Affiliated Past Masters – Grand Lodge rules on whether they are members of Grand Lodge, and whether they can be elected to Grand Lodge office

2.6. RIGHTS OF PAST OFFICERS Past Masters of subordinate Lodges under this jurisdiction and all Past Grand Officers while they remain regular members of some subordinate Lodge and who are not members of the Grand Lodge according to the provisions of the Constitution and the Masters and Wardens of Lodges working under dispensation, shall be entitled to seats and may submit propositions and resolutions and offer their views thereon but shall not be permitted to vote on any question or in the election of Grand Officers; all other visitors can be admitted only by unanimous consent of the members present.

SECTION 1. No brother shall be eligible to the office of Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master or Grand Warden who has not been duly elected, installed and presided over a subordinate Lodge. None except such as are at the time of their election or appointment, members of some Lodge, shall be eligible to office in the Grand Lodge, and no one shall be eligible to the office of Grand Master for more than one year.

2) A PM from another jurisdiction is recognized as a PM, but carries no vote in GL, even if he is currently a member of an AZ Lodge.

3) Except for Grand Chaplain and Grand Organist, all GL officers must be PMs of an AZ Lodge. Being a PM in another state doesn’t count.

“230. Members of Grand Lodge and Manner of Address. Grand Lodge shall be composed of…together with all…Past Masters of this Jurisdiction….”

So in order to be a member of the Grand Lodge of California as a PM you must be a PM of a Lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of California. Affiliated PM who have served in Lodges outside of California are not members of the Grand Lodge of California until and unless they serve as Master of a California Lodge.Not only elective, but most of the appointed officers as well. Section 240 of the California Masonic Code specifies:

“240 Each officer and member of Grand Lodge must be a member of some Lodge in its Jurisdiction. If membership ceases, membership in Grand Lodge shall cease. East officer, other than the Grand Chaplain, Grand Organist and Assistant Grand Organist, must, at the tie of his election of appointment, be a member of Grand Lodge.”

�190. TITLE OF PAST MASTER.

The title of Past Master applies to one who:
A. Has been regularly elected or named in a Charter;
B. Has been installed as Master of a chartered Lodge in this Jurisdiction;
C. Has served until the installation of his successor; and
D. Remains a member in good standing in a constituent Lodge in this Jurisdiction.
Where a Master who has been regularly elected or named in a Charter and installed as Master of a chartered Lodge dies, while serving as Master, he may by resolution of his Lodge be designated as a Past Master.
When two or more Lodges consolidate, the Masters and Past Masters who do not become Master of the consolidated Lodge become Past Masters of the Lodge thus formed.
One who is a Past Master as defined herein but of a Lodge within the jurisdiction of any other Grand Lodge, and who is a member in good standing in a Lodge in this Jurisdiction, may take the honorary title of “Past Master,” but shall not thereby become a member of this Grand Lodge.

If Grand Lodge charters a Lodge formed by a Grand Body recognized by this Grand Lodge, it may by resolution provide that the title of Past Master shall apply to the Past Masters of such Lodge, and entitle them to the rights and privileges of Past
Masters of this Jurisdiction.

Past Masters in our jurisdiction are members of Grand Lodge. They SHARE one vote, along with the Masters and Wardens, giving each lodge four votes in Grand Lodge. PMs, along with Masters and Wardens, by virtue of their status, can initiate, and sign petitions for, legislation.

As you can see by the above section, an affiliated PM from another jurisdiction does not have this privilege.

Here’s a relevant section:

�0. MEMBERS AND MANNER OF ADDRESS.

Grand Lodge shall be composed of a Grand Master (whose manner of address shall be Most Worshipful), a Deputy Grand Master, a Senior Grand Warden, and a Junior Grand Warden (whose manner of address shall be Right Worshipful), a Grand
Treasurer, a Grand Secretary and a Grand Lecturer (whose manner of address shall be Very Worshipful), a Grand Chaplain (whose manner of address shall be Very Reverend), the Assistant Grand Lecturers, a Grand Orator, an Assistant Grand
Secretary, a Grand Marshal, a Grand Standard Bearer, a Grand Sword Bearer, a Grand Bible Bearer, a Senior Grand Deacon, a Junior Grand Deacon, a Senior Grand Steward, a Junior Grand Steward, a Grand Pursuivant, a Grand Organist, a
Grand Tiler, and, at the discretion of the Grand Master, an Assistant Grand Organist and an Assistant Grand Tiler (whose manner of address shall be Worshipful), together with all Past Grand Officers and Past Masters of this Jurisdiction, and the Master and Wardens of the several chartered and duly constituted Lodges (except Research Lodges) or their representatives duly elected. (10/97) A Past Grand Lodge officer is one of the elective Grand Lodge officers who has been regularly elected and installed and has served his term in Grand Lodge. (10/96)

Now, my first thought was that one would have to be a member of Grand Lodge (i.e. a PM, Master or Warden) to be so elected or appointed, but that does not seem to be the case. The fact of election or appointment seems to _make_ one a member of Grand Lodge.

