The Order of the Secret Monitor, or Brotherhood of David and Jonathan, is said to be the most caring of all the Masonic Orders.

Each Conclave, has four officers called Visiting Deacons,  each of whom has the responsibility for his allocated members of his Conclave whereby his main duties are "of affording assistance and support to a brother in time of sorrow and distress and to search out and warn him if he be exposed to danger, secret or apparent".   In practise, his duty is to contact his "charges"  between each meeting, personally, by telephone or letter (e-mail), in order to find out if all is well, if they will be able to attend the next meeting of the Conclave, if not, the reason for their absence, and if he can be of any assistance to them.

At each Conclave meeting, a roll-call of members is held, the Visiting Deacons report on their contact with the absentees, the reason for them being absence, and if they are in need of help in any way whatsoever.

The duties of a visiting deacon is seen to be the foundation stone of the Order and to this end the duties of the visiting deacons are explained to them shortly after the have been installed into their offices and additionally a personal message from the Provincial Supreme Ruler is handed to them detailing how important their duties are.