Light Switch ON

Take Due Notice and Govern Yourselves Accordingly

2009-09-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

It seems during the economy that more and more people are trying to make money off of Freemasonry. Don't get me wrong... I don't mind Masonry in the spot light sometimes especially with Dan Brown's new book "The Symbol".

During these rough economic times people are willing to jump on anything that they think will make them some cash. We had instance in the State of South Carolina where a brother was trying to make money off of selling certain materials that were out of copyright, that were printed in the 1800's. Once confronted the so called brother turned in his dues card. Even to this day, he is trying to sell this material.

Not only is publicity good for the craft, but just how people go on reality shows and get instant fame or win the lottery to have their lives ruined shortly after this can be so with the craft. There will probably be more reports like this one http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/temple-terrace-police-find-burned-bible-on-alter-in-masonic-lodge-arrest/1038176

Also, there has been a increase on Web "DDOS" attacks or Distributed Denial Of Service Attacks on Masonic websites. This is where hackers will use a army of computers to massively send tons of data traffic to a web server hosting the page and "knock" the site offline. The server just can't handle the amount of traffic hitting the page.

Or some find vulnerabilities in there code to gain access and deface the page.

So publicity does come with a price. Brethren and Future Brethren, please check yourself and subdue your passions to making a extra buck or revealing too much to media for a extra dollar.

No... Masons do not have some secret treasure that can be spent, we all don't have Mansions and nice cars.

The only true treasure that Masons have is it's teachings and brotherly love for light being spread everywhere and assisting others trying to make this turbulent ever changing world a better place with sharing love.

Love and Light,
Shane Hale

PS. I haven't read Dan Brown's "The Symbol" yet, but I heard it is a interesting read and does not really make Freemasonry look like the same ole New World Order Devil worshipers like other movies and publications do.

Future of Masonry on the Decline?

2009-07-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

I am meeting more and more masons from around the world and the United States. Recently, I read a article in the Knight Templar about the decline of masonry and how many lodges are closing. It seems that the lack of focus on work and other equations were mention. Sometimes it makes me wonder if it is more than just numbers. Is there something missing?

In York Rite, I have heard a lot of the degree work used to be memorized instead of read out loud. It seems that maybe work is deteriorated along the years. The importance of learning not only the blue lodge work but other work seems to be lack of.

This has really gotten me to the point of wanting to learn everything in the blue lodge and extend that to my York Rite as well. I don't want to be a "card carrying mason" I am proud to say I am a Freemason even wear my ring and put the decal on my card. I have noticed that since I have become a mason that there are some people at work including my manager use me at the butt of their jokes.

Why is there so much animosity towards Freemasons? I really don't get it these days. I hope that Freemasonry will not decline and that the article if way dead off in the Knights Templar magazine. I will govern myself accordingly and keep on keeping on for the search for more light. I hope you all will do the same.

Racial Rucus in Atlanta Lodge

2009-07-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

I received the following news from one of our districts.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has picked up the story, and it is now spreading through the Associated Press.

In short, Gates City Lodge in Atlanta raised a military veteran earlier this year, who was black. Two other lodges filed masonic charges against Gates Lodge, accusing them of un-masonic conduct and violating the landmarks of freemasonry for raising a non-white man. The Grand Lodge apparently allowed the charges to stand and scheduled a trial.

Gates Lodge filed suit on June 19, in the Superior Court of DeKalb County, asking for an injunction to stop the trial, among other matters. The case is pending.

There is plenty of additional information on the internet, available by a Google search.

According to most bylaws there is nothing to stop a black man from joining a regular non Prince Hall lodge except the disrupting harmony clause that would be applied to anyone thought to cause a disruption. I will look forward to see how government will intervene on this one

http://gatecity2.blogspot.com/ Link to the Lodge

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/US_Freemason_Fight.html

Shriners in Greenville Sc may close

2009-04-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

I am wanting to get this out to others to report on a Shriners Hospital possibly closing in Greenville Sc due to budget cuts.

I am helping out on Facebook trying to get a Fundraiser going http://profile.to/shanehale . If you have yet become my friend add me and just put in the message Freemason.

As you all know earlier posts my daughter had to go to this Shriners Hospital in Greenville SC and it was a blessing to us. I encourage everyone to help save Shriners Hospitals from closing.

http://www.foxcarolina.com/money/19063150/detail.html

FundRaiser
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/261600/21097814?m=6d54c0aa

Thanks for your support!

Shane Hale

Retrospective Masonry Bail Out Plan.

2009-03-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of months I really looked inside myself and realized somethings about masonry.

A lot that it teaches is to be retrospective in your life. Everyone should just stop everything they are doing and the every day rat race and "Hussle N Bussle" of life and look at all the beautiful things that God has brought us. He is definitely the Grand Architect.

The problem with this age is everything is On Demand and rush rush. Like when I was in the military the ole "Hurry up and wait". People do not have any patience any more nor do they think clearly or long enough to appreciate life in general.

With terms like ADHD and short attention spans. I really attribute this to everyone in such a hurry and running in place like a gerbil on one of those Wire Wheels. They are running so fast to get really no where. I think the true meaning masonry teaches it to appreciate the surroundings that has been constructed. Love and appreciate people for who and what they are.

Life is so disposable today and not appreciated. Everyone wants convenience and if they do not get it they get all crazy and in a uproar. With out a cornerstone in life or any foundation we are merely a structure waiting to collapse. If everyone stopped worrying about the economy and all the media hype and really tune out and pause their life and appreciate beautiful things like a mother singing to a child or crickets chirping and night.

I think crime,corruption and other superfluities of life would tend to decrease and the nation and world for that matter would find out truly a better bail out plan.

I want to thank Freemasonry for making me a better retrospective person andhelping me to apprecitate the precious commodity called time that all of us seldom have.

Non-Masonic conduct, What do you do?

2009-03-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

After being in the craft for almost 2 years now It has become dear to my heart. I see some people wanting to join for obviously the wrong reasons.

Their actions as a man may make many masons shutter. If you see someone that maybe pledging in another lodge that you know is not in it for the right reasons or their personal actions in real life to yourself and to others is out right despicable. What do you do?

What happens if their actions continue after they are a brother. I have seen and heard from 2 people who are hot heads and have admitted to wanting to be in it for the wrong reasons. If masonry helps them improve their personal traits and make them a better man then I am all for it but what happens if they continue to be not so level?

Visting Lodges outsite your area

2009-02-24T09:24:00.001-08:00

I would have to say, I went to a Lodge in Georgia and saw the actual 1st degree work and a normal business meeting and I was very impressed with some of the differences between the state of South Carolina and the State of Georgia.

It left me to wonder if differences in work and rituals from state to state and country to country. What is the true integrity of the work. Who decides to make changes in the work overtime and why?

To answer my question I just looked at the different denominations in religion and the interpretations of the Holy Bible. Different denominations but same religion. Let's say I enjoyed one state's interpretation better than another. What can I do to bring change to my state?

These are just thoughts, When you see things that look to be better in interpretation and help benefit the craft as a whole, how would you go about making change? The answer would be the Grand Lodge but how?

Thought I would write this brainstorming question on how the craft can open up and make improvements over time. Changes from fund raising to ritual work ect ect.

Paying Dues

2009-02-06T06:27:00.000-08:00

Picture above was at the Scottish Rite Center/Lodge in Nassau Bahamas
Top of the Year and the rent must be paid. A discussion was talked about at an instructional meeting and something that I would like to stress to all the brothers out there.

During these economic hard times we as brothers need to followup with the responsibility to call other brothers to ensure their welfare is ok Don't be too quick on marking members MPD when it comes to dues.

There was a case where a brother had Alstheimers and was not capable of paying them. No one knew that he had this condition with out calling.

If you have the extra time and money help a brother or just call one that you haven't heard from in a while.

Until next time... Been pretty much studying the whole process of things in the watchful steward position. The more I watch the more amazed I am with Freemasonry.

Our Masonic Ideals and wishing the new presidential administration the best!

2009-01-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

Today brings a new administration, and a new perspective on the problems facing our nation. I wish President Obama all the best wishes in guiding this country of ours thru the perilous times ahead, and we should all help him, and to do whats best to preserve the rights and liberties of all men and women of our nation.

With this being said, the excerpt below is from the article titled, "Personal Integrity" by Sir Knight Clayton J. Borne III in the January 2009 issue of Knight Templar magazine which seems to sum it all up nicely.

"Masonic Ideals:

As we strive to cultivate integrity in our personal lives and collectively in our spiritual brotherhood, our efforts meet with constant resistance. As appauling as it may be, society today is a reflection of disrespect, an unappreciative and uncaring disease that migrates into all aspects of our culture. The cure as with all other social problems is education.

The Masonic ideals and their influence on society thru the ages have been exerted in no better or more nobler purpose than the ageless struggle by the Brotherhood for "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity" and ultimately a secure freedom for society. Our Fraternity thru the ages has been the champion of oppressed people with the object being the emancipation of mankind from every form of tyranny. Within our lodges, liberty or freedom, especially in thought was freely encouraged. That freedom, based on these principles, made possible the natural progression of a transformed life.

The humanist philosophy so prevalent in society poses obstructions to our Masonic ideals. The basic concept of Liberty has always had an aggressive enemy. It is the self-centered concept of entitlement. The entitlement belief is the direct result of the modernist doctrine that there is no rational basis for values. Despite our Masonic brotherhood's continued efforts to promote integrity, the value system of society has been erroded. Many of society's values become problematic; in other words, nothing is truely good or bad. It's all a matter of opinion. We must ask then, how and why have principles? Do as you please or whatever you can rationalize as being right. Without the Liberty to choose our own actions and make our own choices, we lose the qualities that make us uniquely human. It is only when people do the right thing freely that we can have confidence in their character. If they act out of principles such as truth, benevolence, and productiveness as taught in our lodges, then we know that their actions result from good character and the principle of liberty is preserved."

