I keep my membership in the Craft close to the chest. The list of people who know I'm a mason is short.
- Wife
- Mother
- Sister
- Sister's Husband (His dad is a PM so no biggie there)
- Mother and Father-in-Law
- My two closest friends and it took two years before I told them.
- My dad passed away before I was initiated. He was not a Mason though.
It is something one should assume. I Never out anyone else as a Mason. It's like having a pregnant wife. You better not say she is pregnant to anyone before she gives you the OK and there is that unwritten rule where she doesn't have to explain that!
I was walking back to my car with a Brother (nothing to do with Lodge) when he ran into profane friends. He introduced me and proceeded to tell them that I was a Mason. It put me off a little.
A PM from my lodge owns his own business that is seasonal. He has a very large client base. He works on my property and my neighbor's property. I do not tell my neighbors that he is a Mason. It's not my job to inform his clients that he is a Mason. I have to "err on the side of caution," until such time I know that he doesn't care. One of my good friends knows him. He doesn't know he is a Mason. I just say I know him from my dealings around town. Again, it's not my place to say, "oh you know so and so? He's a Freemason."
My personal practice and feelings I guess.
Edited: My comments are concerning telling the profane that someone is a mason. It should be up to the individual to make that known. Now, if I'm in a room with Brothers who know my friend to be a mason and I'm new there, then I have no issue with being introduced as a Mason.