for the petition for dispensation. This lodge was situated almost completely across the City from the neighborhood in which the proposed lodge had arranged for its meeting place. In view of these facts and pursuant to the provisions of Section 63 of the Constitution, I determined, on November 29, 1954, that the recommendation of this one lodge had been unreasonably withheld, and on that date I requested the Grand Secretary to prepare the dispensation.
Dispensation was prepared by the Grand Secretary and issued by me on November 30, 1954, to the signers of the petition for the dispensation.
On December 9, 1954, Right Worshipful Brother Austin Alden, the District Deputy Grand Master of the 17th Masonic District, at my request and in my behalf personally delivered the dispensation to Daniel I. Kornetsky, the Master named in the dispensation, at a meeting of the signers of the dispensation in the lodge room of Corner Stone Lodge.
Satisfactory evidence was presented to me that the men named in the dispensation had made proper arrangements for finances and for correct Masonic regalia.
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Since the issuance of the dispensation, thirteen meetings of the lodge have been held.
The brethren named in the dispensation have had the wholehearted support and encouragement of the officers of every lodge in the City of Portland including the lodge which voted to withhold recommendation.
Right Worshipful Brother Austin Alden has attended nearly every meeting of the lodge and has been most helpful with his advice and assistance in the work of the lodge.
The total of thirteen members have been raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason. The sincerity and determination of the members of the lodge to perform their work strictly in accordance with our law and ritual is most impressive. The care and caution with which they select their candidates is a lesson for every one of our lodges. It is an example which could well be followed by all our lodges. There have been five rejections.
In my opinion there is real and definite need for this new lodge in Portland. The last lodge chartered in the City of Portland was Corner Stone, No. 216, on May 4, 1927. Nearly thirty years have elapsed and Portland has a much greater population than 1927, and four of the five lodges have memberships well in excess of five hundred each, one having a membership of more than one thousand and another of nearly eight hundred.
On March 31, 1955, accompanied by two of our Past Grand Masters, three of our District Deputy Grand Masters, and several other Grand Lodge officers, I attended a meeting of Brotherhood Lodge when, for the first time, they worked the Master Mason degree upon three brethren. We were all impressed with the sincerity and dignity with which the work was performed and with the outstanding floor work.
A petition for a charter has been presented to the Grand Lodge together with the dispensation, attested transcript of all the proceedings, the by-laws and the dues of the lodge. These matters will be considered by our committee on dispensations and charters.
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I recommend wholeheartedly, and it is my sincere hope that this Grand Lodge will vote to issue a charter to Brotherhood Lodge.
PROPOSED LODGE AT LORING AIR FORCE BASE, LIMESTONE.
While serving this Grand Lodge as Deputy Grand Master, I learned from Most Worshipful Brother Ela, then our Grand Master, that he had been approached by interested brethren concerning a new lodge on or near the Loring Air Force Base, at Limestone, and that he had been to the Base and had a personal conference with the men interested.
Early in the summer of 1954, I was visited by Major Willie G. Williamson, who makes his home on the Base and who is a brother in good standing of a lodge within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas, who explained in detail to me the nature of his problem. This problem resolved itself into the fact that there were many Master Masons who were professional military men living upon the Base with their families having no other domicile and knowing no other home. These men expected to be living on the Base for several years The fact that they lived upon the military Base and did not vote or pay a poll tax in Maine precluded them from being considered as residents within the meaning of several decisions approved by our Grand Lodge, especially one approved in 1906. He pointed out that these men are extremely interested in having their own lodge.
By arrangement and in the company of our Senior Grand Warden, the District Deputy Grand Master of the First Masonic District, Past Grand Warden Right Worshipful Brother George Haskell, and Grand Sword Bearer Brother Alpheus G. Dyer, I made a personal visit to the Base there at Limestone. We were conducted over the Base by Major Williamson, and I know I speak for all who were present when I say it was one of the most inspiring and interesting trips we ever expect to make. The important information we obtained from the trip, from a Masonic point of view, was to learn that these men had their only home there upon the Base where they live with their families. There on the Base
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they shop in the stores, have their own doctors, dentists, hospital, their own recreation; in fact their entire everyday life.
