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Lodge Officer Duties - Junior Deacon

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
Like his senior counterpart, the Senior Deacon, the Jewel of his office is the Square and Compass, however the Junior Deacon's Square and Compass has a moon in the center (rather than a sun), which signifies that he is in the West.

The Junior Deacon of a Masonic Lodge is an assistant officer of the Lodge. He sits to the lower right of the Senior Warden. The Junior Deacon's principle roles are to assist the Senior Warden by carrying messages from the Senior Warden in the West to the Junior Warden in the South and to guard the inner door of the Lodge. It is his duty to ascertain at all times whether the Tiler is guarding the door and only allowing visitors to enter after they have been properly vouched for. The Junior Deacon and the Tiler communicate with each other by knocking on the door (the Tiler from the outside...and the Junior Deacon from the inside). Some jurisdictions split this position into 2 positions...that of the Junior Deacon and the Inner Guard. The Junior Warden's position is similar to a Manager.
 

CLewey44

Registered User
Great post. I was appointed to this position a week or so ago and I'm very excited. I look forward to going thru the line. This is my first position held so I'm a little nervous honestly. Did some practice last night with some of our guys that knew it front to back. It put me at ease. Looking forward to it.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
We have an inner guard. The major role of both deacons is to conduct candidates during degrees.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
My first post was Senior Deacon so I didn't have the opportunity to perform this function. I am now JW so if I get the chance to go back through the line I would like to serve in this position.
 

Pscyclepath

Premium Member
The Junior Deacon, in regular Lodge work, can be a busy fellow. Aside from the Master, he has one of the more frequent speaking parts, and few of his are "scripted", if you will. Keeping an eye of the inner door, working with the Tyler and the Master, he needs to keep his head in the game. A good chair to sit in...
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
The Junior Deacon, in regular Lodge work, can be a busy fellow. Aside from the Master, he has one of the more frequent speaking parts, and few of his are "scripted", if you will. Keeping an eye of the inner door, working with the Tyler and the Master, he needs to keep his head in the game. A good chair to sit in...
In my lodge the JD has the additional task of warding off late visitors if they attempt to take a short cut past the SW after the lodge has opened rather than passing via the North.
The same in both lodges that I belong to.
 

acjohnson53

Registered User
Senior Deacon is the man, He lights up the Lodge, He herds Candidate about the Lodge, He is the next step to the Senior Warden or WM, I think
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
In lodges here under both jurisdictions the West Gate is guarded by the Inner Guard. The JD, in my opinion, has one of the most important duties in the Lodge as it is he that conducts the Candidate through his Initiation.

Here in Kentucky this is the duty of the Senior Deacon, the post that I held last year.

Same here. The Stewards actually escort the candidate with the SD leading them.

New Jersey Mason here: We utilize a marshal here and they conduct the candidate whilst the SD heads the column. The JD looks pretty the entire degree until it is time to form the arch. Then, it is back to his seat to look pretty again.
 

Canadian Paul

Registered User
In my lodge the JD is the Conductor in the EA degree, the SD in the other two degrees. If there are more than one candidate in any of the degrees the other Deacon, and, if necessary, the Stewards or other available brethren, are conscripted, as each Candidate should have his own Conductor.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
In my lodge the JD is the Conductor in the EA degree, the SD in the other two degrees. If there are more than one candidate in any of the degrees the other Deacon, and, if necessary, the Stewards or other available brethren, are conscripted, as each Candidate should have his own Conductor.
Same process here.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
The Junior Deacon, in regular Lodge work, can be a busy fellow. Aside from the Master, he has one of the more frequent speaking parts, and few of his are "scripted", if you will. Keeping an eye of the inner door, working with the Tyler and the Master, he needs to keep his head in the game. A good chair to sit in...
In my jurisdiction, everything he says is scripted.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
In my lodge the JD is the Conductor in the EA degree, the SD in the other two degrees. If there are more than one candidate in any of the degrees the other Deacon, and, if necessary, the Stewards or other available brethren, are conscripted, as each Candidate should have his own Conductor.
Here every candidate gets his own degree and the SD is always his conductor.
 
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