Past Masters in Iowa do not have a vote at Grand Lodge and are not members of the Grand Lodge. In order to be considered a Past Master in Iowa the person would have to have served as a Master of an Iowa lodge. They cannot have served as a Master of a lodge outside of Iowa to be considered a Past Master in Iowa.

Iowa does require a Brother to have served as a Master in a subordinate lodge in order to be elected to an elective Grand Lodge office. Again, that service must have been in an Iowa lodge.

This info. is found in the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, Masonic Code of Iowa, Article 4, Section 6.

Yes.

a past master from another grand jurisdiction is not eligible to hold an elected Grand Lodge Office

and, from another message

According to the GL of KY Constitutions, Section 8

“The Members of the Grand Lodge are…(1) Permanent Members consist of all Past Grand Masters of *this* Grand Lodge and all Masters and Past Masters of *Kentucky* lodges who are affiliated with lodges subordinate to this Grand Lodge.

The GL law reads: “All elective Grand Lodge Officers and DDGMs must be Past
Masters of regular constituent Lodges, chartered under the Grand Lodge.” Article IV “The Officers of the Grand Lodge,” The GL Constitution. I remember a few years back the new GJW (in LA the line starts with GJW) was a PM from another jurisdiction. It is clear that because of the rule in your first question, his Lodge in Louisiana adopted a resolution to accept him as a PM and that filled the requirement for him to be elected a Grand Officer.

Past Masters from other jurisdictions who affiliate with a Massachusetts Lodge are considered “Past Masters“, and as such, entitled to attend a “Lodge of Qualification” were Masters-elect are “qualified” to sit in The Chair”.

Any Master Mason may run for or be appointed to any Grand Lodge Office. I can’t quote Grand Lodge “code” for this, but was told so by our current Grand Master, MW Fred K. Bauer. I’m not even sure that we require that he be a member of a Lodge in Massachusetts. That said, the Grand Wardens are almost always Past District Deputy Grand Masters and the candidate for Grand Master is always a past Grand Warden or Past Deputy Grand Master. Please note, Massachusetts does NOT have a “progressive” Grand Line. The Grand Wardens are elected for a one year term, the Grand Master appoints a Deputy Grand Master each year and our Grand Masters are
elected for three one year terms.But another said:  Grand Lodge requires a Brother to be a Past Master of a Massachusetts Lodge to be elected or appointed to any Grand Lodge Office. He can not run if he is not a Past Master of a Massachusetts Lodge. (Sec 236– Mass
Constitutions)

Yes – but only for the offices of GM, DGM, and GL. (Key 3, Article 5, Section 1)
No – same article – “… as the Worshipful Master of one of its chartered lodges … “

We use a collective Past Master vote in the Lodges ( four votes per lodge – WM, SW &JW and one PM Vote.)

In blue lodges, PMs from other jurisdictions are considered PMs [REG 53-2.5] “he has the same status in all respects in his lodge as any past master thereof.”GM, DGM and GWs must be past master, certain committee positions also require PM. requirement only reads “of a subordinate lodge” [REG 11-5], not mentioning jurisdiction

and from another source

North Carolina Masonic Code, regulation 61-02(7)

“A member of a lodge in this State who is a Past Master of a lodge in another recognized grand jurisdiction . . . has the same status . . . .”

“The Grand Lodge shall consist of the Grand Master of Masons, … , the Masters and Wardens for the time being of the chartered Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge, and all Past Masters of such Lodges while members of any Lodge under this jurisdiction.”

I think that is unambiguous. Membership is based on being a Past Master of a RI Lodge.another message

This very situation came up at our last Grand Lodge session, the question was moved to allow Past masters from other jurisdictions, that move here Grand Lodge representation, voting rights, etc. and was voted down.

a) Members of the Grand Lodge of Texas MUST BE Past Masters and current
members of a regular lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of
Texas.Article II. Of Whom Composed Section 1. Members and Representatives In the section on members… The Grand Lodge of Texas is composed of the following members… ” (c) The regular Past Masters of Lodges under the jurisdiction of the
Grand Lodge of Texas, while members of lodges of its obedience.”

b) In order to serve as an officer of the Grand Lodge of Texas you MUST BE a member of the Grand Lodge of Texas except for the Grand Chaplain. As a result only Past Masters of Texas lodges who are still members of a Texas lodge are eligible to serve as an elective or appointive officer.

Article IV. Officers of the Grand Lodge Section 6. Eligibility to Office
“The Grand Officers, except the Grand Chaplain, must be members of the Grand Lodge at the time of their selection and, if willing to serve again, are eligible as often as may be the pleasure of the Grand Lodge or of the officer having the power of appointment (as the case may be), and every member of the Grand Lodge is eligible to any office therein, whether present or not at the time of his selection.

