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Candles or Bulbs

Should the lesser lights be...

  • Candles

    Votes: 59 67.8%
  • Light Bulbs

    Votes: 28 32.2%

  • Total voters
    87

dhouseholder

Registered User
I prefer candles but, man, after about a year, everything around them would be burnt and waxed up. Could you imagine if they fell on the Bible?:eek:

Those flickering bulbs really are sufficient. Just as long as they aren't those S&C bulbs. I think they look gaudy. (Just my opinion)
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
I have always had an idea to do with the Burnt out bulbs (ones with S&C). I thought how great it would be to make a wood base with a lamp rod and socket that you could pick up from Home Depot and present it to one of the oldest members or pehaps the oldest living member of your Lodge. Call it something I don't know but we had one burn out at Lake Worth and we are looking at doing this. That way you are giving someone something symbolic for very little investment.

Never been done yet but I have spoke to a few people about it. Who knows if it ever will.
 

cambridgemason

Premium Member
Premium Member
in massachusetts we use two sets of lights. the first set is at the top three stations and then we have candlestick holders that are used at the altar for the degrees. the station lights are turned on during the opening and turned off at the closing. both sets form a triangle.
 

Chaplin the Elder

Registered User
I have never seen candles in use but think that it would actually be a better look then bulbs.


One lodge that I belonged to used candles, but they were the butane type and were really nice. Because they were separate they could be placed in the proper positions at the alter.

Montgomery uses bulbs and they are nice but I don't feel they give quite the same feeling when being "brought to light" as the candles do.
 

Sirius

Registered User
The candle is more symbolic than a light bulb. Since Masonry deal in symbolism, I would say the candle. But yes the S&C light bulbs are cool.
 

kcir

Registered User
I like candles as it is a nice touch to opening and closing the lodge. In some lodges, the candles ar extinguished by the wardens and WM as part of the ritual in closing the lodge.
 

Raven

Registered User
I have seen both flicker and S&C bulbs, but have never seen actual candles.
I personally would like to see the spring loaded dripless candles used when degrees are conferred. This type of candle is cost effective, very clean and comes in several sizes.
 

Christopher

Registered User
I would love to see my Lodge use candles. We have the flicker bulbs, and they're okay, but they're not the same. Still, I suspect the AHJs would flip out if they thought we were burning candles in Lodge. No point in getting fined, I guess.
 

Hippie19950

Premium Member
I went to Lodge in Franklin one night, and we lost power just before we started. The entire meeting was done by candle light. It was so neat. I would love to see a night when we all were able to have a meeting done by candle light only. We use the S%C bulbs, and need to replace one. The filament has separated, and looks like a butterfly inside.
 

PeterLT

Premium Member
I've seen both used and as mentioned above, I'm a fan of the S&C bulbs. Very nice touch to the lesser lights. Candles are too finicky, someone walks past and creates a current and poof, there goes the sun!

Peter
 

Bookend

Registered User
Personally, I would prefer candles. However, in our Constitution (South Australia) and in many others within this country, we have had to come to use electricity, simply for the purposes of insurance. If we were to use candles, our insurance premiums would increase by as much as 600%!
 

tom268

Registered User
In Germany, all lodges use candles. Three on the altar and one on each column. In higher degrees the number of candles grow and oil lamps add to the candles in some degrees. The highest number is our VIII° festive work with about 100 candles. I never saw candles waxing the bible, but from time to time they are waxing the floor. I even bumped into a column myself and hit down the candle. But a lightbulb can burn through too during the ritual. The risk is a bit higher, that's for sure, but in our ritual the light is carried by the WM and the wardens from the altar to the columns, and they spread light in the truest sense of the word.
We do have electric light for non-ritual lighting, so older brothers can find their seats and the ardens can read their ritual (it is read here, not memorized).
 

JTM

"Just in case"
Premium Member
that could get a wee bit time consuming. we sometimes have 4 degrees a month, and as junior deacon, i have the feeling i'd get to do some of that.

definitely bulbs. or get the ones that flicker and look like candles.

the filaments in our bulbs are little square and compasses.
 
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