The Senior Warden

Of all the appointments to an office which is in the power of a newly installed Worshipful Master  to make, there is none more important than that of the Senior Warden. The choice of the Worshipful Master’s successor, a position of great dignity and grave duties, is one that demands most careful consideration and that  should not be made lightly.

The elevation of a Brother to the position of second officer in the Lodge, should not, as is too frequently the case, depend upon mere  rota that is not accompanied by any evidence of zeal and earnestness in the attainment  of proficiency for command  and ability to teach.

The first duty to the Craft that the Master of a Lodge must faithfully and efficiently discharge is to  determine  where merit should receive promotion and he  must have the courage to exert such judgement in the best interest of the Lodge,  despite  any supposed rights  by service in subordinate capacities.

The Senior Warden is the selection of one individual to whom  the Brethren have  entrusted a power which may  make or break  their future prospects; and the Brother who looks  to be the object of the Worshipful Master’s choice should take care that he has fully qualified  himself in every respect for the promotion he desires and is able to be truly that Pillar of Strength to the Lodge which is required in the West.

If the Senior warden ,during his service in the less important offices of the Lodge, has negligently omitted to make the requisite progress, and given reasonable cause for doubting his efficiency; he ought not to be either surprised or annoyed  if he is barred from further advancement.

He will have failed to reap because he had not sown and to complain of the  result of his negligence  as an injustice done to him, would but proclaim that, in his opinion, his self-aggrandisement  was much more important than the best interest of Freemasonry.

We have spoken of the Senior Warden as the Pillar of Strength, the second of the Three Great Pillars which support the Lodge. His prototype is Hiram, King of Tyre,  who so effectively supported King Solomon in providing materials for the building of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. His symbol is the Doric Column of  Architecture, strong and massive (…) ; the Senior Warden’s duty is to support the authority of the Worshipful Master,  to facilitate his designs and to see that his commands are carried into full and permanent effect.

In the compelling absence or incapacity of the Worshipful Master , the Senior Warden has the supreme authority over the affairs of the Lodge with the exception of  the initiation of Candidates or the conferring of Degrees.  It was a former custom in FM  that, failing the presence of the WM , his authority  reverted to the IPM or Senior Past Master then attending the Lodge. But it should not be forgotten that the Warrant of Constitution is granted to the Master and Wardens  and their successors in office and not to the members of a Lodge; and that therefore the Lodge cannot be legally congregated without the authority of at least one of these officers. We may however say that in cases where the Warden is himself an Installed Master, he can perform all ceremonies and discharge all duties ordinarily devolving on the Master. But it is generally out of respect  and courtesy,  for that officer to resign the Chair to a PM of the Lodge who, however, derives his authority from the Wardens.  In the unlikely contingency that all three principal  officers are absent, the Constitution of the Order (Sec. 141) provide for the exercise of the necessary powers for congregating the Lodge and conducting the ceremonies and business, by a subscribing Past Master of the Lodge who is present in the Lodge at the time.

In view of the foregoing, it is not too much to say that the necessary qualifications of a Brother for the office of SW do not fall far short  of those which should be absolutely possessed by the WM.

The Senior Warden should be perfect in ritual and ceremonial so  “that the Brethren may not suffer from want of proper instruction,” and should be well acquainted with the laws and constitution of the order, “that he may be enabled to induce the Brethren to hold our ancient usages and customs in veneration”.

All the Senior Warden’s attainments should be directed to the support of the Master, whether it be to assist him in some portions of his ceremonial labours or in obtaining a thorough knowledge of the ability of those concerned in the work and over whom he may,  if found worthy,  in his turn be called upon to rule.

An old charge to Wardens calls upon them to be careful to instruct those whom the Master may place under their care, “neither to palliate nor aggravate their offences, but, in all cases, to judge with candour, admonish with friendship and reprehend with mercy”.

In former days  the Senior Warden doubtless had more power, more to do with the work than at present seems to be granted to him in many Lodges. In some , however, the laudable practice of permitting the Wardens to share the WM’s work – and some of the addresses, explanations of the working tools and charges – by delivering them from their respective pedestals, afford the Brethren a pleasing variation and to the Master himself some sorely relief. But above all to those who are qualifying for the Chair of KS, it offers incitement to a perfect understanding of our symbols and allegories and a confidence which, in the higher  station, will be found  of inestimable advantage.

The jewel of the office of the Senior Warden is the Level, the symbol of EQUALITY ,which demonstrates our common origin as members of the same human family, “partaking of the same nature an sharing in the same hope”.

The Senior Warden’s support to the Worshipful Master (…) should be effective and made of a regularity of attendance as  well as of  supervision.  His presence is required both at the rising and the setting of the sun so that a full day’s labour may be the result.

Most of the Senior Warden’s other duties  are in the ritual of the Order itself , with which he should make himself fully acquainted.

From The Masonic Star, August1888

If you are or have been a Lodge Master and agree with  this article, feel free to circulate it among your Lodge members.