MASONIC FUNERAL SERVICES

The ceremonies which are observed on the occasion of funerals are performed as a melancholy Masonic duty and as a token of respect and fraternal affection to the memory of the departed brother.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. At the death of a brother the Worshipful Master may order the Lodge to be in mourning for a period of thirty days. During this time the Altar should be covered with suitable cloth of black crepe on top of which the Bible is placed. A small band of black crepe is to be tied to the head of each rod, to each of the three gavels, to the head of each column of the Wardens, to the Marshal's baton, and to the hilt of the Tyler's sword.

2. A Masonic funeral should be conducted only upon request made by the deceased brother, or at the request of his family formally made to the Master of the Lodge of which he was a member at the time of his death.

SOJOURNERS AND NON-AFFILIATE

3. In case of the death of a brother who is a member of a distant Lodge, the Lodge in whose jurisdiction he may have died may proceed, if necessary, without any formal request from the Lodge of which he was a member to conduct the Masonic Funeral Services. If there be more than one Lodge in the place, then the duty will devolve upon the oldest Lodge, unless otherwise mutually arranged.

The same instruction may apply in case of the death of a non-affiliated Mason, except that to conduct Masonic Funeral Services in such case is optional with the Lodge or Lodges in whose jurisdiction he may die.

ENTERED APPRENTICES AND FELLOW-CRAFTS

4. Entered Apprentices and Fellow-Crafts are not entitled to these obsequies, nor are they allowed to unite as Masons in the funeral of a brother.

PROHIBITION

5. No Masonic Lodge, as such, can take part in the obsequies of a person not a Mason.

MIXED PROCESSION

6. The Masonic Funeral Services should, in all respects, be conducted exclusively by the Lodge having charge, and as if none but Masons were in attendance. A Masonic Lodge should never take part in funeral services when conducted by any other organization, nor may it constitute a part of a funeral procession, or otherwise unite with the assembly; the body of the deceased must be in charge of the Lodge officiating.

WHEN COMPOSED OF SEVERAL LODGES

7. When a number of Subordinate Lodges or other Masonic bodies join in a funeral procession they will be governed by these General Instructions.

Each Lodge should have a Marshal, who will act as aid to consult with and receive instruction from the Chief Marshal, who as a rule should be the Marshal of the Lodge having charge of the Funeral and whose duty will be to assign to each Lodge or other Body a proper place in the procession. Lodges should be located in the procession in numerical order, with the oldest Lodges in the rear, provided, however, that the Lodge in charge of the Funeral should occupy the position next to and in front of the hearse.

MASTER OR PAST MASTERS

8. If the deceased was a Master or Past Master, the present Grand Officers may be invited to attend the Funeral. In case of the presence of either the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Wardens or District Deputy Grand Master, the Master of the Lodge having charge should invite the Grand Officer present, highest in rank, to conduct the Funeral Services for the Lodge. If he and the Grand Lodge Officers join in a procession, he should be the only one to wear a hat, and their places should be immediately in front of the hearse, or behind the Master of the officiating Lodge, in the order of their rank.

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

9. If the deceased was a Grand or Past Grand Lodge Officer, the Funeral should be under the charge of the Grand Lodge and the present Grand Officers should conduct the Services in the manner as prescribed herein.

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

10. If the deceased Brother was a Knight Templar, and the Commandery of which he was a member signifies to join in the Funeral Procession, it should be assigned a place immediately in advance of the Master Masons. If mutually agreeable, the Commandery may act as an escort to the Lodge.

During the Masonic Funeral Services, either at the house, Temple, or at the grave, the Knights Templar should form lines outside of the parallel to those formed by the Master Masons.

RULES GOVERNING PROCESSIONS

11. A Masonic Funeral Procession, including Rites of Interment should be governed by the discipline of the Lodge room. Therefore, utmost decorum should be observed during the march and while engaged in the Service. Conversation in the ranks, laughter and smoking should be avoided as far as possible. The brethren should neither join nor leave the lines without express permission from the Master and after the interment all should return to the Lodge room to close the Lodge.

In forming a procession the Brethren should be formed in two ranks.

