T.F.S.
Three, five, and seven
3 5 7
By Ed Halpaus, Grand Lodge Education Officer.
Number 120 – April 01, 2008
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.
"Pleasure is not the purpose of life, joy is"
David O. Mc Kay [Sent to me by Brother Glenn Kiecker]
Dear Brethren and readers – This issue of T.F.S. is one more in the continuing series, on the
Masonic Laws of Minnesota Masonry and the Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry.
This issue, I think, touches on a number of Minnesota’s Masonic Laws, namely:
#3 – “That obedience to Masonic law and authority, being voluntarily assumed, is of perpetual
obligation.”
#4 – “That the rites and ceremonies (which include the unwritten language) of the true system of
the Ancient York Rite, and which constitute a part of the body of Masonry, are immutable, and
that it is not in the power of any man to make innovations therein, except in Grand Lodge
convened.”
#11 – “That it is the duty of every mason to be a contributing member of some Lodge.” #15 –
“That every Mason must be tried by his peers; hence, the Master cannot be tried by his Lodge.”
#17 – “That Masonic intercourse with a clandestine, suspended, or expelled Mason is a breach of
duty and an offense against Masonic Law.”
#18 – “That a restoration of privileges of Masonry by the Grand Lodge does not restore to
membership in a Constituent Lodge.”
In addition to the Masonic Laws of Minnesota I also think this applies to other Grand Lodges, and
to some of the Ancient Landmarks enumerated by Brother Mackey in his list of 25 Landmarks,
namely: landmark 9th; Landmark 12th; and Landmark 17th.
Masonic Penalties
In an email conversation with my good friend and brother, Most Worshipful Brother, Al Ohrt, Past
Grand Master of Masons in North Dakota, he brought up a subject that was a fine idea for this
edition of T.F.S.
Masons know that the Ancient Symbolic Penalties mentioned in the degree work are just that –
symbolic: The actual penalties; the only penalties there have ever been in Freemasonry, and the
only ones anyone has ever found evidence of being used in Masonry, are reprimand, suspension
and expulsion: A true statement concerning the penalties of reprimand, suspension, and
expulsion, is that these are the only penalties of Freemasonry, and no other.
To quote, in part, what the Grand Lodge of Minnesota has to say about the Ancient Symbolic
Penalties: Section S1.19 (the ‘S’ indicates that this is a “Standing Resolution”) says; “They refer
only to the pain any honest man should feel at the thought of violating his word.” You can read
the entire section S1.19, and indeed the entire Masonic Code of Minnesota, (i.e. the Book of
Constitutions,) for yourself by going to the Grand Lodge of Minnesota Web Site and viewing it;
here is the URL: http://www.mn-masons.org/page984.aspx then click on Minnesota Masonic
Code 2006.
You might find this information about the penalties of Reprimand, Suspension, and Expulsion,
interesting: Section C8.02 says: “The penalties to be imposed when guilt is established are:”
FIRST: Reprimand, which may be given privately or in open Lodge by the Master.
SECOND: Suspension, which may be either limited or indefinite.
THIRD: Expulsion, which always terminates Masonic intercourse and connection
with the body inflicting it and also with the Masonic Fraternity everywhere.
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It’s important to know that the penalty of Suspension applies to Lodges as well as individual
Masons: It says in Section C8.03: “Suspension applies to Lodges as hereinafter provided, and
when inflicted upon a Lodge it suspends all its members unless expressly excepted. Suspension
and expulsion prohibit all Masonic intercourse with such members while in force.”
One thing that’s noted when reviewing the Masonic Code is that it doesn’t mention much about
the penalty of reprimand, as it does about the other penalties; that’s because a reprimand, once
imposed, does not affect the standing of a Mason in his Lodge or in the fraternity. However, a
reprimand is not a mere slap-on-the-wrist, as some might at first think it is.
Before I get into that a little bit more let me tell you what Brother and Dr. Albert Mackey has
written in “Mackey’s Jurisprudence of Freemasonry.” That book says there are five forms of
Masonic punishments that can be imposed. I should mention that this does not mean that any
particular Grand Lodge would approve of all five of these. If a Mason would wonder about these
concerning his own Grand Lodge he should check with the Jurisprudence Committee for his
Grand Lodge.
1. Censure
2. Reprimand
3. Exclusion
4. Suspension, definite or indefinite
5. Expulsion
Since the penalties of suspension and expulsion seem to be obvious, and have been mentioned
above I would like to examine, as briefly as I can, the first 3 in Mackey’s list.
