Master Mason Pocket Certificate

[Winter]

Many years ago a close friend and Brother from the UK showed me the Master Mason certificate he received. It folded up into a small hard cover booklet. I have always thought that was one of the most interesting things I had seen. I just came across this Ebay auction as an excellent example. It looks like at one point in time they were used here as well. How neat would that be to bring these back.

 

[usar123]

Oh wow brother that is Cool !

 

[MarkR]

Replaced in the US by dues cards. That certificate doesn't tell whether someone is dues-current.

People used to carry their Scottish Rite patents around in a case like that, and get brothers to sign around margins. Now mostly they are framed.

 

[Winter]

Replaced in the US by dues cards. That certificate doesn't tell whether someone is dues-current.

People used to carry their Scottish Rite patents around in a case like that, and get brothers to sign around margins. Now mostly they are framed.

True. But it could be revived for those who are perpetual members for jurisdictions that have that.

 

[usar123]

That’s true brother! But think years ago society was different people could be trusted we live in a different generation with checks and balances my grandfather who was an operative Mason told me one time over a conversation that all you had to do is mention a man’s name and everyone knew the character of that man so saying all of this I can see why the certificate has evolved to a dues card !

 

[Bloke]

Very cool ! Thanks @Winter !

 

[SivadSemaj]

Many years ago a close friend and Brother from the UK showed me the Master Mason certificate he received. It folded up into a small hard cover booklet. I have always thought that was one of the most interesting things I had seen. I just came across this Ebay auction as an excellent example. It looks like at one point in time they were used here as well. How neat would that be to bring these back.View attachment 6901View attachment 6902

This would be a wonderful idea.

 

[Chris H]

I’m in England and got mine about 20 years ago. Unfortunately it came in an ordinary brown manilla envelope! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hardback one. I agree it would be a cool thing to have, although it probably won’t be long before the paper / velum certificates are replaced with a barcode on our phones.

 

[Winter]

I’m in England and got mine about 20 years ago. Unfortunately it came in an ordinary brown manilla envelope! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hardback one. I agree it would be a cool thing to have, although it probably won’t be long before the paper / velum certificates are replaced with a barcode on our phones.

It'll be a neck tat and the Tyler's sword will be replaced with a hand scanner.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Martin]

I’m in England and got mine about 20 years ago. Unfortunately it came in an ordinary brown manilla envelope! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hardback one. I agree it would be a cool thing to have, although it probably won’t be long before the paper / velum certificates are replaced with a barcode on our phones.

 

[usar123]

It'll be a neck tat and the Tyler's sword will be replaced with a hand scanner.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

No telling that’s for sure !

 

[Nickel City Dude]

The Grand Lodge of New York use to issue "Traveling Papers". It had all your masonic information on it in several languages. It was a very large piece of paper that I think looked like parchment. If I can find it and scan it into my computer I will post a copy.

 

[Nickel City Dude]

Sorry it took so long but I compleately forgot about it. Here is a picture of the New York Grand Lodge Traveling Papers.

 

[Chris H]

It looks similar to the ones UGLE still issues, although they have less information on them and three columns. I think those are printed on vellum, at least they used to be.

 

[Matt L]

My U.G.L.E. certificate hangs on my wall. If I need proof, the secretary emails me a clearance certificate, which shows I'm in good standing.

 

[Winter]

My U.G.L.E. certificate hangs on my wall. If I need proof, the secretary emails me a clearance certificate, which shows I'm in good standing.

The "coolness" factor of the pocket certificates far outweighs the bland proof of membership you get from a Secretary.

 

[Glen Cook]

The "coolness" factor of the pocket certificates far outweighs the bland proof of membership you get from a Secretary.

This man gets it.

 

[Bloke]

The "coolness" factor of the pocket certificates far outweighs the bland proof of membership you get from a Secretary.

Agree.

However, I will comments that I saw a travel letter this week, which was unusually very good looking. In colour and well designed, and to it were affixed both the GL Seal (Blue) and Lodge Seal (red) and the text was worded in a lovely way.. it had our standard template wording, but also the Sec is from Lodge of Research and had added some extra wording. The reality is, the mini MM Certificate is cool, but for function, what our GSec really wants to see is a Letter of Good Standing or Introduction to show you are current with dues (we don't use dues cards, so Letters of Good Standing are common). What are also often cool are the Patents for representative to Foreign GLs. I have one - and it was really plain, basically a letter which was not even sealed.... not like the Illuminated ones you still see about on occasion.

 

[Winter]

I love seeing things like that. We've lost a lot of the beauty that was put into Masonic books and documents of previous centuries. It needs to make a comback.

 

[Glen Cook]

Agree.

However, I will comments that I saw a travel letter this week, which was unusually very good looking. In colour and well designed, and to it were affixed both the GL Seal (Blue) and Lodge Seal (red) and the text was worded in a lovely way.. it had our standard template wording, but also the Sec is from Lodge of Research and had added some extra wording. The reality is, the mini MM Certificate is cool, but for function, what our GSec really wants to see is a Letter of Good Standing or Introduction to show you are current with dues (we don't use dues cards, so Letters of Good Standing are common). What are also often cool are the Patents for representative to Foreign GLs. I have one - and it was really plain, basically a letter which was not even sealed.... not like the Illuminated ones you still see about on occasion.

We should probably have a separate thread, but this is one of my fanciest patents: