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quote:Brother Senior Warden, are all present Master Goons? Inquire through your proper channel until you are duly satisfied. I've heard it as "Are you satisfied that all present are Brother Masons? If not, proceed to satisfy yourself." and have to surpress a giggle. (we try to open in EA as much as possible, except for things like DDGM visits and such) Edit: might want to add something to the OP, about how no proper Mason will ask you to join - you have to make that decision to start the petition/application process yourself. mrbill fucked around with this message at 21:32 on Dec 18, 2012 |
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Dec 18, 2012 21:30
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| # ¿ May 1, 2024 08:53 |
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Brimmstone posted:And here's the point when we get to whisper sweet nothings to the deacons or stewards... Bonus points if you can get them to crack. One of our Lodge's classic stories involves someone flubbing "tongue of good report" and saying "report of good tongue" instead...
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Dec 19, 2012 16:27
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Innerguard posted:Also one comment I heard on the matter was that a slave could have been forced by their 'owner' to divulge what they'd seen, heard, etc. That's the reasoning we were given for that requirement.
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Dec 20, 2012 06:07
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Paramemetic posted:Edit: on a serious note, the postal service doesn't care about the name on the address, just the address and the Zip Code. Name only comes up if it's a "signature needed" and even then only if the dude is busting your chops, and you just have to print as well as sign. I had to sign for a package once while wearing a sleeveless shirt, and it turned out one of my mailmen (depending on the day) is a PH Brother. ("ONE OF US! ONE OF US!") He'd seen the stuff on my car and then saw my tattoo and finally made the appropriate inquiries. 7thBatallion posted:So I'm going to be making mead over the next six months . . . Would it be completely uncool to have the square and compasses sealed n wax on the bottles. Brother, I would love to purchase a couple bottles of your fine product, if you are to make it available. You should also make up some old-timey labels, like: https://www.google.com/search?q=patent+medicine+labels mrbill fucked around with this message at 08:12 on Dec 23, 2012 |
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Dec 23, 2012 08:08
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We try to dissuade guys from petitioning if we think they're only doing it for the business/networking connection possibilities, as that's not we're here for. Sure, I'll prefer to give my Brothers business before anybody else - but that just might mean cheap oil changes in my car or cupcakes at wholesale instead of retail price. We have a lot of law enforcement officers in my Lodge, but if one of them happened to pull me over, I would expect them to give me a ticket if I deserved it no different than anyone else. Sure, we have guys who make it through initiation, realize there's no SUPER GRAND SECRET (that they couldn't have looked up on the Internet in the first place), get bored, and never come back again - but fortunately they're a minority and most of them stick with it and eventually discover the true benefits of Freemasonry.
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Dec 26, 2012 01:24
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I knew my Grandfather was a Mason; he had the sticker on his car and wore a big ring - but that's all I knew, and for years I thought Masons was just something that "old guys" did. He'd wanted me to get involved in Demolay when I was younger (13-15), but I never had time and it fell by the wayside. I remained curious throughout the years, and finally got around to making some inquiries in 2008, and petitioned my home Lodge in August of '08 at the age of 34. Had I known how it would improve my life, I would have done it years earlier - but then honestly I think everything ended up perfect timing-wise and with my personal maturity level and so forth. I was Raised to Master Mason on my birthday, November 5th, 2009. This was after a very difficult year (death of my wife, etc) that my Masonic brethren helped me make it through. I was proud to be able to wear one of my Grandfather's Masonic rings after I was Raised. In 2010, I was given my Lodge's equivalent of their "Mason of the Year" award, and was just completely flabbergasted by it. I like to think that my Grandfather was looking down on me proudly from somewhere. 8-)
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Dec 26, 2012 18:52
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Lovable Luciferian posted:Hiram award? http://www.gray329.org/the-gray-honor/
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Dec 27, 2012 02:10
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Coolguye posted:how does the order "make good men better"? Like is there an example or two you can give? Let's see.. Just some of the things I can think of in my particular case: - Gives me the opportunity to be more charitable in both actions and giving of time and money, whether it be to another Brother or just to someone who I can help in some way - Has made me a LOT more confident about standing up and talking in front of groups, even if it's lots of people I don't know. This is because I know that most of the people in the room have been in that same situation before, and not a one of them is going to make fun of me or ridicule me or do anything if I flub a word, a line, or goof up. - I've met some incredibly awesome people. For example, one of my Brothers at Lodge is a Most Worshipful Past Grand Master of the state of Texas - but the only way you'd know this is by the jewel and apron he wears and the painting of him in our Lodge room. Otherwise, he's just Mike. I've never known him to use his Masonic history to attempt to seem "better" than anyone else. - I've made some incredible friends. My Brethren at my home Lodge, and my Brethren here on the SA Forums, helped me get through an incredibly rough time in '09 when my wife passed away. It was amazing to attend a Thursday night study night about a week after her passing, and have our Secretary walk up with notes of condolences that he'd gotten via messages from phone calls and other Lodges all over the country due to the GoonMasons. - Another bit about confidence - when my Brothers asked me to start helping teach the Work to some of the newer guys coming in "behind" me. There's nothing like knowing that your Brethren think highly enough of you that you are considered competent enough to help teach memory work to the next "generation" of Masons. - You get the same amount of respect that you give. I've never run into someone pulling a "Well, I've been a Mason longer than you've been alive!" angle. I'm sure it happens, but I have never personally encountered it in the past four years. My favorite thing about being a Mason - the incredible variety of people we have in our Lodge, with so many different life experiences or even what folks do for a living - and that (for the most part) everyone treats everybody else as complete equals. Former district court judges sitting next to guys that drive a garbage truck for a living - and none of that *matters* once you walk in the door.
