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The term "knife and fork Mason" has been around forever. Consider that when modern GL Masonry was founded in London in 1717 the main goal was to arrange for an annual grand banquet. Plenty of brothers are here for the fellowship and social activities and they at times get called knife and fork...

Masonry is popular in urban areas where many are farmers. Farmers are busy in the summer. Also Masonry predates the industrial revolution so some of our traditions go back to a time when almost everyone lived in rural areas.

That's why I suggested a list of escalation steps. Letters was my first step. Face to face through the chain of command. Long PR campaign leading to legislation. Legislation to force the issue. Being in San Antonio "Military City" I figure almost everyone has learned how to walk the chain...

Are there any lodges in TX or anywhere in NA that meet quarterly? I've asked around and so far the only friends I've met whose lodge meets quarterly have been some CoMasons (so I used the word friend instead of brother here) who lived out of country far from their lodge. A quarterly stated...

I've had good luck using a few strategies. For a dispensation I read the code book to figure out who it needed to go to. Then I sent it in writing to the MWGM's office with carbon copies to the Gr Sec office and all levels of the chain of command. In this case it was to open in the first...

I'm not sure I understand your question. What are you trying to pursue? Let's say you intend to go straight into the Shrine. Be honest about that so don't say you intend to go through the line. No lodges regret getting dues from a brother who's active elsewhere.

Three men in this thread have asked how to become a Mason. There are no invitations so the first step is to ask a Mason how to become a Mason. You three have taken that step. If you post your geography posters can point you to local lodges to check out. The best next step is to show up in...

My degree is a Bachelors of Science in Liberal studies so we're opposites of some sort here. I had switched back and forth between math and computer science majors and ended up finding a degree program that allowed 2 minors instead of 1 major. So I have minors in both math and computer science...

Likely to be an issue in the beginning as he's a FellowCraft at this point. I suggest asking if they do degrees by courtesy for lodges in other jurisdictions. It might be very cool to get two degrees in one jurisdiction and one degree in another. It would not be conducive at first to joining...

For a couple of years we lived near Seattle. I affiliated with a GLofWA lodge for those years. At refreshment after a third degree they would recite a "Knife and Fork Degree" or "Third and a Half Degree". Of course it was not a degree of any sort just a local tradition done by some lodges in...

Some jurisdictions hand candidates a booklet called "On the threshold". Ask if yours does. I advise against looking for expose' books. They spoil the experience of the degrees. Go for a book on Masonic history or on famous Masons. Expect to be presented Freemasonry for Dummies at one of...

Sounds like high school. Be an adult I figure. It's okay to set a better example than those around you. "Me make good men better" so may as well go about it that way.

One of my jurisdictions has a rule that a lodge can go dark two stated meetings per year without dispensation but it doesn't say which two so the rule is not automatically about summer. Active lodges tend to not take any months off. My other jurisdiction has the skipped meetings appear in the...

I searched through their open email folder. Bingo. http://www.glflamason.org/documents/Monthly%20Mail/06-Jun/2013/4%20Summary%20of%20Legislation%202013.pdf To download the report. Off the Grand Secretary link on the...

I am quite open about being a Mason. Ring, Masonic plates, you name it. Today I'm wearing a polo shirt with a Shrine logo. I've rarely encountered antis in person. The worst I've gotten was polite stares. I don't mind in the least. It just doesn't bother me. I've met various sorts of...

Exactly! *Be* the Masonry you think Masonry should be. Don't worry about the folks who aren't interested in the parts you are interested in.

D&M is like an obsolete PhD program on the Scottish Rite, very much diving into the deep end blindfolded before you even know whether you can swim or not. Better to start with beginner material before you are initiated, focus on the proficiency material while you are working through your...

Hail in modern English means something like cheering at a sports event or a returning war hero. It is also a loud wave and shout like hailing a taxi. Those meanings make no sense and the Old English hele pronounced like them makes no sense as a result. It's an anachronism. Masonry is many...

I've never heard this one before joining the masonsoftexas.org forum. It refers to your jurisdiction I take it? Every brother would know that.