My own Doric Lodge had elections at our last meeting, and our Installation will be taking place in October, so that’s the end of a long chapter in my life.
In 2013 I was Installed as a principal Officer in Centralia Lodge, and I’ve been either a principal Lodge Officer or a Grand Lodge Officer every year since. That’s 11 years as a Warden, Master, DDGM, or Elected Grand Lodge Officer.
But starting next month, I finally get to embrace my dream of a couple years now, my dream of becoming a genuine sideliner! And, honestly, I’m really looking forward to it.
I’m set to be Chaplain of Centralia Lodge for the upcoming year, but that’s it!
This journey has been an amazing amount of fun, and rewarding beyond measure, but I’m certainly looking forward to my year off!
Centralia Lodge Installation, 2014
But, that’s enough about me. You certainly aren’t here to read about me and my nonsense.
Installation season is upon us, and as such we have a whole bunch of new guys jumping into a chair for the first time, and even us old guys taking over a chair that we never sat in before. (This will be my first stint as Chaplain.)
As such, I’ve decided that it might be super helpful to do a series of posts about the various officer positions in our Masonic Lodges.
While undeniably the Worshipful Master and Secretary play an outsized role in the success of a Lodge, every single Officer, elected and appointed must play his part if we are to have truly Legendary Lodge Experiences.
So, I think we do well to spend some time discussing just that.
What is it that makes each and every office and officer holding that office successful?
How can the holder of each office carry out his required duties, and expand upon those duties, to ensure that the Lodge provides a truly great experience to its Masons?
Here in Washington, every single Lodge is required by our Code to appoint and Install a Junior and Senior Steward. (Lots of Lodges apparently ignore this particular Code Provision.)
The Stewards primary purpose is to get our Candidates ready to receive the Degrees of Masonry.
The Stewards also are to assist with the provision of food and drink to the Masons at our gatherings. Although in my experience, this duty is not actually performed by the Stewards in a lot of our Lodges. This despite the words in our Installation Ritual:
“…when the Lodge is at Refreshment, it will be your province to see that the tables are well furnished, and to extend to members and visiting brethren such attentions as circumstances may suggest. Your regular and early attendance at our meetings will afford the best proof of your zeal, and of your attachment to the Lodge.”
I do see this in some of our Lodges. I don’t see it in most.
So, all of this begs a question:
For Masons who are going to be Installed as either Junior or Senior Steward, how best can they perform their duties, in order to ensure a superb Lodge experience for all? What should they do?
I agree, all too often the stewards appointed are just placeholders and don’t help the JW at all. That makes it even harder to find someone willing to be JW, if they are expected to do all of the work feeding 20-30 people, plus setting up the dining room, and cleaning up afterwards. So many times when I was JW the first time I was literally the first one at lodge and the last to leave, standing over the sink washing dishes.
Luckily this time around the Jobs Daughters helped me with the dinners, taking care of everything themselves, and in return making money off the donations, so it was a win win for everyone.
When I was a brand spankin' new Mason, and a Steward, it was in a Lodge at which the Stewards were expected to assist with the meal, or whatever the refreshments were.
But when I came to Centralia, there doesn't seem to be any tradition of this. Indeed my wife (and her Grandmother) handled almost all the cooking for quite a few years. And when that finally ended, it seemed to somehow become the responsibility of the current Worshipful Master, who has now been doing it for years.
And that is really bad.
How can we expect a guy to:
1-Plan and prepare for a meeting
2-Get to the Lodge hours and hours early to cook for everyone
3-Feed everyone
4-Run the meeting
5-Stay for hours to clean up from dinner
It doesn't work at all. But, there seems to be no drive whatsoever to change it.
In the GL of New York, it is assumed our stewards assist the JW in duties regarding refreshment, and are sometimes dismissed early to tend to that before Lodge is closed. It also used to be custom that they gave the Q&A after Degrees. But I don't believe any of this if codified, and the Stewards are not mentioned in ritual at all here. Also, it is the Senior and Junior Master of Ceremonies that prepare candidates.
“…it is assumed our stewards assist the JW in duties regarding refreshment, and are sometimes dismissed early to tend to that before Lodge is closed.”
