Did you wear any EA or FC "bling"?

I think you will find that to those of us in the South who are drawn to Freemasonry, for most, "liberal" is a dirty word and "tradition" is at the core of our being. My lodge was chartered in 1801. It predates the Grand Lodge of my state by a dozen years. We have one U.S. President who was a member and another who likely received his degrees in our lodge. The copyright date on the Bible on our altar is 1873. There isn't a living member of our lodge who hasn't taken his obligation on that Bible or walked through the same preparation room doors. Although we moved into our current building in 1977, the preparation room doors were brought and installed from the old lodge building. So, breaking with tradition doesn't hold a real priority.

I can see in foreign jurisdictions where progressing between degrees can take a statutory year (or more), that the allowing EA's and FC's to wear jewelry with their respective insignias would be acceptable, but here in the United States, with the lunar month gap between degrees (even less depending on jurisdiction), it would be quite impracticable, thus the ban on it (after all, who would want to spend good money on EA or FC jewelry only to toss it in the back of the jewelry box after a couple of weeks?).

I guess some places in the us are different as well. I know mine only does degree work 3 times a year. Every four months or so.

We do degree work whenever a candidate is ready, with the exception of the month of December. There is a 28-day waiting period between degrees (lunar month), which in itself a throwback to when the lodges met on the full moon instead of a set day of the month.

In my travels, I've heard that there are only 2 true rings in Freemasonry--14th & 33rd degree.

This belief would certainly support the position that a blue lodge ring is little more than fraternal jewelry. While the ring, itself, may not withstand scrutiny under Masonic Law, the S&C as a symbol of the work in the EA, FC, and MM degrees does. Extrapolating these meanings to the display of the S&C on jewelry, auto emblems, and other items, therefore, seems reasonable.

While an EA, FC, and MM are all Freemasons, the Craft does maintain a 3 degree system of advancement at the blue lodge.

It may seem reasonable to extrapolate, but it is still not Masonic law. The ring (at Blue Lodge level) is a commemorative decoration, and nothing more.

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Is it your position that Freemasonry, it's symbols, and other elements have no meaning or value beyond what is set forth by what you refer to as "Masonic Law?"

perryel said:

Is it your position that Freemasonry, it's symbols, and other elements have no meaning or value beyond what is set forth by what you refer to as "Masonic Law?"

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No.

Is it your position that every local Lodge custom/tradition/quirk should be made into an enforceable bylaw at the state level?

Browncoat said:

At least Australia gets it right. It's absurd to me that in most US jurisdictions, we're not allowed to wear the bling until raised as a MM.

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Australia and lots of other jurisdictions outside of the states have longer waiting periods between degrees. They also give their EA and FC certificates so they can prove themselves a Mason via Lawful Masonic Information and get proof from others they encounter if they wear the emblem of The Craft.

Wearing a Master Mason ring works both ways. You can wear it for yourself but you also bring attention from others onto yourself. Whether it be from Cowans, Clandestine, Irregular masons or inquiries from the general public. You will be a target for information.

Excuse me for the lecture portion of my reply. You also have to realize that you are first and foremost a Fellowcraft Mason who happens to be posting on a message forum. You have not yet received all the light there is to receive in Masonry. Your obligation to respect your masonic elders does not cease because you're on the internet. Our charge of Master Masons requires us to correct those of the inferior degrees. Whether you like the reasons or not, you've been corrected as to what the general protocol is when it comes to wearing masonic emblems in the states.

Once you kneel at the alter for your MM degree and the chaplen gives you the charge of a master mason you will soon realize where everyone is coming from.

Seek out light from your lodge mates concerning this topic. I'm sure the blow back wont be as bad as it was here.

Lastly, by the time you find a FC ring, get it shipped and sized you will be a master mason. The time between degrees in the states is usually 28 days at a minimum unless you have scheduling issues or trouble with your memory work. I would not be concerned with masonic jewelery if it is the latter.

I, personally, am not concerned with EA or FC jewelry. I have also been instructed to my Lodge's customs on this matter, as I have said before.

