GRAND
LODGE VS. BLUE LODGE: WHO SERVES WHO?
by W:.Tim Bryce, PM,
MPS
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
"A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry"
Masons have been meeting upon the level and parting on the square
well before the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 (the
first "Grand Lodge"). The invention of the Grand Lodge system was
inevitable
as it afforded Masons a means to administer Freemasonry on a consistent
basis
to suit local customs and cultural requirements. Establishing Grand
jurisdictions
to conform with political boundaries makes sense in that it allows Masons
to legally operate under the particular laws of the state they are living.
This brings up an important point, the Grand Lodge system was originally
designed to serve administrative purposes only. In other words, it is a
servant of the Craft, not the other way around. It has long been understood
that the authority over the activities of a local particular Lodge (aka
Blue or
Craft Lodge) primarily resides in the officers and members of the
particular
Lodge itself, not the Grand Lodge. However, over the years, we have seen a
transition whereby the authority of the Grand Lodge supersedes the
particular
Lodge, thereby they serve the Grand Lodge and not the reverse.
Let me give you an example, I recently returned from our Grand
Communications
which, as most of you know, is intended to elect new Grand Lodge
officers and
vote on legislation. This particular Grand Communications annoyed the
Craft
greatly. I heard it described by delegates as the worst communications
in recent
memory, a model of inefficiency, a farce, the "Grand Master's
Coronation" and the
"Grand Waste of Time" (and these are the kinder adjectives without the
expletives). Why the disgruntlement? Because delegates felt their time
and expense
were taken for granted by the Grand Lodge. Had the Grand Master wanted
to conduct
the true business of the Grand Lodge in one day, he could have easily
done so if he
wanted. He didn't. Instead, the Craft suffered through endless
introductions, was
bored to death by committee reports as preprinted and included in the
delegate's
packet of materials, and put to sleep by several unrelated speeches
intended to
pad time. To add insult to injury, little was accomplished in terms of
legislation
and the status quo was safely guarded again for another year. In other
words,
no progress was made. The Craft was so incensed by the Communications, I
wouldn't be surprised if we saw a sharp decline in attendance next year.
Regardless of the outcome, what disturbed me the most was the total
lack of consideration for the Craft, only for the Grand Lodge officers.
Brothers
sacrificed a national holiday and a work day to attend a meeting that
squandered
their time. It wasn't the Craft that was glorified, it was the Grand
Line. My
response to this was, "Haven't we got this backwards?" It seems to me that
instead of having humble servants of the Craft, we have created a Royal
Family
that answers to nobody.
The true power of Freemasonry belongs to the particular Lodge, not the
Grand Lodge which should be nothing more than an administrative
function. When
it oversteps its authority and usurps the authority of the particular Lodge
unnecessarily, than we have an unsavory situation emerging.
For those who believe in the tyrannical power of the Grand Lodge, I have two
words of advice: Remember Runnymede.
Keep the Faith.
NOTE: As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to
reuse them in
Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida).
When doing so, please add the following:
Article reprinted with permission of the author and
"FreeMason Information"
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