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This is pretty cool - I think, anyway. I was digging around at the Lodge this morning and came across the minutes book from 1885 and found the entry when by great-great-grandfather - whom I'm named after - joined our Lodge. As I have mentioned in previous threads, the Bible on our altar dates...

This is the way our York Rite Association does it. We meet in the back room of a restaurant, and they even set up a special menu for us (one price, choose one meat, 2 veg, drink, bread). We eat, they take away the dishes, we meet. As for the Lodge, our building has been long since paid for, so...

I highly recommend the York Rite. If you don't wish to join the Commandery, you don't have to. You can just do the Chapter or Chapter and Council, then stop. The only thing not joining the Commandery would do is preclude from joining a few of the invitational bodies. The Chapter and Council...

Having not read the first edition, I can't completely answer that. My guess is it's not much different. Morris just noted that he cleaned up and clarified a few points.

I read it this week. I really liked this book. It's easy to read and has plenty of good information. If you have been a Mason for a while and are any kind of Masonic scholar, there probably isn't a whole lot of new information for you, but it's very well written by Dr. Morris and worthwhile.

This isn't really answering the question asked, just something I like to mention. The Bible on our altar was published in 1883. That means (with a possible few exceptions of people brining in their own or something) that every member of our Lodge for the last 131 years has taken his obligations...

I'll just echo what others have said. My Lodge monitor is blue, Chapter is red, Council is purple, Commandery is black.

In Tennessee, the waiting period is 28 days, based on the lunar month. It doesn't matter if you are some kind of savant who could turn in the lecture 30 seconds after hearing it the first time, you still must wait 28 days. Here, you don't have to turn it in before an open Lodge. You can, but...

I don't mind passing the hat for a reason, as in, "Hey, we are passing the hat, and the money goes toward XXXXXXX (usually a charity, someone's benefit, etc.)." There is one lodge in my area that passes the hat at stated meetings just like the collection plate on Sunday. I find that practice a...

Looking at this, we might be in the running for oldest west of the Appalachians. We are the oldest in Tennessee, charted in 1801.

I don't know what is "official" in my state, but I think regardless of jurisdiction, a little freelance common sense goes a long way as far it's concerned. Don't photograph/record any degree work. If there is some kind of presentation (50-year pin, some kind of certificate, etc.) then there is...

Re: For those who have sat in the East for a degre There must be some big differences in jurisdictions on the FC degree. In Tennessee, it's pretty much generally accepted to be the toughest and the one no one wants to do because the scripture is so hard. After that, it's all down hill, but the...

Thank you. Thank you very much. I'll be here all week.

Pike is the only Confederate general memorialized with a statue in Washington D.C.

I'm personally more of an Albert Mackey guy myself. As noted, the biggest problem with Pike is his stuff is so over the head of most folks, the nuts have a field day picking bits and pieces to use as ammo.

Burden (v.) load heavily.

As Trysquare pointed out, we had forward thinking men years ago who invested wisely, and our Lodge coffers continue to grow annually that way and not by burdening its members. Our building was constructed in the 1970s and paid off in the 80s. There are many of us willing and capable of doing...

Re: What kind of Lodge Education Programs do you l My favorite programs to give and hear pertain directly to our lodge or to Freemasonry in our state in general. I have one prepared for the next meeting. Our first WM in 1801 went on to serve in the U.S. Senate (succeeding our second WM), was...

For the most part, I don't see anything nefarious about this. It's generally human nature to stick with what you know. If you were in a situation having to pick between a Mason and a non-Mason, it could be a determining factor, not out of direct favoritism, but because you know the Mason has...

We host a Mountaintop Degree each year right on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line. It is always well attended, and everyone seems to have a good time. We use stumps for the stations and altar. It's in July, but you have to take your coat because the weather can change on you in an instant...