There is much Masonic history involved up thru history from Eastern Europe, England & into the United States.   Many famous people, presidents of the United States, generals, explorers, etc. have belonged to the Masonic organization.

By improving your Masonic education, you personally gain knowledge of the ancient craft of Freemasonry which then can give you some insight as to history & can help you to pass it on to help educate your Masonic brethren.

                         Our motto is to "take a good man & make him better"  

This section is dedicated to informing lodge members (both new & even as a reminder for the older) as to some internal operations, or floor work of the lodge, & observations from within the lodge that can help provide smooth operations.   Also added here is traditional information obtained from numerous sources that may be of information to our members.

You may see some variations within the jurisdiction at different lodges, which are the result of long-standing customs or traditions in lodges.  Others are simply the ingenious interpretation of the Standard Work symbolism.  We have assumed that these are acceptable, in either case if they are truly a sign of Masonic integrity in the lodge, probably no one will object.

There is another group of variations which has somewhat confused the situation.  These are the variations which are the result of errors, gradual departures from old procedures, arbitrary changes, & inherited mistakes.  These are the ones that should be addressed.

It is suggested that you contact your lodge secretary & request a copy of the  "Suggested Guidelines for Lodge Floor Work" & the "Lodge Officers Handbook", from which should answer many questions for both the new & older members.

Upon your first setting within a lodge after you have been given the First Degree, there will be a few things you will be exposed to that may have not been explained by your coach.  This is mostly tradition, or that has been handed down from mouth to ear for centuries.  The following are not in any specific order.

(1)  Fellowship & Identification:  One thing that you will observe in any lodge you attend, is that as you walk in, about everyone will walk up, & shake your hand.  If you are visiting a lodge, they will also introduce themselves.  This is one reason for you to obtain a membership badge.  Many of us old guys can not remember a name if voiced verbally, (and probably can't hear good enough anyway) but seeing it in print kind of helps in most cases.  Plus if the Senior Deacon needs to introduce you as a visiting officer or brother to the lodge, he can read off your name badge.

If you have a new face show up at a lodge meeting or function, make it a point to seek him out & strike up a conversation with him.  Remember that no brother is an outsider.  Make him feel welcome, introduce him to other brothers if he has not been already.  He may have just moved into the area & is looking for a new lodge to transfer to & first impressions really do count.
 
(2)  Learning Your Proficiency or Floorwork:  One more important thing, not usually covered is that when learning your degree, or any memory exercise later when you may be appointed or elected to a chair in the lodge is to memorize it correctly.  Do not interject your own words or punctuation, as much of the words are basically Old English & not a common pronunciation today.  

Also, if you are a coach & not sure of the EXACT wording, consult an older/experienced member for the correct word or pronunciation of it.   Since this is in code & passed down from mouth to ear, even some older members may have learned it wrong.  Or seek out the District Deputy who has a printed out "Red Book".   See if you can make arrangements to have him bring it to a meeting so you can clarify a word or two if needed.  If you learn it wrong to start with, it is very hard to relearn it correctly.  Any rendition of coded ritual that is not word perfect, to many of the old-timers, labels you, or your coach as slightly disconnected.   If it is close to perfect, you may well get a congratulations for a job well done.

If, as a new officer or degree member, if you are approached by a member, after lodge meeting, suggesting you had a word or two wrong, do not take it wrong, as he is really trying to help you.   And as we all know, some people have problems with communication skills.  There may well be one exception here, as it is considered poor taste to point out a possible dropping of a line or two by the GRAND MASTER when doing a closing, etc. while visiting a lodge.  Is it possible you did not hear exactly what he meant to say?

(3)  Tyler Guards The Door:  Another will be that the DOOR OF THE LODGE, WHEN IT IS IN SESSION, should never be opened from the outside.  But only by the Junior Deacon from the inside AFTER he has given his prescribed number of knocks, the returning knocks from the Tyler on the outside & then the door is opened from the inside by the Junior Deacon.  Even if there is not enough bodies to actually have a Tyler outside the door, the Junior Deacon it is suggested that he should simulate the Tyler's knocks.

As a prelude to opening the meeting, the Master will ask the Junior Deacon to see that the Tyler is at his post & close the door.  In this circumstance if the door is closed, since the lodge is not in session yet, the Junior Deacon can open the door with no knocks involved.