That evening, we met with and were entertained at dinner by sixteen Masonic brethren, all of whom were members of the Craft. The meeting was held at Fort Fairfield. These men were the key officers there at the Base charged with the responsibility of maintaining the largest bomber base on this continent nearest to Moscow. They were typical of the most able-bodied, most brilliant young men in America today. We became convinced that the success or failure of America in the next war rested directly upon their shoulders and upon the shoulders of the men working with them. These men were all brother masons from nine different Grand Jurisdictions, keenly interested and anxious to have a lodge of their own.
We explained in detail our constitutional provisions and decisions affecting the problem, and I promised to discuss the matter with the proper committees.
Limestone Lodge, No. 214, at Limestone, Caribou Lodge, No. 170, at Caribou, and the District Deputy Grand Master of the First Masonic District have all indicated they would gladly approve the issuance of a dispensation to form this new lodge.
After a further study of the matter and pursuant to the provisions of Section 39 of the Constitution, I submitted the problem to our Jurisprudence Committee on November 29, 1954, expressed my sympathy with this group and recommended that we do everything possible and proper for them. While the matter should probably be reviewed and considered by our Committee on Dispensations and Charters, yet I considered that this Grand Lodge, as well as that committee, would eventually require the consideration of the Jurisprudence Committee in view of the decisions above referred to.
On February 12, 1955, the chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee advised me that his committee had studied the matter at length but regretted to advise me that in the opinion of the committee our decisions concerning Masonic residence
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were a complete bar to allowing men stationed at the Base to become members of the new lodge, if formed. The Committee on Jurisprudence further advised me that they felt the matter should be disposed of in the event this Grand Lodge were so disposed by amendment of Section 92 of the Constitution.
While I probably had authority to grant dispensation for such a new lodge, yet I have felt it would be unwise to take that action until this Grand Lodge votes to amend the Constitution.
I am convinced that a lodge is needed there at the Loring Air Force Base and that it would be a definite asset to Maine Masonry. A proposal to amend the Constitution will be submitted at this communication and must, of necessity, lay over for vote until the next annual communication. I sincerely hope that this proposal will be favorably received and be voted upon favorably at our next annual communication. I feel that no dispensation for a new lodge should issue either from this Grand Lodge or from me unless our Constitution is amended as above indicated.
APPROVALS OF BUILDINGS AND PLANS UNDER STANDING REGULATION NO. 46.
This regulation provides that " no building shall be purchased, erected or extensively reconstructed at the expense, in whole or in part, of any lodge in this jurisdiction until the plans of the same, and the terms and conditions of its construction or acquisition, shall have been approved by the Grand Master." I interpret this language to mean that when such a building is to be purchased, erected or extensively reconstructed and lodge funds go into the project, either directly or indirectly, then these acts require the approval of the Grand Master and the mere fact that lodge funds are first passed to a building corporation, which may be handling the project, does not relieve the lodge from this approval. To hold otherwise would be to eliminate a major part of the purpose of the regulation, which of course is to protect the funds of the lodge as well as to approve the design of the building.
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On June 10, 1954, I approved the purchase and alteration of a building at 22 Poland Street in the Deering Section of Portland for Corner Stone Lodge. This project has been completed and the lodge now has some of the finest lodge facilities in the State. The lodge room is really beautiful and is an asset to Maine Masonry.
On December 6, 1954, I gave formal approval of the plans and financial arrangements for reconstruction and renovation of the Masonic Temple at Bangor, Maine, the approval being directed to St. Andrews Lodge, No. 83. The lodge advised me that Past Grand Master Benjamin W. Ela had considered the plans in 1953 and had approved the plans verbally but that they had no written approval in their files. Upon reading pages 57 and 58 of the 1953 Proceedings, a section of Grand Master Ela's address, it would appear that formal approval had been given. However, to clarify the matter, I affirmed Grand Master Ela's statement and endorsed my approval upon the plans and financial arrangements. The project is well underway and it is understood it will be completed in the early fall of 1955.
On February 8, 1955, I gave formal approval to Ralph J. Pollard Lodge, No. 217, of the plans and arrangements of their new Temple at Orrington. The officers of the lodge stated that while they understood that Grand Master Ela had approved the project and while I considered that such approval was given, orally at least, especially in view of the fact that Grand Master Ela and his Grand Lodge officers laid the corner stone in formal ceremonies in April of 1954, yet I gave written formal approval to bring the matter to a close. This building is practically completed and the lodge is now meeting within the structure. It is one of the finest Masonic buildings in the State and shows very thoughtful and careful planning.