In my District in Washington State (which includes the State Capitol of Olympia), at least 3 of my Lodges have both stewards as installed officers, and do exactly this, even to the point to where when the Worshipful Master reaches a certain point in his Lodge business, the Stewards automatically stand up and dismiss themselves. A fourth Lodge is getting pretty close. And in our Jurisdiction, the Stewards prepare the candidate, and we do have Brothers who know that part quite well.
It is interesting that your Stewards handle the Q&A after the Degrees. I've never seen that here, but think it would be something really valuable for Stewards to take on!
Once again dropping dynamite into the Masonic fishpond, should the Masonic journey be treated like an official career track moving into a company?
For example you start out as a steward, you may not even be a master Mason, you help prepare the food, some older guy that you can never remember what his name plate says is patiently walking you through the correct way to hold your rod and to identify the Senior and Junior Stewards from their almost identical but not quite exact aprons and jewels, leaving Stated meetings to early to serve the food and making sure you stay late enough that the junior warden is satisfied with the performance of clean up and returning the lodge to a clean well kept space, order over chaos.
Has anyone set the stewards down and explained to them if you work as a steward, Your possible next step up can be up the line is to this location or possibly this chair?
And this investment is twofold , the Lodge invests in you and you invest in them, not just something that you travel up the line and disappear forever but maybe a journey that you take a couple of times in your life Depending on the needs of the Lodge and the needs of the Brethren.
Similar to a career track in a company, you get hired as an entry-level worker et cetera et cetera, you explain during the interview that you would like to end up in this position because that’s as far as you can see and if HR is actually doing their job for example, they’ve also highlighted the other opportunities for you in an effort to keep and retain you because they’re trying to keep costs down both in terms of people investment and actual money and enhancing your vision and letting you see even more possibilities education and experiences!
If they can excite you to stay with the company, and they have the vision to understand that “much may be made of a person if they be caught young” and given that vision where the company unlike so many today actually back the new employee and support and provide and recognise them , the employee puts in the time and the effort and the will dedicated to the role to make it great again.
Will and efforts and hard work. potentially can be rewarded with moving up levels to different departments, different experiences different training environments , possibly travel, Even choosing entertainment for company functions or being responsible for larger and larger projects can be a real eye opener for the new employee.
After all, that’s what we do as master masons, We pay Masonic wages, we re-create fictionally The actual struggles of our brethren from centuries ago , travel and working as masters and receiving Masters wages, a far simpler career track but still a descendent of a noble and venerable employment process that was created centuries ago even before the Renaissance.
Would we not do the same for a new steward just like an entry-level candidate, forecast their potential or possible path? No guarantees of course because that depends on the winds of Fortune and the amount of effort and the track of their own life as someone works for a company, someone also can experience this working for their Lodge and moving up the line to eventually become the master.
Indeed Masonic employment in the Lodge metaphorically speaking would almost guarantee a superb manager or a better employee because of the moral lessons that are imparted as part of the craft , we literally make good men better. An assembly process that would make Henry Ford cry in his cups.
So it seems ideal that the next time we have an installation and we put new stewards in , we sit them down and give them an idea of the career track and the places and the possibilities in the lodge to give them an idea of where they might like to go.
Not only investing in them but also investing in possibilities which allows them in return to invest in the Lodge and as they enter it as a young man, serving and observing , eventually changed by the cursed hand of time ( as we are all afflicted) into an older man with a crown of wisdom of white hair (Or a handsome bald head like myself modestly speaking) , allows the Lodge to live as they live.
Lodges without new Masons wither and die, Lodges with young men constantly coming in and out will be a hub of conversation learning philosophy discussion even conflict which if managed correctly helps turn good men even better. The process is necessary to start with sitting someone down and giving them orientation and showing them using the root of the word how to orient or where the orient actually is (Scottish Rite Pun).
By forecasting and giving the new steward and overview of what could be the possibilities and the career journey Masonic not to mention the enticement of travel to other jewels of lodges in the crown of masonry we enhance, entice and Allow them to dream, which intern fuels us with their creativity, their passion, their innovation and their spirit igniting old torches with new flames.
