

BALLOTING

BY:

PHILIP J. KENDAL P.G.M

GRAND LODGE OF ALBERTA

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	It is my privilege to speak to you for a short time this evening about one of the most important duties that members of our Order have to perform while attending a lodge; I refer to balloting.  Doubtless many will recall instances when there has been some dissatisfaction with the result of a ballot, principally because the ballot resulted in the rejection of one seeking the privilege of membership in Freemasonry.
	One cannot but sympathize with the feelings of personal friends when an applicant is rejected and sympathize as well, with the rejected petitioner especially when it is difficult to understand the reason behind such ejection.
	One of the safeguards of Freemasonry, however, is that no man can join the Order except by unanimous or nearly unanimous favourable secret ballot and nothing should be permitted to interfere with that almost unique safeguard, nor should members at anytime be intimidated in the free exercise of their balloting privilege.  If the standards fro admission of candidates are too far relaxed, membership in the Fraternity would come to mean little, indeed, but if on the other hand the standards can be shown to be too rigid, membership increases could be so seriously affected that Freemasonry with all its possibilities for good, might soon die out.  The same strangulation could occur if a mere handful of members were to so misuse their poser and so keep out all petitioners.
	Balloting is a serious responsibility; let us make sure that we take heed of its properly intended exercise.  In the first place we must remember that we are living in a world peopled exclusively with imperfect people, none being perfect.  Moreover, the Fraternity seeks not to condemn, but to help humanity, and anything that we may do to that end is good Freemasonry.
	 In all Jurisdictions in Canada the ballot is secretly taken on an applicant, that is, with no Brother knowing how another may vote.  In most Jurisdictions it is an infraction of law, in all it is a serious infraction of masonic ethics -- to endeavour to ascertain how another Brother will vote, or has voted on an applicant or to disclose how he voted or will vote.
	The secrecy of the ballot and the universal requirement in this Grand Jurisdiction that a ballot be unanimous or that no more than one black ball or cube has been cast, depending on the by-laws of the particular Lodge; these are two of the greatest bulwarks of the Fraternity.
	"Harmony being the strength and support of all well regulated institutions especially this of ours."  This phrase or one similar is familiar to all Masons.  Harmony - oneness of mind, effort, ideas and ideals -- is one of the foundations of Freemasonry.  Anything which interferes with harmony by so much hurts the Institution.  Therefore it is essential that Lodges have a harmonious membership; that no man be admitted to the Masonic home of any Brother against his will.
 	For this reason it is required that the names of applicants to a Lodge be set before the entire membership prior to a vote, that all may know that John Smith is to be balloted upon; that any who think him unfit timber for the Lodge, or who have personal objections to entering into the sacred relationship of brotherhood with him may have the opportunity to say "No".
	The power thus put into the hands of the individual Master Mason is very great.  No officer, not event the Grand Master may inquire how we vote or why we voted as we did.  No Grand Master has the power to set aside the black cubes we cast.  In Alberta, in most cases if two black cubes are cast, it requires the ballot to be taken again immediately, to avoid the possibility of a mistake.  If two black cubes reappear a second time the applicant is rejected.
	The rejection of an application does more than merely prevent the applicant from being given the degrees.  He may not again apply even to the Lodge which rejected him until after a certain statutory period -- of at least one full year, or by disposition by the G.M.   When his application is again received and brought up for ballot, the fact that he previously applied and was rejected must be stated to the lodge. 
	The Brother who casts a ballot then, upon an applicant, wields tremendous power.  Like most power, it can e used well or ill.  It may work harm, or good, not only upon whom it is used, but to him who uses it.  Unlike many great powers put into the hands of men, however, this one is not subject to review or control by any human agency.  No king, prince, potentate, no law, custom, or regulation; no Masonic Brother or officer can interfere with the individual's use of his power. 
	For no one knows who use the black cube; no one knows why one is cast.  The individual Brother and his God alone know.