REVISIONS OF AND AMENDMENTS TO LODGE BY-LAWS.
During the year there have been general revisions of the By-laws of several of our lodges and amendments made to the By-laws of several of the other lodges. Before approving
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these changes and revisions, I have made a careful reading of the same and considered them in connection with our Grand Lodge Constitution, Regulations and Decisions. All revisions and amendments have been made in accordance with the existing By-laws of the lodges involved and are consistent with Grand Lodge law. A record of these acts is attached hereto and entitled " Appendix E." I will repeat the request made by Grand Master Ela in his address last year, asking that an additional copy be submitted to the Grand Master, that is four copies in all so that he may have one for his file. In several cases I have refused to approve amendments because they did not comply with our Masonic law.
HURRICANES CAROL AND EDNA.
Two disastrous hurricanes struck the State of Maine during the fall of 1954 and left extensive damage in their wakes. However, no substantial loss was caused to our Masonic lodges with the exception of Solar Lodge, No. 14, at Bath, which had planned to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of its institution. These plans had to be cancelled because of the damage caused by Hurricane Edna and the lodge suffered considerable financial loss. However, the program was held at a later date with more than seven hundred brethren in attendance; truly an outstanding occasion in the history of Masonry in Maine. In behalf of the Grand Lodge I extended my sympathy to the lodge and its officers for the loss they had suffered. I was assured by officers of the lodge that the loss to the lodge could safely be absorbed from lodge funds.
The Masonic Service Association, through its Executive Secretary, Most Worshipful Brother Carl H. Claudy, wired me on September 13, 1954, placing all the resources of the Association at our command in the event the same were necessary to relieve our lodges or our Grand Lodge. I wired Brother Claudy immediately, thanking him for his offer of help and advising him that there was no apparent need for financial help. A like offer of assistance was received from Frank Colman Allen, Illustrious Deputy for the Northern Jurisdiction, Scottish Rite Bodies, and a like reply was: made, expressing our appreciation.
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These kind offers of assistance are deeply appreciated and this Grand Lodge is most grateful for the thoughtfulness and offers of these two great organizations.
DISPENSATIONS.
I believe there has been a slight decline in the number of dispensations issued this year.
Dispensations issued to work degrees out of time have been restricted to those cases of men in the military service and to those cases within the language of Section 108 of our Constitution authorizing such dispensation to be granted. Each dispensation for out-of-time work has been issued upon the express condition that the candidate shall receive all necessary and suitable instruction before and after each degree and in accordance with the Pollard Plan.
A record of the dispensations issued is attached to this report and entitled " Appendix D."
Several requests for dispensation have been refused.
DECISIONS AND ORDERS.
Following the experience of my predecessors in this office, I have answered a great many questions by referring to our Masonic law consisting of the Grand Lodge Constitution, Standing Regulations and Decisions previously made and approved by the Grand Lodge. I have been very conscious of the invaluable aid and assistance which is available by a study of this law.
A great amount of the correspondence in the Grand Master's office deals with questions that could be readily answered by a reference to the Maine Masonic Textbook and to our Constitution and Regulations, and in the district meetings which I have above referred to I have stressed the fact that the officers of a lodge should equip themselves with copies of these two invaluable guides.
There have been several questions submitted to me which I felt required a decision and those decisions are as follows:
Question No. 1 — Sec. 81 of the Grand Lodge Constitution provides that no lodge shall " move its hall more than one-half a mile from where it is located, or where it may be located when the lodge is constituted,
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without the consent of the Grand Lodge." Can this consent be given by the Grand Master or must the removal of the hall await a communication of the Grand Lodge?
Answer.—The consent may be given by the Grand Master.
Question No. 2.—Standing Regulation No. 46 provides that " no building shall be purchased, erected or extensively reconstructed at the expense, in whole or in part, of any lodge in this jurisdiction until the plans of the same and the terms and conditions of its construction or acquisition, shall have been approved by the Grand Master." In a case where the lodge funds are advanced to a building corporation in exchange for its stock or membership certificate which corporation is, in fact, constructing, purchasing or altering the building, is approval by the Grand Master necessary?
