Blake Bowden
Founder
Could a Lodge member remain unsatisfied even if a visitor provided proper ID and dues card?
In My OPINION!!!
NOT DOUBLE CHECKED IN THE LAW - BUT MY O-P-I-N-I-O-N
The SW can be satisifed when the SD vouches for everyone that is there.
No. Unless the SW can say that he has sat in a Lodge with every Brother in attendance, he CANNOT be satisfied.
Art. 381
As SD I would do my job and satisfy myself before I entered the Lodgeroom.
Meaning I would examine visiting brethren - I would review the documents of visiting Texas Masons in accordance with Art 380.
For visiting brethern from other GL's those brothers would be examined to the satisfaction of the SD and others with a committee appointed by the WM.
The SW, according to my reading and that of 3 other PMs, does not have to satisfy 381 when in the west. If it were applicable to him being satisfied there would be no need in having a SD or any other brother and every lodge meeting would begin with him saying he is not satisfied and comsuming Lodge meeting time dragging it out.
I recently visited a Masonic Lodge in New Mexico, and they had the Deacons get the word from everyone in the room before opening. Different.
JBD... if the SW has enough confidence in what you say, then what will happen as i described will occur. the GLoTx rules here in Tx, so I'll go with them.
If the SW doesn't know that every brother in the room is a mason through personal experience, he has to say that he isn't satisfied when prompted by the WM to purge the lodge.
It's the SW'd duty FIRST (he's asked FIRST) to ensure that we are satisfied... i wouldn't entrust that duty to anyone else unless i could legally pass that duty on to someone else... it's a pretty mighty trust (third degree?)
passing that trust to the deacons would actually be respectful towards them, in my opinion, so it's actually a good thing!