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Post by Blackadder on May 11, 2009 23:16:01 GMT
Br. Penfold ,I'm not getting my panties in a bunch, We just think its a bit silly to carry on the way they do,I was interested to know if this was normal masonic practice.
Another reason I asked was that I drive two PM's to lodge one is close to 90 and the other is 75 ,they are both from NY state and they think all this Worshipful this and Worshipful that is very silly and juvenile.
They both told me that once you are out of the Lodge room you can address any Brother as Brother.
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Post by Blackadder on May 10, 2009 11:16:00 GMT
I was talking with the SW and JD at a meeting the other night about what is the proper way to address the WM and Past Masters when not in open lodge. At our lodge before and after a meeting the WM and PM's are referred as Worshipful Master and Worshipful ,and District Instructors etc are called Right Honourable.And you will be corrected if you don't or get it wrong. I can understand this while the lodge is at labour as its the office they hold. But I think its a bit silly wanting to be called your title when not in lodge in fact this applies when they are no where near the lodge. Its quite funny when all the Past Masters are having coffee,all you can hear is Worshipful,Worshipful Worshipful,Right Honourable ,Worshipful Master etc.Its very much the Bruce sketch from Monty Python. Im interested to hear if this is common practice or its a case of "look at me and my fancy apron" www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 30, 2009 0:48:30 GMT
Thanks for the info Br. MrMason, I received an email from a PM in Scotland and he is sending me a copy. ;D
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 29, 2009 22:14:09 GMT
I spoke to the Grand Secretary today. he said no at first then he thought about it,and said if the Scottish Installation ceremony is written out in full and he can get a copy and he thinks it can be done,with or without changes he will speak to the Grand Master. He thought it was a great idea after I yapped on about it being historic and being good for Masonry as a whole,and it might get some of the brothers back to the lodge.
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 29, 2009 13:39:58 GMT
Our installation of officers is very undignified and very unmasonic. Its more to do with families and the Eastern Star. Our lodge is basically run by the Eastern Star, all the PM and there wives are members.
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 29, 2009 2:38:29 GMT
The SW at my Lodge wants to be installed as WM next year by Brothers from Scotland, I don't mean just the installing officer he wants the whole ceremony done the way it is done in Scotland.
Does any of the learned Brothers know of this happening in the past? I know for a fact any Past Master can be the installing officer.
The SW said if he approaches any of the Past Masters from out lodge they will all say no way ,even without knowing the correct answer.
The SW also wants to have a closed installation,no Eastern Star, Rainbow Girls ,No family just Masons. He want dignity brought back to Masonry at our lodge.This will go down like a lead balloon.
If any Brothers could shed some light on this matter or care to give there thoughts they would be gratefully appreciated.
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 6, 2009 21:03:51 GMT
I attended the Installation of Lodge Officers last week. I'm very interested to hear about the ceremony and how it differs around the world. Personally I thought our ceremony was very undignified. Is the Installation open or closed? etc. I'm looking forward to hearing from the learned Brothers who frequent this forum.
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 1, 2009 18:03:11 GMT
It would be fantastic to even have a "Festive board". After our meting we have a cup of coffee,and cake or some below par food one of the officers has brought to the meeting. About 30% of the Brothers leave straight after the meeting and the rest of the Brothers stand in little groups.There is nothing said by the WM etc. and after the coffee the rest of the brothers drift off home. We had a few Brothers visit from Australia,Canada, South Africa,UK. they were stunned at the lack of a real Festive Board or Brotherhood after the meeting.
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Post by Blackadder on Nov 20, 2008 18:28:58 GMT
I was speaking to a young Brother from Australia last night and he informed me that his lodge always opens there lodge meeting in the EA Degree. I have read about this happening somewhere else,I think it was Scotland but Im not to sure. The Brother told me it was to keep the EA,FC interested . I'm very interested to find out other Brothers views on this subject
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Post by Blackadder on Nov 13, 2008 0:32:19 GMT
This my Brothers was taken after an EA degree,if it wasn't so sad it would be funny.
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Post by Blackadder on Apr 23, 2008 17:50:37 GMT
Brother Ricardo I'm afraid our jackets are no where near as classy as that one. At regular meetings we are also supposed to wear black trousers,as in dress trousers but some brothers think this means black denims!!! oops I forgot black shoes also means black sneakers/trainers etc. But the classiest thing of all is the SW with his packet of cheap cigars in his breast pocket. "can you say Redneck?"
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Post by Blackadder on Apr 23, 2008 15:56:44 GMT
Officers have to wear White dinner jackets,and they look cheap and trashy.The only man who can wear a white dinner jacket is Sean Connery. ;D This year the WM has given all the officers "Southern ties" a la KFC's Colonel Sanders.We all look like total idiots.My wife said to me if I told you to wear that tie etc . you would tell me where to go. last formal meeting I didn't wear Southern tie,I just couldn't .