Based on responses received as of March 22, 2000, as I understand them:

Affiliated PMs are treated the same as “in-state” PMs in terms of membership in Grand Lodge (both groups are voting members, or neither are) in 31 U.S. jurisdictions:
AK, AZ, AR, CT, DE, DC, IN, IL, IA, KS, LA, MA, MI, MN, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, UT, VA, WA, WI

Affiliated PMs can be elected to be treated the same as “in-state” PMs in 2 U.S. jurisdictions:
GA, MO

Affiliated PMs are not members of GL in 10 U.S. jurisdictions:
AL, CA, FL, KY, MT, ND, RI, TN, TX, WV

Affiliated PMs can be elected GL officers in 28 U.S. jurisdictions:
AK, AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, DC, IL, IA, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OR, PA, SC, SD, UT, VA, WA, WI

Affiliated PMs cannot be elected GL officers in 13 U.S. jurisdictions:
AZ, FL, IN, KY, MA, MT, NJ, ND, OH, RI, TN, TX, WV

All the above provided that he is a Mason from a Recognized Jurisdiction by the GL of the State of Israel.

Members of the GL in Israel are only Past Masters and Reigning Masters. Only those have the right to present themselves to elective positions in GL.another message

In Israel we have quite a few PMs who were installed in another jurisdiction (UK, Scotland, USA etc.) and have become Israeli citizens. Having joined a lodge here in the ordinary manner (letter from their mother lodge etc.) they are recognized here
as PMs and if they pay GL dues, they become GL members & can be nominated/voted to office. I can think of several such brethren.

Under Israeli Constitution, only WMs and PMs can be regular members of GL and only these may hold office. I know of PMs of lodges under another Constitution who were installed here as WMs of their lodges here. These were mostly from UGLE or
South-Africa / Zimbabwe.

In our case, a Past Master is a Brother who has occupied the function of WM in a Masonic lodge. The quality belongs to him personally, and remains unchanged wherever he chooses to affiliate. The answer to your last question is YES.

Does your jurisdiction require a Brother to be a Past Master in order to be elected to an elective Grand Lodge office?

No. Any Master Mason with at least a seven years’ seniority in that degree and who is the elected representative of his lodge at the GL Communication may run for any Grand Lodge office. Whether he is a PM or not.

do you know the provision(s) of your Grand Lodge Code or Constitution that relates
to these subjects? If so, can you please let me know what it is?

Nothing is said about Past Masters in our Grand Lodge Code or Constitution, whether about “indigenous” or affiliated Past Masters. In our Grand Lodge this is a wholly honorary position. The PMs have only one prerogative: To wear their PM regalia and sit in the East when and if invited by the WM.

Being an Installed Master, he is considered to be a Past Mast IN our  jurisdiction, but NOT a Past Master OF our jurisdiction. He would have to be  WM of a GLNF Lodge before he can be considered as a Past Master OF our  jurisdiction.

YES, every Provincial (regional) Grand Lodge and obviously GRAND LODGE  Officer must be an Installed Master, viz. have ruled as WM in a Lodge. It is  NOT necessary for him to be Past Master OF a French Lodge, to be elected or  appointed to a Provincial GL or Grand Lodge office.

Only PMs of GLNF Lodges qualify for membership of Grand Lodge.

A PM from another (recognized) Constitution is entitled to wear an Installed Master’s apron, be addressed as W. Bro., and may take the chair of a French Lodge, he must wear an Installed Master’s apron, but not a PM’s collar.

The GM may appoint to “Grand Rank” (active or honorary) as a distinction,  as he deems appropriate any Installed Masters of recognized Constitutions.

The GM may confer Past Grand rank (i.e. a Grand Office which the recipient has never held as an active officer) upon any Past Master of a French Lodge.

There are elected members of the Board of General Purposes and the General Council – but persons elected to these positions do not obtain Grand Office by virtue of their election. (They are normally already Grand Officers anyway)

Rule 7 BoC gives the GM power to confer both membership of Grand Lodge and also such “rank or distinction” as he deems appropriate upon members of recognised Constitutions. There is no mention that this is restricted to Installed Masters.

Upon installation, the GM appoints his Grand Officers for the year. Technically, there is nothing in the Rule 18 BoC which requires the holders to be Installed Masters – but I can’t imagine a lodge Warden, or someone who doesn’t meet the criteria of Rule 19 (below) being given a Grand Office.

Rule 19 BoC gives the GM power to confer Past Grand rank (i.e. a Grand Office which the recipient has never held as an active officer) upon any Past Master of a UGLE Lodge.

It must also be remembered in UGLE, that Grand Office normally comes only after two lower level appointments: an initial appointment and a promotion. These are:-

London: London Grand Rank & Senior London Grand Rank Province/District: to a present or past Provincial/District Grand Office Other Overseas Lodges not in a District: to Overseas Grand Rank and Senior Overseas Grand Rank (This last item has only just been introduced)

There are restrictions in the BoC that only Installed Masters may receive these appointments.

For Master Masons, there are the following options:-
London Rank,
Provincial/District Grand Steward
Overseas Rank.

London Rank and Overseas Rank automatically convert to the “Grand” version upon the Master Mason being installed into the Chair of a Lodge.