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MASONIC CODE

GRAND LODGEOF

AND A M

ALABAMA.

Compiled Under Authorityof the Grand Lodge

G. T. KAY

1963

Commercial Printing Company

Birmingham, Alabama


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141 EDICTS AND DECISIONS.

W. M., and not to one who has taken the P. M.Degree.

337. RENUNCIATION A Master Masonin open Lodge or in writing requests that hisname be stricken from the roster of all Ma-sonic bodies of which he was a member. Held,that this amounts to a renunciation by him ofMasonry, that he had this right and that thisaction strips him of all the rights and benefits

of Masonry.338. CEREMONIAL WORK

FORMSCeremonial work done while either the GrandMaster or a Past Grand Master is presiding,is done in ample form ; if done while theDeputy Grand Master is presiding, it is done

in due form; if done while any Grand Lodgeofficer or other brother deputized by the GrandMaster, it is done in form.

339. MASONRY AND RELIGION Ma-sonry is not a religious organization, but it isimbued with a religious spirit. The term re-

ligious used here does not refer to any de-nomination, sect or creed. Masonry has noreligious dogma other than that it requires abelief in Deity. Any man, good and true,whether he be Christian, Jew, Mohammedan,Parsee, Buddhist, Brahman or Deist may beadmitted to Masonry because all these religions

require a belief in Deity.340. SECTARIANISM-WHAT IS NOT-

A Mason offering prayer in the Lodge maypray to his God-observing his own conceptionof Deity. It is therefore proper and in accord-ance with Masonic law and tenets for a Mason

who believes in the Christ or Jesus to offerprayer in the Lodge in His Name. None should


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MASONIC CODE.

take umbrage because he addresses his prayerto his own conception of Deity. He must useprayer in the Ritual in all ritualistic cere-monies. Any other prayer is out of order insuch ceremonies.

341. SYMBOLISM-The work entitled TheSymbolism of the Three Degrees, by BrotherOliver D. Street, is approved and it is recom-mended that the subordinate Lodges present acopy of this book to each newly made MasterMason.

342. MEMBERSHIP; DUAL -- A person canbe a member of only one Masonic Lodge in thisGrand Jurisdiction, but it is permissible for amember of a Lodge in this Grand Jurisdictionto also hold membership in another GrandJurisdiction, provided said other Grand Juris-diction is in fraternal relations with this GrandJurisdiction, and further provided that saidother Grand Jurisdiction legalizes dual mem-bership. This jurisdiction will recognize life

membership from any other jurisdiction whichrecognizes life membership from this juris-diction.

343. SUMMONS-HOW GIVEN A sum-mons to attend a Communication of the Lodgemay be given in either of one or more of the

following ways :1st. By the Worshipful Master in open

Lodge to all present.

2nd. By the Secretary in writing by orderof the Lodge or Master.

3rd. By a member, verbally, when auth-orized by the Lodge or Master in writing.


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MentorsManual

Published by authority of

GRAND LODGEFREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS

STATE OF INDIANA

1975


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Compi l ed by t he

COMMITTEE ONMASONICEDUCTATION

GRANDLODGE F. & A. M.

INDIANA

First printing 1953

First revision 1957

Second revision 1975

Printed by

THE INDIANA FREEMASON


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16 MENTORS MANUAL - INDIANA

brought within the Door of the Lodge, far

less any Quarrels about Religion, or Na-tions, or State policy, we being only, asMasons, of the Universal Religion abovementioned; we are also of all Nations,Tongues, Kindreds,and Languages, and areresolved against all Politicks as what neveryet conducd to the Welfare of the Lodge,nor ever will.

The same prohibition, plus another inthe first of the Old Charges, prohibits dis-

cussion of sectarian religion.Sectarian religion does not refer to

Christian denominations; it refers toChristianity the same as any other of theworlds several religions. That means that

Christian sermons should not be deliveredat Lodge gatherings, nor should Christianprayers be offered, nor Christian symbolsdisplayed.

The prohibition on discussion of politicalsubjects in Masonic meetings applies toMasons even if every member of the Lodgeis of the same political party.

The prohibition on discussion of religious

subjects in Masonic meetings applies toMasons even if every member of the Lodgeis of the same religious belief.


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ON THE THRESHOLD 17

13-Religion

Is Freemasonry a religion?

Though religious in character, Freema-sonry is not a religion, nor a substitute forone.

A religion is any system of belief, wor-ship, conduct, often involving a code ofethics and a philosophy. It connotes someparticular religion. Freemasonry is non-sectarian. Before its altar Christian, Jew,

Mohammedan, Buddhist, Gentile, Con-fucian, may kneel together.2

Masonry accepts good men who arefound to be worthy, regardless of theirreligious convictions, and strives to make

better men of them by emphasizing a firmbelief in the Fatherhood of God, theBrotherhood of Man, and the Immortalityof the Soul.

