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I for one hate laying concrete/brick, having had my fill in my youth, but there's an operative stone mason who is interested in our Lodge who may be turning in his application next month. A few lifted eyebrows at the table when he talked about his job. If anyone wants to swing by the California North Bay, I'm the WM of Petaluma-Hamilton Lodge #180 this year and next. I love that new thread fresh scent, don't you?
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Dec 19, 2012 04:15
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 09:46 |
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When I was very young, I knew my grandfather was a Mason but not what that meant; he went to his meetings on Tuesdays and that was about it. In 2002 when he died he left me his Masonic memorabilia, which was a box filled with old pictures, aprons, epaulets, rings, pins, and a few books I couldn't read. It made me interested in what it was all about, but I didn't really look seriously into joining when a good buddy of mine expressed an interest a few years later. I was initiated, passed, and raised in 2007 at the age of 25. It really seems longer than just five years ago, honestly, because I dove in pretty much from day one and became an officer almost out of the gate. For the past five+ years I've spent most every Thursday at Lodge working on ritual, coaching candidates, and performing our degree ceremonies. It may seem like a lot of time, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it, and I feel I get far more out of it than I put into it. My family didn't really have any reaction when I mentioned I was joining, but my mom suggested that her late father would be happy, moreso when I became Master of the Lodge. As far as my friends, I really try to avoid talking about Masonry around them as I'm of the mindset that if they are interested, they'll ask about it, and I'm more than happy to answer any of their questions. What is nice is that a few of my friends have joined, as they've seen the positive changes in my life, and like a stronger connection with the local community. As for feeling too young, we had a few guys join at 18, several at 22, et cetera. If you can hold a conversation, and enjoy the company of good people, you can contribute. The Lodges in Holland fall under the "Grand Orient of the Netherlands," whose website is here; they should be able to help you find a few local Lodges, though it sounds like Freemasonry isn't as prevalent there as it is here in the United States.
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Dec 26, 2012 12:36
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Lovable Luciferian posted:So as you can see this is being taken seriously and I would not be shocked at all if this ended in February. I received the same thing after I sent a message to him, our AGL, and the GM. The unofficial "yeah, no way in hell will that last" was very reassuring as well. That's something I like about the CA Grand Lodge as well -- I've never felt ignored when talking with them.
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Dec 28, 2012 04:52
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Colonial Air Force posted:I don't know what the Grand and Glorious Order of Knights of the Creeping Serpent is, but the Grand Master of California sure is pissed off at them: It was basically an illegal (per California Masonic Code) appendant body that tried to skirt around the CMC and still confer their private degrees. Time and time again they were reprimanded and told to quit it, basically. When they finally petitioned to become a recognized body, it was shot down soundly (the 90%+ defeat). Most of us who had voted on those ballots thought the matter settled. Now the group has come forth again to our current GM and said "no, no, we're just a social club, no degrees or anything that violate the CMC" so the GM said that they could meet as such, as there is no CMC stipulation preventing such. Aaaaaand then it turns out that no, actually, they are the same ol' club hazing and beating candidates. Something tells me these guys are going to get a bit sterner of a reprimand this time around.
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Dec 29, 2012 01:25
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Honestly I'm happy to let the collective GMs discuss it amongst themselves, and among the constituent Lodges from their states. Play it cool, man. Even if he's made a bad decision or two, he's still the Grand Master, and that's a true honor.
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Jan 4, 2013 00:38
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Two Masonic funerals in two weeks.  Travel well, my brothers.
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Jan 17, 2013 02:28
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I've just posted many of our 2013 installation photos to our Lodge's Facebook page. More than a month of stress and planning for everything to come together for two hours. Still though, a great time was had by all.
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Jan 18, 2013 02:43
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Nah, I'm the stony WM in the front-center. I'm not the biggest fan of posed photography, but I'm glad we got at least one good shot of our officers for this year. Something I'm very proud of is that we have no Past Masters in the progressive line at all -- everyone from our Steward up to the Senior Warden wore the white carnation; a trend I hope to see continue for some time into the future.
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Jan 18, 2013 17:13
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There wasn't a spot on the application asking if you were allergic? Maybe they're using those hypoallergenic goats now ...