Answer.—Yes such approval by the Grand Master is necessary. Otherwise, the whole purpose of the regulation which is not only intended to approve the design and arrangement of the building but also to protect the lodge from an unsafe expenditure of its funds would be lost and any lodge wishing to proceed without having this approval could simply arrange to set up a corporation and accomplish exactly what this section intends to prevent.
Question No. 3.—An applicant is rejected in Lodge " A " in 1950. In 1952 he moves his residence to the jurisdiction of Lodge " B." In 1953 he applies to Lodge " A " for a waiver of jurisdiction. The waiver is denied. Does the five year period of jurisdiction of Lodge " A " commence with the date of the rejection of the original application or with the date of the refusal to grant the waiver of jurisdiction?
Answer.—Lodge " A " loses jurisdiction in five years from the date of the rejection and not from the date of refusing the waiver of jurisdiction. A decision in 1880, page 298, states that an applicant whose application for a waiver of jurisdiction is rejected is in exactly the same status as before applying for the application for the waiver of jurisdiction.
Question No. 4.—Sec. 67 of the Grand Lodge Constitution, dealing with the matter of granting a charter to a lodge under dispensation, states, in part, that " the Grand Secretary, under the direction of the Grand Master, shall omit from the charter the names of all who do not file their dimits or proper evidence that they are not then affiliated." Should the dimits from the men who intend to become charter members be placed on file with the Grand Secretary before the Grand Lodge votes on the question of whether to issue the charter or should they be filed after the Grand Lodge vote and before the charter is prepared and issued by the Grand Master?
Answer.—The dimits should not be filed until after Grand Lodge has voted on the question of whether to issue the charter. They should be filed after said vote and before the charter is actually issued.
Question No. 5.—Sec. 85, paragraph 3 of the Grand Lodge Constitution provides that" each lodge shall be entitled to receive as many diplomas
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from the Grand Lodge as it makes Master Masons. No duplicate of a diploma shall be issued." In a situation where the Grand Secretary has forwarded the diploma to the lodge for the new member and because of some failure or neglect to deliver the diploma by the officers of the lodge to the new member, he has never received his diploma, is the Grand Secretary correct in issuing another diploma and forwarding it to the lodge for presentation to the member?
Answer.—The diploma has not been issued until it has been completely executed and delivered to the candidate. Once the candidate has received his diploma, he shall never be entitled to receive another. Where the candidate has never received a diploma and the lodge arranges for a diploma to be delivered to him, this latter diploma is not a duplicate. It is my opinion that we are obligated, in view of our Constitution, to see to it that the candidate actually receives one diploma and, if we fail to deliver that diploma to him, it is our duty to the new member to, correct the situation.
Question No. 6.—Standing Regulation No. 55 provides for the presentation of the Grand Lodge of Maine Veteran's Medal to each Master Mason who holds membership in this jurisdiction at least twenty-five years and who has been a Master Mason in good standing for fifty years. If either of these periods have been interrupted by dimit or suspension, are the years during which suspension or dimit was in effect counted in determining whether or not the Brother is eligible to receive this Veteran's Medal?
Answer.—If the Brother has been a member in good standing for fifty years, twenty-five of which include membership in a Maine lodge, he is entitled to receive the Medal; however, the years during which he was under suspension or dimitted shall not be counted in arriving at the requisite number of years. If the Brother became a member more than fifty years before applying for the Medal and he has an aggregate number of years in good standing, not under suspension or dimit, equaling fifty years, even though the period of his membership may have been interrupted by suspension or dimit, he is entitled to receive the Veteran's Medal.
Question No. 7.—A candidate receives his first degree in Lodge " A." Subsequently he moves to a different town within the jurisdiction of Lodge " B." Lodge " A " issues a waiver of jurisdiction to Lodge " B." Some years elapse before the candidate appears to take his second degree. In the meantime, an objection is made confidentially to the Master of the lodge against the advancement of the candidate. What action must be taken upon this objection?
Answer.—Since the candidate has received one degree, the objection should be made in open lodge and, if the objection is supported by two-thirds of the members present, the objection is sustained and the candidate cannot be advanced. If the objection is not so made and so disposed
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of, it is entirely within the discretion and judgment of the Worshipful Master to determine when the candidate shall be advanced.
