Bloke
Premium Member
My pleasure. Here - we only have one - the Grand Pursuivant, subordinate lodges do not have such a position.
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Office
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Keith C
Registered User
I believe you are in PA, correct?
In PA The Senior Master of Ceremonies (Sits in front of the SW on the left of the 3 chairs there) is in charge of setting the S&C, Bringing attendance cards to the Secretary and answering alarms at the Examining Room Door.
The Junior Master of Ceremonies (Sits in the right of the 3 chairs in front of the SW) answers alarms at the Preparing Room Door.
The Pursuivant (Sits in the middle of the 3 chairs in front of the SW) is in charge of Tyling the Lodge, answers alarms at the Outer Door and opens the door for those entering or leaving the Lodge when open. He also introduces the DDGM and Officers of the District on Official Visitations and the RWGM in case of his visitation.
The JD (Sits at the Right Hand of the SW) carries messages from the SW to the JW and back.
The SD (Sits at the Right Hand of the WM) carries messages from the WM to the SW and back, prepares the Ballot Box, seconds the Secretaries motions and transfers documents between the Secretary and WM.
Candidates are prepared and conducted by a Sr. Brother appointed as "Guide" by the WM.
HoldenMonty
Registered User
@Keith C I am and you are correct. I was thinking about explaining it all but wasn't quite sure since I'm still new. Right now I'm in the Junior Master of Ceremonies chair as I'm learning the guide work for the first degree. We have guys that know it but they sit in other chairs of the Lodge and figure learning the guide work is a great start to learning the degrees
Keith C
Registered User
Just be careful!
I was raised last November, in December & January I was asked to sit in the JMC chair for two Extra meetings. In March our Junior Deacon stopped coming to lodge as he now had to work on Wednesday nights, so I was asked to be JD. In August our Senior Deacon told the WM that he was unable to continue in the line for personal reasons, so would not be completing the requirements to run for Junior Warden. So guess who is scrambling to do that now?
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
I was in a similar situation. I was raised in Aug. of 14 and four months later I was elected Senior Deacon.
Ripcord22A
Site Benefactor
Same
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
Yeah, it used to be that Past Masters were fairly rare as several people would join a lodge during the year but only one officer slot opened up in the line each year. These days chances are if you have been a MM for 5-7 years you are, or have been, master of a lodge.
Bloke
Premium Member
Sorry if anyone gets upset about me posting this, but it's hardly a "masonic secret".... but a good topic
Just a reminder, I am from UGLV in the Land of Oz
There no "three chairs" beside our SW - only one - for our JD... and I know you guys will not have a lot of these offices..
Setting the S&C - the Director of Ceremonies
Attendance Cards - not such thing.. if you mean vouching, that's handed by the Tyler and Inner guard - with oversight from the JW.
Alarms - the Inner Guard... and its rare to find and "Examining Room Door" - we generally only have one entrance. I guess two is Scottish in origin ?
Not such office as Pursuivant in our lodges. - the IG does all the door operating in our lodges.. DDGMs and such would be conducted and intro'ed by the Director of Ceremonies, if the RWGM was there, the DC would be joined by both Deacons who would conduct him in under the wands (rods.. but we always call them wands)..
Tyler prepares candidates - deacons conduct them..
There's other jobs like opening the tools (DC), VSL (IPM), but you get the general idea.. Deacons here seem to have a much larger role.. many will say its the best job in the lodge..
Just a reminder, I am from UGLV in the Land of Oz
There no "three chairs" beside our SW - only one - for our JD... and I know you guys will not have a lot of these offices..
Setting the S&C - the Director of Ceremonies
Attendance Cards - not such thing.. if you mean vouching, that's handed by the Tyler and Inner guard - with oversight from the JW.
Alarms - the Inner Guard... and its rare to find and "Examining Room Door" - we generally only have one entrance. I guess two is Scottish in origin ?
Inner guard.. he sits inside the door of the lodge. Normally in the NE - but it depends on where the door is... (normally NE on the East OR North wall)
Not such office as Pursuivant in our lodges. - the IG does all the door operating in our lodges.. DDGMs and such would be conducted and intro'ed by the Director of Ceremonies, if the RWGM was there, the DC would be joined by both Deacons who would conduct him in under the wands (rods.. but we always call them wands)..
JD sits in the same spot and has the same job.. but also opens the 1st Degree TB (tracing board) AND conducts and answers for 1st Degree candidates... our deacons seem to be the general American Steward, Deacon and conductor all in one..
Same job, but not seconding - how strange.. what if he disagrees with it..SD also opens and closed 2nd and 3rd TB, conducts 2nd and 3rd candidates, instructs the JD, and generally keeps busy.. Ballot material here - deacons both pay a part but different roles
Tyler prepares candidates - deacons conduct them..
There's other jobs like opening the tools (DC), VSL (IPM), but you get the general idea.. Deacons here seem to have a much larger role.. many will say its the best job in the lodge..
Brother_Steve
Premium Member
New Jersey:
- Junior Deacon attends to all alarms at the outer door. Sees that the lodge is Tiled.
- Senior Deacon attends to all alarms at the inner door, receives candidates and accommodates visitors.
- Senior Master of Ceremonies prepares the candidate, reads the interrogatories to the candidate during an EA degree and brings the candidate into the lodge.
- The Junior MoC assists his Sr counterpart.
- We utilize a Masrshal which physically conducts the candidate while the SD heads the column.
-Stewarts just have floorwork during degrees.
- Junior Deacon attends to all alarms at the outer door. Sees that the lodge is Tiled.