After reading this excellent article from our Knight Templar magazine, I can't help but think of the direction our nation and the mindset of it's people will be going. When thinking of our charities as a Brotherhood given freely, and others that would be hampered by those "charities" or "patriotic duties" to be mandated by laws. Many in our country want to turn a blind eye to this, and to our dire financial realities. President Obama and others of his ilk want to lead the charge by promising to deliver more things to more people, at taxpayer expense, and dig us into an ever deeper hole. There simply is no way to pay for it all without dramatically raising taxes on all the productive citizens and businesses in this country. If the Obamas of this country have their way, government will grow, entitlements will grow, our deficit will grow, and the tax increases needed to support it all will stifle any potential growth of our economy.

Have you ever dug yourself out of financial hole? If you are honest, you will admit digging out meant working more, saving, spending less, and generally living within your means. I seriously doubt most of us would consider borrowing more, or taking from others to be the solution. Why should we support representatives and a government in Washington that would behave any other way. The language of hope and change is nice, and has a feel good tone, but those of us who run a household or a business know that talk of hope and change is not enough to get the job done. Digging out of a hole requires spending less money, and creating more wealth; it is as simple as that. Irresponsible promises, trying to be everything to everybody, unchecked spending, and crippling taxation are a recipe for disaster. Real hope and real change will require all of us to pitch in to work, grow our economy and urge those on entitlements toward greater independence and productivity.

The No. 1 economic threat facing the United States today isn't globalization, stagnant wages, unfair trade policy or illegal immigration. And it certainly isn't what one cable TV demagogue glibly calls a "war on the middle class" by big media, big corporations and big special interests.

Rather, it's this sense of entitlement that many Americans take with them into the workplace, in their expectations from their government, and the eagerness with which they as individuals shift the blame when things don't go according to plan.

The key is to never to take responsibility for the personal decisions you've made. Eventually, some opportunistic politician will come along and confirm what you've always suspected -- that you are at the mercy of forces beyond your control, and this politician will tell you that he would take more from others who have more, or "the rich" to help you to become as successful as they are, all for the price of your vote and blind support.

This simply isn't what our Founding Fathers intended from government, and it's not in line with our Masonic ideals that we as good and upright Masons inculcate in our lodges, and try to impress on the hearts and minds of those outside of our lodge. It's this mindset that I fear most from the proposed actions of the upcoming administration.

2009 Seats and Greets

2009-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Ahh, The wonderful time of year. The Masonic change new faces new elections and change. It is wonderful to see this and watch the craft as it maintains it's deep heritage of men making themselves better.

I just got appointed as steward and all of a sudden constraints I have had a major work schedule change and with the economy I find myself doing a digital hustle trying to make ends meet. I don't know if it is just me or what. But, to attend a meeting and leave just seems to be a breath of fresh air when times are tough. I feel like a total refreshment when you leave a business meeting or degree work.

Been soo busy I feel guilty about not attending my York Rite meetings either. Well, Had to put a personal post in hope all you brothers a great 2009 and I promise to post meaningful material.
Palmettobug's Masonic line blog has some nice articles on the recent lodge foreclosures. Well soo much to do and read no time to do it.

Hope all you have a great New Year!

Govern Yourself Accordingly

2009-01-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

When the pressures of recession
Make us concentrate on greed,
Take heed, a worthy Mason
Cares about another's needs;

Don't let pressures of the moment
Make your obligation sway,
Stop and help a fallen brother
Or another by the way;

What you give is like a bubble
Whenever you assist,
What it costs in time and trouble
Is, soon after, never missed;

Brother, bear that obligation
You accepted on your knee,
It's in direct relation
To your own security;

Never hesitate, my brother
Square your actions now and say,
"I'll remember I'm a Mason,
"And behave like that today;"

"With regard to human kindness
And the 'Golden Rule', I pray,
I'll remember I'm a Mason...
And behave like that today."

A holiday Masonic Post

2008-12-25T20:27:00.001-08:00

A Canadian brother my the name of POW Mason he got it from someone else It is a very good article on brotherly love.

Masonic Paper published by a Brother here in Kingston.

Yesterday at 10:33pm

A Warm Masonic Tale

Author Unknown

It was a tale of Masonic men surrounding a campfire in the Old West, at night, discussing the Fraternity and its teachings. One old man listened patiently, and finally spoke up:

"I can tell you more bout Masonry in a little example than some of the great Masonic philosophers can in books. Everybody Stand up, and gather in circle around the campfire ."

They did that. "Now, everybody hold hands with the man next to him." they did that, too. "Now, what do you see looking ahead ?"

"The face of a brother through the flames."

"What do you feel in front of you?"

" The warmth of the fire, and the comfort it brings on a cool night."

" What do you Feel at your side?"

"The warm hand of a brother." "OK. Now drop the hands, and turn around."

They do so. "Now what do you see, looking ahead?" Complete darkness."

What do you feel, looking ahead?"

"A sense of loneliness, of being alienated".

"What do you feel at your side?' Nothing at all."

What do you feel on your backside?"

" The warmth of the fire." " So it Is with Masonry," said the old man. "In Masonry gatherings, you can feel the warmth of Masonry interaction, you can see the face of a Brother through the light Masonry brings to you, and you can always feel the warm hand of your Masonic Brother.

When you turn away from masonry, and are out in the world , you see darkness, feel alienated and alone, and do not feel the warm hand of your Masonic Brother. But Masonry, and the warmth and light it brings, are just a turn away from you."

Officer Installation

2008-12-10T19:05:00.001-08:00

Well I am finally a officer and look forward to making my rounds around the chairs. Sorry haven't posted a lot lately it has been so hectic around the holidays. The lodge has elected me to position of a steward a very observant role and I can't wait to start being more active in the blue lodge. I also was elected in the York Rite but being so new

I think I am a steward or some type of officer. I am still getting used to the commandry ways. I am now trying to figure out what lecture to learn first I really want to learn the 2nd degree lecture due to the complexity and beauty of the lecture as well as not many people know it and it would help out the few that do in our district and help them take a break.

I have to say I am proud to be a mason and love being a part of this magnificent fraternity and brotherhood!!

Entered Apprentice a Father and Son Team

2008-11-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

Last night,I witnessed a great event. I had the pleasure to see 2 sons of 2 brothers who were best friend be initiated into the craft on the 1st degree. I sat and imagined what a feeling that would be and the emotions that would be running through both Father and Son.

Me being a father myself I wondered what that feeling must of felt like to have one of your own flesh and blood take the same path and walk in the same footprint you did.

Even though I have rekindled my relationship with my dad over the past 2 years after him being out of my life since age of 3. I really truly felt a bond of Father and Son last night and the energy amongst the brother hood was awesome.

I felt such a privileged to be a part of this event. Masonry is not only a brotherhood it is a family. To see wonderful fellowship and watch other brothers,fathers crying on such an emotional event is such a awesome sight to see.

This was right after a wonderful story of our Grand Lodge Master conferring a father and son degree on dire circumstances. I just had to post this email I received about the wonderful event!

Email here and please keep this brother and his family in your Prayers!!!

Historic Masonic Event
Brethren,

I am sending this to all my Masonic email contacts and ask that all Secretaries in the 29th District forward it to their members. I also ask all others to forward this to any Brother they know that loves WB Bob Cape. Some of you will get duplicate copies of this because you are multiple group lits of mine.

Last night we had what I feel was an historic Masonic event!

As many of you know Worshipful Brother Robert Henry Cape is under Hospice care and not doing very well at all. When Brother Wayne Carey and I visited with WB Bob yesterday afternoon, I put Most Worshipful Brother Jerry Carver, Grand Master of Masons in SC on the speaker phone with WB Bob, his loving wife Carole and his EA candidate son John who is up here from Texas to be with his Dad before he goes back to Texas to get his EA Degree on Tuesday from Humble Lodge 979 of Humble, Texas. Our Grand Master knew that Bob, who could not even move his head on his pillow, had asked to be put on a plane to Houston so he could be at his son’s initiation. After speaking to the Cape family, MW Brother Carver asked John if he would like to have his EA Degree done here. John was in disbelief that such a wonderful thing could happen but said he would love it to be that way.

I want to let all of you know that, within a couple of hours, MW Brother Carver had the consent of the Grand Master of Texas and Humble Lodge for Pawleys Island 409 to confer a courtesy EA Degree on John Cape in Bob’s house! He gave us special Dispensation to do so and it was done at 8:00PM last night, less than seven hours after the phone call mentioned above.

I want to apologize in advance if you did not get a call from me to attend but you must understand that I had to keep the number of Brothers small because of the venue. I can assure you that WB Bob considered that all of you were there in spirit. We had 13 Brothers present – 8 from PI409 including Bob and 4 from other Lodges in the 29th District and, of course John Cape.

Below are a few excerpts from the Minutes of this wonderful Masonic event:

Secretary Peteet noted that this degree is very special because WB Bob Cape is bedridden under Hospice care and could not go to Texas to see his son John get his EA Degree which was scheduled for next Tuesday at Humble Lodge #979 in Humble, Texas. RW Peteet asked all to appreciate the effort of our Grand Master to clear this degree with MW Brother Tommy Griffin, Grand Master of Masons in Texas and WM Mark Mullins of John’s Lodge which Most Worshipful Brother Carver accomplished within two hours earlier today.

