# Doing business with Masons



## Lowcarbjc (Jun 27, 2013)

If you had a choice between two or three guys who can do XYZ job for you (design a website, fix your car, whatever) and the one was a mason and the others not ,would you rather be doing it with the mason?



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## Txmason (Jun 27, 2013)

Yes 


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## jaanthony (Jun 27, 2013)

Yes

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## Lowcarbjc (Jun 27, 2013)

Maybe a "LinkedIn for Masons" would be a good idea? 


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## rpbrown (Jun 28, 2013)

Yes and I have and do.


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## Paul E. Wunsche (Jun 28, 2013)

I prefer doing business with a Brother Mason. I don't mind paying a little more to help a Brother as long as he's qualified to do the work.  In any case, I do try and support locally owned small businesses.


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## Lowcarbjc (Jun 28, 2013)

Thank you for your answers so far - same here. I can see the mutual benefit of it. 


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## dfreybur (Jun 28, 2013)

Lowcarbjc said:


> Maybe a "LinkedIn for Masons" would be a good idea?



There are a lot of Freemason groups on LinkedIn.  The one of interest would be "Freemason Professionals" I think.


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## Michael Hatley (Jun 28, 2013)

Certainly.  My attorney, for one, is a Brother Mason and serves with me as an officer in my lodge.  I cannot tell you what a sense of well being that gave me while going through probate.  To just *know* that he'd treat me fairly, do everything he could on my behalf, and that he was exceedingly capable brought restful nights of sleep on nights I sorely needed it and thats a fact.  The man who taught me my work is also an accountant and in the East this year with me in the West, a very deep level of trust.

And believe me, if you've ever had to lawyer up or ran a business with a numbers guy you could only semi trust - you know what I mean when I say that if I never make another professional connection in Masonry in my life, those two alone are worth their weight in gold.

And they certainly never have to worry about websites, networks, or a host of technology issues again in their lives while I am breathing.


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## Txmason (Jun 28, 2013)

Lowcarbjc

There is a freemasonry network if you are in Scottish Rite and there are groups on LinkedIn. I am a mason and have a profile on LinkedIn. If you need anything just ask. 


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## Chandanlohia (Aug 16, 2013)

All other competing factors remaining same, I would prefer to do business with a mason. 


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## bezobrazan (Oct 10, 2013)

I would give the benefit of doubt to a fellow mason. Also, helping out a brother with putting food on his family's table can only bring back good mojo. 


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## Warrior1256 (Aug 24, 2014)

All things being equal I would pick the Masonic brother.


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## ARizo1011 (Aug 24, 2014)

dfreybur said:


> There are a lot of Freemason groups on LinkedIn.  The one of interest would be "Freemason Professionals" I think.



Wow didn't know that!


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## Morris (Aug 26, 2014)

dfreybur said:


> There are a lot of Freemason groups on LinkedIn.  The one of interest would be "Freemason Professionals" I think.



This one and "the cyberlodge"


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## Rick Carver (Aug 27, 2014)

I personally do, and I know when we need a carpet guy or a HVAC guy for the lodge, someone always asks if anyone knows a Brother in that business.  It has never led us wrong yet.


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## coachn (Aug 27, 2014)

Lowcarbjc said:


> If you had a choice between two or three guys who can do XYZ job for you (design a website, fix your car, whatever) and the one was a mason and the others not ,would you rather be doing it with the mason?


That truly depended upon the Mason involved.  Titles are slapped very causally these days and the label would not sway me in the least if I knew the man did not do the Work point toward by the Degrees.  If he didn't do the Work, he's just a card carrier and no better for the payment made.

That being said, I prefer working with Brothers (that have done the Work).


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## Gerald Walker (Oct 11, 2019)

*MASONRY IN BUSINESS*
All great moral forces in men's lives permeate, and to some extent effect, their business careers. A Sincere Christian will endeavor to live by the golden rule. A Consistent church member will not be honest because it is the best policy, but because he believes in honor. A real philosopher will apply the principles of his study to his daily relations with trade and commerce. A real Mason will act Masonically in business as well as in the lodge.



