giovanni
Member
odi profanum vulgus, et arceo
Posts: 2,627
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Age
May 24, 2005 9:11:38 GMT
Post by giovanni on May 24, 2005 9:11:38 GMT
I think it is interesting to know how much appeal we gain form youngsters.
In my lodge, we are 32 Brethren. The average age is 45 years.
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Age
May 25, 2005 6:24:14 GMT
Post by a on May 25, 2005 6:24:14 GMT
If I could reply I would, but as I can't I won't.
It would however be interesting to see other responses.
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Age
May 25, 2005 8:21:57 GMT
Post by taylorsman on May 25, 2005 8:21:57 GMT
In my Lodge the average age is in the 50 to 65 grouping I'd say, though we have had two younger Brethren in the last couple of years in their mid 20s. Then again we had a Joining Member in his 80s who has brought that average up again. I'm a bit puzzled by the vote for "Below 21" for the average age. In UGLE there are very few exceptions to 21 years of age rule, there being no "Lewis" privilege in English Freemasonry unlike in Scotland and some other jurisdictions where the son of a Mason (a Lewis) can be Initiated at 18. That concession is only available in England to students at Oxford and Cambridge in Lodges attached to those Ancient Universities, would probably be given to a Royal Prince under the age of 21 if he wished to join, and wrongly in my opinion in few cases where the Candidate has been the son of a member of the "Chain Gang" and that has worked the oracle to get him Initiated at an age below 21. So I think a mistake has been made as I can't envisage a Lodge were the AVERAGE Age is less than 21 years old, unless it is one of the American "De Molay" bodies which I understand is a type of Junior Freemasonry for boys in the USA- a pity we don't have it here in the UK!
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Age
May 25, 2005 8:55:19 GMT
Post by waynecowley on May 25, 2005 8:55:19 GMT
In UGLE there are very few exceptions to 21 years of age rule, there being no "Lewis" privilege in English Freemasonry unlike in Scotland and some other jurisdictions where the son of a Mason (a Lewis) can be Initiated at 18. That concession is only available in England to students at Oxford and Cambridge in Lodges attached to those Ancient Universities, would probably be given to a Royal Prince under the age of 21 if he wished to join, and wrongly in my opinion in few cases where the Candidate has been the son of a member of the "Chain Gang" and that has worked the oracle to get him Initiated at an age below 21. Not strictly true TM - my understanding is that a request for a dispensation to initiate below the age of 21 can be made by any lodge. That said, I personally would find it very hard to justify such a request as most young men below 21 (and many of them above that age) are not ready to join though I suppose there will always be exceptions Wayne
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Age
May 25, 2005 8:56:44 GMT
Post by waynecowley on May 25, 2005 8:56:44 GMT
In UGLE there are very few exceptions to 21 years of age rule, there being no "Lewis" privilege in English Freemasonry unlike in Scotland and some other jurisdictions where the son of a Mason (a Lewis) can be Initiated at 18. That concession is only available in England to students at Oxford and Cambridge in Lodges attached to those Ancient Universities, would probably be given to a Royal Prince under the age of 21 if he wished to join, and wrongly in my opinion in few cases where the Candidate has been the son of a member of the "Chain Gang" and that has worked the oracle to get him Initiated at an age below 21. Not strictly true TM - my understanding is that a request for a dispensation to initiate below the age of 21 can be made by any lodge. That said, I personally would find it very hard to justify such a request as most young men below 21 (and many of them above that age) are not ready to join though I suppose there will always be exceptions Wayne
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giovanni
Member
odi profanum vulgus, et arceo
Posts: 2,627
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Age
May 25, 2005 9:30:44 GMT
Post by giovanni on May 25, 2005 9:30:44 GMT
Steve,
I think that I mistakenly clicked on the board.
I have still few experience with the Poll Board topics and mistakes may happen, as said the badger coming down from the brush...
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giovanni
Member
odi profanum vulgus, et arceo
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Age
May 25, 2005 9:47:52 GMT
Post by giovanni on May 25, 2005 9:47:52 GMT
In Italy, too, there DeMolays.
I dont like this: Freemasonry is created for men, not for children. I mean that a boy does never ask himself existential questions, he must grow up and come across the difficulties of life, then he will think over that and look for the Path.
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Age
May 25, 2005 10:59:01 GMT
Post by taylorsman on May 25, 2005 10:59:01 GMT
A fair point, Bro Wayne, but I think it a lot less likely that W Bro Joe Bloggs would be able to get such a Dispensation for his 18 year old son than would VW Bro Fred Scroggs DPGM of the Province of XYZshire.
Regarding De Molay. I agree that Freemasonry is not for kids, but feel that only good could come from the sound moral principles inculcated by De Molay and the Daughters of Job and such Masonic Associations for Youth especially in the situation with out of control teenagers that we have in Britain today, and that Freemasonry would benefit from some of the boys who were in De Molay following in father's footsteps and entering the Craft. I also feel that we would benefit if we were to import the Order of the Eastern Star to England and encourage a family dimension in English Freemasonry as there is in Scotland where many Brethren have their wives, sisters and mothers in the OES.
