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2010 Annual Communication Resolutions Disscussion

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
As our tradition at MoTx we as staff like to see open discussion on various resolutions that are being presented before Grand Lodge of Texas at their Annual Communication. You may choose to write for or against on each or you may like to go in detail. At minimum, BE RESPECTFUL. Just because you may not agree with a person doesn't mean a great discussion, possibly an education oppurtunity, could not be had.

Also, this should not be taken as a means of persuasion one way or the other but to allow discussion on topics. Many of us on here do not even have a GL vote so our opinion is practically useless anyway. But what a great way to get people thinking. Not to mention the fact these are just summaries of the resolutions and the committees of GL will offer more insight that we may not be able to disclose during the discussion.


Here they are. Hot off the press and I am pround to point out out of the 23 resolutions 3 were submitted by MoTx active members. (Bill Lins and Sirus) Great Job guys regardless of the outcome.

2010 RESOLUTIONS
Grand Master's Recommendation amends Article 163 to provide that the present
$14.25 per capita amount of $14.25 be increased to $25.00 and that the increased amount of $10.75 be designated to the Grand Lodge General Fund for use in the operations of Grand Lodge.
Holdover Resolution #18, 2009. Amend Constitution to decrease the MHS Board to five members; deletes Grand Master & DGM from Board, and negating GSW & GJW from serving as interim members.
(Russell Brown).

Resolutions
1. Amend Article 433 to require candidates to learn only the answers to questions in the first section of the EA and FC degrees, except by request the GM by dispensation may waive any part of the learning requirement of the EA. (Louis Libel)

2. Amends Article 129 and 505 to require the Committee on Work to prepare separate and distinct cipher books for each of the primary Masonic Degrees and be published and sold by the Grand Lodge of Texas. In addition, it places restrictions on candidates using the cipher book. (Adolph McKnight).

3. Amends Article 318a and 353 for Lodges to not per capita payments to the Grand Lodge for any member with an endowed membership. (Ray O. Robinson).

4. Repeals Article 405a to permit names of petitioners, candidates, etc., be published. (Travis M. Major).

5. Amends Article 225a to recognize the Major John B. Jones Masonic Rangering Company of the Former Texas Rangers Foundation as an organization to which Texas Masons may belong and participate in as members. (F. Richard "Dick"
Brown).

6. Amends Article 505.17 to add "canvass publicly for or against the reinstatement of a suspended or expelled Mason, or the admission of an unaffiliated Mason. (Fletcher L. Gray).

7. Amend Article 276 to delete the word Warden and replace it with "Junior and Senior Warden" of a Lodge in this Grand Jurisdiction to be considered eligible to be elected Worshipful Master. (Garlon E. Evans).

8. Amend Article 318a to add the provision that in any year that Grand Lodge fails to pay on the endowment, Lodges shall be exempt from paying Grand Lodge per capita on all endowed members. (James A. Acton).

9. Amend Articles 292, 302, 331, 332, 436, and 437 to use the term "Degree"
in lieu of "Lodge." (Daniel B. Owczarzak).

10. Amend Article 397. Removes all extra wording in the Article except the first few lines, "A firm belief in the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and the divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptures is indispensably necessary before a candid can be initiated." Eliminates wording regarding books of chosen faith. (Thornton Lodge No. 486).

11. Amend Article 505 to add item 37 "Make any negative reference or take any negative action in regard to a petitioner's or member's faith, creed or race at any time. (William A. "Bill" Lins).

12. Amends Article 278 to further define tradition of no person other than the Master shall preside "covered." (T. Neal Porter Lodge No. 1354).

13. Amends Article 14c and 111 to clarify the rules for selecting Golden Trowel Award recipient. (Charles S. Robinson).

14. Amend Forms 26 and 44 to delete the requirement for a petitioner to provide his full social security number. (Cale Clark Stephenson, III).

15. Amend Article 318a to repeal the Endowed Memberships and return the funds to the Lodges. (Frank M. Gentsch, Jr.).

16. Amend Article 353 to restrict plural members from paying Grand Lodge per capita but that all taxes, dues or contributions shall only be paid by the Lodge where the Mason is a regular member. (Harvey S. Dorman).

17. Amend Articles 397 and 398 and Form 26 to delete the divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptures. (James W. "Sonny" Marchbanks).

18. Amend Article 6a to add information other than Grand Lodge of Texas service or activities in the Statement of Availability. (W. Vernon Burke, Jr.).

