Hello Brothers,I first stepped to the light at age of 21,at the time I thought I was ready but in reality I really wasn't, to say immature would be an understatement but my mentor saw more in me than I saw in myself, I had just gotten out of the military from during a tour in the desert and was trying to establish myself in the civilian world,and on top of that I had just become a father for the first time and I felt I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, financially I definitely wasn't ready, the lodge I was attending I felt like I didn't fit in, and then with brothers coming to me saying stuff like, If I want to screw your wife you have to set it up, so with that being said,I left only reaching my 2nd degree, I'm much older now and things have changed for the better but I have always carried the light with me, I've had several offers to become a Scottish Rite mason but my heart is with Prince Hall, I was told by a brother,in order to get my 3rd I would have to go back to my original lodge and I can't be touched until so, so I'm coming to you brothers asking for help, was that statement true? or can I find another lodge,if it means starting all over again, then that's what I'll have to do,thank you
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this is my situation
- Thread starter Keith E
- Start date
Bloke
Premium Member
WTF ! "Tasteless sense of humour" is the understatement of the year ! I don't think I would stay in such a lodge..... certainly the "brother" who said such a thing was at best showing extremely poor behaviour, at worst -simply unfit to be a freemason.
Depends on where you are, but certainly we've had brothers who were initiated in lodge and even other jurisdictions do their third degree at Craft Lodges I am in. The only thing you need to do is check that's they case under your GL (contact GL, don't talk to the lodge) then make sure you have a clearance certificate (to get it, your dues need to be up to date as at your resignation).
Persevere brother !
I'm
Thank you BroBook, if it was a joke, I didn't take it to be one, I live in NC,
Thank you Bloke, I live in NC, and to be honest, I never had the opportunity to pay my dues,after I received my 2nd,I just never returned,I felt like that particular lodge isn't were I needed to be, thank you for the advise
dfreybur
Premium Member
Brother Keith,
I am concerned that you might have ended up in a clandestine lodge that does not have our principles. In regular jurisdictions Scottish Rite is exclusively an additional optional order so all jurisdictions with the words Scottish Rite in their name are clandestine if they perform the first 3 degrees.
http://www.mwphglnc.com/ That should be the Prince Hall jurisdiction you petitioned. Accept no substitutes. If you petitioned to any other jurisdiction you were duped and I suggest trying a regular lodge in a regular jurisdiction not a clandestine lodge.
If what you report happened in a regular lodge you should inform the folks through the link above.
I am concerned that you might have ended up in a clandestine lodge that does not have our principles. In regular jurisdictions Scottish Rite is exclusively an additional optional order so all jurisdictions with the words Scottish Rite in their name are clandestine if they perform the first 3 degrees.
http://www.mwphglnc.com/ That should be the Prince Hall jurisdiction you petitioned. Accept no substitutes. If you petitioned to any other jurisdiction you were duped and I suggest trying a regular lodge in a regular jurisdiction not a clandestine lodge.
If what you report happened in a regular lodge you should inform the folks through the link above.
Shame to say it's been a over 20yrs, I'm 45 now I was 21 at the time
Thank you brother for your advice,after all these years of being inactive,I just want to find a home in good standing, I can't explain it but it's like I'm being called back
acjohnson53
Registered User
Bruh, I recommend u find another Lodge, another Jurisdiction, simply because that is not the free mason way, regardless PHA, or 4 letter lodge, unless somebody got the hots for ur wife..2nd being that u only received ur 2nd degree and depending on how long it has been I recommend u start over again in a new lodge because seems like u got a lotta drama in that Lodge, there is no room for behavior like that in any Lodge, I don't care where u r at...
Kenneth NC Mason
Registered User
As A NC Mason, I can assure you we ARE in relation with PHA. Not just in NC however. At our GL meeting in September, we voted to reogngize ALL PH Lodges that are considered regular by their mainstream counterparts ( Virginia and Ohio for example) I was there the day the voting commenced, and NOT ONE vote was in opposition. Once it passed, the whole room stood up and erupted in cheers and applause. We also have black Mason's in our own group ( AF & AM). On the day this was voted on, we had GL officers from Alabama, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee in attendance. I'm suprised they didn't de recognize us after that vote lol.
acjohnson53
Registered User
Bruh if u feel you are being called back, You need to pull out your apron and gloves, put that suit in the cleaners and get back to Work....
that's them calling
acjohnson53
Registered User
Bruh, I was in ur shoes, till I said get up of ur butt and go back to work, I don't regret any of it, enjoying all the knowledge and fellowship that goes on in that place..Matter of fact 2016 is gonna be my year where reactivate my 32 and head to the Desert....Gotta go see clyde....
Dontrell Stroman
Premium Member
Negative brother. Nothing humorous about that statement. I can't believe those words would come out of a brothers mouth. I expect that kind of talk coming from a clandestine mason, but not Prince Hall Affiliated masons. That is unmasonic conduct and against our obligations. I apologize that you went through that, freemasons ought not behave in such a way.
Bloke
Premium Member
If it was a lodge I was involved in, that would go in your favour..... you will be a different man now that that 21 year old. I know I am a different man from when I was 21. If you have a sincere wish to return, establish the GL is regular, then write a sincere letter to the GL asking how you rejoin and keep following them up without pestering them. I would write then wait about 3 weeks before following up...
acjohnson53
Registered User
Bruh, see how a simple situation can bring the best out of True Master Mason's. Past Masters putting in work. Guide the young Brother Worshipful, Guide him....