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Age
May 25, 2005 11:11:32 GMT
Post by waynecowley on May 25, 2005 11:11:32 GMT
A fair point, Bro Wayne, but I think it a lot less likely that W Bro Joe Bloggs would be able to get such a Dispensation for his 18 year old son than would VW Bro Fred Scroggs DPGM of the Province of XYZshire.. I agree totally Regarding De Molay. I agree that Freemasonry is not for kids, but feel that only good could come from the sound moral principles inculcated by De Molay and the Daughters of Job and such Masonic Associations for Youth especially in the situation with out of control teenagers that we have in Britain today, and that Freemasonry would benefit from some of the boys who were in De Molay following in father's footsteps and entering the Craft. I also feel that we would benefit if we were to import the Order of the Eastern Star to England and encourage a family dimension in English Freemasonry as there is in Scotland where many Brethren have their wives, sisters and mothers in the OES. Again I agree and have often wondered why UGLE have taken such a negative stance towards OES Wayne
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May 25, 2005 11:37:19 GMT
Post by taylorsman on May 25, 2005 11:37:19 GMT
Good to have your agreement Bro Wayne.
As regards OES, when I joined Freemasonry here in England , I was amazed that OES did not fit into the picture as it does in Scotland, and I know my then wife would have enjoyed such a connection had it been available. I have two possible explanations for it not being accepted by UGLE. The nicer one is that it might be construed as a backdoor to Mixed Masonry, though this doesn't seem to bother GL of S. The less charitable one being that OES is a bit too "Working Class" for UGLE tastes. Anyone care to comment and, if OES is independent of UGLE etc is there any valid reasosn why it could not be set up here in England?
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May 25, 2005 14:25:56 GMT
Post by waynecowley on May 25, 2005 14:25:56 GMT
I suspect the "Mixed Masonry" might be the more likely explanation since, so far as I understand it (and obviously that is only from what I have read on the web) OES requires a (male) MM to be pesent in regalia to operate.
That said, just about every other GL seems to accept OES as part of the masonic "family"
Wayne
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May 25, 2005 14:39:51 GMT
Post by taylorsman on May 25, 2005 14:39:51 GMT
Wayne, that may be the reason but it's a lame excuse. I am sure that most of their familes have seen Freemasons in their Regalia, and it's not a State Secret being visible on the web and a walk down Gt Queen Street and a look in Toye Kenning's window will show a manequin in the Full Dress Regalia of a PSGD.
No Craft Ritual is worked at OES Meetings nor are the Signs given so I really cannot see why this excellent Order cannot be sanctioned down here. The absurdity is shown in that a UGLE Mason could live near the Border and also attend a Scots Lodge and attend an OES Meeting in that Country. If it's not a problem to the Scots who's Freemasonry is a lot closer to the Traditional pattern than that of UGLE, I cannot see why it is such a stumbling block for UGLE.
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May 25, 2005 14:47:16 GMT
Post by waynecowley on May 25, 2005 14:47:16 GMT
You'll get no argument from me on that
As I say I can't understand why it is not allowed I was just trying to fathom a reason that stood up in any way whatsoever
Wayne
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May 25, 2005 15:00:06 GMT
Post by a on May 25, 2005 15:00:06 GMT
This may be a bit obvious but why not just ask your "powers that be" the reason (informally if need be)?
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May 25, 2005 21:06:38 GMT
Post by ingo on May 25, 2005 21:06:38 GMT
In my lodge we are 22 at the moment with an average age of 40. But the average will progress because we will initiate a 61 year old women and affiliate a 58 year old man until the end of the year 2005.
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giovanni
Member
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Posts: 2,627
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Age
Jun 8, 2005 9:37:14 GMT
Post by giovanni on Jun 8, 2005 9:37:14 GMT
Sid,
there are surely exceptions which confirm the rule.
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Age
Jun 8, 2005 9:52:25 GMT
Post by sid on Jun 8, 2005 9:52:25 GMT
Greetings Bro. Giovanni, Sid, there are surely exceptions which confirm the rule. Agreed, but that said, the young mind is full of questions, and should be looked after properly. A secure family, and a good school & education is the only way to secure the future of our planet. Here the local Masonic Lodge is very active in the local press with regular writing projects/competitions for young people in the various local schools. P.S. I'm not sure if this pole was for the age of the Lodge or the age of the member
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giovanni
Member
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Age
Jun 8, 2005 13:27:12 GMT
Post by giovanni on Jun 8, 2005 13:27:12 GMT
Here the local Masonic Lodge is very active in the local press with regular writing projects/competitions for young people in the various local schools. In Italy we have just begun to do the same, offering scholarship as premium. It seems it works. In the past we had to face many slanderous attacks by both RC Church and left-wing parties, but now things have much improved.
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