If your Lodge includes alcohol as a part of the Masonic experience, what steps, if any, are taken to ensure that consumption is controlled, and driving while under the influence doesn’t take place?
I think that this question is vital to the protection of our Lodge, so I hope we can discuss it today…
In other news, I recently posted an article elsewhere explaining and illustrating a Masonic interpretation of the classic Tarot Spread, the Celtic Cross. I didn’t want to post it here on Emeth, because I hope to keep Emeth 100% focused on Freemasonry, but I thought that I should at least provide a link into it for anyone who is interested. It can be found by clicking the link below:
I went to an Oregon lodge meeting and installation recently. Interesting difference in the ritual work is that in Washington at both opening and closing the junior warden recites his charge to ensure that the means of refreshment not convert to intemperance or excess, yet such is not repeated in Oregon lodges, yet the charge is given to them by the installing master at installation.
Still, I go back to my original assessment that the ancient brethren gave us the tools in the ritual if we listen to hold a proper lodge. It is the junior wardens duty to not only call the craft to refreshment, but to supervise them during the hours thereof to ensure that the means of refreshment is NOT converted to intemeperence and excess, and as the closing charge states, to ever correct a brother in the kindest ways to remind them of their obligations.
If a man is getting a little too sloshed, all of the brethren, but particularly the JW are supposed to be there to tell him to drink some water and sober up before he embarrasses himself or the craft.. this includes arranging for safe transport home if necessary.
I have zero issues with alcohol within the building (not in the lodge itself). These rules had to come out of the temperance movement. Only the really older members of the craft usually are the ones that have issues with alcohol consumption (IMO). Also typically tied to men belonging to OES for some reason.
There is also, I think, a lot of misconception when dealing with potential lawsuits for overserving. The main sticking point is that lodges don't usually sell the alcohol, the member is self serving (IE, pulling beers out of a cooler, or pouring himself a drink from the bar). If that is the case, that member has only himself to blame. It's also very difficult to prove liability as there's usually a pretty stringent burden of proof. Probably why you don't generally hear about these cases in the news.
But I'm not a lawyer, so what do I know.
I am pretty sick and tired of hearing brothers expressing fears of litigation over crap that is of little consequence, especially around temple board meetings. during my term as WM, we received an email from a woman who drove an EV to work across the street. Our building had worked with the county to lease parking from our lots for the folks that worked there. The woman in question was wanting to know if she could charge her car while parked in our lot as she worked. There was a convenient outlet nearby she could use. I didn't have a problem with it, in fact I thought it was a nice gesture on our part to let he do that. I even went so far as to look into the building getting a charging station set up that could turn into a little money making operation.
The temple board shot it down, they were afraid we'd get sued if something went wrong. That was quite pathetic in my opinion.
The lodge also installed a $25,000.00 fire suppression system over the stove/flat-top/ovens because some insurance agent suggested (not required) it. We didn't have a deep fryer, there was nothing that could catch fire that a small fire extinguisher couldn't handle. But we bought it anyway. Now it's an added inspection item every year that could potentially incur fines if not properly maintained.
There are reasons why we create temple boards, and carry officer and building insurances.
I went to an Oregon lodge meeting and installation recently. Interesting difference in the ritual work is that in Washington at both opening and closing the junior warden recites his charge to ensure that the means of refreshment not convert to intemperance or excess, yet such is not repeated in Oregon lodges, yet the charge is given to them by the installing master at installation.
Still, I go back to my original assessment that the ancient brethren gave us the tools in the ritual if we listen to hold a proper lodge. It is the junior wardens duty to not only call the craft to refreshment, but to supervise them during the hours thereof to ensure that the means of refreshment is NOT converted to intemeperence and excess, and as the closing charge states, to ever correct a brother in the kindest ways to remind them of their obligations.
If a man is getting a little too sloshed, all of the brethren, but particularly the JW are supposed to be there to tell him to drink some water and sober up before he embarrasses himself or the craft.. this includes arranging for safe transport home if necessary.
I have zero issues with alcohol within the building (not in the lodge itself). These rules had to come out of the temperance movement. Only the really older members of the craft usually are the ones that have issues with alcohol consumption (IMO). Also typically tied to men belonging to OES for some reason.
There is also, I think, a lot of misconception when dealing with potential lawsuits for overserving. The main sticking point is that lodges don't usually sell the alcohol, the member is self serving (IE, pulling beers out of a cooler, or pouring himself a drink from the bar). If that is the case, that member has only himself to blame. It's also very difficult to prove liability as there's usually a pretty stringent burden of proof. Probably why you don't generally hear about these cases in the news.
But I'm not a lawyer, so what do I know.
I am pretty sick and tired of hearing brothers expressing fears of litigation over crap that is of little consequence, especially around temple board meetings. during my term as WM, we received an email from a woman who drove an EV to work across the street. Our building had worked with the county to lease parking from our lots for the folks that worked there. The woman in question was wanting to know if she could charge her car while parked in our lot as she worked. There was a convenient outlet nearby she could use. I didn't have a problem with it, in fact I thought it was a nice gesture on our part to let he do that. I even went so far as to look into the building getting a charging station set up that could turn into a little money making operation.
The temple board shot it down, they were afraid we'd get sued if something went wrong. That was quite pathetic in my opinion.
The lodge also installed a $25,000.00 fire suppression system over the stove/flat-top/ovens because some insurance agent suggested (not required) it. We didn't have a deep fryer, there was nothing that could catch fire that a small fire extinguisher couldn't handle. But we bought it anyway. Now it's an added inspection item every year that could potentially incur fines if not properly maintained.
There are reasons why we create temple boards, and carry officer and building insurances.