In marching, the files should be five feet apart, each way, which intervals are to be carefully preserved during the march, each brother to "cover his file leader", being particular that all keep step. Musicians, if any, should always be placed at the head of the procession. The Marshal may ride or walk on the left of the procession.

During the procession all should join uncovered with the exception of the Presiding Officer, and no walking sticks should be carried.

DRESS

12. The proper dress to be worn at a Masonic Funeral is dark or white clothing, white gloves, a plain white apron, a black crepe band attached to the left arm above the elbow and a sprig of acacia on the breast.

The Master should not wear a hat during the ceremony except when marching in a procession. The Master’s gavel, the Deacon’s and Steward’s rods, the Tyler’s sword, and the Marshal’s baton should be suitably trimmed with black crepe, neatly tied with narrow white ribbon.

The officers’ aprons and jewels are not to be worn at a Masonic funeral, nor is the Grand Lodge regalia in order. This includes Present and Past Grand Lodge Officers. Present and Past Masters of Lodges, who are to be clothed in white gloves and white aprons, the same as all Brethren. A Masonic Funeral is not an occasion that calls for any parading of rank. We are engaged in the simple and dignified ceremony of burying our dead, and the white apron worn by all is simply a symbol of that equality of rank within the Craft. The white apron is the badge of a Mason and whatever we may have in the way of titles in the Craft are not to be paraded at such a time for the public eye.

In the event of the deceased being an Army or Navy man, the Apron should be placed on top of the coffin and the Flag draped over both the coffin and Apron.

The Holy Bible should be opened at the 12th Chapter of Ecclesiastes, with the square on one page and the compasses on the other, secured by a fine white cord. The Three Great Lights thus arranged should be covered or trimmed with black crepe, neatly tied with narrow white ribbon, and placed on a board or cushion covered with black material properly arranged for carrying. The Great Lights should be borne in a funeral procession by the oldest member of the Officiating Lodge, supported by the Deacons with crossed rods.

PALLBEARERS

13. The Pallbearers (usually six in number) should be appointed by the Master from members of the Fraternity with due regard to their rank and age.

In addition to the dress prescribed for the brethren (Paragraph 12) the Pallbearers should wear white scarfs resting on the right shoulder, ends crossed at the left hip, secured by a white rosette with a black center, with evergreen on the left breast and black crepe band on the left arm, above the elbow.

DUTIES OF THE MASTER

14. The Master of the Lodge having received notice of the death of a Master Mason should confer with the family of the deceased and if the family agreed that the Lodge conduct the Services, the Master should order the Secretary to notify all resident members of the time and place of Services. Neighboring Lodges and other Masonic bodies may be invited as the Master may deem proper; but the Funeral must be under the direction of the Master of the Lodge of which the deceased was a member, or which may otherwise be in charge.

DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY

15. The Secretary should prepare an “Obituary Roll”, on which should be inscribed the name, place and date of birth, date of initiation, passing and raising, or affiliation, and date of death of the deceased brother.

Only strictly Masonic matter which may be deemed appropriate or of special interest to the Lodge should be included. There should be no reference to domestic or business relations. At the proper time this roll should be read either by the Master or Secretary and later deposited in the archives of the Lodge.

The Secretary should see that sufficient supply of white gloves, clean aprons, sprigs of acacia, and other paraphernalia are in readiness. He should also see that a lambskin or white leather apron is placed on top of the coffin.

DUTIES OF THE MARSHAL

16. The Marshal appointed for the occasion should see that every brother is properly provided with white gloves, aprons, black crepe band, and evergreen. He should give the necessary instruction for forming the brethren in procession and specify the line of march.

CARRIAGES AND OTHER CONVEYANCES

17. If a procession proceeds to the cemetery for interment of the deceased in carriages or other conveyances, the brethren should as far as practicable ride in the same order as that prescribed for marching. The Pallbearers should ride next in advance of the hearse, the Marshal to ride in the front carriage. On arrival within a suitable distance from the place of interment the brethren should alight, reform the procession and march to the place of interment.

