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Post by Blackadder on Aug 19, 2007 19:03:40 GMT
Brother tws, You are reading way too much into my comments about Masonry in the South.It would be different if I made comments about Masonry in the North or in UK as I have no first hand experinence on Masonry in either place ,so to make comments about Masonry in the South would be a proper thing to do as I live in the South!
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 19, 2007 11:08:18 GMT
Brothers I thank you for your support,I talked extensively with fellow brothers yesterday on what direction we would like the Lodge move in. The brothers in question two of them are over seventy years old and none are from the south and one is a PM from New Jersey,so its not new Master Masons who want change because they just feel like it or don't understand Masonry, its really about the way Freemasonry is run in the USA particularly the South. Dixie,"Please don't take this as rude condescending" but your comment about about "Lets kill this one" if typical of the attitude of Masonry in Florida,but I am really glad you made the comment, it shows the "Enlightened and informed" Brothers of this forum what Free thinking Masons are up against in the USA. The United States was founded by Free thinking men who wanted to change there country for the better and good of the people,not by some puritanical group of men who were stuck in the past.
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 18, 2007 5:35:38 GMT
The Shrine ,Grotto etc were founded because Masonry has become jaded and stale in the Blue Lodge. Does that not tell you something is wrong in the Blue Lodges when these off shoots have to be created for Brothers to have fun. In my Lodge I think here is only about five Brothers who are not in the Shrine,Scottish Rite or York Rite,I dint think any of the brothers go on a regular basis,because all that happens is that they get hounded for donations etc.
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 18, 2007 5:21:31 GMT
I wondered when Dixie would come up with "Go to the Shrine",I hear that every single week. We were told our Lodge is a "working " lodge if you want fun go join the Shrine,then on the other hand I get asked from several PM's "what can we do to keep the younger brothers in the lodge" Two Brothers were raised last Saturday and they attended there first regular meeting on Wednesday,after the meeting I was asked "Is that it?",I replied "Thats all there is,nothing more nothing less" I'm pretty sure they will come back to receive there apron ,then they will probably "head back West as the East held no interest for them". In the past 4 years two Brothers have stayed at the lodge ,myself and my good friend and Brother
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 18, 2007 2:00:02 GMT
I recieved this email from Robert Cooper curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Dear Brother Blackadder, Thank you for your e-mail. I am very well aware of the circumstances you describe. I travel extensively in the USA and am there once or twice a year. I also receive at least one enquiry such as yours every month. You are quite correct in your assumption that there is very little we can do from this part of the world. This is something because of a protocol known as 'geographic exclusivity' which means that where there is a recognised Grand Lodge no other Grand Lodge can form a Lodge there - in this case Florida. There are however a couple of things you might like to think about doing. Firstly, the Masonic Restoration Foundation is a US based organisation which aims to establish what it calls Traditional Observance Lodges in all the states of the US. Have a look at: www.masonicrestoration.com/ The Lodges they establish are not exactly of the Scottish type but are more European. That said, it might be something closer to what you are after. The web site contains information about how to go about starting up such a Lodge. The other thing you could do would be to set up a 'study circle' if it is researching the Craft that is of interest to you. There are other things that have been tried but are perhaps too radical for your situation. I hope that the above is of some interest.
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 18, 2007 1:13:56 GMT
Implied what?
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 18, 2007 1:05:00 GMT
No one ever mentioned anything about attracting new Brothers thought vice,thats was your interpretation no one elses. Brother Dixie your ideas about vices seem better suited for the Baptist Church,so much for the "land of the Free"
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 18, 2007 0:49:19 GMT
Tonight after a night of "Vice" , two pints of Guinness. Myself and partner in crime received a pep talk from someone(my wife).She said "you guys are so passionate about Masonry but not they way it is practiced in Florida,so why dont you try to change it from within ,one day at a time",We already talked about this but thought things wouldn't change quick enough for us.I know we are impatient but the only way we can save the situation is to grab the bull by the horns,nothing ventured ,nothing gained. Another thing what made us take notice was the SW who was standing in for the WM last week , we have never seen anything so bad in all our lives,it really was funny,he even had cheat sheets ,what ever happened to ,print paint ,cut ,carve etc. Up ward on onward I say But this might change later this week as we are having an officers meeting and my partner in crime should be voted JW but the WM wants one of his mates from another Lodge as JW, but this my Friend & Brother who is well respected and would win a vote. In fact we thought about who would be a better WM than the SW, we thought of many people but next year might be fun and very Monty Pythonesque. ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 17, 2007 17:23:43 GMT
Bod you are 100% correct ,we will just have to live with it.
Wayne I would be about 10 mins drive from I Drive , 192 is a long road so I suspect you will be staying close to Disney so that would be about a 20 drive. Im kinda inbetween both roads,i will mapquest it when I get home.
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 17, 2007 14:59:43 GMT
I passed my MM examination three months ago,and I sat in the East as WM for an EA degree three weeks ago. Bod,What contradictions are you referring to? You have hit the nail on the head ,we are in dire need of invigoration. Wayne I "hail" from South Orlando in Southchase ,about 2 miles North of Gatorland on 441 (Orange Blossom Trail),but the way you phrase you question it seems like no are familiar with Orlando. Here is a link to a site that nails the problems within Freemasonry in Florida. www.freemasoninformation.com/bryce/Fromtheedge.htmDixie you really need to read this article ,in fact everyone needs to read it. burningtaper.blogspot.com/2006/12/florida-grand-master-silences-bro-tim.html
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 17, 2007 12:45:56 GMT
Brothers I thank you for your input on the subject.I will reply in full this evening after having a couple of pints with a fellow Brother.