…newly made EA John Cape gave a heartfelt thanks to all, but especially his father, WB Bob, who was his inspiration to become a Mason. Several Brothers spoke of their admiration for WB Bob Cape, but it was Bob’s old friend Brother Bud Chestnut who spoke truly from his heart about his long-time love and admiration for all that WB Bob has done for the Craft and his brothers.
I feel that, as Secretary, I must add a few parenthetical notes about this historic meeting:

I know that we could have filled a large hall with Brothers who would want to be here for WB Bob and his son John, but due to the venue and Bob’s condition, I felt that I had to restrict the attendance to a small number. I apologize to all that did not know about this meeting.

WB Bob’s wife Carole has been his steadfast supporter in all things regarding our Craft for many years and she deserves all of our thanks for allowing us to intrude in her home at this time.

For those of you who haven’t seen WB Bob lately, he is in really bad shape which is probably obvious when someone is under Hospice care. He is totally aware when he hears a Brother telling him that they are there, but he is unable to really communicate because all he can get out is a barley audible whisper.

But if you could have watched him while this degree for his son was being done, you would have been amazed at his strength by seeing him focused on WM Seman and Candidate John while John was being obligated. It also brought tears of joy to my eyes when twice tonight, I saw WB Bob raise his hands and actually clap his fingers together. Once when his son John gave his thanks to the Lodge and his father for being his inspiration to join Masonry and secondly when his old friend Bud Chestnut spoke about him.

Tonight has made me more proud of Masonry than anything else because I saw that this Brotherhood can accomplish all things if we just give it a try. It could have been a different Grand Master that approved this, it could have been a different Brother that was in distress, it could have been many things but tonight was proof to me that Masonry is what Masonry is – Brothers caring for Brothers!

Fraternally yours,

Hugh C. Peteet, PM
Secretary, PI 409
DDGM, 29th District

PS- Today was certainly a new day. WB Bob was alert and clear-eyed and speaking in a normal voice. These facts allowed me to know with certainty that the Fraternity did a fantastic thing last night! Please get your calls in to WB Bob and keep him and the entire family in your prayers.

I hope you have enjoyed this heart found story! Not only is Masonry alive and well so is the human spirit of Faith Hope and Charity! It makes me proud of our Grand Master of South Carolina and honored to be a part of this wonderful fraternity!!

Sir Knight Templar that is

2008-11-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

Well, It is done. I am now a Sir Knight. It was one of the most memorable degrees ever. The work was impeccable. I can't wait to get involved with this work and helping out. I think the Order of the Temple and the Royal Arch degrees bring a deep meaning for personal development. Along with the Blue Degree I think the work is one of the most importance. The degree work and lectures are beautiful in meaning and tend to make you stop time and take a snapshot of your life and make you think in retrospect.

I often think what other knights could of went through back in 11oo's. I am proud to be a part of the York Rite and look forward to doing more work with them. I may later do other appendant bodies but now I have my plate full with the Blue Lodge and the Templar Conclaves,Asylums.

Fraternally,
Shane Hale

Clandestine Part II

2008-10-29T18:42:00.001-07:00

Seems more and more clandestine masonic lodges are popping up and even applying for their own State license plate. It seems now days to try a brother at the door is not acceptable the true and only way is to check dues card.

I always wondered why some people would want to go against the grain and start their own branch of masonry. And then I thought to myself, With the economy being so out of whack all over the world it has to be only one reason and that reason is money..

So don't get offended if you ever travel to a AFM lodge in South Carolina and have your dues card checked it is for the sanctity and safety to keep the ancient work of the craft in tact.

Order of The Commandery

2008-10-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, as I prepare for the last part of the York Rite I was doing some more reading on the Commandery. I noticed that the York Rite in our area being the in Southern United States does not really have a appealing membership or participation rate as the Shriners or Scottish Rite appendant bodies. Well I am looking forward to this journey for the Order of Commandery continues and finalizes.

I feel the York Rite so far up to the Cryptic Council has been a awesome experience in my quest to seek further light in masonry and in my opinion even though one of the darker appendant bodies, To me seems to be the most exciting.

Here are some pieces of information I found on the Internet about the Order of the Commandery.

The Commandery orders represent a new direction of Masonic thought and experience, in that they no longer refer to Ancient Craft Masonry, but to ideals and practices of chivalry and Christianity.

The first Commandery order, the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, presents the story of the Jewish Prince, Zerubbabel, and his efforts to secure permission of the Persian King Darius to rebuild the second temple at Jerusalem. The next order, Knight of Malta, is a complete departure from Masonry based on the Old Testament and is the first Christian order. Here, the candidate represents a knightly warrior of the Crusades prior to his departure for the Holy Land. The last order is that of Knight Templar, the crowning glory of the York Rite system. Again, in this totally Christian order, the candidate represents a knightly postulant who desires to unite with a Commandery of Knights Templar during the era of the Crusades.

After several trials to test his faith, courage, and humility, he is rewarded by achieving his desire.

Interesting stuff wish me luck!

Fraternally,
Shane Hale

York Rite from 3rd to Select Master

2008-10-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I have made it to select master and it was a long journey of a day very interesting degree work. I personally was very fond of the Mark Master degree but all was very insightful and after it was over it seemed everyone who went through were left scratching their heads and contemplating on the events they saw. I am still running the work through my head over and over again. There are alot of messages in each degree alot of the Royal Arch and Cryptic council were mixed up not revealing any of the specifics it reminded me of a Star Wars saga from Star Wars to Attack of the clones in that order or mis order. I think masonry should make these degree mandatory or at least the Mark Master. Alot of good deep messages in this degree. I will agree with Burning Taper I think there is much more in the degree work and I think I kind of caught some of the messages that were trying to be relayed. Next up Order of Red Cross and Malta to complete the commandarie and York Rite.

York Rite Degree Preparation

2008-10-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I am getting ready for the first part of my York Rite Journey and trying to mentally prepare myself going through. Which this Saturday it will start at 8:00 AM til who knows. I do know the other Saturday will be the Commandary part.

I am getting pretty exciting about it is like reading another half of really good story only to find out To be continued... Right when the story starts to get good. I have been researching Templar history which has been very interesting and learning more about the York Rite. The Scottish Rite was another choice for me with another interesting saga to the 32 degree. I chose York Rite it seemed to be the somewhat more mysterious degrees than any other.

Another interesting thing, I found out was that this is sometimes called the American Rite or American degree I read this a couple of times online so that is interesting in why it is called that. I have been reading on Roslyns Chapel and DeMolay really cool Templar related stuff. On one of the commandry sites I even read that at one point masons were not allowed to be a part of the Templars for some odd reason therefore debunking the theory that Masons were a part of the Templars myth. I look forward to this journey and I hope I enjoy the degree work.

Non-Masonic Investment Tip for Beer Drinkers during a bad economy!

2008-10-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know some of you may not drink and this is not really Masonic oriented but I am trying to make some light of the rough waters our economy has been in.

Please note sound advice below.
If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you will have $49.00 today.
If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you will have $33.00 today.

If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago, you will have $0.00 today.

But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund, you will have received a $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily & recycle. It is called the 401-Keg.

**********
A recent study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year.Another study found that Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year.That means that, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon!

Makes you proud to be an American!

Knight Templars and Pirates

2008-09-23T06:46:00.000-07:00

I found this article very interesting and listed the source website very intriguing to the templar history and North America

One legend has it that the Jolly Roger obtained its appellation from the French name for the red flag, the "Jolie Rouge." And so it may be, for the flag was first used by a French order of militant monks known as the "Poor Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon" - commonly known as the Knights Templar.

The Templars, were pious men. They gave up all their worldly possessions when they entered the Order, only carrying money on special occasions when they traveled alone, turning over whatever money that remained upon reaching their destination. They were ferocious warriors; pitching themselves into the midst of their enemies, astride charging warhorses, against incredible odds. Contemporaries had this to say of Templars:

The Templars are most excellent soldiers. They wear white mantles with a red cross, and when they go to war a standard of two colors called balzaus is borne before them. They go in silence. Their first attack is the most terrible. In going, they are the first. In returning, the last. They await the orders of their Master. When they think fit to make war and the trumpet has sounded, they sing in chorus the Psalm of David, "Not unto us, O Lord" kneeling on the blood and necks of the enemy, unless they have forced the troops of the enemy to retire altogether, or utterly broken them to pieces. Should any of them for any reason turn his back to the enemy, or come forth alive [from a defeat], or bear arms against the Christians, he is severely punished; the white mantle with the red cross, which is the sign of his knighthood, is taken away with ignominy, he is cast from the society of brethren, and eats his food on the floor without a napkin for the space of one year. If the dogs molest him, he does not dare to drive them away. But at the end of the year, if the Master and brethren think his penance to have been sufficient, they restore him the belt of his former knighthood. These Templars live under a strict religious rule, obeying humbly, having no private property, eating sparingly, dressing meanly, and dwelling in tents.1

"The warriors are gentler than lambs and fiercer than lions, wedding the mildness of the monk with the valor of the knight, so that it is difficult to decide which to call them: men to adorn the Temple of Solomon with weapons instead of gems, with shields instead of crowns of gold, with saddles and bridles instead of candelabra: eager for victory -- not fame; for battle not for pomp; who abhor wasteful speech, unnecessary action, unmeasured laughter, gossip and chatter, as they despise all vain things: who, in spite of their being many, live in one house according to one rule, with one soul and one heart." -- St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"in turn lions of war and lambs at the hearth; rough knights on the battlefield, pious monks in the chapel; formidable to the enemies of Christ, gentleness itself towards His friends." -Jacques de Vitry
Being men of principle; their rules of conduct were strict. They were willing to die for their beliefs, and so were feared on the battlefield and respected in life. Such was their reputation, that in battle, there were instances where the enemy would turn and run at the very sight of Templars entering the field. Their Rule of Order stated that breaking rank was worthy of losing ones habit. They neither asked nor gave quarter; the were expected to fight until death stayed their sword arm. Retreat from an enemy would not be countenanced unless the odds were greater than three to one against them and they were forbidden to ransom themselves if captured. They fought like men possessed, either prevailing in their cause, or suffering death under the banner of Gol'gotha - the place of the skull - where their Christ died.
Templars were not to succumb to the temptation of thinking that they killed in a spirit of hate and fury, nor that they seized booty in a spirit of greed. For the Templars did not hate men, but men's wrongdoing.

