# Hello! Master Mason  (currently demitted) from Illinois



## flameburns623

Howdy!

Am looking to get back into Masonry after a considerable lapse. I was raised to Master Mason in 1999, I believe, and joined the York Rite the following year.  Unfortunately I  did not remain active nor pay dues after a couple of years and have been demitted since @2004. I still retain my apron (which shows the exact dates of my degrees); and a Masonic ring but nothing else of my membership remains. 

I have since moved and recently submitted my petition to join the local lodge. I  am not certain what comes next, but the local lodge meets tomorrow, with a meal preceding which I  intend to drop in upon. 

The Brethren will, then, presumably let me know the next step from there. Meanwhile, good to be here!


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## MarkR

Good luck on getting back on board; I hope it goes well for you.  From what you've said, it sounds like you were dropped for non-payment of dues.  Taking a demit is an active process; you have to do paperwork through your lodge secretary and get the demit approved. It doesn't just happen if you stop paying your dues.  A demit means you left Masonry in good standing.  Getting reinstated from a demit is relatively easy; getting reinstated after being dropped for NPD is a different story.


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## flameburns623

Hmm.

We will have to see what happens tomorrow.

The Lodge where I was raised appears to have been permanently closed. Bethalto #406.


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## Illuminatio

flameburns623 said:


> Hmm.
> 
> We will have to see what happens tomorrow.
> 
> The Lodge where I was raised appears to have been permanently closed. Bethalto #406.



Hello there! I'm pretty certain Bethalto is still there and active. I believe they even hold semi-regular officer training there. I'm very nearby in Edwardsville myself. In my experience (we've had a few Brothers come back after years of absence in my Lodge), generally speaking the Secretary will let them settle up and become active again for something along the lines of the current year, plus two back years worth of dues. It may even just be two total years of dues and I'm remembering incorrectly.

So did you move somewhere else nearby in Illinois (if so which Lodge?)? Or is it out of state now? If it's another nearby Lodge, they'll be finding you in the system as part of Bethalto still and I believe you will need to contact that Lodge in order to settle up (become active again), then request a demit from them, at which point you would be free to join the other Lodge. Alternatively, you can always remain a member of Bethalto after becoming active again, and simply attend the other Lodge. If it's out of state, I know there are such things as dual/plural memberships where you'd actually be a member in both places. I do know of a handful of older Brethren that are members of multiple Lodges locally. I'm not sure there's anything stopping you from doing that either, just don't know the details on what's involved for that.

Either way, you should try and get in contact with Bethalto to explain the situation. I'll let you know here if I find any info to confirm they are actually closed, but they were very much alive and well within the past year I know. According to the Grand Lodge website, their meeting days are the 1st and 3rd Thursday each month and their contact number is 618-377-8911.


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## dfreybur

Demit only happens if you are current on your dues.  If you have the money and ever intend to become active again it's worth sending a check with your request for demit.

Lodges can be generous.  My Illinois lodge Barrington 522 has approved waiver of dues to demit in good standing whenever asked.  I don't recall my California or Texas lodges being asked for that.

The Illinois tradition to become current again to be given a demit is two years dues.  If you now have the money send the check.  Br Shawn gave the contact information.


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## KSigMason

Greetings and welcome to this forum. I hope all goes well with this new Lodge.


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## flameburns623

Spoke to the Bethalto treasurer. $100.00 restores me to good standing.  They then do the demit, which liberates me to pursue membership in Wood River,  whose lodge is mere blocks from my home.

Rather than belonging to multiple blue lodges, I will then restore my York Rite membership and, just possibly, explore the possibility of adding the Scottish Rite.

Depends on economy of time, since I am already very active in Church and am trying to be regular in going to a local gym.

Oh: Bethalto doesn't have an official Facebook page nor a website. A google search for Bethalto Masonic Lodge #406 will default to Edwardsville, whilst the treasurer is befuddled there is a Facebook page which says that the Lodge is '_permanently closed_'.

Perhaps a lone member attempted a page, but only a few of the Lodge officers have any computer literacy at all.

Go figure.


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## Illuminatio

flameburns623 said:


> Spoke to the Bethalto trasurer. $100.00 restores me to good standing.  They then do the demit, which liberates me to pursue membership in Wood River,  whose lodge is mere blocks from my home.
> 
> Rather than belonging to multiple blue lodges, I will then restore my York Rite membership and, just possibly, explore the possibility of adding the Scottish Rite. Depends on economy of time, since I am already very active in Church and am trying to be regular in going to a local gym.



