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Completing the work after initiation.

HKTidwell

Premium Member
This discussion was started in another forum and instead of further high jacking it I thought I would start a new thread with this subject.

Only Master Masons are obliged to pay dues. After you turned your EA work in, you should have petitioned for advancement and, if requested by any member of the Lodge, been investigated before the Lodge voted on your advancement, but there shouldn't have been any charge except for the FC & MM degree fees as they were, in turn, conferred.

Scenario
Initiated in North Texas 15 years ago due to job loss, injury, etc, guy moves around Texas finally settles in Austin. Decides he wants to pursue Masonry again.

What is the procedure and what does he have to do to complete this? A guy that works locally mentioned in a passing conversation he had been initiated years ago in north Texas. Every time I see him we chat and talk, I constantly forget to ask at lodge. I had no idea what the procedure was so I haven't re-brought it up. If it is possible to transfer his work and get him to lodge to complete it, is it proper to ask him if he wants to complete his work? Already been initiated so I don't see any reason I couldn't but I'm a bit new and do not know everything.
 

david918

Premium Member
He can get a Certificate of Dismissal from the lodge he is a member of.We had a brother here who was initiated in 1999 but never finished his work.He called me a couple of years ago and was working near Pearland.Our lodge gave him a Certificate of Dismissal form to the lodge in Pearland and he finished up everything and was raised this past fall.
 

HKTidwell

Premium Member
He can get a Certificate of Dismissal from the lodge he is a member of.We had a brother here who was initiated in 1999 but never finished his work.He called me a couple of years ago and was working near Pearland.Our lodge gave him a Certificate of Dismissal form to the lodge in Pearland and he finished up everything and was raised this past fall.

Does he then have to petition another lodge and if so since he has already been though initiation do you just pick up at the work?
 

david918

Premium Member
He has to pick a new lodge then his original lodge can give him a dismissal which he can present to the new lodge.He just has to finish his EA work then can be passed and raised in his new lodge I think that is all he would have to do. Brother Lawman Bill will correct me if I'm wrong:)
 

js4253

Premium Member
Premium Member
In this case the EA should request a waver of jurisdiction from his original lodge. Then his new lodge can instruct him and examine him. Then he would submit a petition for advancement. If accepted, he would finish his work at the new lodge. Simple Huh?
Same as Brother Bill said except he will have to get the waiver of jurisdiction.
 

js4253

Premium Member
Premium Member
In this case the EA should request a waver of jurisdiction from his original lodge. Then his new lodge can instruct him and examine him. Then he would submit a petition for advancement. If accepted, he would finish his work at the new lodge. Simple Huh?
Same as Brother Bill said except he will have to get the waiver of jurisdiction.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
If he wishes to become a member of the Lodge in Austin now, he will have to petition the new Lodge for membership therein after getting the certificate of dismissal or waiver of jurisdiction. It would be easier for all if the Austin Lodge requested permission from the North Texas Lodge for Austin to confer his degrees as a courtesy, and then for him to petition Austin either for affiliation as a plural member or transfer of membership after he turns in his MM proficiency.
 

Bigmel

Premium Member
Premium Member
In this case the EA should request a waver of jurisdiction from his original lodge. Then his new lodge can instruct him and examine him. Then he would submit a petition for advancement. If accepted, he would finish his work at the new lodge. Simple Huh?
Same as Brother Bill said except he will have to get the waiver of jurisdiction.
This the way we handled this situation for an EA last year and had no problems with EA's original lodge or
GL.
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
We had to do a Waiver of Jurisdiction on case last month. Acually a brother from MoT. He was initiated in KS. They can't be dismissed per our Grand Secretary since they are not "Members" meaning they do noe pay dues, they pay fees.
 

vanderson78102

Registered User
I did the exact same thing. I was initiated in Aransas Lodge 1018 but never turned in my work. When I joined Beeville Lodge 261 last year they had to obtain a certificate of dismissal from my old lodge and then I turned in a petition for advancement and underwent a very short investigation before I could advance. It's a mostly paperwork process.
 

jim9361

Registered User
Let me throw another a monkey wrench into the engine room of this scenerio. What if a brother was a MM of another state and wishes to become a member of my lodge in Texas ? Here is the wrinkle, his old out of state lodge closed and the charter was moved to another lodge 200 miles away. All records were lost in the charter transfer. There is no written record of his EA, FC or MM.
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
I agree with JTM however just for the sake of discussion lets pretend there really is no record of dates. I would contact GL Grand Secretary and ask the proper protocol. I would bet a letter from his now home Lodge stating he is a Master Mason in good standing would suffice the documentation we need. Basically all we are asking is for them to vouch for the person. However this is just my idea and is probably wrong and since we are crossing jurisdiction lines the GS should be handeling ALL communication with the home Lodge anyways. So in short I would say "Here GL you deal with it."
 

jim9361

Registered User
I think that the biggest problem is working through the GL. I'll just let my leadership deal with it. I was just probing for other ideas or experiences. Thanks.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Let me throw another a monkey wrench into the engine room of this scenerio. What if a brother was a MM of another state and wishes to become a member of my lodge in Texas ? Here is the wrinkle, his old out of state lodge closed and the charter was moved to another lodge 200 miles away. All records were lost in the charter transfer. There is no written record of his EA, FC or MM.

Art. 448 provides that, in a situation as you describe, a certificate stating such, issued by the Grand Secretary of the other jurisdiction, will suffice & should be attached to the Brother's petition for affiliation.
 
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