They were dedicated to the protection of travelers and pilgrims of all religions, though they themselves were Christians, in fact many Templars were of Palestinian birth, spoke perfect Arabic, and were familiar with every religious sect, cult, and magical doctrine, including that of the Islamic Assassins. The Grand Master Philip of Nablus (1167 A.D.) was a Syrian.2 They were great statesmen, politically adept economic traders, and they were allied with the great sailor-fraternity that had created a worldwide trading empire in Phoenician times. They became immensely powerful - had the largest fleet and the most successful banking system in Europe. But they could not sustain their grip on the Holy Land. Their losses3 were too great, and they were eventually driven off the Levant by Saladin, their Moslem adversary, in 1291. They continued to fight for their cause in the only manner they could - on the high seas.

The best known Templar pirate ship was the Falcon, "the greatest that had been built at that time."4 She was in the harbor when the fortress of Acre fell "and rescued many 'ladies and damsels and great treasure and many important people'4 by evacuating them to 'Atlit."
After the orderly navel evacuation of 'Atlit, the Templars retreated to their Mediterranean island bases on Cyprus, Rhodes and Sicily. Until their dissolution, they, together with the Order of St. John, continued as the foremost maritime powers in the Mediterranean, continuing to effectively wage war on Moslem shipping.

The Templars were still very powerful but in the eyes of European monarchs and the Church, the Templars raison d'tre had ceased with the loss of the Holy Lands. Jealousy and covetousness reigned. Phillip IV, who was deeply in dept to the Order, had seen their treasures stored in Paris, and designed to make it his own.

On Friday morning October 13th 1307 - and the reason for which Friday the 13th has become known as an unlucky day - King Phillip IV together with Avignonese Pope Clement V, ruthlessly suppressed the Order throughout Europe, with false accusations, arrests, torture and executions. (Timeline) Though they were offered communted sentences and comfortable lives if they would renounce their Order and plead guilty to the charges, for some mysterious reason, they preferred to remain true to their principles5 and received their punishment.

A large number of Templars escaped that day to an uncertain future, and found refuge abroad. On the eve of the arrests, the entire Templar fleet mysteriously vanished from the port of La Rochelle carrying with it a vast fortune, the fate of which remains a mystery down to this day.

Just as a terrorist to one is a freedom fighter to another, so it was with the Templars and their fleet. Wanted by the Pope and all the crowns of Europe, they came to be viewed, by the "comfortable folks" on the mainland, as pirates.

After being driven out of the Holy Land as well as Europe, but still formidable at sea, the refugee Templars found sanctuary in Scotland, where Templar graves bear witness to them having lived and died there in the fourteenth century. King Robert the Bruce had no interest in persecuting the Order, in spite of a papal bull ordering him to do precisely that. To the contrary, he took advantage of their fugitive status, offering them asylum in return for their help in his war for independence against King Edward II of England. Templars have been suggested as the source of mounted soldiers who assisted Robert the Bruce's Scots Guard at the battle of Bannockburn, as the Scots did not have a mounted force.
As the Scots Guard continued through the years, two of the prominent families involved in its history were the Sinclairs and the Stuarts. Both families trace their lineage back to members of the Knights Templar, as well as to prominent figures of the New Testament. Hugues de Payns the first Grand Master of the Templars was married to a Sinclair.
There is also evidence that the Templar fleet traveled to North America in 1398 (almost 100 years before Columbus) with the Sinclairs, and settled there at least temporarily. Connections are made between the tower ruins along the eastern coast of the United States, objects discovered in the Oak Island "Money Pit", and the Templar Order.
The Sinclairs (or Saint-Clairs) castle near Edinburgh, was situated next to Rosslyn chapel, which was constructed by the Sinclairs according to the floorplan of Solomon's original temple. Engraved in the masonry around the chapel are maize and aloe plants, which grew only in North America.
Throughout Scotland, as well as within Rosslyn Chapel, there are carvings and tombstones dating back to the 15th, 16th, and 17th century using combinations of Templar imagery (skull and crossbones, Templar swords, Templar crosses) and Masonic symbols (compass and square).
The Stuart royal house became one of Freemasonry's biggest supporters during their reign of Scotland and England.
Some also suggest that the rituals used in modern Freemasonry have their origins in the ancient texts discovered by the Templars in the ruins of Solomon's Temple while excavating to build their stables. Recent archaeological digs in the area have supported this theory by finding serveral Templar artifacts buried beneath the temple. In the 1950's, a scroll made entirely of copper was discovered in the caves near Qumran. When translated with the other "Dead Sea Scrolls", this "Copper Scroll", as it has become known, was identified as a treasure map listing various precious metals, religious artifacts, and writings supposedly buried beneath the temple in Jerusalem.
By the 17th and 18th centuries, the skull and crossbones was a symbol with a powerful reputation but identified with no official organization. The Templars had long since gone underground and evolved into other organizations. The symbol was usurped and came to be associated with the pirates of which we are more familiar. They changed the flag to suit their needs replacing the crossbones with swords, adding hourglasses or other symbols.
Anonymous Pilgrim V.2, tr. A. Stewart, Anonymous Pilgrims, I-VII (11th and 12th centuries), Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society 6, London, 1894 p 29-30.
A History of Secret Societies, Arkon Daraul, 1962, Citadel Press, NY
At Harim in 1164 they had sixty dead from a contingent of sixty-seven; in the space of a little over two months in 1187 they lost 290 knights at the Springs of Cresson and at Hattin; in 1237, while besieging Darbsak, the Templars of Baghras were heavily defeated by Aleppan troops, leaving them with only twenty survivors from a force of 120 knights; at La Forbie, in October 1244, they emerged with only thirty-three knights from the 300 they had contributed to the army; less than six years later, at Mansurah, the Grand Master told Joinville that 280 of his knights had been killed. It is natural to see such losses in human terms, but at the same time it should not be forgotten that each of these knights represented a large financial investment. In 1267 the cost of maintaining a knight for the defence of Acre for a year was ninety livres tournois. As a good estimate of the average annual income of the French monarcy at the time of Louis IX's first crusade is approximately 250,000 livres tournois, this means that even if each knight killed at La Forbie represents only a year's investment of Templar resources, the total loss was still little short of a ninth of the annual Capetian income. - Barber, Malcolm, "The New Knighthood", p232
Ramon Muntaner, Cronica Catalana, p. 368-9, also the Chronicle of Muntaner tr Goodenough p466-9.
Principle - guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of right conduct: a man of principle.

Paraphrasing the crusade historian William of Tyre, "Accepting that 'mistakes tend to creep into lengthy communications' [Prov 10:19], we invite our reader to correct errors in the spirit of kindness." - CC LXIII, p 101.

Source:http://www.skullandcrossbones.org

MASONIC MEMBERSHIP CARD

2008-09-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

MASONIC MEMBERSHIP CARD- Author Unknown
I hold in my hand a little scrap of paper
2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches in size.

It is of no intrinsic worth,
not a bond, not a check or receipt for valuables,
yet it is my most priceless possession.

It is my membership card in a Masonic Lodge.

It tells me that I have entered
into a spiritual kinship with my fellow Masons
to practice charity in word and deed;
to forgive and forget the faults of my brethren;
to hush the tongues of scandal and innuendo;
to care for the crippled, the hungry and the sick,
and to be fair and just to all mankind.

It tells me that no matter where
I may travel in the world,
I am welcome to visit a place where good fellowship prevails
among brothers and friends.
It tells me that my loved ones, my home,
and my household are under the protection
of every member of this great Fraternity,
who have sworn to defend and protect mine
as I have sworn to defend and protect theirs.

It tells me that should I ever be overtaken
by adversity or misfortune
through no fault of my own,
the hands of every Mason on the face of the earth
will be stretched forth to assist me in my necessities.

And finally, it tells me
that when my final exit from the stage of life has been made,
there will be gathered around my lifeless body,
friends and brothers who will recall to mind my virtues,
though they be but few,
and will forget my faults,
though they may be many.

It tells me that, and a great deal more,
this little card,
and makes me proud yet humble,
that I can possess this passport
into a society of friends and brothers
that are numbered in the millions.

SO MOTE IT BE !!

I SEE YOU'VE TRAVELED SOME

2008-09-16T05:49:00.000-07:00

I SEE YOU'VE TRAVELED SOME

- Author unknown

Wherever you may chance to be

Wherever you may roam,

Far away in foreign lands;

Or just at Home Sweet Home;

It always gives you pleasure,

it makes your heart strings hum

Just to hear the words of cheer,

"I see you've traveled some."

When you get a brother's greeting,

And he takes you by the hand,

It thrills you with a feeling

that you cannot understand,

You feel that bond of brotherhood
that tie that's sure to come

When you hear him say in a friendly way

"I see you've traveled some."

And if you are a stranger,

In strange lands all alone

If fate has left you stranded

Dead broke and far from home,

It thrills you--makes you numb,

When he says with a grip of fellowship,

"I see you've traveled some."