Question No. 8.—Is a Past District Deputy Grand Master correctly addressed in Masonry as " Right Worshipful? "
Answer.—A Past District Deputy Grand Master is entitled to be addressed as Right Worshipful for the remainder of his Masonic life. There is language on page 297 of the last revision of the Maine Masonic Textbook stating that " a Masonic title is a personal one which attaches to a Brother by virtue of his having acquired an office in a lodge or the Grand Lodge and to which he is not divested when his term of office expires."
Question No. 9.—What action can be taken to compel a newly raised Master Mason to pass an examination in open lodge as required by Sec. 54 of the Constitution?
Answer.—A newly raised member refusing to pass this examination as required by the mandatory language of this section is subject to disciplinary action which should be taken after the preferring of charges by the Junior Warden all in accordance with the provisions of our law.
Question No. 10.—Is a member who refuses to pay an assessment subject to the same penalty as one who refuses to pay dues as provided in Sec. 117 of the Grand Lodge Constitution?
Answer.—The words " dues " and " assessments " are synonymous terms within the language of this section and, if a member fails to pay either one, including a Grand Lodge assessment, he is subject to the penalty.
Question No. 11.—Is it necessary that an application for admission bear the written recommendation of two members of the lodge to which the application is directed?
Answer.—A decision approved in 1865, page 85, states that " an application should not be accepted until it is recommended by at least one member of the lodge." If there is no By-law of the lodge requiring the application to be signed by two members of the lodge, then, in view of the above decision, it is my opinion that only one of the men signing the recommendation need be a member of the lodge. However, if the By-laws of the lodge require that two members sign the application, then that regulation should be followed.
Question No. 12.—Is the legal quorum of a lodge three or seven members?
Answer.—We have reference in our ritualistic work that " three made a Master Mason's lodge." However, Sec. 110 of the Constitution provides that no ballot shall be taken for initiation or membership, unless there are at least seven members of the lodge present. Sec. 122 of the Constitution provides that all general business should be done in a Master's lodge and at least seven members must be present. A decision passed in 1868, page 200, states that a quorum for a lodge to do business is seven.
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Another decision passed in 1875, page 528, requires that there must be seven members present to do work in the Master Mason's degree. In view of these Constitutional provisions and decisions, no lodge can do business or perform work unless there are at least seven present. A lodge can open and close without performing work or doing business if there are three present besides a tyler.
Question No. 13.—Is it Masonically proper to allow committee meetings of a political party to be held in a lodge room while the lodge is not in session?
Answer.—No political committee and no meeting of any group held either for the purpose of discussing political problems or in connection with the observance of a political anniversary of any party should be held at any time in a Masonic hall or lodge room.
Question No. 14.—Is it necessary that every candidate be passed through the Pollard Plan in accordance with the routine established by the special committee on Masonic Education?
Answer.—Yes. Each candidate must be processed and passed through the Pollard Plan as now established or hereafter altered and the Master of each lodge shall appoint instructors in his lodge as provided in the plan, whose duty it shall be to carry out the provisions of the Pollard Plan. This procedure shall be followed until vote by Grand Lodge to the contrary.
Question No. 15.—Is it necessary that a visiting degree team, not including the officers of any lodge or the past masters of a lodge doing work in their own lodge at a Past Masters' Night or on any other occasion, performing ritualistic work in any of the lodges within this Grand Jurisdiction, be inspected and have their work approved by our Grand Lecturer?
Answer.—In view of the order issued by the Grand Master in July of 1954, no visiting degree team, not to include the officers of any lodge, or the past masters of a lodge, working within their lodge, and not to include the officers of a lodge working as a visiting degree team in another lodge, shall perform ritualistic work within any of the lodges of this Grand Jurisdiction without first having been inspected and approved by the Grand Lecturer and the Grand Lecturer is hereby ordered to make such inspection and approval or disapproval.
Question No. 16.—Is it necessary that the Master of a lodge or a member presiding in the Master's chair read the order of the Grand Master dated August 2, 1954, concerning dignity and decorum on each occasion that the Master Mason's degree is worked?
