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.

  1. RULE #1. The lodge presenting the gavel to a Lodge in District 2 must have 5 masons, and 1 must be an officer.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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 and Previous Locations:

LocationFromToDays
Hamilton-Thompson No. 37January 15, 2026Present
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288January 13, 2026January 15, 20262
Olive Branch No. 114February 3, 2025January 13, 2026344
DDGMDecember 6, 2024February 3, 202559
Freedom No. 118July 31, 2024December 6, 2024128
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288April 9, 2024July 31, 2024113
Herndon No. 264December 4, 2023April 9, 2024127
DDGMNovember 20, 2023December 4, 202314
Herndon No. 264April 29, 2023November 20, 2023205
Hamilton-Thompson No. 37March 16, 2023April 29, 202344
Freedom No. 118October 7, 2022March 16, 2023160
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288September 13, 2022October 7, 202224
Herndon No. 264August 15, 2022September 13, 202229
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288March 8, 2022August 15, 2022160
Olive Branch No. 114March 7, 2022March 8, 20221
Freedom No. 118February 4, 2022March 7, 202231
Herndon No. 264October 1, 2021February 4, 2022126
Freedom No. 118March 6, 2020October 1, 2021574
Olive Branch No. 114February 3, 2020March 6, 202032
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288January 14, 2020February 3, 202020
Freedom No. 118December 6, 2019January 14, 202039
Olive Branch No. 114October 7, 2019December 6, 201960
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288June 11, 2019October 7, 2019118
Herndon No. 264May 16, 2019June 11, 201926
Olive Branch No. 114January 17, 2019May 16, 2019119
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288December 11, 2018January 17, 201937
Freedom No. 118December 7, 2018December 11, 20184
Herndon Lodge No. 264November 19, 2018December 7, 201818
Freedom No. 118July 6, 2018November 19, 2018136
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288May 8, 2018July 6, 201859
Olive Branch No. 114February 5, 2018May 8, 201892
Freedom No. 118January 5, 2018February 5, 201831
Hamilton-Thompson No. 37November 16, 2017January 5, 201850
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288August 8, 2017November 16, 2017100
Freedom No. 118July 7, 2017August 8, 201732
Olive Branch No. 114October 3, 2016July 7, 2017277
Hamilton-Thompson No. 37May 18, 2016October 3, 2016138
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288March 8, 2016May 18, 201671
Olive Branch No. 114March 7, 2016March 8, 20161
Hamilton-Thompson No. 37February 18, 2016March 7, 201618
Freedom No. 118February 5, 2016February 18, 201613
Ashburn-Sterling No. 288December 8, 2015February 5, 201659
Olive Branch No. 114Beginning of RecordsDecember 8, 2015N/A