Chapter 74

Masonic Status

A candidate who has been irregularly initiated or advanced in a legally constituted lodge through no fault of his own shall be a Mason in good standing in the degree he has attained, and he shall be entitled to all the rights and benefits of such degree, except, as otherwise provided by law, but only if and when authorized by the Grand Master. [45-8; 45-3.1; 45-4; 68-7.1; 71-2; 71-19; 71-22; 74-1.3; 87-3; 87-6].

1. A candidate who has been elected and initiated or passed or raised before it is discovered that he had not resided in the jurisdiction of the lodge the required time shall, nevertheless, be an Entered Apprentice, a Fellow Craft, or a Master Mason, as the case may be.

2. A candidate to whose advancement objection has been made but which objection was not made known to the Master who advanced him shall not be penalized for the default of another and he shall be entitled to all the rights and benefits of the highest degree he has received.

3. Any penalty for irregular work shall be applied to the brother or brethren at fault. [41-11.4; 71-2; 71-22; 75-11.1].

REG. 74-2 STATUS. Effective 1.1.2016

Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts are Masons of their respective degrees, but they shall not be subject to dues. They are not members of the lodge. [63-4; 65-4; 75-7; 76-2.1; 91-4].

If the work of conferring a degree upon a candidate is interrupted for any reason and remains incomplete at the close of the communication he shall not be entitled to the rights and benefits of the degree. [71-18].

The status of a candidate of a lodge whose charter has been surrendered, arrested, or revoked shall be that of a non-affiliated Entered Apprentice or Fellow Craft, as the case may be. He may petition and receive the degrees in any lodge where he establishes a residence, either within or without the state, and evidence of surrender of the charter and his initiation may be furnished by the Grand Secretary, as provided in Regulation 49-10.1. [39-13].

Status of Masons shall be as follows.

1. A Mason shall be in good standing until charges for unmasonic conduct have been served on him or until he has been duly demitted, excluded, suspended, or expelled. [50-1; 87-5; 90-4].

2. A Mason against whom charges have been preferred shall be deemed innocent, and he may attend the lodge of which he is a member until he shall have been found guilty.

3. A Mason against whom charges have been preferred shall not be appointed or elected to office, nor installed in any office, nor demitted, nor be buried with Masonic ceremonies while the charges are pending. [50-1; 53-2.4; 55-5; 82-2; 82-2.5; 90-4].

4. A Mason who has been suspended for a definite period of time shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership in his lodge at the expiration of the time without action by the Grand Lodge or the lodge. He shall not be subject to dues during the time he is suspended. [77-10; 101-2].

5. The reversal of a judgment of suspension or expulsion by the Grand Lodge or a termination of a judgment of suspension by the Grand Lodge shall restore the accused to membership in his lodge without further action by the lodge. [98-11; 100-5; 101-1; 101-8].

6. If restoration of an expelled Mason is made by the Grand Lodge, he shall not thereby be restored to membership in his lodge, but shall become a nonaffiliated Mason. [98-11; 100-5; 101; 101-3; 101-7; 101-8].

7. The members of a defunct lodge who are not in arrears for dues shall be nonaffiliated Masons.

8. The members of a defunct lodge who are in arrears are excluded Masons. Such excluded Masons shall be nonaffiliated Masons upon paying to the Grand Secretary such arrears as may be required by law and obtaining a Grand Lodge demit. [49-4; 49-4.1].

9. Restoration of an Entered Apprentice or a Fellow Craft shall be to the same status in his lodge that he had before he was suspended or expelled, or as provided in Regulation 101-3.1.

REG. 74-6 NONAFFILIATED AND EXCLUDED.

The status of nonaffiliated and excluded Masons shall be as follows.

1. The status of an excluded Mason shall be the same as that of a nonaffiliated Mason.

2. Nonaffiliated and excluded Masons shall not be in good standing, and they shall have no rights except to apply for restoration to membership.

3. They shall not be subject to dues while nonaffiliated. [77-10].

4. They shall be subject to all Masonic obligations except those which are due to the lodge. [76-10; 74-7].

5. A brother who was not affiliated and in good standing in some regular lodge at the time of his death shall not be entitled to Masonic burial. If a Mason is not affiliated, it matters not from what cause, Masonic obligations to him shall not be in effect until he shall regain his good standing. If he should die without having done so, that is a misfortune not caused by the Fraternity. [77-6; 77-6.1; 82-2.5; 82-2.4].

REG. 74-7 UNAFFILIATED AND NONAFFILIATED.

This Grand Lodge does not recognize any distinction between the terms unaffiliated and nonaffiliated. If a Master Mason is not a member of a regular subordinate lodge, he is a nonaffiliated and is not entitled to any of the rights, benefits, or privileges of Masonry. His only right shall be to apply for restoration in a regular subordinate lodge. He shall not visit a subordinate lodge in this state although he holds a proper demit. [74-6; 74-8; 76-10].

The wife of a Master Mason in good standing who shall have obtained an absolute divorce shall not have any claim on a lodge for assistance. [76-10; 74-7].

1. The widow of a Master Mason who marries a profane shall not thereafter be entitled to Masonic relief as being also the widow of a prior husband who was a Master Mason.

2. The mother, sister or daughter of a Master Mason loses her Masonic claim for assistance immediately upon becoming, and so long as she remains, the wife of a profane. She lost that claim when she married a profane.

3. A widow whose deceased husband was a profane, and whose father, brother or son is, or was at the time of his death, a Master Mason in good standing, may be entitled to Masonic relief as being the daughter, sister or mother of a Master Mason, so long as she is not the wife of a profane.

4. If the widow of a Mason marries, his child shall not lose its Masonic claim.

5. The widows and children of nonaffiliated Masons shall have no Masonic claims.

6. A legally adopted child of a deceased Master Mason is entitled to the same benefits as if a natural child.

7. Unless disqualified as set forth in this regulation, the wife, widow, mother, sister, or daughter of a Master Mason shall be entitled to assistance and shall be permitted to wear Masonic emblems.

REG. 74-9 WIDOW OR ORPHANS CERTIFICATE.

Upon the written request of a widow, or a child or children under eighteen years of age, of a deceased brother who was a member of a lodge in this state at the time of his death, a lodge may issue to each of such applicants a certificate over the seal of the lodge signed by the Master and attested by the Secretary certifying to the membership of such brother in the lodge. [74-8; Official Form 33).

Reports prejudicial to the character of a brother being in circulation, it is the duty of his lodge to investigate them whether the brother requests an investigation or not.

1. A petition of a brother to have charges injurious to his character investigated by his lodge should most certainly be granted and the committee should in justice to him make a thorough investigation and report to the lodge.

2. The Grand Master, in his discretion, with or without a request of a brother, and when he deems it to be for the best interest of the brother or for the good of Masonry, may make, or cause to be made, an investigation of reports prejudicial to the character of the brother and to take such action thereon as the facts justify. [13-2.14; 13-2.15].