Senior Warden

As the sun is in the west at the close of day, so is the Senior Warden in the west, to assist the Worshipful Master in opening and governing the Lodge, to pay the Craft their wages, if any be due, letting none go away dissatisfied. The duties of the Senior Warden are, in the absence of the Master, to preside, and govern the Lodge; in his presence, to assist him in the government of it. In assisting the Master in the government of the Lodge; it is the duty of both officers to see that due silence is observed around their respective stations, and that the orders issued from the east are strictly obeyed. But most of their duties in their peculiar positions are of a ritualistic nature, and are unnecessarily or improper to be discussed in this glossary. In the absence of the Master, the Senior Warden governs the Lodge. This is his inherent right. He may, and often does, as a matter of courtesy, resign the chair to some Past Master present, but such Past Master always acts under the authority of the Warden, who has first to congregate the Lodge, that is, to call the brethren to labor, before he resigns the gavel of his authority into the hands of the Past Master.


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This page is adapted from the Glossary at Phoenixmasonry — Used with permission.

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