With every new brother that I mentor, I always explain to them the progressive line, how it works, and expectations for each step of the way. Not only the duties of their chair, but also the requirements set forth for advancement. This is especially true for the brother expecting to sit in the east some day. They have to know it's not a right, but a privilege. If you don't do the work, especially learning the ritual required of you, then there should be no advancement until you do.
The progressive line has its pros and cons, but one part that should not be negotiable is the ritual.
I was Steward once upon a time, long ago in a jurisdiction far away. At that time and place food and drink amounted to a cup coffee/tea and maybe a cup cake or doughnut after the meeting. It was not my responsibility as a Steward - don't remember whose it was.
Now a days, I'm someone who likes to cook and enjoys seeing people - my Brother Masons - sharing a good meal together. I cook for Doric Lodge, not because I'm a Steward (I'm not) but because I like too. We are lucky to have a paid kitchen helper who does prep work and most of the clean-up - a GREAT INVESTMENT by the lodge if you ask me!
I believe that the Stewards role in preparing candidates is VERY important. In fact, I would like to see them more involved than what I see at most lodges. They should make themselves known to the candidate before the meeting/degree starts - if they are not already acquainted - and make sure that the candidate has at least some idea of what will follow. Not the content of the degree itself, but the flow of it. That they will be sent to help them get ready and that someone will always be with them. I also think that having a "Friend" of the Candidate to sit with them in the preparation room is most important - even it must be the Junior Steward when no one else is available.
Seeing to the sustenance of the Brethren is important for sure, but can/should be done by those with the inclination to do so. An unwilling cook rarely prepares the best meal. What is important about seeing to the gastronomic needs of the lodge is to NOT burden a single, or small number of, Brothers with that task. Even two Stewards are NOT enough hands to routinely do the work of feeding 30 or more people and cleaning up. Even those who can not cook, can was dishes and pots. It needs to be a team effort, or alternately be catered.
>>>That they will be sent to help them get ready and that someone will always be with them. I >>>also think that having a "Friend" of the Candidate to sit with them in the preparation room is >>>most important - even it must be the Junior Steward when no one else is available.
In my view, the importance of this can't be overstated. A candidate should never be left alone.
I'll go so far as to say that during the Degree itself, a candidate should never be without physical human contact. When I help with Degrees, it is most often as Senior Deacon, that being my preferred role. I do my best to ensure that I never have the candidate with me, without my hand on him.
In Puerto Rico the Stewards are the Deacons, they help the candidates during the rituals, along with sharing comunications between SW and JW. The refreshments are responsibility of the JW with the apprentices.
When I came up with the idea of this series of posts I knew that there would be a bit of difficulty in that Officer positions in one Jurisdiction don't exist in another. And I am honestly not well traveled enough to know about most Officer duties in any Jurisdiction but my own.
But, it does seem really common practice to have the JW in charge of the meal or other refreshments.
Thoughts on this metaphor I thought of tonight, it isn't perfect, I just thought it was interesting and maybe the foundation of a chess degree:
The officers and members of a lodge can be likened to chess pieces, each playing a critical role in the overall strategy and harmony of the organization:
The Worshipful Master is the King, the central figure around whom all others align. Though not the most active piece, the lodge's success hinges on the Master's wisdom, vision, and leadership.
The Senior Warden is the Queen, the most powerful and versatile piece on the board. Like the Queen, the Senior Warden supports the Master and takes on leadership when needed, managing the lodge’s operations with strength and adaptability.
The Junior Warden is the Rook. Though steady and methodical, the Junior Warden provides structure and balance, overseeing the lodge’s refreshment and helping maintain its stability.
The Chaplain is the Bishop. Like the Bishop, the Chaplain offers spiritual guidance, moving in subtle yet influential ways, bringing harmony and reflection to the lodge’s inner workings.
The Secretary and Treasurer are also Bishops, working diagonally, often behind the scenes. They ensure the lodge’s financial health and administrative integrity, providing vital support with precision and foresight.
The Deacons, Marshal, and Tyler are the Knights, known for their unique and versatile movements. The Deacons ensure smooth communication and ceremony, while the Marshal coordinates processions and maintains order, and the Tyler stands guard over the lodge. Their unpredictable yet crucial roles bridge gaps between officers and members, protecting the lodge's interests and adding dynamic energy to its functions.
