Masonic Law #9 - July 01, 2007
T.F.S.
Three, five, and seven
3 5 7
By Ed Halpaus, Grand Lodge Education Officer.
Number 102 – July 01, 2007
This publication, while it is printed with the permission of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of A.F. & A. M. of Minnesota, contains the writings and opinions of Ed Halpaus and is not in any way the opinion of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.
“James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.” Galatians 2:9
This issue of 3, 5 & 7 has to do with Minnesota Masonic Law #9, as the last issue did, but this issue is not a duplicate of T.F.S. of June 20th. What I want to mention in this issue is another aspect, if you will, of that same Masonic law, and the Landmark it corresponds to. I hope you will, and I think you will, find these additional thoughts worthy of your time.
In the last issue of TFS I reported on Minnesota Masonic Law #9 and how this it was changed to accommodate men who had a physical maim or defect when they wanted to take the degrees of Freemasonry. I also included a paper written back in 1971, published in the Philalethes, written by Brother Julius Opheim explaining what led up to the change in law and why.
After the June 20th issue of 3, 5 & 7 appeared one Brother mentioned how someone he knew was granted dispensation from the Grand Master so he could take the degrees and what a good Mason he has been for his Lodge and also for the fraternity. This is the reason the law has been changed, so that Grand Masters can give a dispensation which will allow good men to become Masons. But the question will arise about whether the Master of a Lodge should ask the Grand Master for permission to confer degrees only if there is a petitioner who has an amputation or a maimed limb or would there be other times when permission should be asked for? What about when a petitioner for the degrees of Freemasonry has other physical limitations, such as a disease, illness or injury that might hamper his ability for physical activity? Some of the illnesses and injuries that come to mind could be heart disease, back problems, bad knees, paralysis of a limb, being deaf or mute.
The reason these questions might come to mind is because of a part of the wording in Masonic Law #9 and also in Landmark #18.
Masonic Law #9 of the GL of Minnesota
(9) That a candidate for Masonry must be a man of mature age, free born, of good report, hale and sound, having no maim or defect in his body that may render him incapable of learning the art and physically able to conform substantially to what the several degrees of Masonry respectively require of him. If a candidate is unable to so comply with the physical requirements, he shall nevertheless be eligible to receive the degrees of Masonry, if, after favorable action by the Constituent Lodge, his petition for degrees, accompanied by a
detailed report of the nature and extent of his disabilities is approved by the Grand Master.
When we take a closer look at the qualifications in Masonic Law #9 we will see the phrase; hale and sound, having no maim or defect in his body that may render him incapable of learning the art and physically able to conform substantially to what the several degrees of Masonry respectively require of him.
Hale and Sound has some interesting meanings: Hale, means being whole, but it also means being free from disease or bodily infirmity, being robust and / or vigorous. Of course, it also means being free from injury, which means being unhurt, or sound. Sound means being free from disease, bodily injury etc. By the way, Infirm, which was mentioned in the definition of ‘Hale’ means not firm, solid or strong. It also means being feeble in body or health; physically weak, enfeebled, or faltering. You will notice that Hale and Sound mean much the same thing; this is typical of Speculative Freemasonry where a couple of words are used that are different but have the same meaning; for instance, ‘to always hele and forever conceal.’
Some Masons think about that part of Minnesota’s Masonic Law #9 and how we mostly think about missing limbs and inability for a man’s limbs to work the way we would like them to. But it also seems to me that if a man has an illness that would prevent him from taking all three degrees in the usual way maybe we should ask the Grand Master for approval in that instance too. I have been at Lodges where candidates have had severe back problems and also real bad heart problems where accommodations were made in the degrees, and I often wonder if the Grand Master was informed and asked for approval as it says in Masonic Law #9. People get preferential parking permits to hang in their windshields for all sorts of reasons, both external and internal, so should we ask for permission to give a petitioner different or special accommodations when conferring degrees?
