# Are you satisfied after becoming master mason ?



## jermy Bell (Oct 29, 2019)

I know there are threads covering this particular. Question so I'll ask the question again.

Is masonry everything you thought it would be ?

I've been at this for almost 6 years now, I travel, am a honorary member in several lodges, have met and made friends with many men that would not give me the time of day otherwise. I am senior deacon for 7 more months, and am in line for JW in June. Sounds like everything is good ? 

So, learn the degree work , preform. The degree work, initiate , pass, raise , more than likely won't come back, the 1 or 2 that do will or will not learn anything, teach the rituals to those who want to learn, then repeat . after awhile it gets to be a little old. I question why I became a mason. Is it to go through the chairs, and teach the rituals and preform them and repeat ????? Just a question. I'm hoping for many replys.


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 30, 2019)

Well....I can't really narrow down my reasons for loving The Craft. I just know that I really feel fulfilled gathering together with my Brothers, feel great after a job well done during ritual, being tapped to take on more responsibility in the Blue Lodge, York Rite and other areas, when a newer Brother asks for my advice or guidance. I can't really give a definitive answer. I just know that Masonry ir right for me and gives more meaning to my life.


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## coachn (Oct 30, 2019)

jermy Bell said:


> I know there are threads covering this particular. Question so I'll ask the question again.
> Is masonry everything you thought it would be ?


Strangely enough, it's more than I could have imagined.  And the same thing goes for Freemasonry. 


jermy Bell said:


> I've been at this for almost 6 years now, I travel, am a honorary member in several lodges, have met and made friends with many men that would not give me the time of day otherwise. I am senior deacon for 7 more months, and am in line for JW in June. Sounds like everything is good ?


I've walked a similar path.


jermy Bell said:


> So, learn the degree work , preform. The degree work, initiate , pass, raise , more than likely won't come back, the 1 or 2 that do will or will not learn anything, teach the rituals to those who want to learn, then repeat . after awhile it gets to be a little old. I question why I became a mason. Is it to go through the chairs, and teach the rituals and preform them and repeat ????? Just a question. I'm hoping for many replys.


That's what's basic about Freemasonry.  It's making members who in turn make more members.

Masonry is a bit different. It's making sure the made members become better men first, before they get involved in making members.


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## David612 (Oct 30, 2019)

Honestly yes and no..
It has taken me awhile to find myself in the craft and my earlier posts reflect this.
Had i stayed only in my mother lodge i would had been miserable and called off, the X factor of the guys your with actually caring about the work goes a long way.


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## Glen Cook (Oct 30, 2019)

There is also:
Education at home and abroad 
Research 
Fellowship 
Appendant bodies 
Committee work
Mentoring


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## CLewey44 (Oct 31, 2019)

My question would be, what did you expect from Freemasonry?


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 31, 2019)

coachn said:


> Strangely enough, it's more than I could have imagined.





coachn said:


> It's making sure the made members become better men first, before they get involved in making members.


Very true.


CLewey44 said:


> My question would be, what did you expect from Freemasonry?


Excellent question.


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## jermy Bell (Oct 31, 2019)

I'm thinking more than learning ritual, performing ritual repeat . to initiate, pass, raise, repeat. Go around the chairs, repeat, or not repeat. Not like the moose or elks.


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## coachn (Nov 1, 2019)

jermy Bell said:


> I'm thinking more than learning ritual, performing ritual repeat . to initiate, pass, raise, repeat. Go around the chairs, repeat, or not repeat. Not like the moose or elks.


You want more Bro.  I can relate.  It's why I research what I research and write what I write.   I want more than what you describe herein.

Quick Question: If you were to get your wish, and get "more", what would "more" look like from an outsider perspective looking in?


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## CLewey44 (Nov 1, 2019)

jermy Bell said:


> I'm thinking more than learning ritual, performing ritual repeat . to initiate, pass, raise, repeat. Go around the chairs, repeat, or not repeat. Not like the moose or elks.


Sounds like you were maybe thinking more discussion about Masonry vs. just memorizing a lot of lines (which have good meaning) or hearing it once and a "good luck" figuring it out. 

Perhaps your lodge could use a revamp of sorts with you at the helm. Round table discussion in lodge. I've been to two BLs like that. It was nice. 

Perhaps more rehearsal and practice. Some of the best times Ive had with Masons was rehearsing ritual. Learned a lot and got to know some of the guys better. Everyone there is on the same page. They want whatever they are reharsing for to go well and have impact on its viewers. This way its not "just ritual" you memorized from your GL (insert color) Book while sitting on the pot. 