(4)  Seating in The Lodge:  If you are a new member visiting a lodge with a fellow brother, who also may not be well known to the other lodge, OR the visiting lodge has a replacement Junior Deacon who has not had the chance to become acquainted with many members of other lodges, you may encounter a situation whereby you may be challenged when the Deacon walks the line trying to identify the visitors/members.  Here it can save some embarrassment if you sit on the right of your fellow brother, who can then vouch for you if someone else vouches for him previously.

Also on occasion, a brother may draw a blank as to the password.  If this happens, the Deacon should inform the Master that there is a brother without the word.  The Master will then inform the Deacon to give the forgetful brother the word.

(5)  Opening of Lodge:  At opening of the lodge, the Master requests the Senior Deacon to open the great lights & for the Junior Deacon to inform the Tyler that the lodge is now open on which-ever degree the lodge will be functioning on.  The Junior Deacon allows the Senior Deacon to get about 1/2 way thru his bible ceremony so the final timing will be executed at nearly the same time.  Then the Junior Deacon knocks on the door of the lodge, the Tyler answers, the door is opened by the Deacon, verbiage is exchanged, the door is closed & the Junior Deacon then moves straight forward, stopping just short of the alter at the same distance as the Senior Deacon will soon be.  At this same time the Senior Deacon having completed his opening, preparing the bible & arranging the lights, steps to the north side of the lodge very near the timing of the Junior Deacon's advance.   The Junior Deacon leads off, with "The duty is performed Worshipful Master", followed by the Senior Deacon with the same response.

The above is the same as the closing of the lodge, except the verbiage between the Junior Deacon & the Tyler.

(6) Tyler Not Shut Out:  Shortly after opening the lodge, the Master will usually direct the Junior Deacon to have the Tyler secure the outer door & invite him to set WITHIN THE DOOR & observe the lodge if he wishes.  This accomplishes 2 things in that the Tyler is not shut out from the lodge meeting & at the same time does not require him to enter, advance to the alter & salute the Master as if he was actually entering the lodge.  HOWEVER if the Tyler closes the door behind him & sets within the lodge room itself, he would then have to advance to the alter & salute the Master with the sign of the appropriate degree.  But then he would be in violation of his duties to guard the door.

Now there is at one instance when the Tyler would be initially setting within the door where the he would have to go to the alter & salute, & that is during balloting, as all members present shall cast a ballot.  Here, usually some other brother who has already balloted will offer to set in for the Tyler who then advances to the alter, salutes the Master, & does his balloting.  After the balloting is complete & before the Senior Deacon delivers the ballot box to the Wardens for inspection, the Tyler would then re-advance to the alter, re-salute the Master & move back to his chair within the door of the lodge.   This is so that IF anyone would approach the outer door, he could simply slide back outside, close the lodge door, do his job with the visitor & carry on from there.

(7)  Arriving Late:  If you happen to arrive  at a meeting after it has started, of your own lodge, or a lodge where you have visited before where someone can vouch for your being a Master Mason, identify yourself to the Tyler.  If he is satisfied you are a Master Mason, he will inform you the degree that the lodge is functioning on & give the prescribed knocks on the inner door.  The Junior Deacon responds with his knocks & opens the door.   The Tyler will inform the Deacon that there is a Master Mason without the door desiring admission.  The Junior Deacon will then inform the Master.  The Master will respond, by "admit him".

You then advance to the alter & salute the Master with the sign of the appropriate degree.   The Master acknowledges you & you then take a seat on the sidelines.

(8) Leaving Early:  If you have to leave the lodge room for any reason before it's final closing, wait unit there appears to be a open spot between happenings, you may then excuse themselves early by advancing to the alter, saluting the Master, on the degree the lodge is in session on, waiting for him to acknowledge you, then advancing to the Junior Deacon at the door, who does the appropriate knocking, the Tyler returns the knocks &  Deacon then opens the door & lets you out of the lodge.

(9) Carrying the Staff:  The Deacons may carry their staffs in either hand depending on the circumstances.  The proper method of carrying the staff is to hold onto it securely with the hand, allowing the lower section to rest alongside, under the forearm & elbow.  The staff is held at approximately a 45 degree angle pointing straight forward.  The tip of the staff should be carried with the "spear" end pointing vertical when moving around the lodge so the brothers can see it better to identify the brother's position who is carrying it.  But when the staff is deposited in a receptacle, it is twisted so that the "spear" is facing the Master.

