http://www.mn-rivervalley.org

Minnesota River Valley Lodge #6

"Issued with the Permission of the M.W. Grand Lodge of Minnesota"

'The Plumb Line'
From the Grand Master
June 2003



Don't forget the One-Day to Masonry classes in Minneapolis on June 21st and
in Duluth on June 28th. Even if you don't have a candidate involved you can
still see some of the best ritual work and enjoy the "Magic of Masonry".
Advance reservations are important so that the proper number of meals are
prepared, please contact the Grand Lodge office (651-222-6051 or
800-245-6050 or mn-mason@spacestar.com) to let them know you will attend,
and whether your wife will attend the ladies' events too. The fee for all
Masons attending is $35.00 which covers the continental breakfast, the
excellent lunch and the banquet capping off the day's activities. There is
no extra charge for your lady to attend with you.

_______


There seems to be some confusion about the change made at the 150th Annual
Communication in Saint Cloud concerning the use of the investigating
Committee. A resolution was proposed and passed to allow the investigating
committee to be waived, on a case by case basis for all petitions. Prior to
the 150th Annual Communication, the investigation committee was required on
all petitions for the degrees but it could be waived on a case by case basis
for petitions for affiliation, dual membership and restoration.

The pertinent section of the Minnesota Masonic Code is Section G14.04 and
now reads as follows:
All petitions, whether for degrees, affiliation, reinstatement or
restoration, if in proper form, shall be read at a Stated Communication and
referred by the Master to a committee of three (3) members of the Lodge,
whose names shall not be made known nor recorded in the minutes, nor read
with the report. Except the Lodge may, by majority vote, on an individual
basis, waive the requirement of referring a Petition to a committee of
three (3) members for investigation. However, if the requirement for such an
investigation is waived, the petition may not be voted upon until the first
Stated Communication after its initial reading. (But also note that the
first reading for the June One-Day-to-Masonry classes of 2003 has been
waived by an edict of the Grand Master.)

In addition to the above section of the Minnesota Masonic Code, one can also
find a great deal of guidance in the Minnesota Masonic Manual in Chapter II,
the chapter dealing with petitions, investigation committees, balloting,
etc. It is printed here in its entirety, but you should note the changes
made to the Code since the last printing of the Manual, namely the above
mentioned change made at the 150th Annual Communication and a change made
approximately five years ago that allows one of the two signers on a given
petition to be from a lodge other than the one to which the petition is
directed.

CHAPTER II

PREREQUISITES FOR A CANDIDATE

To become a petitioner for the degrees in Masonry, a man must believe and
trust in God, and without previous improper solicitation on the part of any
Mason, must have indicated first a desire to be made a Mason. His petition,
(if he is otherwise eligible) may be received, if it is accompanied by an
amount not less than one-third of the whole fee for degrees, and if it is
recommended by at least two brethren of the Lodge. Blank petitions for the
degrees should never be handed out to non-Masons.
In accordance with the principles and the Ancient Landmarks of Masonry,
every petition for membership shall be received and acted on without regard
to the race, color, creed, or national origin of the petitioner.
Petitions when properly filled out should be filed with the Secretary of the
Lodge and read by him at the first Stated Communication thereafter. If the
petitioner appears from such petition to be eligible as to age and
territorial jurisdiction, it may be received and referred to three brethren
of the Lodge as a committee to investigate the statements in the petition,
and particularly as to territorial jurisdiction and the moral, intellectual,
social, and physical qualifications of the petitioner. The names of the
committeemen are not to be recorded in the minutes or elsewhere.
Each member of the committee will act independently in making his
investigation, and no one, except the Master and the Secretary, will know
who the committeemen are. A report should be made by each, if practicable,
by the next Stated Communication after their appointment. A request for
further time should be made by a committeeman desiring it through the Master
or Secretary in case it is necessary to complete the investigation and may
then be granted.
The law requires a full written report by each committeeman upon a proper
blank which he will receive from the Secretary. The Lodge may accept by vote
the reports of a majority of the committee or may insist upon a report from
all. When a report has been so made or accepted, the report of each member
of the committee is separately read (omitting his name.) If the Lodge has
territorial jurisdiction of the petitioner and he is eligible as to length
of residence, the ballot will be spread immediately and without discussion,
whether the report is favorable or unfavorable, except that in case of the
unanimous favorable report, a petitioner may be allowed to withdraw his
petition without ballot by the unanimous vote of the Lodge. If the reports
show lack of territorial jurisdiction or insufficient residence, the
petition, with the fee, must be returned without vote or ballot. The reports
of the committee are to be destroyed immediately after the ballot.

