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Post by leonardo on May 17, 2009 17:48:07 GMT
What does your lodge require before they allow unknown or un-vouched for brethren attend a meeting?
I have heard that some GLs only require visitors to know the modes of recognition and if they do they’re usually permitted to attend, but others have a more lengthy procedure to go through.
In my own Obedience (LDH), for example, we have Masonic passports which we’re required to show when visiting other lodges within our Federation or any with whom we have fraternal relationships. Now this works quite in itself but in case not we also have the mot annual, without which we’d never get into a lodge where we weren’t personally known. Even if we make it pass the first few stages we can still expect to be “proved.”
So, what’s the system where you are?
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Post by leonardo on May 18, 2009 16:45:38 GMT
Thanks for outlining you GL’s methods for verifying unknown guests. It might seem as though the measures taken are somewhat over the top but sadly they are needed; I seem to remember reading in Darkness Visible that Walton Hannah, its author, saying he managed to gain admittance to a lodge simply by displaying his knowledge of the Craft.
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Post by seekeroftruth on May 22, 2009 16:28:21 GMT
Hi Leo,
In Germany, where we have 5 GLs (united under the United Grand Lodges of Germany, the one recognized by UGLE), the usual way is to get the contact details of a lodge's secretary from the Annual Year Book (to get one you have to be a Brother) and email the secretary. (You can also find a general email contact on the web, but from experience a response can take time.
German masons are usually very happy to receive visitors, so you just turn up on the day and then 50-50 you might be examined or not. (In the cases that you are not I can't vouch that a background check was made beforehand via the secretary ;D to my mother lodge)
Once the first visit is done, then you can always visit the lodge again without ever being examined.
When it comes to foreign Brothers, apart from the normal paperwork provided by the home GL, it is usual for a visitor to be examined. Not for forms sake but to see the differences between rituals.
The "vouching for a brother" from my experience again depends on the lodge. I visited a lodge where I was known to quite a few Brothers from other meetings where we had met in other lodges, but even though I was publicly vouched as a Brother is good standing, the SW still wanted to examine me.
As you can see nothing standard in Germany;) Hope this sheds some light to your query
iduhZ
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Post by leonardo on May 23, 2009 7:48:51 GMT
Thank you Seekeroftruth for that insight into FM inter-visitations in Germany; interesting to note the variations from other Obediences and even the variations within the same GLs! But this is what makes it all so special - - there seems to be no hard and fast rules so ya just don't know what to expect until you get there
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Post by joyrock on May 25, 2009 20:18:57 GMT
In regards to visiting our lodge this would only really be a possibility during our ritual work. Our stated meetings would require a visitor full access to the lodge and that just will not happen if not a member.
With that being said the protocol would be to get in contact with our lodge secretary and that happens to be me. We would have to arrange a communication with at least three members. If all of those communications come back positive a vote is taken as to the request in an open lodge meeting. If returned affirmative then we will notify the respected party as to the next steps.
When it comes to us visiting other lodges seeing how we are largley un-recognized it is a problem. Now, a few lodges have been liberal and that is appreciated. All of our members can stand for and pass any examination that would correspond with their own degree of achievement.
Fraternally,
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Post by leonardo on May 26, 2009 6:42:43 GMT
Thank you, Joyrock.
It seems all areas of the Masonic world have their own unique approach to how they deal with visitors to their lodges and they all seem happy with the arrangements they’ve set in place. Some from a neighbouring jurisdiction may feel they’d do things differently, that their approach is better or superior, etc but that’s their stance. However, ultimately it’s the lodges themselves that decide what works from them.
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