# Meeting Brothers in public.



## jharmon79 (Dec 9, 2014)

Just a question that i've been wondering for awhile. How do you carry on a masonic conversation in public with someone who is also wearing a S&C emblem?   For example: I was in a store this past Saturday, as I was checking out I noticed the cashier was wearing a S&C necklace. I politely complimented him on it and his reply was " Thank you, something I picked up on my travels to the East."  I just wondered how I would go on to carry on a conversation with him. I had on my ring but i'm not sure he saw it. 

Bro. John S. Harmon


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## JJones (Dec 9, 2014)

Things like: "Hello, brother" or "What lodge are you from?" work really well. 

I've also heard brothers been asked "Are you a travelling man?"


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## Ripcord22A (Dec 9, 2014)

"Whence come ye?"


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## Brother JC (Dec 9, 2014)

Once all the jewelry talk finished I'd find out what lodge he was from. You might have some friends in common and not know it.


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## mrpierce17 (Dec 9, 2014)

Ask if he has change for 15cent


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## MarkR (Dec 10, 2014)

Yeah, I'm more for the direct "what lodge do you belong to."  Too many of the other, more arcane, questions can lead to confusion.  Not everybody has heard things like the 15¢ question.


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## Lowcarbjc (Dec 10, 2014)

How about - Are you a mason? If he says yes say, so am I. Let him then ask the questions.


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## mrpierce17 (Dec 10, 2014)

dalinkou said:


> Please explain.  I have never heard this one.


What number constitutes a lodge of E.A Masons ,FC Masons & Master Masons add them up and what do you get ...


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## mrpierce17 (Dec 10, 2014)

I would ask are you a mason then what lodge are you a member of , that will usually let me know if I need to further intercourse with you masonicly  or be off  the subject, its certainly not offensive in my opinion to simply ask A suspected brother are you a Mason


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## Bro. Staton (Dec 11, 2014)

I have heard many "Nice light you have there", Where do you hail from, You are a traveling man I see, Whence come ye, and many others.


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## Brother_Steve (Dec 11, 2014)

I tend to not speak masonically in public.

I understand that to be talking about what goes on behind a tiled/tyled door.

I would just ask him what lodge he belonged to if I'm just going to shoot the breeze with him.

exchanging dues cards to talk about a certain section of the MM degree while paying for items is kind of awkward to say the least!


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## cemab4y (Dec 11, 2014)

I have had masons say "Nice Belt Buckle", or ":Nice baseball cap". When I see a man wearing a masonic (or Shrine or Scottish Rite) ring, I say "I see you are a Mason (or Shriner,etc). Then I usually ask "What lodge do you hail from"? I have no problem at all, with discussing Masonry in public. You should be discreet, in discussing esoteric items, like the signs/grips/passwords, etc. We often show each other our dues cards.

Before I was a Mason, I once observed two men "talking the talk", and I said- That must be some Masonic thing. The man responded, "that is correct". Next thing, I was asking him about Freemasonry, and I was on the way to asking for a petition.

You never know what might happen, when you discuss Masonry in public! Most Masons forget, that the (mostly) only contact that people will ever have with Freemasonry, is when they observe a Freemason in public. We are own best advertisement.


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## Warrior1256 (Dec 16, 2014)

JJones said:


> Things like: "Hello, brother" or "What lodge are you from?" work really well.
> 
> I've also heard brothers been asked "Are you a travelling man?"


When I was first raised I asked a brother how I should start a conversation with someone who was wearing a Masonic symbol. I thought it would be some thing elaborate. The brother informed me that I should simply stick out my hand and say something like "I'm from lodge so and so, what lodge are you from." He also advised me against talking in depth about Masonry with someone that I had just met.


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## Rifleman1776 (Dec 17, 2014)

jharmon79 said:


> Just a question that i've been wondering for awhile. How do you carry on a masonic conversation in public with someone who is also wearing a S&C emblem?   For example: I was in a store this past Saturday, as I was checking out I noticed the cashier was wearing a S&C necklace. I politely complimented him on it and his reply was " Thank you, something I picked up on my travels to the East."  I just wondered how I would go on to carry on a conversation with him. I had on my ring but i'm not sure he saw it.
> 
> Bro. John S. Harmon


 

Happens frequently. That is why we wear rings or other Masonic items. Easy to discuss things without giving away any secrets. I wear a Shrine buckle and occasionally get approached by someone who has been helped by the Shrine hospitals. We don't need to hide our lights. Nice to meet a Brother and chat.


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## Warrior1256 (Dec 17, 2014)

Rifleman1776 said:


> Happens frequently. That is why we wear rings or other Masonic items. Easy to discuss things without giving away any secrets. I wear a Shrine buckle and occasionally get approached by someone who has been helped by the Shrine hospitals. We don't need to hide our lights. Nice to meet a Brother and chat.


Absolutely agree!


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## dfreybur (Dec 17, 2014)

Rifleman1776 said:


> I wear a Shrine buckle and occasionally get approached by someone who has been helped by the Shrine hospitals.