(10) Escorting:  When any officer is escorting another brother, (especially during the degree when the candidate is blindfolded) is is best that he reaches inside the brothers arm, taking ahold of the brother's wrist from the inside, allowing both forearms to be pressed together.  In this manner the escorting officer has control in directing the brother.  This is very useful in that many older brothers may become unsure on their feet & it gives them reassurance.

(11) Deacon's Duties:  When the Senior Deacon is escorting a new member or member to be anywhere within the lodge, as while taking a degree, he takes ahold of the members right arm if during the degrees & the movement around the lodge is in a clockwise rotation.  This places the member so that the Senior Deacon is exhibiting the new member to the other members of the lodge by placing him next to the seated members as he is escorted around.   After the member has been advanced to the Master Mason Degree, then the arm is switched to the left arm.  This follows thru for any other officer, as the Marshall escorting the Chaplain, the Senior Deacon escorting visiting dignitaries, or the Master escorting the visiting dignitary to the East, etc.

(12)  Wardens Can Assist Master:  If for any reason the Master forgets to raise or seat the lodge during proceedings, either the Senior or Junior Warden can rap their gavel to perform that duty.   However they should probably wait until it is obvious the the Master is pre-occupied with other duties.

(13)  Junior Warden's Duties:  Yes, the Junior Warden is in charge of the refreshments, but this does not mean that he is the only one who is looked at to provide the refreshments, wash the dishes, or clean off the tables or the kitchen.  This is the job of the Stewarts, (if there are any) which the Junior Warden oversees.  However any member will be whole-heatedly accepted when the time comes.

The Junior Warden normally oversees many things.  He is in charge of any others who may step forward on their own & offer to help or possibly cook refreshments.   It makes things hard for him if these others do not make an effort to co-ordinate with him.  If the lodge has a practice of putting on dinners, it is really his job to co-ordinate these, even to the point of possibly having tickets printed if a dinner is going to be a pre-sold event.

When the lodge is at refreshment or after the meeting, the Junior Warden is in charge.   Many lodges utilize this opportunity to have the Junior warden act as Toastmaster.  This can cover anything during refreshment, as making sure there is a Chaplain to give the blessing, or do it himself, he to act as Toastmaster in calling on all brothers present to give a short speech, in doing so, leaving the Senior Warden & Master as last.

There is a special section in the cipher for the Junior Warden to recite when calling the lodge from refreshment to labor, he needs to be aware of this & learn it prior to being subjected to needing to recite it.

(14)  Respect Others:  If you are an officer & the lodge has microphone/speakers, for all sakes use them.  Most of the members now days will be older & may well have a hearing impairment.   Just because they may wear hearing aids does not guarantee that they will be able to hear clearly.   If the station has a microphone there does not mean it is functional if you are speaking 12" above it, adjust it to your level. 

On the other hand some persons speak with such a soft voice that it is about impossible to even hear them even in a normal conversation.  If you happen to be one of these, & are speaking from the sidelines on an issue, try to practice so that you may be heard.

(15) Ask Permission To Speak:  Always stand & ask the Master's permission to speak.   In some of the lodges it is common practice to, when standing & when requesting this permission, to salute the Master with the hands in the position of being placed on the Bible.  This is considered by some as showing tribute to the Master.   However, I find in "Washington Lodge Officers Handbook" that it is not appropriate.

(16) Courtesy to Master:  It is considered common courtesy to the Master if you intend to present some new major discussion item or motion to brief the Master beforehand so he can place it in his agenda if deemed appropriate.

(17) Different Jurisdiction In Different States:  Some jurisdictions of the Masonic family will be sanctioned under Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, while others you will see only as Free & Accepted Masons.  This is basically the same organization, with their charter originating from a different Grand Lodge.  Basically the only thing you may see different is there are some differences in how they open & close a lodge & as to wording in doing so.

(18)  Some Conceptions of Wearing a Masonic Ring:  Wearing Masonic jewelry is covered during one of your instruction lectures while progressing up to as Master Mason, so it will not be covered here, but there is one thing about the Masonic ring that has been tradition in the Pe Ell lodge I had the opportunity to be Master in.  This lodge like many old line lodges reserved the First degree for the Junior Warden to put on.  The Second to the Senior Warden & of course the Third degree for the Master to perform. 

