Trouillogan

If you are in England there are very few physical matters which could prevent you becoming a Freemason. We have members with all manner of incapacities: blindness, deafness, in a wheelchair - you get the picture. In other jurisdictions things may be different. You don't say in which country you are based?

As to its age and origins, you need to look at the assay and maker's marks if it is of precious metal. You can then look up those marks and find the information. In some parts of the world, marks are not used and that makes it difficult to say the least!

I don't doubt your sincerity, Sam, but whatever we may say or think down here in the weeds, I really cannot see Grand Lodge relenting over this fundamental principle agreed by the three 'Home' Grand Lodges and hence also by the rest of recognised Freemasonry around the world. You would have to see whether or not your Californian jurisdiction holds strictly to this principle.

What you describe is not a new situation at all and, in English Freemasonry there is a specific path to be followed. What happens in California, I wouldn't know. However, the same principles apply to all Grand Lodges recognised by us on this side of the pond. Having said that, I should explain that there are many groups around the world, including in the USA, claiming to be Freemasons but which are entirely irregular. Please forgive me repeating Article 4. of our English, Irish and Scottish 'Aims and Relationships of the Craft' by which we are all bound. I do so, so as to explain it further. 'Article 4. It is necessary for a candidate to take his obligation 'on that Volume which is held by his particular creed to impart sanctity to an oath or promise taken upon it'. This means that for a Jew we must provide an Old Testament; for a Mohammedan, a Koran; for a Hindu, a Bhagvada Gita, etc., etc. It might well happen that a Mohammedan or a Hindu, to avoid embarrassment, would say 'Don't worry; a New Testament will do just as well'. If we allowed that, we would be compounding a felony! We are bound to obligate him on the Holy Book which is sacred to his faith. You see, without that fundamental foundation stone having been firmly and solidly laid, what you seek to achieve in Freemasonry cannot take place. As I say, the situation in California may well be different but don't be surprised if the view taken is the same.

Sam, it's not a question of 'not minding' using a Bible or other sacred volume. It is a question of whether or not you believe it expresses His revealed will. Otherwise your obligation taken upon it is worthless. It would be helpful to hear your reasons for wanting to join. But remember, this forum is for English, Scots and Irish Freemasons and things are very different under your California jurisdiction, even though it is recognised as legitimate by us. You would be better off talking to them. All good wishes for success.

In England Ireland and Scotland the following applies: Aims and Relationships of the Craft Article 3. 'The first condition of admission into, and membership of, the Order is a belief in the Supreme Being, This is essential and admits of no compromise'. Article 4. It is necessary for a candidate to take his obligation 'on that Volume which is held by his particular creed to impart sanctity to an oath or promise taken upon it'. There have been attempts by people being rather woolly about this and saying he believes in some higher power but there's no specific Volume of His revealed will. Doesn't work. Another example is when a prospective member, when asked, says: 'It depends on what you mean by 'God'.' The correct rejoinder by the interviewer is: 'No, it depends on what you mean by 'God'.' Again, doesn't work. To Sam: this is serious stuff. It's a long-term, life-changing commitment. Many don't think it is, so they cannot enjoy what Freemasonry can offer.

This might have something to do with the heralds of liberty: https://casetext.com/case/liberty-etc-society-v-heralds-of-liberty

It is also important to understand that Freemasonry in Sweden is Christian. So unless you are of that faith, Swedish Freemasonry (known as the Swedish Rite) would not be for you. If you are of that faith, then Swedish Freemasonry will be full of meaning for you. If you look in Wikipedia for Swedish Rite you will find what you need to know at this stage.

To give an example of the differences between lodges that Mike Martin refers to, my lodge under London Metropolitan only invites new joining members of sufficient standing in the lodge's type of work; no degree work whatsoever is done. And before you ask, it is not a Past or Installed Masters' lodge. The lodge has never initiated anyone although required by UGLE not to prohibit initiations by any rule. So we have an extremely high fee for that. Apart from that, the lodge is 'normal'.

As has been said, the criteria differ between provinces. In some, a purely factual approach is taken concerning occupancy of the Chair, ritual or other work undertaken and recorded in minutes. Special consideration is given to a brother who has done exception charity or other work but has not occupied the Chair of a lodge. In another province, lodges may have a committee for recommendations to be made to the province, in addition to the above. In yet another, instead of a lodge committee the lodge secretary may make recommendations, again in addition to the above. Etc., etc. Note that these all result in recommendations to the province. The province will have a committee or individual who filters the recommendations so as to advise the ProvGM.

Quite the reverse! As there is already the United Grand Lodge of England, no other Grand Lodge can be set up here and be recognised as legitimate. Nor could you erect a lodge here that works under a different recognised Grand Lodge. That agreement for exclusivity extends to the other two home Grand Lodges as well. There is but one exception and one only, for historical reasons. Lodge Glittering Star is a lodge warranted by and working under the Grand Lodge of Ireland has permission to work in England and Wales. It was a lodge in a British army regiment dating from the time that the whole island of Ireland was a British possession and it continues here today.

The position is as 'Sontaran' says. Recommendation methods for appointment to or promotion in Provincial Grand Rank varies from province to province. The appointment itself is in the gift of the ProvGM himself, within the limits set out in the UGLE Book of Constitutions rule 68 for active offices. As to Grand Stewards, there's again a long history involved. See 'Grand Stewards' in the Index to the UGLE Book of Constitutions. Very briefly, in the early 18th century, the then Grand Lodge appointed six Grand Stewards each year to manage the annual assembly and feast in London. Later that was expanded to twelve and then to nineteen. Each of the nineteen 'Red Apron' lodges had and still have the privilege of appointing one of its members to serve for the year. If a lodge fails to do so, then it loses the privilege. Privilege?? If there's a shortfall in the money for the Annual Feast, the Grand Stewards have to stump up from their own pockets! Also it is worth noting that a Grand Steward is only a Grand Officer for that one year of service; afterwards he is no longer a Grand Officer.

There's a little thing called 'Territorial Exclusivity', whereby in any geographical area there ought to be only one Grand Lodge. That applies strictly in the British Isles amongst the 'Home' Grand Lodges (England & Wales incl. Channel Islands, Scotland and Ireland) but overseas there are many areas where several Grand Lodges hold sway at the same time. By the way, I used the term 'British Isles' because the whole of the island of Ireland is under the one Grand Lodge of Ireland - there is no north and south there masonically. You will get some idea of how the relationship works between the home GLs when you read 'Aims and Relationships of the Craft' and 'Basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition' in the front of the UGLE Book of Constitutions. The same declarations are to be found in the other two GLs' Constitutions. The situation and agreed customs have a long history stemming from the dispersal of Freemasonry throughout the previous Empire and Colonies, mainly by the troops. The officer class tended to be English, while the cannon fodder were Scots and Irish! This is one of the chief reasons that so many recognised foreign Grand Lodges are of Scottish or Irish origin. There's a lot of reading to be done, as with Freemasonry generally, to understand how it all works. But work, it does; there are inconsistencies and anomalies but they make life interesting.

If you introduce yourself in the 'Welcome' section, you can tell us about yourself then we can have proper conversations. We would like to know to which, if any, masonic jurisdiction you belong, as a good starting point.

No problem - they're still trading, from other premises. The web site and phone numbers are all working.