Nate Riley
Premium Member
Is there a specified period of time (by the law) that a petitioner/candidate for initiation should be called after the vote (election to receive the degrees)?
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Time period for calling a candidate?
- Thread starter Nate Riley
- Start date
Back, and I found it. I hope this helps.
Art. 413. Ballot. When the report of the investigating committee
has been made, and one lunar month has elapsed since the
presentation of said petition, the ballot shall be taken. If found
clear, the candidate may be initiated as soon as convenient. As to
all petitions requiring ballot by the Lodge, the petitioner
shall be notified in writing within fifteen days of such ballot, signed by the
Worshipful Master and attested to by the Secretary of the Lodge,
as to either his election or his rejection by the Lodge. (Revised 2000)
Art. 413. Ballot. When the report of the investigating committee
has been made, and one lunar month has elapsed since the
presentation of said petition, the ballot shall be taken. If found
clear, the candidate may be initiated as soon as convenient. As to
all petitions requiring ballot by the Lodge, the petitioner
shall be notified in writing within fifteen days of such ballot, signed by the
Worshipful Master and attested to by the Secretary of the Lodge,
as to either his election or his rejection by the Lodge. (Revised 2000)
Nate Riley
Premium Member
The reason I asked and maybe this answers some questions or starts more dialogue. We have a couple of guys (that I know personally) who were elected and are ready and excited to be initiated. Then tonight we decided in a conversation (that had a lot of input from some brothers who I often question why that say and do certain things) that we would schedule their degrees for the end of this month, about a month from when they were voted on and two months from when they petitioned. By the way our WM is on vacation and was not part of this conversation.
I'm not saying we should rush things, but these guys are excited as I was and are ready to do it. They voted on me on a Thurs., called me on Friday and I was initiated on Monday.
I'm not saying we should rush things, but these guys are excited as I was and are ready to do it. They voted on me on a Thurs., called me on Friday and I was initiated on Monday.
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This is just me, but just because they are scheduled till the end of the month they can/should be coming up there and visiting on floor school nights. I can just say that I am very busy the week before and the week of stated meeting. There may be a good reason for post poning it. I recommend you have them come up to Lodge on your "off" nights to just sit and enjoy fellowship with the brethren. Maybe you can open a discussion and go over the cadidate book that they should be recieving while others are doing floor school. This will get the masonic juices flowing. Again, these are ideas so there is not a lull. This may cause them to take more of a roll as well once they get initiated. Let us know how it goes.
Nate Riley
Premium Member
Actually, I am part of the degree team and we do a pretty good job, although like anyone else we aren't perfect. The brother that was doing the complaining about us putting on degrees so quickly was speaking for a certain group that the phone committee needs to call so that they will know what is going on. And apparently our phone committee needs plenty of time to get this done. I like him a lot, but he is one of the old school guys.
I think there is a happy medium, where the brethren are informed with plenty of notice, all involved (degree team, stewards, officers) have plenty of time to make a memorable evening and the candidate gets his degree in an acceptable time (around a week, ten days, maybe two weeks).
I have some ideas on this that I am writing down in my "book of ideas for my year in the East".
Ben Rodriguez
Registered User
The night I found out I was being voted in, I waited outside the lodge room to hear back from someone with an answer. Everyone came out and shook my hand to congratulate me for being found worthy of receiving the degrees in Masonry!
Does anyone make the candidates come up to the Lodge several times to get to know the Brethten before signing his petition. The reason I ask is that I have had several petitions where we have the same people signing the petitions. It is like they have never seen a petition they don't like.
If candidates are willing to come to the Lodge before they are voted on, then what make people think they will remain active after the vote occurs?
If candidates are willing to come to the Lodge before they are voted on, then what make people think they will remain active after the vote occurs?
Traveling Man
Premium Member
The answer to both (first hand) is yes!
The same brethren I usually refer to as the “Masonic Magic 10%â€. You know them; they are the ones that are always there when work needs to be done, when you need volunteers. These were the instructors that mentored me when everyone else was more interested in social climbing and their progression "in the line" than to mentor an E.A. In our lodge these were truly “the workmen†working in the quarries. Not to be confused with the “proxy†Worshipful Master that had higher aspirations, or the actual officer that couldn’t put on the degree if his life depended upon it. Sorry, that’s my experience and perspective.
LRG
Premium Member
True dedi:sc:cation
Mebbe he needs to be put on or put in charge of the phone committee. We already have too many guys who want to complain but don't want to do anything to help improve things. This way he'd have to either "put up or shut up"!
It used to be, especially in small towns, that we knew the men who were petitioning. Nowadays it's not the same. We get prospects, whether through the Internet or wherever, whom we don't know. We try to get them to come have supper with us before Lodge so that we can get to know something about them, but it's not always possible.
Many times, Brethren will sign petitions simply to get them before an investigating committee. It thus becomes critical that the committee does their job thoroughly and properly.
JBD
Premium Member
+1 SMIB
This is one of my pet peeves. Brothers who take lightly the duty of the invesitgator. It is not to get the guy in, it is to see if he belongs in. We have a few who act like they have a duty or obligation to the petitioner. They do not. They have an obligation to see that none are admitted unless qualified and will uphold the traditions (generic for you stickler types - mean to include all the legal, procedural and other stuff). The investigations committee have become the Outer Tiler or some other name in my view. They are going to recommend a man to be made a Mason essentially. They need to understand and do their job; completely, thorughly and timely.