What's new
By:
Advanced search…
My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Hello! Master Mason (currently demitted) from Illinois

flameburns623

flameburns623

Registered User
Howdy!

Am looking to get back into Masonry after a considerable lapse. I was raised to Master Mason in 1999, I believe, and joined the York Rite the following year. Unfortunately I did not remain active nor pay dues after a couple of years and have been demitted since @2004. I still retain my apron (which shows the exact dates of my degrees); and a Masonic ring but nothing else of my membership remains.

I have since moved and recently submitted my petition to join the local lodge. I am not certain what comes next, but the local lodge meets tomorrow, with a meal preceding which I intend to drop in upon.

The Brethren will, then, presumably let me know the next step from there. Meanwhile, good to be here!
 
MarkR

MarkR

Premium Member
Good luck on getting back on board; I hope it goes well for you. From what you've said, it sounds like you were dropped for non-payment of dues. Taking a demit is an active process; you have to do paperwork through your lodge secretary and get the demit approved. It doesn't just happen if you stop paying your dues. A demit means you left Masonry in good standing. Getting reinstated from a demit is relatively easy; getting reinstated after being dropped for NPD is a different story.
 
flameburns623

flameburns623

Registered User
Hmm.

We will have to see what happens tomorrow.

The Lodge where I was raised appears to have been permanently closed. Bethalto #406.
 
Last edited:
Illuminatio

Illuminatio

Premium Member
flameburns623 said:
Hmm.

We will have to see what happens tomorrow.

The Lodge where I was raised appears to have been permanently closed. Bethalto #406.
Click to expand...

Hello there! I'm pretty certain Bethalto is still there and active. I believe they even hold semi-regular officer training there. I'm very nearby in Edwardsville myself. In my experience (we've had a few Brothers come back after years of absence in my Lodge), generally speaking the Secretary will let them settle up and become active again for something along the lines of the current year, plus two back years worth of dues. It may even just be two total years of dues and I'm remembering incorrectly.

So did you move somewhere else nearby in Illinois (if so which Lodge?)? Or is it out of state now? If it's another nearby Lodge, they'll be finding you in the system as part of Bethalto still and I believe you will need to contact that Lodge in order to settle up (become active again), then request a demit from them, at which point you would be free to join the other Lodge. Alternatively, you can always remain a member of Bethalto after becoming active again, and simply attend the other Lodge. If it's out of state, I know there are such things as dual/plural memberships where you'd actually be a member in both places. I do know of a handful of older Brethren that are members of multiple Lodges locally. I'm not sure there's anything stopping you from doing that either, just don't know the details on what's involved for that.

Either way, you should try and get in contact with Bethalto to explain the situation. I'll let you know here if I find any info to confirm they are actually closed, but they were very much alive and well within the past year I know. According to the Grand Lodge website, their meeting days are the 1st and 3rd Thursday each month and their contact number is 618-377-8911.
 
dfreybur

dfreybur

Premium Member
Demit only happens if you are current on your dues. If you have the money and ever intend to become active again it's worth sending a check with your request for demit.

Lodges can be generous. My Illinois lodge Barrington 522 has approved waiver of dues to demit in good standing whenever asked. I don't recall my California or Texas lodges being asked for that.

The Illinois tradition to become current again to be given a demit is two years dues. If you now have the money send the check. Br Shawn gave the contact information.
 
flameburns623

flameburns623

Registered User
Spoke to the Bethalto treasurer. $100.00 restores me to good standing. They then do the demit, which liberates me to pursue membership in Wood River, whose lodge is mere blocks from my home.

Rather than belonging to multiple blue lodges, I will then restore my York Rite membership and, just possibly, explore the possibility of adding the Scottish Rite.

Depends on economy of time, since I am already very active in Church and am trying to be regular in going to a local gym.

Oh: Bethalto doesn't have an official Facebook page nor a website. A google search for Bethalto Masonic Lodge #406 will default to Edwardsville, whilst the treasurer is befuddled there is a Facebook page which says that the Lodge is 'permanently closed'.

Perhaps a lone member attempted a page, but only a few of the Lodge officers have any computer literacy at all.

Go figure.
 
Last edited:
Illuminatio

Illuminatio

Premium Member
flameburns623 said:
Spoke to the Bethalto trasurer. $100.00 restores me to good standing. They then do the demit, which liberates me to pursue membership in Wood River, whose lodge is mere blocks from my home.

