Honors
Service Awards for Masons and non-Masons
Master Builder’s Award
The Master Builder’s Award was developed by the Grand Lodge to recognize newly made Masons who have worked diligently to engage in the activities of their lodge, their district and the fraternity as a whole.
Each participant is required to complete several courses via the Grand Lodge’s online education system, as well as complete a personal Masonic journey through other avenues of the fraternity. Once a candidate has completed the program, he submits the program form to his Worshipful Master, who forwards it on to the District Deputy Grand Master for review and submission.
Core Requirements
An applicant for this award must complete all of the following:
- Attend a Stated Meeting of your home lodge.
- Attend an Extra Meeting of your home lodge.
- Attend at least one meeting of another lodge in your district.
- Serve as greeter for one of your lodge’s Stated Meetings.
- Attend an Official Visitation of the DDGM within your district.
- Attend at least one of your lodge’s fellowship events.
- Assist in a fundraising event held by your lodge (if applicable).
- Completion of your Blue Lodge’s Mentor Program as required by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s Education Committee.
- Attend a youth group meeting within your district or region.
- Assist the secretary or other members in contacting members in danger of being suspended to discuss with them what you believe to be the benefits of their Masonic membership.
Elective Requirements
An applicant for the award must complete three of the following:
- Participate in a degree conferred by your lodge.
- Be the first-line signer on a petition for membership in your lodge.
- Contact a brother who has not attended lodge in the last six months and invite him to accompany you to the next Stated Meeting. (The brother must accept and attend in order for these criteria to be completed.)
- Assume responsibility for arranging a Masonic Education program for your lodge. This may be done by you or by someone else via your invitation with the Worshipful Master’s approval.
- Attend a Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
- Attend either a stated meeting of The Pennsylvania Lodge of Research or the Academy of Masonic Knowledge.
Master Craftsman & Master Pillar
The Master Craftsman and Master Pillar Awards are extensions of the very successful Master Builder’s program.
The Master Craftsman award is aimed at members of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania who have been Master Masons for more than one year. The program consists of educational and volunteer requirements that will help both the Lodge and the Brother grow.
The Master Pillar award is the highest achievement recognition possible. In addition to the requirements of the Master Craftsman award, a Master Pillar recipient must serve his Lodge as an elected officer and confer all three Masonic Degrees. See the award form for complete details.
The Franklin Medal
The Pennsylvania Franklin Medal was created in 1979 to honor distinguished Master Masons for their outstanding service to the Craft in general and Pennsylvania in particular. It has been awarded sparingly since then, maintaining very high standards for its presentation, and including among its recipients some of the most renowned Freemasons of our time. It is worn with Masonic regalia on formal occasions.
The medal bears the likeness of Brother Benjamin Franklin, Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 1734 and in 1749. The work of sculptor Donald DeLue, this rendition appears on the front of the solid gold medal, which is suitably engraved for the recipient on the reverse side, and attached to a purple and gold neck ribbon.
The Grand Master’s Outstanding Service Medal
The Grand Master’s Outstanding Service Medal is presented to honor Masons who have distinguished themselves through service to their community, Lodge or Grand Lodge. It was established by a Resolution of Grand Lodge, adopted at the Quarterly Communication held on December 5, 2007.
The Wanamaker Medal
The John Wanamaker Masonic Humanitarian Medal was created by resolution of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania at the December Quarterly Communication of 1993, under the leadership of then Grand Master Edward H. Fowler. It is to be awarded to a person (male or female) who, being a non-Mason, supports the ideals and philosophy of the Masonic Fraternity.
John Wanamaker was an outstanding public-spirited citizen and a lover of all people who devoted his life to doing good. The recipient of this medal is one who personifies these high ideals. The award is made at the discretion of the R. W. Grand Master.
The medal has been presented sparingly to maintain the great prestige associated with an award created by resolution of the Grand Lodge, the others being the Franklin Medal for Distinguished Masonic Service and the Thomson Award for Saving a Human Life.
The Thomson Cup
Officially titled “The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Thomson Award for Saving A Human Life,” it is presented by the Right Worshipful Grand Master to a member of the fraternity who was primarily responsible for saving the life of a fellow human being.
It bears a unique emblem which combines the square and compasses, the first aid cross and the keystone, thematically portraying the themes of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. This emblem is joined with the seal of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania by a cabletow, the age-old symbol of the distance a Mason is to go in service to his fellow man.
Member Awards
Century Club Pin
At the December 5, 2009, Quarterly Communication, then R.W. Grand Master Stephen Gardner announced the creation of the Century Club award for Pennsylvania Lodge members who have conferred a minimum of 100 Lodge degrees.
This award can be obtained by completing the application. The Lodge Secretary should complete and forward the application to his District Deputy Grand Master for approval who will then forward it to the Grand Lodge.