I know this is all easier said than done, trust me, but I do hope it gets turned around for you soon.


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## Bloke (Nov 1, 2019)

jermy Bell said:


> I know there are threads covering this particular. Question so I'll ask the question again.
> 
> Is masonry everything you thought it would be ?
> 
> ...


I think becoming a MM is simply the start of something rather than the end of anything.  I think that what happens in a lodge room is very important as it is the teaching vehicle of Freemasonry, but what happens outside, especially personally and collectively is where Freemasonry is really at.

I was not satisfied with being a MM - I realized I was still in the starting blocks of Freemasonry. It took me until after the Chair for the first time to really feel like I was starting to rise out of those starting blocks and at 47 and after 16 years, I've only just started to run the race ... that race is a marathon - it's not a sprint and I often say Freemasonry works on you like water on a pebble rather than like a blow torch on ice.

It actually bodes well you feel a bit like this, your challenge will be to find where and how you can grow as a man, and a Freemason... For me, that was initially trying to master the ceremonial and actually understand the "connection of our whole system and the relative dependence of its parts" and now working on Freemasonry organizationally both at lodge level (the most important) and also more widely within the State, but that does not happen quickly and if it does, rarely successfully.


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## Mark D. Morse (Nov 1, 2019)

I have to say that I am 100 percent satisfied. I've only been at it for 4 years now and am in the Jr Deacon's chair right now. For me its led me down many paths that I most likely would never have even thought about. The brothers in my lodge, the surrounding area and here have all been wonderful and there are a host of other positive reasons that I am truly satisfied with Freemasonry.


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## Warrior1256 (Nov 2, 2019)

coachn said:


> You want more Bro. I can relate. It's why I research what I research


Same here.


CLewey44 said:


> Some of the best times Ive had with Masons was rehearsing ritual.


Me too!


Mark D. Morse said:


> For me its led me down many paths that I most likely would never have even thought about.


Yep!


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## Number4 (Nov 2, 2019)

_"I think becoming a MM is simply the start of something rather than the end of anything."_

Most definitely!  In fact that was what I said to the WM and brethren at my raising, quoting the famous American and Mason Winston Churchill: "this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." 

As my mother lodge is not particularly active in the community (even the blood drives are ending due to outside circumstances), I decided to take the Craft as far as I could go: 'be all you can be'.   I joined the Royal Arch chapter and last week was initiated into the Knights Templar; the learning path continues.  I see it as a way of paying back the good men who brought me into light, supporting and encouraging me, even at those times when I thought I would never learn..........

_"The degree work, initiate , pass, raise , more than likely won't come back, the 1 or 2 that do will or will not learn anything, teach the rituals to those who want to learn, then repeat . after awhile it gets to be a little old"  _
I can relate to that too, but the only way to change things is from within: this should be the purview of the wardens and deacons.  Reach out to these Brothers, find out why they are not coming to lodge, ask if they need HELP, either with transport or in any other way, they might be glad to hear from you!  And think about programs or social events, especially those where family and friends can come too, these all help us to bond together.

I don't know what I expected of Freemasonry, but I know what I got, which was just about everything I liked about being in the army without all the PT before breakfast  And like everything else, you get out of it what you put into it.


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## Keith C (Nov 7, 2019)

Satisfied so far, yes, but still hungry for more.

I think I was blessed to have had a couple mentors who helped me become assimilated and to expand from what was described by Bro. Jermy as his experience.

Firstly my Blue Lodge experience is that I was basically thrown in the fire heads first.  I think I have mentioned previously that I have only sat on the sidelines in my Blue Lodge for 2 Stated Meetings since I was raised in November of 2016.  By February on 2017 I was Junior Deacon as the Brother originally appointed to that Chair suffered some medical issues.  Over the summer of 2017 the Senior Deacon left the lodge due to a job transfer and come September I was Senior Deacon.  I had to cram to learn the EA Degree and Business of the Lodge so that I could stand for election as Junior Warden for 2018.  I then progressed to Senior Warden this year and, G d willing will be Worshipful Master come December 27th.  So yes, it was a whirlwind of learning ritual, Making new Masons and a bunch of other work in my Blue Lodge.  But if this were the only part of my Masonic Journey I think I would be tired and dissatisfied at this point.

