For everyone "claiming their grandfather is a 33 degree mason"

Originally posted by jabb
My grandpa actually is a 32 degree, but i'm sure a lot of members are making # up, just to post something for some extra points.

I think there are more 32nd degree than what is believed, because I know for a fact that my father in law was a 32nd degree.
He died when my husband was very young, but amazingly he has been approached many times by Masons and offered membership. Thankfully he has respected my wishes and not joined so far... but he is still young. If they were wise they would stop pursuing him.

Originally posted by NephraTari
...he has been approached many times by Masons and offered membership. Thankfully he has respected my wishes and not joined so far... but he is still young. If they were wise they would stop pursuing him.

In California a Man may not become a Mason without his wifes consent. An applicant is interviewed by three Masons and during this time the wife is taken aside and asked if she has a problem with his joining. I she states she does not want him to join then that is the end of his application.

Please do yourself a favor and read the book "A Pilgrim's Path/Freemasonry and the Religious Right" by John Robinson. You may just find that you are doing yourself and your husband a disservice.

K-Sol

Originally posted by KingSolomon

Originally posted by NephraTari
...he has been approached many times by Masons and offered membership. Thankfully he has respected my wishes and not joined so far... but he is still young. If they were wise they would stop pursuing him.

In California a Man may not become a Mason without his wifes consent. An applicant is interviewed by three Masons and during this time the wife is taken aside and asked if she has a problem with his joining. I she states she does not want him to join then that is the end of his application.

Please do yourself a favor and read the book "A Pilgrim's Path/Freemasonry and the Religious Right" by John Robinson. You may just find that you are doing yourself and your husband a disservice.

K-Sol

whatever its benefits may be.. I do not agree with secrecy. knowledge is not a possession to keep from others. Trust me, they don't want me to be okay with it...
Do I seem passive to you? I am an inquisitive spirit.
I oppose it for not only the well being of their secrets, but also for the well being of my family, because I do NOT believe that knowledge is meant to be hidden and controlled the way they do.

As far as I am aware the 33 degree is strictly honourary. It is given out to luminaries (pardon the pun) for service as one would a degree to the commencement speaker. There are 32 degrees in Speculative Masonry which can be attained through two routes, either the York Rite or the Scottish Rite. The Third Degree is the most important as that is the degree of a Master Mason. The Royal Arch and the Shrine are strictly after degrees for interested parties. Most AF&AM lodges are far more social than esoteric and are more likely to house the local "old boys network" rather than a "world wide conspiracy". That is not to say that there are not esoteric lodges out there but they are far more underground than this lot.

Originally posted by Bluetwo
As far as I am aware the 33 degree is strictly honourary. It is given out to luminaries (pardon the pun) for service as one would a degree to the commencement speaker. There are 32 degrees in Speculative Masonry which can be attained through two routes, either the York Rite or the Scottish Rite. The Third Degree is the most important as that is the degree of a Master Mason. The Royal Arch and the Shrine are strictly after degrees for interested parties. Most AF&AM lodges are far more social than esoteric and are more likely to house the local "old boys network" rather than a "world wide conspiracy". That is not to say that there are not esoteric lodges out there but they are far more underground than this lot.

Thats how it goes kant agree as a had two 32 degree masons in my family till grandpa died and I'm planing to become one as well .

oops I dont mean agree i mean argew (sorry I'm not the best at english) sorry.

Good luck riding the goat.....

He died when my husband was very young, but amazingly he has been approached many times by Masons and offered membership. Thankfully he has respected my wishes and not joined so far... but he is still young. If they were wise they would stop pursuing him.

To become a Mason one has to approach a member of the lodge. A lodge member may not recruit members.

Originally posted by nwscc

He died when my husband was very young, but amazingly he has been approached many times by Masons and offered membership. Thankfully he has respected my wishes and not joined so far... but he is still young. If they were wise they would stop pursuing him.

To become a Mason one has to approach a member of the lodge. A lodge member may not recruit members.

Ya well I guess they broke some rules then, because it has happened more than once.

As 33 degree masons were highly elite and the person knowing them would have great knowledge and power.

so what do you wish to know with regards to the masonic order?

Here in Scotland it take many years to reach the side and higher degrees.

I do know in the States that some GL`S can work all 32 in one weekend which i think defeats the purpose of Masonry!

It can take many years trying to fullly understand the first three.