Grand Lodge Service Emblems
The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania recognizes Master Masons who have given significant Masonic service. Special pins are awarded at 25, 50 and 75 years, and certificates for 60 and 70-year milestones. The 75-year award is known as the Diamond Jubilee Award.
Twenty-five year pins are awarded by the Lodge Secretary any time during the year in which a member celebrates this significant anniversary of membership. The Worshipful Master MAY use the 25-Year Pin Presentation ceremony, posted below, at his discretion.
By resolution of the Grand Lodge adopted at the Quarterly Communication, held June 5, 1940, a member of a Lodge in this Jurisdiction who has been a Master Mason in good standing for 50 years, or more, is eligible to receive a Grand Lodge 50-Year Masonic Service Emblem. By decision of the R.W. Grand Master, January 10, 2007, additional service award levels of 60, 70 and 75-years may also be awarded. The 75-year award shall be known as the Diamond Jubilee Award.
Eligibility
Eligibility for service emblems is determined by the length of time a member has been a continuously active member of one or more lodges recognized by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Any time during which a member was not an active member as a result of resigning from all lodges is not counted toward service emblem eligibility. Any period longer than one year during which a member was suspended is not counted toward service emblem eligibility
Requests for Emblems
If a member feels he is eligible for one of these awards, he may request it through his lodge secretary, although the records are usually reviewed automatically at the beginning of each year. When a member becomes eligible for a Masonic Service Emblem, the lodge secretary will request these items from the Grand Secretary’s office, in writing, at least 30 days in advance of the anticipated presentation date.
A special ceremony has been created for the presentation of 25-Year Pin Presentations, 50-Year Emblems and for the Diamond Jubilee Award. These ceremonies will be conducted by the R.W. Grand Master, by the District Deputy Grand Master in his absence or by a designated brother, on behalf of the Grand Master.
Ceremonies for Awards
Lewis Jewel for Pennsylvania Masons
On December 27, 2007, R.W Grand Master Ronald A. Aungst, Sr. introduced and approved the usage of the Lewis Jewel for Pennsylvania Masons.
The word “Lewis” denotes strength and is depicted by certain pieces of metal dovetailed into a stone, which forms a cramp, and enables the operative Mason to raise great weights to certain heights with little encumbrance, and to fix them in their proper bases. Lewis, likewise, denotes the son of a Mason; his duty is to bear the heat and burden of the day, from which his parents, by reason of their age, ought to be exempt; to help them in time of need, and thereby render the close of their days happy and comfortable; and his privilege for so doing is to be made a Mason before any other person however dignified.
In the days of operative Masonry, it was a great source of pride when a son followed in his father’s footsteps and was Entered as an Apprentice, his name “entered” on the roll, and thereby admitted to the Lodge. To study his father’s skills and learn to use his father’s tools were manifest expressions of the greatest honor and esteem a son could play. It was common to carry on the tradition through several generations in the same family.
The Lewis Jewel may be worn by a Mason, if, at the time of his Initiation, his father was a Mason in good standing. The initiate of a deceased father – in good standing at the time of his death – would also qualify. The jewel is suspended from two chains with two bars. The upper bar contains the name of the father and the date of his initiation. The lower bar contains the name of the son and date of his initiation. The Jewel comes in a wallet with a pocket holder.
The Lewis Jewel has been in use in England and other Jurisdictions under the United Grand Lodge of England for many decades to honor a new Mason’s father. The jewel has also been adopted in the Jurisdictions of Vermont, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, Connecticut and perhaps others in the United States and is offered throughout Canada.
Eagle Scout Commendation Certificates
Commendation certificates from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and a letter signed by the R.W. Grand Master, can be requested in writing through the Grand Secretary’s office. Please include the following information:
- Name of scout
- Scout troop number
- Troop location
- Troop charter partner
- Scout Council
- Date of Eagle Scout Court of Honor
- Name of requester
- Mailing address of requester
Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award
The Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award is given to a Master Mason who is currently a registered Scouter and active in a Scout unit, district, council, or national affiliate and has displayed outstanding dedication to the Scouting program through:
- Developing Scouting units
- Assisting lodges in forming units
- Exemplifying the Scout Law and Masonic virtues
- Recruiting Scouting volunteers
- Strengthening the relationship between Freemasonry and Scouting
Work accomplishment and dedication, rather than a specific number of years in Scouting, will be the criteria for this award.
The program is administered on behalf of the Grand Lodge by the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation. The application and additional details can be found at: https://pmyf.org/masonic-youth/scouts/
Masonic Eagle Scout Lapel Pins
The Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation, in cooperation with the Boy Scouts of America’s National Eagle Scout Association, has designed and created a lapel pin which can be worn by ANY Freemason who earned the Eagle Scout Award as a youth.
Visit the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation website for more information and application for the Masonic Eagle Scout Lapel Pin.