Donation to the Lodge?

I'm new to my Lodge, and just completed my EA exam last night. It's a very small, rural Lodge with a limited budget. While I realize that the importance in having nice "things" for the Lodge is not the point, some of our regalia is very unimpressive. Most notably, the G positioned in the east. Ours isn't even illuminated. It looks like a wooden letter wrapped with tin foil. I'm sure that's not what it's really made of, but regardless, it's very pathetic.

Would it be wrong for me to build a new one and donate it to the Lodge? Is this something I should bring up at a meeting, or possibly the WM first?

I can't imagine that this thing has sentimental value, but I don't want to run into "That was made by Fuzzy Fitzgerald II in 1934 and has hung in that spot ever since" or step on anyone's toes.

You definitely want to discuss it first. My Mother Lodge had a similar one (gold spray paint, maybe) before a Brother from another lodge asked if he could make one. It's pretty amazing. I'll track down a pic of it when I get home.

You can see our "G" at the top. It's just a neon light with a painted wooden mount. Not too flashy, not too modest, looks nice when lit.

I would definitely talk to the WM and/or Sec or if your lodge has it, talk to the building council. Then with approval, someone can make a motion at a business meeting.


Bro John
MM, Elmore Lodge #30

Freemason Connect Mobile

I'd suggest that you might want to slow down a bit and start learning what "symbolism" means and how it works.

That "G" could be made from plastic held together by gum and it would not detract from what it symbolises and to be honest what it symbolises has no need of being golden.

Our Lodge has a see through perspex G hanging on a thin wire, or maybe even fishing line, suspended in the Lodge Room.
It may not be Gold or flashy, but it serves its purpose well. My PM pointed out that simplistic items such as the G is all that is needed to reflect the symbolism behind each item and its meaning.

Mike Martin said:

I'd suggest that you might want to slow down a bit and start learning what "symbolism" means and how it works.

That "G" could be made from plastic held together by gum and it would not detract from what it symbolises and to be honest what it symbolises has no need of being golden.

Click to expand...

I'm well aware of the symbolism. That wasn't my question, thank you.

BrinkJ said:

You can see our "G" at the top. It's just a neon light with a painted wooden mount.

Click to expand...

I love it when the G is done with stand-off neon. One lodge I used to frequent has a neon G in a box. The back of the box is polished so the G is visible as a light plus also visible as a reflection off the back of the box. When they first installed it I asked to give a Masonic Education talk (as I almost always do at Stated meetings). My talk was on the two reported meanings of the G and how I could walk around the lodge room watching them separate and merge as I walked around. Appropriately the two images merged as I looked past the altar at them. Extremely nice subtle effect.

There used to be a great site with most of the Texas G's on it, but it seems to be gone now.

Here are a couple shots of the carved one our Brother did. He is a Master Carver from Bulgaria, well known for his religious work, including life-size icons and an amazing "Last Supper."

Wow, that's very nice!

I did speak to the WM and a few members about our G. It's an issue that's been brought up in the past, but it's just one of those things that gets filed away and was never acted upon. No one seems to remember where ours even came from. Another Lodge merged with us recently, and they have a better G that will go up eventually. Right now they're still kind of sorting out what stuff to keep from the old Lodge and what to get rid of.

Browncoat said:

Wow, that's very nice!

I did speak to the WM and a few members about our G. It's an issue that's been brought up in the past, but it's just one of those things that gets filed away and was never acted upon. No one seems to remember where ours even came from. Another Lodge merged with us recently, and they have a better G that will go up eventually. Right now they're still kind of sorting out what stuff to keep from the old Lodge and what to get rid of.

Click to expand...

As a history major, I hope you all keep any masonic antiques and historical artifacts. Perhaps you can pass on what is not needed to a smaller lodge that needs it.

Well, I know they're keeping some of it, they've already been put up around the Lodge. One was a rather impressive tapestry with George Washington on it, which I'd like to study more myself. Some plaques, gavels, other regalia, signage, and seating has been kept. I don't know who's deciding what stays and what goes to be honest, or what all is available.

awesome, preserve that history!