The Masons who bring this up and wonder about it mention this to stimulate thought about complying with the Masonic Laws, Rules, and Regulations that are contained in the Constitution of the various Grand Lodges, and hopefully to stimulate discussion about Freemasonry and some of the things it is concerned with. They also think Lodges should comply with the Laws etc. enacted by their Grand Lodge. An old rule in business is that if there is something in a contract that is meaningless or is going to be ignored it should be removed from the contract: By the same token if there is something in a Masonic Code, or Book of Constitutions, that Lodges think should be changed the Master or Wardens of the Lodge, who are inherently members of their Grand Lodge, could write a piece of legislation to present at their Grand Lodge annual communication and see if the other members of Grand Lodge would vote for it and thus change the Constitution.
It is being knowledgeable about the Book of Constitutions, and complying with all of the written and unwritten laws and customs of Freemasonry that adds to the enjoyment of our Fraternity. Also it is being willing, if you are a member of your Grand Lodge, to write a piece of legislation to add to or change a part of the Masonic Laws in the Book of Constitutions that will give the member a chance to be involved in his Grand Lodge, to have the opportunity to present his legislation and see if it passes or fails. This active participation by the members of Grand Lodge is the kind of thing that will make sure the Book of Constitutions continues to be relevant in the years to come.
“As we advance in life, we learn the limits of our abilities.”
Froude – Short studies on great subjects.
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
“Behind an able bodied man there are always other able men.” Chinese Proverb
Inest misericordia structor = [Latin] = Compassion belongs to the mason
From the Great Light of Masonry: “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees: Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”
Hebrews 12:12-13
To read this in PDF: http://www.halpaus.net/TFS102.pdf
Please remember: if you would like to participate in the latest Masonic Monday Question, please go to http://www.lodgebuilder.org and click on the Lodge Education forum. Past Masonic Monday Questions and the current one may also be read on the Web Site for the G.L. of MN at www.mn-masons.org under Masonic Monday Q&A When you have an answer send it to masonicmonday@gmail.com This weeks question is:
What is the symbolism of the fourth point of fellowship?
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
With “Brotherly Love”,
Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
Three, five, and seven
3 5 7
By Ed Halpaus, Grand Lodge Education Officer.
Number 102 – July 01, 2007
This publication, while it is printed with the permission of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of A.F. & A. M. of Minnesota, contains the writings and opinions of Ed Halpaus and is not in any way the opinion of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.
“James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.” Galatians 2:9
This issue of 3, 5 & 7 has to do with Minnesota Masonic Law #9, as the last issue did, but this issue is not a duplicate of T.F.S. of June 20th. What I want to mention in this issue is another aspect, if you will, of that same Masonic law, and the Landmark it corresponds to. I hope you will, and I think you will, find these additional thoughts worthy of your time.
In the last issue of TFS I reported on Minnesota Masonic Law #9 and how this it was changed to accommodate men who had a physical maim or defect when they wanted to take the degrees of Freemasonry. I also included a paper written back in 1971, published in the Philalethes, written by Brother Julius Opheim explaining what led up to the change in law and why.
After the June 20th issue of 3, 5 & 7 appeared one Brother mentioned how someone he knew was granted dispensation from the Grand Master so he could take the degrees and what a good Mason he has been for his Lodge and also for the fraternity. This is the reason the law has been changed, so that Grand Masters can give a dispensation which will allow good men to become Masons. But the question will arise about whether the Master of a Lodge should ask the Grand Master for permission to confer degrees only if there is a petitioner who has an amputation or a maimed limb or would there be other times when permission should be asked for? What about when a petitioner for the degrees of Freemasonry has other physical limitations, such as a disease, illness or injury that might hamper his ability for physical activity? Some of the illnesses and injuries that come to mind could be heart disease, back problems, bad knees, paralysis of a limb, being deaf or mute.
The reason these questions might come to mind is because of a part of the wording in Masonic Law #9 and also in Landmark #18.