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Jan 18, 2013 22:18
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sacrip posted:Anyways, I'm a Master Mason now, and I have you guys to thank for it. My family grew last night by about 1,000,000+ brothers, and it all started with a forum thread just saying how cool it was to be a Mason. Welcome, brother! You'll get a whole new appreciation for the degree when you see it being performed, too. There is usually a great deal of effort that goes into making it an awesome experience for all involved (I get to go gavel-to-gavel in the East again for a raising later this month).
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Feb 7, 2013 12:03
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In California we have to open on the first degree for the stated meeting, but for an EA to visit they must be vouched for by a Master Mason. After that they can come back any time though.
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Feb 9, 2013 03:59
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Having performed or attended a number of Masonic funerals this past Winter, I make sure our Assistant Secretary contacts our older/ailing brothers at least monthly, and widows bi-monthly. I admit we don't have much in the way of actual grief counseling services available, but you bring up a very valid point that maybe something like that should/can be instituted. Our Grand Lodge has, at least in our local area (Bay Area, California), really tried to reach out to the local Lodges and ask what they can do to help, to provide, and to support our brothers. Maybe you bring up the perfect thing to suggest, where they may be able to facilitate the use of professional grief counselors at the local or regional level.
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Feb 15, 2013 23:26
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A Ill -- the FL GM's proclamation, which will be discussed at length at this year's Grand Lodge meeting, doesn't require that you be a member of a specific or major religious order, it merely introduces his belief that some specific faiths are not compatible with Freemasonry (an opinion which is in the minimalist minority). In other words, it sounds like there should be nothing holding you back from being eligible.
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Feb 28, 2013 16:34
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qraham posted:But if I'm being completely honest, the thing that is most intriguing is the idea that being a mason might help my career in some way; I've heard stories of people getting jobs or promotions because they did the right handshake with the right person. Can you guys speak to this at all? I've always been told that getting ahead in life consists of the right people getting the opportunity to see your skillset, putting the "who you know" on equal footing as "what you know." In that regard, I am sure there are stories of people in almost every organization who have gotten ahead in life because another member put them in touch with someone who could use their services/skills. I know people who have gotten out of speeding tickets because they had a 4H sticker on their car, or had seen the officer at a community parade. I've been a member of our Lodge for more than half a decade and I can honestly say I don't know what half of our members do for a living -- we don't talk business; we discuss our families, the community, many of the letters or visitors that come to our Lodge, and maybe the groups who have asked to use our building. Sports teams, BBQs, so on and so forth. Most of my brothers know I work in technology or computers, but I've neither expected to get help or connections to clients nor use my position in the Lodge to leverage some commercial gain. Lodge is actually a place I go to that allows me to get away from the stresses of work. lone77wulf -- congratulations! It should be a great experience and I look forward to hearing how it went
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Mar 1, 2013 13:28
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It's no different than a member transferring from another US state or Canadian province, honestly. Each jurisdiction is managed/governed by/reports to/is chartered under a particular Grand Lodge (e.g. of California, Utah, Mexico, Spain, et cetera). Requesting a dual/plural membership may take a bit longer due to language barriers, but there shouldn't be any trouble provided the forms are all filled out and the respective Grand Lodges recognize each other as Masons (very, very, very rarely an issue).
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Mar 3, 2013 11:51
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usernamen_01 posted:My impression of Masonic meetings was men dressed in black suits and ties. I find it hard to imagine Masons with mohawks and ear rings meeting to discuss business. Would expected attire vary this much by region? Try vary by Lodge. Just a few miles from here the "formal attire" required of officers on degree nights is ... a tie. At my Lodge, officers are expected to have a black suit (at least) or tuxedos, and to wear jackets and ties to all Lodge business meetings. In San Francisco, if memory serves, there's a Lodge where tuxedos are the expected norm for all guests; officers wear white tuxes for all events. It all boils down to what is deemed "respectful" and can be a part of the Lodge culture or history, something that sets it apart from others in the area. We have brothers with tattoos (including myself), piercings, and a variety of hair styles, but most importantly I will absolutely agree with Flying Fortress -- if you are being respectful to the institution and to the Lodge, I don't see any reason for complaint.
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Mar 5, 2013 02:32
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 Very articulate, Alehkhs. Welcome, brother, and congratulations!
