This past February 20, Hastings Lodge #50 and Mid West Lodge #317 (they both occupy the same lodge building in Hastings, Nebraska) put on their annual George Washington Degree in costume. This year they had 31 Fellow Crafts (5 were from the Hastings Lodges) that were raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. The first section is done in colonial period costume and the second section is done in biblical period costume with a full compliment of 12 craftsmen. I think this is the 83rd year for this degree. I was not able to attend this year but I have seen the degree in the past and it is very impressive, the work is as close to perfect as it can be. A brother from my lodge was able to attend and he said it was so impressive to see 31 men taking the obligation at the same time. He said he won't soon forget that sight. Grand Lodge of Nebraska granted a dispensation for them to raise this many brothers at the same time.
We wear costumes for our York Rite degrees , but never for our Blue lodge degrees . I have seen it done though .
We borrowed some costumes from another Lodge for our last MM degree. For those that do wear them, do you do so for the second half, the whole thing, or do you put it on after the blindfold in the second half?
I have been pondering about starting a degree team that wears period clothing . I was thinking colonial or civil war . Civil war would be easier to get my hands on around here .
The whole time during the 2nd. Even the candy-date has one. Another Lodge had a good beard for one of the parts.... I was massively jealous.
So you have them on when he walks back in the for the 2nd half? Last time the officers had theirs on, the rest of the parts put them on after the blind fold. We always had one for the person going in. The rest were lent to us. We may have them again for our next MM on the 14th.
Yes, sadly we haven't filled all position so after batting 2nd I have to switch to join the procession. We have our own that stay in the Lodge. They're about 40 or so years old.
Impressive The costumes I can see being done for degrees 4 through 32. I would not suspect that a Blue Lodge working under Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania do such. I've also seen a large number of candidates, yet once again above the degree of a Master. Thirty one at one time is quite a dispensation.
One of the Lodges in S Idaho does an annual Exemplification of the Master Mason degree with costume. I've also brought up that my York Rite College does all 3 degrees in costume for a Lodge that would like to have us.
Wisconsin as I recall has specific prohibitions against doing degree work (first three) in costumes. Not sure where that stems from. As for mass raisings, I am not knocking the quality of the work there, but my own views are that anytime more than one candidate goes through any degree at the same time it diminishes the initiatic experience. This is of course just my view. Others may differ!
It would be especially poignant to have Brothers wearing uniforms of both sides, as we have read about such occurrences in the War of Northern Aggression. S&F
This was my thoughts Bro. Bob , to show the brotherhood between brothers & enemies during the the war .
Yes I have read some very good stories on brotherhood during the civil war.I wonder if there many brothers that do civil war reenactments?How neat it would be if they could coordinate the brotherhood stories during their actual reenactment.I think that would be a very interesting event and would draw a good crowd at the event,and possibly some good "publicity" and interest from the non masons involved and attending the event.May even spark a few petitions
I have only sat thru my own degrees so far, but I went through it with another candidate. In all the degrees the officers were in tuxedos, side line in regular suit and tie/ blazers and slacks. Only costumes that were used was in the second half of the MM degree which was Hiram Abif era costumes.
I found this,I think it would be neat....in Louisiana, The Day the War Stopped - A Unique Event in American History
