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Freemasonry is very different in Europe, at least in continental Europe, as many jurisdictions have french influence, what means, the first greater difference from the english roots. It starts with no Deacons, both wardens sit in the west, we have the altar in the east (in my jurisdiction, the...

No, we have two wardens, just like you, we just call them 1st and 2nd Warden. The Assistant WM is more like a Deputy GM is to the GM. I wear a square as a jewel, but a smaller one than the WM, and I am allowed to lead the lodge, if the WM cannot. This can be for a meeting, if the WM is ill or...

Ah, interesting. That is very much memo-work for an A, I believe. I don't know the US degrees, but if they are similar to the english Emulation work, it is very much text. I agree, that at least a C certificate sounds reasonable, maybe with special dispensation for lodges in dire situations.

To make my POW clear, I'm not a friend of mixed-gender masonry, and I'm not much interested in female masonry, as it does not affect me in any way. I'm even opposed to the OES, as it is "co-masonry through the backdoor", in my opinion. But as the brothers of regular lodges tend to discuss this...

How are they considered with male unrecognized bodies? How do grand lodges discern regular PHGLs from fraud ones? There has to be a way, and I think, that only can work on grand master's level. I don't know, how that works practically, but I guess, there must be a way to cjeck, if an...

I started as Master of Ceremonies, with special dispensation from the GM, as I was appointed the day I was passed to FC. My lodge had problems back then, and I was the only one left with enough knowledge of the ritual, as my predecessor got a stroke. I did this for 9 years. I was also MoC of...

Another poll on women masons? The question is not valid at all, as there are numerous female and mixed-gender grand lodges in the world. So, I voted yes, because it is not possible to "get rid of them". The valid question should be, if we give recognition to them. Recognition is a technical term...

What is tested in a certification process? How are the grades determined?

Well, persecution is not the issue, but the nature of freemasonry is. Why taking an oath to keep things secret, if it is just nonsense? And the argument, that everything is revealed already cannot be an argument for us. We copy the betrayal of others? Because someone else betrayed our oath, we...

In Germany, it is uncommon to show your membership, even more, to speak about it. We have the rule, that freemasons do not advertize. A small lapel pin can be seen from time to time, but not very often. We try to keep the secrecy, that was the strength of our fraternity for over 200 years.

The AASR in Germany does one degree per meeting, but they only do 4, 18, 30 and 32. The rest is given either in a special ritual 5-14 or as an instruction before the next degree.

Actually, this is, what I meant. But this IS harder for most of the brothers.

I'm a faithful christian, and I belonged to the roman catholic church for many years. I'm no longer a member of the church, but I'm still a catholic. In Germany, many masons don't belong to a church, and in my eyes that is a problem, because in our largest GL, religious neutrality changed into...

As far as I know, none of the 5 jurisdictions in Germany have any rule on how to wear jewelry, just because it is jewelry and not part of the regalia. My jurisdiction has a chapter ring, that is part of the regalia, but should be worn outside lodge as well. We have to wear it in the middle...

This is a great quote, but it leads to wrong assumptions too often. The solution, that comes in mind to too many grand officers is, "let us make it easier or quicker, so they don't loose interest." Well, you just push the problem to the other and of the line. If it is that fast, they don't loose...

It was indeed common practice in the 18th century lodges to take penalty fees for talking during the degree, forgetting ones regalia, coming too late or forgetting to apologize in advance for not coming and other things. The fees were quite harsh, what clearly shows, that decorum in lodge was...

My lodge as 71 members, including 3 EAs and 8 FCs at the moment, and at degree meetings we have an attendance of 28-35 of them. We need 9 officers to do the initiation or passing/raising. I'm not sure, where you need the masses of people. Actually, I always asked me, why so many US lodges look...

No, it is not a law, but a widely common tradition. We try to know those men at best be could, before letting them into our temple. For example, we topped our intake of new brothers at 5 per year. We have more interested men waiting, but we also want to integrate the new brother into our family...

I think, it is a matter of perspective and no less, the demography. I'm sure, if there would be hordes of young men, knocking on our doors, the GL would lower the age to 18. On the other hand, an 18 year old man, who looses his interest in masonry, because he is not initiated immediately, was...

Yes and no. It is not the title, that is important here. But the WM is a symbol himself. He represents a certain power, the power that initiates the new brother. As far as I know, this power is King Solomon in your jurisdiction, it is G-D in mine. Therefore it is most important, that the...