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Wearing the Bling

Should EA's and FC's be allowed to wear Masonic jewlerey?

  • Yes

    Votes: 16 10.1%
  • No

    Votes: 137 86.7%
  • Undecided

    Votes: 5 3.2%

  • Total voters
    158

dnewman3

Registered User
Man...hot topic...i have to agree with a majority here. MM only. Now that being said....i woild not disagree with someone wearing something that shows what level....or with both points or one point.

I work with a guy that everyone said was a mason...he wears a gold masonic ring.....i shook his hand and he didnt return the grip. So i asked him if he was a traveling man.....he had no clue....then i asked if he was a mason...he said yes....for 14 years.....A E.A. No dues not current....hence. I changed the subject. But he too wore a ring showing the S&C.
 

PeterLT

Premium Member
There will be charlitains, cowans and eavesdroppers always, bling or not. That's why we have modes of recognition. Personally, I think the whole "blingthing" is a non issue. We have ample distinctions in the Craft, no need to add artificial ones that serve little purpose other than status at the coffee shop. We are an inclusive fraternity; if a man has had the courage to ask, we should have the courage to include him and set no other boundries other than that which the Craft already has in place. To do more than that (IMHO) is petty.
 

choppersteve03

Premium Member
What if the brother wears a ring is a mm but,has no dues card? My lodge pretty much went dark after i was raised,paid my dues but the sec. Wasnt there,so I'm still waiting for my card.
 

Mac

Moderator
Premium Member
choppersteve03 said:
What if the brother wears a ring is a mm but,has no dues card? My lodge pretty much went dark after i was raised,paid my dues but the sec. Wasnt there,so I'm still waiting for my card.

I think at that point we're getting into semantics. No one gets in Lodge without being examined, and I don't discuss Masonic stuff with someone unless they've satisfied me they're a Mason. Rings don't figure too heavily into that equation for me personally. :)
 

choppersteve03

Premium Member
True, rings just help the profane identify masons, they work for us too but,we have more in depth methods of finding out.
 

Dow Mathis

Premium Member
While nobody told me that I COULDN'T wear one, I was asked not to wear a ring until I was raised. Not that I needed one, but the reason given was this: Let's say that you're a brand new EA and you start wearing your grandaddy's ring around. Then someone sees it and assumes that you're a MM and starts asking you all about the lodge. How are you going to answer? What does this tell the guy asking you about your lodge or masonry in general? Another example is this: Say there are two MMs having a discussion about the MM degree and you walk up wearing your grandaddy's ring. They see the ring, assume you're a MM, and just keep talking about the degree. Had you not worn the ring then they would have stopped and either continued their conversation after you left or asked if your were a mm or something like that.

Leave the ring at home until you've been raised. It's the considerate thing to do.
 

Ed Nelson

Registered User
Timely subject since I purchased a ring and got it on the mail last night.

I am a nearly passed FC (passed my EA proficiency Tuesday night, FC degree in two weeks). I bought the ring as an incentive to earn my MM degree. Last night, I opened the package and tried the ring on, admired it...and put it in a drawer. I can't wait to wear it (but will of course). Knowing it's there makes me want to work just that much harder.

Ed
 

dnewman3

Registered User
To ed....i bought my ring....got it in....let my wife look at it to make sure it was what we ordered...then taped the box closed....gave it to my instructor...which handed it to my uncle...which gave it to me after i was raised.
 

JJones

Moderator
I was always led to believe one of the main reasons EAs and FCs couldn't wear the bling was because they wouldn't be as informed as a MM if someone were to notice it and start asking questions.

It makes sense to me but it's also pretty idealist. I know there are MMs out there with little more masonic knowledge than a new EA.
 

Nate Riley

Premium Member
Timely subject since I purchased a ring and got it on the mail last night.

I am a nearly passed FC (passed my EA proficiency Tuesday night, FC degree in two weeks). I bought the ring as an incentive to earn my MM degree. Last night, I opened the package and tried the ring on, admired it...and put it in a drawer. I can't wait to wear it (but will of course). Knowing it's there makes me want to work just that much harder.