In doing this, their tradition was that after you as Master, gave the Master Mason degree to your brother, then you could wear your Masonic ring with the points of the compass pointing outward.  This represented that YOU HAD GIVEN that degree by representing how the compass was placed on a poor blind candidate upon entering the lodge.   And you now were wearing your ring as a Past Master.

You may hear different sides of the wearing of the ring & they both make some sense, so I guess maybe what suits you.

(19) Dress Code:   Dress code has for many years been basically an unwritten code that the members of the lodge normally wear a black or dark blue suit with a tie.  A nice dark sport jacket with dark grey pants or with a bolo tie is also very accepted.  This is not mandatory, but in some of the older lodges you may get frowns when dressed in casual clothing.  However the lodge will not turn away men in any attire.   Working men when coming directly from work are also welcomed.

(20)  Stewart's Duties: The Stewarts are recommended to carry their staffs in the same manner as the Deacons when performing their duties.  It is also the Stewarts job to prepare the candidate in the preparation room.  It is suggested that if you expect to be sent in this position, that you learn, (or write it down in code) the actual dressing of the candidate for each degree.  As it is embarrassing to have the candidate enter the lodge & you missed something that needs to be quickly retrieved & finish your job.

If the refreshments need attending to before the final closing of the lodge, the Stewarts may excuse themselves early by advancing to the alter, saluting the Master, on the degree the lodge is in session on, then advancing to the Junior Deacon at the door, who does the appropriate knocking, the Tyler returns the knocks &  Deacon then lets him or them out of the lodge.

(21) Warden's Columns:   On the Junior Warden's & Senior Warden's podiums there is a small column.  These are to represent just where the lodge is during a session.  For instance if the lodge is at refreshment the Junior wardens column stands upright.  When the lodge is called back to labor, he lays his down & the Senior Warden stands his up.

(22) Marshal's Duties: The Marshal when escorting the Chaplain, steps forward upon the raps from the Junior Warden.   During the prayer, the Marshal stands one step behind the Chaplain.  When presenting & retiring the flag he grasps the staff so that he does not have to back up, the shaft is held at about a 45 degree angle, forward & away as to not drape him.   The flag is NEVER dipped below this angle or comes in contact with a foreign object.  Initially when picking the flag up, he should be sure that he rotates the shaft so that there is an eagle on top is always pointing forward.

There is nothing in the code that specifies which hand the flag is carried by, & the code says military protocol does not apply here. But by the nature of where the flag is positioned during lodge session & where it is normally positioned when not in session, due to the weight of the flag, both hands seem appropriate with it crossing slightly from right to left.

(23)  Flag  Salute:  The National Defense Authorization Act for FY-2008 (Public Law 110-181) was signed by President Bush on 28 January 2008, and included a section (Section 594) addressing this issue.  

According to the law "all persons present in uniform should render the military salute.  Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform MAY render the military salute.  All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over their heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.  Citizens of other countries present should stand at attention.  All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes".

This holds true, EXCEPT in a tyled Masonic Lodge.  The Masonic ritual states "the brethren shall stand AT salute" and not "stand AND salute".   So when we are in a tyled Lodge the brethren will stand with their right hand over their heart.   Therefore until the Masonic Code and Monitor are amended to reflect the change to the Public Law,  which is stated above, we when "clothed Masons", shall follow Masonic code.

(24)  Floor Work:  When any officer, elected or appointed, moves around the room during the lodge in session, they should move as close as possible in straight lines, turn at 90 degrees, (simulating a square), & then continue on.

(25) Officers Titles:  Titles of officers in the organization are established.  A member who has not served as a Master of a lodge is referred to as "Brother".   Once he has attained the position of Master, he is referred to as "Worshipful" Brother.  If he has been appointed to a District deputy, he is thereafter referred to as "Very Worshipful".   The elected Grand Lodge officers other than the Grand Master are referred to as "Right Worshipful".   And the Grand Master is referred to as "Most Worshipful".  These titles carry on even after the person has stepped down from his position.

(26) Election of Officers :  The elected officers of a lodge include the Master, Senior warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, & Secretary.  The other officers are appointed by the incoming master.  They include Chaplain, Marshal, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Tyler.  There could be an Organist included here if applicable.

(27) Secretary's Duties:  The Secretary is the heart of the lodge, taking care of most functioning of of a well oiled lodge.  If you want to know what is or has happened in the lodge, ask the secretary.  The Master is there for only a year or possibly 2, where as the secretary usually pulls duty over many years.  Once the lodge finds a good one, they don't let him go.

