Please take a moment to read through this information. In this information pack, we introduce the idea of the Blue Book of Masonic Law, or Blue Book for short. This is the overarching "Masonic Law" governing all Indiana Freemason Lodges. It is located on the INGL Member's Section under Resources > Officer/Member Resources > Blue Book of Masonic Law (or click here once logged into the Member Portal.) While a great resource, during your early experience as a Mason, the content may be overwhelming, and one is not expected to be well-versed in the Blue Book until they become one of the three principal officers of the lodge (Worshipful Master or Warden.)
Please make sure you read the last section of this message as it contains important information about preplanning your Masonic Memorial Service if desired.
Meetings of a Lodge
(Blue Book: Chapter 22)
There are basically only two types of meetings for a lodge – stated and called. A stated meeting is the regularly scheduled meeting (date and time in lodge bylaws) at which the business of the lodge is conducted. These meetings may be opened on the EA or FC or MM degree. We encourage all lodges to open on the Entered Apprentice Degree, thereby allowing all new members the rights to attend and become active in the lodge. One must remember that only MM are allowed to vote.
A great way to stay involved is to volunteer along with your mentor to serve as greeters for the next two to five meetings. Ask your lodge if a name badge is available and get to know the members of the lodge while understanding what it truly means to be a Masonic Brother.
The only meeting that may be held on a Sunday is a Funeral or Masonic Memorial Service.
Called meetings are those that the Master calls for specific purposes such as degree work, installation, etc. These must be opened on the appropriate degree for that event.
The lodge can only be opened by the Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Grand Master or his Special Deputy (Blue Book 18-020-1). There must be seven Master Masons who are members of the Lodge present to open. Once the lodge has been opened, it may be closed by any competent Brother.
There are three public ceremonies for Lodges:
1. Installation of lodge officers
2. Presentation of service awards 25, 50 or 75 years
3. The Masonic Funeral or Memorial Service
All of these are performed in a lodge of Master Masons which has been opened in due form before the public is admitted. (However, the service awards may be presented without opening the lodge.)
Memorial Service
(Blue Book: Chapter 23)
The Masonic Memorial Service is one of the few presentations that we make in public. It is imperative that we perform this service in a manner befitting our Fraternity. Though it is preferred that a Brother present this service from memory, you may be better served to have a Brother read it in order to make the presentation in a dignified manner. The ceremony is to be conducted on the Master Mason degree unless the deceased Brother had not yet attained this degree. In that case, the lodge would be opened on the appropriate degree. Brethren should meet at the lodge to open a Lodge of Sorrow on the appropriate degree before performing the service.
The procession should follow the listing in the Masonic Memorial and Funeral Ceremonies booklet. The Master shall end up at the head of the casket in a memorial service with the three great lights on his right. The Wardens should be at the head and foot of the casket with their columns in the appropriate manner for a lodge that is open. It behooves us to make sure that the body of the deceased remains in view as much as possible during the ceremony. Upon completion of the ceremony, the Brothers shall recreate the procession on the way out.
The Grand Lodge has made it easy for a lodge to perform these services without going through the process of opening and closing a lodge. Each Master is entitled to Open a Lodge of Sorrow for the year at the beginning of his term. This can all be accomplished quite easily on the night of Installation. At the close of Installation, the officers remain and close the Lodge of Master Masons. Leaving the Bible on the Altar, the Master then opens a Lodge of Sorrow for the year. At the end of that year, on the night of Installation, the officers arrive early as usual and first close the Lodge of Sorrow, then open the lodge for Installation, perform the installation, close the Lodge used for Installation, and then again open for the Lodge of Sorrow for the upcoming year. By following this order, the VSL is in the appropriate place all the time.
Masonic burial is a privilege granted only to an affiliated Master Mason or to a demitted Mason who demitted in the previous six months. Those who have received the EA or FC may be afforded services provided that all other requirements in Blue Book Regulations 23.010 and 23.020 have been met. Suicide does not in and of itself make someone ineligible for the Masonic Service. If the death has been shown to be dishonorable, then no service should be performed.
Last but certainly not least, encourage all of your EA and FC to attend these services. They are eligible to be a part of the group, but they may not act as an officer.
Below is a form that can be used by members to request a Memorial Service upon their passing. Copies can be filed with members of the family, the lodge, and the mortuary. We would encourage all members to make their wishes known before their passing so that their families and the lodge can ensure that the members’ desires are met.
Make Your Memorial Wishes Known
The document contained in the button below, while not required, is a great way of ensuring all required parties are aware of your request for a Masonic Memorial Service. We encourage you to fill out this form and share it with your Lodge Secretary, your family, and your funeral home director (when you preplan - or as an update to your plan.)
Even if this form is not on file, your family can request a Masonic Memorial Service at the time of your death by contacting your lodge or a lodge near the location where your service will be held.
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