THE TRAVELING GAVEL FOR THE SECOND MASONIC DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA GUIDE FOR ITS CARE AND RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND PENALTIES FOR OF NON-TRAVELING.
A brief history: For several centuries there was a traveling gavel of what would be considered normal for the Master became lost within the District. In 2016, RW Philip Brooks of Freedom Lodge, had this one commissioned to a size where misplacing is less likely.
- RULE #1. The lodge presenting the gavel to a Lodge in District 2 must have 5 masons, and 1 must be an officer.
- RULE #2. The gavel can only be presented in the Master Mason’s Lodge, during business, and never in a Master Mason’s Lodge for work and instruction.
- RULE #3. The gavel must travel to another Lodge in the District prior to the current holding Lodge’s next stated communication or that lodge MUST send $25.00 to the Masonic Home of Virginia for every stated communication the gavel does not travel.
- RULE #4. The gavel may not go back to the Lodge that presented the gavel to the receiving Lodge but must go to another within the District.
These rules were documented circa 2018 by Worshipful Chuck Wyant of Freedom No. 118.
THE CARE OF THE GAVEL
The gavel is made from white oak, hand turned. The gavel must be spray waxed every thirty days, the mallet rubbed first then the handle.
Current Location: Olive Branch No 114
Date Presented: February 3, 2025
Previous Locations:
| Location | From | To | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDGM | December 6, 2024 | February 3, 2025 | 59 |
| Freedom No. 118 | July 31, 2024 | December 6, 2024 | 128 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | April 9, 2024 | July 31, 2024 | 113 |
| Herndon No. 264 | December 4, 2023 | April 9, 2024 | 127 |
| DDGM | November 20, 2023 | December 4, 2023 | 14 |
| Herndon No. 264 | April 29, 2023 | November 20, 2023 | 205 |
| Hamilton-Thompson No. 37 | March 16, 2023 | April 29, 2023 | 44 |
| Freedom No. 118 | October 7, 2022 | March 16, 2023 | 160 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | September 13, 2022 | October 7, 2022 | 24 |
| Herndon No. 264 | August 15, 2022 | September 13, 2022 | 29 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | March 8, 2022 | August 15, 2022 | 160 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | March 7, 2022 | March 8, 2022 | 1 |
| Freedom No. 118 | February 4, 2022 | March 7, 2022 | 31 |
| Herndon No. 264 | October 1, 2021 | February 4, 2022 | 126 |
| Freedom No. 118 | March 6, 2020 | October 1, 2021 | 574 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | February 3, 2020 | March 6, 2020 | 32 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | January 14, 2020 | February 3, 2020 | 20 |
| Freedom No. 118 | December 6, 2019 | January 14, 2020 | 39 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | October 7, 2019 | December 6, 2019 | 60 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | June 11, 2019 | October 7, 2019 | 118 |
| Herndon No. 264 | May 16, 2019 | June 11, 2019 | 26 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | January 17, 2019 | May 16, 2019 | 119 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | December 11, 2018 | January 17, 2019 | 37 |
| Freedom No. 118 | December 7, 2018 | December 11, 2018 | 4 |
| Herndon Lodge No. 264 | November 19, 2018 | December 7, 2018 | 18 |
| Freedom No. 118 | July 6, 2018 | November 19, 2018 | 136 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | May 8, 2018 | July 6, 2018 | 59 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | February 5, 2018 | May 8, 2018 | 92 |
| Freedom No. 118 | January 5, 2018 | February 5, 2018 | 31 |
| Hamilton-Thompson No. 37 | November 16, 2017 | January 5, 2018 | 50 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | August 8, 2017 | November 16, 2017 | 100 |
| Freedom No. 118 | July 7, 2017 | August 8, 2017 | 32 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | October 3, 2016 | July 7, 2017 | 277 |
| Hamilton-Thompson No. 37 | May 18, 2016 | October 3, 2016 | 138 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | March 8, 2016 | May 18, 2016 | 71 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | March 7, 2016 | March 8, 2016 | 1 |
| Hamilton-Thompson No. 37 | February 18, 2016 | March 7, 2016 | 18 |
| Freedom No. 118 | February 5, 2016 | February 18, 2016 | 13 |
| Ashburn-Sterling No. 288 | December 8, 2015 | February 5, 2016 | 59 |
| Olive Branch No. 114 | Beginning of Records | December 8, 2015 | N/A |