And when your final summons comes,

To take a last long trip,

Adorned with Lambskins Apron White

and gems of fellowship

The tiler at the Golden Gate,

With square and rule and plumb

Will size up your pin and say "Walk In",

"I see you've traveled some."

I feel guilty

2008-09-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

Coaching is a corner stone

After vacation I finally had a chance to go to our monthly business meeting and a topic of coaching brothers who are moving up in the degrees. To be honest, I felt kind of guilty do to the work load of starting a new business and changes in my life. I then realized the excitement I felt moving up in the degrees and studying the degree work. I made time to go to degree work and study with a coach. Now it is time for me to give back a little and I shy away. I am looking forward to the York Rite in fall but after that meeting I felt like crap.. I am going to find a balance to at least one brother to coach this year. I am tired of feeling like crap... It is time to give back. I encourage all to get with the secretary and find some brothers who need help and help them out. This is my goal for the year and I hope one you will make too.
Fraternally,
Shane Hale

I Apologize for this

2008-09-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

I just got home from the monthly lodge meeting and a brother approached me about my blog saying it was a good read but he was concerned. He stated "Why do you have a link to Masonic Secrets Revealed?" I was numb to the fact knowing that my site did not have such a link.
Then it dawned on me!! I used a Google Adsense Widget that was a part of my Google Blogger account. Wanting to monetize a little and make a few pennies on pay per click advertising. I remembered Google uses adsense to target content and keywords.

For example: If your site was about apples and you had a bunch of stuff about apples and you used adsense it would display content oriented stuff like apple pie or secrets to growing apples placement advertising. So if some knuckle head was selling a book revealing masonic secrets then it would display on a Masonic oriented site.

I have removed my adsense widget and want to apologize to every brother. Sometimes you can become numb to advertisements to not really pay attention to what they actually are saying. To all the readers I am sorry.

Thanks to the brother who made me aware of it!!

Masonry today and how you fit in?

2008-08-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

So you are a master mason... You have been through the blue lodge degrees and experienced all the uncertainties,excitement and hardwork to get there. Now what?

It seems after the degree work alot of masons lose their flair of the craft and the used to be flair has not sizzled out. It seems you are lost on what to do and where to go. Well, for me I see many blogs post on the excitement of joining and after the degree work it just fades. Even at the lodges you see one individual make it to their 3rd never to be seen at a business meeting again.

Why do you think this is?
What are some things that can be done in the blue lodge to keep members active?

In my last post which I decided to talk about Linkedin and professional affiliations I was kind of setting it up for this post.
Sometimes, I do think there are many motives other than the improvement of a man himself.
Getting the 3rd degree and not participating in the degree work or being active with a lodge seems to me that you are shorting yourself this level of self improvement.

Some lodges today are suffering lack of participation. I encourage you if you have not been to your lodge in awhile stop by and get active.

I talked to a man/brother the other day who practically was my father growing up and I found out through his son that he was indeed a brother and he told me he felt bad he had'nt been in his lodge in years and probably did not know anyone anymore. I encouraged him to go back and meet some of the newer brothers and provide some leadership and guidance to the newer generation.

My question to you is to look deep and ask what was your real reason in becoming a Freemason?
What were your motives and intentions once you became one?

Answer these questions and think back when you were going for your EA and think of the excitement you had about the craft.

If you have'nt participated in your lodge in awhile I encourage you to get out there and do it absorb the degree work and emerse yourself and meet new brothers share their excitement in the degrees again.

I hope this has brought some light to your today. This is my masonic pep talk for today.

I hope you all have a great week!

Masonic Linkedin Plug yourself

2008-08-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

Remember when the old days when a handshake would seal the deal?

Well now days it is hard to know whether or not someone is square and on the level or not. I have met so many Freemasons through a site called Linkedin to the point that I have put it on my website and decided that anyone in business should try it out.
It is free and you can join a ton of masonic groups and meet brothers from all over the world. I think now days people need security and trust and network in the business world during uncertain times in the economy.

I know some masons who don't really like to mix business with Masonry but to me if I see a mason or it listed on a resume I know he at least represents hardwork and dedication. Do you like to display your square and compass at work or do you like to be a little more secretive about it. I guess this goes back to my previous blog post about wearing the ring. What are your true thoughts on Masonry and business ediquette?

Wonderful Vacation

2008-08-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

It was cool to go to the beach and meet more brothers. I was down and met a brother who was from Seneca, SC a district away from me. We hung out the whole week and it felt like being with family. It is a awesome thing to meet a new brother you have never met before and built a friendship from it. I noticed so many Square and Compass emblems on cars and met so many different brothers it was a awesome event. I started readom more on esoteric masonry especially the hiramic legend and 47th problem of Euclid. Very interesting stuff. I have been reading so much other things such as Rich Dad Poor Dad Series. I went through probably 4 of his books. If you ever are interested in understanding business and investing without the bore of numbers and budgets those books are really great!! Well back from vacation and back to work. Hope you brothers out there are having a great week!

The Masonic Mill

2008-08-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

I had a weird thing happen awhile back; a guy saw my square and compass ring and said "He had got his 3rd degree in Florida on a Saturday saying he went from EA to MM him and several others."

I know I hear brothers from other regions grumbling about York Rite being done on a weekend and how it took them years to complete those degrees.

But, the core of the work is done in the Blue Lodge. I can't really see legitimate Freemasonry taking a candidate from EA to MM in a day with out any memorization of degree work. This seems very clandestine! Has anyone heard of 1-3 in a day degree work? What are your thoughts on the subject?

I had quite a bit of feed back from the PH masonry post which led to very in depth emails from Racism to other logical reasons related to Grand Lodge laws and why such things are done. So now the next one is to tackle why have a clandestine lodge "Milling out Master Masons".

Also, I have noticed a lot of Masons not wearing their ring or only wearing it in lodge meetings or degree work. Is this the norm? I wear mine all the time and proud to show that I am a member of such a wonderful brotherhood. Once again thanks for contributing to my blog and I look forward to hearing from you.

Advice and a question

2008-07-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

How does someone know online that another is truly a mason. Brothers I warn you to be careful with who you talk to and what you talk about. The only reason I am saying this is while working with my brother who raised me at Masonic Tips to build our lodges website My Lodge .
We would have to have the Grand Lodge of South Carolina approve it at the time we did have King Solomon's link on there but were told in order for site to be sanctioned and legitimate we were to take this off.
There are a lot of radical opinions and clandestine people claiming to be brothers.

My advice to my brothers out there is to be careful with whom you talk to and what you talk about.

My question to you is "How do you effectively try a supposed brother online to be a mason?". I really don't think there is such a way with out seeing them in person.

Becareful Be safe and god bless!

Prince Hall Vs Clandestine

2008-07-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

I currently live in South Carolina and I am somewhat confused with the Prince Hall issue at hand. I know this is a touchy subject but I am curious to why they would be considered clandestine in some states and not another. Is it per Jim Crow laws? Is it by the way Prince Hall's operate? I have several friends who are Prince Hall masons and even though I abide by my Ahman Rizon constitution of the Grand Lodge I find it confusing on the do's and don'ts and whys? I was told that a PH mason from a state that is recognized can attend our lodges as long as it was in a state where PH masonry is not considered clandestine. However, if risen in the State of South Carolina they are not allowed. This is not a attempt to stir a pot of emotions and controversy as it is to understand the meaning behind it. If anyone has insight please inform me of history and future of this masonic dispute.

The Old Master

2008-07-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

THE OLD MASTER

HE WAS SITTING IN A WHEELCHAIR,

LOOKING DOWN AT THE LAWN,

I THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE ASLEEP,

THEN I SAW THE OLD MAN YAWN.

I TOLD HIM I'D COME TO VISIT,

A BIG SMILE LIT UP HIS FACE,

HE SAID IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN,

PEOPLE VISIT THIS OLD PLACE.

PARDON MY MANNERS YOUNG MAN,

AS HE OFFERED ME A CHAIR,

WOULD YOU LIKE A GLASS OF TEA,

IT'S ON THE TABLE OVER THERE.

I BEGGED OFF THE OFFER,

BUT I SAID I HAVE A SURPRISE,

I'VE COME TAKE YOU TO LODGE,

YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN HIS EYES.

YOU KNOW, I'M PAST MASTER,

ABOUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES,

HE SAID AS MATTER OF FACT,

I CAN WORK ANY CHAIR IN LINE.

I FELT PROUD TO PUSH HIS CHAIR,

AS WE HEADED FOR MY CAR,

I HAD ALREADY CHECKED HIM OUT,

AND SIGNED HIS PASS CARD.

WHEN WE DROVE INTO THE LOT,

YOU SHOULD'VE HEARD THE CHEERS,

I HAD A LUMP IN MY THROAT,

DOWN HIS CHEEK ROLLED A TEAR.

THE LODGE WAS FILLED WITH BROTHERS,

WHO HAD COME TO CELEBRATE,

OUR GUEST OF HONOR HAD ARRIVED,

THE EASTERN STAR HAD BAKED A CAKE.

WE MADE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION,

THAT BROUGHT LAUGHTER AND TEARS,

FOR TONIGHT OUR WISE OLD MASTER,

HAD COMPLETED SIXTY-FIVE YEARS.

WITH COUNTLESS YEARS OF SERVICE,

IN THIS LODGE IN HIS HOMETOWN,

HE DID IT ALL WITH A GENTLE HEART,

AND THE STRONGEST GRIP AROUND.

HIS TIRED OLD VOICE CRACKED,

BUT HIS MIND WAS SHARP AND CLEAR,

AS HE TOOK THE MICROPHONE,

SITTING THERE IN HIS WHEELCHAIR.