Answer.—Until further order of the Grand Master to the contrary, the Master or the member acting as Master of each lodge shall read aloud to the lodge just prior to the beginning of the second section of the third degree, whenever the third degree is conferred, the following statement: " The second section of the third degree constitutes a most solemn and impressive portion of our ritualistic work. In it are taught the ultimate
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lessons of Masonic philosophy—victory over death and the immortality of the soul. Nothing must be allowed to impair the deep impression which should be made upon the mind of the candidate. Accordingly, the Grand Lodge frowns upon any levity, horseplay or undue roughness and requests that there be no such actions and no audible laughter or other noise in the lodge room which might distract the attention of the candidate." Failure to comply with this order and any action by any officer or member in violation of or inconsistent with the langugage of the order shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action.
Question No. 17.—Shall the Master of a lodge wear a hat while in the performance of his duties as such in an open lodge of Masons and, in his absence, by whom may or shall the same be worn?
Answer.—The Master, while the lodge is engaged in work, should wear a hat of some type and description of his own choice. The hat should be removed whenever in the presence of higher authority such as during prayer, in church, during any reference to Deity and in the presence of the Grand Master. The hat may be removed on accasion for the convenience and comfort of the Master. A hat should not be worn by anyone else while occupying the Master's chair, excepting a Past Master while acting as Master. If the Master is present in the lodge room and any other person is temporarily occupying the Master's chair, it shall be within the Master's discretion whether or not he, the Master, shall at that time wear a hat. No other person, excepting the Grand Master, shall wear a hat in a lodge.
Question No. 18.—Is it permissible to allow the Order of Rainbow for Girls, and the International Order of DeMolay for Boys to use a Masonic hall for their meetings?
Answer.—Standing Regulation No. 23 includes a vote passed in 1882 which provides " that application to a lodge for joint occupation of its hall by another society shall be granted only by a two-thirds vote of the lodge, the application having been laid over from one stated meeting to another."
Any concordant or appendant order or organization, including the Order of Rainbow for Girls and the International Order of DeMolay for Boys may properly use Masonic halls for their meetings, subject to the provisions of the above-mentioned vote.
RECOMMENDATIONS. SPONSORSHIP OF DEMOLAY.
The merit and real worth of the functions and objectives of the International Order of DeMolay for Boys has been recognized over the entire Masonic World for many years. It has been the subject of discussion in this Grand Lodge on previous occasions. In 1925, Past Grand Master Ashley A.
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Smith wrote a delightful article on Youth and Masonry. In 1929, Past Grand Master Harold E. Cooke, in his annual address, made very favorable comments concerning the Order of DeMolay, and in 1942, Most Worshipful Brother Melvin M. Johnson, Senior Past Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, prepared a paper which was included in our annual proceedings for that year, in which he strongly endorsed the work of the Order of DeMolay when he said " those of us who are Freemasons and who are not furthering the work of the Order of DeMolay, are, it seems to me, guilty of neglect of a great opportunity if we do not either join therein or energetically develop some better way to reach and touch the hearts and minds of youth."
At the present time, thirty of the Grand Lodges in this country sponsor and endorse the Order of DeMolay for Boys. Many of our Grand Lodges raise substantial sums of money for the employment of professional directors of youth activities. As an example, the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island appropriates and expends Ten Thousand Dollars each year for this project.
In 1954, our Mother Grand Lodge of Massachusetts approved a ruling by their Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Whitfield M. Johnson, authorizing lodges to sponsor DeMolay Chapters and to use their funds in support of the same.
In Maine, there are eleven Chapters of DeMolay having some 700 members. This record is a very poor one when compared with the condition of the Order in our sister jurisdictions and especially when compared to the present condition of the Order of Rainbow for Girls in Maine, which is sponsored by the Chapters of the Order of Eastern Star. There are twenty-four Assemblies having more than 2,000 members in this girls' youth organization. Certainly the Order of DeMolay is entitled to the same encouragement, growth and development.
I have been very aware over the last three years that the Grand Lodge of Maine was not performing its duty to youth and I appointed our Deputy Grand Master as a special committee of one to make an investigation and study of facts
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which I had collected and of material which he had discovered.
In view of the above facts and of the report by this special committee, I recommend that this Grand Lodge adopt a regulation that a constituent lodge of this Grand Jurisdiction may become a sponsoring body for a Chapter of the International Order of DeMolay, and the sponsoring of such a Chapter shall be deemed a proper Masonic purpose for the expenditure of any lodge funds which such lodge may wish to appropriate for such purpose; provided, however, that notice of the proposal to become the sponsoring body for such a Chapter and notice of a proposal to appropriate lodge funds for such a purpose shall be contained in the official notice of the meeting at which such proposed action is to be taken.
