Ran across this post the other day...your thoughts?
Speaking as an individual mason, subject to the usual caveats that this does not represent the official stance of any lodge, Grand Lodge, Concordant nor Appendant body of Freemasonry, I’d like to see these ten things return. I understand that some of the things on this list are simply not done in regular Freemasonry today in the United States, and I would not enact any of the unconstitutional items on the list before they became constitutional.
1. Met in taverns.
2. Put membership ceilings of 35, or 50, or 60 members of any particular lodge, with the understanding that if the lodge got too big, it would generate new lodges to accomodate new brethren.
3. Fined brethren for not attending a stated communication of their lodge (except in cases of sickness, absence from town, or urgent business), and fined officers more harshly than the brethren (with the Master and Wardens being fined about 150% more than the regular members). Prolonged absences without excuse, or refusal to pay fines would result in reprimand, suspension or expulsion.
4. Made degree candidates exemplify the degree catechisms after a thorough education in the meanings of the three degrees (I know some lodges still do this).
5. Gave Stewards liberty of the floor in order to refill the glasses, tankards, and pipes of the brethren.
6. Allowed for the tyler to be a profane, and paid the man for his service to the lodge.
7. Performed the Royal Arch degree in blue lodge, under the authority of the Grand Chapter of their particular jurisdiction.
8. Were well-represented in the local media, announcing individual stated communications in the newspaper, as well as processionals, church visits, banquets and lodges of table instruction, and Grand communications.
9. Voted after each degree to decide if the candidate was worthy of the next degree.
10. Had an officer, called an Almoner, to collect sufficient funds from the brethren of the lodge to liberally come to the relief of distressed brethren of the lodge, their widows and orphans. They would not consider giving any funds to any charities for profanes while their own brethren were in want. No mason could leave a stated communication without giving the Almoner money (this is still the case in Norway).
Speaking as an individual mason, subject to the usual caveats that this does not represent the official stance of any lodge, Grand Lodge, Concordant nor Appendant body of Freemasonry, I’d like to see these ten things return. I understand that some of the things on this list are simply not done in regular Freemasonry today in the United States, and I would not enact any of the unconstitutional items on the list before they became constitutional.
1. Met in taverns.
2. Put membership ceilings of 35, or 50, or 60 members of any particular lodge, with the understanding that if the lodge got too big, it would generate new lodges to accomodate new brethren.
3. Fined brethren for not attending a stated communication of their lodge (except in cases of sickness, absence from town, or urgent business), and fined officers more harshly than the brethren (with the Master and Wardens being fined about 150% more than the regular members). Prolonged absences without excuse, or refusal to pay fines would result in reprimand, suspension or expulsion.
4. Made degree candidates exemplify the degree catechisms after a thorough education in the meanings of the three degrees (I know some lodges still do this).
5. Gave Stewards liberty of the floor in order to refill the glasses, tankards, and pipes of the brethren.
6. Allowed for the tyler to be a profane, and paid the man for his service to the lodge.
7. Performed the Royal Arch degree in blue lodge, under the authority of the Grand Chapter of their particular jurisdiction.
8. Were well-represented in the local media, announcing individual stated communications in the newspaper, as well as processionals, church visits, banquets and lodges of table instruction, and Grand communications.
9. Voted after each degree to decide if the candidate was worthy of the next degree.
10. Had an officer, called an Almoner, to collect sufficient funds from the brethren of the lodge to liberally come to the relief of distressed brethren of the lodge, their widows and orphans. They would not consider giving any funds to any charities for profanes while their own brethren were in want. No mason could leave a stated communication without giving the Almoner money (this is still the case in Norway).
