# Hello from a new EA



## Ol Kev

Hello Brothers,
 As of tonight, I am a newly initiated Entered Apprentice Mason. I am from the Lubbock Lodge #1392 in Lubbock, TX. I look forward to many conversations with brothers from Texas and elsewhere! 

 Kevin


----------



## poppatattoo

Congrats on taking the plunge


----------



## Casey

Welcome!


----------



## tom268

Welcome, brother. That brings m to a question: Are EAs considered lodge members in Texas? And how long have you wait to be passed?


----------



## JTM

welcome to the boards.


----------



## Dave in Waco

Welcome Brother!!

@Tom268: Art. 344. *Status of E.As and F.Cs*  Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts are Masons but they are not mem-bers of the Lodge and cannot vote or dimit, but shall be entitled to Masonic burial subject to the provisions of Art. 360. They are entitled to sit in the Lodge or Lodges in which they have received a degree or degrees, or to visit like Lodges upon examination or proper avouchment. (See Art. 60.) Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts may attend Masonic funerals and appear in public wearing aprons of their respective degrees, provided the Lodge has dispensation to appear in public, and they do not participate in any of the ceremonies.

Art. 433 Except as provided in Art. 39, a candidate cannot be passed or raised until at least 14 days after his receiving the preceding degree; and until he has been examined in open Lodge and voted proficient in the trial lecture of the preceding degree.


----------



## JohnnyFlotsam

Welcome, Brother Keven!


----------



## Bro. Stewart P.M.

Welcome Brother Kevin!


----------



## turtle

Welcome brother Kevin


----------



## Texasfinesttc

Welcome


----------



## peace out

Howdy, Ol Kev.  I lived in Lubbock for a few years, originally from Amarillo.  Lubbock is a great place.


----------



## tom268

Dave in Waco said:


> Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts are Masons but they are not members of the Lodge and cannot vote or dimit, but shall be entitled to Masonic burial subject to the provisions of Art. 360.
> 
> Art. 433 Except as provided in Art. 39, a candidate cannot be passed or raised until at least 14 days after his receiving the preceding degree; and until he has been examined in open Lodge and voted proficient in the trial lecture of the preceding degree.



Thank you brother, that is very interesting, and different to our traditions. Here you have a minimum of 9 months (in other jurisdictions 12 months) between the degrees. EAs and FCs cannot vote for the WM, but they can ballot on new candidates and have a vote in all fiscal and administrative decisions, as they are considered full member of the lodge.


----------



## Ol Kev

mch4970 said:


> Howdy, Ol Kev.  I lived in Lubbock for a few years, originally from Amarillo.  Lubbock is a great place.



I lived in Amarillo for 15yrs 81-95. I liked Amarillo. Reminded me of a small, big town and Lubbock sometimes reminds me of a big, small town. 

So, does anyone have any advice, tips or tricks to learning the degree work for EA? I hear it is the most difficult of the three.


----------



## RichardRLJ

Welcome!  Glad to have you aboard!


----------



## peace out

> So, does anyone have any advice, tips or tricks to learning the degree  work for EA? I hear it is the most difficult of the three.



Practice, practice practice.  The EA is the most difficult and is lengthy.  Enjoy what you're learning and support it by reading other sources, i.e, The Symbolism of Freemasonry, Morals & Dogma.  These two books delineate between symbols used in the varying degrees.  It may help you understand what you're learning, thus stimulating your brain.  But overall, nothing will replace practice.


----------



## teamf07

Welcome brother


----------



## Bro.BruceBenjamin

Welcome aboard.


----------



## cacarter

Welcome Kevin! If you've got ole Henry teaching you, you'll have a great time. I'll see you at a floor practice sometime soon.


----------



## Bro. Brad Marrs

Congratulations Brother, and welcome aboard.


----------



## Traveling Man 1775

Good on you..But you are not a Mason yet.You still have some corners to cut.(So Mote It Be)


----------



## swole

Someone didn't read article 344....ahem....lol


----------



## Traveling Man 1775

Yes brother boaz,I have read article 334... LOL. But in the craft you should not call yourself a Mason until you have been raised. The young brother is still a candidate.


----------



## Timothy Fleischer

Brother Dave
Do you have the GRand Lodge Laws in electronic format? If so, can you share it? I have looked online for the Laws of Texas in an electronic media with no luck.
Tim in Salado


----------



## mark!

If I remember correctly, the politically correct term is an Entered Apprentice "Mason".  I don't have the law book in front of me while at work but I'm pretty sure he is considered a brother after the EA degree.