PROCEEDINGS IN THE LODGE-ROOM

18. Before the ceremony, a Lodge of Master Masons should be opened. The Master states the purpose of the meeting, calls off, and then proceeds to the place where the Service is to be held. The Lodge must be closed after the Service.

If the Service is held in the Lodge-room the public may be admitted after the opening of the Lodge.

After the Lodge has been called off, the Officers without emblems of their offices except white aprons and white gloves, form themselves outside in two columns facing the door, in the following order:

Tyler -- Marshal Sr. Steward - Jr. Steward Treasurer - Secretary Sr. Warden - Jr. Warden Sr. Deacon - Bible Bearer – Jr. Deacon Master without hat Chaplain

The Officers enter, walk abreast: the right column headed by the Marshal proceeds eastward along border of South pavement and the left column headed by the Tyler on the border of the North pavement. Both distance and stop along borders of pavement. Both columns face inward as Master walks to his station in the East, Chaplain walks along South pavement and sits on left of Master in the East. Master seats Officers.

The casket should be placed directly west of the Altar, the mourners on either side, and the Pallbearers in the West.

The position of the Officers around the casket of the deceased brother is the same as indicated at the grave side, the Master and his immediate attendants being stationed directly east of the Altar, and the Senior and Junior Wardens at the West of the casket.

When the Service in the Lodge-room is concluded the Master orders the Marshal to take charge:

The Marshal then orders the Officers and brethren to form in procession in advance of the casket lining up at the front door, the Master at the head of the casket, the mourners following the casket to the hearse. At the ground floor the Officers open ranks, Deacons and Stewards crossing their rods. After the casket is placed and the mourners are in their carriages, the procession disbands and the officers return to the Hall to close the Lodge: otherwise the Master, Officers and members may proceed to the cemetery as prescribed in these instructions.

PROCESSION

Musicians, if any Non-Masons Tyler with drawn sword Stewards with rods in carry Master Masons Treasurer and Secretary Senior and Junior Wardens Past Masters SD - Holy Writings - JD Deacons With rods interlocked over Bible Bearer Master, with hat and gavel Chaplain Pall Bearers Mourners

Upon arriving at the place of burial the members of the Lodge will form as nearly pursuant to the following diagram as conditions will permit:

  8              4                1                6              5                9

Brethren Mourners 13 7 Brethren Mourners

    13            10              2                3             11

1. Master 8. Sr. Deacon
2. Sr. Warden 9. Jr. Deacon
3. Jr. Warden 10. Holy Writings
4. Treasurer 11. Sr. Steward
5. Secretary 12. Jr. Steward
6. Chaplain 13. Tyler
7. Marshal

THE FUNERAL SERVICES (LODGE ROOM)

(After all officers are seated)

MASTER - (Rises, raps * * *) Says:

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.

Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.

INVOCATION

(All kneeling)

CHAPLAIN - (At the Altar-facing West) Says. Let us pray.

Most Gracious God, author of all good, and giver of all mercy, extend Thy blessing to us, and grant that the solemnity of this occasion may bind us yet closer in the bonds of brotherly love.

May the present instance of mortality remind us of our approaching destiny. May our affections be weaned from the things of the world and fixed more devotedly on Thee, our only safe refuge in the hour of need. And grant that when the summons shall come for us to quit the transitory scenes of earth, the light which is from above shall dispel the encircling gloom. May we go hence with faith in Thee, in full hope of a resurrection, and with charity toward all men. May we be admitted into Celestial Lodge on high, to an everlasting reunion with the souls of our departed friends and brethren.

(Chaplain says) The brethren will repeat with me.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the Kingdom, and power, and glory, forever. Amen.

(All rise, but remain standing)

MUSIC

LORD'S PRAYER

(After rendition of Music, Master seats Lodge)

MASTER - (Standing) From the time immemorial it has been the custom among the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, at the request of a brother, to accompany his remains to the place of interment, and there to deposit them with the solemn formalities of the Craft.

In conformity to this usage, and in accordance with the duty which we owe to our departed brother we have assembled in the character of Masons to offer up to his memory before the world, the last sad tribute of our affection; thereby demonstrating the sincerity of our past esteem for him and our steady attachment to the principles of our beloved Order.