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Post by Blackadder on Oct 15, 2006 14:50:32 GMT
Hi, I am to be raised on November 13th .I'm originally from Dundee,Scotland now living in Orlando,via Melbourne,Australia and Johannesburg ,South Africa. I'm not sure why I have always wanted to be Freemason,its very hard to find and answer to that question,and I'm sure many men dont know the answer to that question either. I nearly joined in South Africa,but as I didn't know any Masons there,I was told I had to wait two years to fill in a petition.I moved to the USA before the the two years had expired. I have met many good people at the Lodge and Im looking forward to November 13th.
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Post by Blackadder on Sept 10, 2007 20:46:13 GMT
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 20, 2008 2:10:16 GMT
I cant speak for other lodges in other states.Every meeting we have the flag is presented west of the alter,and the brethren pledge allegiance to the flag of the USA. All brother place there right hand over there heart. As Im not a citizen of the USA I stand at attention during the pledge,which is normal for a person who is not a citizen of the country. Here lies the problem, a few visiting brothers have complained over the past year as to why I dont to the pledge etc. I was never asked directly but I had it clear to a few Past Masters and the District Instructor that I wont be doing the pledge as Im not an American.The said "not problem". But last week the WM said to my very good friend the JW why does the Snr. Steward not do the pledge,he told him hes not an American.The WM told the JW ,so what, he lives in this country and it looks good and someone complained to him and he has only been the WM for two weeks. I spoke to the WM and told him why I dont do it,and if was an American I would be unhappy at people who are not citizens doing the pledge.He then said why dont I just put my hand on my heart? I said why cant I stand at attention in respect.He was not happy at all. At our meeting last week I put my hand on my heart when the brethren did the pledge,it didnt feel right. Has any of the learned brothers of the forum any thoughts on the subject. Correct me if Im wrong ,dont all brothers in Scotland place there hand on there heart when the WM has rapped up the lodge?
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Post by Blackadder on Jan 11, 2008 22:09:01 GMT
Greeting Brothers, I was installed as Snr. Steward for 2008 last Saturday. And we had a EA Degree last Wednesday.In my Lodge there is a policy of letting the Jnr. Officers sit as WM, SW, JW to give them experience at sitting in the various chairs. I was asked to sit in the Snr. Deacons chair ,but I declined as I had my parents visiting and I didn't think that would give me enough time to prepare for the degree.I was told to make it easy all the officers will sit in their normal chairs with the excepting of the SD & JW ,Past masters will fill those chairs for the degree. I went to Lodge for the last practice on Tuesday night before the degree to see if anyone needs help. I then found out that a Fellow Craft will be sitting as JW for the degree,I was stunned and said :what is going on here,since when do we have FC sitting as a Snr. Officer in the Lodge for a Degree.I exchanged a few words with the "powers that be" and said " I will not be participating in the degree. I went home read the Florida Masonic Digest and its clearly states that ALL degree teams must be Master Masons.A Brother pointed this out to the Past master and the Past District instructer and was told "We dont bother about that". I was told before the degree that some Brothers wanted the FC to wear the JW's apron during the degree. I cant help feeling that this is all wrong,it just doesnt make sense to me.How would the FC know how to open and close the Lodge? I was going to say "Only in Florida" but I will wait to see what the learned Brothers of the forum have to say.
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Post by Blackadder on Feb 28, 2008 3:52:56 GMT
A couple of pints of Guinness always does the trick.no more no less,it works like a charm every time. ;D ;D
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Post by Blackadder on Sept 10, 2007 20:46:13 GMT
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 26, 2007 2:05:24 GMT
Wait a minute,why not meet in a back room of a Tavern? ;D I forgot That has already been done hasn't it? Some how Micky D's and Starbucks doesn't have the same appeal does it? How does the line go again "Land of the Free",very far from it in my opinion,if we all had the same ideas as Brother Dixie,please dont take that as condescending or rude
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 19, 2007 21:03:43 GMT
Brother Matt, I discussed this with a Brother today that it is very easy to point out the negative in anything and it become all consuming and you lose focus. As a Scot I am very passionate about what I believe,but I have to remember to "subdue my passions and improve myself in Masonry" easier said than done sometimes. As I said before I am an Officer in our Lodge,my good friend and Brother who is also an officer said to me today 'why don't we leave the line and concentrate on helping the new Brothers with Masonic education and some form of mentoring?" Our Lodge prides themselves on doing a great job with degree work and we do,do a great job.The only thing about doing degree work is it becomes very demanding and it ends up you are going to Lodge twice a week sometimes three times a week depending on when the normal meetings are. And being an officer we are the first to be asked to participate in degree work.
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