# The visiting Deacon



## David612 (Jun 19, 2019)

I have been visiting a local lodge as it’s exactly 2 weeks after my lodge meets and due to many of its members holding office in other orders or grand lodge they have found themselves without a Junior Deacon.
The WM asked if I would be willing to fill the role until their next instillation in December, I said I’m perfectly happy too as their lodge has afforded me a lot of experience, including delivering my first charge- I have all the time in the world for these guys as both my nominators belong to this lodge aswell.
So it looks like I get to hold office in a lodge I don’t officially belong too.


----------



## Thomas Stright (Jun 20, 2019)

You are just filling in pro-tem and no holding the office.
Are you wearing just the JD jewels? or the jewels and apron?


----------



## Keith C (Jun 20, 2019)

Thomas Stright said:


> You are just filling in pro-tem and no holding the office.
> Are you wearing just the JD jewels? or the jewels and apron?



That is an interesting question.  Here if you are sitting in the chair, you wear the apron and collar/jewel of the office.  I suppose from your question it is different in your Jurisdiction?

One comment I have is that I would fear that that Lodge is in trouble if they do not have a Brother to put in that chair.  Asking someone from another Lodge to take over an office would be the absolutely last resort for us and it certainly would result in a LONG discussion with our DDGM.


----------



## Bill Lins (Jun 20, 2019)

Keith C said:


> That is an interesting question.  Here if you are sitting in the chair, you wear the apron and collar/jewel of the office.  I suppose from your question it is different in your Jurisdiction?



To begin with, under GLoTX the Tiler is the only installed officer who doesn't have to be a member of the Lodge he serves- all other installed officers of a particular Lodge MUST be members of that Lodge. 

In addition, those serving "pro tem", whether or not members of that Lodge, wear the jewel but NOT the apron of the office in which they are sitting. If they are installed officers of that Lodge but are filling in elsewhere, they wear the apron of their installed office- i.e. if I'm filling in for the WM say, to conduct the Lodge election, I would wear the WM jewel but my Secretary apron.

If a member of another Lodge or a non-officer of my Lodge is filling in, he would wear the jewel of that office but a plain white apron.


----------



## Keith C (Jun 20, 2019)

That is indeed interesting Bro Bill.

Here in PA only the ELECTED Officers are installed, i.e., WM, SW, JW, SEC, Treas and Rep to the GL.  The rest serve at the Will & Pleasure of the WM.  As I said, if you are appointed by the WM to sit in a chair, either long term or for a single meeting, you wear the Collar & Apron of that chair.l have to review the Ahiman Rezon and the Digest of Decisions to know for sure if the WM can appoint someone who is not a member of the Lodge to fill a chair for a Stated Meeting, but I know for sure this can be done for Extra Meetings for Degree Work.


----------



## David612 (Jun 20, 2019)

Well here our offices don’t have have special aprons but I will be wearing the collar and jewel of the office I’m serving as that’s the role I’m performing for the next 6 months.


----------



## Bill Lins (Jun 21, 2019)

Keith C said:


> Here in PA only the ELECTED Officers are installed, i.e., WM, SW, JW, SEC, Treas and Rep to the GL.


Here ALL officers, appointed & elected, are installed. Installations must be performed between June 24th and July 31st. If, for any reason, someone either elected or appointed cannot be present for his installation, he (or another Brother) can only fill his place or station "pro tem" for that Masonic year & would wear the jewel, but not the apron, when serving.


----------



## Brother_Steve (Jun 21, 2019)

Bill Lins said:


> Here ALL officers, appointed & elected, are installed. Installations must be performed between June 24th and July 31st. If, for any reason, someone either elected or appointed cannot be present for his installation, he (or another Brother) can only fill his place or station "pro tem" for that Masonic year & would wear the jewel, but not the apron, when serving.


We use installation for all officers, but I think it is a term that is used loosely. The WM and elected line is installed. The WM then reads out his officers he has appointed. From there, the Installing Marshal plants everyone else into their seat.

So, I'm not too sure about how "installed" is to be used based on my experience unless I look at the constitution of my jurisdiction for a definition.


----------



## Bloke (Jun 22, 2019)

Here, you cannot hold an office in a lodge in which you are not a member.. however, you can act in one.

I spent years as the IG of a lodge I was not a member of to help them out... I must have done it for 6 years. I was a member of two lodges, did the IG for another - but was always out at request to back fill an office. I did it last Sat - tyler for a lodge... a few weeks ago I was SW (they had invited me for dinner.. and rang me up an hour before and asked.. then listed the charges I was gonna do too LOL). I actually like doing it. I don't get bogged down in the lodge operations, just turn up, do the ceremony and have dinner. Sadly, the lodge I was IG at for so long, handed in its Warrant - it was bound to happen because they could not get new blood and just did the same old same old all the time - lovely guys and I knew what I was doing - keeping them going until they got too old to meet anyone. When they handed in their Warrant - within 12 months, several of the senior members were died..  I think the lodge helped keep them going in some ways.. I picked IG because I could skip rehearsals, but several times had a lodge give me membership so I could be a deacon for a year to fill a space (often of a guy on deployment). 