19. Amend 318a to permit a member holding an Endowed Membership to add to the value of his endowment in increments of $100 or multiples thereof. (W. Vernon Burke, Jr.).

20. Amend the Monitor to add the word "Amen" in various places of the Ceremony for Leveling a Cornerstone. (W. Vernon Burke, Jr.).

21. Amend Article VII of the Constitution in regards to the Manner of Voting in the Grand Lodge. (William A. "Bill" Lins).

22. Amend Article VII of the Constitution in regards to the Manner of Voting in the Grand Lodge. (William Harold Collum, Jr.).

23. Amend Article 20c regarding the appointment of the Audit Committee of the Grand Lodge Trustees and required the Audit Committee report on the last day of the Annual Communication. (Fred R. Smith).

STATEMENTS OF AVAILABILITY
Grand Junior Warden:
1. Claude Ervin
2. Gerald Harris
3. Jerry L. Martin
4. Charles McKay
5. Thomas Shelton
6. D.C. Taylor

Masonic Home and School Board:
Paul D. Underwood

Committee on Work:
None submitted

Library & Museum:
Graham H. Childress
 
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Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
Awesome! We have two forum members running for the Grand South: Bro. Gerald Harris and Bro. Tom Shelton. Best of luck to you both!
 

tomasball

Premium Member
It would seem that many members are understandably upset about the endowment situation. There's a lot of "us vs them" spirit reflected in these resolutions.
 

tomasball

Premium Member
There was a resolution offered last year to pay back to the lodges around a million dollars that lodges had paid into the insurance fund, since it was no longer serving any purpose. It was tabled because the subcommittee on insurance was unhappy it hadn't been referred to them. I notice it has not been resubmitted.
 

Sirius

Registered User
10. Amend Article 397. Removes all extra wording in the Article except the first few lines, "A firm belief in the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and the divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptures is indispensably necessary before a candid can be initiated." Eliminates wording regarding books of chosen faith. (Thornton Lodge No. 486).

The debate on this one should be interesting. This resolution would take away from the candidate, and each of us, the right to determine what is the VSL. It would seem to require acknowledgment of the Holy Bible ,and only the Holy Bible, as divinely authentic.
 

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
Just scanning over it I would have to say:

Support: 4, 5, 7, 11, 14, 18, 19
Oppose: 1, 10
Undecided: 9, 17, 21, 22
Don't care: 2, 6, 12, 13, 20, 23
LOL: 3, 8, 15, 16
 
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Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Here's the text of Resolution #21 that I submitted. If you were @ GL last year, it is the method we used then.


"Whereas the manner of voting in the Grand Lodge as currently prescribed in Article VII of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Texas is confusing and tends to unfairly diminish the influence of constituent Lodges in favor of Grand Lodge "Members"; and

Whereas the manner in which voting “by a show of hands” has been practiced does not conform to the requirements of Article VII of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Texas as currently written;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Article VII of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Texas be amended as follows:

ARTICLE VII MANNER OF VOTING IN THE GRAND LODGE

Section 1. – Voting by “Lodges and Members” and Otherwise.

All questions shall be determined by a majority of votes cast as follows:

(a) All votes shall be taken “by Lodges and Members.”

(b) The vote “by Lodges and Members” shall be in the following manner: The Masters, Wardens and proxies of Lodges present shall vote as one body and constitute the representative body or the “Lodges”; and the Grand Officers and Past Grand Officers and Past Masters present and entitled to vote shall vote as one body and alone constitute the other body or the “Members.”

(c) A written ballot shall be taken whenever demanded by the representatives of at least twenty-five Lodges or whenever so desired by the presiding officer; otherwise the vote shall be taken by two separate “shows of hands”- one of “Members” and one of “Lodges”.

(d) When voting by “shows of hands”, the voters shall hold their ballot books or other proof of eligibility to vote, as announced by the presiding officer, in their upraised hands. Each representative “Lodge” and each “Member” present is entitled to one vote.

(e) When the vote is taken by written ballot, each Lodge represented is entitled to three votes, to be cast by its representatives collectively, and each member of the Grand Lodge present in person is entitled to one vote. In other cases each representative and each member present is entitled to one vote.

The vote of each Lodge shall be cast together, as a majority of its representatives present may agree; if only one is present he shall cast the whole vote; if two are present and they do not agree, then the senior officer of them shall cast the whole vote."
 
