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  1. tom268

    Masonic Wedding

    Why?
  2. tom268

    A.f & a.m? F.&a.m?

    In all of Scandinavia, the grand lodges work the Swedish Rite, that is neither AF&AM, F&AM or whatever. The oldest Grand Lodge in Germany is the Grand National Mother Lodge "3 World Globes", again without letters. In France, Italy and Spain, grand lodges are usually called Grand Orients, and as...
  3. tom268

    Exemplification of English Fellow Craft Degree - Panther City 1183

    Is this different in Texas? Are EA allowed to watch FC degree meetings? I ask, because it sounds to be something unusual.
  4. tom268

    Papal infallibility

    I find this discussion very irritating for a masonic forum. 1st: Freemasons should respect ALL faiths, as far as I know. 2nd: Such discussions always (!) develop into disrespectful postings and sometimes even church bashing at some point. Just because you cannot control who is writing and those...
  5. tom268

    Masonic Connection

    The altar per se is well known to me. In my jurisdiction, the altar is in the east, in front of the WM (he knocks on it), and other german jurisdictions have a "master's table" at this position and a triangular altar directly west of it, at the bottom of the three stairs to the east. I know...
  6. tom268

    Masonic Connection

    I would like to know, when and where (and from which source) your altar in the center comes from. This is a typical US piece of lodge style and I never saw it in Europe (not counting the US army lodges in Germany).
  7. tom268

    question

    That is quite easy to answer. The UGLE is the United Grand Lodge of England, the one GL in England, that is recognized by all the other regular GLs in the world, and the other is not. You may find the word "regular" in every two sentences on the RGLE website, and they also may list a number of...
  8. tom268

    Masonic Connection

    On the other hand, if Bro. longhorn817 means with "our form" the way you do it in the USA, you can't date it back to 1717, as you have signifficant differences in ritual. How and when the ritual changes came to the states is out of my knowledge.
  9. tom268

    what the obligations mean to you?

    No, Andersons Constitutions are not part of my GLs lawbook. The rules of my GL are based on the General Regulations of Georg Payne in 1720. I'm sure, that we share the same principles, but surely not word by word. So it is difficult to compare what is part of your and my obligation. And yes...
  10. tom268

    Masonic Connection

    Of course, if you say, that masonry is, whenever men are seeking enlightenment, then you can say, that freemasonry was ever. But that does not help, I think. In the same way you can argue, that we are a magical order, as all life is magic and therefore our masonry is magic. But that does not...
  11. tom268

    what the obligations mean to you?

    Well, I'm not sure, that we have the same obligations, but for me, taking the obligations mean a lesson on humblyness, to take the whole as the focus, the whole, that is bigger than all of us together.
  12. tom268

    Supreme Council

    Hm, pardon my ignorance, but Supreme Grand Master of what? And the Supreme Council of where? Masonic titles are numerous and widespread, but only few offices among masonic organizations have international influence. But as a quick answer to your question: What a GM can or can't do is usually...
  13. tom268

    Balloting in an E.A. Lodge (Texas)

    Sorry to say that, but it is a strange attitude you brothers have towards masonry. Pay the due, be a mason, have a funeral? Is that all? I really miss some aspects here in the discussion. How do EAs and FC feel? How many do not come back after their initiation? What are the arguments of those...
  14. tom268

    Balloting in an E.A. Lodge (Texas)

    In most of Europe, at least continental Europe, this is the common practice. All business is done in EA, and you are a dues paying and participating member from the moment you are initiated. Well, as you stay about a year in the EA degree and another year in the FC, it would be difficult to keep...
  15. tom268

    How to wear the masonic apron?

    I never saw a brother in tail coat, wearing the apron above the coat. Exactly for the reasons you wrote. The lodge is no catwalk, but some basic dress rules should still aply, and tail should be worn not only with apron under the coat but also with dignity.
  16. tom268

    fraternity?

    Well, there are members in our fraternity, that better not made it in. Nobody knows, what motives brought them in, sometimes nobody knows, who brought them in and why they are ballotted. ... And sometimes they even get elected to rank and office. Membership does not make a man a mason, and our...
  17. tom268

    Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His Mason

    Re: Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His M I cannot understand, how one can on one hand hold masonic virtues high, and on the other hand act like this.
  18. tom268

    MM now where??? and how???

    Getting the degree of a Master Mason does not automatically mean, becoming a master mason. Freemasonry is not a relay sprint and the fastest is not always the winner. To incorporate and be what you are entitled for, that is the hard part and can only be accomplished by hard work. Not memory...
  19. tom268

    2nd degree

    Getting a new degree is always an exiting experience. It got a new degree yesterday too, so I can feel with you. It was the 10th degree in the Swedish Rite system, and it took me 13 years to get there. Quite fast, I have to confess, but getting degrees fast is not a good thing. Patience is a...
  20. tom268

    Lodge Dues?

    In my lodge, annual dues are at about 570 US$, plus meal plus drinks, plus the collection at every meeting. That is a bit above average for Germany. The average is about 280 to 500, depending on the size of a lodge, number of meetings and if they own a house or rent rooms. Half that for...
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