The SECRETARY is required ‘to attend to the correspondence and other business of the Lodge, keep a faithful record of its proceedings, and make the necessary returns to the next Superior Lodge’. He must ‘keep regular, and preserve, the papers, books, seals, and other property of the Lodge entrusted to your care, having them at all times ready to produce or hand over to the proper or legal authorities, and that you will prepare and make all returns required by the Laws of the Institution or other proper authority’.
The TREASURER is required ‘to collect diligently all payments to be made, and accurately account for all monies which shall come into your hands on account of, or for the use of, the Lodge, and to submit an annual financial statement duly audited by those apointed by the Lodge’.
The CHAPLAIN (preferably a clergyman) promises ‘to discharge the duties of this office with due solemnity and decorum’. He is given ‘this most precious Holy Bible – the very Word of the great I AM – on which the principles of the Order are surely founded, and for the purity of which many saints died at the stake. Also this Ritual, which contains the prayers and a list of those portions of Holy Writ to be read at our meetings for edification and guidance of all.’ His attention is drawn to specific portions of scripture and prayers to be read at the initiation, ‘so that candidates entering our ancient and illustrious Order may know that they are being received into a Brotherhood whose profession of Faith, Hope and Love is well and surely founded’.
The LECTURERS instruct ‘candidates for initiation into our Loyal Institution and confer upon them the two Orders [Degrees] laid down by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland’.
The CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE, ‘a brother of experience and sound judgment’, whose brethren ‘repose great confidence in him’, is the convenor. ‘Always act in your Lodge, or Committee, so as to merit the confidence reposed in you by the members’, which includes when required performing the duties of master and ‘in all cases which shall come before you in Committee to act with fidelity and impartiality, without favour, affection, or personal ill-will to any person.’
The OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE are required to show ‘sound judgment and strict impartiality between brother and brother … to discharge the duties of Master’ when required, and in cases coming before the committee ‘to act with fidelity and impartiality, without fear, affection, or personal dislike to any man’.
The TYLER guards the inside door ‘while the Lodge is sitting; to receive and announce members and visiting brethren; to see that none enter or pass without permission from the chair; and that all wear the colours to which they are entitled’. The ‘honour of the Institution should be your aim, and the safety of the portal of the Lodge room your ever constant care’. It is to the tyler that the password* has to be given. ‘We have a pompous idiot of a tyler in my lodge,’ observed one Orangeman. ‘He’s known me for twenty years, but when I turned up having forgotten the password, he wouldn’t let me in. I had to wait for someone else to arrive who told me what it was so I could solemnly tell it to the tyler.’
The first four officers are given a badge (a special collarette) and a sign of office (e.g. gavel, pen) and ushered to a special chair; the chaplain has a special chair too and is given a collar of office; the lecturers are given regalia; the chairman of committee is given a badge and the members of the committee a badge and sign of office; the tyler gets a badge and sign and is conducted to his post.
You start out as a member of a private lodge, and can then progress up through district and county to Grand Lodge. If you are one of those people who immerse themselves in the institution, you could hold four offices simultaneously, say as Worshipful Master of your private lodge, district secretary, county grand treasurer and deputy Grand Master.
There are very few Orangemen who don’t think the Order is top-heavy with chiefs, but that is part of the fun. It means that almost anyone can acquire a title which makes him a man of some consequence.
The official Order of Business at a lodge meeting is as follows:
1. The chair to be taken by the superior or senior officer present.
2. The deputy chair by the next in order.
Here is a typical ritualized exchange:
WORSHIPFUL MASTER: Bro. Deputy Master, what is the first duty of Bro. Orangemen when opening a Lodge?
DEPUTY MASTER: To see that the Lodge is Tyled, and that all present are in good standing and entitled to remain.
WORSHIPFUL MASTER: See the duty performed.
DEPUTY MASTER: Bro. Inside Tyler, see that the Lodge is Tyled.
3. A Tyler, or Tylers, to be appointed to keep the door.
4. A Steward, or Stewards, to preserve order.
5. The opening prayer to be read by the [clerical] Chaplain (if present), the brethren standing.
Gracious and Almighty God, Who in all ages hast shown Thy Almighty power in protecting righteous Sovereigns and States, we yield Thee hearty thanks for the merciful preservation of Thy true religion, hitherto, against the designs of its enemies.
We praise Thee for raising up for our deliverance from tyranny and arbitrary power, Thy servant, King William III, Prince of Orange; and we beseech Thee, for Thy honour and Thy Name’s sake, for ever to frustrate all the designs of wicked men against Thy holy religion, and not to suffer its enemies to triumph; defeat their counsels, abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices.
Deliver, we pray Thee, the members of the Church of Rome from error and false doctrine, and lead them to the truth of that Holy Word which is able to make them wise unto salvation. Grant, O Lord, that Thy Holy Spirit may guide and direct our deliberations, so that in all our words and works we may glorify Thy Holy Name.
We beseech Thee to bless every member of the Orange Institution with all Christian virtues. Bless us with brotherly love and loyalty. Take away everything that may hinder our godly union and concord, so that we may henceforth be of one heart and of one soul united in holy bonds of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This is followed by the Lord’s Prayer.
6. A portion of Scripture to be read, the brethren standing.
7. Proceedings of last meeting to be read and confirmed.
8. General qualifications to be read.
9. Admission of candidates of last meeting.
10. Preliminary communications to be read or made.
11. Dues and payments to be collected.
12. Appeals relating to election to be heard and decided.
13. Election of officers.
14. Letters and other communications (if any) to be read.
15. Business arising out of either of the latter.
16. Election of candidates according to 2nd and 3rd Law.
17. Appeals (not against elections) to be heard and disposed of.
18. Reports from inferior Lodges to be heard and decided.
19. General business to be transacted.
20. Names of candidates for next meeting to be read.
21. The closing prayer to be read in the same manner as the opening one.
AT MEETINGS FOR ELECTIONS
NOTE: Articles 8, 9, 16 and 20 to be observed in Private Lodges only; Articles 12, 17 and 18 to be observed