	The black ball or cube is not a dagger for cowards use with which to even up an old score.  It is not a brush with which to besmirch the character of one who may hold different views from you.  A blackball or cube is a fraternity shield to protect to individuals but the fraternity from those who would injure it.  It should never be cast with a prejudiced mind or selfish thought.
	A Grand Master once said: "A community is better off without a Masonic Lodge than with one which stamps as unworthy a petitioner for any other than a truly Masonic reason.
	The very absence of any responsibility to man or authority is one of the reasons why the power should be used with intelligence, and only when, after solemn self inquiry the reason behind its use is found to be Masonic.
	Anyone can think of a hundred reasons why black cubes or black balls are cast.  Our neighbor applies for the degrees.  Outwardly he is an honest man of good character, bearing a good reputation.  However, we have heard him quarreling with his wife.  We are morally sure he struck her.  We can't prove it; the poor woman never said anything about it; she suffered the blow in silence rather than endure the agony of publicity.  It is not for us to have him arrested as a wife beater if his wife can stand him!  But we don't want a coward, a bully, in our Lodge.  Naturally and most Brethren will say we cost the black cube properly.
	Our office associate wants to be a Mason.  He applies to our Lodge.  As far as the investigating Committee can ascertain he is a good man, pays his debts, is a church member and a hard worker.  But we have heard him repeat to us and to others, matters which we know were given to him in confidence.  We have learned to distrust his discretion.  We don't believe that a promise means much to him.  It may be, of course, that a Masonic Obligation would be kept.  But we are not sure.  Naturally, we vote against him.
	Some men, otherwise "good and true" are ill nature, violent tempered, and disagreeable.  To admit them to our Lodge might destroy its harmony of spirit.  Others are vain and boastful, self seeking, apt to bend every agency in which they come in contact to their own ends.  We do not believe such a man will be an asset to our Lodge.  We keep him out.
	A certain man is our personal enemy.  The quarrel between us may have nothing to do with right and wrong; it may be the result merely of a life time of antagonism.  He applies to our Lodge.  Our lodge is our Masonic home.  We would not want this man in our family home; we do not think we will be happy with him in our Masonic home.  It is our privilege to keep him out.
	These and thousand other good reasons are all proper of the casting in of a negative ballot.  If the lodge might suffer, if we might suffer, if we know that our absent Brother would suffer from the applicant being elected.  We have the best of reasons for seeing that he is rejected.  Such use of our power is proper, Masonic, ethical, wise, and just.
	There is also another side of the coin.  Unfortunately, no hard and fast rules can be laid down.  There is no way to explain, "this is a good reason, but that is not a good reason" for casting a black cube.  Each of us has to judge the reason for himself.  Yet some suggestions may be given. 
	The case of a man we dislike.  He has different ideas than ours.  He belongs to a different "set".  H is not the type we admire.  Our dislike does not amount to hatred, nor is it predicated upon any evil in the man's character.  H and we are antipathetic; (instinctively adverse); we rub each other the wrong way.  When he applies to our Lodge we must decide this question: will the unpleasantness to us in having him as a member be greater than the good to him which may come from his reception of the Masonic teachings?  Are we sure that we cannot accept him as a Brother merely because we "have never liked him"?
	Another case in hand is the manager of the Bank, who turns down Johnson's application for a second mortgage.  Johnson takes the matter personal  He has it in for the manager.  The manager applies for the degrees. Someone casts black cubes (2) in Alberta. it may and may not be Johnson.  We don't know.  But perhaps later we hear Johnson's boast, "I got even with the son of a gun -- who turned down my Loan!"  H doesn't say how he "got even" of course, but we are pretty sure we know.
	Such a use of the Ballot is, of course, utterly un-masonic.  it is misuse of a great power.  As well turn down the Minister of the Baptist Church because he doesn't agree with our minister who is a Methodist!  As well turn down the automobile dealer because he refuse to give us a larger allowance on our old car.  Turning the black ball or cube into a secret dagger for personal revenge is indefensible.
