# Entered my petition the other night.



## Capricornguy (Aug 14, 2019)

the worshipful master was extremely nice. I never knew he was the people I’ve be conversing with from time to time until it was pointed out. 

It will be month for it to be read and then an investigative committee will go meet with me somewhere.

Oh boy. Well here goes nothing lol.


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## Keith C (Aug 14, 2019)

Congratulations on taking the first step, and good luck throughout the process.  Typically the Investigating Committee will want to meet you in your home.


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## Bloke (Aug 19, 2019)

Every success in your journey


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## Matt L (Aug 19, 2019)

Congratulations on your first step and welcome to the forum.  Keep us informed on your progress.


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## jermy Bell (Aug 20, 2019)

Nothing to worry about,
Be truthful
Ask questions
Be yourself.


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## Capricornguy (Aug 21, 2019)

One of the past masters said “there is always someone somewhere who won’t like you so don’t worry about them”. It takes 3 black balls to not initiate someone


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## Winter (Aug 21, 2019)

Capricornguy said:


> One of the past masters said “there is always someone somewhere who won’t like you so don’t worry about them”. It takes 3 black balls to not initiate someone


That's pretty generous. My jurisdiction is one.  

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## Chaz (Aug 21, 2019)

It was one when I was initiated as well


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## Winter (Aug 21, 2019)

A side note that has nothing to do with the conversation, all of the jurisdictions I am familiar with use cubes, not balls. Though the terminology of being "black balled" often creeps into the lexicon of common usage. 

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## David612 (Aug 21, 2019)

Capricornguy said:


> One of the past masters said “there is always someone somewhere who won’t like you so don’t worry about them”. It takes 3 black balls to not initiate someone


2 in my lodge and we use black and white balls.


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## Winter (Aug 21, 2019)

David612 said:


> 2 in my lodge and we use black and white balls.


Interesting. Now I can say I know a jurisdiction that uses balls instead of cubes.  

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## David612 (Aug 21, 2019)

I would expect it was a case of them being on special at the small monochromatic geometric stones store


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## Bloke (Aug 22, 2019)

Winter said:


> Interesting. Now I can say I know a jurisdiction that uses balls instead of cubes.
> 
> Transmitted via R5 astromech using Tapatalk Galactic


Yes, we use balls as well in UGLV. (three or more will exclude, but a lodge can pass a by-law for two).


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## Capricornguy (Aug 22, 2019)

They use three because all members of the GLofTX that state can come in to the blue lodge and vote on that person. You don’t have to be with that lodge but a lodge with the GLofTX. So randoms can come in and vote from different lodges under the same GL. Or that was how it was explained to me


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## Brother JC (Aug 22, 2019)

Capricornguy said:


> They use three because all members of the GLofTX that state can come in to the blue lodge and vote on that person. You don’t have to be with that lodge but a lodge with the GLofTX. So randoms can come in and vote from different lodges under the same GL. Or that was how it was explained to me



That’s really bizarre, I’ve never heard of members from other lodges being able to vote for anything in a lodge.
Now, having members of a lodge who never attend coming out of the woodwork to vote... that’s common almost everywhere!


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## jermy Bell (Aug 23, 2019)

I've never sat in lodge in Texas, but it sounds like a whole different world there in any of their lodges..


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## David612 (Aug 23, 2019)

I suspect a misunderstanding.


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## Capricornguy (Aug 24, 2019)

David612 said:


> I suspect a misunderstanding.


I mean that was told to my uncle in front of me. He is from a different lodge and just a visitor in the city I live in. 

They said he can join in on the vote as long as his blue lodge is under the grand lodge of Texas.


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## CLewey44 (Aug 24, 2019)

I dont mind this idea any MM can come vote actually. What if said petitioner went to another lodge before and was blackballed (@Winter or cubed haha) for some reason this other lodge didnt know about. If its for the better of the fraternity it might be good for some other GLs look into. I do NOT like 3 blackballs, two maybe but one is sufficient due to the rarity of such event. If someone has the 411 on a petitioner and says he shouldn't join, that's good enough for me. Most guys are voting blindly with whiteballs anyways and have no clue about the petitioner. Especially this day and age of "open gate" culture, one blackball vote is good enough for me.


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## Brother JC (Aug 24, 2019)

That’s what investigation committees are for. In NM they can stop a petition before it gets to vote. And if he was blackballed in the same jurisdiction the GL should pass that on to all secretaries. There’s a time limit on blackballing, and having the same curmudgeon from the previous lodge come stalk you a year or two later is bogus.


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## Thomas Stright (Aug 24, 2019)

David612 said:


> 2 in my lodge and we use *black and white balls*.



Wouldn't work here as we have a blind member...


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## CLewey44 (Aug 24, 2019)

Brother JC said:


> That’s what investigation committees are for. In NM they can stop a petition before it gets to vote. And if he was blackballed in the same jurisdiction the GL should pass that on to all secretaries. There’s a time limit on blackballing, and having the same curmudgeon from the previous lodge come stalk you a year or two later is bogus.



I hear you, but if a Mason is taking the time to go to another lodge for the sole purpose of blackballing someone, there is probably a pretty good reason and stalking would not be one of them.

