Today was the annual meeting of the Commission On Information For Recognition. This is an important, and old, organization that works in service to the Grand Lodges throughout North America.
As I don’t imagine that most Masons know much, if anything, about it, I thought that it might serve as a good topic for today’s update.
The Commission is composed of seven members, selected from various regions in North America. This year I had the honor of serving as vice-chairman. Members are selected by their respective regions. Washington is a part of the Western Conference of Grand Masters, which is composed of Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Hawaii, California, Baja California, and York Mexico. The Western Conference elects a new Commissioner every seven years. While all Commissioner terms are seven years, and limited to one term, I’m not sure if every region elects their Commissioner, or if some regions select them in some other way. All members are Past Grand Masters.
Importantly, but I think frequently misunderstood, the Commission on Information for Recognition does not Recognize Grand Lodges. Rather it provides information about Regularity of Grand Lodges to the Grand Lodges that compose the Conference of Grand Masters of North America. It provides information, nothing else. Each Grand Lodge is sovereign, and each Grand Lodge makes its own decisions about Recognition.
The Standards of the Commission are:
Legitimacy of Origin
Territorial Sovereignty
Adherence to the Ancient Landmarks:
I. Belief in God
II. The Volume of the Sacred Law
III. Prohibition of the discussion of Religion and Politics.
Today’s discussion was primarily focused upon Freemasonry within the nation of Georgia, and included presentations from both the Grand Lodge of Georgia, and the United Grand Lodge of Georgia.
The Commission will make its report on that issue and two others tomorrow afternoon. First to the assembled Grand Masters of North America, and following that to their respective Grand Secretaries.
If I haven’t bored you almost to death yet with this post, you can learn more about the Commission on its website, linked at:
Commission on Information for Recognition
2025 will be the last year of my term, so next year in South Carolina the Western Conference will elect the next Commissioner.
Leaving the Commission now, and bringing it down to the Grand Lodge level, I believe that the Grand Lodge of Washington has historically held to an unofficial policy of not considering recognition for a new Grand Lodge until that Grand Lodge has worked without contention for at least a decade. Absent some extraordinary circumstances. This is I believe a very solid policy that helps to prevent my Grand Lodge from making errors in Judgement. It is also, as I understand it, very similar to what the United Grand Lodge of England does, so you can bet that we stole the good idea from there.
In practice the Grand Lodge of Washington makes all Recognition decisions once a year, at our Annual Communication, and by a vote of the entire body. This is done through the approval of the Fraternal Correspondent’s Report. I am unsure how other Grand Lodges make these decisions.
Related to the above, it is my belief that the Grand Master does hold the power of Recognition in Washington when the Annual Communication is not taking place, but I am unaware of that power being exercised.
Lastly on Recognition, it is in my view the duty of Grand Lodges to enhance their Mason’s Masonic experience. And that is what recognition between Grand Lodges comes down to. If we did not Recognize Grand Lodges around the world, our Masons would not be able to visit Lodges around the world. And likewise, our Lodges would not be able to enjoy visits from Masons living elsewhere in the world.
The ability to travel, find a Lodge, find Brothers, and make new friends is one of the tremendous benefits of being a Mason. Our system of Recognition, while convoluted and complex is what makes that possible.
Before I finish today’s post, I’ve got to pass along my profound Thank You to VW Frank Burk and his wonderful lady for helping to promote Emeth this weekend. They have been very kind to take care of my stuff while I’m here!
They have been doing this for me while promoting their Masonic Trivia Game. You can read all about that here:
Thank you for the update!
Having been at the SE Masonic Conference in 2022 when Brad Phillips was considered to serve on the Commission on Information for Recognition I can verify that we vote here in the SE.
I enjoy learning about the recognition process.
Congratulations on the holding the office of Vice-Chairman.