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Well, in my opinion, the question and others like it have caused us to jump the shark a fair bit. Consider the 2nd degree, and the topics we are instructed to learn. When is the last time you've seen a good healthy seminar on one of those topics at a lodge? For me, the lodges doing Masonic...

I think the Dummies book is about the best bet for an EA. Its better than you might expect, won't ruin anything for you and is all around good information. Focus on learning the work. Meet 3-4 times a week with a Brother and try not to get distracted by all the other stuff. Plenty of time...

Righto. Good luck!

I must say that a couple of things concern me. First, that your petition apparently gained signatures from multiple people that have never laid eyes on you. Second, that they are apparently voting on you in a "called" meeting. Help me understand the timeline, friend. You got your petition...

Don't be in a rush. That is one of the things you'll hear several times, no doubt. In my lodge, most of the fellas visited for months before getting a petition. And you would be wise to wait until one is offered rather than asking for one, in my opinion - or at least, do not open the...

Lots of different views about pre-1750 or so it seems. But right, 31 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention were Freemasons - so over half the men in the room who both planned and voted on what shaped this country. And the majority of Washington's Generals were Freemasons, so the...

I was active in my community and international business, and befriended men who where accomplished Masons in both settings. I felt a strong kinship to the first (an Australian man I worked with for many years) and when I met and got to know the second I felt the same way. So I figured the...

I took it to mean English style Freemasonry, as in recognized by UGLE - which would include PH. As opposed to, for example, the French GL style Masonry and others, which are often co-ed, not recognized by the UGLE and to most of us, clandestine.

Can't tell you how much I agree with this. It drives me crazy. Small minded men in small minded times I'm afraid. I seriously told one fella who seemed to have strong illuminati/woo-woo type motivations flat out that what you see is largely what you get. And try my best to tamp down and...

Woops edited as you were responding. Yeah, the progressive line bit is a pretty big hurdle. But I'll be darned if I know how to fix it. Maybe it can't be. I reckon that urban lodges (true urban lodges, lodges within the inner city limits of San Antonio, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin...

In Houston we have something on the order of 30 lodges. Half of which struggle to put together a degree team. In half those lodges, 3-4 people do 90% of the work. 2 of that handful is very often the secretary and treasurer. Sometimes a miracle worker comes along and repairs one of these...

I wish the M word were something more palatable to folks. By the "M" word I mean "merger". Consolidation of lodges, a whole lot of them, could do a lot to create critical masses. Healthy lodges of old, that maintain their numbers and reverse the decline. So many lodges struggling, with...

So you petitioned without visiting the lodge? I'll never understand that approach, but to each their own. Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Especially if you got signatures sight unseen. For what it is worth, if in Texas, the petition will have to be read one month and then voted on after the...

Just to be clear, I figured Bro Vance didn't mean anything by it and figured I'd try and make a funny with myself as part of the joke. My best buddy is an accountant and when I wax philisophical calls me a damned hippie (the rascal knows hipsters drive me nuts, went back to school a while back...

I read it as "damned hippies" :lol: Just jesting, just jesting - lets be friendly :)

If you had to choose one, in the United States, the Holy Bible is probably closest. In many lodges, a family Bible actually is distributed to newly raised Master Masons. I received one. Does that mean that every Master Mason has read it, in its entirety? No, certainly not. It also does not...

Last I saw he was running like mad up Highway 290 like he was oriented on Texas A&M in College Station :scared:

We found this one wandering around behind our lodge recently. Can't get him to fetch or anything and he barks weird though :blink:

This is something I've seen a couple of lodges doing around in my area, involving the wives a lot in the meal and whatnot. I like that a lot and would like to see it happen at my lodge, we'll see. I think what it likely takes is 3-4 of the ladies of the fellas at the lodge hanging out and...

Wiser men on laws, bylaws and the powers of a WM will have to answer on your "legal" options. The first thing that comes to mind though is that refusing to open the lodge, or having a scene where he is refused entry or the like would not create or lead to peace and harmony. It would likely...