Edit: I dont remeber the exact phrasing but something about MMs having "all th rts lts ad bfs of ths ldg or ay ldg of MMs udr the UGLE" again, cant remember the exact phrasing but some other GLofOK MMs could get it right.


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## David612 (Aug 24, 2019)

Thomas Stright said:


> Wouldn't work here as we have a blind member...


Doubtless we would have blind or near blind brothers in our ranks as well, I would expect brothers assist them.


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## Bloke (Aug 24, 2019)

CLewey44 said:


> I hear you, but if a Mason is taking the time to go to another lodge for the sole purpose of blackballing someone, there is probably a pretty good reason and stalking would not be one of them.
> 
> Edit: I dont remeber the exact phrasing but something about MMs having "all th rts lts ad bfs of ths ldg or ay ldg of MMs udr the UGLE" again, cant remember the exact phrasing but some other GLofOK MMs could get it right.


So here, only members of the Lodge can vote - with one exception, the Tyler cannot - because he has not heard the discussion.

We have a different mechanism, we must send notice to at least 4 other lodges (and the Grand Sec) the man is joining. Any Freemason in the State can write to the Grand Sec to object to the election of the Man as a candidate for Freemasonry. It is rare, but does happen.


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## Brother JC (Aug 27, 2019)

CLewey44 said:


> I hear you, but if a Mason is taking the time to go to another lodge for the sole purpose of blackballing someone, there is probably a pretty good reason and stalking would not be one of them.
> 
> Edit: I dont remeber the exact phrasing but something about MMs having "all th rts lts ad bfs of ths ldg or ay ldg of MMs udr the UGLE" again, cant remember the exact phrasing but some other GLofOK MMs could get it right.



Perhaps, but a year or two later the original objections are probably no longer valid.


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## Capricornguy (Aug 28, 2019)

Just got noticed my petition was accepted and my investigation committee will be assigned soon.


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## CLewey44 (Aug 29, 2019)

Everything seems to be Kool and the Gang. Hang in there and they'll get you going.


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## Capricornguy (Aug 30, 2019)

I was emailed my petition was accepted and will be investigated. I hope it turns out well. I don't have any "crimes of moral turpitude", but I do have a contempt of court conviction from a family civil/criminal dispute on my record regarding real estate transactions from when I was in my younger 20s.(long story don't ask).  However I am completely open and honest about the whole situation and with my life. I've got really nothing to hide. 

What should I wear?


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## David612 (Aug 30, 2019)

Capricornguy said:


> I was emailed my petition was accepted and will be investigated. I hope it turns out well. I don't have any "crimes of moral turpitude", but I do have a contempt of court conviction from a family civil/criminal dispute on my record regarding real estate transactions from when I was in my younger 20s.(long story don't ask).  However I am completely open and honest about the whole situation and with my life. I've got really nothing to hide.
> 
> What should I wear?


Having worked in realestate I can appreciate any number of good reasons for that to be on file...
As per what to wear, I recommend pants 

Well in all seriousness speak with your contact at the lodge, as the dress code varies from black tie to flip flops and singlets.


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## Thomas Stright (Sep 6, 2019)

Bloke said:


> So here, only members of the Lodge can vote - with one exception, the Tyler cannot - because he has not heard the discussion.



Our Tyler is called in after the JD votes and is filled in before voting.




Bloke said:


> We have a different mechanism, we must send notice to at least 4 other lodges (and the Grand Sec) the man is joining. Any Freemason in the State can write to the Grand Sec to object to the election of the Man as a candidate for Freemasonry. It is rare, but does happen.



This seems odd to me...


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## David612 (Sep 6, 2019)

Bloke said:


> So here, only members of the Lodge can vote - with one exception, the Tyler cannot - because he has not heard the discussion.
> 
> We have a different mechanism, we must send notice to at least 4 other lodges (and the Grand Sec) the man is joining. Any Freemason in the State can write to the Grand Sec to object to the election of the Man as a candidate for Freemasonry. It is rare, but does happen.


I saw this happen a bout a year and a bit back after the applicant had been being black balled


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## Capricornguy (Sep 12, 2019)

Meeting is next Tuesday. Not sure where it’s at yet. My place is small and couldn’t accommodate.


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## Capricornguy (Sep 14, 2019)

Going to email them tomorrow they haven't told me a place yet.


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## Warrior1256 (Sep 19, 2019)

Winter said:


> That's pretty generous. My jurisdiction is one.





Chaz said:


> It was one when I was initiated as well


Same here in Kentucky.


Winter said:


> A side note that has nothing to do with the conversation, all of the jurisdictions I am familiar with use cubes, not balls.


Here too.


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## Glen Cook (Sep 19, 2019)

Warrior1256 said:


> Same here in Kentucky.
> 
> Here too.


Re: cubes v. balls. I’ve only seen balls in England.


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## David612 (Sep 19, 2019)

Glen Cook said:


> Re: cubes v. balls. I’ve only seen balls in England.


Balls in Australia too.. cause that’s the expression.


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## Bloke (Sep 20, 2019)

David612 said:


> Balls in Australia too.. cause that’s the expression.


Yep - balls in Victoria - but I am not sure about other states (but we just covered NSW/ACT I think!).


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## Winter (Sep 20, 2019)

There's a paper here somewhere on whether the earliest balloting materials were balls or cubes and why some jurisdictions changed.


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