# Traveling Certificate



## Blake Bowden (May 1, 2012)

Anyone have one?

To all Free and Accepted Masons throughout the Globe â€“ Greetings:

Know ye, that the bearer hereof, Brother ________ has been regu- larly initiated an Entered Apprentice, passed Fellowcraft, and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason; and having worked among us to our entire satisfaction, as a true, faithful and worthy Brother, we, the Worshipful Master, Wardens and Brethren of ________ Lodge No. _____, A.F. & A.M., recommend that he be received and acknowledged as such by
all Free and Accepted Masons, wherever dispersed.
His dues have been paid to the _______ day of _________, A. D. 20 _____.
After which date this certificate becomes out of date.
In Testimony whereof, we have granted him this certificate, under the
Seal of our Lodge, first causing him to write his name in the margin, that he alone may have the benefit thereof.
Given at _______, Texas, this ___ day of _______, A. D. 20 ___, A.L. 60 __.
(Seal) _____________________________ Secretary. This is to Certify That _______ Lodge No. ____ is a regularly constituted Lodge,
working under a charter granted by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas. In testimony of which, I have hereunto affixed my official signature and the Seal of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, this _____ day of ___________,
A. D. 20 ____, A.L. 60 ____.
(Seal) _______________________Grand Secretary.


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## Plustax (May 1, 2012)

Is that what is printed in the Masonic passports?


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## Bro Mike (May 2, 2012)

We had a traveling Brother present one from another state GL while visiting last year.  It was nicely printed and a high quality certificate.  I was duly impressed.

The Brother laughed and shared that his GL's Grand Secretary is a friend and neighbor and he admitted the certificate had been made a little nicer than normal.:thumbup:


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## LukeD (May 2, 2012)

That is pretty cool idea.  Would it completely replace the need for an examination?


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## Blake Bowden (May 3, 2012)

I actually found it in a pdf copy of the GL of TX bylaws.


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## Mac (May 6, 2012)

I have a blank copy of one from the 40's.  I believe it's GLoTX-specific, too (as issuing party).


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## Nate Riley (May 11, 2012)

LukeD said:


> That is pretty cool idea.  Would it completely replace the need for an examination?



Never!

I asked asked for one, when I was going to be visting some lodges last year.  I was told I should already have all that I need, in my head and in my wallet. I was also told that some of the brothers at the lodges I intended to visit would not even know what it was (and they might be more suspicious).  

I do know the tilers oath.  I wonder how many new MMs ever learn it?


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## Timothy Fleischer (May 11, 2012)

Your Lodge Secretary can provide you with this certificate. It does not relieve you of proving yourself a Mason in other ways (esoterically).


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## Timothy Fleischer (May 11, 2012)

Nate Riley said:


> Never!
> 
> I do know the tilers oath.  I wonder how many new MMs ever learn it?


 
The Tiler's Oath is part of the proficiency test for a MM, I am pretty sure. It is in Salado Lodge #296.


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## Traveling Man (May 12, 2012)

Timothy Fleischer said:


> Your Lodge Secretary can provide you with this certificate. It does not relieve you of proving yourself a Mason in other ways (esoterically).



I can assure you that your dues card and this passport (internationally) mean virtually nothing, while proficency in your memory work in all degrees are the determining factors...As well as a letter of introduction from your G.S.


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## jwhoff (May 13, 2012)

Tiler's Oath now mandatory.  The form of which you speak is in the law book forms section.  Looks very nice.  I'd love to have one to hang on the wall in the study.  But no, I don't think it's going to get you past any tiler and SD worth their salt.  

I firmly believe we should all pay more attention to the training of new tilers and SDs than we do.  They must guard the West Gate.


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## Michaelstedman81 (May 16, 2012)

Just a quick question about this certificate.  Is it just a certificate, or is there some places on the back to have Brothers from the lodge being visited to sign, or even just to write in what lodge was visited and when?  Sort of like that whole "passport" thing?


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## Mac (May 16, 2012)

Here is the certificate I found.  The Lodge was about to throw this out (along with a bunch of old stuff).  I think my Lodge has been the single biggest patron of my personal library.


