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Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able to join multiple lodges?

Dual/Plural memberships


  • Total voters
    78

Txmason32

Registered User
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

I am in Texas and endowed in my home lodge and not old enough to be a life member anywhere lol let's hope I make it one day . I want to know if I affiliate and keep my membership at home can I hold office in the affiliate lodge ?

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dfreybur

Premium Member
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

I want to know if I affiliate and keep my membership at home can I hold office in the affiliate lodge ?

Yes. Answer not limited to Texas. Membership by affiliation is full membership every jurisdiction I've ever heard of.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

Can you hold office if you don't affiliate
The only office a non-member can hold in a GLoTX Lodge is Tiler. All other offices must be held by members of that Lodge.

Art. 265. All but Tiler Must Be Members.
All officers of a Lodge must be members thereof, except the Tiler. All must be in good standing and should be able and willing to perform the duties of the respective offices.

A non-member may fill any office "pro tem" EXCEPT that of WM, which MUST be filled (for opening & closing- does not apply to the conferral of degrees) by the sitting WM, SW, JW, or any Past Master of that Lodge.

Art. 269. Absence of Officers.
In the absence of the Worshipful Master and both Wardens, the last Past Master of the Lodge may preside, but in such a case, a Past Master of another
Lodge cannot preside. When the Master, Wardens and all Past Masters of a Lodge are absent, it cannot be opened; and if already open, it is thereupon automatically closed.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

Yes. Answer not limited to Texas. Membership by affiliation is full membership every jurisdiction I've ever heard of.
The original question was if a Brother who affiliates with other Lodges can hold office in the Lodge(s) with which he has affiliated. The answer above is not entirely correct- see below:

Art. 266. Holding Two Offices Restricted.
A Brother may hold only one office during the Masonic year, either elective or appointive, in each of the subordinate Lodges of this Grand Jurisdiction of which he is a member, subject to the following restrictions:
a. Shall not hold the office of Worshipful Master in more than one Lodge.
b. Shall not hold office simultaneously, either elective or appointive, in more than one Lodge whose stated meetings are held on the same date and overlapping time, the sole exception the office of Tiler.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

The original question was if a Brother who affiliates with other Lodges can hold office in the Lodge(s) with which he has affiliated. The answer above is not entirely correct- see below:

I hadn't considered the case of being an officer in more than one lodge at a time. The Texas rule is more generous, simpler and better written than my other jurisdictions.

California - A brother can be an appointed officer in as many lodges as will appoint him. A brother can be an elected officer in no more than one lodge in any year. California uses a standardized by-laws so every lodge elects MW, SW, JW, TR, SE and appoints the rest. California does not support honorary memberships (similar to life memberships in Texas).

Illinois - A brother can be an appointed officer in as many lodges as will appoint/elect him. The rules having to do with elected officers changed more than once in the years I attended GL. They ranged from MW in only one lodge with no restrictions elsewhere, to not being MW/SW/JW in more than one lodge at once, to not being able to hold elected office in any other lodge if you're elected in one. In Illinois each lodge can chose to elect more than MW/SW/JW/TR/SE. Both of mine also elect deacons. Illinois supports honorary memberships who can not hold installed offices.

Texas supports life memberships which aren't quite the same as honorary memberships elsewhere. If I understand correctly it's a dues paying status with the dues bill automatically remitted for life. As such a Texas life membership pays GL per capita. I think that means a life member counts as affiliated and as such is allowed to hold office? So far I haven't heard mention of any life member in the two lodges I attend regularly so they seem more rare than in Illinois. Given the price difference being more rare makes sense to me - Price difference here being both the lower price of an endowed membership and paying per capita versus not.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

I think that means a life member counts as affiliated and as such is allowed to hold office? Given the price difference being more rare makes sense to me - Price difference here being both the lower price of an endowed membership and paying per capita versus not.
I think there are more problems with definitions here. Under GLoTX, "affiliated" means a member of a Lodge other than that which is his "parent" Lodge. One can be a life member in either his parent Lodge or one with which he is affiliated. Life members are members in every sense of the word and have all the privileges of any other member, including being allowed to hold any appointed or elected office for which he is qualified.

As to the "price difference" I am confused- one cannot purchase a "Life Membership". It is an honor awarded to a Brother by a Lodge of which he is already a member. He is permanently exempt from having to pay dues but the Lodge must remit his per capita to Grand Lodge every year, just as it must for each endowed member.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

As to the "price difference" I am confused- one cannot purchase a "Life Membership". It is an honor awarded to a Brother by a Lodge of which he is already a member. He is permanently exempt from having to pay dues but the Lodge must remit his per capita to Grand Lodge every year, just as it must for each endowed member.

I referred to the price difference is to the lodge.

Honorary membership in some jurisdictions - Neither dues nor per capita. The brother signs as a member not as a visitor. Easily given because of the price to the lodge.

Life membership in Texas - Yes dues no per capita. Rarely given because of price to the lodge.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Re: Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able

Life membership in Texas - Yes dues no per capita. Rarely given because of price to the lodge.
Actually, it's NO dues, YES per capita, and the price to the Lodge has nothing to do with why & how they are given- they are an honor few earn and Grand Lodge Law restricts how many may be awarded and how a Brother qualifies- see below:

Art. 315. Life Membership.
A Lodge may grant only one life membership in any one Masonic year and only for distinguished service rendered to the Lodge; and one additional life membership during any consecutive Masonic three-year period and only for long and distinguished service. The name of a member so to be honored shall be proposed at a stated meeting and voted on at a subsequent stated meeting by show of hands, or secret ballot at the discretion of the Master presiding. A majority vote of the members present shall elect. Life members are exempt from paying dues to the Lodge; but the Lodge is not exempt from paying to the Grand Lodge its per capita contributions on account of its life members.
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
Normally, you cannot vote, propose motions, nor hold office in a lodge that you are not a member of. I like the exception that Texas has for the tiler. Of course, any mason may visit any regular lodge. But visitation is not the same an being a full, voting member.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Normally, you cannot vote, propose motions, nor hold office in a lodge that you are not a member of. I like the exception that Texas has for the tiler. Of course, any mason may visit any regular lodge. But visitation is not the same an being a full, voting member.
Agreed. There is a lodge that I visit almost every week that I am going to petition to join as I really like it there and want to be a voting member.
 
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