# 1717-2017



## Warrior1256 (Oct 25, 2014)

Just a thought....do you think that there will there be celebrations for our 300th birthday?


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## pointwithinacircle2 (Oct 25, 2014)

Just a reply - Oh Heck Yeah!


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## Brother JC (Oct 25, 2014)

Warrior1256 said:


> Just a thought....do you think that there will there be celebrations for our 300th birthday?


Define "our." The only thing that happened in 1717 is that the "grand lodge" system was created.


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## dfreybur (Oct 26, 2014)

The quarterly communication of UGLE has been completely booked for quite some time last time this was discussed.  Plan your celebration locally not with a trip to the UK if you intend to do it at the GL level.


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## Glen Cook (Oct 26, 2014)

I am surprised if the dinner is booked.  Certainly that information has not been communicated to the provinces.  Source?

And, to quibble, it is the UGLE anniversary.


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## Brother JC (Oct 26, 2014)

Glen Cook said:


> And, to quibble, it is the UGLE anniversary.


Agreed. I was attempting to circumvent the ubiquitous "Masonry began in 1717" comments.


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## Glen Cook (Oct 26, 2014)

trysquare said:


> Agreed. I was attempting to circumvent the ubiquitous "Masonry began in 1717" comments.


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## dfreybur (Oct 27, 2014)

trysquare said:


> I was attempting to circumvent the ubiquitous "Masonry began in 1717" comments.



Grand lodge Freemasonry did begin then.  Rather like we count the day we were raised as a "Masonic birthday" yet we'd been a brother since we we initiated, Masonry started down a different path at that first meeting.


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 27, 2014)

dfreybur said:


> Grand lodge Freemasonry did begin then.  Rather like we count the day we were raised as a "Masonic birthday" yet we'd been a brother since we we initiated, Masonry started down a different path at that first meeting.


Good reasoning.


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## Brother JC (Oct 31, 2014)

Amigo; are you a Freemason now? I've never been completely clear on that point...


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## Brother JC (Oct 31, 2014)

That's what I thought. You would not be able to petition "online," as you must be physically present to receive the Degrees, and will have to petition a specific lodge. You can't just petition UGLE to become a Mason.


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 31, 2014)

AmigoKZ said:


> Time willshow. May be I'll live in London in 2017. Maybe mypetition will be rejected. I wanna say that I'll be researchin Masonry with pleasure. And when I'll be 'ready', at the age 35/36, I'll submit my petition, I think.


Very good!


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## Mike Martin (Oct 31, 2014)

Sorry for being so finicky but:


trysquare said:


> Define "our." The only thing that happened in 1717 is that the "grand lodge" system was created.


Well what actually happened in 1717 was the beginning of a quantum shift away from a system that was mainly for Operative Masons and accepted the odd non operative member which had nearly died out to a system of Fraternity with heavy philosophical overtones. Had those four London Lodges not taken the action they did it is unlikely that Freemasonry would be around today.



Glen Cook said:


> And, to quibble, it is the UGLE anniversary.


Just to correct it the the tercentenary (300th Anniversary) of the foundation of the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster, the very first Grand Lodge in the World and later to become the Grand Lodge of England (Premier or Moderns). The UGLE being formed of the joining together of the two Grand Lodges of England marked its formation in 2013 but much more quietly as that was not as important as the first Grand Lodge that was its foundation I do wonder if we will do something in 2056 to mark the Founding of the Antients Grand Lodge.  



dfreybur said:


> Grand lodge Freemasonry did begin then.  Rather like we count the day we were raised as a "Masonic birthday" yet we'd been a brother since we we initiated, Masonry started down a different path at that first meeting.


Here in the Home Grand Lodges we are a Freemason from the night of our Initiation not our Raising which can be several years later (for me it was 3).


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## NY.Light (Oct 31, 2014)

I'm a little ticked, because if the jurisdiction where I live let 19 year olds petition, I could be a Master Mason during the 300-anniversary celebrations.  Oh well.


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## Warrior1256 (Nov 1, 2014)

NY.Light said:


> I'm a little ticked, because if the jurisdiction where I live let 19 year olds petition, I could be a Master Mason during the 300-anniversary celebrations.  Oh well.


But as an EA or FC you ARE a Mason.


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## NY.Light (Nov 1, 2014)

I won't be able to petition in my jurisdiction until I am 21, which will be 2017. Unless, of course, the Grand Lodge changes the requirement.


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## dfreybur (Nov 3, 2014)

Mike Martin said:


> Here in the Home Grand Lodges we are a Freemason from the night of our Initiation not our Raising which can be several years later (for me it was 3).



Be that as it may, in my jurisdictions the night of a brother's raising is remembered as his "Masonic birthday" not the night of his initiation.  He's a Brother from the moment he is obligated during his initiation but many see the raising as a symbolic rebirth into a new spiritual life.  While not a religious event it symbolically mirrors events in a number of religions.


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## Warrior1256 (Nov 3, 2014)

dfreybur said:


> Be that as it may, in my jurisdictions the night of a brother's raising is remembered as his "Masonic birthday" not the night of his initiation.  He's a Brother from the moment he is obligated during his initiation but many see the raising as a symbolic rebirth into a new spiritual life.  While not a religious event it symbolically mirrors events in a number of religions.


Good info, makes sense.


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## Mike Martin (Nov 4, 2014)

dfreybur said:


> While not a religious event it symbolically mirrors events in a number of religions.


 
Just like his first glimpse of the "Light" (VSL) in the First Degree.


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## dfreybur (Nov 4, 2014)

Mike Martin said:


> Just like his first glimpse of the "Light" (VSL) in the First Degree.



Agreed.  Perhaps it is a US only custom to call the date of raising the "Masonic birthday".  The argument for initiation is at least as strong.


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