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## Bigmel (Jun 8, 2012)

I have one from my great grandfather filled out an sealed in 1871 it is on parchment I had it framed by a pro and presented to my son when he was installed as WM in 2010


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## jwhoff (Jun 10, 2012)

That, Brother Melvin, is quite impressive.


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## calo (Jan 6, 2013)

Mac said:


> View attachment 2372




The GLoT sells these for $5.


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## calo (Jan 6, 2013)

Michaelstedman81 said:


> Just a quick question about this certificate.  Is it just a certificate, or is there some places on the back to have Brothers from the lodge being visited to sign, or even just to write in what lodge was visited and when?  Sort of like that whole "passport" thing?



The traveling certificate is just a certificate and it's only good for one year. It is blank on the back.


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## jwhoff (Jan 7, 2013)

I have seen brethren from a few northern jurisdictions travel through our lodge who have asked for lodge stamps, etc., to be placed in a passport.  This is only to show that they have traveled to a particular lodge.  It's a very neat idea and I would like to know if such a program exists in Texas.  Otherwise, it's becoming difficult for me to remember the various masonic lodges I have attended.  Later, it will become impossible.

Would not this be an excellent heirloom to hand down to posterity?


Yo ... Wild Bill, we could carry a few spares to hand down to that same posterity showing all the lodges we were denied entrance or thrown out of when we were able to slip past slumbering tilers.   What say ye? :17:


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## youngblood2002 (Jan 15, 2013)

The newly raised MM's at our lodge just received theirs.


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## Nick22 (Mar 30, 2015)

.


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## dfreybur (Mar 31, 2015)

Nick22 said:


> This looks a lot like a granted demit. Is this the same thing?



It's closer to a certificate of good standing so more like the opposite of a demit form.


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## Warrior1256 (Sep 30, 2015)

Nate Riley said:


> Never!
> 
> I asked asked for one, when I was going to be visting some lodges last year.  I was told I should already have all that I need, in my head and in my wallet. I was also told that some of the brothers at the lodges I intended to visit would not even know what it was (and they might be more suspicious).
> 
> I do know the tilers oath.  I wonder how many new MMs ever learn it?


In Kentucky we have to learn it.


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## Akiles (Sep 30, 2015)

Nate Riley said:


> Never!
> 
> I asked asked for one, when I was going to be visting some lodges last year.  I was told I should already have all that I need, in my head and in my wallet. I was also told that some of the brothers at the lodges I intended to visit would not even know what it was (and they might be more suspicious).
> 
> I do know the tilers oath.  I wonder how many new MMs ever learn it?



Dear Brother,

That's ok for a freemason visiting another GL in your country or in a country where the brethren speak English.... But, what if you go to a lodge in where nobody knows the examination in English????.

And vice versa,  for example, I am in a Lodge where everybody speack Spanish and I have to learn everything in Spanish, including the answers for the MM examination..... But, not in English..... So, then, I Will "never" visit any English spoken lodge, won't I????.... Because despite the fact I'm able to speak English, and I understand when somebody tell something in English, I'm not sure I would be able to pass the examination in English.....sad.....


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## Bill Lins (Sep 30, 2015)

Akiles said:


> I Will "never" visit any English spoken lodge, won't I????.... Because despite the fact I'm able to speak English, and I understand when somebody tell something in English, I'm not sure I would be able to pass the examination in English.....sad.....


You should have no problem visiting any GLoTX Lodge in South Texas- just about all of them have multiple bi-lingual Brethren.


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## Akiles (Oct 1, 2015)

Ok, thank you for the info!


Saludos.


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## Glen Cook (Oct 1, 2015)

Akiles said:


> Dear Brother,
> 
> That's ok for a freemason visiting another GL in your country or in a country where the brethren speak English.... But, what if you go to a lodge in where nobody knows the examination in English????.
> 
> And vice versa,  for example, I am in a Lodge where everybody speack Spanish and I have to learn everything in Spanish, including the answers for the MM examination..... But, not in English..... So, then, I Will "never" visit any English spoken lodge, won't I????.... Because despite the fact I'm able to speak English, and I understand when somebody tell something in English, I'm not sure I would be able to pass the examination in English.....sad.....