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Dec 27, 2012 23:01
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TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:So was Santa good to everyone in this thread? Has he the password?
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Dec 30, 2012 23:58
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Thatim posted:How do most freemasons deal with this? Did anyone ever ran into angry people when they found out? My mother was telling a coworker that I'd joined the Masons and he said "You know they're all devil worshipers, right?" . . . I'm just glad I wasn't in the blast radius and heard about it afterwards. She lit into him about how he'd just insulted me, my grandfather, a good portion of the teachers and faculty at the town's public schools, and so forth.
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Dec 31, 2012 00:01
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Had our Stated meeting tonight, a visit from the DDGM (who happens to also be our Secretary), and I was called to the Altar and presented with my Endowed Membership certificate.  You're stuck with me for good, now!
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Jan 3, 2013 04:34
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Lovable Luciferian posted:My question is: do you think it would be out of line to ask the district inspector to qualify me for the staircase lecture? I don't want to steal anyone's job, but it would be nice to know that I can still do it if it's needed. The main thing of course is that I don't want to step on anyone's toes. Not at all. At least around here, the more people that know the various lectures and ritual, the better. That way you don't end up with only having one guy who knows certain parts and so he then has to be part of EVERY EA or FC or MM degree.
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Jan 3, 2013 23:15
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Ari posted:I am standing about eight feet from the Grand Master of Florida. I know there's some discord with regard to some recent decisions that would affect some of my goon brothers... would anyone like me to ask him any questions that won't get me expelled? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAg1r6zw7Bg Seriously, just be polite and respectful, and the political situation will resolve itself.
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Jan 4, 2013 03:12
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SafetyTrain posted:What kind of income disparity is there usually in your run-of-the-mill Lodge? It depends on the Lodge. There's a certain Lodge here in Houston that is regarded as "rich guys, lawyers, and oil money" - and that's one of the reasons why I didn't bother with that certain one. My Lodge has guys that have done everything from drive garbage trucks to being retired district court judges. Our current WM sells real estate. We seem to have a larger than normal number of current and former law enforcement types. One of the things I enjoy most about Masonry is that once you walk in that Lodge door - what you do outside of Lodge doesn't (or shouldn't) matter. We meet on the level. quote:From http://www.humboldtlodge79.org/lodge-history:
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Jan 4, 2013 18:06
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Our degree fees are $75/75/125, with no yearly dues until you're Raised. After that it's $175/year (recently up from $125). I got my Endowed Membership for $900, right before a price increase.
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Jan 22, 2013 02:25
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Walked back into my office this afternoon, my phone said "1 MISSED CALL", from "GRAND LODGEOFTX". Ruh-roh. Pull up my email, listen to the voicemail, return the phone call. It turns out that a recently-raised Brother in Sulphur Springs, TX had seen my altar picture (the one you've all seen already) in the latest issue of the Texas Mason magazine that featured the photo contest results. He (not having a computer or Internet) wrote a letter to his District Deputy about getting in touch with the photographer; his DD then passed the message on to the Grand Librarian, whose assistant then gave me a call. I got in touch with the Brother. He was so impressed with the photo that he wanted to purchase a print to hang in his office (he's a doctor) and a few more to give to other brothers at their raisings in the near future. To make a long story short, I had Walgreens print up a few 8x10s from my digital original and send them to him directly, and he's going to send me a check. Not a huge amount; enough to cover the costs of the prints and pay for dinner for my girlfriend and I. Just a neat connection, and I'm still very happy that people like the picture.If he'd offered me a large amount, I would have donated half of it to my Lodge. I normally let Masonic organizations use the picture at no charge (as long as I'm given proper credit), and wouldn't really feel right profiting off my involvement with the organization that has done so much for me in the past few years, and is one of the reasons I'm still on this planet. While I was on the phone with the Assistant Grand Librarian, I asked if he could take a picture of the display so I could see what it looked like. Mine is farthest on the right. 
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Jan 24, 2013 08:55
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We open all stated meetings in EA unless it's a special circumstance such as the District Deputy visit, which requires opening in MM.