It is idle to say that Masonry is only for Masons. It is not. Masonry, if it is to fill its promise, must be, in its esoteric aspects, as much for the profane as for the Mason. Still more must Masonic principles be applied when dealing with Masons.



But there are many abuses committed in the name of Masonic business, against which the newly made Mason may well guard himself. Chief of these is the demand, in the name of Masonry, for business favors which would never be asked or granted without a Masonic background.



There is no real excuse for the stranger who comes to you pleading for your indorsement on his note because of your common Masonry, and you are not acting un-Masonically if you refuse it. It is far less Masonic to get than to give, to ask than to offer, to demand than to propose. The Mason who uses his Masonry as a means of getting, when without the Masonry he would have no excuse, is not acting in a truly Masonic manner. Therefore, it is not at all necessary that he who is asked should respond as he would to a legitimate Masonic request. To a man who says to you:



You should do this because we have a common brotherhood;" you can well reply: "You should not ask it because we have a common brotherhood."



Your real brother will not ask you to do that in the name of brotherhood which he would not ask you to do in the name of friendship.



Yes, there are exceptions; many of them. The tales which might be written of the instances in which the Masonic brotherhood feeling has saved men from disaster are legion. A man in deep trouble may turn to his brethren for help, when the man who only wants an accommodation in business is outlawed before he starts. There was a Mason whom we will call Jim Jones, because that was not his name. Jim was about to fail in business, through no real fault of his own. Jim laid the matter before the Master of his lodge. The Master called a couple of bankers into consultation, and the loan needed was made, not as bankers to client, but as Masons to a Mason. Five Masons signed the notes; and every note was paid. Here was a case where a man had exhausted his commercial credit, and had to call on his Masonic credit; it was a wise thing to do, and the Masonic aid was beautifully given. But when Jim's neighbor, Smith, was ready to fail and asked the same remedy for himself, he met with no success. He professed himself as unable to understand why, if Masonry could help Jones, it could help Smith. But the reason was patent to all who knew of the cases; Jones was in danger through no fault of his own and Jones had a reputation, both in business and Masonry, which made him a good risk. Smith was in trouble because he lacked judgment and ability, and his reputation was good in neither business nor Masonry.



We quote these little instances because it is difficult to phrase a rule as to when Masonry may be used in business and when not. In general, it should never be used when any other means is available. Masonry does not contemplate that its followers lean on each other, but expects them to stand upon their own feet. Masonry does not contemplate that the strong shall carry the weak, the able supply ability for the feeble. Masonry is not a panacea for social or business ills. A blood brother will help one while he will help himself, will love one while he is lovable, and defend one while he is weak, as long as he knows his brother will give him of his own strength when he recovers it. But blood brothers will not, because of mutual parentage, support one is he is a wastrel; lend to one if he is dishonest; or prop one up if he stumbles, if one is not man enough to learn to walk alone.



The Masonic brotherhood is modeled upon the tender relation of blood- brother. Its most optimistic altruists do not believe it should go further.



If a rule be necessary, let it be this: Give, when you can, help sought; ask help only when all other means fail. Offer the helping hand as often as you have the strength to spare; use Masonry for a crutch only when its absence will mean disaster.



Never forget, in a sentimental willingness to lose rather than to deny an appeal, that when you aid a brother who has not the right to ask your aid, you, as well as he, are injuring Masonry. If the superintendent of a charitable organization receives a call for aid which he knows comes from an undeserving source, he should not give the aid requested. But if he is soft-hearted and yields, rather than say "No!", the result is that he wastes aid which should go to the deserving, cheapens his organization in the eyes of the recipient, and makes true charity ridiculous in the eyes of the public.



Lest some say that this seems to draw back from giving aid, rather than pressing forward to give it, let us reply that we truly believe it is better to give Masonic help where is should not be given, than to deny it where it should be given. But, we have a great regard for Masonry, and are jealous of its reputa-tion; we hold it too high and too holy to look equanimity upon its exploitation. We believe there is no more heart- stirring appeal than that made in the name of Masonry, when it is proper to be made; as a consequence, we must believe there is no more despicable act than abusing Masonry for personal ends when the appeal is made and granted improperly.



