It will be worth the wait for sure. :1-wink-grin:
Petitioned
- Thread starter goomba
- Start date
Duncan1574
Lodge Chaplain & arms dealer
I remember that phone call! Congratulations!
kblair210
Member
It's worth the wait, and don't feel too badly.. I petitioned in June/11 and since my lodge goes dark (inactive) for 2 months out of the year (July/August) I didn't get my EA until near the end of September. When you get started, as long as you stick to it and get a good catechism instructor, you'll be surprised how quickly and enjoyably it can go by.
goomba
Active Member
If you help maybe this is a common problem. Here is what I posted on facebook:
"I just received the phone call from the Lodge secretary and I have been accepted into the Lodge. My initiation will be 02-27-2012."
Thats it. My father in law (whom I have a great relationship with and love) called my wife tonight and told her no one with a firm foundation in Christ could ever join Freemasonry. And it was so secreative I did not specifiy the Masonic Lodge in my post. To my wife credit she was quick to say one of her grandfathers, both of mine, and my daddy to name a few were Masons in the family. I do not say I am going to X Law Enforcement agency when I go to work. I just say I am going to work. So I used the same logic with the Lodge.
Here is the question have any of you had to deal with this from family? If so how did you handle it? I will not waiver in my desire to be a Freemason nor do I want this to be an issue with my inlaws. Thank you for your advice.
"I just received the phone call from the Lodge secretary and I have been accepted into the Lodge. My initiation will be 02-27-2012."
Thats it. My father in law (whom I have a great relationship with and love) called my wife tonight and told her no one with a firm foundation in Christ could ever join Freemasonry. And it was so secreative I did not specifiy the Masonic Lodge in my post. To my wife credit she was quick to say one of her grandfathers, both of mine, and my daddy to name a few were Masons in the family. I do not say I am going to X Law Enforcement agency when I go to work. I just say I am going to work. So I used the same logic with the Lodge.
Here is the question have any of you had to deal with this from family? If so how did you handle it? I will not waiver in my desire to be a Freemason nor do I want this to be an issue with my inlaws. Thank you for your advice.
BukeyeJackson
ViMH Advisory Board
Family, no. People I "know" and the such, yes. It does become and enduring issue, but when you know your facts, the drama kinda becomes entertainment.
nevburt
Member
Wow! You pressed a button ha? Congratulations on your impending initiation. I honestly have no advice for your family's reaction but I do for your initiation. Make sure not to investigate what goes on at an initiation... it will probably be inaccurate anyway. Savour the time between now and your initiation and when the day arrives relax as best you can and enjoy every moment of it.
kblair210
Member
I second this. It's too easy to to find a good idea at the least of what happens during your EA degree, however it would be better not to know. Experience it as it happens, *pay attention* to what happens, and enjoy it.
The only thing you should really keep in mind until then is that every person in attendance has done exactly what you're about to do. There's not a single person there hoping to make a joke of the situation, laugh at you or get you to embarrass yourself. They ALL want you to enjoy the experience. You may feel uncomfortable, but once you remind yourself everyone is there specifically to support you, it then becomes time to simply pay attention and enjoy it. It's your party, they're all there for you.
Did I mention pay attention?
jaya
Active Member
I like to ask people that think a Christian can not be a freemason what they think about people like:
Norman Vincent Peale
Louie D Newton (past president of the Southern Baptist Convention)
Abner McCall (President of Baylor University and past VP of the SBC wrote ""In thousands of meetings of Freemasons and of Baptists stretching back 60 years, I have seen nothing that made my belief and work in the Fraternity of Freemasons incompatible with my belief and work as a member of a Southern Baptist church"
Henry Codman Potter - Anglican Bishop of New York 1887-1908
Elmer N. Schmuck - Episcopal priest, he served as Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Wyoming from 1929 until his death in 1936
George W. Truett - Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Dallas (1897-1944); President of the Southern Baptist Convention; President of the Baptist World Alliance.
James P. Wesberry - Pastor of the Morningside Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia for 31 years; Recording Secretary of the Georgia Baptist Convention for 20 years. Died in 1992
Robert E. B. Baylor - Founder of Baylor University, Texas' first Baptist college
B. H. Carroll - First president of Southwestern Seminary and instrumental in the creation of the Department of Evangelism of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention
John Wesley Lord - Bishop, United Methodist Church
Thousands of ministers from all denominations.
If these men can be considered Christian and find no fault in freemasonry, then I would have to trust their word over those that have never been a freemason.
For those that argue that the true secrets are not revealed until the 33rd degree, I will argue that many of the Christian pastors that have received the degree would have left if it went against their existing beliefs. Does it make sense that someone would preach something every week and on one occasion, receive a masonic degree and change their entire belief structure?
Norman Vincent Peale
Louie D Newton (past president of the Southern Baptist Convention)
Abner McCall (President of Baylor University and past VP of the SBC wrote ""In thousands of meetings of Freemasons and of Baptists stretching back 60 years, I have seen nothing that made my belief and work in the Fraternity of Freemasons incompatible with my belief and work as a member of a Southern Baptist church"
Henry Codman Potter - Anglican Bishop of New York 1887-1908
Elmer N. Schmuck - Episcopal priest, he served as Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Wyoming from 1929 until his death in 1936
George W. Truett - Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Dallas (1897-1944); President of the Southern Baptist Convention; President of the Baptist World Alliance.
James P. Wesberry - Pastor of the Morningside Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia for 31 years; Recording Secretary of the Georgia Baptist Convention for 20 years. Died in 1992
Robert E. B. Baylor - Founder of Baylor University, Texas' first Baptist college
B. H. Carroll - First president of Southwestern Seminary and instrumental in the creation of the Department of Evangelism of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention
John Wesley Lord - Bishop, United Methodist Church
Thousands of ministers from all denominations.
If these men can be considered Christian and find no fault in freemasonry, then I would have to trust their word over those that have never been a freemason.
For those that argue that the true secrets are not revealed until the 33rd degree, I will argue that many of the Christian pastors that have received the degree would have left if it went against their existing beliefs. Does it make sense that someone would preach something every week and on one occasion, receive a masonic degree and change their entire belief structure?
PatrickWilliams
I could tell you ...
Congrats, Goomba!
Terry S
New Member
That sounds awesome, man. It must be really special to have all of your family members there.