True Secrets of Freemasonry

Those who become Freemasons only for the sake of finding out the secret of the order, run a very great risk of growing old under the trowel without ever realizing their purpose. Yet there is a secret, but it is so inviolable that it has never been confided or whispered to anyone. Those who stop at the outward crust of things imagine that the secret consists in words, in signs, or that the main point of it is to be found only in reaching the highest degree. This is a mistaken view: the man who guesses the secret of Freemasonry, and to know it you must guess it, reaches that point only through long attendance in the lodges, through deep thinking, comparison, and deduction.

He would not trust that secret to his best friend in Freemasonry, because he is aware that if his friend has not found it out, he could not make any use of it after it had been whispered in his ear. No, he keeps his peace, and the secret remains a secret.

Giovanni Giacomo Casanova, Memoirs, Volume 2a, Paris, p. 33

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Grand Lodge of California 2007 Communication

Here is the results of the issues balloted upon and the results of the voting at the Grand Lodge of California, F&AM this year:

GM 2007 Decision #1

* Membership in Snakes -- The Grand Lodge was asked if they felt the snakes are not a valid Masonic organization is as much as they have not submitted their Constitution and Bylaws to the GL of CA as required. The Membership agreed with the Grand Master. Affirmed

GM 2007 Recommendation #1

Deadlines on Weekends or Holidays -- Extending Deadlines that fall on a weekend day or holiday to the next legal work day following Passed

Carry-Over from 2006:

* GM2006-01: Reducing 5/6 to 3/4 for Adoption of Legislation Failed
* 06-03: Lodge formation (only need 15 instead of 25) Passed
* 06-05: Forfeiture of Fees -- EAs and FCs who have let 3 yrs or more elapse since they received their last degree, will forfeit the "petition costs". The still stay on the rolls, unless they write a letter of demit. Should they in future, the will pay the costs of conferring the last of their degrees. Passed
* 06-09: Formulation of Annual Dues of constituent Lodges -- Giving the Lodges the ability to round UP, to the nearest unit (half-dollar, dollar, five dollar, etc), with respect to the Per Capita charges by GL. Example: if GL post Per Capita of 15.23, the lodge could make the change to the members dues 16.00, if the wish. It's the lodge's choice to do or not to do. Passed


Resolutions for 2007

* 07-01: Allow Inspectors to vote at Annual Communication Carry-over
* 07-02: Past Master's title when serve consecutive terms -- Past Master's is regarded as a Past Master even if the succeeds himself in the Office of Master Passed
* 07-03: Grand Treasurer's report at Annual Communication -- Grand Treasure shall give an unaudited Treasures' report from as of July 31st of the current year: Passed
* 07-04: Qualification procedures for Past Master -- Brethren who have been MASTER within the past 6 years don't have to qualify again Failed
* 07-05: Conviction of a crime of moral turpitude Withdrawn
* 07-06: Early presentation of Golden Veteran awards Passed
* 07-07: Foreign degree conferrals -- Brothers from other states, and our brothers in other states, can be conferred the FC and MM degrees, with approval of both Grand Masters of the subject states. Passed

There were 1,168 attendees, which was more than last year by 8%. There were 337 lodges in Attendance or 89%, which is wonderful. One lodge was moved from Dispensation to receiving a charter: the lodge created at the Covina Masonic Homes

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Conviction of a crime of moral turpitude"

I would like a clarification of this. Does this mean that "moral turpitude" is no longer grounds for Masonic Charges?

Thank You,
BC 2006

Theron Dunn said...

Not sure, BC 2006. I didn't read the original legislation, but as I hear it, the legislation would have made it automatic cause for dismissal from the fraternity if a brother were convicted of a crime of moral turpitude. I can find out if you are really interested, but since the legislation was withdrawn without a vote, it did not change the existing rules. They remain as they always have been.

Theron

 
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