Who is Eligible?
The minimum qualification demanded by the Society is Master Mason, Mark Master Mason and Royal Arch Companion in good standing.
What Kind of Regalia is Worn?
Apart from the three Grand Master Masons and Grand Clerk, who on certain occasions wear gowns and hats, having their origins in antiquity, regalia is minimal and consists simply of a blue collarette from which is suspended the badge of one’s grade provided by the Assemblage and simply exchanged as progress is made. All members wear the distinctive Society tie.
What are the degrees and how does one progress?
There are seven Grades or Degrees in total commencing with that of Indentured Apprentice and progressing through to the 6th Degree of Passed Master (not Past Master). To be eligible to take the 6th Degree you must have been through the ‘Chair’ in a Craft Lodge as well as the ‘Chair’ of a Mark Master Mason Lodge. The 7th Degree consists of the three Grand Master Masons together with those appointed to the grade ‘honoris cause’. Progression through each Degree depends on not just paying one’s sub and simply turning up from time to time, but regular attendance and doing the job.
So What Else Is Different?
There are numerous differences, such as the orientation of the Lodge room, which is west to east. The presiding Officer in the ‘Chair’ is called the Deputy Master Mason (seated in the west), not Worshipful Master, the Director of Ceremonies is called the Super Intendant of Works, the Senior Warden sits in the east and the Junior Warden in the north, plus others.
Where and when do the Operatives meet?
In Assemblages (we do not call them Lodges) Operatives meet four times a year.
For more information or if you would like to join, please visit the following URLs:
– https://www.theoperatives.org/
– https://www.thesquaremagazine.com/mag/article/202209the-operatives/
– https://www.bedfordshirefreemasons.org/other-orders/the-operatives/
– http://operatives.org.in/
Or, go to the MASONIC LODGE LIST and select the appropriate lodge in your jurisdiction.