Masons and eastern stars....

Originally posted by mysterioustranger
reply to post by W3RLIED2

 

When you said you or your GIRL neither one of you, is an Eastern Star ( I assumed you are a man)....you should know that.the Order of the Eastern Star is for women...only. And no one is forced into either them or the Masons.
MAsons=men. OES=women.

Correct. That is the way it was explained to me as well. I meant that neither one of us are masionic/oes.

As for being forced, my mother said as much, but didn't seem to really care.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Thanks for the reply. I am leaning towards it be a family thing. I know my mother and her mother inlaw butted heads a lot. I know my father was recruited, and my mother was told she had to become one, and that all my grandparents were either OES/Masons. I just figured that if my sister was recruited to OES, as well as my father and mother, that I would eventually get the same kind of invitation. My family made it seem like that was the way it operated.

reply to post by Amassuo

I am a first generation Mason and it took me going to Lodge and asking questions. 5-years later I'm still enjoying the ride and plan on many good years ahead of me.

Just be sure to be honest with the petition and meet the requirements.

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus


Yes...one can ATTEND OES meets...not be a MEMBER OF: my point.

Not that its important, bu all of us in my family are/were Masons and OES... every last one of us for 100 years back to 1890 in Arkansas and Tennessee. No one was forced nor required to join either. Myself included. It was by choice and desire.

My deceased family as well are buried in a Masonic Cemetery: both OES and Masons together.

The only real secret would be the one that makes money.

The 9 month cycle of generation and societal evolution is the thing you want to know about.

It is also the thing that the most people do not know about.

reply to post by adraves


I think you just have a lot of confusion. 1st off, as was said, you must already be a master mason in order to join the OES if you are a male. A female just has to have a mason somewhere in her close lineage. A masonic bible is a KJV with some extras at the beginning. Just some cool pictures, and some masonic prayers. It's the same book we have open in lodge. My advice is don't have any kids until you are mentally, physically, and monetarily ready for them. They can and will take a toll on all three. They are the greatest gift God can give you, but they are much more than a puppy. (IMHO)

I would say don't even worry about masonry unless you have a genuine interest in it. It take some work to become a master mason and if you don't want to be there already, doing the work will make you resent the fraternity and that is not the idea at all. It's a great organization and can be hugely fulfilling both spiritually and mentally. But you have to want to do it in order to get that kind of satisfaction out of it. If you have any questions please ask any of us. Good luck.

reply to post by network dude


I agree with my brother the dude on all points. Don't rush to start a family. My wife and I were married for 10 years before we decided we were established enough in our careers and lives to make that kind of commitment and having kids.

Likewise, don't rush to join Masonry. It's not going anywhere, and will be there when you're ready for it. If I'd joined Freemasonry in my 20's I don't think I would have really appreciated the lessons as much as I have joining later in my life... again, once I had matured a bit, and lived my life, seen the world, and was ready for more.

Originally posted by mysterioustranger
Yes...one can ATTEND OES meets...not be a MEMBER OF: my point.

You missed my point. To attend you need to be a member. All Master Masons can automatically become members.

From the Eastern Star website:

What It Is: The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world to which both women and men may belong. Worldwide, there are over 500,000 members under the General Grand Chapter...

Not quite sure were you are getting your information from but it is incorrect.

Adravas I sent you a private message hope it helps, nothing secret you can't share with anyone, just hate to talk about family matters publicly.......even someone elses family.

I am very sad to hear Masonry and teh EOS was presented the way it was. Sadly mmany famlies loose sight of the values of the organizations they are member's of, and the family "tradition" becomes more important than the actual values of that tradition. This is unfortunate, but it is no different then a multi generational family of say Dr's......i don't like it....and there should never be any pressure.

One note I'd like to mention for public. Masons can NEVER ask anyone not even a family member to join, however their wives are not restrained by that as we are, and have at times decided they would do so. So often mothers "invite" sons when their father's can not.....and so the son joins for the wrong reasons, and passes down a very different idea of our fraternity. These relatives do so with good intentions. However I think this post should serve as a reminder to all Masons here, how badly an outcome can come about through such family pressures. When you force someone to do something you think is for their best they resent it. It's best to lead by example, talk openly, and simply LIVE the values of our order. Masons, given our history above all else should understand forcing someone if only by catty comments and peer pressure..... to join something is the most likely way to get them NOT to support it, or even oppose and fear it.

Masonry is based on freedom, and only in free choice can it take root.