Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able to join multiple lodges?

Some Grand Lodges permit their members to join only one lodge. Some Grand Lodges permit their members to join one lodge in their state, and multiple lodges out of state. Some Grand Lodges, permit their members to join as many lodges as their checkbook can handle.

What do YOU think? Should masons be able to join multiple lodges? If a man is a "snowbird", and spends six months a year in New Hampshire, and the winters in Florida, should he be able to join lodges in both states? If a mason is deployed overseas for a number of years, should he be able to join the lodge in the foreign country, as a full member, and keep his home membership as well?

THIS POLL IS FOR ACADEMIC DISCUSSION ONLY. I am not interested in changing any state's policies, I just want to get a "feel" for this issue.

 

I am an active member in three lodges. I pay per capital to the GL of Texas in all three. Most of my Masonic friends belong to more than 1. I enjoy it. If Texas ever changed to 1, the GL would lose a lot of funds through loss of dual pee capitas.

 

What is the benefit of only allowing membership to 1 lodge? I assume it is to make sure each member is fully active in his home lodge.

 

It is not question of "benefit". It is more of a "tradition". You see, 100 years ago, most people never traveled more than 100 miles from where they were born. Some states (ex: West Virginia) crafted rules, that require that their members are permitted to join only one(1) lodge. If you apply for membership in any other lodge, without obtaining a demit from your old lodge, you are committing a Masonic offense (In West VA).

I have worked from Maine to California, and 14 years in foreign countries. I have spent the last 7 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. The prohibition that some states have against multiple memberships, has clearly become obsolete.

It ain't your Grandfather's Freemasonry.

 

There are many lodges in Texas that would cease to exist if plural membership became illegal. Some of the small rural communities depend on members nearby urban lodges to support them in keeping the doors open and filling the stations an places.

 

I belong to two here in Houston. Totally active in both and enjoy it very much. Haven't checked yet, but if it is okay, I'd like to join the lodge in Louisiana where most of my father's generation were raised. As stated by Brother Beathard, helping small lodges with monetary or esoteric support seems to be something Texas brethren are good at.

 

I think it is wonderful, that Masons in Texas (and other states) view their responsibilites this way. Your committment to Masonry does NOT end with your "home" lodge. While supporting your home lodge is important, you can labor in any lodge's quarries. Many smaller lodges rely on nearby lodges, to help provide them with support on their degree teams, and in other ways.

I would counsel anyone, if they wish to take out plural membership in lodges, outside of their home jurisdiciton, you should always check with BOTH your current jurisdiction, and with the jurisdiction of the lodge you wish to petition. Not all Grand Lodges, permit masons from out of state, to petition one of their subordinate lodges, and still remain a member in their "old" lodge.

 

DITTO that brother. Very sound advice.

Don't forget to check with your book on affiliations before traveling as well.

 

I am happy to support my home lodge and my other Texas lodge by being an officer in both as well as my new lodge in Minnesota at least by paying dues kinda far for my cabletow to make the meetings.

 

The poll (so far) shows 10 out of 10. While you cannot apply the results of 10 Masons to the entire USA population of 1.4 million Masons, 100% is not bad!

 

I am a member of 2 lodges. I say if you have the time, by all means. I know we have one guy here in the Waco area that is a sitting officer in 4 lodges. We did a big joint installation in our district, and by the end of the night he looked like Michael Phelps with all the jewelry around his neck. But the guy is retired and certainly has the time to do it, so more power to him.

 

I read a message from a Mason in California. The GL of California, permits their members, to join as many lodges as "their checkbook can handle". I like this policy. Grand Lodges should trust their members, to join lodges in state, and out of state, as they choose. When I lived in Ohio (1990), I could not apply for membership with an Ohio lodge, unless my application was accompanied by a demit from my old lodge. At that time, Ohio only permitted their members to belong to one(1) lodge, you could not belong to any out-of-state lodges.

 

Thanks brother Stewart. Very good information to know. Both sides of my heritage were active in masonry in Louisiana since late 18th century immigrations from Prussia and Alsace Lorraine (Germany in those days.) I'd love to add my name to that heritage.

Masonry is a beautiful thing brother. A beautiful thing!

 

I think the situation with respect to dual/plural memberships, all boils down to one of trust. Will Grand Lodges, be able to trust their members, to decide how many lodges, they can support? In our mobile society, with people moving frequently, the concept of belonging to one lodge only, is a quaint but obsolete tradition. One of my Grand Lodges (KY) permits members to belong to two(2) lodges in KY, and an unlimited number out-of-state.

Texas Masons are lucky, that they are permitted to join multiple lodges.

 

I just wish we could change our parent lodge.

 

You need not leave a lodge, if the policies and procedures are in need of upgrade or change. Individual lodges are run by majority vote. If there is a policy that needs to be retired, introduce a motion, to have it retired. If there is a policy that your lodge needs to initiate, then introduce a motion to that effect.

Masonry is not a "Kingdom", where no one has a say in how the lodge/Grand Lodge is run.

"We live in a world, in which the only constant is change"- Heraclitus, 452 BC

 

I wish some of our members believed this after our election last year a bunch of our members withdrew from dual membership,took their ball and went home and have not been seen since