The concept of “regularity” is associated with the ideas of the most ancient Masonic Grand Lodges about the correctness of the implementation of Masonic practice and the compliance of this practice with the basic Masonic standards. The meaning of this word and this concept for Freemasonry should be sought, first of all, in its direct sense. “Regularity” means “correctness”, “ordinariness”. The overwhelming majority of the Grand Lodges of the world that united themselves into a single chain, consolidated around simple principles, which are called the principles of regularity.
The regularity of a Grand Lodge is the basis for its recognition by other Grand Lodges, the basis for its inclusion in the fraternal chain.
As Thomas Jackson, Executive Secretary of the North American Conference of Grand Masters, noted at the 2002 Conference of World Grand Masters: “Today we affirm that the regularity of a Grand Lodge can only be achieved if it is constituted by another regular Grand Lodge or by three or more regular lodges under the jurisdiction of regular Grand Lodges. Regularity is also contingent upon the Grand Lodge maintaining in its practical work standards of regularity. These include belief in a Supreme Being, the presence of the Book of the Sacred Law on the altar, male-only membership, the exclusion of political and religious discussions in the Lodge, restrictions on fraternal relations with irregular Freemasonry, and respect for the territorial sovereignty of other Grand Lodges. This last requirement has recently been amended to allow more than one Grand Lodge to be recognized in a territory, so long as those Grand Lodges recognize each other.”
The most important document for defining the principles of regularity are the Basic Principles for recognition of the United Grand Lodge of England, accepted by the U.G.L.E., July 4, 1929, and the Twelve Points of Regularity accepted by the Grande Loge Nationale Française.
BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR GRAND LODGE RECOGNITION
Accepted by Grand Lodge, 4 September 1929
The M.W. The Grand Master having expressed a desire that the Board would draw up a statement of the Basic Principles on which this Grand Lodge could be invited to recognise any Grand Lodge applying for recognition by the English Jurisdiction, the Board of General Purposes has gladly complied. The result, as follows, has been approved by the Grand Master, and it will form the basis of a questionnaire to be forwarded in future to each Jurisdiction requesting English recognition. The Board desires that not only such bodies but the Brethren generally throughout the Grand Master’s Jurisdiction shall be fully informed as to those Basic Principles of Freemasonry for which the Grand Lodge of England has stood throughout its history.
1. Regularity of origin; i.e. each Grand Lodge shall have been established lawfully by a duly recognised Grand Lodge or by three or more regularly constituted Lodges.
2. That a belief in the G.A.O.T.U. and His revealed will shall be an essential qualification for membership.
3. That all Initiates shall take their Obligation on or in full view of the open Volume of the Sacred Law, by which is meant the revelation from above which is binding on the conscience of the particular individual who is being initiated.
4. That the membership of the Grand Lodge and individual Lodges shall be composed exclusively of men; and that each Grand Lodge shall have no Masonic intercourse of any kind with mixed Lodges or bodies which admit women to membership.
5. That the Grand Lodge shall have sovereign jurisdiction over the Lodges under its control; i.e. that it shall be a responsible, independent, self-governing organisation, with sole and undisputed authority over the Craft or Symbolic Degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) within its Jurisdiction; and shall not in any way be subject to, or divide such authority with, a Supreme Council or other Power claiming any control or supervision over those degrees.
6. That the three Great Lights of Freemasonry (namely, the Volume of the Sacred Law, the Square, and the Compasses) shall always be exhibited when the Grand Lodge or its subordinate Lodges are at work, the chief of these being the Volume of the Sacred Law.
7. That the discussion of religion and politics within the Lodge shall be strictly prohibited.
8. That the principles of the Antient Landmarks, customs, and usages of the Craft shall be strictly observed.