The Senior Warden
From About Freemasons
The First Warden or the Senior Warden, as he is more popularly known, is the “second in command” at a lodge, second only to the Master. He is the principal deputy of a Master. A Senior Warden is similar to the vice president of an organization or group. He oversees some of duties that the Master does not. If the Master is not available, the Senior Warden can hold the lodges as an “interim Master” and make all the same binding decisions as the Master. In some lodges, including those under the authority of the Grand Lodge of Ireland and the Grand Lodge of England, a First Warden can only act as an Acting Master during a Master’s absence if he himself has been a Past Master. In many lodges, the Senior Warden becomes The Worshipful Master once the current Master’s time in office is up (usually one to two years). As with the office of The Worshipful Master, the office of the First Warden is decided by secret ballot. Every mason in a lodge votes for the offices.
In lodges, the First Warden is seated in the West. This is symbolic of the setting sun. In front of the Senior Warden’s seat there is usually a wooded column. This column is raised when a lodge is holding a meeting, and symbolizes the fact that the Senior Warden is in charge of the Craftsmen. This is a hearkening back to older times, when Senior Wardens were originally tasked with handling disputes among craftsmen and paying out wages. When there is a break for refreshment, the column in front of the Senior Warden is placed on its side and the wood column in front of The Junior Warden is raised. This shows that the craftsmen are under the jurisdiction of The Junior Warden during this time. The Senior Warden is symbolized by the level, which is used to check the level of surfaces. This instrument symbolizes the equality of Masons.
The Senior Warden has several duties in the lodge:
1) Support the Master and offer assistance to the Master as needed.
2) Prepare for the office of the Master, which is usually attained by the Senior Warden after a year. Usually, this involves watching the Master and learning what to do. However, this can be a more complex preparation process as well. For example, the Senior Warden may decide to set membership goals for the next year (when he is Worshipful Master) and may decide who he wants to have in various offices when he is Worshipful Master.
3) Protect the Master (symbolically). In fact, the word “warden” comes from French and Middle English words meaning “guardian.”
4) Choose education masters and oversee the education and mentoring of new candidates.
5) Ensure that candidates are ready to take their degrees.
6) Take part in the lodge’s main committees (often by acting as Chairman).
7) Attend lodge functions, the District Schools of Instruction, and the Grand Lodge Annual Communication.
Some lodges vary and may have slightly different duties and requirements of the Senior Warden.