The Secretary may for the sake of speeding up the close of a long meeting or at the request of the Master, read the minutes of the meeting in "short form".   This is simply a brief rendition of the meeting, & the full minutes will then be read & approved at the next regular meeting.

(28) Closing Lodge: At the close of the lodge the Master will ask the Senior Warden, "How shall Masons meet?", the Warden, at his station, holding his jewel in front of him, steps down from his position & onto the floor of the lodge & gives his response.  The same is then asked of the Junior Warden.  And finally the Master steps down onto the floor of the lodge & gives his response.  At this time if any members are standing on a elevated seating area, it is common practice for them to also step down onto the same floor level as the master.  This is to show that at that as the lodge closes all members are standing equal.

(29) Visiting Other Lodges:  As in many organizations, meeting new persons & sharing experiences is enjoyable, therefore traveling to other lodges is a way of doing this.  Participate in this if possible.   This also places more bodies in a lodge & many times in the smaller lodges may even allow them to fill the chairs during a meeting.  This in the long run will possibly contribute to them precipitating to your lodge

If you are on vacation & the opportunity arises to attend a lodge, you will need to prove you are a mason.  You will need to show your current paid up dues card, do a brief question/answer session & possibly the Test Oath from your Monitor.   Learn this universal Test Oath, as it is one of the possible requirements you may need to recite to enter a visiting lodge that there are no other brothers who have sit in lodge with you before, which can vouch for you as being a Mason.

This is not the time to have the interviewing committee to be overzealous in that they require you do go overboard in reciting your whole 3rd degree obligation, as there are many things that the committee can ask & be satisfied that you are indeed a mason.  Once the committee is satisfied, it is the duty of one of them to introduce you to & inform the Deacon that you have been interviewed & they are satisfied that you are a mason.

(30)  Help With Degrees if Possible: It is regarded as poor taste by some, or somewhat offending the officer who asks if you would help out in performing a degree.  Be there & help if at all possible for you to do so.  Just because you have never done it before or hesitate because you are rusty & unsure may not be justifiable.  If the lodge has few members to put on a degree, they need all the bodies possible to make a showing for the new prospective member.  If in doubt ask for help to learn your new part.

(31) Help With Janitorial Duties:  Most small lodges do not have a janitorial service.  Offer to help clean the lodge, restrooms, take out the garbage, or any little thing that allows the lodge to function.  Even offering to perform minor carpentry or plumbing jobs or even washing the windows would be greatly appreciated.

(32) Check The Building Before Leaving: If anyone turns the heat/lights/stove or coffee pot on in the lodge building, it should be their duty to at least check & see that these are also turned off at the end of the meeting.

(33) Cell Phones:  In this modern day & age, it would be advisable to turn off your cell phone (or at least the ringer) while attending the lodge meeting.  

(34) Liquor:  Liquor in the lodge building has in the recent past been approved by the Grand Lodge of Washington.  This however is approved for the dining area only & NOT on the floor of the lodge.  This can be a sticky issue to be sure it is legal & possibly ethical to some people, as to not offend some or providing temptation to others.

Shortly after Hitler's rise to power, and possibly as early as the year 1934, there was an awareness that Freemasonry was in danger.  The German Grand Lodge of the Sun in Bayreuth (one of the pre-war German Grand Lodges) realized the imminent problems that faced them and started to wear this little blue flower, the Forget-Me-Not, in place of the Square and Compass, to identify them as Masons. 

This was to allay attraction by the Nazi forces in the process of their confiscation and appropriation of Masonic Lodges and property.  Masonry at this time was underground and thus the Brethren had need of a readily recognized identification.

It was also said that Hitler liked this little flower & he thought that those that wore it were doing so to show support for him.

This little blue flower worn in the lapel distinguished those refusing to allow the Light Of Masonry to be extinguished and during the Nazi era marked a Brother whether he was in the in the cities or in the Concentration Camps.

The Grand Lodge of the Sun was re-opened in Bayreuth in 1947 by Past Grand Master Beyer and a blue shaped pin shaped as a Forget- Me-Not was adopted as the official emblem of the first annual convention of the survivors of the bitter years of semi-darkness, which brought the Light of Masonry again into the Temples.

This simple flower blossomed forth to become the Fraternity's meaningful emblem and perhaps the most widely worn in the world.