chodapp
New Member
Memberships in multiple jurisdictions open a massive can of jurisprudencial worms when rules and edicts come into conflict with each other. Interestingly, the GL of West Virginia is one of few mainstream North American GLs that prohibit multiple memberships of any kind, either in their state, or outside of it. If you are a WV snowbird who has a vacation home in Florida, for example, you can visit Florida lodges all you like, but the GL of WV won't allow you to be a dual member. Demitting from WV is your only choice.
They go further and still have a rule that says in WV if you want to become a Mason, you are required to join the lodge that is geographically closest to your home. Never mind if your friends, co-workers or dad belong to a farther lodge. This was common a century ago in many GLs across the US, but was almost universally dropped with the advent of greater, faster and more convenient mobility, when we all stopped walking to the neighborhood lodge.
Many PHA GLs also enforce the "no dual memberships" rule, and the motto I have heard repeatedly is, "No man can serve more than one Master."
It's bad for the man who wants to keep membership in his original Mother lodge, but wants to support his favorite one in a different city or state. But it does eliminate the sticky situation of conflicting GL rules and edicts running up against a dual member's conscience.
They go further and still have a rule that says in WV if you want to become a Mason, you are required to join the lodge that is geographically closest to your home. Never mind if your friends, co-workers or dad belong to a farther lodge. This was common a century ago in many GLs across the US, but was almost universally dropped with the advent of greater, faster and more convenient mobility, when we all stopped walking to the neighborhood lodge.
Many PHA GLs also enforce the "no dual memberships" rule, and the motto I have heard repeatedly is, "No man can serve more than one Master."
It's bad for the man who wants to keep membership in his original Mother lodge, but wants to support his favorite one in a different city or state. But it does eliminate the sticky situation of conflicting GL rules and edicts running up against a dual member's conscience.