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Lodge Officer Duties - Junior Deacon

MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
I’ll give you a Pass as you are not from America....but PHA is regular and recognized thru out the States save for 7or 8 States. His being one of those. PHA must trace their lineage to African Lodge 459, his can. While you are a UGLE Mason and UGLE recognizes most but not all PHA GLs and his being 1 that is not I understand that you couldn’t sit in His lodge or He in Yours, but you could sit with him in the MWPHGLoNM and you’d never know he wasn’t a “recognized “ brother. You don’t gotta keep pointing out that UGLE doesn’t recognize his GL.

I couldn't do that.
I will have to "tactical retreat" if we both sit in the third jurisdiction which both of us recognised.
But the fact is, he is simply not recognised by my Grand Lodge. It is a fact and no matter how you and me dislike it, I still need to follow it.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
I couldn't do that.
I will have to "tactical retreat" if we both sit in the third jurisdiction which both of us recognised.
But the fact is, he is simply not recognised by my Grand Lodge. It is a fact and no matter how you and me dislike it, I still need to follow it.
You could because you'd never know it.

But I 100% agree that regardless of our feelings we must follow GL Law

Sent from my SM-G386T using My Freemasonry mobile app
 

Bloke

Premium Member
So when you visit a lodge you have to make sure all in attendance are recognized by your gl? How do you do that?

Sent from my SM-G386T using My Freemasonry mobile app
Ask. We certainly cannot sit in Lodge with a Bro from an unrecognized brother, but I am sure if it did happen, and they were all in the same regalia, I dont think our GL would be very interested in taking action against me... I would suggest a 24 hour suspension :)
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Understood. How would I know who all my GL recognizes and who it dosen't?

Some jurisdictions publish a recognition list, so you familiarize yourself with the list and do your best on the spot. California has the list in the Proceedings every year. I download it most years, so I'm mostly familiar with the list.

Other jurisdictions don't publish a list or at least don't make it easy to find. I've looked for the Texas list but haven't been able to find it. So I make my best guess.

So best educated guess. If you're not educated, then the Brothers at the lodge you're visiting are your education. This is where the "act like the locals" rule probably came from.

If your jurisdiction doesn't have an "act like the locals rule", AND you know they don't, then you're still back at making an educated guess. Even with minimal education you'll know about some jurisdictions. But if you don't know for certain, I suggest you ask yourself what's the brotherly thing to do. Sometimes maybe it is to withdraw from the meeting. Sometimes maybe it is to make an educated guess that the recognition list of the host lodge is close enough that you're okay staying.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
This is where the "act like the locals" rule probably came from.

If your jurisdiction doesn't have an "act like the locals rule", AND you know they don't, then you're still back at making an educated guess. Even with minimal education you'll know about some jurisdictions. But if you don't know for certain, I suggest you ask yourself what's the brotherly thing to do. Sometimes maybe it is to withdraw from the meeting. Sometimes maybe it is to make an educated guess that the recognition list of the host lodge is close enough that you're okay staying.
Wise advise, thank you Brother.
 

Mark Stockdale

Premium Member
In my Mother Lodge, we have an Inner Guard.
The Junior Deacon is responsible for the candidate in the EA degree, and assists the Senior Deacon in the FC and MM degrees.
As such, I am the first person candidates interact with as they take their first real step in Freemasonry, as I prepare them for the ceremony and try to put them at ease about what they are about to experience, before leading them through the Lodge door to truly begin their journey.
 

Mark D. Morse

Registered User
Good afternoon Brethren, I found this forum while searching for an answer to what I thought would be a simple question. After looking around many different places I've found that the duties of the JD vary. So here's the question. Is there any significance to the number of knocks at the different times? I'm trying to find some meaning behind them to help me better remember.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Good afternoon Brethren, I found this forum while searching for an answer to what I thought would be a simple question. After looking around many different places I've found that the duties of the JD vary. So here's the question. Is there any significance to the number of knocks at the different times? I'm trying to find some meaning behind them to help me better remember.
Depending on the ritual used, yes. I would recommend you talk to a senior member of your jurisdiction.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
.....Those of us old enough to have experienced shillings and pence remember them as one and tuppence, and two and a penny..

LOL.. I was born in 1972 - so decimal currency is all I know.. this whole "and a penny" with the knocks confused the hello out of me... fortunately, we teach them in decimal now to new MMs learning them :)
(I suspect to all but our Australian Brethren.. this is all very esoteric !! It was to me when I first heard it LOL !!!!)
 

Keith C

Registered User
Good afternoon Brethren, I found this forum while searching for an answer to what I thought would be a simple question. After looking around many different places I've found that the duties of the JD vary. So here's the question. Is there any significance to the number of knocks at the different times? I'm trying to find some meaning behind them to help me better remember.


Indeed the duties vary, what Officers are in a Lodge varies, and apparently the knocks and their meanings vary!

In PA there is only one way to knock, the Officer who attends to the knock depends on what door is being knocked on. What happens next is determined by who is knocking and what they want! The meaning of the knocks is explained during the EA Degree recapitulation.

The Business of our Junior Deacon is limited to message carrying and a specific way of handling their wand during the EA Degree. They have no interaction with Candidates during degrees. Otherwise they just sit or stand and look nice!
 

Mark D. Morse

Registered User
Thank you all,We do have a Masonic Hall of Famer and 2 past Grand Masters in our lodge. I'll hit them up next week and see if they have an idea. The different way of holding the "wand"/rod/staff, lol in the EA degree interests me though. We've been having many discussions on how to hold it in general and have settled on information one of our Past Masters had received from a Virginia Lodge. I would be interested to know of any differences around the world. Thank you again Brothers and I think I was just as confused as Bloke, lol
 

David612

Registered User
LOL.. I was born in 1972 - so decimal currency is all I know.. this whole "and a penny" with the knocks confused the hello out of me... fortunately, we teach them in decimal now to new MMs learning them :)
(I suspect to all but our Australian Brethren.. this is all very esoteric !! It was to me when I first heard it LOL !!!!)

Dollar bill singing “on the 14th of February 1966”



I was born in 89
 

jermy Bell

Registered User
I never understood the Jr.deacon carries messages from the Sr warden to the Jr. Warden and else where around the lodge. What messages ? Same with the Sr. Deacon. Maybe 100 years ago. But why keep it in the duties ?
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I never understood the Jr.deacon carries messages from the Sr warden to the Jr. Warden and else where around the lodge. What messages ? Same with the Sr. Deacon. Maybe 100 years ago. But why keep it in the duties ?
Tradition !!! (and I am sure someone will talk about this arising from the Secret Societies Act and reporting on who was at the meeting.. but I am not fully convinced.. )
 
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