Protectling your "light" ?

[Ashlar2006]

I would just hate to discuss Lodge information with someone who knew nothing about. You see, I have problem. I know how to shut up, I just do not know when. I guess I'm just paranoid of those trying to find out information without being a member. Chances are I will never run into someone like that, but I'm sure there are some out there who try.

LOL , I know where you are coming from . If a brother not known to me does strike up a conversation with me , I only say my lodge name and number and chat with them over general pleasentries that I would with anyone else .

The rule I always use "Is this something I can tell my wife?" , if yes then I will chat away , even if they are a true and lawful Brother or not . I used to be paranoid about this stuff when I was first Raised , now I am more laid back .

 

[manfernandez]

I know there is a book that with questions. I do not agree with asking very far-out questions. Normally, when I see a "Brother" that I am not sure, I will ask, "by your ring, I can see you are a ???" , if he is a Mason, he should know what is up. Usually they will ask me what Lodge I am from.

Reality is, I am kind of a spaz since I always have my head buried in my laptop, iPad or phone (I am in IT ) so usually, they ask me.

Everyone knows I am a Mason. I used to remove my ring when I was going to customers. Then I realized if they choose not to like me because I am a Mason, too bad. I have an emblem on my car, a ring on my finger and because of that, I have had people come to me and "asked 1 2 become one" and they are now great active brothers.

 

[wquincys]

I guess at the end of the day I went through almost a year of learning and experiencing what it takes to become a Mason. And I do not want those that have come before me be dishonored by someone that did not EARN the right to wear that S&C.

 

[removed12612]

Define "EARN"..... does the time it takes to get your degrees matter...is a Brother that went through a one day class any less than one that went through traditional?...For the record, it took me 4 months.... 1st thru 3rd

 

[Gary]

Define "EARN"..... does the time it takes to get your degrees matter...is a Brother that when through a one day class any less than one that went through traditional?...For the record, it took me 4 months.... 1st thru 3rd

Earn;

a : to receive as return for effort and especially for work done or services rendered
b : to bring in by way of return <bonds earning 10 percent interest>
2
a : to come to be duly worthy of or entitled or suited to <she earned a promotion>
b : to make worthy of or obtain for <the suggestion earned him a promotion>
— earn·er noun
Origin of EARN

Middle English ernen, from Old English earnian; akin to Old High German arnōn to reap, Czech jeseň autumn
First Known Use: before 12th century

Now, with that out of the way...

One day classes are controversial and no longer done in Florida. With that, I'll say that there have been men who have had a one day class, and turned out to be very active Masons and have more than earned their keep.

For the most part, it was abused by those who were just in a hurry to get to third, without all of the work involved to get there. Most never even bothered to learn the catechisms, and do the examinations. <In my opinion, and my opinion only> I don't feel that those who skirt the system "earned" anything. You get out of Freemasonry what you put into it.

In abstract, I think a time stipulation is irrelevant to the speed in which a person learns. I was raised in three months. But that said, most of that time was waiting on others to catch up with me in the learning of the catechisms. I learned each one in about two weeks. Does that make me any less a Mason?

 

[Ashlar2006]

I guess at the end of the day I went through almost a year of learning and experiencing what it takes to become a Mason. And I do not want those that have come before me be dishonored by someone that did not EARN the right to wear that S&C.

And that is how YOU feel and that is fine , BUT , I don't feel it is MY place to go around testing anyone/everyone . I too studied hard and continue to study as not to dishonor the Fraternity .

I look at like this , I do not like non-Marines wearing the Eagle , Globe and Anchor . But they do , I see it all the time . I have even seen guys from other branches of the service wearing it . I went through hell to earn the title Marine , becoming a Freemason or anything else was a cake walk compared to it . I will always carry the proud title of Marine with me for the rest of my life , but I don't feel it is my place to go around asking men if they served in the Corps when I see it on them .