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Feb 11, 2013 11:59
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Re: mohawk and two hoop earrings I've told this before, but I was rather concerned before my first visit to what is now my home Lodge. I was worried that my appearance (I'm a big, e.g., fat guy, and I have a simple loop earring in my left ear) and my lack of super-fancy clothes (I was in khakis and a polo-type shirt) would work against me in my quest to join the Craft. When I showed up, I quickly realized that one of the then-current officers (now a PM) was a bigger dude than I was, and the former DDGGM who gave me the tour had multiple earrings in one ear. Remember, it is the internal, not the external aspects that bring a man to Masonry.
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Mar 4, 2013 23:36
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Officers at my Lodge are expected to have suit and tie for monthly Stated meetings and special functions. Otherwise, we've had informal degree practice and get-togethers in shorts and t-shirts. I can honestly say that my Lodge genuinely cares about what's in a Brother's head and heart, and not the shirt on his back. mrbill fucked around with this message at 05:07 on Mar 21, 2013 |
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Mar 5, 2013 03:00
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I've got an Endowed Membership to the Grand Lodge of Texas. Say (purely hypothetically; I have no plans) that I was to move back to Oklahoma. Can plural memberships be had between Grand Lodges, or only between Lodges that are both under the same Grand Lodge jurisdiction? Would relocation out of state require a demit from GLoTX, and them treating my Endowed membership as if I'd passed away and so forth? I'm guessing the various Grand Lodges have limits on how long you can be a "visitor" in another jurisdiction? Of course without getting a Letter of Good Standing from TX and then joining GLoOK, I wouldn't have voting rights in an OK lodge or the ability to hold any office, etc.
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Mar 9, 2013 08:07
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I know the one-day classes aren't allowed in Texas, but special permission can be granted by the GM to do all three degrees in one day for situations such as someone getting ready to ship out overseas for the military.
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Mar 21, 2013 05:06
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FreshFeesh posted: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. This is one of the things I LOVE about Masonry. It happened with me. When, after my EA, the WM asked in open Lodge for me to stand up and if I had any words or thoughts about the ceremony, and for a few words about why I became a Mason - I was nervous, stuttering, and so forth. Now, ~5 years later, I'm not afraid to stand up at a Stated Meeting and address the Wardens and Brethren.
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Mar 23, 2013 00:10
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Sub Rosa posted:I am a Mason and I still don't understand what people mean by this. Think about the very first part of the EA ceremony.
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Apr 9, 2013 00:56
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Sub Rosa posted:Still not really getting it. I've only seen EAs in my home jurisdiction so maybe we do something different. You were greeted with a certain instrument upon a certain part of your body. That's the bit being discussed.
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Apr 10, 2013 09:41
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I was told ahead of time (as I'm a big dude and the standard set of garb doesn't fit) "just bring a pair of sweatpants and a shirt that buttons in front". They didn't tell me it couldn't be a loud Hawaiian shirt....
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Apr 12, 2013 17:02
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hailthefish posted:Anyone who puts ketchup on their meatloaf or permits others to do so is irregular That's how we've always done it and I don't see any reason why you young punks should change things. 
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Apr 16, 2013 22:58
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I wish I had joined earlier, but not 15 years earlier. That said, we've initiated a couple sons-of-Masons when they turned 18, and I haven't seen them "stick with it"... Really varies from person to person
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May 3, 2013 05:04
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jrgnsn_tjf posted:Any other masonic tatts?? Got this a day after I was Raised in '09. 
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Jun 7, 2013 21:30
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Mr. Maltose posted:Considering the work that Masonry now conducts, no one could really be considered disabled in the unable to work sense. If someone (for example) needs to be pushed between stations in a wheelchair, I can't imagine that there would be a shortage of Brethren volunteering to assist. If you're lesser-able, your Brothers are going to be there for you, and nobody's going to give you any grief because of it. I have a tracheal stenosis (scar tissue just under my vocal cords) and sometimes crippling asthma. I was suffering from the aftermath of an attack when it was time to go through my FC ceremony. Nobody cared that I had my inhaler in my pocket and had to huff from it a couple times through the evening. After everything was done, the Brother who had led me by the arm told me that he'd walked me in smaller rectangles than would normally have been done. I was preoccupied and hadn't noticed.
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Jun 7, 2013 21:44
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SaNChEzZ posted:I got to Tile, which was exciting because I'm still an EA due to time/date conflicts with work. Boo! I love getting to "fill in", although I've only done it for degree ceremonies and not Stated Meetings. Especially love being the Secretary; my large physical stature makes part of the EA lots of fun, and I improvised and did something once that had everyone in stitches and has become a tradition.
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Jun 7, 2013 22:46
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| # ¿ May 1, 2024 08:53 |
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Part of the EA ritual that (as far as I'm aware) only TX and LA do. Can't go into detail here.
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Jun 9, 2013 21:35
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