----------



## teamf07

When you knock in the FC weren't you led to the door by a "brother"


----------



## teamf07

After you take the obligation you are made a mason, though in the EA it's the weaker part of masonry


----------



## mark!

teamf07 said:


> After you take the obligation you are made a mason, though in the EA it's the weaker part of masonry



In the State of Texas, yes, EA's have a lesser role than in other states.  After the obligation you are spoken to as Brother, in which my opinion I feel at that time the candidate is now a Brother, he's now a Mason.  I'm not sure if in the FC the brother is approached as candidate, but that would mean candidate for the degree of FC, not for the EA since he's already an Entered Apprentice Mason.


----------



## blackbeard

although referred to as a candidate, it is, as already mentioned, a candidate for that degree...but a brother nonetheless..  in my jurisdiction ea's and fc's have different rights and privileges than master masons..but they ARE brothers..just sayin..


----------



## Traveling Man 1775

Ok..this is directed to only Master Masons & above. Everybody think back to that grand night when you were raised from a FC to a Master Mason..What were the words of the W.M.??? I'm a P.H. Mason under North Carolina jurisdiction,the laws maybe different but the word is still the same. The W.M. said " here is a duly initiated FC canidate wishing to to be raised to the degree of Master Mason" or something along those lines..Until you are raised you a not a Mason! Does it really make since to give all the rights & privileges of a Master Mason to someone that hasn't been raised? The young man has to be duly & well qualified right? He has to be tried,never denied & be ready to be tried again!!! Those aren't just cute slogans. It's the way of our craft! But to each their own. What ever man shows that he ready to obtain this glorious privilege,& is then raised to Master Mason...you are a brother to me!!!!! So Mote It Be.


----------



## mark!

Traveling Man 1775 said:


> Until you are raised you a not a Mason! Does it really make since to give all the rights & privileges of a Master Mason to someone that hasn't been raised? .



Dear Brother, I believe you are missing the point here.  We are all in agreement that a newly initiated Entered Apprentice or Fellowcraft Mason is not to recieve all the lights in Masonry, they are not to have all the rights and privildges in the lodges as a master, but I find it bad taste to say he simply is not a Brother.  However, I find this to be not the place to discuss such a topic. This is a welcome thread for a new Brother.  I ask that the only post regarding this discussion in this thread be that of a law that pertains to this matter within the Grand Lodge of Texas, if there is one.  I will make a new thread in the Discussion forums for the debate/discussion.  Thank you gentlemen.


----------



## tom268

Traveling Man 1775 said:


> Yes brother boaz,I have read article 334... LOL. But in the craft you should not call yourself a Mason until you have been raised. The young brother is still a candidate.


 Well, that is not so general. It depends on the jurisdiction, you are in. In mine, you are called a brother and a mason in the initiation ritual.


----------



## Dave in Waco

tom268 said:


> Well, that is not so general. It depends on the jurisdiction, you are in. In mine, you are called a brother and a mason in the initiation ritual.



And that is how it is in Texas as well.  The new brother will learn that in his EA work.  Now in Texas, although a man is a Mason and a called a brother at EA, he is not technically a member of the lodge until he has been raised.  

As for the confusion over the term "candidate", they are called candidate during the ceremonies because at that time they are a candidate to receive the degree of that ceremony they are taking part.  In other words an EA going through their FC ceremony, is a FC candidate, but he is still a mason.


----------



## Ben Rodriguez

It feels quite hostile not to recognize an EA brother as such. But then again, different jurisdictions and regulations. Rest assured, out here in TX you are a brother as soon as you take that obligation and begin working towards the next degree!


----------



## Ol Kev

Well, I have started my proficiency work and it looks like I am going to have to start a strict regimen of Ginko Biloba . . .


----------



## relapse98

What I do to remember the work is go over it time and time again with my instructor. Then I'll say it all again to myself on the way home. Then when I take my daily walks, I go over it. Its worked out well for me so far. Be careful not to start adding words or changing things around, those take forever to unlearn. Mouth to ear is hard at first, but it eventually clicks. Go to as many EA degrees as you can (and hope that the person doing the degree and lecture are good at it). I found that watching it again helped solidify it.


----------



## QPZIL

The best advice my coach gave to me is to learn the first degree work inside and out, backwards and forwards. Knowing it well may help you in the future 

It's hard to start out with, sure - but just like with the degree rituals themselves, remember that every single brother you see in your lodge has gone through the exact same thing.


----------

