The Black Cube
For the good of Masonry, or?
The Black Cube is a responsibility that rests upon the shoulders of every Master Mason. Indeed, I believe it to be one of our most fundamental responsibilities, for with it we have the means to protect the functioning of our Lodge, and the reputation of our Craft.
There are, I think, two important considerations regarding it.
We can not be afraid to use it when we believe the situation (the man) demands its use.
We must not use it for any base motive.
In my Jurisdiction, a single Black Cube precludes a man from the Degrees of Masonry, or if he is already a Master Mason, from membership in a particular Lodge.
I think that’s right. If a man’s presence will cause disharmony within the Lodge, even if just with a single Brother, then it is best that the disharmony be avoided. From time to time, I do hear suggestions that the number of Cubes to reject be increased, but I stand in favor of our time honored tradition of a single Cube leading to rejection.
With this essay, I’d like to touch on some common scenarios I’ve witnessed, times a Black Cube was dropped.
Sometimes an unsuitable man, maybe even a bad guy petitions for the Degrees of Masonry. In that case it is undoubtedly our responsibility to drop a Black Cube. Not doing so is not doing our duty to Freemasonry.
(As an aside, I am aware that many Jurisdictions allow a petition to be withdrawn, or otherwise not balloted upon, saving the man, and the Lodge from potential embarrassment. That is not the case in my Jurisdiction. In my Jurisdiction every petition received must be balloted upon, it can not be withdrawn or otherwise set aside.)
Sometimes a petitioner was not properly investigated by the Lodge prior to his petition being called up for a ballot. In my view, in a case like this, it is certainly appropriate to drop a Black Cube. Investigation Committees have a responsibility to adequately investigate petitioners. If they fail to perform that duty, the last line of defense for the Lodge is that Black Cube. Luckily, this is pretty rare in my experience.
Sometimes a man is not actually interested in becoming a Freemason, but petitions nevertheless. Perhaps pushed into it by a friend, or a wife who wants him to join her in one of our mixed Orders like OES. This too, is pretty rare in my experience, but I have seen it happen. I think that a Black Cube is appropriate here as well. Dropping it protects not only the Lodge, but the man himself from doing something that he doesn’t truly desire to do.
To my regret, much more often than the previous two examples, sometimes a Black Cube is dropped for no legitimate reason at all.
Someone in the Lodge is just feeling pissy, or is stupid, or angry about something. So, he’ll drop a Black Cube. Then he’ll drop a Black Cube on the next petitioner, and the next, rejecting any and all who come up for ballot. If this nonsense continues long enough, the Lodge will, through attrition alone, assuredly die. Die a lingering death at the hand of a single Mason.
When we ballot, we must ballot for the good of our Lodge, and for the good of Freemasonry. Those must be our guiding lights.
I believe a person petitioning for the degrees of Masonry should remain a candidate until he receives the sublime degree of a Master Mason. I have been a part of an investigative team that found nothing wrong with the petitioner but after he received the first degree he was a man I no longer wanted to sit with in lodge. Perhaps we should consider casting ballots after the first and second degree to determine if the man has passed a probationary period and should be allowed to receive the third degree.
We require 3 black cubes for the reason you gave about certain people blackballing all candidates out of a grudge against the Lodge of Master. It was a historically documented example in fact, and I can send you the article if interested.
The Master also has the right to declare the ballot clear or cloudy, irrespective of the observation of the Wardens. I have only seen this done once. In another case, I would have done it myself, because I believe the issue was one of racial prejudice.