What constitutes serious hardship in Masonic terms?
In Masonic terms, serious hardship is referenced in the context of the initiation process. According to Rule 136 of the Constitution, if the length of the procedure under Rule 135 would impose serious hardship upon a prospective candidate, any two members of a daughter Lodge may submit a written request to the Master. This request should include the candidate's details and the circumstances that necessitate urgent initiation. The Master must determine if the urgency is real and if the hardship is indeed serious. If so, the candidate may be initiated as a matter of urgency.
Specifically, the Master is required to state the cause of the urgency and the nature of the hardship in the summons for the meeting where the proposal is to be submitted, and these details must be recorded in the Lodge minutes.
Thus, serious hardship is evaluated based on the specific circumstances of the candidate that would justify expedited initiation.