Help your brother all you may; but never let your brother abuse your help, your heart, or your Masonry. For Masonry is far, far greater than the individual, and its purity and its preservation far more important than, that we give ourselves the pleasure of saying "Yes," when the only Masonic answer we can give is "No!"



The young Mason is faced with a question, almost as soon as he becomes a Master Mason: "Must I trade only with Masons; is it un-Masonic to trade with the profane?" He will submit this to older Masons and receive almost as many different answers as the questions he asks.



We give here an answer which seems to us to be correct. But it should be noted that others have rights to their opinions. In all questions which have two sides there is room for argument and differing viewpoints. Since this question is not of law, but of ethics, there is probably more than one correct answer.



Masonry is not a mutual benefit society, in the sense that the Rochedal Corporative Society is one. That and similar organizations are formed for the purpose of promoting trade among members; they offer financial inducements to trade with their members.



There is nothing like that in Masonry!



There is no Masonic obligation taken at the Altar which even hints that a Mason must deal only with Masons. There is no Grand Lodge law, nor any lodge by-law, which compels such trading.



It is, therefore, not a violation of any Masonic law or obligation not to trade with a brother Mason. Any one who believes the contrary is misinformed. Nor is there any unwritten law on the subject.



But there is an obligation of brotherhood. How far that is here to be applied, every individual brother must decide for himself. If one has a blood brother for whom one possesses a sincere affection, and that brother sells, let us say, coal. That is, one would do so as long as the brother sold good coal on its merit, and for as fair a price and with as good of service as one could get from some non-relative. But if one's brother took advantage of the relationship to charge a dollar more a ton, or to keep one waiting and cold while he filled non-relatives' orders, one would speedily change one's coal merchant!



It would seem that the same principle should apply in regard to one's Masonic brethren. As between two merchants, one a profane, the other a Mason, both giving the same goods at the same price and rendering the same service, the Mason should receive the Mason's trade. But as between a Mason selling at a high price and a profane selling at a lower one, as between a Mason giving poor service and a profane giving good service, the choice should be the other way.



This is not only good business, and good common sense, but good Masonry. For Masonry should encourage progress and weed out the drones; it should make its membership love Masonry for what it is, not for what it brings. It should fight hard against any attempt to commercialize the Order, and resent bitterly the use of its teachings for the making of money.



The Mason who says: "Trade with me because I am a Mason" is seldom a good merchant. Certainly he has no pride of calling or willingness to stand on his own feet. The Mason who says: "Trade with me because I give good goods at an honest price" is upholding the dignity of his calling, and scorning to take advantage of his Masonic brotherhood for the sake of making more money.



The man who must depend on Masonry to enable him to keep his store open is not a good Mason.



It is a Masonic obligation to do one's best by one's family, to work hard and honestly; and to get, as well as to give, value received for one's labor. Paying more to a Mason than is necessary to pay to a profane is injurious to one's family since it deprives them of something in order to benefit a Mason who has no right to it.



As a general rule Masons are not the type and kind of men who wish to take advantage of their Masonic brotherhood. The greater part of them scorn to use Masonry to further business ends. The vast majority of Masons revere their Masonry; they hold it high and sacred, and far apart from the money changers and the marts of trade.



But there are exceptions who ask and expect to receive special consideration because they are Masons. This is very sad and very bad! No Mason has a right to ask or expect a discount from another Mason because of mutual brotherhood. To use Masonry - the Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of Man, the Religion of the Heart, the Philosophy of Life - to get a ten percent discount on a purchase of garden hose, is to abuse Masonry.



Give your trade to your Masonic friends because you like them, because you know them to be good men and true, because they sell goods at honest prices; hunt out the lodge member among the Masons to deal with because you like him and want to help him. But deal with him because you want to help him, not because you expect him to help you. If you sell instead of buy, give the Mason the best you can in service, because you like him and wish to help him, not because you feel you have any moral or Masonic right to trade to which your name, your business methods and your standard of ethics would not entitle you.



Hold Masonry high; keep its dignity, its reputation, unsullied. Do not mix it up with money and with barter. For it was written: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's and unto God the things which be God's."