EQUIPMENT IN THE GRAND LODGE OFFICE.
It is very apparent from an observation of our Grand Lodge office and from a study of the recent inventory, that the offices of our Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer need to be equipped with modern office furniture, files, partitions and mechanical devices for dictation, mimeographing, etc. No action has been taken for a great many years by Grand Lodge to keep our business office abreast of the times. Our Grand Secretary and his assistants are now serving more than 47,000 members and our membership is entitled to and rightfully expecting modern service. It is a hardship and entails a great amount of additional work upon the Grand Secretary and his assistants to operate on the present basis of equipment and arrangement, and I recommend that this Grand Lodge appoint a committee with authority to survey the situation and purchase the necessary equipment to bring this important office up to present day standards.
REPRINTING OF CONSTITUTION AND REGULATIONS.
Our Grand Lodge Constitution and Standing Regulations were last printed in 1941. There are less than 25 copies on hand, and there have been many amendments and additions. I recommend that a committee be appointed with authority
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to arrange for the revising, annotating and reprinting of the Constitution and Standing Regulations.
MASONIC VETERANS' LAPEL BUTTONS.
A great many of our Masonic Veterans have recommended to me that Grand Lodge adopt a suitable lapel button that could be worn by these fine brethren outside the lodge room as well as in lodge. They point out that the medal which they all prize so highly is very suitable for lodge wear but not exactly appropriate for street wear. I have gathered considerable information on the matter and have appointed Right Worshipful Brother Lewis T. Brown as a special committee to study my file and such other facts as he might feel pertinent and to make a report. Based on these facts and this report, I recommend this Grand Lodge appoint a committee with authority to have prepared a lapel button for our Masonic Veterans, and I further recommend that these lapel buttons be available for presentation only to those brethren entitled to the Grand Lodge of Maine Veteran's Medal as provided in Standing Regulation No. 55.
PROPOSED SIMON GREENLEAF MEDAL.
Most Worshipful Brother Simon Greenleaf, our second Grand Master, made a great contribution to Masonry in Maine and to Masonry in the country as a whole. He was one of the leaders in the creation of our Grand Lodge and would have been its first Grand Master had he not stepped aside so that Maine's first Governor, William King, could have the honor of being our first Grand Master. He was the author of one of the outstanding early books on Masonic History in this country, entitled " A Brief Inquiry Into the Origin and Principles of Freemasonry," which he wrote in 1820. In honor of this great Mason and Masonic pioneer in Maine Masonry, I recommend that a committee be appointed with authority to prepare the Simon Greenleaf medal and to prescribe the conditions under which this medal should be awarded and presented, and I further recommend that a Standing Regulation be adopted to cover the situation.
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MASONIC FUNERAL SERVICE.
More and more of our Masons have been serving in the armed forces and have, in consequence, become entitled to military funeral honors rendered at the graveside. Most Worshipful Brother Ralph J. Pollard has suggested that I recommend a slight change in our funeral service which would allow military honors to be rendered at the Master's order and under his direction just before the committal prayer.
I recommend that such a change be made and that the Grand Lodge appoint a committee to prepare the necessary language.
STANDING REGULATION 54.
Many complaints have been reported to me over several sections of the State that newly raised Master Masons do not learn the lesson and pass an examination in open lodge on the Master Mason degree within sixty days of receipt of the same, as provided by this regulation. I recommend that this regulation and all pertinent constitutional provisions be amended to provide that no man raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason shall sign the by-laws, become a member of the lodge, or receive his diploma until he has complied with this section.
MEMBERS WHOSE WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN.
Section 117 of the Constitution provides that a member delinquent in payment of dues shall be suspended or forfeit his membership only after due notice. Many lodges have complained to me that they have members whose addresses and whereabouts are unknown and to whom due notice cannot be given. Our decisions require proof of actual receipt of notice to constitute due notice. It is a hardship to the lodge to carry these men for several years and pay the per capita tax upon them. I recommend this Section be amended or that a new Section or regulation be added to provide, in effect, that a lodge shall be excused from paying the per capita tax upon a member whose address or whereabouts cannot be found, after reasonable attempt has been made by the secretary of the lodge to the satisfaction of the Grand Secretary.
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