The Grand Master wishes to remind the Brethren of some rules regarding the discussion of business transacted in a tyled Grand Lodge or constituent Lodge of this jurisdiction.

There are three main areas of reference: the secrecy of the ballot; canvassing support for any Grand Lodge office; and endeavouring to obtain support for propositions that might come before Grand Lodge or a Lodge of this Jurisdiction.

There are two distinctly different functions of the Internet: E-mail from one person to another, and everything else.

E-mail sent to one address is private correspondence and is not our concern, although a due regard to the relevant prohibitions in our Constitutions and various Charges should be followed.

An E-mail message does not constitute a circular letter unless, in one posting, it is sent or automatically forwarded to more than one address.

An E-mail message or posting which contains any items of a confidential nature, sent to a mailing list of addresses, a news group or bulletin board service, or uploaded to a web site, or otherwise placed in a location where it is accessible to non members of this Jurisdiction, constitutes a circular letter. That is the interpretation of this Grand Lodge and applies only to brethren in our jurisdiction.

The Board of General Purposes at its' November 2003 meeting passed a motion which permits a lodge to use e-mail to distribute meeting notices to its' members and to other concerned members of this Jurisdiction, such communications do not constitute a circular letter as described in this document.

Permission is not required for circular letters except as noted:

"Circular Letters -- No Lodge, or member of a Lodge with or without the consent of his Lodge, shall circularize other Lodges or members in an endeavour to obtain support for, or expressions of opinion on, a proposition or propositions in which it or he may be interested, without first obtaining the consent or approval of the Grand Master."

Discussion of Masonic subjects on any mailing list, bulletin board or news group is not prohibited unless it refers to procedures and processes of specific ballots and decisions taken, or to be taken, in a tyled Lodge or Grand Lodge. Specific or detailed discussion of any signs and tokens, or their significance, is also prohibited.

A mailing list or web page, with a readership potentially made up of non-masons or members of other jurisdictions, is not an appropriate vehicle for discussion regarding business transacted inside a tyled Lodge.

Every Lodge By-laws in this jurisdiction should have a section concerning the Secrecy of the Ballot. Although this is in the By-laws of individual Lodges, it is considered, by extension and tradition, to apply also to Grand Lodge proceedings.

The position of the Grand Secretary's Office, with reference to our Book of Constitutions, rules and, regulations, is that the procedures, processes and results of ballots and votes taken in a tyled Lodge are not proper topics of discussion outside of that tyled Lodge. Concerns and comments should be addressed through your Lodge Secretary, to the Grand Secretary for redirection to the appropriate committee or officer of Grand Lodge.

Brethren are reminded that Internet communications, by their very nature, take on a life of their own. Words once written are impossible to retrieve and may reappear in the most inappropriate time and place.

Brethren are urged to practice discretion for the good of Freemasonry. Fraternally,

Robert H. Northup P.G.M.
Grand Secretary
Grand Lodge of N.S.