HOW TO RECEIVE THE DEPUTY DISTRICT
SECTION 13 - HIRAM'S HANDBOOK
Your District Deputy will visit you several times during your
term. On his unofficial visitation, you should ask him beforehand if he would
like to join you in the East. Most District Deputies decline to join you in the
East on an unofficial visitation. It would be good if more District Deputies
accepted because having the District Deputy there on unofficial visitations
sometimes makes a Master less uncomfortable when he is there on his official
visitation.
It is always important to introduce or acknowledge a District Deputy when he is
visiting unofficially. Most District Deputies decline any grand honors when they
are visiting unofficially, but in most districts it is the custom to give public
grand honors, the first time a newly installed District ,Deputy visits a Lodge.
A visiting District Deputy should be afforded the last opportunity to speek,
even when he is visiting unofficially. The exception would be if the Grand
Master or Deputy Grand Master were also present.
At your official visitation or inspection much more formality is
required. There is a format for receiving the District Deputy. You should ask
the acting Grand Marshal before the meeting if the District Deputy has any
changes to the format which follows:
Open your Lodge through to the point where the Jr. Deacon reports that the Lodge
is tyled and the Wor. Master has said, “I thank you Bro. Jr. Deacon.”
The Grand Marshal makes an alarm at the tyled door by * * *
raps.
W.M. “Bro. Sr. Deacon’ (rises and salutes) “you will
ascertain the cause of that alarm.”
S.D. (With Rod, goes to tyled door, gives* * * raps, opens
door and says.) “Who comes here?”
Gr. Mar. “The Acting Grand Marshal with a communication.”
S.D. (Goes behind altar, salutes and says.) W.M. the Acting
Grand Marshal awaits without with a communication.”
W.M. “Bro. Sr. Deacon you will inform the Acting Gr. Mar.
that he has permission to enter.”
S.D. (Salutes, returns to tyled door, opens it and says.)
“Bro. Or. Mar. you have permission to enter.” (Sr. Deacon remains by tyled
door.)
Thereafter, if the District Deputy presents an unofficial visit,
private grand honors should given. All past and present Grand Lodge officers
should be attending this honor at the same time.
Gr. Mar. (Goes behind altar, salutes and
says.) “Wor. Master, the R.W.D.D.G.M. of the 19th Masonic District is without
with his Suite and awaits to be admitted.”
W.M. “Bro. Grand Marshal, you will inform our R.W.D.D.G.M.
that a proper escort will await upon him.
(The Acting Gr. Mar. salutes and goes out. Sr. Deacon opens and closes door then
returns to his station.)
W.M. “Bro. Marshal, you will form an escort consisting of
the Sr. and Jr. Stewards and Sr. and Jr. Deacons and escort our R.W.D.D.G.M. and
his Suite into the lodge room.”
(Escort goes out tyled door. Marshal, Sr. and Jr. Stewards and Sr. and Jr.
Deacons form in front of the Suite.)
(Procession enters the Lodge Room, Lodge Marshal enters far enough to leave room
for Stewards and Deacons, then steps to right. Stewards enter, halt behind
Marshal, open to the right and left and cross rods. Deacons stop beside
Stewards.)
Gr Mar. ‘The R.W.D.D.GM.”
W.M. (***Rises and removes his hat)
Gr. Mar. Acting Or. Mar. forms Suite behind altar. Conducts
the D.D.G.M. behind altar, salutes and says.) “Wor. Master, it is my pleasure
to introduce R.W. Bro. James Smith, R.W.D.D.G.M. of the 25th Masonic District of
Maine.”
W.M. “Bro. Gr. Mar., you will escort the R.W.D.D.G.M. to the
East.”
(Wor. Master descends all the way to the floor. Escort breaks and go directly to
their stations, W.M. says.)
“R.W. Bro. Smith, on behalf of the officers, members and guests of — Lodge I
welcome you. Would you please face the West?”
“Brethren, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Bro. James Smith, R.W.D.D.G.M.
of the 25th Masonic District of Maine. You will with me accord him the Private
Grand Honors, taking your time from the East.”
(Private Grand Honors, due guard and sign of the three degrees, no Grand Hailing
Sign, to be given only in tyled lodge.
And now, R.W., it is my pleasure to present you the gavel of _______ Lodge that
you may continue with the introduction of your Suite.
R.W.D.D.G.M. (Continues with the introduction of the Suite and
returns the gavel to the Wor. Master.)
W.M. “R.W. Bro. Smith, I welcome you to a seat in the
East.”
W.M. gives one rap * to seat the brethren then continues with the opening of the
Lodge
NOTE: Other than the title “Most Worshipful”, there is
only one change in the foregoing for the reception of the Grand Master. When the
escort goes out the tyled door, the Senior and Junior Deacons form in the rear
of the Grand Master.
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