Just curious, how many years does a American mason normally get to the Chair?
In the English constitution, normally around 5-7 years depends on the progression line, although some lodges are 10-15 years...
After you are raised, the very next installation you normally got appointed to Steward or Inner Guard depends on the progression line, then once you got on IG, then normally JD > SD > JW > SW > WM, so the average in England and Wales is around 5-7 years
This is my 3rd year in the line and was installed as JW in my 3rd year. I should have been installed in the chair in my 6th year.
New Jersey Progression:
Jr Steward -> Sr. Steward -> Jr. Master of Ceremonies -> Sr. Master of Ceremonies -> Junior Deacon -> Senior Deacon -> JW -> SW -> WM
2014: I was installed a Marshal.
- It is a chair outside the line, however our line is always full. This is where we'd plug in somebody that wanted to get into the line, but asked after it was full. The Jr. Steward dropped half way through the year due to work commitments.
2015: I'm installed as Sr. Steward.
2016: Installed as Jr. Master of Ceremonies.
- Our Junior Deacon drops due to work commitments. I finish out the year in Sr. Master of Ceremonies.
2017: Installed as Jr. Deacon.
- Our Junior Warden drops due to family health issues. I finished out the year as Senior Deacon. I'm elected to the South for the 2018 masonic year.
2018: Installed as Junior Warden.
I was lucky that in that the chairs I slid into were Junior chairs outside of the Sr. Master of Ceremonies. I knew the work for that particular chair so it allowed me to always be two chairs ahead since the Junior chairs are more for observing.
We as a lodge were lucky in the fact that we have a solid line and we are deep. We did not have to plug in a PM to hold us up for 2018. We have a great master who is coming after a great master who in turn .... you get the idea.
So, while it may have taken the previous master(s) 6 ~ 7 years to get to the East, things happen in life. Especially in the lower chairs. People drop and the lower officers have to step up unless there is someone looking to get back in the line. You just hope that you never have to replace a Warden midway through the year. The senior deacon winds up getting kicked up two steps if he is a good ritualist. Then again, if he has been appointed as SD, he usually is.