The Stewards act as Pawns, humble but indispensable. They lay the foundation by attending to members' needs and managing logistics, enabling the higher officers to focus on their duties. The Stewards' small but significant moves help advance the lodge as a whole.
The Lodge Members form the chessboard itself, the foundation upon which all the officers move and act. Without them, there is no game, no lodge, no progress. The members provide the ground for all efforts, the essential support for the lodge’s vision and purpose.
Each officer, like each piece, plays a distinct and crucial role, and only together can they move toward achieving the lodge’s greater goals.
The way the JD and SD move in Lodge reminded me of the Knights in chess and the tessellated black and white tiles on the floor. The other positions kinda feel into place...
Chess matches are broken down in a way similar to how Lodge meetings are run. Chess has a cipher like Masonry. White pieces symbolize ourselves in quest fur light while black pieces symbolize our Jungian shadow self that we must be constantly aware of throughout our lives
I agree, all too often the stewards appointed are just placeholders and don’t help the JW at all. That makes it even harder to find someone willing to be JW, if they are expected to do all of the work feeding 20-30 people, plus setting up the dining room, and cleaning up afterwards. So many times when I was JW the first time I was literally the first one at lodge and the last to leave, standing over the sink washing dishes.
Luckily this time around the Jobs Daughters helped me with the dinners, taking care of everything themselves, and in return making money off the donations, so it was a win win for everyone.
I agree 💯%
When I was a brand spankin' new Mason, and a Steward, it was in a Lodge at which the Stewards were expected to assist with the meal, or whatever the refreshments were.
But when I came to Centralia, there doesn't seem to be any tradition of this. Indeed my wife (and her Grandmother) handled almost all the cooking for quite a few years. And when that finally ended, it seemed to somehow become the responsibility of the current Worshipful Master, who has now been doing it for years.
And that is really bad.
How can we expect a guy to:
1-Plan and prepare for a meeting
2-Get to the Lodge hours and hours early to cook for everyone
3-Feed everyone
4-Run the meeting
5-Stay for hours to clean up from dinner
It doesn't work at all. But, there seems to be no drive whatsoever to change it.
Just a note for comparison ...
In the GL of New York, it is assumed our stewards assist the JW in duties regarding refreshment, and are sometimes dismissed early to tend to that before Lodge is closed. It also used to be custom that they gave the Q&A after Degrees. But I don't believe any of this if codified, and the Stewards are not mentioned in ritual at all here. Also, it is the Senior and Junior Master of Ceremonies that prepare candidates.
Viva la difference!
“…it is assumed our stewards assist the JW in duties regarding refreshment, and are sometimes dismissed early to tend to that before Lodge is closed.”
In my District in Washington State (which includes the State Capitol of Olympia), at least 3 of my Lodges have both stewards as installed officers, and do exactly this, even to the point to where when the Worshipful Master reaches a certain point in his Lodge business, the Stewards automatically stand up and dismiss themselves. A fourth Lodge is getting pretty close. And in our Jurisdiction, the Stewards prepare the candidate, and we do have Brothers who know that part quite well.
I think we need more Lodges to get to that point. As W. Glenn pointed out above, it is just too much for one man to do on his own.
It is interesting that your Stewards handle the Q&A after the Degrees. I've never seen that here, but think it would be something really valuable for Stewards to take on!
Alas, we are without Master's of Ceremony.
Once again dropping dynamite into the Masonic fishpond, should the Masonic journey be treated like an official career track moving into a company?
For example you start out as a steward, you may not even be a master Mason, you help prepare the food, some older guy that you can never remember what his name plate says is patiently walking you through the correct way to hold your rod and to identify the Senior and Junior Stewards from their almost identical but not quite exact aprons and jewels, leaving Stated meetings to early to serve the food and making sure you stay late enough that the junior warden is satisfied with the performance of clean up and returning the lodge to a clean well kept space, order over chaos.
Has anyone set the stewards down and explained to them if you work as a steward, Your possible next step up can be up the line is to this location or possibly this chair?
And this investment is twofold , the Lodge invests in you and you invest in them, not just something that you travel up the line and disappear forever but maybe a journey that you take a couple of times in your life Depending on the needs of the Lodge and the needs of the Brethren.
