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Welcome to the family from step brother status to fully adopted brother status. Job well done and worthy of emulation my brother.

For Illinois they will send record summaries to non-Masons as long as requester is a family member and the brother is deceased. It is likely many jurisdictions offer similar service with the detailed requirements varying jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

'Too much "light"'? Nope. That's never been the reason for declaring a body irregular. The reasons have to do with failure to accept the sovereignty of the territory's Grand Lodge, for having unMasonic stances, for conferring the first three degrees and thereby claiming to "make Masons" and...

The Lodge of Research in each state works to maintain at least one full set of their own Proceedings. They regularly offer each other trades and gifts of Proceedings books other than their own jurisdiction's. Once they have become certain the books are spare they tend to offer them for sale on...

More than one appendent body claim to complete the story. Simply put, the story IS complete as depicted in the three degrees at the craft lodge level. What they depict is more, further. They offer competing sequels not the rest of an incomplete movie. In spite of the name, the York Rite is...

Different jurisdiction, different rules. As long as they follow the rules of their jurisdiction they are fine visiting here. It's like going to Arkansas and visiting a lodge there. My MM license plates have a frame that says "Proud to be a Shriner". They won't turn me away as a visitor...

On the one hand the existence of jurisdictions without multiple affiliation is not an issue having to do with historical injustices. On the other hand the moral high ground is to offer it and let the other jurisdiction decide if they allow multiple affiliation. Undertaking an agreement that...

Going through the progressive line is a vast amount of work. The details vary jurisdiction to jurisdiction but it it at least required to learn much of the ritual (in most jurisdictions all of opening/closing, degrees, in many also the lectures) plus GL sponsored leadership programs and formal...

In GLofTX the GL committees have a history of being reactive. Again they have something to react to. How it this one different from the one that passed in the autumn meeting in 2013? If it does not come up for vote in December I'll start in January pitching for legislation to force it to vote...

In Masonry we make good men better. One of the strategies to that end is putting men through the progressive line so they get a full program of leadership and administration mentorship, training and education. The progressive line builds leaders. It's one of the core values in Masonry. In...

The early numbered degrees have evolved apart and are now quite different. The later numbered degrees have evolved but not nearly as much and remain very similar.

That one was the Grand Orient in France. Still irregular. The GNLF is the regular lineage in France. There was an explosion in their grand line a few years ago that triggered pulling recognition by many but not all jurisdictions. Eventually they expelled the person at the center of the storm...

As Masonry expanded in the US frontier in the 1800s lodges built their own buildings and that started the US tradition of no longer meeting in taverns. Mix this with WWI rationing and the popularity of prohibition movements in that time range and the result is drink no longer happened at...

Same song, different different verse - In Masonry we don't discuss politics or religion. Lodge is a place we are safe from both partisan politics and sectarian religion. Lodge is a sanctuary away from these topics. This forum is a place were the topic of Catholicism can be discussed because...

This has been widely discussed on one of the mailing lists I am on. The list is run by a CT brother. Until now it was the only place I've seen it discussed. I find it fascinating that this has been happening for many months and it's only been discussed in so few places. Internal issue...

In lodge we are brothers and refer to each other as such. In lodge we refer to each other based on the chair they are in during that meeting. The same can happen in the Navy - Consider a full Commander who is in the Supply Corps and a Lt Commander who is a general duty Line officer. The line...

Firefighting discussions can be amusing. I mentioned to a Marine that I liked the firefighting lessons best. He did too. Then I thought about the difference. In the Navy it means the ship is on fire and if we don't put it out we all die. In the Marines it's about responding to the fact that...

I have learned that expertise, especially when it comes to my own, can point down the wrong direction and distract from making a thorough decision. Read the rulings and see what you think of them. Today the current status is that Masonry is a choice of personal conscience. What does your...

Three degrees. Three dates. Masonic beauty at its finest. As far as physical objects, the chart fro the Premier GL still exists. Consider that Thomas Jefferson predicted fireworks on the 3rd of July because that's when the vote took place but our actual celebration is on the 4th of July...

Sometimes lodges are slower to offer signed petitions, sometimes candidates are slower to ask for petitions. Go ahead and ask. See how fast or slow the process proceeds.