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Post by Blackadder on Aug 16, 2007 3:12:22 GMT
I am a Master Mason from Florida USA,I was raised in December 2006.I am currently the Jnr. Steward in my lodge.I don't know if you know anything about lodges in USA ,to cut a long story short they are dying a slow and painful death,we as Masons are not allowed to do anything in the lodges ,no Masonic education to speak of,no alcohol.no raffles,no games of chance ,you name it and we are not allowed to do it.A great number of the newer Master Masons have become disgruntled with the situation here in Florida. I am originally from Dundee Scotland and know a great number of Masons in the Tayside area who visit Florida and they are stunned that we have such a big lodge and nothing is permitted. Here is my big question ,would it be possible to open a Scottish Constitution Lodge in Florida? I know the Grand Lodge of Florida will say it will be a clandestine Lodge if we do open a Lodge in Florida,but a great number of States still don't recognize Prince Hall Masons,which is a disgrace as I have met a great number of Prince Hall Masons here in Orlando who are upright men and Masons.
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 27, 2007 15:54:44 GMT
I had every intention of going through the chairs,but next year I'm going to opt out. My reasons are that the two Brothers who will be in the East and West all they are concerned with is calling "work calls" and talking about what the Eastern Star are doing,I would say about 90% of the Brothers are members of the Eastern Star and thats all we seem to hear about day in day out.I was also told by two Past Masters that it best i join the Eastern Star if I want to sit in the east !!! as we have to keep the ladies happy as they do a lot for the Lodge,I have no idea what they do except help at BBQ & Breakfasts. Ive had a few discussions about the Lodge and the Eastern Star with a few brothers and we all came to the same conclusion,the Eastern Star are calling all the shots in the Lodge. The Eastern Star were kick out of a Lodge in Kissimmee because they tried to control everything. I also told a few of the older Brothers I joined Masonry not the Eastern Star.
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 26, 2007 21:41:15 GMT
This comes straight from GL of Florida General Duties of all Officers Senior Warden Degree Master for the MM Degree a. Appoint Brethren to fill all positions b.Preside in the East at least once c.Hold at least two practices Junior Warden Degree Master for the FC Degree a. Appoint Brethren to fill all positions b.Preside in the East at least once c.Hold at least two practices Senior Deacon Degree Master for the EA Degree a. Appoint Brethren to fill all positions b.Preside in the East at least once c.Hold at least two practices Those are just guidelines, I was asked to do the EA degree as I was the only officer who has not sat in the East for a degree. We had seven candidates which I wasn't too happy about as I would have had to do the obligation twice as the GL of Florida states that only five EA,s can be Initiated at once,but FC and MM they can initiate as many as they have. Two candidates dropped out to do there EA degree in a cave in Tennessee,dint ask me why ,they just are.So now I am left with five. I opened the lodge , Obligation, Apron presentation,Working Tools,The Demand,NE Corner,Lecture,Charge, writing ceremony,then close the lodge. If I had more than five candidates ,I would take the first group up to before the Apron presentation and tell them to sit in North of the Lodge ,where they can watch the next group.When the second group are at the same point ,the SD asks the first group to join the second where they would all be presented with there aprons.Then all the candidates do the Working Tools,The Demand,NE Corner,Lecture,Charge, writing ceremony,then close the lodge. All the time I was sitting in the East I had the ex-District Instructor helping me out if I got lost,he said I did a fine job.
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 26, 2007 12:31:09 GMT
I will post a fuller description of last nights events when I get home tonight.
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 26, 2007 4:02:05 GMT
I'm the Degree Master and I call all the shots regarding the degree,its a way of getting the newer brothers interested and plunging them in at the deep end. If I want someone in my degree team and the WM has a right to ask me the change the Brother or advise me but I have the final say. We were going to have 7 candidates by 2 are going to do there EA in a Cave in Tennessee next month. The most EAs we can have at once is 5,but we can open lodge,bring in 5 until the apron ceremony then send out the Stewards and SD to get the next how ever many. The Apron ceremony is not limited by the number of candidates. Its only the EA degree thats like this,in the FC or MM you can have any number .Our RW District Instructor told me they had 29 candidates one time!!!
Even the WM called me WM last night,its just a bit of fun I suppose.
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 26, 2007 3:43:04 GMT
I sat in the East last night for my first EA degree,we had 5 candidates,my nerves are shot.I think I did a pretty good job,in fact Im pretty chuffed with myself. We had a visiting WM from Ireland ,I offered him a seat in the East with be ,which he took and I was over the moon when he told me I did a helluva job.Not bad concidering Im the Jnr.Steward and have only been a MM since December. Sorry for blowing my own trumpet ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.Im off to have another Guinness before I get my tired bum to bed.
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 21, 2007 17:39:34 GMT
Junior Steward
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 21, 2007 16:11:46 GMT
nope.......JS
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Post by Blackadder on Jul 21, 2007 14:39:22 GMT
Its an outstanding article. I emailed it to my WM last night,he also thought it was outstanding. I took this article to the Lodge last week and most of the older brothers read it and just laughed and said 'That wouldn't work in Florida" I have real concerns about Freemasonry in the USA. I was raised last December and installed as JS . I'm very proud to be a Mason but in the past few weeks I have trouble in coming up with reasons to go the meeting,in fact I cant think of one but can think of many reasons not to attend meeting. Our meeting start at 7:30 finish about 8:45, then we have a cup of coffee and sandwich,and thats it. One of the Fellow Crafts asked me last week is this as good as it gets,I said Oh! yes. He said after he is raised he isn't sure what he will do.I had no answer for him ,no matter how hard I tried. www.freemasoninformation.com/bryce/alcoholinthelodge.htm
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