phil
Member
Just me all at sea
Posts: 209
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Post by phil on Jul 6, 2005 20:54:15 GMT
Hello Brethren,
I am a new member on this forum and decided to introduce myself.
My name is Phil Abrahams, an English Jew who emigrated to Holland some 28 years ago. You read that correctly because I am now 60 year's old.
Don't dispare, I'm not one of those fuddy duddies of the old school but a strong believer in spreading knowledge within the craft and outside it. My motto is "Let's get Freemasonry out of the shadows and into the light".
I have been a Freemason for the last 30 years and enjoy the variations to be found around the world.
I am particularly involved in study evenings (often called instruction) in my lodge where we can share insight, discuss esoteric interpretations and simply hold discussions that get the adrenaline moving.
I know that I will glean much from this forum and hope to be able to contribute a little.
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staffs
Administrator
Staffs
Posts: 3,295
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Post by staffs on Jul 6, 2005 21:03:23 GMT
Welcome Phil..I think you will like it here with us all.
I have no doubt you will be able to add your ideas and help to enlighten us.
There are a few SRIA and hermetic brethren here along with the more spiritually aware and even the newbie masons like myself who will pleased to read and study with you.
Just watch out for the travelling forumite called Bod who may well submit a request to visit Holland and meet you for a meeting.It may well be a guise to get to Amsterdam without his good lady. ;D
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Post by munkholt on Jul 6, 2005 21:45:59 GMT
Welcome Phil,
looking forward to reading your perspective on things!
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Post by leonardo on Jul 6, 2005 22:07:19 GMT
Phil
I like your style. I have no doubt you'll fit right in here. Welcome!
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Post by waynecowley on Jul 7, 2005 7:51:57 GMT
Welcome from me too Phil
Wayne
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giovanni
Member
odi profanum vulgus, et arceo
Posts: 2,627
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Post by giovanni on Jul 7, 2005 8:01:57 GMT
Benvenuto, Phil, Shalom!
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Post by Siontific on Jul 7, 2005 19:08:05 GMT
Hi Phil, hope you enjoy the Forum.
Be interested to know how you have achieved or believe how you could achieve your motto.
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phil
Member
Just me all at sea
Posts: 209
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Post by phil on Jul 7, 2005 20:11:52 GMT
Hello Siontific,
In response to your question: I strongly believe that Freemasonry is still far too secretive about who we are, what we do, etc. We should be able to talk about everything we do. Our only secrets are the signs and passwords. The rest is not part of our obligation.
I always tell people that I have two hobbies; Freemasonry and computers. Usually we end up talking about computers but sometimes ....... and then there is fun.
In Holland, we often hold open seminars (information evenings) for the general public during which we are very open about Freemasonry and are usually able to answer all questions. I have had the opportunity of being involved in such evenings.
Equally, in my previous lodge, I was also the webmaster and published many of our lodge talks on the website so that the general public could see what it was that we talked about during our weekly presentation and discussion evenings.
I hope that I have given you some insight to my motto.
S&FG
Phil
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Post by Siontific on Jul 7, 2005 22:16:26 GMT
Thanks Phil,
Do you think Freemasonry is more open in Holland than the UK? If so, any particular reason?
I am not aware there are information evenings in the UK. Open Days, yes, but not exactly very informative, more a "show and no tell."
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phil
Member
Just me all at sea
Posts: 209
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Post by phil on Jul 8, 2005 19:04:05 GMT
It may well be somewhat more open in Holland but it is certainly not easier to become a member and the influx of new members is not very impressive.
The Dutch take their Freemasonry very seriously -- it takes up a lot of ones time. We meet every week. Mostly, these meetings are not in the temple but in the area where we would dine after a temple ritual. At those meetings, the highlight of the evening is the presentation of a paper by one of our members (or even a guest) after which we all discuss what has been presented and compare our views. That is why we call these meetings a "Comparision" (English spelling). A meeting for comparissons. Rituals, depending on the influx of candidates, including the "Opening of the Work Year", The "Summer St. John" and "The Winter St. John", take place about 6 or 7 times a year.
Then we have instruction get togethers.
To become a member in Holland:
1/ You make a written application
2/ Two brethren come to visit your home and talk to you and your partner to ascertain how serious and appropriate your application is and if your partner supports your intentions. They make a report to the WM. You will aslo have to fill in a questionaire.
3/ In the mean time, your name as a candidate is read out at the next "Comparission" of every lodge in the country so that information from any brother that may know (of) you, to the advantage or disadvantage of the candidate, can be encouraged.
4/ The WM will then invite the candidate and his partner either to his own home or a restaurant for a coffie and snacks, or a meal, to get to know them and make up his own mind about the candidates suitability for his lodge. The WM will tell them about the lodge, the fees, what is expected of him and also advise him that, should he be admitted, he needs to buy a suit with tails, a black waistcoat and a white bow tie which are all worn during rituals in the temple.