Ed

To ed....i bought my ring....got it in....let my wife look at it to make sure it was what we ordered...then taped the box closed....gave it to my instructor...which handed it to my uncle...which gave it to me after i was raised.

That is a good idea.
 

Benton

Premium Member
It makes sense to me but it's also pretty idealist. I know there are MMs out there with little more masonic knowledge than a new EA.

I'm all for idealism, though. Keeps the standard high, even if we never quite reach it. Applicable to many situations.
 

tmcguire

Premium Member
While I am in agreement that a non Master Mason should not wear the Square and Compasses for obvious and pragmatic reasons, I have read this thread and still see no hard evidence or GLoT law stating that you can not wear the Square and Compasses unless you are a Master Mason. Can someone provide evidence from the Law book that says otherwise?

Also, consider this wording. "Can not wear the Square and compasses unless you are a Master MASON." What if you are not a Mason at all? Let's say you are a 10 year old girl. You are not a Master Mason, nor a Mason. Does the rule or GLoT law (if it exists) have any reach beyond the Fraternity?

Please see this post: http://www.masonsoftexas.com/showthread.php?13428-Masonic-anecdotes

There is the Slipper pin of course, which uses the Square and compasses as part of it's design. So no help there getting to the bottom of this.

-Tom
 

Dow Mathis

Premium Member
Ah sure, nobody told me that I "COULDN'T" wear it before being raised. I was just told that I "SHOULDN'T" wear it until I had been raised. It's a matter of respect, I think.

Tom, that's a wonderful story, and something to keep in mind should my own son ever have to travel by himself. However, I don't think that it really applies in this case. That little girl wasn't a member of a lodge, nor is she likely to be. I thought that the point here was whether or not an EA or FC should wear the ring or not.
 

mattcaler

Registered User
Gotta put in the work first. How many people can you remember being initiated and then you practically never see them again. People like that haven't earned the right to wear anything that identifies them as a Mason yet.
 

MarkR

Premium Member
I agree with David, though just as a lambskin is worn in different ways why shouldnt The jewelry be afforded the same respect, maybe the way its worn or even color coding.. we are not the easiest organization to grant initiation.. would you not be more apt to assist an e.a. or f.c. than a stranger.. I can definitely see both sides as it is a hard and rough road to follow and a privilege to wear....
We don't need to invent a new way to show the degree; both points under the square, EA. One point exposed, the other covered, FC. Both points above the square, MM. You won't find many places selling rings or lapel pins with the S&C depicted any way but MM style, though.

Here's another interesting discussion of the topic. http://www.masonic-lodge-of-education.com/entered-apprentice-ring.html
 
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ACunninghamIII

Registered User
I do recall as an EA your new name is Caution. Wearing Masonic light is not being cautious. The rule I like to live by is 'If you cant protect it, then dont wear it"
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
wiser men than I have addressed this one.

my work continues in the quarries. too much to do there.
 

Browncoat

Registered User
While I am in agreement that a non Master Mason should not wear the Square and Compasses for obvious and pragmatic reasons, I have read this thread and still see no hard evidence or GLoT law stating that you can not wear the Square and Compasses unless you are a Master Mason. Can someone provide evidence from the Law book that says otherwise?

I agree with this.

There is a lot of strong opinion posted in this thread, but I've never read or heard that any state GL has a law stating that jewelry is strictly for Master Masons only. That said, I think it's universally understood and respected that wearing the bling is a rite of passage that should be earned.

While I understand and respect tradition (it's one of the reasons I joined), I think this is one that needs to die out. I would think that an organization whose membership has been on a rapid decline would be glad to have new blood excited enough about the Craft to want to openly display it and get others interested in joining. There is a lot of general information available out there for anyone interested in Freemasonry. It's not like a MM is allowed to publicly disclose more information than an EA or FC, is he?
 

perryel

Registered User
This may be redundant...EA, FC, and MM have each become subject to the square and compasses, albeit in different arrangements. An EA or FC should, therefore, have the right and privilege to represent both in the appropriate way as taught during their degrees.


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