The things that have given me great satisfaction as well as kept me engaged are outside the progression of responsibility in my Blue Lodge.  Pennsylvania is blessed with an Academy of Masonic Knowledge that holds two symposia each year and I was lucky to be invited to attend one only a couple weeks after being Entered.  The lectures there and the discussion and fellowship were incredible.  After becoming a Master Mason I joined the Academy and started on the path of certification as a Masonic Scholar.  The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania also offers the opportunity to achieve 3 different awards based on involvement in various activities in and out of your home Lodge.  I worked on and achieved 2 of the three awards so far, The Master Builder Award and the Master Craftsman Award and am working on the third, Master Pillar Award, which I will be able to achieve after fulfilling my last 2 requirements, a year in the East and conferral of all 3 Degrees.  The activities required to achieve the awards get you involved with other brothers at Lodges other than your own, as well as Grand Lodge activities.

Involvement in Holy Royal Arch and Scottish Rite bodies has also added to my experience and brought more opportunities for fellowship and working together with other Masons.

To sum up, it is pretty much what many told me while I was still a Candidate "You will get out of it what you put into it."  Being involved and engaged and seeking out opportunities for learning, new experiences and fellowship are what have made me feel like becoming a Freemason was one of the best things I have done.


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## Bloke (Nov 9, 2019)

I had a massive day yesterday. Of statewide significance and was running around from 9 am to 6 pm. I did a lot of duties (too busy to actually attend the ceremonial, but had stood in for Grand Steward, DGM and a couple of other things for a while during rehearsal) but the best part of it, was I took an FC off to a quiet corner to discuss (note I don't use the word "answer") his questions on philosophy and history... we spent about 15 minutes together, but for me, it was the best part of the day... and probably his..

I think that is my most satisfying part of the Craft, mentoring and education.


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## montkun (Nov 10, 2019)

The end is the beginning, and the beginning is the end. 

That is much more meaningful in life as a whole than how it reads on the surface. If you desire to take further steps in Masonry, there are a number of paths to walk. I'm not sure how your Lodge handles certain responsibility, but if you're moving to the South soon you may want to hold off on looking at other houses. Personally, my experience has been extremely quick in advancement due to our active membership being so low. 

This past September I was elected to the East, and it's been a whirlwind of emotions. Within two weeks there were two members of the Lodge pass away, an EA I inherited needing his second degree, Grand Lodge session in October, and that doesn't include the 6 days a week I've been working most of the year.


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## acjohnson53 (Nov 14, 2019)

as I was growing up, around 12 or 13 years old I was curious about becoming a Mason. My first influence was when I met one of my teachers/uncles,  he had on the ring that had a coupla diamonds and a square and a compass, it caught my eye. from that point on I had to get me one of those. here 50 or so years later, I am proud that I accomplished one of my goals and still seeking more knowledge in masonry. I don't regret becoming a Mason bwcause we all know that things change year to year with each election.


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## rpbrown (Nov 15, 2019)

After my raising, I immediately went into a chair as a fill in. From that point on I was in a chair all the way to WM. Did 2 terms as Marshal, SW and WM. I am now just a PM. Recently my company (I am self employed)  has become extremely busy and I have been working 12-14 hours a day. Saying that, I have been having to miss lodge meetings and it  bothered me that I could not attend. Last month, I had set my day so I could get away in time to attend Stated Meeting but that morning I had a freak accident that left me somewhat immobile and I was not able to go. Gonna try again for this month. Missing the fellowship terribly.


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## Warrior1256 (Nov 15, 2019)

Keith C said:


> Satisfied so far, yes, but still hungry for more.


Exactly!


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## Bloke (Nov 17, 2019)

rpbrown said:


> ... I had a freak accident that left me somewhat immobile and I was not able to go. Gonna try again for this month. Missing the fellowship terribly.



Sorry to hear that and I wish you a speedy recovery Brother..


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## Pointwithinacircle3 (Dec 9, 2019)

The History: I was raised in a rural lodge where being a Mason meant going to meetings and not much more.  I was unsatisfied.

Today: I am extremely satisfied with my Masonic experience.  However, I should say that it took years to find Brothers who were doing what James the Just calls “the work of the fellow craft” let alone the work of a MM.  Actually, in my opinion, that work of the EA is almost entirely overlooked by most MM’s, but I digress.  

Years ago I had an extremely liberating experience when I visited the House of the Temple in Washington D.C. which is the home of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction.  I stood in their library reading the book titles and was shocked to see the depth of their esoteric and occult collection.  After that experience I began to understand Freemasonry in a new way.  That day in the library I discovered that I could learn a great deal about the craft by looking outside of it.  Sometime later I read “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey and I remember thinking it was one of the best explanations of Masonic principles that I had ever read.


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