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What does your lodge do?

goomba

Neo-Antient
Site Benefactor
I'm trying to figure out what my lodge should give new masons. Not just one the night of the initiation or the raising. I'm not talking about the apron but what do you think they should be given to set the tone of their journey?

So far this is what I have: Freemasons for Dummies after the initiation, The Craft and Its Symbols at the passing, and this beautiful bowtie (http://www.masonicrevival.com/store/noche-standard). Here is the thought behind each: 1st books is a great general overview of the fraternity (at least in the USA), 2nd is well just a damn good book introducing you to meanings of things, and the bowtie is masonic and appropriate dress for our meetings.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
I'm trying to figure out what my lodge should give new masons. Not just one the night of the initiation or the raising. I'm not talking about the apron but what do you think they should be given to set the tone of their journey?

So far this is what I have: Freemasons for Dummies after the initiation, The Craft and Its Symbols at the passing, and this beautiful bowtie (http://www.masonicrevival.com/store/noche-standard). Here is the thought behind each: 1st books is a great general overview of the fraternity (at least in the USA), 2nd is well just a damn good book introducing you to meanings of things, and the bowtie is masonic and appropriate dress for our meetings.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
If you want to make better members, do what you're doing. When you want to make better men, give them supporting materials to do just that.
  1. Building Boaz, EA (Emotional Awareness) Made Easy - EA Support
  2. Building Athens - FC Support
  3. Building Hiram, Building Janus, Building Perpends, Building Ruffish, Building Cement, Building Free Men, The Craft Unmasked! and Provoking Success.
 

jermy Bell

Registered User
Ours gives a bible, and a apron and a hand shake. No instruction, no idea what to do next. I see this a lot and still after 2 years I'm still confused. But I would say 80% after being raised have no idea and don't come back.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
Ours gives a bible, and a apron and a hand shake. No instruction, no idea what to do next. I see this a lot and still after 2 years I'm still confused. But I would say 80% after being raised have no idea and don't come back.
80%?!?!?! You have a better estimate than I. I would say that it is much higher. And those who have no confusion are most likely dangerous.
 

jermy Bell

Registered User
In the past 2 years we have raised I would say maybe 30 ? And this is combined with 5 other lodges, maybe, maybe, 15 people have come back to lodge or a couple degree works to see what they went threw. Then you usually don't see them again.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
In the past 2 years we have raised I would say maybe 30 ? And this is combined with 5 other lodges, maybe, maybe, 15 people have come back to lodge or a couple degree works to see what they went threw. Then you usually don't see them again.
How can anyone find that acceptable?
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
lodge is like going to the gym. One day you miss a workout, but then you make the next. Then one week you miss the entire week and you kind of shrug it off. Then a month goes by and you wonder how in the world you used to have time for it all the while going back is ... meh[/QUO
Yep, excellent comparison.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
lodge is like going to the gym. One day you miss a workout, but then you make the next. Then one week you miss the entire week and you kind of shrug it off. Then a month goes by and you wonder how in the world you used to have time for it all the while going back is ... meh
Yep. But it's never been like that for me because I'm not doing a solo work out where only I suffer from failure to perform, I'm in a team when the team suffers from my absence.

Lodge attendance is definately a habit, which you need to help newer brethren form, but it's also necessary if you want freemasonry to survive and to pay your experience forward.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Lodge attendance is definately a habit, which you need to help newer brethren form, but it's also necessary if you want freemasonry to survive and to pay your experience forward.
I sometimes get / feel lazy. When I am like this and can not decide whether to visit a lodge or not I make it a point to make myself go. After I get there I am always glad that I did.
 

billyjfootball

Registered User
Yeah, I agree. Sometimes I'll be dead tired from work and not feel like going at all. But then I'll go and afterward feel great. Plus, I've also found a little trick. I wear my Masonic ring to work on days that I know I'll have to do a lodge function. When I look at the ring, it reminds me that I have to put the work into the craft in order to get something out of it.


