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Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
It's unmasonic behavior and violates your Obligations.
ABSOLUTELY!!!
VERY true. I have seen before on this forum where someone has approached a Brother that was wearing Masonic bling and was told that if he could not prove that he was a Mason that he would have to hand over the ring, tie pin, whatever. This makes my blood boil. My reply would be..."You're going to take my personal property? Well, if you get it you will have to take it".
 

mrpierce17

KOP Council director / Lodge instructor
Premium Member
VERY someone has approached a Brother that was wearing Masonic bling and was told that if he could not prove that he was a Mason that he would have to hand over the ring, tie pin, whatever.".

LMFAO someone better call nine eleven because it would be about to go down that's the kinda thing that gets you suspended or even expelled from the order
 

mrpierce17

KOP Council director / Lodge instructor
Premium Member
Seen it happen once when a brother left the clandy's for regularity they wanted there stuff back after the guy refused to play the Q&A game with them
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Extremely rarely. Generally not done outside of a tiled Lodge.
I respect this Bill and here is where I am going to kinda flip flop on the subject......the token is so that we can know each other in the light as well as the dark. To me this means in and out of lodge. As I explained above the token isn't really a secret and gets confused by nonmasons all the time. If someone sees you shake a hand that's all they are gonna see. but it lets that man who you just gripped know that a friend and more importantly a Brother is near by should he need you!

Due Guards, penal signs, words are to be giving in a lodge or for instruction only. Tokens are our way of IDing ourselves to others. IMO
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Extremely rarely. Generally not done outside of a tiled Lodge.
Tokens are our way of IDing ourselves to others. IMO
I can see both sides of this. Tokens are a way that we can identify each other outside of the lodge. But, at least in my case, it is rare. I've been a Freemason for two years and wear a Masonic ring all of the time and Masonic shirts a lot of the time. I have yet to exchange tokens outside of lodge.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
I once had a older Black mason( I make this distinction as when ive told this story before PHA Masons seemed to recognize it more then nonPHA masons) Notice my decal on my truck. He asked me what it was and I asked him if he was a Mason. He then asked me "have you seen my little dog(giving the EA dueguard) hes about this tall(giving the MM dueguard) last time I saw him he was heading East(gave the MM penal sign to point east) and was wearing a Blue collar(gave the EA penal sign). I responded by saying that I had seen him but it had gone from west to east but was on his way back east. He smiled, I had obviously passed his test we shook hands and I told him if he was ever in Santa fe to come by my lodge. Never saw that man again. While at the time it was fun to interact with a brother like that I started thinking about it and in my jurisdictions those signs are only to be given in a lodge or for instruction. it made me wonder what his jurisdiction says on the subject.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Having just retyped this encounter and having bro @mrpierce17 tell me about his jurisdictions "how to protect your emblem" It made me realize that I have been tried in public, however it was in good fun and not in a "ima take your crap if you don't pass" kinda way.
 

MRichard

Mark A. Ri'chard
Premium Member
I respect this Bill and here is where I am going to kinda flip flop on the subject......the token is so that we can know each other in the light as well as the dark. To me this means in and out of lodge. As I explained above the token isn't really a secret and gets confused by nonmasons all the time. If someone sees you shake a hand that's all they are gonna see. but it lets that man who you just gripped know that a friend and more importantly a Brother is near by should he need you!

Due Guards, penal signs, words are to be giving in a lodge or for instruction only. Tokens are our way of IDing ourselves to others. IMO

The token is definitely a secret, whether someone can see it or not is another issue. Until I sit in lodge with you or you are vouched for by someone I know, then I am not sure if someone is a freemason or not. Dues cards can be counterfeit.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
[QUOTE="MRichard, post: 166286, member: 14602" Until I sit in lodge with you or you are vouched for by someone I know, then I am not sure if someone is a freemason or not. Dues cards can be counterfeit.[/QUOTE]
Completely Agree. I wasn't saying that the Tokens aren't secret I was just saying that in my jurisdictions there is nothing that says they can only be given in secret...IE lodge or instruction.
 

Dontrell Stroman

Premium Member
I don't think you were tried from that encounter. I believe and I could be wrong, that the brother was just greeting you in a different way. If a brother greeted me that way, I would have answered it the same way. I believe those questions help identify each other in places were you don't really want to discuss masonry. Example, my wife and I were at a dine in restaurant eating. A gentleman noticed my ring and approached the table and said "Are you travelling man" I said "I Am" he then shook my hand and walked away. My wife said what's that about, I said I guess the brother wanted to see if I have been to other states. She left it at that. As I have stated before, I have seen both PHA and GL masons use this sign in public. I believe it's more of a cultural thing.
 

mrpierce17

KOP Council director / Lodge instructor
Premium Member
The token is definitely a secret, whether someone can see it or not is another issue. Until I sit in lodge with you or you are vouched for by someone I know, then I am not sure if someone is a freemason or not. Dues cards can be counterfeit.

I agree wit you that a token is a secret I have been griped many times outside of lodge but only by brothers I know to be such and who knew me as the same ( always covered ) never so the public can see it one could say the GHSOD is also a secret would you expect a brother to use this as well only in a tiled lodge just something to think about and I will also point out the part in the OB Where it says something like knowing them to be such
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
the due guards and penal signs and words that accompany them are only to be given in lodge or for instruction. The tokens are those things that allow brothers to know a fellow bro in darkness and in light. so those can be given in public, but your not gonna like look at your wife and say "hey watch this" and then go grip a man. Ive done it when I see a brother with a pin or hat or something and I just walk up and say "hey Brother hows it going?" and extend my hand and give the EA grip. They usually look you in the eye give a nod nod then you go about your day.
 
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