Incidentally that's a perfect opportunity for second hand invitations.  Explain to them that all Shriners are Masons and that Masons not allowed to invite people to become Masons.  That means we can't invite people out of the general public to join us as Shiners.  Then explain to them as non-Masons they are not restricted against inviting people to become Masons first and then Shiners second (Arkansas caveat here can be skipped with non-Masons).  We can end up with a lot of really good ambassadors this way.

Also point out to them that you can't invite them to become Masons but if they ever decide to you're happy to help them through the process.


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## Glen Cook (Dec 17, 2014)

dfreybur said:


> .  Explain to them that all Shriners are Masons and that Masons not allowed to invite people to become Masons.
> ..



Depending in the jurisdiction.


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## Rifleman1776 (Dec 18, 2014)

"all Shriners are Masons and that Masons not allowed to invite people to become Masons. "
Those are not universally correct statements. In Arkansas, and I believe one other state, Shrine membership is open to non-masons. In some states, like Missouri where my Lodge is, we can invite men to become Masons.


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## dfreybur (Dec 18, 2014)

dfreybur said:


> (Arkansas caveat here can be skipped with non-Masons).



Quoting myself.  ;^)

There are other invitation options in various jurisdictions.  I've read the rules for some of them and the programs tend to be very restrictive.


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## Ripcord22A (Dec 18, 2014)

With the shrine being open to nonmasons can shriners from there attend shrine meetings in other states......sorry for hijacking the thread


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## Glen Cook (Dec 18, 2014)

UGLE: there is no objection to a neutrally worded approach being made to a man who could is considered a suitable candidate for Freemasonry. There can be no objection to his being reminded, once, that the approach was made. Information for the Guidance  of Members of the Craft, 2013, page 36.

Utah: The definition of improper solicitation of a potential candidate is any proposal by a Mason that involves coercion or implied negative retaliation of any kind.  2012 Proceedings Page 39.


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## MarkR (Dec 19, 2014)

Minnesota rule: 
Proper solicitation shall consist of the following: A man of sterling qualities may be approached and informed, but only once. He must be
left to make his own decision. He should not be badgered.!


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## Mike Martin (Dec 19, 2014)

In answer to the original question I would go with: "Hi, nice pin/buckle/hat/whatever, what Lodge are you in?"

That gives the wearer the option to identify himself as a Freemason or if it is an heirloom to say so.


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## Warrior1256 (Dec 19, 2014)

Mike Martin said:


> In answer to the original question I would go with: "Hi, nice pin/buckle/hat/whatever, what Lodge are you in?"
> 
> That gives the wearer the option to identify himself as a Freemason or if it is an heirloom to say so.


Sounds good, that's the way that I'll do it.


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## Willaim Perkins (Dec 20, 2014)

There are so many, but among the ones I've heard the most over the past 34 1/2 years:
"I see you're a traveling man?"
"Been to the East?"
"What Lodge you belong to (or hail from)?"
   and the most colorful-
"So, where were you hit in the head?"


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## Warrior1256 (Dec 20, 2014)

Willaim Perkins said:


> There are so many, but among the ones I've heard the most over the past 34 1/2 years:
> "I see you're a traveling man?"
> "Been to the East?"
> "What Lodge you belong to (or hail from)?"
> ...


Good ones.


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## cemab4y (Dec 20, 2014)

It varies from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge. I suggest that you check with your GL, before you invite someone to join. Virginia used to have the YWMAGM program. It means you would approach a man, whom you believed would benefit from Masonry, and you would say "You would make a good Mason". Then if the man was interested, you could tell him about the craft, and assist him in obtaining a petition.

Kentucky even forbids the "2 B1 ASK 1" bumper stickers. South Carolina forbids all solicitation.

I think that everyone should consider the "Shakers". They were a religious sect, that forbade all missionary work, and required their membership (including married people) to be celibate. They died out.

I also consider the Mormons. They started with 6 men in upstate New York. They send out their young men and women as missionaries. They have terrific websites. They require every member to be a missionary. They give the membership contact cards, with talking points.

They originally practiced polygamy. Brigham Young had 27 wives. The Mormons have the highest birthrate in the USA.

The Mormon church now has over 12 million members in over 112 countries.

Who should we emulate? The Shakers or the Mormons?


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## Willaim Perkins (Dec 21, 2014)

cemab4y said:


> It varies from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge. I suggest that you check with your GL, before you invite someone to join. Virginia used to have the YWMAGM program. It means you would approach a man, whom you believed would benefit from Masonry, and you would say "You would make a good Mason". Then if the man was interested, you could tell him about the craft, and assist him in obtaining a petition.
> 
> Kentucky even forbids the "2 B1 ASK 1" bumper stickers. South Carolina forbids all solicitation.
> 
> ...


The select of the Shakers and the proliferation of the Mormons w/o the perverse of either.


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## Warrior1256 (Dec 21, 2014)

cemab4y said:


> It varies from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge. I suggest that you check with your GL, before you invite someone to join. Virginia used to have the YWMAGM program. It means you would approach a man, whom you believed would benefit from Masonry, and you would say "You would make a good Mason". Then if the man was interested, you could tell him about the craft, and assist him in obtaining a petition.
> 
> Kentucky even forbids the "2 B1 ASK 1" bumper stickers. South Carolina forbids all solicitation.
> 
> ...


I think that it would be very beneficial to The Craft if we were allowed more leeway in this area.


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