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questions brothers ask and answer in public?

jermy Bell

Registered User
I know this post is way old, but here this past winter, I was wearing my masonic Hoodie out, when I had an older gentleman wearing a masonic ring ask me how old is my grandmother, I was like huh ? So, I kindly nodded and left. When I got home I asked my father in law what that meant, he replied that the gentleman was asking what my lodge number was.
 

jermy Bell

Registered User
A mason should never assume another person is a mason.

I've met someone who is a mason but I've never sat in a lodge of Master Masons with him.

He gripped me right off the bat even when I was concealing my grip. It was the most awkward handshake I ever experienced. I felt like I was wrong to conceal because he was so forceful with the grip.
I hele, I conceal, what do you conceal? All the secrets of masons in masonry.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
I hele, I conceal, what do you conceal? All the secrets of masons in masonry.
Some have this glamorous view of fellow masons trying each other outside of Lodge. It may have been a common practice before regularity/recognition between lodges became the norm, but nowadays, it seems to be an act of rudeness to assume you have the right to try another man and "disqualify" him as a Mason even though he is in fact a Brother just because you didn't like his response.

One should really avoid masonic topics outside of Lodge unless you're with someone you know from lodge.

I'm weary of people I do not know that insist on discussing ritual with me after I explain to them that I'm not comfortable doing so because we just met and never sat together in Lodge. Those people either forgot their first lesson or are trying to pass themselves off as a mason.

To be honest, the one Brother I mentioned in the post you quoted of mine...Do you know how I knew he was most likely a mason? After exchanging lodge names, of which we both recognized, we talked for 40 minutes about everything but masonry!

I eventually made it up to his lodge to sit with him.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
nowadays, it seems to be an act of rudeness to assume you have the right to try another man and "disqualify" him as a Mason even though he is in fact a Brother just because you didn't like his response.
I agree. I have even heard of some people telling some one that they have to give up the Masonic "bling" if they do not answer the questions to the other person's satisfaction. Yeah, right.
 
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acjohnson53

Registered User
I feel at this stage of masonry, i've been often tried, never denied and willing to be tried again, I travel all of the United States and approached by many Brothers who often extend their hand, as Brothers should do, or i could be sitting in an airport(i always have my ball cap on)Brothers would shoot me a sign and I would smile to show that i recognize them....
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
I travel all of the United States and approached by many Brothers who often extend their hand, as Brothers should do, or i could be sitting in an airport(i always have my ball cap on)Brothers would shoot me a sign and I would smile to show that i recognize them....
Very good, nothing wrong with this at all. But if someone that I have never laid eyes on before came up to me and started questioning me in such a way that to answer them would mean me divulging lawful Masonic information (trial) I would simply refuse to participate.
 

Canadian Paul

Registered User
I know this post is way old, but here this past winter, I was wearing my masonic Hoodie out, when I had an older gentleman wearing a masonic ring ask me how old is my grandmother, I was like huh ? So, I kindly nodded and left. When I got home I asked my father in law what that meant, he replied that the gentleman was asking what my lodge number was.

I have always wanted someone to ask me that question in public - just to see the faces of anyone overhearing my answer. (My lodge is Number 1679 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland!)
 

PM. Lewis

Premium Member
The questions I generally ask a man I believe to be a Brother are, "Are you a Mason?" and "Which Lodge do you belong to?"

I like to keep it simple like the questions above because you just never know, especially in public. Also I prefer "Mines for yours" so we can swap dues cards and check IDs.
 
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