Similar to a career track in a company, you get hired as an entry-level worker et cetera et cetera, you explain during the interview that you would like to end up in this position because that’s as far as you can see and if HR is actually doing their job for example, they’ve also highlighted the other opportunities for you in an effort to keep and retain you because they’re trying to keep costs down both in terms of people investment and actual money and enhancing your vision and letting you see even more possibilities education and experiences!
If they can excite you to stay with the company, and they have the vision to understand that “much may be made of a person if they be caught young” and given that vision where the company unlike so many today actually back the new employee and support and provide and recognise them , the employee puts in the time and the effort and the will dedicated to the role to make it great again.
Will and efforts and hard work. potentially can be rewarded with moving up levels to different departments, different experiences different training environments , possibly travel, Even choosing entertainment for company functions or being responsible for larger and larger projects can be a real eye opener for the new employee.
After all, that’s what we do as master masons, We pay Masonic wages, we re-create fictionally The actual struggles of our brethren from centuries ago , travel and working as masters and receiving Masters wages, a far simpler career track but still a descendent of a noble and venerable employment process that was created centuries ago even before the Renaissance.
Would we not do the same for a new steward just like an entry-level candidate, forecast their potential or possible path? No guarantees of course because that depends on the winds of Fortune and the amount of effort and the track of their own life as someone works for a company, someone also can experience this working for their Lodge and moving up the line to eventually become the master.
Indeed Masonic employment in the Lodge metaphorically speaking would almost guarantee a superb manager or a better employee because of the moral lessons that are imparted as part of the craft , we literally make good men better. An assembly process that would make Henry Ford cry in his cups.
So it seems ideal that the next time we have an installation and we put new stewards in , we sit them down and give them an idea of the career track and the places and the possibilities in the lodge to give them an idea of where they might like to go.
Not only investing in them but also investing in possibilities which allows them in return to invest in the Lodge and as they enter it as a young man, serving and observing , eventually changed by the cursed hand of time ( as we are all afflicted) into an older man with a crown of wisdom of white hair (Or a handsome bald head like myself modestly speaking) , allows the Lodge to live as they live.
Lodges without new Masons wither and die, Lodges with young men constantly coming in and out will be a hub of conversation learning philosophy discussion even conflict which if managed correctly helps turn good men even better. The process is necessary to start with sitting someone down and giving them orientation and showing them using the root of the word how to orient or where the orient actually is (Scottish Rite Pun).
By forecasting and giving the new steward and overview of what could be the possibilities and the career journey Masonic not to mention the enticement of travel to other jewels of lodges in the crown of masonry we enhance, entice and Allow them to dream, which intern fuels us with their creativity, their passion, their innovation and their spirit igniting old torches with new flames.
With every new brother that I mentor, I always explain to them the progressive line, how it works, and expectations for each step of the way. Not only the duties of their chair, but also the requirements set forth for advancement. This is especially true for the brother expecting to sit in the east some day. They have to know it's not a right, but a privilege. If you don't do the work, especially learning the ritual required of you, then there should be no advancement until you do.
The progressive line has its pros and cons, but one part that should not be negotiable is the ritual.
Again, I agree 💯%
>>>This is especially true for the brother expecting to sit in the east some day. They have to >>>know it's not a right, but a privilege.
This is exactly right, and so important to communicate to a new Mason.
This is a truly excellent way of looking at it, and of presenting it to the new Steward. Thank you very much! Lots of good to ponder in this comment!
I was Steward once upon a time, long ago in a jurisdiction far away. At that time and place food and drink amounted to a cup coffee/tea and maybe a cup cake or doughnut after the meeting. It was not my responsibility as a Steward - don't remember whose it was.
Now a days, I'm someone who likes to cook and enjoys seeing people - my Brother Masons - sharing a good meal together. I cook for Doric Lodge, not because I'm a Steward (I'm not) but because I like too. We are lucky to have a paid kitchen helper who does prep work and most of the clean-up - a GREAT INVESTMENT by the lodge if you ask me!