We've had "other than English speaking" Masons attend in Utah. Never a problem.


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## dfreybur (Oct 1, 2015)

Akiles said:


> Dear Brother,
> 
> That's ok for a freemason visiting another GL in your country or in a country where the brethren speak English.... But, what if you go to a lodge in where nobody knows the examination in English????.
> 
> And vice versa,  for example, I am in a Lodge where everybody speack Spanish and I have to learn everything in Spanish, including the answers for the MM examination..... But, not in English..... So, then, I Will "never" visit any English spoken lodge, won't I????.... Because despite the fact I'm able to speak English, and I understand when somebody tell something in English, I'm not sure I would be able to pass the examination in English.....sad.....



I have been at a Stated meeting with a brother who spoke French and Dutch but not English.  He didn't need words to satisfy the investigating committee.  Once in the meeting, fellowship starts with the hand shake of brotherly love and proceeds from there independent of language.  He might have been bored for lack of understanding but it was clear he knew openings and closings of at least once jurisdiction and he was very relaxed enjoying our company.


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## Akiles (Oct 1, 2015)

Thank you all for your words!, I would like visit other Lodges in other Countries in my life, and probably, one day, I'll travel to some country where people speack other lenguagues differents than Spanish....in fact, I did it in the past... 


Saludos.


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## Chukwunonso (Feb 21, 2018)

Hmmm, that's a good one. Never heard of traveling cert. I'll ask our lodge sec. I think I'll be needing one soon.


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## Bloke (Feb 21, 2018)

Chukwunonso said:


> Hmmm, that's a good one. Never heard of traveling cert. I'll ask our lodge sec. I think I'll be needing one soon.


And I would mention to your Sec where you were thinking of using it.


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## dfreybur (Feb 21, 2018)

Chukwunonso said:


> Hmmm, that's a good one. Never heard of traveling cert. I'll ask our lodge sec. I think I'll be needing one soon.



Given that you just posted about Dubai, where our order is illegal, I don't think you will need any of our documents.  We teach cheerful obedience to just governments.


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## Chukwunonso (Feb 21, 2018)

Ok. Though concerning the cert, my intent is not Dubai. My going to Dubai is still months away. Thanks for your input brother.


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## Chukwunonso (Feb 21, 2018)

Bloke said:


> And I would mention to your Sec where you were thinking of using it.


Hahaha, not Dubai brother. Not Dubai. My asking for a brother in Dubai is to help put me aright with some information I need before going, so I'll not make any unnecessary mistake. I


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## Keith C (Feb 21, 2018)

jwhoff said:


> Tiler's Oath now mandatory.  The form of which you speak is in the law book forms section.  Looks very nice.  I'd love to have one to hang on the wall in the study.  But no, I don't think it's going to get you past any tiler and SD worth their salt.
> 
> I firmly believe we should all pay more attention to the training of new tilers and SDs than we do.  They must guard the West Gate.



Very interesting.

There is no such thing as a "Tiler's Oath" in PA, as it is not part of the rituals of "The Ancients."  I assume your GL and the GLof PA are in Amity, so how would you deal with a Brother from PA who has never even heard of a thing called a "Tiler's Oath?"


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 21, 2018)

Keith C said:


> I assume your GL and the GLof PA are in Amity, so how would you deal with a Brother from PA who has never even heard of a thing called a "Tiler's Oath?"


In my jurisdiction we would probably be like..."Oh, O.K." and ask other questions....assuming that you had a valid dues card of course.


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## Keith C (Feb 21, 2018)

Warrior1256 said:


> In my jurisdiction we would probably be like..."Oh, O.K." and ask other questions....assuming that you had a valid dues card of course.



I agree that would be the right thing to do. 

I was questioning jwhoff, as he stated that the Tiler's oath was "mandatory."  To me "mandatory" implies that if you don't know this, you hit the road.  I was wondering if it was truly "mandatory" and if so what jurisdiction this is in, to avoid embarrassment if I ever happen to be there.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 21, 2018)

Keith C said:


> To me "mandatory" implies that if you don't know this, you hit the road. I was wondering if it was truly "mandatory" and if so what jurisdiction this is in, to avoid embarrassment if I ever happen to be there.


