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We don't do any degree work in December, but we still have our stated meeting. That's when officers are elected (first Tuesday), and we have an open installation the following Sunday afternoon. If our stated meeting falls on Jan. 1, so be it. We still meet.

I am not able to answer what all MMs think about anything. There a several million worldwide, so that means you probably have about as many opinions on any given subject. I think it is safe to say we all have a positive outlook for the future of the world, and the vast majority of us are willing...

To be honest, I can't entirely understand what you are asking. Whatever it is, keying off your use of the word "global," the answer is no. Freemasonry has no global goal because there is no central global authority, despite what the tin foil hat crowd will have you think.

Our Chapter and Council go dark in June, July, and August but Lodge and Commandery do not. I suppose it was set up that way to give folks a little bit of a break during the summer months when vacations are planned and people are doing outside yard/farm work, etc.

We do not do "classes." Candidates get their degrees when they are ready. There have been times when we've opened the Lodge 3 times in one week to confer degrees. We will occasionally do a couple on one night, but I don't like it. It takes away from the candidate. First sections are always...

I personally haven't been extended membership, and from what I've heard, I'd probably have to decline. In our state, it is reportedly incredibly, incredibly expensive, meets twice a year 3 hours away, and is made up of all the same people that I meet and work with at the state YR level.

Most of the "fun" degrees don't take anything away from the Blue Lodge. They don't hold regular meetings (most are conferred maybe once a year usually in connection with a gathering), have too much prescribed ritual, or are even considered real bodies. They usually have about a $5-10 lifetime...

A couple of things .... We have in writing that any Masonic body can use our building any time it needs, free of charge, as long as it doesn't fall on a night the Blue Lodge needs the building. Blue Lodge gets first dibs. Our building is used 2-3 nights a week. The way "payment" is covered is...

I consider side degrees as degrees set up entirely for fun. Two of the four "degrees" you take when you join our past masters association come to mind. Most are designed to foster good natured "you got me" moments. They usually have a very minimal lifetime membership fee which goes to one of the...

Quoting from the EA ritual, at least in our jurisdiction, new members are expressing told Freemasonry is essentially a charitable institution. Agree or disagree on whether it was intended to be that, but it's hard to argue when it is stated as fact. Supposedly, Masonry donates about $3 million...

This isn't a knock on the Scottish Rite ... but I wish someone way back when wouldn't have assigned numbers to the degrees. That is where a lot of confusion arises, especially with people outside the lodge. Just because 32 or whatever is numerically more than 3, they think it is "higher." I...

Congratulations. I am a District Deputy Grand high Priest, so the best advice I can give you is stay on top of your Chapter membership (encourage people to attend) and focus on your ritual (opening and closing). If the EHP is confident in opening and closing the Chapter, the companions follow...

Nixxon, you say there is a Lodge near you, so chances are you may already know someone there and just don't realize it. There is no reason to be uncomfortable, and that's one of the beauties of Masonry. Wherever you go, the Lodge is set up the say, and the ritual is essentially the same. In you...

Welcome

Congratulations. Enjoy the initiation, and try to take in as much of it as you can. Don't worry if you can't take in everything. That's normal because of the excitement of the moment. It won't be until you start going back to watch other degree work before you say, "Oh, yeah. Now I get it."

Adding to this ... our entire Lodge is basically a Masonic veterans association. I'd venture to guess at least 3/4s of our member are veterans. Therefore, there is no need for a separate organization.

Congratulations, and enjoy the degree. As has been previously posted, don't ignore this degree. It gets overshadowed by the EA and MM degrees, but it is just as important.

Sure. I'm thinking more along the lines of "My friend has petitioned your lodge, and I don't think he should join the Masons." That type of thing.

A couple of points on this thread: I find it interesting that "non-Masons may also register with the lodge objections." I'm pretty sure if someone contacted me and offered unsolicited advice on a candidate, I'd probably ask them if they were so concerned about Masonry, then why aren't they...

After getting the idea from people's comments here and just knowing the state of the various organizations to which I belong, I started a threat/asked questions on another message board I frequent. It is made up mostly of people who are in their 20s-50s, most of whom are college educated and...