First, WHY a World Traveling Gavel?
Many jurisdictions have local traveling gavels that are used within a District or Area to encourage members of
lodges to visit neighboring Lodges.  A World Traveling Gavel (WTG) with its own web site can be used for illustrating
the universality and brotherhood of Masonry and displaying it for anyone in the world to see.  Also it should serve as
a kind of "ambassador without portfolio" to our Brothers and Sisters in other countries.


The World Traveling Gavel report form linked to above is not at present operating but should serve as a template
the gavel bearer can use to assemble the information to e-mail to me.  All fields need not be filled out but are
suggested as ideas of the type of information that would be interesting about the stops of the gavel on its travels
around the world.

I would like the gavel to be a working gavel to be used during meetings by the Worshipful Master during degree work
or even just business meetings or both before moving on to another lodge.  Not just used by being placed on the masters'
dais for viewing as local traveling gavels are often used.

It would be desirable to receive pictures of the activities and the lodge where the gavel is being used, as well as
pictures of the officer using it, the candidate receiving the degree, or any other interesting shots pertinent to the
occasion.  Names of the participants would be nice to have as well, but permission to include them on a web page
should be obtained from the persons. Pictures should be in JPG or GIF format, but will be acceptable even
in formats with larger file size. I can convert them.  With the present ubiquitous use of digital cameras and
cell phones this should be no problem.

Qualifications of Gavel bearers:
Gavel bearers should be Freemasons who will be traveling to another lodge in one or the other or both modes listed below.
The bearer should have the ability to access the internet to be able to read current instructions or suggestions about
the travel modes, these will usually be of a general nature, but may be more specific if it is desired for
this gavel to meet up with another traveling gavel for some special event.

The bearer should also have the ability to use e-mail to send reports of the travels of the gavel while it is in their
possession and to report the name and e-mail of the next bearer and its destination.


I would suggest two broad modes or areas of travel.

1. Local travel around lodges in an area or other Masonic jurisdiction, hitting as many different Lodges as possible
by a brother who visits many lodges in an area.  Then giving it to another Mason who can do the same for another area.
District or Area Deputies would be good for this, if they would be interested.  This mode might be more frequent
than the next mode to give the travels more depth.

2. Long distance travel by someone who is planning a trip to another area.  This might be another state such as giving
it to someone from another state or country for transport to that destination.  This could be an ordinary traveling
mason or a member of a foreign Grand Lodge such as might be found at a Grand Lodge meeting.

These modes will probably have to be the best judgement of the bearer handing the gavel off.  A balance between keeping
the gavel moving, with as many activities as possible in any given area and time and distance traveled to extend its
reach to as much of the world as possible.

At some point in the future the gavel will be called home, hopefully sooner than I am.  At which time it will be displayed
at my home Lodge, Roscoe Lodge #75 A. F. & A. M. in Roscoe, Illinois.  Depending on who is in charge of this program at
that time another gavel may me sent out in its place.  Due to the merger of Rockton Lodge #74 into Roscoe Lodge #75 we have
about three extra gavels which should be able to be used for this purpose.

This web site will be kept up to date as fast as receiving reports via e-mail allows.