Masonic Law #9 of the GL of Minnesota
(9) That a candidate for Masonry must be a man of mature age, free born, of good report, hale and sound, having no maim or defect in his body that may render him incapable of learning the art and physically able to conform substantially to what the several degrees of Masonry respectively require of him. If a candidate is unable to so comply with the physical requirements, he shall nevertheless be eligible to receive the degrees of Masonry, if, after favorable action by the Constituent Lodge, his petition for degrees, accompanied by a
detailed report of the nature and extent of his disabilities is approved by the Grand Master.
When we take a closer look at the qualifications in Masonic Law #9 we will see the phrase; hale and sound, having no maim or defect in his body that may render him incapable of learning the art and physically able to conform substantially to what the several degrees of Masonry respectively require of him.
Hale and Sound has some interesting meanings: Hale, means being whole, but it also means being free from disease or bodily infirmity, being robust and / or vigorous. Of course, it also means being free from injury, which means being unhurt, or sound. Sound means being free from disease, bodily injury etc. By the way, Infirm, which was mentioned in the definition of ‘Hale’ means not firm, solid or strong. It also means being feeble in body or health; physically weak, enfeebled, or faltering. You will notice that Hale and Sound mean much the same thing; this is typical of Speculative Freemasonry where a couple of words are used that are different but have the same meaning; for instance, ‘to always hele and forever conceal.’
Some Masons think about that part of Minnesota’s Masonic Law #9 and how we mostly think about missing limbs and inability for a man’s limbs to work the way we would like them to. But it also seems to me that if a man has an illness that would prevent him from taking all three degrees in the usual way maybe we should ask the Grand Master for approval in that instance too. I have been at Lodges where candidates have had severe back problems and also real bad heart problems where accommodations were made in the degrees, and I often wonder if the Grand Master was informed and asked for approval as it says in Masonic Law #9. People get preferential parking permits to hang in their windshields for all sorts of reasons, both external and internal, so should we ask for permission to give a petitioner different or special accommodations when conferring degrees?
The Masons who bring this up and wonder about it mention this to stimulate thought about complying with the Masonic Laws, Rules, and Regulations that are contained in the Constitution of the various Grand Lodges, and hopefully to stimulate discussion about Freemasonry and some of the things it is concerned with. They also think Lodges should comply with the Laws etc. enacted by their Grand Lodge. An old rule in business is that if there is something in a contract that is meaningless or is going to be ignored it should be removed from the contract: By the same token if there is something in a Masonic Code, or Book of Constitutions, that Lodges think should be changed the Master or Wardens of the Lodge, who are inherently members of their Grand Lodge, could write a piece of legislation to present at their Grand Lodge annual communication and see if the other members of Grand Lodge would vote for it and thus change the Constitution.
It is being knowledgeable about the Book of Constitutions, and complying with all of the written and unwritten laws and customs of Freemasonry that adds to the enjoyment of our Fraternity. Also it is being willing, if you are a member of your Grand Lodge, to write a piece of legislation to add to or change a part of the Masonic Laws in the Book of Constitutions that will give the member a chance to be involved in his Grand Lodge, to have the opportunity to present his legislation and see if it passes or fails. This active participation by the members of Grand Lodge is the kind of thing that will make sure the Book of Constitutions continues to be relevant in the years to come.
“As we advance in life, we learn the limits of our abilities.”
Froude – Short studies on great subjects.
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
“Behind an able bodied man there are always other able men.” Chinese Proverb
Inest misericordia structor = [Latin] = Compassion belongs to the mason
From the Great Light of Masonry: “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees: Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”
Hebrews 12:12-13
To read this in PDF: http://www.halpaus.net/TFS102.pdf
Please remember: if you would like to participate in the latest Masonic Monday Question, please go to http://www.lodgebuilder.org and click on the Lodge Education forum. Past Masonic Monday Questions and the current one may also be read on the Web Site for the G.L. of MN at www.mn-masons.org under Masonic Monday Q&A When you have an answer send it to masonicmonday@gmail.com This weeks question is:
What is the symbolism of the fourth point of fellowship?
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
With “Brotherly Love”,
Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
Labels: Landmarks