Installation thoughts

My Lodge installed our officers a couple weeks ago making me a Marshal this year. Our Newly elected WM who was our acting WM for the previous year and did a wonderful job of filling the shoes on no notice was installed as his Shriner Clown character. Just the make up and wig, he still wore the tuxedo. Last night we had the GL entourage show up. It was originally a scheduled visit from them, but turned into a visit for a different reason.

The situation ended up being that the GM was not happy with our WM being installed with the Clown makeup on. He said he wasn't asked first(which he says he would have said no), but then said it was because of the picture in our Tresleboard with no explaination of why there was a clown in it.

He was very surprised that every officer and lodge member stood up for our WM, and he did mention this.

I don't agree with his first reasoning about not asking him, but I do see the second. I suggested going into the online TrestleBoard and putting in a paragraph explaining the Shriner Clown, the reasons for it and how it is linked to Freemasonry. I think it could be a good thing and not a bad.

Any Thoughts?

I see your point. He is very involved with the Shriner Clowns. Does partys and parades and special events. He is very good people and everyone that was there for the semi-public installation understood the reason of the clown makeup. It is what he is and how he is. He is bringing change into our lodge( long over due). Making it more family and social oriented. I didn't anything bad of it.

Shriners are an appendent body of Blue Lodge.

From your Grand Master's point of view -- any time something is done in Blue Lodge, I can speak only for Nebraska (ie. installing an elected officer out of time, or installing a clown character as Master) that goes against the way things are traditionally done - permission is supposed to be first obtained from him to do this. He, as GM has the right to refuse said permission. This installation was completed, and then pictures were posted on a public website. He may have felt that this was a "slap in the face" of his reign as GM and felt that it was necessary to visit your lodge and find out why proper procedure was not followed.


IMHO -- I also wonder why your Master thought it necessary to dress as his Shrine clown character in Blue Lodge for Officer Installation. Is he going to attend every regular and special communication as this Shrine Clown? By all rights it was his clown character that was installed as Master not the un-made-up man.

I fully understand your GM being upset, I also understand your point of view.

I think it insults the position of Master, the tradition of the installation and the GM.

Shriners are indeed an appendent body of Blue Lodge, but, the top tier of Blue Lodge Masonary is the Master Mason not Shriners. I feel the decorum of the Master Mason Lodge should be followed and that Shriner decorum should be "left" in the Shriner Lodge. Indeed, I doubt that all of the MM's in the lodge during the installation where Shriners so it may have also been an insult to them and thier tenents as MM's.

I am not a Shriner but am working my way there through the various rites so I really cannot say what is and is not Shriner decorum.

Dave

@Dave, you only have to be a MM to join the shrine.

The lodge is not the shrine and he should not been in clown face. We are on the level in life. Dressing as a clown puts him different than the rest.

I can understand the GM POV..... this was a Lodge Event and not a Shrine Event. I do also understand the ideas of the WM...just bad timing thats all.....I dont believe he did it maliciously.

AND FYI....according to the Shrine International....they are NOT an appendant body...they are totally independent and a sovereign entity. Being an "appendant" body would put them under the governance of the Grand Lodge in each state and subject to various rules and regulations. ( Freemasons For Dummies: Special Order Issued by Shriners in Arkansas Battle )

Correct...."INDEPENDENT" is the optimal word..... I believe the Shrine International is attempting to make that word clear....

Erk. The system just ate a very nice reply I had written. Oh, well, here we go again ...

And the Grand Lodges of more than one state are making it equally clear that the Shrine IS an appendent organization, not an independent one. As long as a Grand Master may declare the Shrine clandestine and the membership of the Shrine comes exclusively from the Blue Lodge, then the Shrine is not, and cannot be, an independent organization. Pure and simple. I know that Shrine International doesn't like this much, but it is the simple truth.

Now, back to the thread of this discussion, already in progress ... For a new Master (or an old one) to appear at an installation in the character of a clown is simply inappropriate. An installation of officers is a solemn event and one where we present the 'face of Freemasonry' to the public. And particularly in light of the Shrine's claim to 'independence', well ... you know what I have to say about that.

I can see everyone point. I recently found out our GM doesn't like ANY appendant bodies, and thought maybe that was the reason. One thought that did cross my mine is yes, we installed the Clown, so does the Clown have to run the ship. It was all done with taste and professional(with exception of makeup and wig), but I now see the bigger picture of everyone outside of our Lodge. Inside we agree and was enjoyable. Outside it doesn't look like the seriousness we want to portray.

This goes back to a video I saw on another forum for a Lodge that I didn't agree with. From inside the video is great, but from an outsider it was a little overboard and I would have understood it differently.

Thank you everyone for your input.

It's not the outward appearance, but the mason inside that counts. Except for the things that tick off the GM

Well apparently our secretary recieved over 50 emails from Lodges all over in our favor about it. Plus Kudos how our enter officer line stood up and spoke in favor of our WM. It was also said that it was the first time the GM had lost control of the floor(and that was by one of his entourage guys) All in all I think it was handled well by our Lodge members.

I know this thread is a little old, but I've been reading a lot of the ones I have missed because of my hectic work schedule and I couldnt resist posting in this one.

First, wearing his Shrine clownface for his installation? It's just as appropriate as wearing his fez for installation. It's NOT. That's great that he is active in the Shrine as well as his Craft Lodge. I applaud his obvious dedication the the Order. His judgement is a little lacking though.

Second, I think the Shrine does great work. But I also hope they love their independence so much that they truly become the separate organization they want to be. They have to learn that the tail does not wag the dog.

I agree with a few of the other Brothers here that wearing a wig and make up is absolutely inappropriate. I am also surprised that you feel you members handled it well. As Masons, we are charged "to correct the irregularities of your less informed Brethren"...not support them in their misbehavior. The WM made a mistake. As such, he should have simply apologized and left it at that. Arguing the propriety of it with the GM brings nothing positive to the situation.

A Lodge is a place for the practice of Masonry and Masons should behave accordingly.

S&F,

Jason