Censure would not be something a mason would like to see happen to anyone. This is the
mildest form of punishment that can be inflicted on a Brother, but that doesn’t mean it is mild, “it is
a formal expression of disapprobation, and the only punishment felt is the effect produced upon
the feelings of he who is censured.” “To censure a member for any violation of duty is to be
adopted in the form of a resolution, which simply expresses the fact that the Lodge disapproves
of his conduct in the particular act.”i
Censure, as personally painful as it is, does not affect a Mason’s standing in his Lodge or the
Fraternity. However, it could affect his relationship with his Brother Masons. When a motion to
censure is brought forward in a Lodge it should never be proposed and acted upon at the same
Lodge Communication. A Mason, who is the subject of the motion, should have, and, in fact, does
have the opportunity to defend himself. And if one is wrongly censured the Lodge “has the power
to retrace its steps when an act of injustice is to be redressed.”ii
The Minnesota Counselor’s Guide, (the Counselor Program was one of the forerunners of the
Minnesota Grand Lodge Mentor Program,) has a question in it asking what the word
communication means. When we speak of Censure it might be nice to think about the effect it
might have on a Brother when it comes to a Lodge Communication: “Communication means to
'common,' which means to share with others. In the Christian Church the word 'Communion'
means the 'common' partaking of a Sacrament,’ so common or communication is the sharing
among people, (i.e. 'to common' is to gather in a 'communication,') which signifies not just a
meeting of men to legislate, but a gathering of men with a common purpose, governed by a
common idea, believing in a common ideal." iii By the way, if you would like a copy of the
questions contained in the Minnesota Counselor’s Guide they have been reprinted by the
Masonic Service Association, (M.S.A.) in their booklet "101 Questions about Freemasonry;" you
should be able to buy a copy for about $3 from either the M.S.A. or our Grand Lodge Book Store.
Reprimand is more serious than censure, and is definitely something we, as Masons, don’t like to
see happen; it is a ‘severe reproof’ of some fault that is formally communicated to the offender. A
reprimand is not and cannot be the result of a resolution or motion; it is something that is the
result of charges of unmasonic conduct being brought against a Brother followed by a conviction
of those charges in a Masonic trial. A reprimand does not affect a Mason’s Masonic standing
once the sentence has been imposed.
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You might find it interesting to note that the “sole purpose of a Masonic trial [and I would say all
legal trials] is to arrive at the truth, so that the guilty may be punished, the innocent acquitted, and
the honor of Masonry vindicated before the public.”iv Masonic Trials serve as examples that
prevent other offenses that might lead to a trial.
When it comes to the exclusion of a Mason (item #3 in Mackey’s list, above) it can be the result of
a violation of the rules of order and/or decorum of Freemasonry. Mackey tells us; “If a member or
visitor shall behave in an unbecoming or disorderly manner, he may be excluded for that
communication, either by the Master, or [by] the Lodge.”v This is an example of what is called
Temporary Exclusion. It can come about by the command of the Master, or by a simple majority
vote of the Lodge. This temporary penalty of exclusion does not affect the Masonic standing of
the Mason on whom temporary exclusion is inflicted. The Mason so afflicted does have the right
of appeal to the Grand Lodge, which after an investigation will either approve or disapprove of the
action taken by the Lodge or its Master.
Permanent Exclusion is the penalty that is most used in the United States: This permanent
exclusion is inflicted, in United States Grand Lodges and possibly others, only for non-payment of
arrears dues, which is known as striking from the roles. It is held that this permanent exclusion is
the only adequate punishment for the omission to pay the annual dues to a Mason’s Lodge.
“A man is not hung because he has committed a larceny, but he is hung that larcenies
may not be committed.” Lord Mansfield
From the Great Light of Masonry: “I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 22:14 NIV
Quidquid agas, prudenter agas, et respice finem = (Latin) = Whatever you do, do cautiously, and
look to the end.
“To punish and not prevent is to labor at the pump and leave open the leak.”
Thomas Fuller
I received this link from Brother James Thomas it contains a very interesting video essay I think
you will like: http://masonicminute.com/blog/2008/02/21/must-see-video/
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 [email protected] the Masonic Monday
Question for the week of 03/31/08 is: “Why does Parliamentary Law not apply in a Lodge?”
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http://www.mn-masons.org
With “Brotherly Love”,
Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
“Always two there are, a master and an apprentice.” Yoda
i
Mackey’s Jurisprudence of Freemasonry – Robert I. Clegg revised edition 1980forward by Brother Allen
Roberts
ii
Ibid
iii
Minnesota Counselor’s Guide
iv
Macoy’s worshipful Master’s assistant
v
Mackey’s Jurisprudence of Freemasonry
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