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Grand Lodge of Alabama and PH Grand Lodge of Alabama

dfreybur

Premium Member
You mean like when the GM sends an officer to sit in the East to ensure proper behavior in a lodge. Yep. That happens. .

A tough situation, but yes. In our 3rd degree we are taught how to handle an erring Brother. A lodge is made of Masons so we are to improve each other in such fashion as individuals. A grand lodge is made of Lodges so our lodges are to improve each other in such fashion as organizations.

On the one hand, recognition compacts that are presented have to be approved by the delegates at Annual Communication. On the other hand, the end goal is full and traditional recognition.

Anything less than full and traditional is a compromise and should be viewed as a temporary crutch. Members here, as individuals, have the luxury of wanting to move immediately to the end point. GL officers, having to deal with delegates, don't. Any restriction that has been in place for several years, it should be time to send in the paperwork to move towards "full and traditional recognition without reservations", with a realistic view on timing to give it a good chance of passing the vote on the floor.
 

Bro. David F. Hill

David F. Hill
Premium Member
A tough situation, but yes. In our 3rd degree we are taught how to handle an erring Brother. A lodge is made of Masons so we are to improve each other in such fashion as individuals. A grand lodge is made of Lodges so our lodges are to improve each other in such fashion as organizations.

On the one hand, recognition compacts that are presented have to be approved by the delegates at Annual Communication. On the other hand, the end goal is full and traditional recognition.

Anything less than full and traditional is a compromise and should be viewed as a temporary crutch. Members here, as individuals, have the luxury of wanting to move immediately to the end point. GL officers, having to deal with delegates, don't. Any restriction that has been in place for several years, it should be time to send in the paperwork to move towards "full and traditional recognition without reservations", with a realistic view on timing to give it a good chance of passing the vote on the floor.
That time has come pending approval of Grand Lodge of Texas Resolution #3.

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Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
That time has come pending approval of Grand Lodge of Texas Resolution #3.
Bro. Hill, I am confused as to what resolution you are referring- the following is the text of the "Resolution #3" that was sent out to us:
"RESOLUTION NO. 3
Referred to Committee on Finance & Jurisprudence
WHEREAS in The Laws of the Grand Lodge of Texas Art. 380 set the criteria for a member in good standing as a receipt from his Lodge showing his dues are current; and WHEREAS the current wording of Art. 380 is less than clear and precise as to “dues current at the time of visit”.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Art. 380 be amended as follows: Art. 380. Good Standing. Upon notification to the Worshipful Master, and at his discretion, a member of a Lodge under the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge may visit any Texas Masonic Lodge working under this jurisdiction without the avouchment and or examination process providing that he is in good standing and presents a receipt his current dues card from his Lodge showing that his dues are current at the time of said visitation along with a photo identification; except in cases provided for in Art. 382. Current dues are defined as dues paid for the current calendar year of January 1 through December 31 and do not include any grace period prior to suspension.. Sojourning Masons from other jurisdictions must possess a current dues card and shall be vouched for or examined in accordance with Art. 381.
James “Ken” Kenneth Scales, PM
Italy Lodge No. 647
 

David Duke

Premium Member
Bro. Hill, I am confused as to what resolution you are referring- the following is the text of the "Resolution #3" that was sent out to us:
"RESOLUTION NO. 3
Referred to Committee on Finance & Jurisprudence
WHEREAS in The Laws of the Grand Lodge of Texas Art. 380 set the criteria for a member in good standing as a receipt from his Lodge showing his dues are current; and WHEREAS the current wording of Art. 380 is less than clear and precise as to “dues current at the time of visit”.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Art. 380 be amended as follows: Art. 380. Good Standing. Upon notification to the Worshipful Master, and at his discretion, a member of a Lodge under the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge may visit any Texas Masonic Lodge working under this jurisdiction without the avouchment and or examination process providing that he is in good standing and presents a receipt his current dues card from his Lodge showing that his dues are current at the time of said visitation along with a photo identification; except in cases provided for in Art. 382. Current dues are defined as dues paid for the current calendar year of January 1 through December 31 and do not include any grace period prior to suspension.. Sojourning Masons from other jurisdictions must possess a current dues card and shall be vouched for or examined in accordance with Art. 381.
James “Ken” Kenneth Scales, PM
Italy Lodge No. 647

I’ve been trying to figure that out also.


