Proudest Moment As A Freemason

[jjjjjggggg]

I saw this question posed by Masonic Vibes on Facebook. It's a great question: what's your proudest moment as a freemason?

 

[jjjjjggggg]

Mine? Being raised.

Having been raised by the grand master was the icing on the cake.

My brother just petitioned, so having the chance to raise him would be a close second.

 

[pointwithinacircle2]

My father was a Freemason, so when I was raised I had very high expectations of the fraternity. Unfortunately in my small rural Lodge there were few people who took an interest in a new member. (Or perhaps I am just not very likeable, I can't be sure anyway, I felt that nobody cared that I was there.) Nine months later a new petition was read in Lodge and I decided that I did not want the new man to feel unwanted and ignored like I had. So I made it a point to seek him out, introduce myself, tell him that I had heard his petition read in Lodge, and say that I was looking forward to getting to know him. I invited him to my house, fixed him lunch, talked Masonry, and let him borrow a book.

Until now my greatest source of pride in Masonry has been watching this man become a dynamic, involved Mason who cares about his fellow Masons and takes ownership in his Lodge. (This probably would have happened anyway but I like to think I contributed to it)

When I moved and changed jurisdictions last year there were three Lodges within driving distance. Even though it was not the closest, I chose the smallest, most stagnant Lodge to join because it had a couple of strong members dedicated to survival and growth who inspired me. Today I attend all three of those Lodges (being retired is cool) and I meet a lot of local Masons. But what I am most proud of is that I am in my home Lodge for every meeting, that I stand up in every meeting and read something Masonic that I find interesting or educational, that I know the name of every Brother in my Lodge who has been a Mason for five years or less and that I have talked to him enough to be able to introduce him to someone by saying one interesting thing about him. I guess what I am saying is that I care about my Lodge and my Lodge Brothers and that I take the time to do something to let them know it, and that is what I am most proud of.

 

[BroBook]

Never considered such a question, recently a brother from my new lodge said he was glad that the GAOTU had our paths cross !!! WWEA


Bro Book
M.W.U.G.L. Of Fl: P.H.A.
Excelsior # 43
At pensacola

 

[coachn]

My Proudest Craft Moment? When I accepted the fact that I was responsible for furthering my Education and Dedicated myself toward making Education occur for me, Regardless of any Support, Non-support, Resistance or Sabotage I would get from my Brothers. My other Proud Craft Moments are when my Work is Recognized by other Good-Hearted and Well-Educated Brothers as Worthy of my Efforts.

 

[Levelhead]

The day i give my MM chetachism back. (2 weeks)! Ill get my burial apron and certificate from the UGLE!

 

[Morris]

The day i give my MM chetachism back. (2 weeks)! Ill get my burial apron and certificate from the UGLE!

What's a burial apron?


Jeff

 

[Morris]

What's a burial apron?


Jeff

I mean I know that it's for your funeral but I've never heard of a reserved one before.


Jeff

 

[Levelhead]

When you give back your MM chetichism you get a certificate ofrecognition from the grand lodge of Florida with a seal on it, and a burial apron, entitling you to a masonic funeral.

 

[Brother JC]

Does this apron differ from the apron you will wear as a Master Mason? I, too, am a tad confused, as being a Freemason is what entitles you to a Masonic burial. The apron I was given is intended to be worn through a long career, and finally draped on my casket. (Paraphrasing the presentation.)

 

[Levelhead]

Well in florida. You can have a masonic funeral but Can only wear an apron in your casket if you gave back your MM Chetachism. After you give back they have the MWGM of florida comes down and presents you with an apron (its rolled in a tube) which you put in a safe place until your last day on earth. Its said to tell 2 people where it is so they can put it on you at your masonic funeral.

Also the MWGM of florida presents you with a Certificate from the grand lodge of Florida recognizing you are a master mason who gave back his chetachism and received your burial apron.

I actually DID NOT receive an apron when i was raised. Just a masonic bible , my books, some pins, and my ring that i purchased and had a brother present me.