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rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
This will be interesting. I am curious about the $10 pre-register fee though? I know they have a bunch to print and it cost a ton but seems weird they require $10. I was wondering if we as lodges could do the same thing? Could a lodge charge someone who calls and pre-registers coming to your lodge like say the DDGM visit? ;) There is a ton of issues to deal with no doubt but we definitely need to stop hemorrhaging money. I would love to think the per-capita increase would make things better but I am almost fully convinced it would prolong practices that should be cut. Cannot wait for the debate on these resolutions though.
 

HKTidwell

Premium Member
I support the increase, you can't operated a 100K member organization for $7.00 a person. Sorry just doesn't work.

Oppose: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17
Need More information: 6, 9, 12, 20, 22
Support: 3, 5, 11, 13, 18, 19, 21, 23

4. I have a huge issue with this one. Due to personal experiance in the past year, I'll eloborate in private if anybody wants more reasons why this should not be published.
7. If you change the wording then you might as well drop Junior from it and make it only Senior. Now if and was a or I would support it.
14. I would not mind this, however we need more changes to occur. Every petitioner should be required to submit a criminal history with fingerprints from TXDPS in my opinion. It would cost them about $10.00, I think.
 

HKTidwell

Premium Member
What is posted is a abbreviated version of the whole resolution submited. Grand Lodge only included the primary portion of it and not the entire wording kinda like the way Brother Lins posted then entire resolution for #21. Each one has a resolution attached.
 

rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
1. No, we have watered it down enough besides if you are teaching the lessons of the Q & A and not strictly memory work they are fun.
2. Yes, everyones has one and uses it for aid in memorizing the words but if you are teaching or helping one to discover the lessons as the lectures say to do the code book does not help with that part as the lessons are not contained in the cipher book. Not to mention the loads of income we are missing out on this.
3. Yes, the burden should be on Grand Lodge because if it is on the lodge it will eventually strangle them out and Grand Lodge as well.
4. No, just no good reason to publish them. GL Sec. database if properly used can inform a lodge of a black balled candidate other that that I see no good reason.
5. No, all we need is another group. Why do these masons not focus on what we have is just plain old blue lodge not enough anymore? If rumors are right this is invite only as well and like that will not cause more of a stink than it is worth.
6. Yes, sad we need it but that is a good law.
7. No, this could leave a lodge with out a person for WM and be forced to recycle an old PM. I have seen a SW walk and never come back not to mention what if the JW is a better option for WM than the SW?
8. Yes, that is if 3 does not pass
9. just not sure will have to look into what exactly the change does.
10. No freaking way, I am shocked this is back again. Why do people try to force what works best for their lodge on GL and all other lodges? Why can they just not be happy with what they got and not go on a crusade to change Masonry. Makes you realize the importance of laws, traditions and customs.
11. Yes, one of the laws that is sad we need it but Lord do we need it, if nothing else this is a good way to express that GL or Texas Masons as a whole do not condone racism in their lodges.
12. ??? What is the purpose of this law? Is there some old PM that will not let go of the East and continues to wear his hat in lodge? This does sound like a case of something a lodge should handle and not have to rely on GL, but that would require putting on our big boy pants.
13. Depends on what it amends? I think that is a watered down award anyway. Most lodges give it out to all PM when they are eligible for it which makes it almost meaningless anyway.
14. Yes, why do we need that anyway? Anytime we do a background check we have not needed that. and but
15. No, because this would be a lawsuit waiting to happen. I can think of a thousand scenarios that would end badly on this one and not many good.
16.No, although I am on the fence with this one. You join a second lodge to support it and if I read that right this law would allow 100% of your dues to go to that lodge for support.
17. Yes, I personally have had to much trouble with this question. Why do we ask if someone believes in the Holy Scriptures when that could be any book they choose? This only affords us only the ability to judge their religious beliefs and is not a requirement for Masonry. If they have a problem taking an oath on a holy book then they cannot become a Mason but asking them that question to become a mason has no place n Masonry.
18. No, just another way to be braggadocious about your titles. There are to many titles in Masonry all ready we do not need to add worldly wealth or honors.
19. Yes, if all other endowments res. fail. This is a broke system that needs to be tweaked.
20. No, do we really need it? I would like to see this amended to allow lodges to do cornerstones again and not GL.
21. Yes, Brother Bill is a pretty fart smeller and I bet he did the res. right besides I am tired of this being an issue at GL and I have only been once.
22. I f Bill's fail I would be able to vote for this one if it puts this issue to bed.
23. Yes they should get to know one another.
Grand South
Tom Shelton
 
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