What Degree Is Your Tyler?

[Brother JC]

In NM, the Tyler must be a Master Mason, yet in CA, it's a Mason of the Degree in which the Lodge is being Opened.
My question is; what's the rule in your jurisdiction?
Also, NM specifies a "drawn sword," while CA states "implement of office." Again, how is it in your lodge?

 

[Bill Lins]

Under GLoTX, all officers, including the Tiler, must be Master Masons. However, the Tiler is the only officer who does not have to be a member of that particular Lodge. Here, it is also "implement of office".

 

[Levelhead]

In florida The lodge is ALLWAYS opened in the MM degree. So ours must be a MM.

 

[JJones]

Under GLoTX, all officers, including the Tiler, must be Master Masons. However, the Tiler is the only officer who does not have to be a member of that particular Lodge. Here, it is also "implement of office".

See, I was under the impression that the in the GLoTX the Tyler only had to be a MM if it is an elected position.

Either way, just be safe and don't elect/appoint anyone that isn't a MM.

 

[KSigMason]

In Idaho to be installed as an appointed or elected officer, you must be a Master Mason.

 

[Companion Joe]

In Tennessee, all elected and appointed regular officers must be a MM. Although I've never seen it come up, I guess if you were having to fill in for the tyler one night during an EA or a FC degree, you could ask a brother of that degree to take the spot for the evening. I personally wouldn't do that simply because if you have young EAs and FCs, they need to be in the lodge seeing what is going on, not outside.

We say proper implement of his office.

 

[Pete Ramboldt]

In Wisconsin, all elected and appointed regular officers must be a MM. We also say proper implement of his office.

 

[Rick Carver]

The Kansas By-laws require all Lodge Officers to be Master Masons before they can hold office or be appointed to any office or committee.

 

[Warrior1256]

Master Mason and implement of office in Kentucky.

 

[Rick Carver]

Sure makes you wonder how in the "old days" they ever got a new Lodge started. I have seen the minutes from 1867 when our Lodge formed, and it appears they had to bring in a few Masons from Missouri in order to have enough MM present to convene and receive a Charter.

 

[dfreybur]

Further detail about California - All installed officers must be MM, appointed or elected. Protem officers must be at least the degree described in the lecture. Other protem officers are only encouraged to be MM. They can be of the degree being performed protem for that meeting only. (We're all of the degree being performed but no one in this thread means it that way).

Getting an EA or FC to work the steward chair is viewed as a good way to get a new brother active from the beginning in California. There the SS has speaking parts from the degree's proficiency that are assigned to other officers in other states. In Texas the part is spoken by the Master of Ceremonies with stewards not even in the preparation room, in Illinois by the Junior Deacon.

I've never checked my other jurisdictions how their protem rules work per chair per degree. There has always been enough MMs present and EAs and FCs are encouraged to be on the sideline close to where the most interesting action takes place. To put an EA or FC at the door as tiler would be an act of desperation to fill the chairs to pull off a degree.

Don't expect the rules for any one jurisdiction to actually work in this regard. Ritual had started to stabilize before the 1840s switch to Stated in MM in the US and the switch back to the worldwide standard of Stated in EA is extremely recent in Masonic time scales. It's very possible for the written rules to be impractical yet no one has yet pushed through a correction.

 

[Brother JC]

Thanks, Doug, I was going to amend my post by stating that the installed Tyler must be an MM, but for the purpose of Opening can be of that specific Degree.
I should have made it clearer at the beginning that I was looking for the phraseology within the ritual; when the JD is asked, "Hw Tld?"

 

[Ripcord22A]

In OR it must be MM and with proper implement of his office.

 

[CajunTinMan]

In Louisiana they just have to be a Master Mason....of any lodge

 

[Bill Lins]

See, I was under the impression that the in the GLoTX the Tyler only had to be a MM if it is an elected position. Either way, just be safe and don't elect/appoint anyone that isn't a MM.

When in doubt, check the big blue book. Art. 265 states that all officers of a Lodge must be members thereof, except the Tiler. GM's Decision 1966-5 further clarifies that a Tiler should be a member in good standing of a Texas Lodge. Art. 344 states that EAs & FCs are Masons but are NOT members of the Lodge. They, therefore, cannot hold any office but, subject to further restrictions, may serve pro tem in any office in a Lodge of their degree EXCEPT WM.

 

[Bill Lins]

I've never checked my other jurisdictions how their protem rules work per chair per degree.

Subject to certain restrictions, in Texas an EA or FC may pro tem any office in a Lodge of his degree EXCEPT WM.

 

[goomba]

In Alabama the tiler must be a MM, member of the lodge, and cannot be blind. This is the only office which a blind brother is prohibited from holding. I have heard discussion that EA's and FC's can protem chairs but never seen it done. We say both so I guess we're different.

I remember reading something a while back about in CA EA's and FC's being members of the lodges and paying dues. That being in the case it makes sense that an EA can be a tiler of an EA lodge.

 

[Canadian Paul]

In Scottish Lodges the Tyler must be a Qualified Member of the lodge, which means at least a MM. In practice he is often a Past Master as it is felt that as he is the first person a candidate encounters when receiving a degree he should be an experienced brother. In my Mother Lodge your progression through the Offices doesn't stop at Master - the following year you are expected to sit as Immediate Past Master, the next as Director of Ceremonies and the following as Tyler. It is the only office for which you do not need Dispensation to hold in two or more lodges at the same time.

 

[hanzosbm]

Although it appears by and large that the Tyler shouldn't be an EA if conducting business in the MM degree based on current bylaws, it makes one think about it.

Assuming the Tyler is stationed outside the door the whole time, he wouldn't be present in the lodge for anything he shouldn't be. I actually think it'd be a neat way to have an EA get involved early (assuming that all business is conducted in the MM). Yeah, he's gonna be bored just sitting there while the meeting takes place, but a lot of EAs would jump at the chance of being an officer and enjoying the fellowship before and after the meeting.

KY conducts meetings in the MM degree, which means that new brothers often don't interact very much until they reach that degree. I know that is why a lot of lodges are moving to conducing business in the EA. To me, assuming the Tyler stays outside, there wouldn't be an practical reason he'd need to be MM.

 

[Companion Joe]

I have to disagree.

The tiler should not only be a MM, but he should be a Past Master and someone who has traveled and not just has been active in his own lodge. He needs to be experienced in how to handle the situation if someone unknown to him shows up, but it's even better if he knows a lot of people so they don't have to be tried.