Once I Become A Mason

[BigGameJames]

I know there are some things that I won't be allowed to talk about with non-Masons. Like Handshakes, and passwords, How about what we talk about in meetings will be allowed to talk about that? I think we can't but I just want to make sure.

 

[Bob Franks]

Like...
paying the bills,
recruiting to have enough brothers to visit another lodge to 'capture' the traveling gavel,
how to apportion the charity money to the charities your grand lodge supports,
whether to change the meeting time because the demographic of the membership has changed,
and whether the supper before lodge will be hot dogs or a pot of stew.
There's always a lot of argument over these important decisions.

Be careful, though, your anti-masonic neighbors will seize on these reports and use them against us.

BTW, your typing and English is MUCH better. Keep up the good work.

S&F

 

[BigGameJames]

Is it true that a freemason that is Entered Apprentice our Fellowcraft can't attend all lodge meetings until they are Master Mason?

 

[goomba]

Depends of the Grand Lodge rules. In AL the WM can open a EA, FC, or MM lodge depending on his will.

 

[BigGameJames]

I fixed it I meant is true they can't attend all meetings until they MM?

 

[MWS]

I fixed it I meant is true they can't attend all meetings until they MM?

I'll echo Bro. Goomba, it depends on your jurisdiction. Any EA is permitted to any business meeting, the only restriction is when an evenings work is being done in a higher degree.

 

[Bob Franks]

It looks like at a masonic convention in the 1840s, concern was that after becoming an EA, some would only attend business meetings to gather information to publish anti-masonic books and articles.
From that time, it became the procedure in the USA to have meetings on the Master Masons Degree, only opening on the EA or FC degrees to initiate and advance members. When I have attended Lodge in England and Ireland, business was conducted on the EA degree.
There appears to be a movement in some grand lodges (mine included) to allow lodges, if they desired, to open on the First Degree for business, so that EAs and FCs could attend. There is the usual "But we've never done it that way!" resistance, though history actually contradicts this view.

S&F

 

[goomba]

I am not 100% sure but I think CA and AL have similar rules. I know in MS that they only open in the MM degree for normal meeting. The EA and FC degrees are only opened for examinations and degree work.

 

[2SONDAD]

As of a few months ago, all business is opened in the EA degree in CA. EAs and FCs are full dues paying members without voting privileges.

They may attend all meetings except for FC and MM degrees.

 

[Winter]

In my EC Lodge, EA's are full voting members. When other Lodges saw how well it worked for us it began a stronger push to return to that practice.

So, to answer your question, it will vary a great deal depending on your jurisdiction.

 

[Joel]

Is it true that a freemason that is Entered Apprentice our Fellowcraft can't attend all lodge meetings until they are Master Mason?

California conducts all busines,on the first degree. Money degree conferral is done in the second or third degree.

 

[BigGameJames]

So The 1st degree I can go to business meetings only?

 

[goomba]

Normal meetings are called business meetings.

 

[jaya]

It depends on the jurisdiction. Here we conduct business in the 3rd so you would not be allowed to attend until you were a MM.