I believe that the Stewards role in preparing candidates is VERY important. In fact, I would like to see them more involved than what I see at most lodges. They should make themselves known to the candidate before the meeting/degree starts - if they are not already acquainted - and make sure that the candidate has at least some idea of what will follow. Not the content of the degree itself, but the flow of it. That they will be sent to help them get ready and that someone will always be with them. I also think that having a "Friend" of the Candidate to sit with them in the preparation room is most important - even it must be the Junior Steward when no one else is available.
Seeing to the sustenance of the Brethren is important for sure, but can/should be done by those with the inclination to do so. An unwilling cook rarely prepares the best meal. What is important about seeing to the gastronomic needs of the lodge is to NOT burden a single, or small number of, Brothers with that task. Even two Stewards are NOT enough hands to routinely do the work of feeding 30 or more people and cleaning up. Even those who can not cook, can was dishes and pots. It needs to be a team effort, or alternately be catered.
>>>That they will be sent to help them get ready and that someone will always be with them. I >>>also think that having a "Friend" of the Candidate to sit with them in the preparation room is >>>most important - even it must be the Junior Steward when no one else is available.
In my view, the importance of this can't be overstated. A candidate should never be left alone.
I'll go so far as to say that during the Degree itself, a candidate should never be without physical human contact. When I help with Degrees, it is most often as Senior Deacon, that being my preferred role. I do my best to ensure that I never have the candidate with me, without my hand on him.
In Puerto Rico the Stewards are the Deacons, they help the candidates during the rituals, along with sharing comunications between SW and JW. The refreshments are responsibility of the JW with the apprentices.
When I came up with the idea of this series of posts I knew that there would be a bit of difficulty in that Officer positions in one Jurisdiction don't exist in another. And I am honestly not well traveled enough to know about most Officer duties in any Jurisdiction but my own.
But, it does seem really common practice to have the JW in charge of the meal or other refreshments.
Thoughts on this metaphor I thought of tonight, it isn't perfect, I just thought it was interesting and maybe the foundation of a chess degree:
The officers and members of a lodge can be likened to chess pieces, each playing a critical role in the overall strategy and harmony of the organization:
The Worshipful Master is the King, the central figure around whom all others align. Though not the most active piece, the lodge's success hinges on the Master's wisdom, vision, and leadership.
The Senior Warden is the Queen, the most powerful and versatile piece on the board. Like the Queen, the Senior Warden supports the Master and takes on leadership when needed, managing the lodge’s operations with strength and adaptability.
The Junior Warden is the Rook. Though steady and methodical, the Junior Warden provides structure and balance, overseeing the lodge’s refreshment and helping maintain its stability.
The Chaplain is the Bishop. Like the Bishop, the Chaplain offers spiritual guidance, moving in subtle yet influential ways, bringing harmony and reflection to the lodge’s inner workings.
The Secretary and Treasurer are also Bishops, working diagonally, often behind the scenes. They ensure the lodge’s financial health and administrative integrity, providing vital support with precision and foresight.
The Deacons, Marshal, and Tyler are the Knights, known for their unique and versatile movements. The Deacons ensure smooth communication and ceremony, while the Marshal coordinates processions and maintains order, and the Tyler stands guard over the lodge. Their unpredictable yet crucial roles bridge gaps between officers and members, protecting the lodge's interests and adding dynamic energy to its functions.
The Stewards act as Pawns, humble but indispensable. They lay the foundation by attending to members' needs and managing logistics, enabling the higher officers to focus on their duties. The Stewards' small but significant moves help advance the lodge as a whole.
The Lodge Members form the chessboard itself, the foundation upon which all the officers move and act. Without them, there is no game, no lodge, no progress. The members provide the ground for all efforts, the essential support for the lodge’s vision and purpose.
Each officer, like each piece, plays a distinct and crucial role, and only together can they move toward achieving the lodge’s greater goals.
Excellent Brother! I like this a lot! And yeah, it could be the basis of a great side Degree!
The way the JD and SD move in Lodge reminded me of the Knights in chess and the tessellated black and white tiles on the floor. The other positions kinda feel into place...
Chess matches are broken down in a way similar to how Lodge meetings are run. Chess has a cipher like Masonry. White pieces symbolize ourselves in quest fur light while black pieces symbolize our Jungian shadow self that we must be constantly aware of throughout our lives