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Wearing the Bling

Should EA's and FC's be allowed to wear Masonic jewlerey?

  • Yes

    Votes: 16 10.1%
  • No

    Votes: 137 86.7%
  • Undecided

    Votes: 5 3.2%

  • Total voters
    158

Bro Mike

Registered User
They at least should have to wait until I can get a ring of my own, OK?



Seriously, I think that is part of the deal. Want the bling? Go through the degrees. All of 'em.
 

Joey

Co-Founder
Staff Member
That's the whole point of becoming a Master Mason....... It makes you reach for the "light at the end of the tunnel" knowing that when you do get to wear the bling it because you've earned it.
 
G

gortex6

Guest
If someone wore jewelry and identified themself openly as an EA or FC wouldn't it open the risk of someone from another lodge protesting their membership?
 
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david918

Premium Member
To stir the pot, I thought that I was told I there stood "a just and upright mason" during my EA degree.Since masons meet on the level shouldn't an EA also have the privilege.
 
J

jwardl

Guest
To stir the pot, I thought that I was told I there stood "a just and upright mason" during my EA degree.Since masons meet on the level shouldn't an EA also have the privilege.

An EA *is* a mason, but there are three degrees for a reason -- MANY reasons, actually. As each degree is earned, greater knowledge and understanding are attained... and as our ancient operative brethren found, further priveleges bestowed.
 
J

jwardl

Guest
If someone wore jewelry and identified themself openly as an EA or FC wouldn't it open the risk of someone from another lodge protesting their membership?

Absolutely. Besides, if one is going to adorn themselves with the symbols before they're earned, why bother joining the lodge and going through the degrees at all? In my opinion, this would be a person who wants to impress others or is trying to obtain some kind of advantage through falsification. Either way, this would be someone who is NOT ready to be a mason.
 

david918

Premium Member
An EA *is* a mason, but there are three degrees for a reason -- MANY reasons, actually. As each degree is earned, greater knowledge and understanding are attained... and as our ancient operative brethren found, further priveleges bestowed.

I agree 100% just felt ornery after dealing with crowds this morning at Walmart and HEB;)
 

TexMass

Registered User
Unless you wear a square and Compass with the appropriate variation I don't care. Nearly all rings sold in the US are of S & C with a MM variation. Some web sites in England have rings with EA and FC variation. Maybe a lapel pin can satisfy them until they are raised to MM. There is STILL something to be said about earning it.
 

Bigmel

Premium Member
Premium Member
No, not until Master Mason, However, PGM Broughton, did have made and give out special lapel pins for the EA and FC's that came to his workshops.
 
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RAY

Registered User
I am not for it but since GM Counts handed out Masonic pins to all that came to the forums it defeated the original purpose. Its way to easy to have a EA or FC stopped but back when they couldn't be identified as easily as now with the bling. We don't condone it at my lodge and talk against it.
 

swole

Registered User
I feel like it has to be earned. If I'm correct, there is quite alot to go through after decideing to become a Mason. I also read somewhere that a Mason should know how to protect the light. Not only is it not fair to those that have gone through the degrees, your knowledge would not be up to par with the know how, guidance, tolereance, or just not plain knowing what to do if the subject comes up. Its significance means more than that of just a sign, it is the representation of a good man. There is nothing worse than a poorly prepared skilled worker, soldier, or professional. At the moment I am not a Mason, but I look foward to the day I can wear that square and compass as a sign of the man that I am, upstanding, honest, hard working and a great father and husband.
 
H

Huw

Guest
I voted yes, with the minority on this. However, that's from a UGLE viewpoint. Over here, EAs and FCs are full members, with the same speaking and voting rights as everyone else, and therefore I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to identify themselves as members in the same way as other members.

So as long as EAs and FCs aren't counted as members over there, then it wouldn't be right for them to wear something which identifies them as members. Although I'm happy to count them as members, since that works fine over here, and that's why I voted yes.

T & F,

Huw
 

Benton

Premium Member
In Texas, we don't have voting rights until we are MM's. I know in my area, there's a big problem with many EA's joining, going through initiation, then disappearing and never working on their work again. Subsequently, then end up suspended or expelled. I think with holding some of those privileges is precisely for that reason - to see who actually has it in them to go through it and turn in all of their work.
 

Nate Riley

Premium Member
An EA *is* a mason, but there are three degrees for a reason -- MANY reasons, actually. As each degree is earned, greater knowledge and understanding are attained... and as our ancient operative brethren found, further priveleges bestowed.

Further there are other other limitations that require a certain level be obtained, for instance, only sitting masters and past masters can vote at Grand Lodge. So, not allowing EAs and FCs to wear rings, it not really an issue of being a Mason, in the same manner that voting at Grand Lodge is not.

No. I think they should wait.
 

Christopher

Registered User
In Texas, we don't have voting rights until we are MM's. I know in my area, there's a big problem with many EA's joining, going through initiation, then disappearing and never working on their work again. Subsequently, then end up suspended or expelled. I think with holding some of those privileges is precisely for that reason - to see who actually has it in them to go through it and turn in all of their work.

Just to play devil's advocate, what's the problem with having long-term EAs and FCs? Just stylistically speaking, it's kind of a strange organization where a normal member is referred to as a "master". Our ritual itself speaks of the Master Mason as the exemplar of the wise older sage, one who has spent years in the Craft, perfecting his art. As someone who's been a Master Mason less than a year, and who's in his twenties, I have a hard time taking seriously the appellation "Master Mason" when it's being applied to me. What would be the problem with continuing the customs of the operative lodges (and all operative guilds, whatever their craft) and have the title "Master Mason" be reserved for those the lodge membership believe to truly be Masters of the Craft?

I also think that if wearing Masonic emblems is going to be restricted to Master Masons, I think you should have to wait until you've turned in your esoteric work for the Master Mason degree.
 
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