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How and what do you need to build a new lodge and lodge room?

VinnyCruz

Registered User
Brothers, title says it.

Example:
Brother X and a few others have to commute a long distance to the closest lodge, let’s say about an hour of driving each time. (Traffic, other side of town, detours, etc...).
He asks that it’ll be convenient for him and the others to have a lodge closer to them but there isn’t one.
-What are the procedures, bylaws and/or requirements to get a new building approved?
-Who is involved with, “layering of the cornerstone”?

I’ve tried researching in the forums but no avail.

Thank you!
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Here the procedure for starting a new lodge is clearly written out in the Book of Constitutions, Grand Lodge of Kentucky F &AM.
 
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CLewey44

Registered User
Bro. SFC Cruz, that's a great idea and very ambitious. I hope you and a couple of Brothers are able to help the Craft expand some. Good luck!
 

VinnyCruz

Registered User
Bro. SFC Cruz, that's a great idea and very ambitious. I hope you and a couple of Brothers are able to help the Craft expand some. Good luck!
Thank you, Brothers.
It was a thought that popped in my head while I was trying to go to sleep. I had the itch to find the answer. Needless to say, I slept late.
 

texanmason

Registered User
Okay, so you're in Texas, right? Let's see if we can get a quick breakdown of what needs to be done.

NOTE: I do not speak for the MWGLoTX, or any other Grand Jurisdiction.

  1. Get dispensation from the Grand Master for a new lodge. He's the only one able to grant it (Art. 180).
    • In a county without a lodge, your petition for dispensation needs signatures from 7+ Master Masons than live in that county (Art. 181).
    • In a county with one or more lodges, in a town of less than 10,000 residents, you need signatures from 20+ Master Masons than live in that county (Art. 182).
    • In a county with one or more lodges, in a town of 10,000 residents or more, you need signatures from 50+ Master Masons than live in that county (Art. 182).
    • In all of the above cases, a certificate of demit or good standing for each signer needs to be attached to the petition for dispensation (Art. 184).
    • This petition for dispensation also requires approval of every lodge under the MWGLoTX that holds concurrent territorial jurisdiction (Art. 440) over your area, which means you have to get permission from every lodge in your county, and every in every county that touches an edge or corner of your county (Art. 441). This needs to be done by a 2/3 majority vote at their stated meeting (Art. 185).
    • A Form 16 vouching for the proficiency of the (hopeful) lodge officers needs to be attached to the petition for dispensation (Art. 187).
    • The GM must receive $25 (turned over immediately to the G Sec) with the petition for dispensation.
  2. Get you lodge U.D. set to work.
    • You need to secure a safe building with a lodge room and anteroom. You need ALL the necessary paraphernalia, and I mean ALL of it, before you can be set to work (Art. 233). This includes
      • The Holy Bible (specifically), square and compasses
      • An altar with a kneeling pad
      • Three burning tapers
      • South/West/East pedestals, and three gavels
      • columns for each Warden
      • Rods (with correct emblems on top) for the Deacons and Stewards
      • The letter "G" in the East
      • a heavily-padded ballot box with an "ample" supply of white balls and black cubes
      • a Tiler's sword
      • officers jewels "equipped for suspension from neck"
      • Fellowcraft columns
      • the US and TX flags with stands
      • a small Bible for the examining committee
      • a lambskin apron
      • a hoodwink, cable tow, pair of sandals, and "suitable" clothing
      • a sharp instrument, a square, and compasses (separate from the furniture of the lodge)
      • models, representatives, or real versions of all the working tools for each degree
      • a square for the FC degree altar
      • winding stairs or the representative thereof
      • a 24-in gauge, square, and setting maul
      • a canvas
      • a sprig of acacia
      • "a gong"
      • the slides for the lectures of each degree
      • a charter drape
      • "A funeral Rosette with the Holy Writings"
      • an "ample supply" of black arm bands
    • The GM must set your lodge U.D. to work by presiding over the first called meeting of the lodge U.D., opening a representation of the GL, reading the dispensation, instructing the lodge in its duty, officially "placing the officers in charge of the lodge" (but not installing them!), giving the WM a copy of the GL laws and a copy of the monitor, and then closing both the representation of the GL and the lodge itself (Art. 214).
  3. Get your charter approved.
    • While operating U.D., make records of your work, contributions, dues, etc. These need to be returned at the next GL communication (Art. 189).
    • You can't elect or install officers of a lodge U.D., but you must recommend charter officers with your petition for a charter, who are then named/selected by the GL (Art. 192).
    • You must use the GL constituent lodge boilerplate bylaws until your own bylaws are approved (Art. 194).
    • You must send in your original records as a lodge U.D. to the GL once you apply for a charter (Art. 199).
    • The GL must examine your records, the skill of your members as masons, and their good conduct as men, before granting you a charter.
    • The petition for a charter for a lodge U.D. must be accompanied by the certificates of demit for all demitted and non-affiliated masons petitioning (Art. 205), and the approval of each lodge which petitioners belong to (Art. 203). The approval of each lodge for petitioners already belonging to a lodge must be presented at a stated meeting and considered / voted on at the next stated meeting.
    • The petition for a charter must be sent to the Grand Secretary no later than September 15, together with a Form 16, and the approval of all lodges having concurrent jurisdiction (Art. 183, Art. 185, Art. 206).
    • The charter will name the charter officers, and must be signed by the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Wardens, and the Grand Treasurer, and attested by the the Grand Secretary (Art. 209). This charter will be deliver to the WM of the new lodge when officers and installed and the lodge is constituted (also Art. 209).
  4. Get your lodge constituted.
    • The lodge is constituted by ordering a called meeting presided by the GM or his representative, opening a representation of GL, installing the charter officers, handing the WM the charter + laws + monitor, giving some speeches, closing the GL, voting to adopt the boilerplate by-laws, and closing the lodge (Art. 216).
    • Oh, and y'all are gonna have to pay for all expenses (Art. 217).
My apologies for the wall of text.

For more of the financial nitty-gritty, read this advice by Brother Jason Mitchell.

I have no idea how cornerstone layings work, legally speaking.
 

acjohnson53

Registered User
The corner stone is normally placed on the North east corner in order to be recognized as an historical sitem They have ceremonies on new structures. You find them sometimes in schools and churches, we're every where...
 

Bloke

Premium Member
There is two distinct questions in the original post
1 - How do you form a new Lodge and obtain the Warrant for that Lodge?
2 - How do you build a new Masonic Building for Lodges to meet in ?

That said, there are some good pointers given above..

You will need the personnel and funding - but you will only get them when you clearly articulate the vision you are trying to achieve - I am not sure shortening a 30 minute drive will be sufficient to create the will for either endeavour you propose..

As someone who has founded a Lodge and also runs Masonic buildings, its much easier to found a lodge than building a building.. .. but both are very worthy endeavour.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Rarely have I seen a lodge need to build a "lodge room." There are many places a lodge may hold it's communications, and the added expense destroys more lodges than it builds.
Existing lodge buildings, restaurants, large office buildings with empty rooms... the list is exhaustive in all but the most rural areas.
 
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