Masonic Titles

Some cynic with the initials jcs once said"

"One of the purposes of Freemasonry is to put long and important titles on (relatively) short and unimportant men."

For me the title "Brother" is enough and says it all. The Master, at my Initiation called it a "sacred appelation." It is that indeed as it made me a member of the greatest fraternity in the world.

However Masonic titles are sometimes confusing. They are really very simple. Now pay attention.

If you become Master of a Lodge you are Worshipful Brother, If you go on to an elected Grand Lodge office (in Iowa) you are Right Worshipful and if you become Grand Master you are "Most Worshipful."

Grand Chapter and Grand Council follow this practice. using Excellent and Illustrious instead of Worshipful. This is because it is the "Excellent High Priest" of a Chapter and the "Illustrious Master' of the Council. The Grand High Priest becomes "Most Excellent Companion******* Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter R.A.M. of Iowa" and the Grand Master of the Grand Council becomes "Most Illustrious" *******Grand Master of the Grand Council, R& S.M of Iowa. (Note that the Office is Grand Master - not Illustrious Grand Master. The Illustrious goes in front of the name. Grand Lodge sometimes likes to forget that) - I will never forget when Most Excellent Companion Don Bacon was installed as Grand High Priest he exclaimed, "I is de Most." I had a hat given to me by Companion Hyde with "De Most" on the front of it. I even wore it occasionally)


A lot of people forget that Worshipful Brother was affixed to my name when I became a Past Master of my Lodge. Now I don't use the "Worshipful" part of the title. I just put PM behind my name for masonic signatures. The Grand Lodge is somewhat careless about that. They introduce all of the Grand Lodge Officers as "Worshipful" Brothers, (unless they have been elected to a Grand Lodge office or are the Grand Chaplain. then they put "Right Worshipful" in front of the name. The Grand Master becomes "Most Worshipful."

They don't bother introducing all Past Masters as Worshipful Brothers. They sometimes introduce each Past Grand Master as "Most Worshipful Brother *****(insert name here), Past Grand Master. If there are a lot of them it adds about 5 minutes (or at least it seems that way to those of us standing there) to the introductions. (and they complain about Eastern Star "presenting"?)

(The following paragraph has been edited following corrections in the comments - Thanks Bryce.)
Grand Commandery is different. The Honorarium affixes to the Title not the person.  You are always Sir Knight (Which if you think of it is not correct usage but it is what Grand Encampment does)  There you become Very Eminent when you are elected to an office and Right Eminent when you become Grand Commander. ( So that means that the Grand Commander and all PGC's are always "right." Right?) Thus our new Grand Commander would be introduced as  Sir Knight David M. Dryer, Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of the State of Iowa. He would sign his letters as David M. Dryer, Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of the State of Iowa. (or just David M. Dryer, G.C.) He would not use the "Right Eminent" part just as a PHD would not refer to himself as Dr. so and so but would let others address him as Dr. and would put the PHD behind his name.  The Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of  Knights Templar of the United States of America gets to use Most Eminent on his title.  But he is still Sir Knight.

Sometimes in Masonry we use the Rev. but never should we use the Dr. and M.E. as a prenomial for ourselves. The titles are affixed to the Office. In Iowa the prenomial is affixed to the person. Thus Don Mosier became Most Worshipful when he ascended to the office of Grand Master and will carry that the rest of his life. So when he is introduced at Grand Council this summer he should be introduced as Most Worshipful, Most Illustrious, Donald E. Mosier, Past Grand Master of the Grand Council and Grand Master of Masons in Iowa. Or something like that. If I am wrong someone will correct me. It is a good thing Don isn't short or he would think what I said in 1981 (above) was about him.

Also note the difference He is Grand Master of Masons. I was Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter. My favorite title is the one for the Grand Sovereign of the United Grand Imperial Council. I had to learn it last October...Let's see if I remember. Knight Companion ***(Insert name here)***, Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign of the United Grand Imperial Council of the Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine and Appendent Bodies for the United States, Mexico and the Philippines. Try saying that with just one breath.

I found this on the Internets;

All-too-frequently, we tend to become sloppy in our use of Masonic titles. The Grand Master (except in Pennsylvania) is always addressed as "Most Worshipful." (In Pennsylvania, he is the "Right Worshipful Grand Master.") Past Grand Masters are usually accorded the title of "Most Worshipful." A notable exception is in the Grand Lodge of Texas where Past Grand Masters become "Right Worshipful." It is sometimes confusing as to the proper terms of address. In some jurisdictions you would say "Most Worshipful Brother Jones"; in others, "Most Worshipful Jones"; and in others, "Brother John Jones, Most Worshipful Past Grand Master." It is well to know which is proper in your Jurisdiction.

I know that I am sometimes irreverent. I do have a great deal of respect for the Office of Grand Master and the men who fill it. But I also know that in Masonry we meet upon the level. I have a very pretentious Past Master's Apron which I like to wear. It is beautiful. I also have a Past Grand High Priest's Apron. If I go to Grand Chapter I take it along and wear it when I am presented. I am just as likely to take it off when I am through being presented and wear the regular Chapter Apron. I am just as happy wearing the paper white Apron provided at Grand Lodge as I would be the Past Master's Apron.

I was going to write a poem about all of this but you know this couplet says it all"

Please, call me Brother
For title I need no other

So whether you worry about things like this or not it has now been explained to you and I hope that it is now clearer than mud. Any questions? ARTYRL, Hugs, jcs