That does not change the fact that if I or anyone else chose to wear a ring prior to becoming a MM, there would be no repercussions for doing so. There is nothing official that states the ring is for MM only, nor is there a set of guidelines for penalizing or punishing a member who does. That has been the only point I have continued to make in this thread, and it has not been refuted.

I have also argued that the ring is merely commemorative, and is in no way a part of ritual or instrumental in practicing Masonry. If it were, there would be actual bylaws protecting its use. I am well aware of its symbolism, and the weight it carries, but I think a lot of Masons put too much emphasis on the ring...which has been evident in this thread.

Browncoat said:

I, personally, am not concerned with EA or FC jewelry. I have also been instructed to my Lodge's customs on this matter, as I have said before.

That does not change the fact that if I or anyone else chose to wear a ring prior to becoming a MM, there would be no repercussions for doing so. There is nothing official that states the ring is for MM only, nor is there a set of guidelines for penalizing or punishing a member who does. That has been the only point I have continued to make in this thread, and it has not been refuted.

I have also argued that the ring is merely commemorative, and is in no way a part of ritual or instrumental in practicing Masonry. If it were, there would be actual bylaws protecting its use. I am well aware of its symbolism, and the weight it carries, but I think a lot of Masons put too much emphasis on the ring...which has been evident in this thread.

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One cannot be legally punished for wearing a ring depicting the Master Mason degree if they are only an EA or FC unless they are under a jurisdiction that has such legislation in their constitution.

Some esoteric knowledge to consider...

An EA has not yet learned to circumscribe his passions on the square of virtue. An EA wearing a MM ring is showing a lack of control and patients towards his journey in Masonry. He can however wear an EA ring but it will be viewed as inferior by master masons.

A FC has only partially begun to gain the knowledge necessary to control his passion. Again, a FC wearing the badge of a MM will be looked at as someone who cannot control his passions. He can however wear a FC ring.

Remember, you may unofficially know why both points are elevated above the square on the MM degree but you officially have not received that light.

So when you boil down the arguments for or against, it is false advertising if you wear a MM ring versus a ring of the appropriate degree. (in the states)

I understand what you're saying, Brother_Steve. I do. I also agree with the points you and others have made...in principal and tradition.

However, I also believe that it is wrong for so many Masons to pass off the lore surrounding the ring as if it were some carved in stone law or official part of Masonry, when it clearly isn't.

Browncoat said:

It may seem reasonable to extrapolate, but it is still not Masonic law. The ring (at Blue Lodge level) is a commemorative decoration, and nothing more.

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Many brothers become Masons for the deep traditions, so there is more to it than the letter of the law. How much more does depend on the individual. In this thread we've seen a spectrum of attitudes about wearing the S&C with both points above. In this thread we've some few objections to wearing symbols specific to the EA and FC degrees but with much less force of opinion.

Stating that the S&C on a ring is nothing more than commemorative appears to be a small minority opinion. I wear my ring more as PR than as a personal reminder and that also appears to be a minority opinion.

My honest to goodness opinion here is that the prohibition against wearing symbols isn't supposed to be a prohibition, but rather a taboo or best practice I guess. I think the mentality stems from a time when masons had to be quite careful in how they explained the fraternity to the profane. The line of thinking being that an EA or FC could not adequately explain the craft and might give the wrong impression. Since wearing the symbol might instigate conversations of such a nature, it became frowned upon to let non-masters display the symbols and thus keep impromptu conversations with strangers confined to MMs. That's my opinion on how it came to be anyway.

There is no specific law against the wearing of a Past Master pin by a Brother who is not a Past Master. However, if done knowingly, I would consider said Brother fraudulent & not deserving of any of the benefits of Masonry, much less those accruing to legitimate Past Masters.

Bill_Lins77488 said:

There is no specific law against the wearing of a Past Master pin by a Brother who is not a Past Master. However, if done knowingly, I would consider said Brother fraudulent & not deserving of any of the benefits of Masonry, much less those accruing to legitimate Past Masters.

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It doesn't help that the PM symbol is different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and in some cases the PM in one looks way too much like the PGM symbol in another. It took me years after being "out-stalled" in Illinois before I would wear the Illinois PM symbol because it looks similar to the California PGM symbol.