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Do you consider others from unchartered lodges your brother?

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
There is a very small part of me that wants to say Yes. However...

If we acknowledge every so-in-so from anywhere USA without a standardized recognition system enforced... who's to say, at that point that any self professed individual choosing to call himself a Mason would then become deserving, worthy Brother!?! In my opinion, if we choose to support this rouge fraternal existence by way of recognition, if even through terminology... we are supporting the negative behavior that will inevitably be harmful to our legitimate fraternity.


Just because a Cherry calls itself a Orange, does not make it an Orange.
 
B

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
In my Obligation, I swore not to hold Masonic converse with a clandestinely-made Mason, so no, I can not in good conscience call him Brother. This does not, however, stop me from discussing Freemasonry in general terms, or attempting to lead him to a healing, and knocking on the "approved" door.
 
dfreybur

dfreybur

Premium Member
I don't need lodge to teach me that all men are brothers, but I do learn that there. I don't need church to teach me that all of humanity are one family, but I do learn it there. I don't need science to teach me that all of humanity is kin, but I do learn it there. That said the capitalization to Brother is a matter of regularity and regularity comes in a range. If a brother is a member of a clandestine lodge and he came their without knowing I pray that he will have the heart to step to the door of a recognized lodge to be healed. So my answer is a mixture of yes and no depending.
 
Cookboy4200

Cookboy4200

Registered User
Bro. Stewart said:
There is a very small part of me that wants to say Yes. However...

If we acknowledge every so-in-so from anywhere USA without a standardized recognition system enforced... who's to say, at that point that any self professed individual choosing to call himself a Mason would then become deserving, worthy Brother!?! In my opinion, if we choose to support this rouge fraternal existence by way of recognition, if even through terminology... we are supporting the negative behavior that will inevitably be harmful to our legitimate fraternity.


Just because a Cherry calls itself a Orange, does not make it an Orange.
Click to expand...

Could not have explained it better


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Brother_Steve

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
These lodges are most likely made up of men who quit the fraternity because they were at odds with the landmarks or were expelled for some reason or another. These men now form lodges and catch unsuspecting people with genuine intentions. The lodge however is at odds with our regular/recognized grand lodges. If you read the wording on their website they seem to try to say they do more than us or the wording is put in such a way as to put us down.

While I would be friendly with someone I would not talk masonically with them knowing them to be clandestine
 
AAJ

AAJ

Registered User
Maybe instead of 'Brother', members from clandestine or unrecognized lodges can be 'Cousin'. They are kindred spirits, with presumably similar philosophical ancestry, even if you don't have the same history with them as with your immediate family(recognized lodges).
 
dfreybur

dfreybur

Premium Member
Brother_Steve said:
These lodges are most likely made up of men who quit the fraternity because they were at odds with the landmarks or were expelled for some reason or another. These men now form lodges and catch unsuspecting people with genuine intentions.
Click to expand...

I suspect many or most clandestine lodges re formed by expelled former Brothers. I do not think that's true of the majority of their members. I suspect the vast majority of their members are good men and true who came to their door not knowing the distinction between regular and clandestine.
 
B

bgeorge

Registered User
They are not brothers sad to say. The leadership of those clandestine lodges are just wrong. A mason should be living in truth and for them to deceive millions of good men is just wrong. If i had the power i would shut them down.

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W

willgreen23

Registered User
A brother is a brother regardless of his race or affiliation. If I see a brother in distress that is in good standing and show of good will, I will come to his aid.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Freemason Connect HD mobile app
 
B

bgeorge

Registered User
Yes a brother is a brother if in distress. If a brother give the grand hailing sign i am not goin to ask if he is four letter, pha , international or what ever I will help him, but my obligation states I shall not be entering non prince hall made masons. I cant invite them to my lodge they are not chartered masons. Their leaders went against the first thing we are taught in masonry which is Truth. Caldestine lodges are not masons. They cant travel free so whats the point

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Bro. Stewart P.M.

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
I have watched this thread over time, and my mind remains unchanged. YES, a Brother is a Brother... Er, A legitimate Mainstream or legitimate Prince Hall Affiliated Brother is a Brother!

The subject of RACE has nothing to do with the question at hand. Period.

What we are dealing with... Is this. Joe Smith from Nowhere, USA gets up one morning and decides that he wants to be a Freemason. So, he gets one the internet, reads the degrees, practices the modes of recognition, and ultimately declares himself a Mason without ever stepping foot in a Lodge nor meeting with anyone else. It's happening folks, each and every day. People are opening their own Lodges, initiating members, raising Brothers whilst lying directly to their faces.

To belong to a "Masonic Lodge" that can not trace it's origins back to Europe through the recognized, honored, and respected methods, is no different IMO than "Joe Smith" already mentioned.

I mean really!?! If this is where our Fraternity is today, then why do we bother tiling the door??

If I wake up one morning with a desire to be a Fireman, go out buy all the stuff from clothing to trucks, and declare myself a "fire fighter" does that legitimately make me a real Fireman?? Would you trust me the same as the legitimate professionals? Many of us when in college belonged to fraternities... What happens to the outsider who who's never been a pledge walks around in public wearing your colors & letters?? It's the same thing guys!
 
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ChaplinMike277

ChaplinMike277

Registered User
All are entitled to their own opinion, but please have your facts anyone can be a book mason. IIS

So true.

The Key Word "TRUTH" without Truth the Brotherhood name will be polluted by Lies...

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mando_dando

mando_dando

Registered User
I cannot consider a clandestine mason a brother.

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mando_dando

mando_dando

Registered User
Clandestine lodges are recognized by my grand lodges. The problem I have is with these clandestinodges charging absurd fees to make a profit and giving these csndidates 3 degrees in one night. Anything that is not standard ritual does note go well with me. I am PHA in the state of Florida. I dont have to worry about being clandestine

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