Anyone want to be a MASTER MASON.....?

To the OP what you failed to realise/recognise is just how precious and protective some people are about masonry. I myself have been through all the initiations and have indeed initiated and raised people to a Master mason level. If you realised how much effort goes into learning your words, practising the ceremony. And actually how 10-100 brother masons in the same lodge want to make that night for that one person either being initiated or raised a special night.

You'd realise how inappropriate that certificate is, and how much a mockery it makes for real masons who attend and work the lodge.

reply to post by KingAtlas


Don't let it get you down. Not every joke is a home run. With masons, you either have to be real gentile or smack us in the face with humor, like this. Although, after some careful investigation, it would seem FA has an affinity for neked artwork. Smile and try again.

Originally posted by KingAtlas

The only reason I posted this was because I searched on the site, and no one had posted anything on the subject of buying Mason items or certificates. which I thought was weird.

There are actually lots of places that sell Masonic items. As Secretary of my Lodge, I purchase lots of stuff on the internet. The certificate you linked to is one among several that lodges may present to their members. Of course, to be legitimate, those certificates must be signed by the lodge's master, countersigned by the secretary, and placed under seal.

reply to post by Masonic Light


Sorry to be more clear there was nothing on ATS about it. I was just adding content to ATS. I figure if I am going to post a thread it should at least involve information that wasn't previously available onn this site.

i doubt you can get into a high level mason meeting without knowing the mason ooga booga code

reply to post by xPico


This gave me such a chuckle.
The mason ooga booga code. hahaha I bet Dan Brown wished he'd thought of that one.

In my Lodge, we rarely test visitors in the formal manner. It is absolutely obvious whether or not a person is a Mason.

Simple things that are found nowhere on the internet, and taught only by experience...

If a person walks into the lodge room, the apron he is wearing dictates where he is to sit. Someone wearing a white apron who goes and sits in the East would be spotted as a fraud before you could say "Entered Apprentice."

Does the Mason know how to fire at the afterboard? Does he know the order of the toasts?

Does he know the names of the Lodges in his city and the WM's of each Lodge?

What work does he know? Can he perambulate correctly on entering the Lodge?

Does he know which admin matters are addressed at each rising?

No certificate, handshake or password would ever convince me that a person is a Mason. The tests I use as JW are those unofficial tests which every mason would know, but are not written, indited, carved, marked, engraved or otherwise delineated anywhere in the world, and can only be experienced by active participation and visitation in Freemasonry in general.

reply to post by Saurus


So thaaaats why lodges look at me funny when I sit in the big chair at the end of the room ..

Originally posted by Saurus

Does the Mason know how to fire at the afterboard? Does he know the order of the toasts?

Does he know the names of the Lodges in his city and the WM's of each Lodge?

What work does he know? Can he perambulate correctly on entering the Lodge?

Does he know which admin matters are addressed at each rising?

I clearly see that I would never be able to gain admission into your Lodge.

reply to post by Masonic Light


I was thinking the same thing! I didn't even know the names of the other WM in my town the year I was a WM! I'm lucky to know the name of our Grand Master, and I don't have any idea of the names of the other Grand Officers, and I'm not sure who is our DDGM this year? I'm pretty sure I know last years?

And, I thought it was circumambulate? "Perambulate" wouldn't have a direction, LOL!!

Originally posted by Rockpuck
So thaaaats why lodges look at me funny when I sit in the big chair at the end of the room ..

Originally posted by Masonic Light
I clearly see that I would never be able to gain admission into your Lodge.

Of course, you could buy me a beer and I'd let you in!

Originally posted by getreadyalready
And, I thought it was circumambulate? "Perambulate" wouldn't have a direction, LOL!!

Of course, circumambulation means walking around, whereas a perambulation means walking through. However, over the years, "perambulation" has slipped into the lingua franca of English Masonry, and I am guilty of the same. I stand humbly corrected.

reply to post by Saurus


To be honest, I had to google it and make sure I was correct before I posted that up. I thought it sounded off, but I figured I was the one that had it incorrect, LOL!

I would like to BE a Mason, not have the paper on the wall....
but alas, I wouldnt be accepted...

Originally posted by Saurus
Does he know the names of the Lodges in his city and the WM's of each Lodge?

Hell, there are almost 30 lodges in my city!!! (and almost 50 in my county…) I'd be lucky to be able to name the lodges in my district.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by fordrew

 

We also have a little bit of office politics in my district, and some brothers are not welcome in our Lodge, so they are either just flat refused, or they are examined beyond their expertise, LOL! Maybe its just us?

