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Masons on sight

Mike Martin

Eternal Apprentice
Premium Member
(Also noting Anderson Const (well, first edition) dates from 1723 and Dermott's Ahiman Rezon 1756.)

Also worth noting that although Bro. Dermott found his masonic fame in London England, he was actually IPRd in a Lodge in Dublin (years before he moved to London) under the Irish Constitution and it was Irish practises he was following with his new Grand Lodge.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Thanks Bro Glen
Thanks for the quote from Mackey.
The comment around Dermott made here https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/masons_at_sight.html was interesting;
"The form of the expression "making Masons at sight" is borrowed from Laurence Dermott, the Grand Secretary of the Atholl Grand Lodge; "making Masons in an Occasional Lodge" is the phrase used by Anderson and his subsequent editors. Brother Dermott (Ahiman Rezon), commenting on the thirteenth of the old regulations, which prescribes that Fellow Crafts and Master Masons cannot be made in a private Lodge except by the Dispensation of the Grand Master, says: "This is a very ancient regulation, but seldom put in practise, new Masons being generally made at private Lodges; however, the Right Worshipful Grand Master has full power and authority to make, or cause to be made, in his worship’s presence, Free and Accepted Masons at sight, and such making is good. But they cannot be made out of his worship’s presence without a written Dispensation for that purpose. Nor can his worship oblige any warranted Lodge to receive the person so made, if the members should declare against him or them; but in such case the Right Worshipful Grand Master may grant them a Warrant and form them into a new Lodge."

(Also noting Anderson Const (well, first edition) dates from 1723 and Dermott's Ahiman Rezon 1756.)
I do like the BC&Y site. Had Paul Bessel’s site continued, combined they would be a masonic encyclopedia.
 

Bro. David F. Hill

David F. Hill
Premium Member
Everyone of you has been in an "Occasional Lodge" if you have ever attended a District Meeting, A Grand Lodge Session, A Masonic Funeral, or a Cornerstone Laying among others. As for the Landmarks, though Mackey says that the 25 Landmarks are unalterable, since each jurisdiction is sovereign, many do not recognize all 25. This causes a lot of confusion in the craft.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Everyone of you has been in an "Occasional Lodge" if you have ever attended a District Meeting, A Grand Lodge Session, A Masonic Funeral, or a Cornerstone Laying among others. As for the Landmarks, though Mackey says that the 25 Landmarks are unalterable, since each jurisdiction is sovereign, many do not recognize all 25. This causes a lot of confusion in the craft.

Nit sure about the status of a Masonic Funeral or Cornerstone here, but our Grand Lodge opens in "Ample Form". I always wondered what that meant and found my answer in our Constitution;

92. Grand Lodge is declared open in ample form when the Grand Master or Pro Grand Master presides, in due form when the Deputy Grand Master, a Past Grand Master or a Past Pro Grand Master presides, and simply in form when any other Grand Officer takes the chair. In all cases, the competence and authority of Grand Lodge remains the same.
 

flameburns623

Registered User
I am wondering aloud if the practice of making a Mason "on sight" were not originally intended for extraordinary circumstances such as an unanticipated impending demise.

As in: someone in a dangerous profession petitions a Lodge. A police officer, soldier, firefighter, etcetera. An investigation committee is formed, the candidate is found worthy, but tragically he is mortally injured, and though in his right mind, has few prospects of survival. His injuries, let us suppose, were sustained under circumstances of notable heroism.

The Grand Master learns of the circumstances and under the constraints of time exercises his prerogative of making the candidate a Mason "on sight".

Such an opportunity would only rarely present itself but would be genuinely understandable given that the candidate is already known to be worthy and well-qualified, but might not survive to receive his degrees.

All of the above is merely a speculative example. It shows flexibility in a certain kind of extraordinary circumstance but would not permit itself readily to abuse.

Any thoughts or observations?
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I am wondering aloud if the practice of making a Mason "on sight" were not originally intended for extraordinary circumstances such as an unanticipated impending demise.

As in: someone in a dangerous profession petitions a Lodge. A police officer, soldier, firefighter, etcetera. An investigation committee is formed, the candidate is found worthy, but tragically he is mortally injured, and though in his right mind, has few prospects of survival. His injuries, let us suppose, were sustained under circumstances of notable heroism.

The Grand Master learns of the circumstances and under the constraints of time exercises his prerogative of making the candidate a Mason "on sight".

Such an opportunity would only rarely present itself but would be genuinely understandable given that the candidate is already known to be worthy and well-qualified, but might not survive to receive his degrees.

All of the above is merely a speculative example. It shows flexibility in a certain kind of extraordinary circumstance but would not permit itself readily to abuse.

Any thoughts or observations?
See the quote from BC&Y, above.
 

flameburns623

Registered User
See the quote from BC&Y, above.
I don't see a forum member with the handle "BC&Y".

I read the whole thread and I understand that not all Grand Lodges recognize being "made on sight".

I saw several participants who seemed irritated by the very suggestion of someone being made a Mason "on sight".

My contribution was to propose one kind of rare but exceptional circumstances where such a practice might be reasonable and compassionate.

Freemasonry is more than 300 years old and death has for much of that time loomed larger at younger ages than it seems in the modern era.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I don't see a forum member with the handle "BC&Y".

I read the whole thread and I understand that not all Grand Lodges recognize being "made on sight".

I saw several participants who seemed irritated by the very suggestion of someone being made a Mason "on sight".

My contribution was to propose one kind of rare but exceptional circumstances where such a practice might be reasonable and compassionate.

Freemasonry is more than 300 years old and death has for much of that time loomed larger at younger ages than it seems in the modern era.

Sorry. I abbreviated the GL name. See below.
Your post proposed an historical basis for the practice, rather than a new proposal.Thats why I referenced the historical usage.
https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/masons_at_sight.html
 
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