Do you stay for the meal?

[Warrior1256]

tolerance ... to be used in such a manner only when appropriate!

Agreed!

 

[hanzosbm]

Yeah, I don't know about where you were, but I was a cop for 25 years. That "clever" ruse didn't fly where I worked. We'd still bust you for lacking a liquor license, and judges never believed "the beer was free" nonsense. If you charged to get in, you needed a license.

California. Never had a problem with it.

 

[hanzosbm]

Alcohol in the lodge or dining hall is not allowed in Kentucky. I think that this is unfortunate as we are grown men and should be allowed to have a beer, or drink, or two before or after the meeting. JMHO.

Yes, many of my brothers lamented that fact in Kentucky, as did I.

As brother dfreybur mentioned, there are ways around it here in California. More especially, we rent a room in the Scottish Rite building here (there are quite a few lodge rooms and banquet halls within the building). The layout basically has a central lobby at the end of which is a large set of double doors. Inside that is a room about 40'x40' with a few large tables and chairs set up. Off that room is the door to the lodge. So, we literally close the lodge, walk out the door and sit down. Since the Scottish Rite doesn't have such prohibitions, and we're no longer in the lodge room, we're good. We rotate each month for which brother will bring the wine and refreshments and since it's a small lodge and we remember who did it last and we all take a turn, we don't bother with reimbursements.
It's really a pretty amazing system. We pay rent (which includes utilities) to the SR once a year. Almost everything else we do (dinners, group visits to plays or the opera, etc) are paid for our of pocket, so there's no need to vote on it. Our lodge is a small European Concept lodge made up almost exclusively from affiliations and Past Masters, so we rarely have petitions or ballots. We generally open, read the minutes, say there's no new business, and close in about 20 minutes. (California has a jewel march as part of the opening and our lodge room is massive, so it takes some time). Then it's outside for wine and a lecture that one of the brothers has prepared for the evening followed by discussion.
Compared to 3 hours of arguing about whether we should form a committee to see if we can find a cheaper company to mow the lawn, like my old lodge did, it's heaven.

 

[Thomas Stright]

I like the fact that our lodges here in TX do not allow alcohol...
I for one do not need another outlet to drink....

 

[David612]

I like the fact that our lodges here in TX do not allow alcohol...
I for one do not need another outlet to drink....

It’s not about needing an outlet to drink, it’s more the disconnect in thought between “we are good men, pondering deep thoughts and huge questions but can’t be trusted to have a glass of wine with dinner”

 

[Thomas Stright]

It’s not about needing an outlet to drink, it’s more the disconnect in thought between “we are good men, pondering deep thoughts and huge questions but can’t be trusted to have a glass of wine with dinner”

I was always told that is what the Shriners are for....

 

[David612]

I was always told that is what the Shriners are for....

Besides the the difference in ritual, VSL and regalia I understand there is no difference.
Where I’m at there are no Shriners but we can drink at meetings (not in the lodge room obviously) but it’s jist an interesting US abnormality.
Ruined it for yourselves you lot!

 

[dfreybur]

I was always told that is what the Shriners are for....

It's why the Shine exists. Not quite the same meaning. Masonry was founded over Table Lodge of dinner and drinks. Then the US had its prohibition movement. So the Shrine was created to get around that. In other countries there never was a prohibition movement so they don't have the issue.

When I was considering fraternities I did side by side comparisons. The final entries were Masons, Elks and AMORC. The Masons beat the Elks for me partially because we don't have a bar. Not the only reason but it did matter.

Here I am pointing out in the same post why I think we should never have dropped the wine and why I'm glad we did. I'm not internally consistent.

 

[Glen Cook]

Besides the the difference in ritual, VSL and regalia I understand there is no difference.
Where I’m at there are no Shriners but we can drink at meetings (not in the lodge room obviously) but it’s jist an interesting US abnormality.
Ruined it for yourselves you lot!

Not all US jurisdictions

 

[David612]

Deleted, fish ain’t biting

 

[Thomas Stright]

Ruined it for yourselves you lot!

I'll keep my CC over having the ability to have a drink or two....

 

[Glen Cook]

I'll keep my CC over having the ability to have a drink or two....

Agreed, but I would clarify that the two are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Warrior1256]

It’s not about needing an outlet to drink, it’s more the disconnect in thought between “we are good men, pondering deep thoughts and huge questions but can’t be trusted to have a glass of wine with dinner”

Exactly.

 

[Glen Cook]

It’s not about needing an outlet to drink, it’s more the disconnect in thought between “we are good men, pondering deep thoughts and huge questions but can’t be trusted to have a glass of wine with dinner”

There is no prohibition on having wine with dinner in the jurisdictions with which I am familiar. Rather, it is serving alcohol in that particular building.

 

[hanzosbm]

I think the prospect of enjoying a few alcoholic drinks before or during the meeting would greatly depend on your individual lodge. My current lodge I'd have no concerns about. Our meetings are fast, efficient, and everyone who is there conducts themselves well.

My old lodge...not so much. Our meeting were LONG with a lot of (in my opinion, pointless) arguing about small things and all kinds of private conversations on the sidelines, not to mention a lack of solemnity during degrees. Adding alcohol into that mix I don't feel would be a good idea, though I'm sure the brethren would've been all for it.

 

[Elexir]

I think the prospect of enjoying a few alcoholic drinks before or during the meeting QUOTE]

We originaly had alchol in lodge on a table when freemasonry came to Sweden.
Its caused a lot of movment in lodge and was later removed.
In general when it comes to during meetings only brothers who have a need for drink (WM, SW,JW etc.) should have a glass of water tops.

 

[David612]

I think the prospect of enjoying a few alcoholic drinks before or during the meeting would greatly depend on your individual lodge. My current lodge I'd have no concerns about. Our meetings are fast, efficient, and everyone who is there conducts themselves well.

My old lodge...not so much. Our meeting were LONG with a lot of (in my opinion, pointless) arguing about small things and all kinds of private conversations on the sidelines, not to mention a lack of solemnity during degrees. Adding alcohol into that mix I don't feel would be a good idea, though I'm sure the brethren would've been all for it.

Yeah fair enough, no need to add fuel to that fire, Culture is everything in the lodge and it looks as though I’m a bit spoiled in that respect.