WE ALL SAT DOWN AT TABLES,

WITH HOT COFFEE IN OUR CUPS,

HE SAID I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU BACK,

TO WHEN I WAS JUST A PUP.

YOU SEE, THERE'S BEEN TIMES,

THIS OLD LODGE ALMOST WENT DARK,

WE WERE DOWN TO JUST A FEW,

AND SOME DIDN'T KNOW THEIR PART.

BUT WE KEPT ON WORKING HARD,

AND DOING EVERYTHING WE COULD,

TO GET MORE MEN INTERESTED,

IN THE CRAFT OF BROTHERHOOD.

OH THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS,

THAT'S CHANGED OVER THE YEARS,

BUT YOUNGER MEN NOT COMING IN,

IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST FEARS.

YOU SEE, IT WAS DIFFERENT THEN,

THAN IT IS THIS DAY AND TIME,

I REMEMBER HOW STRICT IT WAS,

YOU DIDN'T DARE CROSS THE LINE.

ABOUT ASKING A MAN TO JOIN,

WHEN YOU KNEW HE WAS GOOD,

GOD AND FAMILY CAME FIRST, THIS,

THE LODGE UNDERSTOOD.

WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL HE ASKED,

ABOUT HOW TO BECOME ONE OF US,

THEN WE COULD TELL HIM THE TRUTH,

ABOUT FELLOWSHIP, HONOR AND TRUST.

WE WORKED HARD AND DID OUR BEST,

TO BE GOOD EXAMPLES AMONG MEN,

WE ALL KNOW FROM READING THE BIBLE,

THERE'S NOT A MAN WITHOUT SIN.

SO WE'D TAKE THE BEST MEN,

AND GENTLY SHOW'EM THE LIGHT,

JUST LOOK AT ALL THE BROTHERS,

THAT SHOWED UP HERE TONIGHT.

IF I COULD LIVE MY LIFE ALL OVER,

AND I COULD REWRITE EVERY PAGE, I

'D HIT A FEW BUMPS A LITTLE SOFTER,

BUT THERE'S NOTHING I WOULD CHANGE.

EACH TIME I WAS ASKED TO TEACH,

OH IT MADE ME FEEL SO GOOD,

TO LEAD YOU GENTLY TO THE LIGHT,

UNTIL I KNEW YOU UNDERSTOOD.

I LOVE YOU ALL MY BROTHERS,

I ENJOYED BEING THERE FOR YOU,

AND I'LL TELL EACH ONE TONIGHT,

YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR ME TOO.

HE TALKED FOR HALF AN HOUR,

AS WE TRAVELED BACK IN TIME,

HE HAD TAKEN US ON A JOURNEY,

AND WE HUNG ON EVERY LINE.

IT WAS LATE WHEN WE GOT BACK,

BUT HE WAS STILL WIDE AWAKE,

AS I PUSHED HIS WHEELCHAIR INSIDE,

HE GAVE THE NURSE A PIECE OF CAKE.

UNTIL THE OLD MASTER IS CALLED,

TO THE GRAND LODGE ON HIGH,

HIS MEMORIES WILL BE FILLED,

WITH THE CELEBRATION TONIGHT.

A FEW YEARS HAVE COME AND GONE,

SINCE WE HONORED HIM THAT NIGHT,

THE OLD MASTER EVEN HELPED ME,

RAISE MY GRANDSON INTO LIGHT.

HIS KIND AND GENTLE MANNER,

STANDS TALL AMONG THE BEST,

TODAY HE MADE THE FINAL JOURNEY,

WE LAID THE OLD MASTER TO REST.

George Washington's Boyhood Home

2008-07-07T09:27:00.001-07:00

Was reading http://www.slate.com/id/2194821/?GT1=38001 Pretty interesting. They said about 500,000 artifacts were excavated at this site on July 2nd. Thought is was interested enough to post on blog.

Happy 4th Of July!!

2008-07-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th Of July!!

What is the better Path? Scottish or York

2008-07-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

I have been contemplating what is the best continuation of the 3rd degree. I have heard alot about the Scottish rite degrees and the York rite. I am wondering which on seems to be the best continuation.
I read a article that Albert Mackey said the York Rite was not correct because it refered to 3 entrances to the Temple of Solomon which in fact there was only one entrance which was the eastern entrance. This is about as much as I read into it. After reading the York Rite it seems to be the best continuation in my honest opinion. I will have to read more about Scottish Rite to make a better assessment.

Obama For President? Newsweek Masonic Overtone

2008-06-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

The latest copy of Newsweek gets pretty interesting; the right hand of the man with his hands around the seal shows what looks to be a Past Masters ring.

The picture above does not do it any justice you really need look at the magazine to see it first hand it makes out to be a Past Masters ring.

I can't wait to hear the conspiracy theorists start the buzz now.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/138611

York Rite Petition

2008-06-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

I have chosen to go through the York Rite and have filled out my petition to do so. The degrees will be conferred on 2 Saturdays. I am looking forward to seeing and being apart of these degrees to me they closely represent the continuation of the Blue Lodge by reading some the online descriptions of what each degree will mean.

First Meeting and New World Order hype

2008-06-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

I attended our first meeting www.Divver.org. The monthly meeting was really nice meeting brothers that I only would see in degree work from time to time and meeting other brothers that I usually did'nt see much. We had a normal business meeting despite having no air condition! Copper theives are really bad in this area for destroying HVAC units for copper. So we are waiting on the insurance company to settle all the paperwork and legal documents for a future replacement. However, even after the business meeting we had voted on some initiates and decided to go dark in July in hopes the air conditioning will be available by then. Since I was raised I have be able to get a ring which I got through an estate sell online Ebay

One thing I would like to mention is the Freemason propaganda and New World Order hype. If we were taking over the world I would like to figure how many business meetings and votes would be needed to do so and to collaborate with the other lodges. lol So anyway they are very fun to read!

Raised to 3rd degree

2008-05-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I was raised to the sublime 3rd degree of a Master Mason. It was the most amazing thing ever! There was an officer from the Grand Lodge there as well which made my open lodge examination a little nerve racking on top of our lodge Air condition being stolen the previous week it was crazy hot. The big thing in our area is copper theft so people are stealing anything like air units and cutting the copper out. Needless to say it was very hot after while. The degree work was awesome and alot of brothers turned out to see me be raised. I can now go to regular meetings and where a ring as well as put on car emblems. I can honestly say other than asking the lord to come into my life and my marriage and daughter being borned that the 3rd most important event in my life was being raised as a master mason! Now the question is how to properly wear a masonic ring I have been reading and wearing my compass points outward facing away from me. I see alot of brothers wearing it facing towards their body. Symbolically I think it should be away from the body while the points of the square face towards the body. Feels good to be a Master Mason!

Freemasonry and the past 6 months

2008-05-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

Well next week I will proceed to the 3rd degree. I am excited to become a Master Mason. One thing I can honestly say is that my past 8 months have been life changing. I have really took the teachings of masonry and applied them to my life. I have gotten allot more organized.
What all has happened? I have a beautiful 9 month old daughter. I have started a diet and fitness regimen that so far I have lost about 10 lbs in weight. I have won 3 distinct awards in my company as well as completed a 800 page training manual and trained 16 employees over a course of 3 months. This has all happened since I have put my petition in and knocked on the door. Has masonry had anything to do with it? I think it has.. It definitely has been the rule and guide of my life along with my fortitude to do better. I am proud to say I am a brother and to be a part of a wonderful organization that has helped me keep my bearings during turbulent times.
You get out of Masonry;what you put into it!

3rd Degree

2008-05-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

So I received a message from my Coach Jim that I was voted in favor to receive my 3rd degree in a couple of weeks. I am actually looking forward to this. I will be able to wear a ring place decals on my car attend monthly meetings and join appendent bodies. I am signing up for the York Rite with Jim in the fall to go for Knight Templar degree. I want to experience Scottish Rite as well. There are so many opportunites in Masonry and I am looking forward to experiencing new things and meeting new people. To me the York Rite seems mysterious and exciting and has a very interesting appeal to me. Well I am truly ready for my 3rd degree. It seems I have everything lodged in my head. Well I want to keep my blog going as much as possible and bring positive aspects to Masonry. I see so many blogs out there that are suspect or used for negative propaganda. Until next post....

Protecting your kids from Myspace

2008-04-24T07:07:00.001-07:00

Thursday, 24 April 2008
After having a daughter for 8 going on 9 months and having my wife research and find some of our nephews myspace pages and to see the filth behind it. I have come to the conclusion to take some actions to help others out there and research product online. I came across http://www.pctattle.info/ also http://www.kidshield.info/ and it seems like a very impressive piece of software which is what I am going to try out and post the findings I have heard very great reviews on it and was going to try it out for myself and give it to my in laws to try. Stay tuned on the outcome. The best action is done at home!!

Here is how predators are using it to find information online about your children!!

Predators looking for teenage girls or boys have a tool that makes it very easy for them to find and groom their victims and millions of teens are playing right into their hands. I wouldn’t be writing this column if I thought I were spilling secrets or, in any way, aiding adults who have an inappropriate interest in teens but, unfortunately, predators tend to be very good at what they do and most of them probably already know about what I’m about to tell you. The sad fact is that it is very easy to find teenage victims in your community, thanks to an online social networking service called MySpace.com. This advertising-supported site, which was acquired last year by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, presents a veritable smorgasbord of teenagers, organized by community and high school. If you know the name of your local school and the sex and age of teens you’re seeking, you can find them on MySpace. What’s more, in most cases, you can find pictures, names and photos of their friends, details about where they were born, what they like, and where they hang out. In many cases, you can also find their full names and cell phone numbers.
After looking around I found a tool that might can help with at least monitoring activity? Ecityweb is proud to announce KIDSHIELD also known as PCTATTLETALE it will help monitor your kids activity and keep a eye on anything and everything your kids can do online.