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Mar 7, 2013 07:54
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When doing a recent clean up of our hall, we came across many of our old (ooooold) record books, including these, which may be of interest to a few brothers. This is the record book of the first meeting of Knights Templar here in Sonoma County as they formed their Commandery, dated 1882:  We have a 7'x7'x4 fire safe from an old bank that was in the area, and it was a real pleasure to go through many of its contents with our new Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts. Application records from before the great quake (1906), meeting minutes and bill receipts from the 1880s, even a copy of the original blueprints to the building, c.1881. Some of our guys are very, very interested in the local history of Freemasonry, and it was a veritable treasure trove of information for them. It really is great to see our newer members with such zeal for our history and culture. Edit: We also found a "black book" of local (Northern California) expelled/suspended/non-dues-paying Freemasons from the early 1910s, each name and date beautifully handwritten
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Mar 7, 2013 18:25
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I have no real interest in pursuing the York Rite degrees or bodies, but I have the opportunity to take part in just the Mark Master degree next month, and I'll admit I'm highly considering it. From what I understand, and it may just be "Masonic tradition," but it used to be given as part of the third degree, I'm always a fan of fleshing out my knowledge of the Blue Lodge and its history. Commandery is simply not for me, for like reasons as LL stated above, and I don't have a burning desire to get involved in Council, Royal Arch, or Scottish Rite.
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Mar 8, 2013 22:38
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Here in California we have life memberships, which got something of an overhaul at last year's Grand Communication. If memory serves, they still aren't transferable (else you could buy one at a Lodge with very low dues then movie it to one with expensive dues), but otherwise it sounds very similar. The idea is that, while it provides very limited usefulness for the Lodge while you're alive, once you die it is a source of recurring interest income for the Lodge. As to belonging to Lodges in multiple jurisdictions, we have affiliated members from all over the country and without, which is pretty neat, talking with them about how our ritual differs and of the various customs and traditions present across the globe.
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Mar 9, 2013 18:34
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After giving the lectures almost weekly for a few years now, I'm admittedly over some of the ceremony inherent therein, but I still love hearing how different people give the various lectures, and how they deliver their lines. I think there's something exciting in every degree, even if at this point it isn't necessarily the ritual itself -- for the first degree I love seeing the candidates and sharing that first step with them. For the second degree I'm a huge fan of the Senior Deacon's work, and who doesn't like being a part of the third degree? While some of the ceremony and ritual has become less special due to repetition, endless study, and performance as I moved through the chairs, I think the most meaningful and important aspect to me is the connection with the candidate and the other brothers who have come together to make his night special.
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Mar 20, 2013 17:03
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Congrats! I wonder if making a Mason "at sight" is an ability retained by PGMs or if that's an ability reserved for the sitting GM only. It's very likely jurisdictional. I should pull out the CMC (California Masonic Code) and see CA's take on it.
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Mar 21, 2013 01:59
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As I recall (still haven't checked the CMC), what the power constitutes in this jurisdiction is that the GM can say "this man has passed all of his investigations and now belongs to your Lodge, schedule the initiation," circumventing the enforced committee check, waiting periods, and application reading. He at that point is the same as any other applicant who has been elected to take the degrees but hasn't yet received his Initiation
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Mar 21, 2013 07:20
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Tonight I get to watch my Senior Warden lead a second degree for the first time. It makes me proud that the hours of ritual practice, helping him with his memorization, and rehearsals have changed him from someone who never wanted to or liked speaking in front of others to someone who can lead a ceremony before a Lodge full of guys. More than any of my own accomplishments, it makes me proud when I see other officers' and members' hard work really pay off in a big way. What's more, next week he'll be leading another 2nd degree, as we pass a mutual good friend. I think our candidate is really in for a treat tonight, and I look forward to sitting back and watching the show from my relatively inactive seat in the West.
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Mar 22, 2013 01:15
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In California only the Master of Ceremonies and Chaplain have to be Master Masons, but conversely only Master Masons get to wear aprons at a Masonic funeral (this was clarified for me after a past Inspector saw a bunch of our EAs and FCs in white aprons at a recent funeral). In addition to be a Master of Ceremonies one must be certified in the funeral ritual.
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Mar 22, 2013 20:55
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Mr. Maltose posted:Also if you draw the long straw at the monthly meeting you get to enjoy the high intensity high reward world of goat farming! I tell ya, that's the real benefit of being the Worshipful Master -- getting to delegate the goat duties. Makes the hours and hours of ritual memorization worth it! It looks like I may be elected Secretary for next year. I should start going to the regional secretary meetings I suppose to make sure I know what I'm getting myself into!