G

Dont know where in the world you are? but if these Masons are pursuing you husband to join then they are breaking Masonic etiquette, as any one wishing to join must ask, never be asked.

G

I have a question and an observation.

1. What is the difference between Stonemason and Freemasons?
2. nwscc - fibonacci sequence. nice

Originally posted by StickySteve
I have a question and an observation.

1. What is the difference between Stonemason and Freemasons?

They are the same thing basically. But to earn above the 3rd degree you have to be something else than a Bluelodge mason such as Scottish Rite.

2. nwscc - fibonacci sequence. nice

Thanks, someone clued in. library.thinkquest.org...
www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk...

[Edited on 13-1-2004 by nwscc]

[Edited on 13-1-2004 by nwscc]

interesting links, i've never seen that before

God Bless that sequence...

May I ask what the benefit of 'spreading your knowledge' on the Masons is, exactly? If you actually know anything important, chances are you'd know not to speak, and if you think you know something important, and don't know not to speak, then you've been gravely misinformed or you will soon have some swift retribution drawn against you. I can't imagine a secretive society going to the trouble of forming at least 33 different degrees of rank and then jumping through half of them in a single session, and I also can't imagine it being an easy thing to achieve, but any of you that think you know that there are only 33 men who can achieve the rank of 33, I know this because.. well, I'm #5, and .. they wouldn't lie to me, they'd just give someone 28 ranks lower than themselves this kind of information to pass around.

grr.. I'm just having a bad day, you shouldn't mind me..

Ok, I'm late to this post...and new to this forum.

I'm not sure if any other masons have responded here yet, but here's the deal:

The 33rd degree, while being very special, doesn't make someone any more of a mason than a 3rd degree mason.

I am a 32 degree mason, I know several 33rds. (2 cousins and several friends.)

One attains the 33rd degree for several reasons, primarily outstanding service to the craft or to society at large - and apparently, popularity among the supreme council figures into it at some point.

Several "worthy" masons have not recieved the 33'rd because they were too transparent in their "campaigning" for it, or because they ticked someone off, or because it appeared that they "expected" it.

Success has long ago yielded to "sneakyness + finger-pointing + brown-noseing = promotion" in business and other areas of modern life.

Freemasonry, thankfully, is one of those poetic justice kind of things, one of the last bastions of "humility + hard work = Honor. "

Do 33rds have "power" or "authority"....well, let's say they have "clout" or "prestige." And of course in masonic circles, 33rds have a lot of say on things. A 33rd, however, could not remove a master from his office in lodge, only the Grand Master can do that after a proper masonic trial, etc... The master of a lodge is the supreme authority of that lodge, yielding only to the Grand Lodge itself or to annual edicts of the Grand Master.


Since this is my first post, I'll cut it short. Like I said, I'm not sure if this has been addressed elsewhere on this forum or not. If yu have any questions about freemasonry though, please let me know and I will do my best to answer them for you.

33rd Degree: Sovereign Grand Inspector General
Is performed in a Supreme Council, only one of which is allowed in any country except the United State where there are 2 (and Australia I believe, where there are 5 due to the Grand Lodges all being created before federation.)

Can produce a letter of expulsion published in red letter to any subordinate body.
(Strictly speaking they waive the right to do such directly over a Blue Lodge, but I doubt that the worshipful master would let it get that far in the first place.)

Has access to "The Book of Gold" which contains the full records of the Supreme Council.

It is noted that there are actually 4 classes and different jewels of the 33rd Degree.
4th Class - all members conferred this degree.
3rd Class - all members who are active members of the Supreme Council.
2nd Class - all elective and past elective officers as well as emeriti members and those who have been in possession of the degree in excess of 20 years.
1st Class - Sovereign and Past Sovereign Grand Commanders, Eminent Patrons and Protectors of the Order and other distinguished Masons from foreign countries (honarary conferment.)
1st Class with Brilliants - worn exclusively by The Sovereign Grand Commander & Past Sovereign Grand Commander.

I'd estimate there to be only a dozen or so at any one time in any country except the USA where there are probably double that amount.

Practically anyone you meet who actually tells you up front they are a Freemason (funny you know I've only met one who did) will try to talk down the significance of the higher degrees and its a common in-joke in Freemasonry that everyone claims to be a 32nd degree, because even amongst themselves they don't know for sure unless they are further up the pyramid than the person in question.