5/ The candidate will be asked to write a short biography (not a CV) wherein he should describe his background, upbringing, family. school, career (very short overview) beliefs, passions and fears. The idea is give give an impression of what makes him tick.
6/ All documentation is copied to our Grand Lodge (The Great East of The Netherlands) in The Hague for their perusal and permission to admit the candidate to Masonry. Usually just a formality.
6/ A representaion of the investigation commission from the lodge, usually a senior member of the lodge together with the two wardens, will meet with the candidate alone and exchange questions and answers with him. They will answer any questions that he may have and tell him about the lodge but, primarily they will ask him questions about his conclusions so far, about points in his biography. The intetion is to get a really in-deapth feel of this potential "Brother". This meeting will result in a report and a recommendation to the WM and the lodge.
7/ At a meeting of all the 3rd degree Masons of the lodge, the report from the investigating committee will be presented and the brethren asked to ballot for the candidate. If the ballot is positive, a letter will be sent to the candidate advising him of when his initiation may take place.
The whole process, including the summer recess, can take up to one year from the first application to the initiation ceremony.
Each year, the candidate will also be investigated to dertermine if he is ready to be passed and raised. Sometimes the EA wants to wait because he does not feel ready, or it may be recommended to him to wait if the commission does not think that he is ready. He will also be required to make a presentation at a "Comparission" in which he will say what has brought him so far and how Freemasonry has helped him further. This is not an exam but it might as well be.
Usually, he will be passe after his first year and raised after his second year in Freemasonry.
He will be encouraged all alone the way to further his studies of the ritual(s) and the phylosophies behind them. He will be strongly encouraged to attend instruction evenings. These are not just to learn the rituals (in Holland, reading the ritual is no crime) but to dealve into the symbolism, history and allegories involved. All the sciences, particularly of geometry, will be discussed and studied (if I have anything to do with it ;-))) ).
Every lodge in Holland (or any country) is different and has its own approaches and atmospheres. Some are more "elite" than others.
Is this enough to be going on for now??
S&FG
Phil
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giovanni
Member
odi profanum vulgus, et arceo
Posts: 2,627
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Post by giovanni on Jul 8, 2005 20:02:48 GMT
same in Italy, more or less
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bod
Member
UGLE - MM (London), MMM RAM(Middx), OSM (London)
Posts: 1,296
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Post by bod on Jul 13, 2005 9:22:16 GMT
An excellent and well detailed explanation Phil, thanks for taking the time to share it with us, and welcome to the forum.
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Post by mrmason on Jul 13, 2005 20:46:44 GMT
Hi Phil, welcome
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Post by ingo on Jul 22, 2005 7:25:16 GMT
Welcome Phil. I guess you will like it here. Thanks for your perspectives on Dutch masonry. I found a lot of things similiar to our lodges and lodge meetings.
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phil
Member
Just me all at sea
Posts: 209
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Post by phil on Jul 22, 2005 17:21:36 GMT
Danke Ingo,
Yes, the freemsaonry in Germany is very similar to that is Holland. So much so that my lodge "De Edelmoediheid" in Tiel often has the joy of receiving visitors from a German lodge just across the border (Iam sorry, I forget which and where). I have yet to join in one of the delegations that also vist them.
Thank you for your words of welcome. I do enjoy it here. Most interesting, the various approaches and rewarding opinions. I also like the fact that all contributors remain brotherly, even during disagreements, without the necessity for intervention by a controlling body.
S&FG
Phil
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phil
Member
Just me all at sea
Posts: 209
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Post by phil on Jul 22, 2005 17:28:12 GMT
While I am on the line, I must apologise.
I forgot to thank all the other brethren who so kindly welcomed me to this forum and, in particular, our good brother and administratot Lee for introducing me to the forum in the first place. You see, Lee, you can do somethings right (Big grin)
S&FG
Phil
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staffs
Administrator
Staffs
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Post by staffs on Jul 22, 2005 19:46:39 GMT
Phil,Thank you for your kind words ,but we thank you for the valued contribution to the forum that you never seem to fail to provide. But all contributions from ANYONE no matter how small are always welcome and appreciated. We are all learning form each other even if we just sit quitely in the background and observe. I suppose you could call those members : "Forum Voyeurs".
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Michael
Member
... as you have passed through the ceremony of your initiation...
Posts: 326
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Post by Michael on Jul 25, 2005 9:25:42 GMT
Phil, Welcome.
Thank you for your explanation of how people become Freemasons in Holland. I suspect it is a sad reflection of Freemasonry here in the UK that to be advanced one merely has to answer a couple of questions - with prompting by the Senior or Junior Deacon, who in fact is the only one who 'needs' to learn 'the word' - and not show that you have taken the time to study and understand.
And as for joining, I suspect in many cases a heart beat and a cheque book are all that are required to be welcomed with open arms.
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