Our own Declaration of Principles pro-

claims that fact: It is religious in that itteaches monotheism, the Volume of the

Sacred Law is open upon its altars when-ever a Lodge is in session, reverence forGod is ever present in its ceremonial, andto its Brethren are constantly addressedlessons of morality; yet it is not sectarianor theological.


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ENTERED APPRENTICE 4 9

comes the candidate in search of Light and

to offer himself, symbolically, to the serv-ice of the Great Architect of the Universeand of his fellow men. Here he takes hisobligations, traditionally considered moresolemn and binding when taken at an altarthan at any other place.

The altar is the focus of Masonic life inthe Lodge. Its support of the Great Lightsis itself a symbol that faith supports life.6

117 - The Great Architect

Explain the letters G. A. O. T. U.

Great Architect of the Universe. Some-times the abbreviation is considered tomean Grand Architect; also Grand or

Great Artificer of the universe.In any event, these are titles underwhich Freemasonry refers to Deity. Onefundamental of Freemasonry is its non-sectarian character. Any man may offer

his devotions to the Deity he reveres, un-der the Masonic title, no matter what namehe may use in his religious worship.

Thus, Great Architect of the Universe(or any of its variations) is a symbol of

Deity as named and worshipped in allreligions.1


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THE LOUISIANA

MONITOR

Of The Degrees of Entered Apprent ice,

Fel l ow Craft and M aster M ason

And O ther M asoni c Ceremonies

COMPILED BY

G.C. HUCKABY

AS AUTHORIZED AND EXEMPLIFIEDBY THE

GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA

F. & A. M.

Committee:

H.B. CONNER, Grand Master,Ex-Officio Chairman

G.C. HUCKABY, ChairmanJESSE A. TAYLOR, Grand LecturerT.W. PARISH, Grand Lecturer

DR. A.F. BARROWGEORGEGEORGE J. GINSBERG


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COPYRfGHT 1927

COPYRIGHT 1928COPYRIGHT 1930

COPYRIGHT 1941

COPYRIGHT 1951

The Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana

TWENTY-FOURTH PRINTING, YEAR 1988

PUBLISHED BY

RIVER PARISHES PRINTING

OF LOUISIANA

KENNER, LA.


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Fel l ow Craft 111

Speculative Mason their spiritual use. Thus Free-masonry comes to us from the Temple, an Opera-

tive Art combined with Speculative Science. Thelanguage and implements of the artisan are usedfor the inculcation of the doctrine of pure ethics.

It makes no profession of Christianity, and warsnot against sectarian creeds or doctrines; butlooks forward to the time when the labor of our

ancient brethren shall be symbolized by theerection of a spiritual temple whose moral gran-deur shall be commensurate with civilization;

A temple in which there shall be but one altarand but one worship; one common altar of

Masonry, on which the Veda, Sutra, Zend-Avesta,Koran, and Holy Bible shall lie untouched bysacrilegious hands; and at whose shrine theHindoo, the Persian, the Assyrian, the Chaldean,the Egyptian, the Chinese, the Mohammedan,the Jew, and the Christian may kneel and with one

united voice celebrate the praises of the Su-preme Architect of the Universe.


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He spoke not with the tongues of man but ofangels was the illustrious example. Let this, theMasons Charity, burn upon the altar of your hearta living fire, whose gentle warmth shall radiatefellowship, morality, brotherly love, and obedi-ence to the Most High.

Liturgies and creeds, articles of faith, and rulesof discipline have stained the rubric pages of

history, while speculative points of doctrine haveoccasioned more misery in the world than all ofthe crimes for which nations have been punishedand recalled to their duty. Here we array no manfor his political opinion, nor do we dictate his

religious creed. To himself and his country, weleave the one; to his conscience and his God, wecommit the other.

To the altar of Freemasonry all men bring their

most votive offerings. Around it all men, whetherthey have received their teachings from Con-

fucius, Zoroaster, Moses, Mohammed or thefounder of the Christian religion-just so long asthey believe in the universality of the fatherhoodof God and universality of the brotherhood ofman-meet upon a common level. The Jew re-

turns tohis

synagogue, the Mohammedan to hismosque and the Christian to his temple - eachbetter prepared for the solemn duties of life by theassociations in this universal brotherhood.

It is to this institution, born of heaven in the grayof the worlds morning, before poets sang or

historians wrote, that I am privileged this eveningto extend to you a craftsmans greeting. And Icharge you by the noblest instincts of your being,

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