Sacred Geometry

2008-04-03T05:39:00.000-07:00

So while I dwell on things I learned from Second degree lecture and doing research back to Greece 512 BC on architecture and ancient structures. To me, I found one of the true reasons they use structures and Masonry as a way to teach morality and becoming a better man.
I look at reality of today and we see all the time on CNN of bridges and buildings collapsing. However, you look at the a little deeper you will wonder if this reflects most men and their standards cutting corners,laziness, and no accountability for their actions. While bridges are collapsing and buildings topple. You see more and more people shooting people in cold blood for 5 bucks or children being harmed on a day to day basis. TV has no bounderies anymore of what they show. Is the the decline of Man himself? Are we collapsing such as the new structures of today. Are we evolving ourselves into some sort of primitive beast with no logic for self control and acting on primal instinct? It is a shame that most men do not seek Masonry to help improve their lives. I think in order for the world to become a better place we need to look at some of the old structures of the world. Who built them? How were they built? Wonder how they still stand compared to the current buildings of today and look at ourselves and wonder are we a old solid building with a strong foundation and intricate details; Or are we a flimsy building with a weak foundation ready to fall at any gust of wind.
As I ponder the philosphy of this I also have been researching a great bit on sacred geometry of the world and found some decent links. If anyone else does research on this I would entertain the idea of leaving any reference links that could help me. Godbless you all!

“If you do not know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere.” -Henry Kissinger

Passed Second Degree

2008-03-24T11:55:00.001-07:00

Saturday Morning March 22nd 2008 I was passed to second degree. I have to say the lecture was the most memorable. I was completely amazed with the whole degree and now can't wait to attend more FC degrees. I have heard the 1st and 3rd are most memorable. I really enjoyed the Second. Since I was only one to be going through this I was very nervous but found out I was harder on myself than I should have been. Any which way I enjoy fellowship with all my brothers and enjoyed seeing all of them dedicate their time to help improve another brother to move up in a degree.
It is about Brotherhood along with Faith Hope and Charity. Masonry is truely a art form along with guide and ruler to self improvement.

Nice Turn out

2008-02-29T05:50:00.000-08:00

It seems Masonry in South Carolina is really big! Over the past 3 months I've been to 3 different lodges to watch Entered Apprentice work being done. The average turn out has been around 50.
Last night I had the honor to attend a older lodge downtown it actually looked like one you would see overseas in England. The moldings to the seating everything was beautiful and immaculate. The turn out was 70 people from 6 different area lodges some from far away as Massachusetts. We had barely enough room to the point I was asked to kindly try and push as far North East as possible. This was impressive. I've read where some were saying masonry was older gentlemen and how lodges were dying out.
Well, not in SC the average age of the lodge seems to be in 30-40 range. It is truly a wonderful site to see young and old brethren carrying out our legacy of our brothers whom have gone this way of masonry before us. I look forward to my fellowcraft and becoming more involved. On the other hand I was told I should look my second to be voted on in a week.

Second Degree

2008-02-18T05:24:00.001-08:00

Been awhile since last post after attending many degrees from various local lodges I really think I get it and have the work behind me. There are somethings I am shaky on but I think in the long run I will duly and truly knock it out. My coach told me that they were going to vote on my second degree but decided to wait til they get a couple more that will be ready in March. I am looking forward to visiting the lodge again since I have not been there since my 1st degree. As mentioned I have visted many degrees even one done by the local sheriffs office which seemed to be my most memorable. I also found out one of my friends was WM of a lodge across town which I attended some 1st degree work. Things are definitley coming together even our website was approved for our lodge recently by the grand lodge I had the great opportunity to help with. Things are coming into fruition.

Work

2007-12-19T05:22:00.000-08:00

Well I have started to try and remember alot that went on in the 1st degree that night. After visiting several blogs some people said the 1st degree and lectures are out on the internet. I went to a couple and started to memorize most the best that I can and suprisingly I remembered alot. I also remembered enough to know that my obligation and alot of my lecture had some differences from what I was reading.

This brings me to another point it seems like there are differences from state to state. I have one brother from Washington State who moved to South Carolina he was stating some points of his 1st degree that was very different than what I experienced. I also has another guy who saw a square and compass calendar on my desk who was from South Florida who said he ran through all his degrees in a day due to masonry was in trouble in FLA. I am like ??? I dont agree with that form of masonry with the short cuts and cutting corners. I am glad South Carolina is old school. You don't get a book or paper you do need a coach one on one who will help you remember everything. This seems to be the best way. I respect every brother and their rituals and lectures. I guess I am seeing tons of differences in masonry that I guess amazes me.

Well on that note I am hoping to shoot for 2nd degree in January. I feel if I can get a couple of Lectures behind me I will be ready to take it on. I am learning word for word sentence for sentence the meaning of everything I went through that night and trying to get a full grasp and not just memorize it. One good saying I read on a masonicpride forum. "YOU CANNOT GET SQUARE, IF YOU CUT CORNERS". That says it all right there. Let the work begin!

Past to Entered Apprentice

2007-12-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

Well Last night was a extremely awesome event! I can honestly say it will be something that I will always remember! We sat down to eat first which the meal was very well organized and put together. I was so nervous I could not eat. Me and 3 others were going through the degree together. After being passed to the 1st degree all I can say is it is really amazing how all the brothers who participate take time out of their lives to dedicate to degree work.

All of my brothers were extremely nice and helpful! 2 of my brothers Jim and Roger who signed my petition were there for support which help me feel at ease a little. One thing since I am not a very verbal person I really think this will help out in my public speaking skills as well becoming a better man all together. There are alot of morals and ideals that are to be learned with the obligation. Overall last night was a awesome event and I proud to say I am a Ancient Freemason Duly and truly accepted!

Ride the Goat

2007-12-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

Looks like tomorrow night will be the night. One of the guys that was a part of my investigative committee called said the vote went well and that the degree work will start tomorrow. He was pretty friendly and down to earth. He stated try to be there 20 minutes early and there will be some degree work then a meal. I look forward to doing this way it sounded he said he would be reading through some masonic handbook. I am thinking the first degree will be tomorrow. Any which way I am ready and looking forward to doing this. I am excited on becoming a Freemason and even my wife is happy for me. So the journey begins!!

Studying my history and Knight Templars

2007-12-06T12:45:00.001-08:00

While studying my Hale history I found out the Hales who come from Eastern Tennessee which my father was born and raised in Johnson City. It seems I have traced my history to a group called Melungeons.

After talking with my dad I realized. There was confusion between our Irish/Scottish and Cherokee heritage and it seems that the Melungeons have cleared this up.

How am I connected to the Melungeons?
http://www.melungeons.com/articles/melungeondnaproject.htm#Hale

Could the Melungeons be connected to the renegade Templar group that left La Rochelle? Who knows but the reading was very interesting.

Knight Templars are really amazing read and Ive been reading everything from LaRochelle to Sinclair and Roslyn Chapel. Defintilely some masonic symbolism and the apprentice pillar.

I also found out along the way that I was connected to Nathan Hale who was the first spy who dies for our country and was said to have founded the CIA.

The reading is good while I wait for a answer from the investigative committee.

The Mysterious Melungeons

A distinct ethnic group known as the Melungeons lived in sizable communities primarily on the upper ridges of the eastern Tennessee counties, including Hancock, Hawkins, and Rhea, in Ashe, Yancey, Surry, and Alleghany Counties in Western North Carolina, and in what are now Wise, Scott, Lee, and Dickenson Counties in southwestern Virginia.

In the 1750's, the first great waves of English and Scottish-Irish settlers entered the area, they found the best land already occupied by the Melungeons, who spoke a broken form of Elizabethan (i.e., 16th century) English and carrying English surnames as well. However, it is notable that English-speaking Indians did not understand much of their language. The non-fluent English spoken was such as could have been acquired through contact with such pioneering English settlements as that at Roanoke Island. These mysterious, apparent European people were largely blue eyed, dark-skinned, reddish-brown complexion people supposed to be of Moorish descent, who were neither Indian nor Negro, but had fine European features. The Melungeons claimed Portuguese ("Portyghee") or sometimes Spanish or Turkish. The Melungeons staunchly denied either an English or Indian heritage.

Columbus may have been the first to encounter Melungeons during his fourth voyage to the "New World." On July 31, 1502, he recorded having encountered a galley-type ship larger than his own, which was similar to galleys present in the Mediterranean at the same and earlier time periods. His son, Ferdinand, recorded that the ship was manned by forty men and women, and carried a cargo of tools, metal implements, and forges. The people wore cotton "mantelets," sleeveless shirts with an intricate design on them. In 1504, also during the fourth voyage, Columbus made a further extraordinary find. In a native settlement, he came across an iron pot and the stern post of a European ship, too heavy and distant to be that of the wrecked Santa Maria. All who saw it thought it could only have come from the Canaries, proof that at least one ship had made it across the Atlantic before Columbus.

Early English explorers had encountered the Melungeons in the Carolinas as early as the mid-1600's. One Melungeon mining community was reported in the southern Alleghenies in 1654. English explorer James Needham related how on a journey into the Tennessee Valley in 1673 he and his party encountered:

"A white people which have long beards and whiskers and weares clothing, and on some of ye other rivers lives a hairy people. Not many yeares since he Tomahittans sent twenty men laden with beavor to ye white people: they killed tenn of them and put ye other tenn in irons, two of which tenn escaped and one of them came with one of my men to my plantation. As ye will understand after a small time of rest one of my men returns with his horse, ye Appomatock Indian and twelve Tomahittans, eight men and foure women. One of these eight is hee which hath been a prisoner of ye white people .. ye prisoner relates that ye white people have a bell which is six foot over which they ring morning and evening and att that time a great number of people congregate together and talkes he knowes not what." (Samuel C. Williams, Early Travels in the Tennessee Country (Johnson City TN: The Watauga Press, 1928), 28-29.

