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First Month as a Master Mason

masonicdove

Registered User
This first month as a MM has been interesting and filled with a lot of learning and self reflection. One thing I have learned is that people have tons of questions and misunderstandings. I have finally come to the conclusion that the best way I can answer their questions are to tell them this, "All your questions will be answered if you ever become a mason." I leave it to them to pursue...

Any thoughts brethern
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
It is tough being a young master mason. We live in an information age where our thirst for knowledge can be quenched but you have to be careful from which pond you draw from ;)

I was raised in June and returned my work in September so I am also masonically young.

I would not simply stone wall people with that answer. Email, text or call another brother if you genuinely do not know the answer to a question. Get back to the person you were talking to if it is convenient. This is where the name we are given as an EA comes into play. Be mindful of your visibility in public if you feel you cannot answer some questions about masonry.

I have a 28 dollar tungsten comfort ring I wear that has the S/C on it. It is so faint that one would literally have to grab my hand and look at it to see it. I wear it as a symbol for myself more than to make my identity as a mason public. I feel that I might do the Craft injustice when it comes to questions asked of me by those in public. So, until I learn some more I will abstain from an overt ring, car emblem, etc.
 

crono782

Premium Member
Be mindful of your visibility in public if you feel you cannot answer some questions about masonry.
And I personally believe that is one reason (if not the main reason) why there is such a taboo (or in some places even laws) against wearing masonic symbols before being raised as a master.

To the OP, it depends on where the questions come from. If you're talking about questions from outsiders, I divide them into two groups. One group consists of men whom I suspect are interested in the fraternity. To them I will answer only very general questions and instead invite them to a meeting to meet, greet, and ask more there. To the other group which includes family, friends, wives, girlfriends, etc who do not have any future interest in membership I again only answer in generalities. Even the things that we consider monitorial, I personally think could be met with confusion out of context so I prefer to keep it simple. Most don't press too much for details. I guess there's always that third group of friends who buy into the Illuminati thing. I usually tell them to kick rocks until they get their head straight and then I will have an intelligent discussion with them.

For younger brethren asking questions, it is pretty easy to waylay their questions about future degrees with the promise to explain more when they get there and chill out until then. For brothers who have questions about the degrees they have attained, I usually explain that our esoteric meanings are pretty well laid out for us, but as with many symbols, there are many layers of meaning. What one symbol may mean to me many layers deep may have little impact on another brother. I often enjoy having discussions of these deeper meanings with fellow brethren. This is the heart of practicing our craft.
 

masonicdove

Registered User
Crono and Brother Steve when I posted my line of thinking was for those individuals who approach wanting to know the secrets about masonry. The things which we can't reveal to a non mason. Now the other group who are sincere about masonry, like was posted earlier, if I can't answer or don't know how to answer I direct them to a brother who has been in it longer.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
Ah, sorry about the confusion.

I have yet to deal with someone who asks the secrets mainly because there are four or five people in my life that know I am a mason. They have been around other masons so they know what the deal is in those regards...

I would only add one thing to your answer. You can join to find out the secrets of Masonry but if all you seek are the tangible secrets you will be disappointed.

 
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