(Sits down)

MUSIC

Master (Rises, raps***) The Secretary will read the sacred roll (Done)

Almighty Father! Into Thy hands we commend the soul of our beloved brother.

The brethren will assist me in giving the Grand Honors

(All give Grand Honors thrice, each action accompanied by) - The will of God is accomplished! So mote it be! Amen. (Seats Lodge)

MUSIC

MASTER - (Rises, raps***) The Officers will take their stations around the casket of our deceased brother.

(Officers proceed to their places as given in the diagram)

Once more, my brethren, have we assembled to perform the last solemn duties to the dead. The mournful notes which betoken the departure of a spirit from its earthly tabernacle have again alarmed our outer door, and another has been taken to swell the numbers in that unknown land which our brothers have gone before us.

Our brother has reached the end of life. The brittle thread which bound him to earth has been severed and the liberated spirit has winged its flight to unknown world. The silver cord is loosed: the golden bowl is broken; the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel is broken at the cistern. The dust has returned to the earth as it was; and the spirit has returned to God who gave it.

While we deplore the loss of our beloved brother, and pay this fraternal tribute to his memory, let us not forget, my brethren, that we, too, are mortal; that our bodies, now so strong and vigorous, must ere long, like his, become tenants of the narrow grave and that our spirits, too, like his, must return to the God who spake them into existence. 'Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. The almighty "fiat" has gone forth - "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return", and that we are all subject to that decree, the solemn cause of our present meeting, and the daily observation of our lives, furnish evidence not to be forgotten.

Seeing, then my brethren, that life is so uncertain, that all earthly pursuits are vain, let us no longer postpone the all-important concern of preparing for eternity, but let us embrace the present moment. While time and opportunity are offered to provide against that great change when all the pomps and pleasures of this fleeting world will call upon the sense, and the recollection of a virtuous and well spent life will yield the only comfort and consolation. Thus, we shall not, unprepared, be hurried into the presence of that all-wise and powerful Judge to whom the secrets of all hearts are known; and on the great day of reckoning we shall be ready to give a good account of our stewardship while here on earth.

With becoming reverence, then, let us supplicate the Divine Grace to insure the favor of that Eternal Being whose goodness and power knows no bounds; that, on the arrival of the momentous hour when the fading taper of human life shall faintly glimmer in the socket of existence our Faith may remove the dark shroud, draw aside the sable curtains of the tomb, and bid Hope sustain and cheer the departing spirit.

MUSIC

Our Brother has gone to the long sleep of death; and so profound will be that sleep that even the giant tread of the earthquake, shall not disturb it. There will be slumber until the Archangel's trump shall usher in that eventful morn, when by our Supreme Grand Master’s word, he will be raised to that blissful Lodge which no time can close, and which, to those worthy of admission will remain open during the boundless ages of eternity. In that Heavenly Sanctuary, the Mystic Light, unmingled with darkness, will reign unbroken and perpetual. There, amid the sunbeam smiles of Immutable Love, under the benignant bend of the All-Seeing Eye, in that Temple, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens - there, my brethren, may Almighty God, in His infinite mercy, grant that we may finally meet, to part no more.

(Marshal takes apron from casket and hands it to the Master. If in the cemetery, casket is deposited in the grave or conveyed into the vault. Master holding apron with two hands, say)

This lamb-skin apron is an emblem of innocence, and the peculiar badge of a Mason. It is more ancient than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle, and, when worthily worn more honorable than the Star and Garter, or any other Order which earthly power can confer. (Goes to casket and places it upon the coffin) By this act we are reminded of the universal dominion of Death. The arm of Friendship cannot oppose the King of Terrors; the shield of Fraternal Love cannot protect his victim; nor can the charms of Innocence avert his fatal touch. All, all must die. We are continually reminded that we, too, are mortal, and that ere long our bodies, also, shall molder into dust. How important then it is for us to know that our Redeemer Liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

(Takes acacia in the right hand and all officers and brethren do the same) This acacia, which once marked the temporary resting place of one illustrious in Masonic history, is an emblem of our enduring faith in the immortality of the soul. By it we are reminded that we have an imperishable part within us, which shall survive the grave and which will never, never die. By it we are admonished that, though like brother we too shall soon be clothed in the habiliments of death, yet, through the loving goodness of our Supreme Grand Master, we may confidently hope that, like this evergreen, our souls will hereafter flourish in eternal spring.

