Masonic Ritual – In the absence of the Chaplain, should the Master appoint a Chaplain pro tem or should he deliver the Chaplain’s lines himself?

Assuming that there is a sufficient number of Brothers present, the Master should appoint a Chaplain pro tem, which could be one of the officers present such as the Marshal or Secretary. Should no Brother be available to serve as Chaplain, as a last resort the Master may deliver the Chaplain’s lines himself. However, in such as case the Master should give serious consideration as to whether it makes good sense to open a Communication with such a small number present. Moreover, if a lack of critical mass is a frequent or regular occurrence that the Lodge has been unable to solve with outreach to the membership, the Brethren should do the responsible thing for the Craft and consider consolidation with another Lodge.