Wood River you say!  I was at a degree there last week. My Lodge purchased a new building last year and it has been under renovation for the past 6 months and is nearly complete. In the meantime we've been using Wood River for any degree work we've had as well as officer installations. Several of the Brothers from Wood River have regularly been at our Lodge for degree work as well over the years. If you become active there, I'm quite sure we'll be seeing each other!


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## Illuminatio

flameburns623 said:


> ... A google search for Bethalto Masonic Lodge #406 will default to Edwardsville, ...



WOOT! Then my web work is paying off!!  (kidding)


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## flameburns623

Took wife to the Wood River Lodge pancake breakfast to touch base with some of the folks who will be my Lodge brethren. 

We had opportunity to talk to a woman about the Eastern Star, which I had thought to be a woman's adoptive Order. My paternal grandmother and her sister (my great-aunt) were exceedingly active in  Eastern Star, while my grandfather was active in the Scottish Rite and Uncle Andy in the York Rite,  (each also having some involvement in the Shriners).   

Apparently, Eaatern Star is an Order for both women AND for men. Hmmm: live and learn.


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## Glen Cook

Tell us about the arms in your avatar


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## flameburns623

Glen Cook said:


> Tell us about the arms in your avatar



That is my family crest. 



> *Background:*  The surname of Burns comes from "Burnhouse" a dwelling near a burn or a stream. Although "burn" is a common word in Scotland for a stream, the word originated in Old English. The singular form "Burn" is found in Dumfries and Galloway in the 13th and 14th century. The poet Robert Burns' father came from Kincardineshire on the east coast of Scotland and spelt his name Burness. Robert and his brother adopted the spelling "Burns" a form which first appeared in written records only in the 17th century.
> 
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> *Motto:*  Tendit ad astra fides, Faith reaches towards heaven.
> *Arms:*  Ar. on a chev. az. betw. two spur rowels in chief and a hunting horn in base sa., three fleurs-de-lis of the field.
> *Crest:*  A hand holding a hunting horn ppr.
> 
> 
> _View the Heraldry Dictionary for help._
> 
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> The name probably derives from one or more of the places in Scotland with a similar spelling or sound. Robert Burnes, a farmer in Kincardineshire, had three sons, of whom the youngest, Willian (1721-84), left home to find work during the uncertain times that followed the collapse of the '45 Rebellion. He became head gardener on an Ayrshire estate, marrying a local farmer's daughter when he was 36, and subsequently became a tenant farmer, only to die bankrupt because of the difficulties and conditions of the times. His elder son, Robert (1759-96), dropped the 'e' from his name, and overcame the handicap of an indigent upbringing (at the age of 15 he was the farm's chief labourer) to become the most famous, and in many respects the finest, of all Scottish poets. He wrote equally well in English and in Scots, and within a comparatively short period of a short life composed numerous technically brilliant love songs, satires, nature poems, and depictions of rustic life, as well as Tam o'Shanter, his version of a scary folk tale which is today recited all over the world on his birthday.
> 
> The talents of the family did not stop with him. William Burnes's eldest brother, James, was great-grandfather of James Burnes (1801-62), writer and Physician-General of Bombay, and Sir Alexander Burnes (1805-41), explorer and diplomat, who was the first westerner to follow the course of the River Indus, and was assasinated in Kabul, having done his best to avert interference in Afghanistan by both Indian and Russia. The Burneses of Kincardineshire were originally Campbells who were immigrants from Loch Aweside.
> 
> *Name Variations:*  Bernis, Bernes, Bernys, Burns, Burnis, Burnice, Burness, Burnes, Burnace, Burnasse, Burns.
> 
> *References:*
> _One or more of the following publications has been referenced for this article._
> The General Armory; Sir Bernard Burke - 1842.
> A Handbook of Mottoes; C.N. Elvin - 1860.
> Scottish Clans and Tartans; Neil Grant - 2000.
> Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia; George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire - 1994.
> Scottish Clans and Tartans; Ian Grimble - 1973.
> World Tartans; Iain Zaczek - 2001.
> Clans and Families of Scotland; Alexander Fulton - 1991.


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## Glen Cook

flameburns623 said:


> That is my family crest.