In my jurisdiction it is very probable that you will be asked to recite the tyler's oath upon examination. However, we would make an exception for a Brother from outside our jurisdiction such as yourself where the oath does not even exist.


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## Thomas Stright (Feb 22, 2018)

Timothy Fleischer said:


> The Tiler's Oath is part of the proficiency test for a MM, I am pretty sure. It is in Salado Lodge #296.





jwhoff said:


> Tiler's Oath now mandatory.



Tiler's Oath was not part of the proficiency exam that I took here in TX in 2016.


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## dfreybur (Feb 22, 2018)

Keith C said:


> To me "mandatory" implies that if you don't know this, you hit the road.  I was wondering if it was truly "mandatory" and if so what jurisdiction this is in, to avoid embarrassment if I ever happen to be there.



To me mandatory means if you won't swear this, you hit the road.

You will pronounce your name and repeat after me.  Then the words of it giving you time to understand and repeat.


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## Keith C (Feb 22, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> To me mandatory means if you won't swear this, you hit the road.
> 
> You will pronounce your name and repeat after me.  Then the words of it giving you time to understand and repeat.



THAT I get and that is what we do, though we do not call it a "Tiler's Oath" it is referred to as "The Oath of Examination" and no one is expected to memorize it.  We have a committee of 3, appointed as needed to examine a visitor and the Chair of that committee asks the pertinent questions, confirms the grip the 5POF and the word then administers the obligation.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 22, 2018)

Keith C said:


> We have a committee of 3, appointed as needed to examine a visitor and the Chair of that committee asks the pertinent questions, confirms the grip the 5POF and the word then administers the obligation.


Same here except we have one other thing that we are required to do besides the Tyler's Oath.


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## MarkR (Feb 23, 2018)

We don't memorize the Tyler's Oath, and we don't expect anyone to have it memorized when they arrive.  After seeing a dues card, confirming that his lodge/Grand Lodge are in amity, doing some examination, we use the Tyler's Oath in a "repeat after me" manner.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Feb 23, 2018)

Thomas Stright said:


> Tiler's Oath was not part of the proficiency exam that I took here in TX in 2016.



I seem to also recall this being taught in my home Lodge as part of my Masters proficiency in 2007.

It’s easy to learn, and I’ve definitely used it outside the jurisdictional territory of the GLoTX.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 23, 2018)

Bro. Stewart P.M. said:


> It’s easy to learn


Same here. Ours is only a few sentences long.


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## Todd M. Stewart (Dec 11, 2018)

I did find a Masonic ‘Passport’ on EBay. It has room for the seals of 26 Lodges. Pretty cool.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/253903282964


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## EVG Yumul (Dec 20, 2018)

We don't have dues cards in my jurisdiction, but we do have Travelling Certificates.
Note that Travelling Certificates are different from Master Mason's Certificates.
I regularly visit lodges outside of my jurisdiction and overseas, I always bring my Travelling Certificate and a Grand Lodge Certified copy of my MM Certificate.
I've attached my Travelling Certificate issued by the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory for every brother's perusal.


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## Mrredsand9 (Dec 21, 2018)

Anyone familiar if Grand Lodge of pennsylvania would issue a travelling certificate? This would greatly ease my mind when visiting other states with different examinations of visitors


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## Thomas Stright (Dec 21, 2018)

Bro. Stewart P.M. said:


> *I seem to also recall this being taught in my home Lodge as part of my Masters proficiency* in 2007.
> 
> It’s easy to learn, and I’ve definitely used it outside the jurisdictional territory of the GLoTX.



It's not a required part of the MM Proficiency but most lodges add it...


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## Ian Hughes (Dec 27, 2018)

traveling patents are nice to have. inside the u.s., it's not really neccesary to use it, as your dues card and a letter of good standing from your lodge should suffice. the traveling patent is ideal for when you are going out of country, also needing to be accompanied by a letter of good standing, but the letter needs to come from your grand lodge, making sure that the letter has been dated close to the time that you are traveling out of country. some GL's offer multiple sizes of the certificate. my GL offers a standard letter size certificate and a larger certificate for framing. sorry, probably more info than was needed, just thought I would throw some info out there for you brothers. 

