Wearing of Chains in Private Lodges (Extracts from the Paper of Business - 13 December 2006)

It has come to the notice of the Board that there exists a measure of misunderstanding of the Rules in the Book of Constitutions relating to the occasions on which chains may be worn.

Rules 255 and 256 require a Metropolitan, Provincial or District Grand Master, his Deputy and Assistants (if any) to wear chains in the Grand Lodge; at great ceremonials and consecrations, and on other special occasions authorised by the Grand Master; in any Metropolitan, Provincial or District Grand Lodge; and when officially present at any Lodge of his Metropolitan Area, Province or District.  A Metropolitan Group Chairman must wear a chain on similar occasions, except that the only Private Lodges at which he can be officially present are those of his own particular Group.  Rules 257 and 260 provide that any such Brother, unless required by Rule 255 or 256 to wear a chain, must wear a collar.

The Board is of the opinion that on major ceremonial occasions, including meetings of Grand Lodge and Metropolitan, Provincial and District Grand Lodges, a chain indicates the status of its wearer within the Craft as a whole, whereas the wearing of a chain on an ordinary occasion in a Private Lodge is an assertion of the authority over that Lodge of the Brother who wears it.  It therefore follows that only a Brother who is entitled to preside in a Lodge in accordance with Rule 122 of the Book of Constitutions may properly wear a chain.  The Board is, however, aware that it is not uncommon for a Provincial Grand Master, if aware that another Provincial Grand Master (or a Deputy or Assistant Provincial Grand Master) is due to visit a Lodge of his Province, to issue an invitation to the visitor to wear his chain, perhaps in the belief that this is a pleasant courtesy between Provinces.

The Board, for the reason already given, is in no doubt that the practice, however well intentioned, is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the significance to be attached to the wearing of a chain.  Moreover, in view of the mandatory wording of Rules 257 and 260, no Brother, however senior has the power to override those Rules and grant what is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a “dispensation” to another to wear a chain when the Rules clearly require him to wear a collar.

It also happens from time to time that a Lodge meets by dispensation at a venue that falls within a different Province from that to which the Lodge belongs.  By granting the dispensation the Provincial Grand Master having jurisdiction over the particular location has ceded his rights over it, and it has thereupon become temporarily a part of the Province to which the Lodge belongs.  He is therefore not entitled to wear his chain if he attends that Lodge, which although meeting in his Province is not a Lodge of his Province within the scope of Rules 255 and 256.

The Board, having clarified the effect of the relevant Rules in the Book of Constitutions, accordingly trusts that in future Brethren will observe the requirements of the Rules.

Bro Wilson, in introducing the Board's Report at the Quarterly Communication (13 December 2006), added:

Paragraphs 3.14 to 3.19 set out the effect of Rules 255 and 256 which govern the wearing of Chains. Since the Paper of Business was published it has been represented to me that there may be uncertainty on the part of some Brethren of the position when a Provincial or District Grand Master attends officially at a private Lodge in his Province or District wearing his Chain and accompanied by his Deputy and/or one or more of his Assistant Provincial or District Grand Masters. For clarity, I wish to state that in such circumstances it is proper for the accompanying Deputy or Assistants likewise to wear their Chains. The same applies if it is the Deputy or another Assistant who is the senior officer attending.

The Pro Grand Master wishes these rules to be observed. However, it is his intention to recommend to the Grand Master that a Provincial or District Grand Master may extend the courtesy of wearing his Chain to any other Provincial or District Grand Master who may be visiting a lodge of his Province, but not to any visiting Deputy or Assistant Provincial or Deputy or Assistant District Grand Master, and the Board will consider whether it is necessary to bring forward a new Rule to give effect to this.

The same rules apply in a similar fashion to any Metropolitan Area.