See your in box


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## Ripcord22A

Ohhh secrecy....now youve peaked my curiosity Brother Glenn....lol

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Glen Cook

Ripcord22A said:


> Ohhh secrecy....now youve peaked my curiosity Brother Glenn....lol
> 
> Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app


Well, I was engaging in a pedantic note on heraldry, which my wife informs me is not of interest to everyone and which would sidetrack the discussion. However.....

I just pointed out that the avatar is actually a shield, and not a crest.   The crest is the stuff on top of the shield, such as the knight's helm.   These particular arms are those granted to Burns of Bloomhall, County Dumbarton, 1856. 

Told you it was pedantic.


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## Ripcord22A

Actually pretty interesting...i didnt know any of that

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Bloke

Ripcord22A said:


> Actually pretty interesting...i didnt know any of that
> 
> Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app


"Crest"..."arms"...."coast of arms"...."shield"... all interesting terms which I'm far from confident I could define accurately.... I'd better do some learnering unless bro Glen would get some pleasure doing some teachering and pedantering


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## Ripcord22A

Bloke said:


> teachering


I like it


Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Glen Cook

Bloke said:


> "Crest"..."arms"...."coast of arms"...."shield"... all interesting terms which I'm far from confident I could define accurately.... I'd better do some learnering unless bro Glen would get some pleasure doing some teachering and pedantering


Hokay.   https://www.myfreemasonry.com/threads/heraldry.27983/


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## Warrior1256

Welcome to the forum. Hope that everything works out.


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## flameburns623

Warrior1256 said:


> Welcome to the forum. Hope that everything works out.



Thanks!

The process is under way and shouldn't take too long now.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M.

Welcome!


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## flameburns623

Progress underway.

My petition was read in Lodge and is en route to the Grand Lodge. If turned around in a timely manner I could be restored to Good Standing on the anniversary of my raising to the sublime degree of Master Mason. 

Seriously: it so happens that my current home lodge meets next on that very date. 

Meanwhile I have been in contact with the Scottish Rite and Shriners and have petitions to submit to each. 

I have been in touch also with my York Rite Chapter and they are prepared to reinstate my York membership once we pasd through the bottleneck of getting into good standing with my Blue Lodge. 

For the time being I have been passing thru the chairs of the Order of the Knife and Fork: two pancake breakfasts  (would have been three but for the weather); a fellowship meal with Companions from the York Rite; and a fish fry at the Scottish Rite Temple.  

Lol!

I am getting there.


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## dfreybur

Order of the knife and fork -

My Seattle lodge conducted an informal "third and a half degree" at refreshment after completing a third degree.  That was the name of the tongue in cheek informal event - order of the knife and fork.


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## Warrior1256

Thanks for keeping us updated. Let us know what happens with your petition.


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## flameburns623

I have been voted on and have been restored to good standing.  By coincidence I was restored eighteen years to the day of the date upon which I was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason.


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## Warrior1256

flameburns623 said:


> I have been voted on and have been restored to good standing.  By coincidence I was restored eighteen years to the day of the date upon which I was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason.


Congratulations Brother. I am very happy for you. Welcome back.


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## flameburns623

I was voted into Wood River Lodge #1062 tonight. And they want me to take a chair. ASAP.


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## Bill Lins

flameburns623 said:


> I was voted into Wood River Lodge #1062 tonight. And they want me to take a chair. ASAP.


No good deed goes unpunished.


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## Bloke

flameburns623 said:


> I was voted into Wood River Lodge #1062 tonight. And they want me to take a chair. ASAP.


Are going to go for it ?


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## flameburns623

Bloke said:


> Are going to go for it ?


Yeah, I think so. 

They have practice sessions on the Mondays prior to their Stated Meetings, so between that and taking a Chair, I can count on actually feeling an active part of my Lodge.


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## Bloke

flameburns623 said:


> Yeah, I think so.
> 
> They have practice sessions on the Mondays prior to their Stated Meetings, so between that and taking a Chair, I can count on actually feeling an active part of my Lodge.



I've been through 3 times and it gave different lessons each occasion; be big thing is have (or tap into) a strategic plan which leave the lodge better than when you took the reigns. 

I encourage you and wish you every success.


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## Warrior1256

flameburns623 said:


> I was voted into Wood River Lodge #1062 tonight. And they want me to take a chair. ASAP.





Bloke said:


> Are going to go for it ?





flameburns623 said:


> Yeah, I think so.


Very good! Congratulations!


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