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blackballed

daviddenboer

Registered User
I am an ea and I have been blackballed for transferring to another Masonic lodge outside of Texas. I can still keep my ea my lodge says but for some reason when I try to go further I get three blackballs. Most people in the lodge do not know me as its been some time. I am a veteran in honorable standing and have no criminal convictions.

Any ideas on how to move past this? Should I try to remove my ea degree some how so I can restart in a new lodge? I don't want to have to lie about my ea in order to pursue masonry.

Thank you for any help or suggestions.
 

Plustax

Registered User
what was reason for black ball? Did you not give proficiency in allotted time? Has to be a reason. Honorable discharge is only small portion of investigative info. Has to be more to all this. If you don't state all this when (or if) you apply again in another lodge and it comes out years later it can be much worse for you.
 

polmjonz

Registered User
What lodge and or affiliation did you receive your EA degree from? This could play into the decision I believ.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
As EAs are not "members" of a Lodge they cannot transfer to another Lodge. The proper procedure is for the new Lodge, through its Grand Secretary, to contact the old Lodge, through our Grand Secretary, and seek to have jurisdiction over the EA transferred from the old Lodge to the new one.

BTW, in your profile you state that you are a Master Mason. If such is not the case, it would be best for you to correct it.
 

daviddenboer1

Registered User
constant blackball

I appreciate the feedback brothers, if some one could tell me more about the investigation I would appreciate it. I had a foreclosure and bankruptcy, would that be a reason for blackball? I was told disabilities were not an issue or am I wrong about that?

I'm an ea from clear lake 1417 in seabrook, Texas. I had a fc and turned my work into the worshipful master but was told both it was fine and not okay to turn in work. I was blackballed for a year after that then another time when I was in the army and petitioned a prince hall lodge.

After that period of blackball I was blackballed again for no reason other than the mention that it takes awhile for some people to be members.

Do you have to know some one in order to get raised? Most people who signed my petition are dead now. Should I just remove my ea somehow and start over?

Not sure on why my lodge keeps black balling me when most don't know me. I appreciate your help brethren.
 

Michael Hatley

Premium Member
Re: constant blackball

Not sure on why my lodge keeps black balling me when most don't know me. I appreciate your help brethren.

Emphasis added.

If they don't know you, any small thing will be amplified.

This is why we give men who are petitioning the advice to wait, visit the lodge for months, get to know all the regulars by name and make sure they know yours and have a good impression of you.

The same applies to your situation now. More so, because when they hear you have been blackballed before, not knowing you at all they will assume there was good reason, and do the same.

Getting to know the brethren at the lodge, personally...not just one or two but pretty much everyone, its not really optional as a practical matter. Whats more that shouldn't be seen as a chore but as the point of the entire exercise to begin with.
 

Michael Hatley

Premium Member
Wait, lets clarify this. Are you an EA, or FC? Are you trying to get a letter of good standing only, so as to transfer to another state's jurisdiction?

What vote is specifically being put before that lodge?

Have you paid your dues?
 

daviddenboer1

Registered User
ea

I'm an ea now, had my fc removed because I was told my fc work could not be turned into the wm. I found out when I tried to petition a lodge in Alabama.

I paid my ea dues when I was initiated and my fc when I recieved the degree. I was under the impression that dues for ea and fc were paid once.

Do u pay dues yearly for the ea and fc? No one has clued me in if that's the case.
 

Michael Hatley

Premium Member
I'm taking stabs at it. In my jurisdiction, you deliver the work in person, in front of the lodge. So I don't know about this business about your FC work.

I'm trying to find reasons why they would be inclined to deny you a certificate of good standing, and being in arrears in dues in some way would top the list - I'd make absolutely sure with the Secretary of your old lodge that you are squared away there.

Most of all I would ask them for a more specific answer of the reasons behind these blackballs, and tell them open and honestly that you are looking to make a fresh start.

Good luck.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Wait, lets clarify this. Are you an EA, or FC? Are you trying to get a letter of good standing only, so as to transfer to another state's jurisdiction? Have you paid your dues?

Bro. Mike, as either an EA or a FC, he cannot get a Certificate of Good Standing nor does he pay dues. If he has petitioned for advancement and has been denied, it is up to him to find out why. It would be a Masonic Disciplinary violation for anyone else to inquire into it.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Re: ea

I'm an ea now, had my fc removed because I was told my fc work could not be turned into the wm. I found out when I tried to petition a lodge in Alabama.

I paid my ea dues when I was initiated and my fc when I recieved the degree. I was under the impression that dues for ea and fc were paid once.

Do u pay dues yearly for the ea and fc? No one has clued me in if that's the case.

What you have paid is the degree fee for each degree and each is a one-time charge. In Texas Lodges, only Master Masons pay yearly dues.

I don't understand your statement "had my FC removed". Once you have passed, you are and remain an FC unless suspended or expelled by action of Grand Lodge. Something's not adding up here.
 

daviddenboer1

Registered User
fc

My fc was given and I turned in my work to the wm as it was stated that would work. I was told six months later that I had to turn in my work in a stated lodge meeting. It was confusing as other grand lodges stated you could turn the fc in to a wm instead of a stated meeting.

I was blackballed for a year as it was til to me that I didnt properly turn in my fc. Since then I lost my fc position and was demoted to ea.

I'll talk to my lodge about dues but from my knowledge only mm pay yearly dues. Seems strange as I send brothers messages and they don't respond but have active fb accounts.

Thanks for the support!
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Re: fc

It was confusing as other grand lodges stated you could turn the fc in to a wm instead of a stated meeting.

Which "other grand lodges"?

I was blackballed for a year as it was til to me that I didnt properly turn in my fc. Since then I lost my fc position and was demoted to ea.

Again, this doesn't make sense. Once one has received an EA or FC degree, he remains in that classification until he passes his proficiency in that degree, regardless of how much time has elapsed. Afterward, if he has gone "out of time", he must petition for advancement and have his petition approved by his Lodge. Either way, there is no such thing as being "demoted" to a previous degree.
 

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
It makes me wonder if the earlier commentary about "petitioning a PHA Lodge while in the military" did not somehow play into this whole issue...

I certainly agree with the other Brethren, something is not adding up! However since this Brother is a "FC" it is ultimately up to him to find out why things are the way that they are.
 

daviddenboer1

Registered User
other grand lodges

The other grand lodges were Florida and Arizona. Sorry if i sound suspecious but I'm new to this group. I was told the ea degree could never be taken away from me. My fc degree was not properly turned in and I was told it was taken away from me.

It's news to me that I might still be a fc, I'll talk to the lodge secretary as the wm and others don't respond to me anymore.
 
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