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Where Have All The Masons Gone?

Howard Giang

Registered User
[QUOTE="Howard Giang, post: 188031, member: 20692"...

.... Once a Mason is forever a Mason. Is that right even when an active member left the Lodge he still subject to his obligation to his brothers?

No as to first question. Depends as to second[/QUOTE]
Thanks Glen, since you said no to the first question. I tried to understand the reason why. For example, let’s look at all possible outcomes. The only scenario I could think of is that if a Freemason became an enemy to Freemasonry or committed crimes against another brother (s) and got expelled.
1) Even a Freemason betrays the Freemasonry, can he still refer to himself as an ex-Mason with a number of degrees that he had earned?
2) With that, is there forgiveness or redemption in Freemasonry? Can a disgraced Freemason do something to earn forgiveness or get a second chance, or it depends on the nature of the crime? I was thinking of a court system with hearings and voting, etc. before expelling a brother out of fairness.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
In US Masonry there is a disciplinary system, with rights and procedures varying with the jurisdiction. The majority of jurisdictions do, indeed, have trials. Sanctions vary, from none, to reprimand, suspension, and expulsion. I see no reason a person couldn’t note the degrees he held. There is also an appellate system.

Many jurisdictions have a process to seek readmission. It is not unusual for the Grand Lodge to make this decision.

Some jurisdictions also allow a member to renounce Freemasonry; to forfeit all rights and privileges and to even declaim the ability to re-petition.
 

Howard Giang

Registered User
In US Masonry there is a disciplinary system, with rights and procedures varying with the jurisdiction. The majority of jurisdictions do, indeed, have trials. Sanctions vary, from none, to reprimand, suspension, and expulsion. I see no reason a person couldn’t note the degrees he held. There is also an appellate system.

Many jurisdictions have a process to seek readmission. It is not unusual for the Grand Lodge to make this decision.

Some jurisdictions also allow a member to renounce Freemasonry; to forfeit all rights and privileges and to even declaim the ability to re-petition.
Thanks very informative.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Anyone has any reporting figure/information with regard to United Grand Lodge of U.S.A?

There's a legend of George Washington after the American Revolution. He was offered to be Grand Master of a United Grand Lodge of America. He declined.

There's also a legend of George Washington being offered the crown of king of the United States. He declined.

I don't know if either legend is literally true. One feature of legends or myths is they teach truth without needing to be literally true. If you insist that a legend is literally true then that claim requires proof and makes the legend subject to disproof. Often if it better to view the legend symbolically. Events that should have happened perhaps.

Grand lodges in the United States became small republics like the countries in disunited Europe. States in the United States became member republics in the federal system in a union. Both systems sort of work most of the time but don't work all of the time.
 

Howard Giang

Registered User
There's a legend of George Washington after the American Revolution. He was offered to be Grand Master of a United Grand Lodge of America. He declined.

There's also a legend of George Washington being offered the crown of king of the United States. He declined.

I don't know if either legend is literally true. One feature of legends or myths is they teach truth without needing to be literally true. If you insist that a legend is literally true then that claim requires proof and makes the legend subject to disproof. Often if it better to view the legend symbolically. Events that should have happened perhaps.

Grand lodges in the United States became small republics like the countries in disunited Europe. States in the United States became member republics in the federal system in a union. Both systems sort of work most of the time but don't work all of the time.
Thanks Duog for the information. When I referred to United Grand Lodge of America, I was thinking of all the Grand Lodges in America because so many of them 50+ to list and just to simply make a comparison between England and America, because I don't know much about them. I read any information available online. I have not come across your information, so can I treat this as a secret knowledge and not to share with anyone?
 

acjohnson53

Registered User
My personal opinion is that Lodges are not raising Men on a regular,. You lucky if you get two Raising in a year. I know in my Lodge we only did one raising in 2017. Not like when I was raised, we had at least three raising in one year, with one in the queue....I feel a Lodge that is productive will be a successful Lodge....
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
I have been writing about the decline in membership numbers for many years. Most people did not want to believe, that Masonry has been losing members, and continues to lose members. Sad.
 

acjohnson53

Registered User
I hate to say this a lot of Brothers stop going or not becoming interested in becoming because it's really not fun being a Mason. Some Brothers bicker with each other. In my case there is really no interest. Case in point my Lodge had elections last month, WM was installed, I can except that, But he probably don't know everybody name, I know good in well he doesn't know mine and I am the assistant Treasurer. To be frankly I attend so I can get to that 33rd, to my understanding I don't have to be a Past Master but it look good, I have aleady reached the Sublime Degree of a Scottish Rite Mason....
 

Dontrell Stroman

Premium Member
I hate to say this a lot of Brothers stop going or not becoming interested in becoming because it's really not fun being a Mason. Some Brothers bicker with each other. In my case there is really no interest. Case in point my Lodge had elections last month, WM was installed, I can except that, But he probably don't know everybody name, I know good in well he doesn't know mine and I am the assistant Treasurer. To be frankly I attend so I can get to that 33rd, to my understanding I don't have to be a Past Master but it look good, I have aleady reached the Sublime Degree of a Scottish Rite Mason....
So you attend lodge so you can achieve the 33° ?

Sent from my LG-LS997 using My Freemasonry mobile app
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I'll achieve all I want in Masonry
Then, my young brother, there are lessons of Masonry you’ve yet to discover.

I’ve seen those whose goal in Masonry was a rank. They achieve that goal, and it is hollow. The rank doesn’t grasp the grieving brother to its chest, it does not relieve the loneliness of age, And, at the end, I am quite convinced that our Maker will not be impressed that we had that rank, but that we lived up to the obligations we made in his name.
 
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David612

Registered User
I'll achieve all I want in Masonry
So you see the 33rd as a finish line?
Honestly, there are so many facets to masonry and in my perspective the titles and rankings are quite irrelevant if the Brothers mind isn’t pushing the boundaries of his understanding in his areas of study, hence I belive the Masonic lodge serves to stoke the fires of a brothers curiosity and offer him areas to study.
The degree work is beautiful and truely something to dedicate yourself to however it isn’t in my mind the true work of the lodge.

Not to say you arnt a learned brother of cause, I just have observed some brothers who’s focus is entirely on holding a glorious rank but leave so much value on the table to be found within the degree. While entirely off track this is why I find the one day class stuff to be sub optimal.
 
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