With Freemasons themselves wearing it without proper knowledge , I feel at the end of the day it is what is in his heart that proves him a true Mason and not the knowledge in his head . The greatest Mason I know , who is a pillar of the community , who is the kindest , most giving man I have ever met and who always wears his Masonic ring could not answer the first question about Freemasonry (other than the very very extreme basics ) . But he is what every Mason and non-Masons alike should strive to be . He is a shinning example of Freemasonry . I know for a fact he would fail any type of examination .

And I know a couple of Masons who have more knowledge than anyone I have ever met , and I would not walk across the street to shake their hand because of who they are in their hearts .

 

[Ashlar2006]

We have rappers using Masonic symbolism on their album covers . We have Old Navy selling t-shirts with the Double Headed Eagle of the Scottish Rite on them . There are groups who are non-Masonic using the S & C in in different variations as their logos . We have clandestine Masonic groups wearing them such as co-ed Masonry and all female Masonry and we have those wearing them who found them in their Dad/Grand Dad's drawer after they have passed on .

We would drive ourselves crazy trying to police them all up . Going around telling them all that they did not earn to wear it . And the female Masons I have come in contact with from reading Masonic forums who cater to mixed masonry would put more than a few men to shame with their Masonic knowledge . The only person I can worry about when wearing the S & C is myself , to make sure I am living up to the tennets of Freemasonry and that I am a just and upright man and Mason who is of good repute before the world .

But also , it is the diversity of the Fraternity that makes us great . We have different Masons who have different customs , and if that is how they do things then that is how they do things . And that is wonderful . Just posting various points of views for converstion and consideration .

 

[PatrickWilliams]

OK, as a PHA Brother I can personally address this. To be clear "Light" is a reference to any piece of Masonic regalia or emblems that one may have on and "protecting" is a challenge, on a Masonic Level and that any Mason should be able to answer.
I believe that one must Protect their Light because there are certain things that every Mason should know and that the profane should not know. And prior to meeting/greeting a person wearing Masonic regalia that you do not know (ie a random person walking in the mall) you should be able to ask him a question or two that only a Mason would know the answer before giving a grip.
And to address the later part of your query yes the challenge/protection would be done in public but it is ALWAYS discreet. We must all remember our new name given to us when we were first made Masons. And under no circumstances no one takes anyone else's belongings as that is ILLEGAL! if you need more explanation please let me know

Just my 15cents

Thank you for your kind response! This clears it up for us, at least from the aspect of your jurisdiction. To expand on what I typed earlier, in the Alaska jurisdiction, members had their own aprons: plain cloth member aprons were not furnished when you went to visit. These aprons could be fairly ornate and when a Brother left the Lodge room, he would fold the apron up (stuffing the bottom corners into the waistband). I asked about this and was told that the Brother "was protecting his light" from the eyes of the mundane. Do PHA folk do that in your jurisdiction?

 

[PatrickWilliams]

Everyone knows I am a Mason. I used to remove my ring when I was going to customers. Then I realized if they choose not to like me because I am a Mason, too bad. I have an emblem on my car, a ring on my finger and because of that, I have had people come to me and "asked 1 2 become one" and they are now great active brothers.

Now, this is just my own experience, so take for what it's worth: In general, I have found that the average person on the street doesn't even look at another person's jewelry. At least not closely. Every time I've 'caught' someone checking out the rings on my fingers, they've been a Mason. We train ourselves to look!

 

[Ashlar2006]

Yes , the apron thing has my interest piqued also .

wquincys , I hope you do not think I am attacking your jurisdictions customs , like I stated earlier , if that is how you all do things then that is wonderful . If you stick around here , you will see that I like to offer differing or opposing views (either hypothetical or if I truely believe it) simply for conversation sake , but it is not cause tension . Though it may look like that sometimes because there are times I break Rule number one , and post before I have had all my coffee .

 

[Duncan1574]

[snip]The only person I can worry about when wearing the S & C is myself , to make sure I am living up to the tennets of Freemasonry and that I am a just and upright man and Mason who is of good repute before the world .

