Passing to the Chair 

This once was an option available to a Mason that permitted the Mason to be installed as a temporary Worshipful Master of a Lodge even though he had not been elected.  The honor cost money and usually had to be paid for by the member wishing to be Passed to the Chair. 

I have heard, from members how claim that it happened to them for free, that is used to be done in order to get a member to give up ever being Worshipful Master so that he could become Secretary of a Lodge, since once a man becomes Secretary he usually will never get the chance to become Worshipful Master.  Many men want to be the Worshipful Master but very few are willing to become the Secretary of a Lodge due to the amount of work involved. It is probably very rare that more than one person in a Lodge is willing to become the Secretary.

At this meeting he was given the Word of the Chair.

This seems to be no longer done, at least in Pennsylvania.