Sent from my SM-T580 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Winter (Dec 27, 2018)

I moved to Florida a few years back and didn't even need a letter of good standing from my home jurisdiction in Wisconsin.  There are so many Snow Birds every year that the lodges swell in the Winter months and they are used to receiving visiting Brothers as a regular occurrence here.  Any lodges I visit (there are 20 in my county, about one one every other block) just asked to see my dues card and checked it against the current registry of regular and recognized lodges, gave me the examination to prove myself as a Master Mason, and administered the Tyler's Oath.  After that they issued me a visitors card that allows me to attend as a visiting Brother as I please without calling ahead to the Secretary.  I will say, every Lodge I visited for the first time in he GLofFL received me in very formal fashion as a visiting PM with all courtesy and ceremony.  I was very impressed since I rarely received such treatment visiting in my home jurisdiction.

As a side note, there are so many Brothers from my home jurisdiction in Wisconsin living in Florida that the Grand Master of Masons of Wisconsin comes to Florida annually to hold a gathering and banquet for Wisconsin Masons that live in Florida!

[edited to correct number of lodges in my county]


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## Warrior1256 (Dec 28, 2018)

Winter said:


> I will say, every Lodge I visited for the first time in he GLofFL received me in very formal fashion as a visiting PM with all courtesy and ceremony. I was very impressed since I rarely received such treatment visiting in my home jurisdiction.


Nice!


Winter said:


> As a side note, there are so many Brothers from my home jurisdiction in Wisconsin living in Florida that the Grand Master of Masons of Wisconsin comes to Florida annually to hold a gathering and banquet for Wisconsin Masons that live in Florida!


Also nice!


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## dfreybur (Dec 28, 2018)

Ian Hughes said:


> traveling patents are nice to have. inside the u.s., it's not really neccesary to use it, as your dues card and a letter of good standing from your lodge should suffice. the traveling patent is ideal for when you are going out of country, also needing to be accompanied by a letter of good standing, but the letter needs to come from your grand lodge, making sure that the letter has been dated close to the time that you are traveling out of country. some GL's offer multiple sizes of the certificate. my GL offers a standard letter size certificate and a larger certificate for framing. sorry, probably more info than was needed, just thought I would throw some info out there for you brothers.



The dues card handles all of that. I get knew ones every year that say what year my dues are current for. And it's issued by my GL and embossed by my local lodge.

Except my Illinois life/endowed membership card. That one says it's good for life so it doesn't have that I'm in good standing. I could get kicked out and I'd still have that card. I don't think many Illinois Masons who have endowed their own life membership get expelled but there are a few expulsions each year and some will have funded their endowment.


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## Ian Hughes (Dec 28, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> The dues card handles all of that. I get knew ones every year that say what year my dues are current for. And it's issued by my GL and embossed by my local lodge.
> 
> Except my Illinois life/endowed membership card. That one says it's good for life so it doesn't have that I'm in good standing. I could get kicked out and I'd still have that card. I don't think many Illinois Masons who have endowed their own life membership get expelled but there are a few expulsions each year and some will have funded their endowment.


that is good to know, for sure. I was just under the impression that going out of country required a letter, at the least, under the impression that not all american GL'S may be recognized or known outside of the states. I am still pretty new to the knowledge game, having only been raised back in august. Thats why I joined this site, hopefully the better to educate myself by some well versed brothers.

Sent from my SM-T580 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Mrredsand9 (Dec 31, 2018)

Just an update to my post. Pennsylvania Grand Lodge just mailed me a travelling certificate, so these are available here


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## Mark Stockdale (Feb 14, 2019)

I find this all very interesting, especially as I am holidaying in Washington DC later this year and would like to visit a couple of lodges. I have been given permission from The Grand Lodge of Scotland and The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, but other than carrying my Master Mason and my Mark Master Mason certificates, I believe I will be issued a letter from GLoS with the stated permission.


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