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Shriners, Scottish Rite or York Rite

Scottish Rite, York Rite or Shrine

  • Scottish Rite

    Votes: 44 29.3%
  • York Rite

    Votes: 46 30.7%
  • Shrine

    Votes: 14 9.3%
  • Grotto

    Votes: 1 0.7%
  • OES

    Votes: 4 2.7%
  • Lodge only...no time for anything else.

    Votes: 41 27.3%

  • Total voters
    150

KSigMason

Traveling Templar
Site Benefactor
I'm in both the York Rite and the Scottish Rite, but I am a bigger proponent of the York Rite.
 

OxfordNY175

Registered User
York Rite for me. My Lodge, Chapter and Commandry all meet in the same building , on wh different nights . I catch Council in a town about 30 miles away but the only meet once a month and are really struggling. The closest SR is about 44 miles away which is too far away for me and here in NY YR is 'floor work' which i prefer
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
Every time I go to New England and upstate New York I get caught in that syndrome. "Ghee, it's only a few miles away!"

Before I know it, I've emptied a tank of gas. I soon learned the way to distinguish city from city and township from township by counting the rock walls.

Don't make the same mistake here in Texas brother. A few fellows from a company I once worked with came to Houston and, having an afternoon off, decided they would check out San Antonio. They gave up at Segiun! :blink:


Not to worry ... it's an inside joke among us living and dying in the Lone Star State.
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
Lowell, Lexington, Concord and Sheffield, Massachusetts, Providence, Rhode Island, and Hartford, Connecticut. Especially loved those little towns of Norman Rockwell fame. Also the coastal area from Salem through Bar Harbor. But haven't been up that way since switching job assignments several years back.

Haven't been out on the cape. I hear it's nice though. I do like Boston!
 

Txmason

Registered User
@jwhoff

If you are coming to Boston this summer let me know perhaps you could come to the cape for a visit and come to lodge two Texans are better than one! It's about an hour from Boston Logan to being on Cape. I petitioned in MA because I met a Shriner soliciting donations at a supermarket and when I got home told my mom and dad and turns out my grandfather and uncle were masons. As were the guy that built our house in Texas and one was a PM two streets over! The PM mentored me and taught me my work. So I petitioned where I thought my grandfather was a mason but turns out he was a member in Southbridge, MA. I got to see his and his brothers signature on the bylaws signed dec 1, 1941. I am a native texan and I did all my degree work here in Texas.

So let me know if you will be in the area. Hopefully I'll be there in June or July. Lodge in MA is cool. They wear tuxedos for stated meetings very sharp.

I wish the Masonic license plates were more Texany.

Best,

Bro. Jerry
 

Billy Jones

Registered User
I am involved Blue Lodge SR and YR but if I had to chose only one it would have to be Blue Lodge. I know here in Ms you must maintain your Blue Lodge dues to remain active in any of the rites or shrine
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
@jwhoff
So let me know if you will be in the area. Hopefully I'll be there in June or July. Lodge in MA is cool. They wear tuxedos for stated meetings very sharp.


That may be a possibility brother. My niece is receiving her doctorate in voice from Boston University sometime this spring or early summer. Given a chance in the time of an oil boom, and dates matching somewhat, I'd love to set in lodge with you on the Cape!

God speed
 

Txmason

Registered User
Wonderful! We (my parents and I ) haven't left yet. We drive from Texas to Mass it takes about four days. I will certainly let you know when we leave and you'll love the cape and Boston. If you head up that way before I do let me know and I'll be glad to put together a list of non tourist places to eat at and things to see.

I've always wanted to be a concierge and wish I knew how to get into the business as I love helping people discover new things.
 

Plustax

Registered User
I am some what surprised also that there are few votes for Shriners. Personally I find it to be more "family involvement/oriented" than my Blue Lodge. I am kinda considering whether to continue thru the chairs (just started) as I enjoy the social family fellowhip with the Shrine. Also, the philanthropy done by the Shriners is awesome. I guess I am becoming more & more disappointed in my lodge with the same group of masons doing all of the work (charities, visits, fundraisers, etc...) for the lodge when there are 200+ members. I know this happens, but that doesn't make it right. I also know that the officers can cause "change", but they also need to work together without the "politics" & "bickering" which I know also exists every where.
 

Txmason

Registered User
@plustax

The opposite is true for me, while I love the shrine and enjoy being a member often times events are too far away to attend. Instead I attend the shrine club meetings once a month (I'm the secretary), but I want to focus more on lodge and learning so one day I can go through the chairs.

Don't give up on lodge just yet. Perhaps help to organize events such as a BBQ benefit for the lodge, scholarships for high school students, family night etc Wait a year before joining the shrine if your a new mason, if not join you never know what you'll find you enjoy. Ask a lot of questions about units, clubs etc. ask to attend a local shrine club meeting. Seek members in your lodge whom are Shriner's.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me and I'll help as much as I can.

Best,
Jerry
 

Cigarzan

Premium Member
Just the opposite here. I've been a Mason long enough to know I don't need more, and that's just me. I joined the Valley of Fort Worth around 2000 but have since demitted. The Lodge has all I need...to take from and give back to.

I am just a member of the blue lodge; I haven't been a Mason long enough to feel i need more.
 

Phre-massen.nash

Registered User
I have gone YR and SR and if I could choose just 1 then it would be the SR. I love the teaching and the philosophical ideas behind each degree. But at the same time I do not suggest going for your 32nd until you are a Sir Knight in the Commandery.
 

Bro_Vick

Moderator
Premium Member
I have chosen one for six years and that was York Rite, this Saturday I will be going to the reunion in San Antonio. Maybe then I can honestly answer this question. :)

I also like that no one marked Grotto, poor Grotto. :)

S&F,
-Bro Vick
 

Bro_Vick

Moderator
Premium Member
I noticed that too. Any thoughts as to why? I am not familiar with it so I really don't know much about it.

There are a couple of reasons, the biggest is that unlike the Shrine the Grotto never required you to go through the degrees of the Scottish Rite which was a requirement until recently of the Shrine, so the Grotto was considered the "poorman shrine". It doesn't nearly have the face nor the sizable charities of the Shrine and isn't nearly as readily available as the Shrine to most Master Masons. The main charity is Cerebral Palsy Child, and does contribute yearly.

Apparently the ritual is one of the most extravagant by most Masonic standards, but I have no idea when it was last performed in full form. The initiation now is very condensed. There are Grottos in most major metro areas in Texas (not Austin for some reason), and I am sure would be happy for MM to petition. :)

S&F,
-Bro Vick
 

Michael Hatley

Premium Member
I voted the Shrine as well. If I had to choose between the Shrine and blue lodge, I'd pick blue lodge, but that isn't the question being asked here.

I'm not a Christian (Unitarian Universalist), and personally speaking a "Christian" arm of masonry isn't my cup of tea, it runs contrary to my views of universality. I know York Rite isn't just that (I've been pitched by several worthy brothers), but thats just the brass tacks of it for me.

SR is interesting, but if I am honest I'd pick the Lodge of Research over it if it were down to the nut cutting. 4-32 in a day, enough said.

The Shrine is a different critter. My wife is interested and involved, I'm in an active unit, and I live very close to a very active Shrine. They have fun activities constantly. Not to mention my lodge is physically inside the Shrine building. We have a large Shriners Hospital in Houston. No contest.
 
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