Reportedly there was also a tradition that the congregation of Melungeon people would also bow in the direction of the bell. These scant early observations of the Melungeons provide important clues to their origin. These facts suggest a Roman Catholic-Latin origin.

The leading theory regarding the genesis of the Melungeon people, who had established widespread, well organized settlements before recognized Western European colonization of the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, is that they are descendants of Mediterranean seamen who reached the Americas long before Columbus.

Some proponents of this theory claim that the Mediterranean seamen were Carthaginian or Phoenicians who may have discovered the New World some 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. The problem with this theory is that is highly unlikely that the surviving population could have maintained - for no less than 3,500 years - a separate existence, both culturally and genetically from the Native Americans. In that period of time, the Carthaginians would most likely have been either absorbed totally into, or destroyed by, the already sizable Native American tribes. It would also not explain their persistent claim to be "Portyghee," in addition to "Moors" and "Turks."

However, it would be possible for Mediterranean maritime colonists to fend off absorption for a period as short as 300 years, especially if those "Phoenician" Marines were actually part of the renegade Knights Templar fleet that had escaped from La Rochelle in 1307. The Knights Templar were particularly well equipped to organize and defend successful farming settlements in the New World, such as those that had surrounded their confiscated Preceptories in Europe. The reported religious customs of first Melungeons discovered by Europeans in the 1600's squares with their having come from a Roman-Catholic heritage, such as that of the Templar monks. Likewise the reported custom of Melungeon men having had long beards points in the direction of Templar descent. The discovery of second-century Hebrew Bar Kokhba coins around a known Melungeon settlement in Kentucky similarly supports the theory that Knights Templar, not Carthaginian or Phoenicians seamen, were the direct ancestors of the Melungeon people. Finally, the Melungeon's assertion that they were "Portyghee," "Moors," and "Turks" is striking evidence in support of a Templar identity. Many Templars were, in fact, in the later years of the Order of Eastern descent. Moreover, an assertion of Portuguese descent would be regarded as safer than admitting Templar origins, for in Portugal the Knights Templar had been reorganized as the Knights of Christ and not subjected to the same fate as their brethren in France.

Modern genetic studies have shown an undeniable link between the Melungeon people and the Mediterranean. A 1990 reanalysis of blood samples taken in 1969 from 177 Melungeon descendants concluded that the "results are consistent with the Melungeon tradition that they are Portuguese." (James L. Guthrie, "Melungeons: Comparisons of Gene Distribution to Those of Worldwide Populations," Tennessee Anthropologist 15/1 (Spring 1990). Among those populations showing no significant differences from the Melungeons were population groups in the Galician area of Spain and Portugal, the Canary Islands, Italy, North Africa, Malta, Turkey, and Cyprus. It is a telling coincidence that the majority of these locals were Knights Templar strongholds.

The great waves of English and Scotch-Irish settlers in the 1750's, ushered in a new era of discrimination against the Melungeons. Newly arriving immigrants, finding that the Melungeons were for the most part already occupying vast areas of the best farm land set about to usurp the Melungeons' land for themselves. At first the new immigrants used sheer intimidation and occasional violence. Soon they adopted more effective methods. The racial classification law was soon changed in Tennessee and North Carolina to include in the Censuses of 1790's a new classification "free persons of color" in addition to the four existing categories (White, Indian, Negro, or Mulatto) and used it to strip the Melungeons of the lands, their right to be represented in court, their right to vote, and their right to a public education. Designation as "FPC," "FC," or "mulatto" by a census taker legally disenfranchised the person; nothing could thereafter change the census takers decision, even protesting that they were of Portuguese descent.

Not all Melungeons accepted their fates quietly. The Civil War presented an opportunity for vengeance. Many Melungeon men formed bands of what came to be known as "Melungeon Marauders," and spread terror throughout East Tennessee, and to a lesser extent, Southwest Virginia. A more common coping mechanism was to avoid census takers, thereby rendering large portions of the Melungeon population officially nonexistent, while others retreated to the least desirable pinnacles of the forbidding mountain ranges of the Appalachians. Many others chose migration westward, mostly to Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and California. Others chose to migrate to Maryland and Ohio. The migrants largely tried to leave their Melungeon heritage behind them as they entered new territories free from the prejudices that drove them from their Appalachian bottomlands.

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Dark Period

2007-12-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting after the petition was placed to hear back from anyone on the investigative committee. It had been since October since I placed my petition.

I finally was contacted by someone who was a pastmaster and a part of my investigative committee he asked me some questions and wondered if I was contacted by anyone else. After talking to him I realised that display an interest in you and really want to know why you would want to become a FreeMason. After the phone call he told me they would vote on it tomorrow night and that everyone is extremely busy.
After reading Masonictips.com site which is my friend from church I realised the Divver Lodge is a younger leaning lodge and in fact one PastMaster at our church who helped sign my petition is in his 20's. It really amazes me that so many 20's 30's 40's lodge members are so active. For me work and family life consume alot of time but it seems masonry is about self improvement and taking time out of your life to look at yourself as a individual and becoming a better man to society.

::UPDATE::

I contacted one of my friends whom was raised to the 3rd degree not to long ago and basically got to sit in on his first meeting which was a vote from my investigative committee along with 3 other candidate votes from the committee findings. I know I have been bugging him quite a bit so I decided after one more email today not to bug him much anymore he merely told me they voted on it and I should be contacted by someone that made up my investigative committee. I am learning the lesson of patience.

I decided to start my own masonic blog instead of mixing the tech blog posts with the masonic posts.

Post 3 Petition process had started

2007-12-06T10:25:00.001-08:00

After getting the petition and feeling nervous about asking. I finally got it and filled it out. It was very straight forward with the questions asked. I think it may have been voted on last Tuesday. The petition had not been signed due to my rush thinking I could get it in before the monthly meeting. I was told it would be taken care of. For now I am in the waiting mode. I have been reading anything from the Freemasonry for Dummies to some Knight Templar code and history.

Due to wife and daughter have bouts with the hospital I am glad I am not in a rush. I figure they will tell me if I have been accepted or god forbid black cubed. I have been reading alot about voting process and it seem pretty official. Now is a time of dark before the light. If I am blackcubed I will petition again. I don't know anyone to be black cubed but you never know the reasons from what I am told you do give your Social Security #. I really have nothing to be afraid of it is just the thought of being looked at and accepted not knowing what qualifications need to be met. I look forward to sharing this process with in the masonry guidelines. Let the wait Begin!!

Post 2 One good reason for joining

2007-12-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

Masonic Blog 2

Front of Building bad photo of Shiner statue

Well after experiencing my first hospital visit with my daughter. We went to a Shiners hospital and all I can say is that sold me to masonry. If you have never been to a Shiners hospital I suggest go. They are so much above par when treating children medically. The stay was stressful but to see the Shiner money in action shows the wonderful outcome of what things like the pecan logs can do.
I then rushed to get my petition to my friends at church. I wanted to get it in before the next business meeting. So I rushed to find out it was not signed by the guy who gave it to me he was going to get several guys to sign it once I turned in the petition. Well needless to say the past master of the lodge I am petitioning said he would get it signed and taken care of. The next day my friend Jim from http://masonictips.com/ told me the meeting was next Tuesday so I freaked out too soon. Oh well, lol I can't wait to experience this journey the more I read the more I get excited about it. Once thing, I am not sure what the investigation committee looks for but I should be pretty straight on that. I guess it is a mystery what they check. I do know you have to give your social security # so they have everything.

I have been reading a ton of great blogs and the Freemasonry for Dummies is a great book too. I never really understood why they get so much flak. I have been trying to find a organization like the Army that has camaraderie and also helps with self improvement. I think this will definitely be a wonderful experience if given the opportunity.

Very Nice Room, maybe not for my baby!!

My wife posing in room

Demolay statue Aquarium Wall

Day 1 Masonic Beginning First Post

2007-12-06T10:18:00.001-08:00

Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Transferring to a New Blog
Masonic Blog Day 1
I have started my trek on becoming a Freemason, Thanks to my friendJim from church who helped point me to the right direction and who is author of masonictips.com. I will hopefully get my petition in to be voted on in the November business meeting. I will respectfully be blogging my journey as I go..I've been very intrigued with masonry for awhile but thought you had to be asked to join. I never knew the whole gist of things until one day a member from church was looking for a job and I came across his website and he had a very impressive blog dedicated to his experience and I suddenly started to fire questions to him. Things at that point started to open up for me. I was able to get a petition going very soon after the following Sunday at church. Just like he said in his blog a lot of the well respected men and leaders in our church were masons and it was something that I really wanted to be a part of. A couple of weeks back I was at the Shiners Hospital in Greenville Sc with my 11 week old daughter and at that point It made me want to join immediately. There is a lot of wait in becoming a mason. One thing in this day and time of information overload everyone gets in the I want it now mode and patience is becoming some what extinct. I am learning to become very patient and if I am to become a Freemason I think it will be definitely a journey of self improvement and preservation. One book I highly recommend is Freemasonry for Dummies if anyone is interested in becoming a mason. Hopefully my next blog will tell more of the actual vote and research committee.
posted by binaryburn at 10/24/2007 11:24:00 AM