Money and trade belong to Caesar.
Masonry in men's hearts belongs to God!


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## Winter (Oct 11, 2019)

Gerald Walker said:


> *MASONRY IN BUSINESS*
> All great moral forces in men's lives permeate, and to some extent effect, their business careers. A Sincere Christian will endeavor to live by the golden rule. A Consistent church member will not be honest because it is the best policy, but because he believes in honor. A real philosopher will apply the principles of his study to his daily relations with trade and commerce. A real Mason will act Masonically in business as well as in the lodge.
> 
> 
> ...


An excellent article I believe is from the Masonic Dictionary.  Maybe post a link to an article instead of copying and pasting it in its entirety with no cite. Welcome to the forum. Feel free to make an introduction post in the appropriate area so we can get to know you.  

Transmitted via R5 astromech using Tapatalk Galactic


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## Schuetz (Oct 11, 2019)

Illinois is introducing the Blue Pages (blue book?) program for exactly this purpose, finding business-owning Masons.

Q. E. L. Schuetz, M.M.
Shekinah Lodge No. 241 • IL
Murphysboro Lodge No. 498 • IL


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## Brother JC (Oct 11, 2019)

The last business dealing I had with a Brother soured me against ever doing it again. Bait and switch is not a Masonic Tenet.


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## Winter (Oct 11, 2019)

Brother JC said:


> The last business dealing I had with a Brother soured me against ever doing it again. Bait and switch is not a Masonic Tenet.



Been there as well. Just because a man is a Mason doesn't mean he is a good business operator. I'll stick with Google reviews!


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## David612 (Oct 12, 2019)

Being a mason means I’ll consider you for work, if there’s a better candidate he gets the job.


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## CLewey44 (Oct 13, 2019)

Someone said they would do business with a "brother" even if he cost a bit more. Why should the mason paying for the services or product not get a good deal or special treatment? I'm going with what works out best for me and mine. If the "mason" business owner can't give his "brothers" a good deal (and even ripping them off in some cases) then he's the one being a poor example of how masons should support each other,  not the masons that go elsewhere. 

Nobody should feel pressure or shamed into doing business with someone that has only the intent of ripping others off. I know  car salesman MM and I'm not fully confident at all he wouldn't rip me off to make an extra buck on a sale.


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## Brother_Steve (Oct 13, 2019)

Lowcarbjc said:


> If you had a choice between two or three guys who can do XYZ job for you (design a website, fix your car, whatever) and the one was a mason and the others not ,would you rather be doing it with the mason?
> 
> 
> 
> Freemason Connect Mobile


There is a LinkedIn - like site out there already.

As to doing business with masons , for the most part: yes.

It must be their business and they must be proficient. I don't expect a break and I expect it to be done in a timely manner.

Same goes for friends and family. If my brother owned an auto repair shop, my car would be going there so long as he fit my conditions outlined above.

It's nice when you know people who have your interests in mind.


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## David612 (Oct 13, 2019)

I think the expectation is that the mason you employ will do his best work, not that they should damage their livelihood to give a Brother a discount.


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## CLewey44 (Oct 13, 2019)

Nor should they be trying to make a quick buck based on the trust you have in them to be fair.


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## jermy Bell (Oct 14, 2019)

Soooooo, the level and square means what again ?


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## Keith C (Oct 15, 2019)

All things being equal, I would chose a Brother over another potential provider.  

There are Brothers in my Lodge who I would go to for work on my home who would NOT be the lowest bidder on any job they might be in the running for, but their level of craftsmanship and the way they work and how they stand behind their work would be worth more.  That being said the work I have had them do did cost more than the competitive bids, but was discounted off of their normal fees, and they were willing to have me buy the materials myself (as my Son-in-Law is in sales for a Building Supply company and gets me the materials at cost.)  It is like most things, you get what you pay for.  Another Brother who is a professional photographer did the photography for my Son's Wedding.  Having used him in the past before I was a Mason, I know he gave a significant discount, but he was still a bit above what others in the area charge.  For the quality of work, however, again, you get what you pay for.


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