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Hospitality and the Visiting Brother
Hospitality in Masonic custom welcomes a visiting member with courtesy, while the lodge keeps its own rules and checks what it needs to know before he takes part.
Hospitality in Masonic custom welcomes a visiting member with courtesy and respect. A brother who comes from another lodge is received as a guest of the work, but the host lodge keeps its own rules and checks whatever it must know before he takes part in its proceedings.
Hospitality and vigilance are not opposites. A warm welcome is compatible with a careful check of credentials, and the check is itself a courtesy to the visitor, since it protects the lodge and the visitor from confusion. The host should explain the order of the meeting, seat the visitor where he can follow the work, and make clear which parts of the meeting are closed to guests.
Example: a member from a sister lodge attends a meeting. The officer at the door greets him, asks for the documents the host lodge requires, and seats him beside a member who can explain the order of business. When the meeting moves to matters reserved for members, the visitor is thanked and invited to take refreshment. Nothing is hidden from him, and the lodge keeps its rules.