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Apr 15, 2013 19:22
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Tomorrow evening I'll be taking my Mark Master degree, which I think is pretty neat. It's as far as I want to go (at this point) in York Rite, and it's been what feels like quite a few years since I was the candidate in a degree. From the sound of things there will be 6 other brothers going through it as well, members of 3 different Lodges. I look forward to seeing what it entails.
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Apr 22, 2013 08:45
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Are you ready and willing to be passed to the degree of Fellowcraft? If so, go for it. Some people get their degrees in the spam of a few months, some (in select jurisdictions) all in the same day, and some wait years to progress. Just because you are advanced to a new degree doesn't mean you can't study the lessons or symbols presented in the former body of work. I advise the men of my Lodge to advance at a speed they feel comfortable with, no matter how "slow," so long as they are working toward that advancement, and/or deeper understanding. On the other hand, significant dates are cool.
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Apr 30, 2013 09:56
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I assure you that there has never been a person in history (Grand Lecturers certainly included) who has given every proficiency/lecture/ritual perfectly. I will admit I still rib a few guys about some memorable mistakes in the past, but it's light-hearted and fun, and they do the same to me.
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Apr 30, 2013 10:08
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The only secret is what exactly we keep secret 
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May 2, 2013 05:37
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TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:By the way, I see the little dots thingy everywhere and after a decade of masonry, I've still yet to figure out what they actually mean... I've seen it used in shorthand notes here in California (Blue Lodge), but it's not as prevalent as :: (in that unlike the latter it doesn't appear in our cyphers)
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May 3, 2013 01:09
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TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:How come no one ever asks why Americans get to wear hats in blue lodge, and nobody else does? I find that to be a divisive subject. Who's a what now? At least in California only the Worshipful Master may wear a hat, and it must be a hat that dignifies the position.
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May 13, 2013 07:33
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A few things our Lodge participates in include the giving of nearly $10,000 in scholarships to local high schoolers annually, actively promoting and contributing to the Masons4Mitts program with the Junior Giants, Raising a Reader, our annual Christmas party that benefits local shelters and homeless groups, Child ID, working with Parks and Recreation to clean up many of the local open spaces, and contributing to a great many charities and other non-profits who solicit us for funds. I'm exceedingly proud that when I took office I more than doubled our charity budget, and have made our charity a driving force for good in our community. It looks like the guys coming up behind me have no desire to slow down, and one has even started talking about how we can do more, which I fully support.
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May 16, 2013 03:08
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Show them the rebellious nature of today's youth, go with waffles (the goat likes waffles). In all seriousness though, I visited 4 different Lodges and had maybe a dozen or more dinners and coffee meetings with "the guys" before I ever asked, let alone turned in, my application. They want to feel you out, make sure your questions are met, expectations are reasonable, and that you seem like an upstanding lad. As was mentioned, the fact that you're worried means you're likely going to be just fine. They're actively interested in you, as you are in them.
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May 17, 2013 11:11
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OES is co-ed iirc (I'm not a member, but good friends with the local Worthy Patron), not exclusively for women
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May 30, 2013 18:31
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Lovable Luciferian posted:The Grand Master of Florida's ruling was overturned. quote:The passed resolution reverses the Ruling in its entirety, and concludes by affirming “that Florida Masonry hereby declares its eternal devotion to the religious toleration that is one of the immovable and Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry, never to be changed by any man or group of men.” Heck yes.  I'll have to report on this at the Stated Meeting later this week; I know more than a few guys will want to hear this.
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Jun 5, 2013 13:50
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I sat in the Grand Master's chair once. Not comfortable.
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Jun 5, 2013 23:15
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Definitely contact the state's Grand Lodge -- they would either be the appropriate contact or put you in touch with the right one. What a find!
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Jun 6, 2013 20:54
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QPZIL posted:I was officially invited to join both the Allied Masonic Degrees and the Knight Masons last night. That's pretty awesome! I know several of our PMs are members of the AMD but I know next to nothing about them, truth be told. One of the things I like best about visiting other Lodges is offering to stand in or help fill any position they need. Heck, I was almost the de facto Junior Deacon at a sister Lodge as theirs was often out with medical issues. Getting to participate in the ritual from an old/new chair is always exciting, no matter how familiar the work.
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Jun 7, 2013 23:40
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 09:46 |
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I'm on the primary Freemasons page as well as a few other Lodges. Some have some neat articles or pictures or the like, which is the kind of engaging material I try to post on our own, but most are as bad as you'd expect.
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Jun 12, 2013 19:53
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