Keeping it a Secret

[Dontrell Stroman]

As I was reading an article titled " 20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Freemasonry " I came across a passage that stated "Masons aren't allowed to name anyone else as a mason unless that person is either deceased, or has already publicly proclaimed himself as a mason". I have heard this more than once, but I can't recall hearing it in a lodge. Can a brother validate this passage or point me into the right direction ?
Thanks

 

[Ripcord22A]

Never ever been told that

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[Bloke]

As I was reading an article titled " 20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Freemasonry " I came across a passage that stated "Masons aren't allowed to name anyone else as a mason unless that person is either deceased, or has already publicly proclaimed himself as a mason". I have heard this more than once, but I can't recall hearing it in a lodge. Can a brother validate this passage or point me into the right direction ?
Thanks

Our ritual is silent on this, but so is it silent on where the bar and WC is located. If you write to a GL, they will only confirm membership of brothers deceased. If you write about Freemasonry, its an unwritten rule you dont "out" a brother without his consent. I've got 2 members in my mother lodge who would have trouble with work and family if someone blabbed about them being members.

Each brother should be able to decide for himself who he wants to be known to the world as a Freemason. This is reflected in our GL social media policy..

 

[Brother_Steve]

Never ever been told that

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I keep my membership in the Craft close to the chest. The list of people who know I'm a mason is short.

• Wife
• Mother
• Sister
• Sister's Husband (His dad is a PM so no biggie there)
• Mother and Father-in-Law
• My two closest friends and it took two years before I told them.
• My dad passed away before I was initiated. He was not a Mason though.

It is something one should assume. I Never out anyone else as a Mason. It's like having a pregnant wife. You better not say she is pregnant to anyone before she gives you the OK and there is that unwritten rule where she doesn't have to explain that!

I was walking back to my car with a Brother (nothing to do with Lodge) when he ran into profane friends. He introduced me and proceeded to tell them that I was a Mason. It put me off a little.

A PM from my lodge owns his own business that is seasonal. He has a very large client base. He works on my property and my neighbor's property. I do not tell my neighbors that he is a Mason. It's not my job to inform his clients that he is a Mason. I have to "err on the side of caution," until such time I know that he doesn't care. One of my good friends knows him. He doesn't know he is a Mason. I just say I know him from my dealings around town. Again, it's not my place to say, "oh you know so and so? He's a Freemason."

My personal practice and feelings I guess.

Edited: My comments are concerning telling the profane that someone is a mason. It should be up to the individual to make that known. Now, if I'm in a room with Brothers who know my friend to be a mason and I'm new there, then I have no issue with being introduced as a Mason.

 

[Michael Schiavello]

I'm open about my being a Freemason, wear my lapel pin and rings on TV every week. As a result wherever I am I get people asking me about Masonry and how they can join. But I am respectful that not everyone is as open as me so I would never openly discuss a Brother's membership outside of non-Masons. As far as I see from the ritual there is no specific rule that says you can't tell someone that so-and-so is a Mason BUT there is a part of ritual which says you are to keep the secrets of a worth Brother Mason as secure and inviolate in your breast as they were in his before communication... SO... if one of his 'secrets' is that he is a Mason and that is not for public/cowan knowledge then the ritual applies.

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

Thank you brethren

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[Ripcord22A]

I keep my membership in the Craft close to the chest. The list of people who know I'm a mason is short.

• Wife
• Mother
• Sister
• Sister's Husband (His dad is a PM so no biggie there)
• Mother and Father-in-Law
• My two closest friends and it took two years before I told them.
• My dad passed away before I was initiated. He was not a Mason though.

It is something one should assume. I Never out anyone else as a Mason. It's like having a pregnant wife. You better not say she is pregnant to anyone before she gives you the OK and there is that unwritten rule where she doesn't have to explain that!

I was walking back to my car with a Brother (nothing to do with Lodge) when he ran into profane friends. He introduced me and proceeded to tell them that I was a Mason. It put me off a little.

A PM from my lodge owns his own business that is seasonal. He has a very large client base. He works on my property and my neighbor's property. I do not tell my neighbors that he is a Mason. It's not my job to inform his clients that he is a Mason. I have to "err on the side of caution," until such time I know that he doesn't care. One of my good friends knows him. He doesn't know he is a Mason. I just say I know him from my dealings around town. Again, it's not my place to say, "oh you know so and so? He's a Freemason."

My personal practice and feelings I guess.

Edited: My comments are concerning telling the profane that someone is a mason. It should be up to the individual to make that known. Now, if I'm in a room with Brothers who know my friend to be a mason and I'm new there, then I have no issue with being introduced as a Mason.

I agree with you, your example of the preggo wife is perfect. The only thing I personally don't care about is that if Im with one of my brothers and we run in to someone that knows him to be a mason and he introduces me as his lodge brother I have no issue with that.

