Page 33 - MFM Nov Dec 2021

Investigating Committee. I do not mean to insert with Freemasons everywhere in the world. Each
myself into a debate on one of your Resolutions. visitation he subsequently makes, in any Lodge in
Please understand that is none of my business, the world, will be as a member and representative
and I do not wish to do that with my remarks. of YOUR Lodge. He should, therefore, be the type
In my Lodge, we have conducted a background of man of whom you can be proud and honored
investigation through the National Criminal to have represent you and your Lodge.
History Center since I became a Mason and for
many years prior to that. No man has become In conclusion, Brethren, I suggest to you that
a member of our Lodge without underground there is no right to be a Freemason, just as there
a Criminal History check. To my knowledge, is no absolute right to receive a great many of
no man has ever become a member of Lodge the benefits and blessings that this nation has to
who has been convicted of a Felony. Before our offer. Like everything else in life, Freemasonry is
Grand Lodge this Session, a Resolution would something which must be earned, and we earn
absolutely prohibit anyone convicted of a Felony it, each one of us, each day, by living our lives in
from becoming a member of the Grand Lodge of accordance with our Obligations and Masonic
Wyoming. My Brethren, I submit to you that this principles and values to which each of us has
is consistent with our principles: we are not in the committed our lives. We can expect no less of
business of rehabilitating bad men. each and every petitioner for membership in “the
world’s oldest, the world’s largest, the world’s
We are not in the business of celebrating most prestigious, and hopefully, once again, the
mediocrity. We are not in the business of world’s most powerful Fraternity.” Thank you, my
overlooking transgressions, except in the case Brethren.
of non-members who we seek to assist. I have
conducted several Masonic “education programs”
on Investigating Committees. One of the things
that I’d like to do is to give you a sense of Walter
Wangart’s impressions of “responsibility” of the
investigating committee when reviewing the
Petition of a new member. “When the Master of a
Lodge hands or sends one of its members a Petition
to be investigated, he is saying in substance to that
member, ‘You know the type of man the Masonic
Fraternity accepts. The sponsors on this petition
say the applicant qualifies; now, I want YOUR
opinion.’” From there on, it becomes a matter for
that member, acting not only as a member of that
Lodge but also as a representative of the entire
Masonic Fraternity to investigate the petitioner as
sincerely and honestly as he is capable of doing.

In the business world, you often hear good men
referred to as, “A man who’s word is as good
as his bond,” or, “A man who does business on
the square.” This, then, is the type of man the
investigator hopes the applicant will be; when this
type of man approaches Masonry with a petition,
Masonry is interested. It is important to remember
that it is not just your Lodge. Some of us are inclined
to feel; we are just considering an application for
membership in our own Lodge. That we know the
two sponsors, and they would not recommend
anyone who was not qualified. But this is only
partially true. You are actually considering a man
for worldwide Masonic membership. This, in turn,
will give him the opportunity to visit and associate

Montana Freemason Page 33 Nov/Dec Volume 97 No.5