Bro David, holding two offices, esp the same one, in two lodges, really develops you up, but once they start taking Warden (if that happens) you will need to made it clear to all which one you are gong through the chair in - don't be WM of two lodges at once - even if you are allowed to.


----------



## Bill Lins (Jun 22, 2019)

Brother_Steve said:


> We use installation for all officers, but I think it is a term that is used loosely. The WM and elected line is installed. The WM then reads out his officers he has appointed. From there, the Installing Marshal plants everyone else into their seat.
> 
> So, I'm not too sure about how "installed" is to be used based on my experience unless I look at the constitution of my jurisdiction for a definition.


Here, ALL officers are formally installed.


----------



## Bill Lins (Jun 22, 2019)

Bloke said:


> don't be WM of two lodges at once - even if you are allowed to.


Here, one cannot be WM of two Lodges in the same year. In 2003, I was finishing my term as WM in my home Lodge and beginning as WM in my 2nd Lodge. I had to schedule such that my replacement in my parent Lodge was installed before I could be installed in my 2nd Lodge.


----------



## Bloke (Jun 22, 2019)

Bill Lins said:


> Here, one cannot be WM of two Lodges in the same year. In 2003, I was finishing my term as WM in my home Lodge and beginning as WM in my 2nd Lodge. I had to schedule such that my replacement in my parent Lodge was installed before I could be installed in my 2nd Lodge.


We can hold WM in two Craft lodges with Dispensation from the MWGM which is quite rare - and normally given when there is an overlap of a month or so.


----------



## Bloke (Jun 22, 2019)

Bill Lins said:


> Here, ALL officers are formally installed.


Here, WM, SW JW are _installed _- others are _invested_.

(A, perhaps,  interesting aside - 
WM is elected and installed, 
Tyler and Tres elected and invested, 
SW & JW appointed and Installed., 
all others appointed and Invested 
- the point being there is no distinction on who is elected and installed vrs appointed and invested..).


----------



## David612 (Jun 23, 2019)

I’m thrilled to be in a position to learn both Deacon roles in time.
I do however feel pretty bad-
My first time handling a deacons wand will be while conducting a candidate to be passed, there will be no rehearsal and we have no lodge of instruction... I just need to be perfect on the first try


----------



## Glen Cook (Jun 23, 2019)

David612 said:


> I’m thrilled to be in a position to learn both Deacon roles in time.
> I do however feel pretty bad-
> My first time handling a deacons wand will be while conducting a candidate to be passed, there will be no rehearsal and we have no lodge of instruction... I just need to be perfect on the first try


No rehearsal?  Hmm.


----------



## Bloke (Jun 23, 2019)

David612 said:


> I’m thrilled to be in a position to learn both Deacon roles in time.
> I do however feel pretty bad-
> My first time handling a deacons wand will be while conducting a candidate to be passed, there will be no rehearsal and we have no lodge of instruction... I just need to be perfect on the first try


That's not ideal.... .I recommend you obtain a broom or something similar to the wand and practise in front of a mirror....


----------



## Canadian Paul (Jun 23, 2019)

Bloke said:


> We can hold WM in two Craft lodges with Dispensation from the MWGM which is quite rare - and normally given when there is an overlap of a month or so.



Here, during the month of May for a period of a few weeks, A Brother was simultaneously Master of a Lodge under the GL of Scotland and also of one under the GL of Newfoundland and Labrador. Dispensations were sought and received from both Jurisdictions. The two lodges are only a few miles apart.

We speculated that this must be a rather unusual circumstance. Does anyone know of anything similar?


----------



## Glen Cook (Jun 23, 2019)

Canadian Paul said:


> Here, during the month of May for a period of a few weeks, A Brother was simultaneously Master of a Lodge under the GL of Scotland and also of one underish  the GL of Newfoundland and Labrador. Dispensations were sought and received from both Jurisdictions. The two lodges are only a few miles apart.
> 
> We speculated that this must be a rather unusual circumstance. Does anyone know of anything similar?


I served as a GL officer in Utah, and as master of my UGLE lodge and then Z of my English Chapter.


----------



## David612 (Jun 23, 2019)

Glen Cook said:


> No rehearsal?  Hmm.





Bloke said:


> That's not ideal.... .I recommend you obtain a broom or something similar to the wand and practise in front of a mirror....