In my jurisdiction, any member can object to a visitor, even if that man is otherwise entitled to be in lodge. There are, of course, obvious exceptions --- like the Grand Master.

Originally posted by driley

In my jurisdiction, any member can object to a visitor, even if that man is otherwise entitled to be in lodge. There are, of course, obvious exceptions --- like the Grand Master.

That, I think, is sort of a slippery slope. According to Mackey's Landmarks, every Master Mason in good standing has the right to sit in any regular and legally constituted Lodge in the world. Indeed, our obligations commit us to recognition and brotherhood.

Under what scenario could a Master Mason be excluded from sitting in a Lodge?

Originally posted by Masonic Light

Originally posted by driley

In my jurisdiction, any member can object to a visitor, even if that man is otherwise entitled to be in lodge. There are, of course, obvious exceptions --- like the Grand Master.

That, I think, is sort of a slippery slope. According to Mackey's Landmarks, every Master Mason in good standing has the right to sit in any regular and legally constituted Lodge in the world. Indeed, our obligations commit us to recognition and brotherhood.

Under what scenario could a Master Mason be excluded from sitting in a Lodge?

Secrets held within our bosom. Suppose a brother intends to ask the Lodge for dues amnesty because of a hard time in his life and he doesn't want it shared past the very close members of his lodge. Suppose we have a vote on a candidate that is closely related to folks in another lodge and someone intends to blackball. Suppose someone has a deep-seated dislike of another Mason and refuses to sit in lodge with them?

All of those scenarios have arisen in my lodge within the past 3 years. Any member can object to any visitor for any reason, although in our case, in the not-so-ancient past, there has been a racial issue, and so it has gone back and forth to the Grand Lodge many times, and now that objection better be founded in something other than race. (Which is a totally warranted caveat, and during my year as Master we did have black visitors, but we also excluded some trouble making white members from the same lodge on other occasions, LOL!)

This is where the examination comes into effect. I have some close black friends that are great men, great Masons, and successful members of society, and when they visit my lodge, they better be welcomed. The skeptics in my lodge might not trust them, and might examine them until the cows come home, but they will always pass. Now, I also happen to know a few members of another lodge that were recruited and admitted solely to make a political point, and they are sketchy at best. They will not pass a basic examination at the door, and that is a legitimate concern and reason to refuse admittance.

Originally posted by driley
In my jurisdiction, any member can object to a visitor, even if that man is otherwise entitled to be in lodge. There are, of course, obvious exceptions --- like the Grand Master.

In my state, any member of a lodge under our Grand Lodge's jurisdiction has the right of visitation in any other lodge under our Grand Lodge's jurisdiction.

If there's a visitor from another state, 3 Master Masons expressing their concern over his visit would warrant him not being admitted. Two or less such complaints, it is the decision of the Worshipful Master as to whether the peace and harmony of the lodge would be better served by his exclusion.

Originally posted by Masonic Light

Originally posted by driley

In my jurisdiction, any member can object to a visitor, even if that man is otherwise entitled to be in lodge. There are, of course, obvious exceptions --- like the Grand Master.

That, I think, is sort of a slippery slope. According to Mackey's Landmarks, every Master Mason in good standing has the right to sit in any regular and legally constituted Lodge in the world. Indeed, our obligations commit us to recognition and brotherhood.

Under what scenario could a Master Mason be excluded from sitting in a Lodge?

Greetings M Light.

I had a very strange situation when I was in the East , along these lines. A Past Grand Master, who is a founding member of my Lodge, was involved in a Court case with the Grand Lodge of our Jurisdiction. I know him quite well, and was pleased he found some time to visit us. Now the rub, I found out that the current Grand Master was planning a surprise visit to the lodge that evening, and had sent the DDGM ahead to give me a little heads up . When the DDGM arrived, he demanded I eject our Past GM, member of my lodge, otherwise the sitting GM would cancel his visit to my lodge. As WM, I made the call to allow the member to stay, and passed my regrets to the current GM about his having to cancel his visit. Needless to say, feces hit the proverbial spinning blade, and it turned into an interesting evening. Months later I was approached by another Past GM, I know, who confided in me, that everyone but the current GM agreed I had made the correct choice in allowing my Lodge Brother to sit with us.

Just a little insight into some weird situations that can crop up when you are in the East.

I don't see a decoder ring...

Originally posted by Dr Cosma
I'm pretty sure that they dont accept that certificate.
If you gave me monopoly money to pay for something I wouldn't take it.

Wouldn't that be unthoughtful if we were playing monopoly?