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Bro. David F. Hill

David F. Hill
Premium Member
I'm just going from what was posted. I have no clue what is in your list. I can just go by the title. That being said, the issue I mentioned is in your court. If people are as progressive as some believe then we don't have to hope as we already passed it.

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dfreybur

Premium Member
Bro. Hill, I am confused as to what resolution you are referring- the following is the text of the "Resolution #3" that was sent out to us:
"RESOLUTION NO. 3
Sojourning Masons from other jurisdictions must possess a current dues card and shall be vouched for or examined in accordance with Art. 381.

Could this be a back door way of dropping the requirement for special paperwork to visit from MWPHGLofTX to GLofTX? I think it likely that a different proposal was meant. I didn't see anything obvious in the list. But if MWPHGLofTX dropped their requirement for the special form and special process for us to visit them, it's high time for us to no longer require them to fill out the form and go through the process. We don't require that to receive a visitor from the Grand Lodge of Lithuania or any other GL.

Technicality - Most jurisdictions outside of the Americas do not issue dues cards. They issue letters of introduction, letters of standing, a form recording their proficiency. All variations on the theme of membership qualification. If I were to define a "dues card" as a form printed by a GL and signed by a local lodge secretary that states a Brother is in good standing, that definition would match foreign forms of this sort.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Could this be a back door way of dropping the requirement for special paperwork to visit from MWPHGLofTX to GLofTX?
I don't think so. The only difference between the existing Art. 380 & the proposal is the addition of the following wording: "Current dues are defined as dues paid for the current calendar year of January 1 through December 31 and do not include any grace period prior to suspension."
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
As far as I can tell, the only resolution that even remotely conforms to Bro. Hill's statement is my own:

RESOLUTION NO. 9

Referred to Committee on Purposes and Policies & Jurisprudence

WHEREAS it would be in the best interests of Masonry in general, and of Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts, in particular;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Art. 236 be amended to read as follows:

Art. 236 (274). Who May preside During The Conferral of While Conferring Degrees. Any Master Mason who is a member in good standing of a Lodge in this jurisdiction, or of a Lodge in a Grand Jurisdiction recognized by this Grand Lodge, may preside over a Lodge during the conferral of any Degree, provided that only the work approved by the Committee on Work shall be used.

Art. 236a. (New) Who May Participate In The Conferral Of Degrees. Any Master Mason who is a member in good standing of a Lodge in this jurisdiction, or of a Lodge in a Grand Jurisdiction recognized by this Grand Lodge, may participate in the conferral of any Degree.

Any Entered Apprentice Mason who is under the jurisdiction of any constituent Lodge of The Grand Lodge of Texas may participate in the conferral of an Entered Apprentice Mason’s Degree in any station or place except that of the Worshipful Master.

Any Fellowcraft Mason who is under the jurisdiction of any constituent Lodge of The Grand Lodge of Texas may participate in the conferral of an Entered Apprentice or Fellowcraft Mason’s Degree in any station or place except that of the Worshipful Master.

In all instances, only the work approved by the Committee on Work shall be used.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Y'all posted the list of proposals for your Grand Lodge.
You originally posted the following: "That time has come pending approval of Grand Lodge of Texas Resolution #3."

Did you mean PHA Grand Lodge of Texas Resolution #3? If so, we have no knowledge of it.
 

bupton52

Moderator
Premium Member
You originally posted the following: "That time has come pending approval of Grand Lodge of Texas Resolution #3."

Did you mean PHA Grand Lodge of Texas Resolution #3? If so, we have no knowledge of it.

Bro Bill, y’all have had your annual communication by now, correct? Did anything regarding our current visitation process change?


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