Yeah, I’m not wildly thrilled about looking like a total idiot who had no clue in front of the DGIW and RGC but the meeting of the OSM clashes with their normal rehearsal and to be fair they have done seconds the last 2 months so a rehearsal would just be for my benefit.


----------



## Glen Cook (Jun 23, 2019)

David612 said:


> Yeah, I’m not wildly thrilled about looking like a total idiot who had no clue in front of the DGIW and RGC but the meeting of the OSM clashes with their normal rehearsal and to be fair they have done seconds the last 2 months so a rehearsal would just be for my benefit.


I understand your point, but more particularly, it is for the candidate ‘s benefit.


----------



## David612 (Jun 23, 2019)

Glen Cook said:


> I understand your point, but more particularly, it is for the candidate ‘s benefit.


Very true and that actually gets me to why I want to be across this, the ritual for my second was a bit lacking and having now leant what I have it isn’t fair to the candidate to not be 100% confidant in the work and as such I won’t allow my ritual to be subpar. 
Fortunately I can handle a wand/staff through my years of martial arts training and just practicing of my own accord.


----------



## dfreybur (Jun 23, 2019)

Bloke said:


> Here, you cannot hold an office in a lodge in which you are not a member.. however, you can act in one.



I have taken chairs pro-tem in jurisdiction for Stated meetings, degrees and practice.

For entertainment purposes I have taken chairs out of jurisdiction during practices. During a practice, close enough works for entertainment and fraternal purposes. Not something that makes sense at a Stated meeting or degree.


----------



## Bloke (Jun 24, 2019)

Canadian Paul said:


> Here, during the month of May for a period of a few weeks, A Brother was simultaneously Master of a Lodge under the GL of Scotland and also of one under the GL of Newfoundland and Labrador. Dispensations were sought and received from both Jurisdictions. The two lodges are only a few miles apart.
> 
> We speculated that this must be a rather unusual circumstance. Does anyone know of anything similar?



I don't - but my approach would have been naughty - the rules say you can only be Master of one lodge, and I would have said I was - one in each Jurisdiction ! LOL


----------



## David612 (Jul 2, 2019)

Well last night I did some deaconing.. went really well actually, I also delivered the second working tools which I was very happy with-


----------



## David612 (Jul 8, 2019)

Next month we are doing a first degree, I have lots of study to do!
I have also been advised I will be delivering the first working tools and I am serving as backup for modes of prep.


----------



## David612 (Jul 18, 2019)

Well I just passed my 2 year anniversary of being initiated and am studying hard to make sure our candidate next month has a fantastic initiatory experience.


----------



## Warrior1256 (Jul 18, 2019)

Keith C said:


> Asking someone from another Lodge to take over an office would be the absolutely last resort for us and it certainly would result in a LONG discussion with our DDGM.


Same here in Kentucky.


----------



## David612 (Jul 31, 2019)

Just under a week out from my first initiation as JD-
I believe I’m ready to go, certainly I have all my spoken work down but floor work and manipulating the candidate is one of those things I think I just need experience in. 
I asked the Master of the lodge for advice on anything he would recommend I work on and he suggested affiliation papers


----------



## Bloke (Aug 11, 2019)

David612 said:


> Just under a week out from my first initiation as JD-
> I believe I’m ready to go, certainly I have all my spoken work down but floor work and manipulating the candidate is one of those things I think I just need experience in.
> I asked the Master of the lodge for advice on anything he would recommend I work on and he suggested affiliation papers


How did it go ?


----------



## David612 (Aug 11, 2019)

Bloke said:


> How did it go ?


Candidate got called away on government business, we had a lecture on religion and freemasonry-
Honestly the fact that they had a brother with a presentation of that quality just ready to go makes me want to affiliate-


----------



## Bloke (Aug 11, 2019)

David612 said:


> Candidate got called away on government business, we had a lecture on religion and freemasonry-
> Honestly the fact that they had a brother with a presentation of that quality just ready to go makes me want to affiliate-


Keep working on it  - you will do an ever better job when you get the chance to acting in your office... and it sounds like you still got something good from the night...


----------



## David612 (Aug 11, 2019)

Bloke said:


> Keep working on it  - you will do an ever better job when you get the chance to acting in your office... and it sounds like you still got something good from the night...


Very much so-
South was lovely and intimate as well- just a great evening though I was initially disappointed I didn’t get to do the work


----------



## David612 (Sep 2, 2019)

Well tonight we will be giving it another go, I’m as ready as I can be.


----------



## Chaz (Sep 3, 2019)

Hope it all went well!


----------



## David612 (Sep 3, 2019)

Chaz said:


> Hope it all went well!


Thanks kindly-
It went really well, our initiation takes about 2 hours and I got through word perfect and delivered the first working tools.
It really was a joy to be able to bring a man into the craft.


----------

