"Art. 439. (476). Examination in Master’s Degree.
1. Within ninety days after he is raised, a Brother shall <snip> be certified as having completed a Grand Lodge approved course in Masonic Information under the supervision of the Committee on Masonic Education and Service (A.L.L. Program)(note by me), and shall have been examined in open Lodge and voted as proficient in the entire trial lecture of the Master’s Degree. (Revised 1996)
It shall be the duty of the officers of the Lodge to see that this is done. Any Brother who, after receiving the Master’s Degree, willfully neglects or refuses to present himself and be examined as to his proficiency in such degree, within ninety days thereafter, unless further time is granted him by the Lodge shall be subject to automatic suspension as provided hereinafter; absence from the State, natural infirmities or unavoidable accident alone excusing him.
2. In each case in which a Brother, except during the time (if any) he is excused from doing so under the last clause of the next preceding section of this Article, fails to meet the requirements set out in the next preceding section of this Article, the Master of the Lodge must notify such Brother by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested, that he will stand automatically suspended if the examination is not taken and passed within ninety (90) days from receipt of such letter unless the time is further extended, only for good cause, by the Lodge, and if the Brother fails to do so he shall then stand automatically suspended and such suspension shall be recorded in the Minutes of the next subsequent Stated Meeting of the Lodge.
Any Brother so suspended, however, may receive instruction and be examined in open Lodge and if and when he passes the examination required by this Article he may be reinstated by following the procedure provided for reinstatement of those automatically suspended for non-payment of dues. (italics mine) <snip>
Art. 323. Effect of Suspension.
Suspension for non-payment of dues has the same effect, except as to instruction for advancement, as suspension for un-Masonic conduct, except that upon payment of all dues to date of suspension and the current dues, the Brother becomes reinstated without any action of the Lodge unless such suspension has continued for more than three years. (italics mine) (Revised 1999)
Art. 324. Reinstatement After Three Years.
A Member who has been suspended for non-payment of dues and remains so for three years is not reinstated automatically upon payment of dues in arrears, but is required to present his petition, in writing, to the Lodge at a Stated Meeting requesting reinstatement. The petition must be accompanied by payment of all dues in arrears to the date of his suspension, unless the amount thereof has been reduced under Art. 314, in which event the amount authorized shall be paid.
The Worshipful Master shall appoint a Committee for Investigation and Report. The petition shall lay over to a subsequent Stated Meeting when a ballot shall be taken. If two-thirds favorable ballot of the membership of the Lodge present is cast, the petitioner shall be reinstated, otherwise, his petition shall stand rejected. Whenever a petition for reinstatement is rejected, the dues tendered shall be refunded upon request."
Note that a Petition for Advancement is not called for in this instance- that is only for EA's & FC's who have gone "out of time". Also, the statement regarding "a member of the GLoT" is not correct in this instance. Only Past Masters are "members of the Grand Lodge". A Brother who has not turned in his MM proficiency could not, under any conditions, be a Past Master. The proper terminology here would be "under the jurisdiction of" or "amenable to the discipline of" the Grand Lodge of Texas.
As to the question of whether he would be entitled to wear masonic emblems and jewelry or call himself a master mason- the answer is no, since NO suspended Mason may do such.