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry
 

TNPorkChop

Registered User
An officer takes a newly raised brother under their wing who in turn takes new initiates and FC under their wing. It promotes brotherhood and communication and last but not least, lodge involvement

I started my Masonic journey at the end of last year, and am set to be raised to MM later this month. I still have what I figure is that new initiate vigor. But I joined so I could get involved in something bigger than myself and to better myself.

I just don't see how someone could go through all of the trouble of joining, progress through all three degrees, and never return. I've been told it happens at my lodge often... guys just want to be a mason in title only? I want to make change.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
I started my Masonic journey at the end of last year, and am set to be raised to MM later this month. I still have what I figure is that new initiate vigor. But I joined so I could get involved in something bigger than myself and to better myself.

I just don't see how someone could go through all of the trouble of joining, progress through all three degrees, and never return. I've been told it happens at my lodge often... guys just want to be a mason in title only? I want to make change.
Masonry is tough to understand for outsiders. (profane)

We try to explain it to prospective petitioners and curious individuals, but we trip over our own two feet. We've got all the material to tell us what we can't talk about, but we have nothing that tells us what we can talk, or should talk about. Therefore, we have those that join and realize it wasn't for them.

Others, and you'll never stop it from happening, join for the "bling" and never come back to lodge.

I will say that there is a caveat to my last statement. Some Brothers that do not attend lodge regularly (able bodied folks here) can and do lead a masonic life. They give our fraternity a good name and represent it well. Not going to Lodge does not make you a bad mason. However, not going to Lodge means that it is one less eye on the west gate. Not going to lodge does a disservice to the ballot. That one Brother who does not attend may know something that is important about a petitioner.
 
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CLewey44

Registered User
Back to your OP, I think those are nice gifts. I do think maybe a lapel for each degree would be a nice addition. I have found on Amazon an EA, FC and MM lapels. That may be nice as an add-on to each degree and give a little pat on the back vs. waiting until they finish the 3rd degree. I like lodges that have name tags since I'm bad with names. I definitely like the bowtie too! The problem with the Bible gift is that if you get a brother that is not of Christian faith, he may not appreciate the Masonic Bible too much. I have looked around for a Masonic Tanakh or Koran etc and have yet to find them. They may exist but not sure. You may could personalize a Tanakh or Koran from an online book store with S&Cs but it wouldn't have the great information the big blue Masonic Bibles has in the first 50 pages or so.
 

grayflannelsuit

Premium Member
Masonry is tough to understand for outsiders. (profane)

We try to explain it to prospective petitioners and curious individuals, but we trip over our own two feet. We've got all the material to tell us what we can't talk about, but we have nothing that tells us what we can talk, or should talk about. Therefore, we have those that join and realize it wasn't for them.

Others, and you'll never stop it from happening, join for the "bling" and never come back to lodge.

I will say that there is a caveat to my last statement. Some Brothers that do not attend lodge regularly (able bodied folks here) can and do lead a masonic life. They give our fraternity a good name and represent it well. Not going to Lodge does not make you a bad mason. However, not going to Lodge means that it is one less eye on the west gate. Not going to lodge does a disservice to the ballot. That one Brother who does not attend may know something that is important about a petitioner.

I agree with all of the above but would add that in my personal opinion, one of the greatest aspects of being a Freemason is the brotherhood and camaraderie one experiences when attending lodge and spending time with the brothers. While disappearing from lodge absolutely does not mean one cannot live an exemplary Masonic life, I feel it makes for an incomplete experience. I know this topic has been discussed to death here, so I'll leave it at that.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
I agree with all of the above but would add that in my personal opinion, one of the greatest aspects of being a Freemason is the brotherhood and camaraderie one experiences when attending lodge and spending time with the brothers. While disappearing from lodge absolutely does not mean one cannot live an exemplary Masonic life, I feel it makes for an incomplete experience. I know this topic has been discussed to death here, so I'll leave it at that.
I agree with you. Mr. secretary, please amend the minutes to include this.

Any other discussion?

The minutes are accepted as amended!

*gavel~*

:p
 
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