But also , it is the diversity of the Fraternity that makes us great . We have different Masons who have different customs , and if that is how they do things then that is how they do things . And that is wonderful . Just posting various points of views for converstion and consideration .

And there it is: Ashlar, you once again brought forth a truth, as people not just as Masons, Christians, Jews, Janes, Zaroasters, Pagans, Wiccans, Muslims, Shintos, blends, male, female ,etc our job is to portray ourselves as who we are and work towards being a better person. Active members of any group have rules, commandments, guidelines, or tenets that are in place to guide them towards the common good, that are designed to show the way, the truth, the light.

 

[removed12612]

Brother GaryE....
I do not disagree with you on the "general" impressions on the one day classes.... I know some that have went that route and are Great Brothers...just as I know some that went through the traditional way are not very good.... with that said...my asking what the Brother meant by "EARN" was not the Webster definition.... he said it took him almost a year and I was curious to know what he would consider "Earning" it.... I took four months only because they couldnt schedule my degree work any faster.... I waited a whole month after proving proficiency in my FC before they could get my MM scheduled......the nature of our job does sometimes allow some extra time unlike people that work a regular 9-5...my time off and down time at the firehouse allowed me to get my catechism down in about two weeks also....
When one tacks on a "time frame" in which they say it took them and then talk about earning it, I wonder if they feel any less time than it took them is not earning it....

 

[Ashlar2006]

I went through my degrees in three months . Having taken VERY early retirement I have the time to study all day long .

I do not consider how long or short it took a brother to go through their degrees as a gauge of their worthiness . But then again , I do not use a brothers knowledge or lack thereof as a gauge of their worthiness neither .

The brother I was talking about in an earlier post is the finest old fellow I have ever met . He is a member of another lodge and I was there visiting when I was asked to set in as their Tyler . He showed up to lodge for the first time since he was raised 50 years earlier that night . I had to remind him on how to wear his apron , because he kept wanting to wear it as an EA . But everyone , be them Mason or not , knows him and what he has done with his life and for so many others , all look up to him as the most generous man around be it with his time , his checkbook or his heart . And he is one of the Freemasons I most admire . I can care less that he can not remember the words , signs or grips of any of the degrees , or tell me who HA was .etc; etc; . He has proven to me he is worthy to wear the S & C for what he stands for .

 

[Gary]

Brother GaryE....
I do not disagree with you on the "general" impressions on the one day classes.... I know some that have went that route and are Great Brothers...just as I know some that went through the traditional way are not very good.... with that said...my asking what the Brother meant by "EARN" was not the Webster definition.... he said it took him almost a year and I was curious to know what he would consider "Earning" it.... I took four months only because they couldnt schedule my degree work any faster.... I waited a whole month after proving proficiency in my FC before they could get my MM scheduled......the nature of our job does sometimes allow some extra time unlike people that work a regular 9-5...my time off and down time at the firehouse allowed me to get my catechism down in about two weeks also....
When one tacks on a "time frame" in which they say it took them and then talk about earning it, I wonder if they feel any less time than it took them is not earning it....

I knew you weren't asking for the dictionary definition, but I included it because I felt it was interesting to see the relationship between the dictionary, and the Craft work.

My point was that if you put forth an effort, and get a return... you "earn" something. Time taken to accomplish the goal means nothing. Again, like we say; "You get out of Freemasonry what you put into it". One day, one year, whatever the case. If you don't work at something, you won't reap the benefits and neither will the Craft at large. I am still learning, and I've gone through all the steps to MM. I'm learning more about the degrees and their symbolism every day.

My opinion on the one day thing is not to discredit anyone who has gone that route, and then proceeded to better themselves in our fraternity. It was directed at the ones who go to the class, get what they want, and then disappear. Have they actually learned anything? Who knows.

Before the ban on those classes here in Florida, we had several in a Lodge in my district who did just that. They were only interested in it for the title.