Rather than belonging to multiple blue lodges, I will then restore my York Rite membership and, just possibly, explore the possibility of adding the Scottish Rite. Depends on economy of time, since I am already very active in Church and am trying to be regular in going to a local gym.
Click to expand...

Wood River you say! :) I was at a degree there last week. My Lodge purchased a new building last year and it has been under renovation for the past 6 months and is nearly complete. In the meantime we've been using Wood River for any degree work we've had as well as officer installations. Several of the Brothers from Wood River have regularly been at our Lodge for degree work as well over the years. If you become active there, I'm quite sure we'll be seeing each other!
 
flameburns623

flameburns623

Registered User
Took wife to the Wood River Lodge pancake breakfast to touch base with some of the folks who will be my Lodge brethren.

We had opportunity to talk to a woman about the Eastern Star, which I had thought to be a woman's adoptive Order. My paternal grandmother and her sister (my great-aunt) were exceedingly active in Eastern Star, while my grandfather was active in the Scottish Rite and Uncle Andy in the York Rite, (each also having some involvement in the Shriners).

Apparently, Eaatern Star is an Order for both women AND for men. Hmmm: live and learn.
 
flameburns623

flameburns623

Registered User
Glen Cook said:
Tell us about the arms in your avatar
Click to expand...

That is my family crest.

Background: The surname of Burns comes from "Burnhouse" a dwelling near a burn or a stream. Although "burn" is a common word in Scotland for a stream, the word originated in Old English. The singular form "Burn" is found in Dumfries and Galloway in the 13th and 14th century. The poet Robert Burns' father came from Kincardineshire on the east coast of Scotland and spelt his name Burness. Robert and his brother adopted the spelling "Burns" a form which first appeared in written records only in the 17th century.



heraldry_info.gif

Motto: Tendit ad astra fides, Faith reaches towards heaven.
Arms: Ar. on a chev. az. betw. two spur rowels in chief and a hunting horn in base sa., three fleurs-de-lis of the field.
Crest: A hand holding a hunting horn ppr.


View the Heraldry Dictionary for help.


history.gif


The name probably derives from one or more of the places in Scotland with a similar spelling or sound. Robert Burnes, a farmer in Kincardineshire, had three sons, of whom the youngest, Willian (1721-84), left home to find work during the uncertain times that followed the collapse of the '45 Rebellion. He became head gardener on an Ayrshire estate, marrying a local farmer's daughter when he was 36, and subsequently became a tenant farmer, only to die bankrupt because of the difficulties and conditions of the times. His elder son, Robert (1759-96), dropped the 'e' from his name, and overcame the handicap of an indigent upbringing (at the age of 15 he was the farm's chief labourer) to become the most famous, and in many respects the finest, of all Scottish poets. He wrote equally well in English and in Scots, and within a comparatively short period of a short life composed numerous technically brilliant love songs, satires, nature poems, and depictions of rustic life, as well as Tam o'Shanter, his version of a scary folk tale which is today recited all over the world on his birthday.

The talents of the family did not stop with him. William Burnes's eldest brother, James, was great-grandfather of James Burnes (1801-62), writer and Physician-General of Bombay, and Sir Alexander Burnes (1805-41), explorer and diplomat, who was the first westerner to follow the course of the River Indus, and was assasinated in Kabul, having done his best to avert interference in Afghanistan by both Indian and Russia. The Burneses of Kincardineshire were originally Campbells who were immigrants from Loch Aweside.

Name Variations: Bernis, Bernes, Bernys, Burns, Burnis, Burnice, Burness, Burnes, Burnace, Burnasse, Burns.

References:
One or more of the following publications has been referenced for this article.
The General Armory; Sir Bernard Burke - 1842.
A Handbook of Mottoes; C.N. Elvin - 1860.
Scottish Clans and Tartans; Neil Grant - 2000.
Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia; George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire - 1994.
Scottish Clans and Tartans; Ian Grimble - 1973.
World Tartans; Iain Zaczek - 2001.
Clans and Families of Scotland; Alexander Fulton - 1991.
Click to expand...
 
Glen Cook

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Ripcord22A said:
Ohhh secrecy....now youve peaked my curiosity Brother Glenn....lol

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app
Click to expand...
Well, I was engaging in a pedantic note on heraldry, which my wife informs me is not of interest to everyone and which would sidetrack the discussion. However.....:)

I just pointed out that the avatar is actually a shield, and not a crest. The crest is the stuff on top of the shield, such as the knight's helm. These particular arms are those granted to Burns of Bloomhall, County Dumbarton, 1856.

Told you it was pedantic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top