The list of people who know Im a mason is quite large. Everyone I work with knows, being a recruiter in the army we work late nights sometimes and I cant just tell my boss, oh hey First Sgt I gotta cut out early tonight cause I have a meeting I have to go to. Hes gonna wanna know what type of meeting and I cant leave early and expect my guys to keep working, also the guy I replaced was a mason as well and the recruiters all knew that as well. Plus my wife will post things on FB that we are at the lodge for such and such event or at the AASR temple for this other thing.

 

[Ripcord22A]

I'm open about my being a Freemason, wear my lapel pin and rings on TV every week.

I was watching one of the RFA broadcasts and saw it. I had always been a fan since I got axstv, loved the Voice VS., after seeing the S&C on you and Pat and confirming that you were a Freemason, made me an even bigger fan.

 

[Michael Schiavello]

Thank you Brother, glad you're enjoying the shows!

 

[Bloke]

I'm open about my being a Freemason, wear my lapel pin and rings on TV every week. As a result wherever I am I get people asking me about Masonry and how they can join. But I am respectful that not everyone is as open as me so I would never openly discuss a Brother's membership outside of non-Masons. As far as I see from the ritual there is no specific rule that says you can't tell someone that so-and-so is a Mason BUT there is a part of ritual which says you are to keep the secrets of a worth Brother Mason as secure and inviolate in your breast as they were in his before communication... SO... if one of his 'secrets' is that he is a Mason and that is not for public/cowan knowledge then the ritual applies.

Well done in placing the Craft in a high profile setting

 

[Ripcord22A]

As I was reading an article titled " 20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Freemasonry " I came across a passage that stated "Masons aren't allowed to name anyone else as a mason unless that person is either deceased, or has already publicly proclaimed himself as a mason". I have heard this more than once, but I can't recall hearing it in a lodge. Can a brother validate this passage or point me into the right direction ?
Thanks

I understand the opinion that you don't divulge information about someone to someone else that isn't public knowledge, what I don't like is that this "article" that is mentioned here makes it seem very cloak and dagger. I don't like anything that makes us seem even more whacko then the "documentaries" and books already have

 

[Bill Lins]

Under GLoTX, one may not divulge or publicize the names of EAs or FCs. There is no prohibition of which I am aware against naming Master Masons and I'm proud to be known as such. The usual reaction I receive is "My (father, grandfather, uncle, etc.) was a Mason!"

 

[Michael Schiavello]

Well done in placing the Craft in a high profile setting

Thank you Brother.

 

[MarkR]

Thank you Brother, glad you're enjoying the shows!

Huh! I have AXS; I'll have to look for you!

 

[Winter]

I understand the opinion that you don't divulge information about someone to someone else that isn't public knowledge, what I don't like is that this "article" that is mentioned here makes it seem very cloak and dagger. I don't like anything that makes us seem even more whacko then the "documentaries" and books already have

Some jurisdictions in countries outside the US do keep membership roles cloak and dagger like because public knowledge of a person's membership in the Craft can have a negative impact on their life and employment. Some countries mandate that a Freemason that works for the government must register as such. And some countries when you want to visit a Lodge, you must send your intention to that secretary and they put it out to the membership. If a member of that Lodge doesn't want you to know they are a member they have the option to no attend that night.

As for not outing a Brother, it should be common courtesy and not need to be written down. I am very open about my membership and have even styled myself as a Cleric of the Great Architect. LoL. But I know many Brothers that are happy to keep their association away from the profane.

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

Interesting thing happened today at work. I had heard that a man was a mason. While working with him, I said "I heard you were a mason" his response was "You know I can't talk to you about that." I don't know if he said this due to our GLS not recognizing each other or it had to do with him not wanting to reveal he was a mason.

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[Bloke]

Interesting thing happened today at work. I had heard that a man was a mason. While working with him, I said "I heard you were a mason" his response was "You know I can't talk to you about that." I don't know if he said this due to our GLS not recognizing each other or it had to do with him not wanting to reveal he was a mason.

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Or he wan't one..

 

[Dontrell Stroman]

Or he wan't one..

Well he told other Masons he was one.

 

[Brother JC]

The problem with these lists is that they're written by non-masons and usually filled with bogus information. This one included.

 

[Warrior1256]

Never ever been told that

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Me either.

If you write to a GL, they will only confirm membership of brothers deceased. If you write about Freemasonry, its an unwritten rule you dont "out" a brother without his consent. I've got 2 members in my mother lodge who would have trouble with work and family if someone blabbed about them being members.

I understand the opinion that you don't divulge information about someone to someone else that isn't public knowledge, what I don't like is that this "article" that is mentioned here makes it seem very cloak and dagger. I don't like anything that makes us seem even more whacko then the "documentaries" and books already have

Agree on both counts.