Anyone know how the Grand Lodge feels about the "Rusty Nail" Degree? I think it's awesome.
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Rusty Nail Degre
- Thread starter Blake Bowden
- Start date
Ashlar
Registered User
My second lodge does what we call a "Re-Obligation Night" . Though we are allowed to have "Rusty Nail Degrees" , it is a way around using the word "Degree" and would be classified as a "Lodge of Instruction" . So if your GL lodge does not allow side degrees , this may be a way around that rule . We send out letters formally inviting every member to lodge , and those who have not been to lodge in years , and in some cases a few decades , we have a big dinner , make a big deal out of these long lost brethren , we then run them through all the obligations , steps , signs , grips and words for each degree .
To be completely honest , I see it as a waste of our time . It may bring back one or two older members for a meeting or two but the simply disappear again . BUT , I will continue the tradition next year in hopes that maybe some will come back , but I do it begrudgingly .
ETA : Your mileage may vary , we have never had any luck with them and it can not be because of boring meetings as we do not have them . Our meetings are fun and enlightening .
To be completely honest , I see it as a waste of our time . It may bring back one or two older members for a meeting or two but the simply disappear again . BUT , I will continue the tradition next year in hopes that maybe some will come back , but I do it begrudgingly .
ETA : Your mileage may vary , we have never had any luck with them and it can not be because of boring meetings as we do not have them . Our meetings are fun and enlightening .
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It's basically a ceremony that asks basic questions, go through the signs, grips and words, etc. Typically for older Brethren who haven't been to Lodge in many years.
Timothy Fleischer
Registered User
March 1994 Short Talk Bulletin is on the Rusty Nail Degree...
Here are links to two different versions of the Rusty Nail.
http://www.eaglerock19.org/Pub/ER19/Order of the Rusty Nail-V4.pdf
http://grandlodgeofiowa.org/docs/Ceremonies/RustyNails.pdf
In Texas, side degrees ARE NOT Allowed.
However, an education program should be.....
It might encourage those who don't attend because it has been so long they are "afraid" to come back to their home lodge and see if they find what they want here.
We have not had one. Our lodge is small, a membership of 60 or so..
This might work for a larger lodge.
Here are links to two different versions of the Rusty Nail.
http://www.eaglerock19.org/Pub/ER19/Order of the Rusty Nail-V4.pdf
http://grandlodgeofiowa.org/docs/Ceremonies/RustyNails.pdf
In Texas, side degrees ARE NOT Allowed.
However, an education program should be.....
It might encourage those who don't attend because it has been so long they are "afraid" to come back to their home lodge and see if they find what they want here.
We have not had one. Our lodge is small, a membership of 60 or so..
This might work for a larger lodge.