(Deposits acacia) We (will) consign his body to the tomb.

(Places right hand over his heart) We cherish his memory here.

(Raise right hand above head and pointing upward) We commend his spirit to God.

(After Master, resumes original position, Officers and brethren, headed by the Marshal, deposit the evergreen. During the procession the Pleyel’s Hymn or some other appropriate hymn should be played or sung.)

Having resumed their original positions, the Master proceeds with the service:

Unto its final resting place we (will) consign the (body) (remains) of our deceased brother - earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust - there to remain until the last trump shall sound on the resurrection morn. We can trustingly leave him in the hands of a beneficent Being who has done all things well, who is glorious in His Holiness, wondrous in His Power, and boundless in His Goodness; and it should only be our endeavor so to improve the solemn warning now before us, that, the great day of account, we too may be found worthy to inherit the kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world.

We extend to the bereaved family, relatives and friends of our departed brother our sincere sympathy in this hour of sorrow, and we pray that "He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb" will give them His divine comfort and consolation, and that they may be brought to realize that the spirit of our brother is happy in his Father's House, where "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away."

CHAPLAIN - (Kneeling at the Altar, facing West)

Almighty and Eternal God in whom we live, and move, and have our being - and before whom all men must appear at the Judgement day to render an account of their deeds while in this life we, who are daily exposed to the flying shafts of death do most humbly beseech Thee to impress deeply on our minds the solemnities of this day, and to grant that their remembrance may be the means of turning our thoughts from the fleeting vanities of the present world, to the lasting glories of the world to come. Let us continually be reminded of the frail tenure by which we hold our earthly existence; that in the midst of life we are in death; and that however upright may have been our walk, and however square our conduct, we must all submit as victims to the great destroyer, and endure the humbling level of the tomb. Grant us Thy divine assistance, most merciful God, to redeem our misspent time, and, in the discharge of the important duties which Thou hast assigned us in the erection of our moral edifice give unto us wisdom to direct us, strength to support us, and the beauty of holiness to adorn our labors and render them acceptable in Thy sight. And, when our work on earth is done, and our bodies shall go down to mingle with their kindred dust, may our immortal souls, free from their cumbrous clay, be received into Thy keeping, to rest forever in that spiritual house, not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. Amen. (Returns to place)

(Response) So mote it be.

(Master approaches the head of the grave or the casket and stretches forth his right hand at a 45 degrees angle):

MASTER - Soft and safe to thee, my brother, be thy earthly bed! Bright and glorious be thy rising from it! Fragrant be the acacia sprig that there shall flourish! May the earliest buds of spring unfold their beauties o'er thy resting place, and there may the sweetness of the summer's last rose linger longest! Though the cold blasts of Autumn may lay them in the dust, and for a time destroy the loveliness of their existence, yet the destruction is not final, and in the spring time they shall surely bloom again. So in the bright morning of the world's resurrection, though the mortal frame be now laid in the dust by the chilling blast of death, thy spirit shall spring into newness of life and expand in immortal beauty, in realms beyond the skies. Until then, dear brother, until then, farewell! (Returns to his place)

BENEDICTION

(Chaplain at the Altar, facing West, right hand stretched forth at a 45 degrees angle)

The Lord bless us and keep us! The Lord make His face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us! The Lord lift upon us the light of His countenance and give us peace! Amen.

(Response) Amen. So mote it be!

SONG

“Nearer, My God to Thee”

(Master returns to his station in the East and seats the Officers)

EULOGIES

MASTER - The Marshal will now take charge.

(The casket is closed. Marshal forms the procession to accompany the casket to the hearse. The Master, officers and members may proceed to the cemetery, where ritual is completed. Here, Master approaches the head of the tomb and stretching forth his right hand, says - “Soft and safe to thee, my brother,” etc. followed by the benediction.)

If interment is to be deferred the ceremony and benediction are concluded in the Lodge-room.