METHOD OF BALLOTING

The Master orders: "Brother Senior Deacon, prepare the ballot-box."
Senior Deacon proceeds to do so.
Master, or Secretary, reads the petition. (Once a petitioner's name is read,
no one can leave or enter the Lodge room until the ballot is completed.)
Master, or Secretary, reads the reports of the Committee.
Master announces: "Brethren, you are about to vote on the petition for
Degrees (Affiliation) (Restoration) (Reinstatement) of Mr., (Brother)
. Be careful of your ballot and see that no mistakes occur. White balls
elect, black balls or cubes reject."
Senior Deacon then presents the ballot-box to Master who examines it and, if
found in order, Master votes.
Senior Deacon then proceeds to Senior Warden by way of the North and Senior
Warden votes; then to Junior Warden; then to East, south of Master; and
proceeds by way of the South, each member rising and voting in turn, (every
member present must vote), completing the circuit in East, to north of
Master. Senior Deacon then votes and proceeds to west of Altar.
Master then asks: "Brother Senior Deacon, have all the members voted?"
Senior Deacon, saluting, reports: "All the members have voted, Worshipful
Master."
Master then says: "I declare the ballot closed." Confirms with gavel.
Senior Deacon then proceeds without order to Junior Warden's Station and
presents the ballot-box to that Officer for examination; proceeding
immediately to Senior Warden's Station for examination by that Officer.
While Senior Deacon is proceeding South to West, Master asks: "How stands
the ballot in the South, Brother Junior Warden?" Junior Warden, saluting,
reports: "Clear (or dark) in the South, Worshipful Master." While Senior
Deacon is proceeding to East, Master asks: "How stands the ballot in the
West, Brother Senior Warden?" Senior Warden, saluting, reports: "Clear (or
dark) in the West, Worshipful Master." Senior Deacon, by then having arrived
at Worshipful Master's Station, presents ballot-box to Master, who examines
it; and having first destroyed ballot, says, "Clear (or dark) in the East. I
therefore declare Mr. elected to receive the Degrees as
conferred by Lodge; or, Brother
elected to membership in Lodge; or Brother
restored to membership in Lodge." Confirms with gavel.
If the ballot is dark, Master says: "I therefore declare the petition of Mr.
(Brother) rejected." Confirms with gavel.
If the ballot taken contains but one black ballot, the Master, in his
discretion, may order one other ballot taken immediately,
that no mistake has occurred,
destroy the ballot immediately after he examines it, by emptying the box,
before announcing the result.
(Upon rejection, the Worshipful Master must immediately read Section G6.03
(d) and (f) of the general regulations.)
If the petitioner has been accepted by ballot, he is entitled to receive his
degree, at the reasonable will and pleasure of the Master and must present
himself for initiation, when notified by the Secretary, unless the Lodge for
cause excuses the delay; otherwise, after a year, he must present a new
petition, which will take the same course as his first petition.

(SECTION G6.03 Beside violation of Section C8.01, of the Constitution, the
following specific acts shall be deemed unmasonic conduct and shall render
the offender subject to discipline.

(d) To discuss the character or the merits or demerits of a petitioner,
either for degrees or membership, in a Lodge convened or, after rejection,
to express regret at the action taken, or how he or anyone voted upon the
ballot.
A violation of paragraph (d) shall require immediate charges filed with the
Master and, if found guilty, the penalty shall be expulsion and no other.
Whenever a petition either for degrees or membership is rejected by a vote
of the Lodge, paragraph (d) of Section G6.03 of this Article shall
immediately be read to the Lodge, in an audible voice, as a warning.

(f) To declare that there shall be no more petitioners accepted, or to
blackball a petitioner for spite.)
THIS IS THE END OF CHAPTER II OF THE MINNESOTA MASONIC MANUAL


One final note about the black ballot. You read above that "If the ballot
taken contains but one black ballot, the Master, in his discretion, may
order one other ballot taken immediately,
has occurred. . ."

THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT ONLY ONE BLACK BALL MAKES FOR AN ACCEPTABLE BALLOT.
IT MEANS THAT IF ONE BLACK BALL IS FOUND IN THE BALLOT BOX, THEN THE MASTER
MAY TAKE A SECOND BALLOT TO ASSURE HIMSELF THAT A MISTAKE HAS NOT OCCURRED.
ONE BLACK BALLOT CAN AND DOES REJECT ANY PETITION.

If there is any question an anything around this subject area, please
contact the Grand Lodge office. The Grand Secretary and his assistant will
be happy to see that your questions are answered.

_________



Masonic Service Association of North America Makes Appeal for Relief:

Tornadoes of Missouri, Tennessee and Oklahoma - May 8, 2003 - RICHARD E.

FLETCHER, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Vermont, Executive

Secretary



Tornadoes continue their path of devastation across the Midwest where

Missouri, Tennessee, and Kansas have been particularly hard hit. Some areas

have suffered total destruction. There is an urgent need for support.



Any assistance donated to this appeal would go to these three Grand Lodges

and will be divided 40% Missouri; 40% Tennessee; and 20% Kansas, for

undesignated gifts. Designated gifts will be sent in their entirety to the

Grand Lodge named.



The Grand Lodge of Minnesota, through its Colonel William Ladd Memorial

Fund, has made a donation of $1,000 to this appeal. Minnesota Lodges,

individual Minnesota Masons and other Masonic affiliated organizations are

also encouraged to consider a donation to this effort. Please forward to the

MSA such funds as you feel appropriate to help our devastated Brethren and

their families in these stricken jurisdictions.



A complete history of the past appeals made by the Masonic Service

Association and the donations received in response to the appeals can be

found on the MSA website at http://www.msana.com/msaappeals.htm and you

would note there that Minnesota Masons were assisted tremendously following

the flooding in the Red River Valley in 1997. While visiting this website

you should also explore some of the other links. The Masonic Service

Association of North America is a nonprofit organization supported by the

Grand Lodges of North America and they are repositories of a great deal of

excellent information. Much of this information can be found on their

website.



Please make checks payable to the MSA Disaster Relief Fund and send to the

Masonic Service Association, 8120 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD

20910-4785.

_______



Mile Stones

R. W. Brother Damon Anderson, the Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of
North Dakota was called to the Celestial Lodge Above by the Grand Architect
of the Universe on Sunday, June 1, 2003.



The Grand Lodge of New York re-recognized the Grand Lodge of Minnesota on
May 13, 2003.
__________


Brothers,

If you want your name dropped from this list, or if someone wants to be
added just email the Grand Lodge and Doug will take care of it.

Please check with your Lodge Officers and make sure they know about the PLUM
LINE and they get signed up....................Neil