- Senior Deacon attends to all alarms at the inner door, receives candidates and accommodates visitors.
- Senior Master of Ceremonies prepares the candidate, reads the interrogatories to the candidate during an EA degree and brings the candidate into the lodge.
- The Junior MoC assists his Sr counterpart.
- We utilize a Masrshal which physically conducts the candidate while the SD heads the column.
-Stewarts just have floorwork during degrees.
Keith C
Registered User
The 3 chairs for the SMC / Pursuivant / JMC are in FRONT of the SW's Station. The JD is to the right of it.
We have 1 outer door, a preparing room in the South West, an Examining room in the North West, with door between the Ante room (within the outer door, without the inner doors) and doors between the Preparing room and the Examining room and the Lodge room (SW & NW respectively) Most PA Lodges have two inner doors, One between the Preparing Room door and the JD (who sits beside this inner door) and one between the Examining room door and the SW. The first act in opening the lodge is the Pursuivant closing the outer door. A bit later in the opening work the Pursuivant tyles the lodge, locking all the inner doors (Examining room, NW inner door, Preparing Room, SW inner door in that order).
CLewey44
Registered User
Oklahoma, the JS and SS escort the candidate and the SD walks in front doing the speaking. The JS/SS only lines are upon entering from the NW. Also, OK only does one candidate at a time. No pursuviants, no MCs, no Marshalls, no Musicians, No IG/OG, Historians etc. Just WM, Wardens, Deacons, Stewards, Treasurer, Chaplain, Tyler and Secretary.
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
Same here.
Ripcord22A
Site Benefactor
NM and OR
JD-ensures the lodge is Tiled, attends alarms at the outer door(this door is to the Right of the SW and leads out of the Lodge Room), Carries messages from the SW to the JW*
SD-Attends the Altar(opens the GL, LL), Attends to alarms at the Inner Door(this door is to the left of the SW and leads to the preparation room where the Candidate enters), welcomes and accommodates visiting brethren and introduces them at the Altar. carries messages the WM to the SW*, Asks the interrogatories to the candidate during an EA degree and also receives the candidate on the tool. Prepares the ballot box and displays it for the Pedestal officers.
Both Stewards see that the Candidate is prepared and the SS answers the interrogatories at the door.
(officers are the WM,SW,JW,Sec, Trea, SD,JD, SS,JS,Marshall, Chaplain)
OR only-
SD-after receiving the candidate on the tool, then takes possession of the candidate for the rest of the ceremony, this is for all 3 degrees.
J/SS- pass the C to the SD after he receives him on the tool and then follow until the E and the stay in the E flanking the WM.
NM only-
SD- after receiving the C on the tool then walks in front of the candidate and then takes possession at the stations passing back to the J/SS
JD-Purges the lodge/ ensures all that are unknown to him are properly vouched for(this is done by the SW in OR by rising and looking around)
J/SD-Receives the PW from the brethren when opening on the 2or3
J/SS-Conduct the Candidate in all 3 degrees
fun fact:
In AZ the J/SDs both attend at the altar and the SD gives the pass, token of the pass and on the step gives the DG and PS up to what ever degree is being opened on to the SW and WM at the opening and closing.
It seems as if some Jurisdictions have done away with redundancy in positions, consolidating multiple chairs in to a few chairs. Really what is the point of having 3 chairs whose duties can be done by 1?
JD-ensures the lodge is Tiled, attends alarms at the outer door(this door is to the Right of the SW and leads out of the Lodge Room), Carries messages from the SW to the JW*
SD-Attends the Altar(opens the GL, LL), Attends to alarms at the Inner Door(this door is to the left of the SW and leads to the preparation room where the Candidate enters), welcomes and accommodates visiting brethren and introduces them at the Altar. carries messages the WM to the SW*, Asks the interrogatories to the candidate during an EA degree and also receives the candidate on the tool. Prepares the ballot box and displays it for the Pedestal officers.
Both Stewards see that the Candidate is prepared and the SS answers the interrogatories at the door.
(officers are the WM,SW,JW,Sec, Trea, SD,JD, SS,JS,Marshall, Chaplain)
OR only-
SD-after receiving the candidate on the tool, then takes possession of the candidate for the rest of the ceremony, this is for all 3 degrees.
J/SS- pass the C to the SD after he receives him on the tool and then follow until the E and the stay in the E flanking the WM.
NM only-
SD- after receiving the C on the tool then walks in front of the candidate and then takes possession at the stations passing back to the J/SS
JD-Purges the lodge/ ensures all that are unknown to him are properly vouched for(this is done by the SW in OR by rising and looking around)
J/SD-Receives the PW from the brethren when opening on the 2or3
J/SS-Conduct the Candidate in all 3 degrees
fun fact:
In AZ the J/SDs both attend at the altar and the SD gives the pass, token of the pass and on the step gives the DG and PS up to what ever degree is being opened on to the SW and WM at the opening and closing.
It seems as if some Jurisdictions have done away with redundancy in positions, consolidating multiple chairs in to a few chairs. Really what is the point of having 3 chairs whose duties can be done by 1?
Bloke
Premium Member
I know of only 1 lodge room here which has two doors into it.... we normally have 1 door and the convenient room is outside that; we all come in and exit through a single door.
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
All of the lodge rooms that I have been in so far have two doors.
CLewey44
Registered User
Bro. Warrior, sounds like we've been to the same places lol. I've only seen two doors too.
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
.....and each one is intended for specific functions although ordinarily they can simply be used as entrance / exit.