 

[dfreybur]

Does this apron differ from the apron you will wear as a Master Mason? I, too, am a tad confused, as being a Freemason is what entitles you to a Masonic burial. The apron I was given is intended to be worn through a long career, and finally draped on my casket. (Paraphrasing the presentation.)

The tradition depends on the jurisdiction or even on the lodge.

The presentation talk says it's ours to wear, but a lot of lodges have a local tradition that a brother wears that apron for his first three degrees and then for his final degree into the afterlife not wearing it in between. These jurisdictions have stacks of cloth aprons for the brothers to wear at meetings.

Other jurisdictions expect a brother to bring his own apron with him to meetings. Apparently standard in UGLE.

I've been to plenty of Masonic funerals where the family didn't know to have his plain leather apron put on him in the casket. I've informed my family of the tradition but will they do that? On the one hand I won't be there to see. On the other hand I intend to be in a place I can see my family from. I'm not sure I'll care about the apron from there.

 

[Levelhead]

The tradition depends on the jurisdiction or even on the lodge.

The presentation talk says it's ours to wear, but a lot of lodges have a local tradition that a brother wears that apron for his first three degrees and then for his final degree into the afterlife not wearing it in between. These jurisdictions have stacks of cloth aprons for the brothers to wear at meetings.

Other jurisdictions expect a brother to bring his own apron with him to meetings. Apparently standard in UGLE.

I've been to plenty of Masonic funerals where the family didn't know to have his plain leather apron put on him in the casket. I've informed my family of the tradition but will they do that? On the one hand I won't be there to see. On the other hand I intend to be in a place I can see my family from. I'm not sure I'll care about the apron from there.

Yep in florida we have a box next to the tyler with a stack of white aprons that we and all guests wear.

 

[Brother JC]

Florida Masons get a UGLE certificate? Interesting. I wonder if any other American jurisdictions have this addition.
The "wear it versus save it" apron debate will probably go on forever. I've always gone with the presentation I received (wear it) and have yet to find any reference in writing that states you should lock it away until your funeral. Each to their own...

 

[Levelhead]

Florida Masons get a UGLE certificate? Interesting. I wonder if any other American jurisdictions have this addition.
The "wear it versus save it" apron debate will probably go on forever. I've always gone with the presentation I received (wear it) and have yet to find any reference in writing that states you should lock it away until your funeral. Each to their own...

Well its called a "burial apron" and im gonna do with it as im told or the intention of.

 

[Levelhead]

Florida Masons get a UGLE certificate? Interesting. I wonder if any other American jurisdictions have this addition.
The "wear it versus save it" apron debate will probably go on forever. I've always gone with the presentation I received (wear it) and have yet to find any reference in writing that states you should lock it away until your funeral. Each to their own...

No need to wear it, in florida every lodge has aprons at the tyler station when you enter.

 

[Brother JC]

Understood. Every lodge I've ever been to has that box (including my Mother Lodge), but I still prefer to wear my own.

 

[Levelhead]

Id like to wear my own also! I saw some cool mastermason aprons with blue border but i spoke to people in my lodge and they said i can only wear the white ones povided.

 

[Warrior1256]

Having just been raised last night this was my most proud so far.

 

[dfreybur]

Id like to wear my own also! I saw some cool mastermason aprons with blue border but i spoke to people in my lodge and they said i can only wear the white ones povided.

That's probably a tradition not a rule. Some jurisdictions have rules about personal aprons (Texas specifies size and restricts design) so it's possible yours says to not wear your presentation apron. Possible but not likely. Far more likely is it's a tradition that got out of hand and folks think it's a rule when it's not.

Here's why I think it is extremely unlikely you can't wear a personal apron - I keep my PM apron in my trunk local or traveling and I wear it to almost all meetings. No one has ever cared. If folks can wear a PM apron then they can wear an MM apron. It's a line of reasoning that likely has not occurred to the brothers who told you.