	Freemasonry works some curious miracles.  A self made man applied five times for the degrees in a certain Lodge.  The man was rather ignorant, yet a commercial success.  He had, literally raised himself by his bootstraps from the poverty of the streets to a business position of some prominence.  Yet he was rather raw, rough, and ready, even uncouth.  No shadow of personal unworthiness rested upon him; he was honest, upright, a good citizen.   In this Lodge a certain Past Master as was discovered in after years, voted four times against the applicant.  The Past Master left the city.  On the fifth application the petitioner was elected.  Something in Masonry took hold of his heart.  Throughout Masonry he was led to a acquire some of the education he lacked.  Through Masonry he was led into the Church.  In time he made such a reputation for himself as a Mason that he was put into the line of Officers and finally achieved the solemn distinction of being made Master of his Lodge.  He is still regarded as one of the best, most constructive and ablest Masters that Lodge has ever had.
	In the course of ten or twelve years the absent Past Master returned.  In the light of history he confessed, (which strictly speaking he should not have done) that it was he who had kept this man out for what he really believed were good reasons.  He though the "roughneck" would detract from the dignity and honour of the Fraternity.  Yet this same "rough neck", through Masonry became educated, a good churchman, a fine Mason and an excellent Officer.  
	Had the Past Master whose black cubes were cast with honest intention to benefit the Fraternity not left town, the blessings of Masonry might forever have been denied a heart ready to receive them, and society, Lodge and Church have been prevented from having the services of a man who gave largely of himself to all three.
	The black cube is the great protection of the Fraternity.  It permits the Brother who does not desire to make public his secret knowledge to use that knowledge for the benefit of the Craft. It gives to all members the right to say who shall not become members of their Lodge family.  But at the same time it puts to the test the Masonic heart, and the personal honesty of every Brother who deliberates on its use.  The black cube is a thorough test of our understanding of the Masonic teaching of the cardinal virtue Justice, which "enables us to render to every man his just due without distinction.  We are taught of justice that "it should be the invariable practice of every Mason, never to deviate from the minutest principles thereof."  Justice to the Lodge requires us to cast the black cube on an applicant we believe to be unfit.
	Justice to ourselves requires that we cast the black cube on the application of the man we believe would destroy the harmony of the Lodge. 
	Justice to the applicant we are taught to render justice to every man, not merely to Masons -- requires that no black cube be cast for little reasons, small reasons, means reasons.
	And justice to justice requires that we think carefully deliberately, slowly, and act cautiously.
	No man will know what we do; no eye will see, save that All Seeing Eye, which pervade the innermost recesses of our hearts and will so we are taught, reward us according to our merits.
	Shakespeare said, "O, it is excellent to have a giants strength but it is a tyrannous to use it like a giant."
	The black cube is a giants strength to protect Freemasonry.  Used thoughtlessly, carelessly, without Masonic reasons, it crushes not only him at whom it is aimed but him who casts it.
	A well used black cube goes into the ballot box.  Ill used it drops into the heart and blackens it.  
	How about the applicant who has made bad mistakes, in the past but has since lived an exemplary life?  Is there no stature of limitations, no sufficient period of penance?  For what they may be worth, my own views are strongly that if a Man has truly repented and reformed, and if sufficient time has elapsed to give reasonable assurance that there will be no recurrence, the past should be forgotten.  No mistake should be considered irrevocable or irretrievable.  Rejection of an applicant is rarely justified solely on the ground of mistakes in the remote past.
	The more recent past, the present, and the prospects for the future are safer guides.
	Giving the interest of the Lodge paramount consideration, but seeking to injure no man; searching for quality rather than numbers, yet having tolerant regard for the frailties to which we are all subject; testing non man by his worldly wealth or outward appearance but only by his real character, let us approach the ballot with wisdom, with kindness, and courage.
	In closing my Brethren, we face a period of intense stresses and feeling are likely to run strongly on economic and political and other issues.  They carry with them a special danger to our Craft unless we set ourselves resolutely to make our balloting rise above any purely personal feeling.  Freemasonry should serve as a place in which differences can be momentarily forgotten.  Some of the most precious aspects of our life face grave threats.  Let us try to preserve them in our Masonry.  The stature of our Craft is tested at the ballot box.
	Let no petty or unmasonic feeling influence the acceptance or rejection of candidates.  
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