http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ A place for Masons to come and gather in a friendly forum. en Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:43:49 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/images/styles/mason/misc/rss.jpg http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ashlar521/taking-over-my-life-3/ Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:34:12 GMT I have been accused by my profane friends that Freemasonry has taken over my life in the years that I have been a Mason . They claim that I'm a different person and not like my old self . If this is true , which I belive it is , then I'm happy to admit then , that I am a different man . We are looking down the barrell of our 30's and closing in on 40 and yet they live their lives like we are still in high school . Drinking and partying are still number one in their minds . I've grown up and have chosen a different path to walk . This path has led me to a better place . I find nothing wrong with spending my Friday or Saturday night in a lodge rather than in a bar . In fact , I look forward to it . I'm now calmer and subdued , I'm polite and curtious , I obey the law and act upon the square . I have even found my way back to the church . If this is wrong , then I don't want to be right !

I knew that I did the right thing by becoming a Freemason when my nephew , after seeing the change in me , came to me and told me he also wanted to be a Mason . The very same young man that used to tease me when I first joined the lodge , now wants to become one himself . He stated that if the teachings of Masonry are this profound to change a person's outlook on life , then he wants to be a part of it . If you ask me , that's saying a lot for the fraternity .

I'm proud to be a Freemason . I will forever walk and act as such . The anti-masons and detractors can say what they will about our fraternity but nothing will ever diminish this fact . ]]> Ashlar521 http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ashlar521/taking-over-my-life-3/ http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ashlar521/brothers-sidelines-2/ Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:38:05 GMT This is a shorter version of an education paper I have written for my lodge . I shortened it down because of my slow typing . I have sat on the... This is a shorter version of an education paper I have written for my lodge . I shortened it down because of my slow typing .
I have sat on the sidelines for the Entered Apprentice and Fellowcraft degrees at other lodges in my district and in my own lodge where there may only be two or three brothers on the sidelines , or in some cases , I was the only one . But Brothers come out of the woodwork for the Raising of a young Mason . I have wondered to myself why that is . One degree is no more important than the one before it or the one after it . Yet , we wonder why these newly initiated Brothers never come back to be Passed or Raised . The Entered Apprentice degree is where we make the first and greatest impression on a new candidate . Which do you think would leave the biggest impression and bring him back ? Most , if not all of the seats on the sidelines filled in support of this new Brother coming into our Fraternity , showing him what brotherhood is about ? Or him coming to light and looking around and finding only the officers and a couple of Brothers on the sidelines ? I think we know the answer to this one .

As for the Fellowcraft degree , again we should all come out in support of our Brother . And it wouldn't hurt , even for the oldest Mason , to have a refresher course in the beautiful and instructive lessons of these lectures in this degree . Somtimes I think we lose sight of these lessons .

So the next time a Brother tells you they are going to have an EA degree at their lodge and asks you to come and visit and you think , I'm just to busy , think how you would have felt if others thought the same way when you were initiated . It's only a couple hours that you'll be there , and there's nothing on TV worth watching anyways . ]]> Ashlar521 http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ashlar521/brothers-sidelines-2/ http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ashlar521/why-i-love-fraternity-1/ Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:40:51 GMT When I first came in to the fraternity I really didn't know what to expect , but I liked what I read about it . I met men of great importance in my town . Doctors , judges and men of wealth . I thought they would look down their noses at me , being a blue collar worker . But to my surprise we met as friends . I now see these men out in public , away from the lodge and they greet me with a smile ,a shake of the hand or a slap on the back . These very men , I thought would have nothing to do with me ,now meets me on the level .

Not long ago I was in an accident that left me somewhat crippled . I was having trouble paying my doctor bills and close to losing my house . My brothers would come by to check on me and one day I noticed that my pile of bills seemed quit a bit smaller and then found out , when calling these doctors I owed money to , that the bill was paid up . It seems that my Lodge brothers were taking a bill from my wife as they left and paid them for me . There are no words I can express for my gratitude to these men .

To all who wonder what the fraternity is about . It's about men of all creeds , religions and stations in life to meet as equals and as brothers . To learn how to subdue your passions , to walk upright and be a good man . Becoming a Freemason is one of the most important things I have ever done in my life and I will never regret . ]]> Ashlar521 http://www.freemasonhall.com/community/blogs/ashlar521/why-i-love-fraternity-1/