Mike Martin

Yes, you need to engage your logic function because you are inventing a theoretical situation that probably doesn't exist and that is a waste of energy. The question will not be able to be answered until you yourself have engaged with members of the Lodge you are talking about. Contact the Lodge indicating your interest and when you meet some members you can ask them if the person is a member.

Lewis and Trouillogan, Please note that Medic is referring to an "Advancement" into a Mark Lodge, the Candidate appears to have already been made a member of a UGLE Lodge

I think he was saying that the 275th collar Jewel is nothing like the Tercentenary collar jewel (pictured below).

Nothing Masonic on it that I can see.

Welcome to the Forum, please familiarise yourself with its rules before posting again:

Here’s a cracking watch from 1957:

Sorry but this is a forum for the discussion of Freemasonry and related topics not job hunts. If you do have questions about Freemasonry please do join in otherwise you're probably looking for a different kind of site.

Boats! One year we cruised from Charing Cross Pier to the Trafalgar Tavern in Greenwich where we had a lovely dinner then cruised back again, the following year we actually ate on the river cruiser to the accompaniment of a jazz quartet. PS you may want to edit the topic title

Snippet: The Bavarian State Library has returned over 200 books stolen from Freemasons by the Nazis over 80 years ago. The library said it is facing up to the responsibility of its cooperation with the Nazi party. Link to full article: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-library-returns-books-stolen-by-nazis-to-freemasons/a-51533157?fbclid=IwAR2PCGEF9iaFf67MK5TFhvZOzG7Kq7YMAmjbec6DCdjyB3c6btXesD4PT6s

Ahh I get it, it's amazing how many people refer to Freemasons' Hall as "UGLE" or "Grand Lodge" when it is actually the building where it is and there are several other organisations in here too No need to go through third parties when contacting the Library & Museum, Masonic Charitable Foundation, Metropolitan Grand Lodge of London or the London Grand Rank Association as we're not parts of UGLE. As to someone in Grand Lodge reporting you there are some over zealous people up there

I don't know why you've involved your District but it is bound to slow down your progress.

I would suggest contacting the Library and Museum through its website here: https://museumfreemasonry.org.uk/

I saw the original question and it is one of the reasons that we don’t usually recommend “researching” Freemasonry on the Internet.

Hi again, The thing about Freemasonry is that each of us are free to focus on different elements of what it introduces to us. In my view "charity" is an unavoidable byproduct of the imperatives that Freemasonry presents us with but definitely not the purpose of Freemasonry which is of course a fellowship which stretches across not just the centuries but also boundaries that don't seem to be avoidable in normal life. Sadly some of us "old lags" start pointing new brothers toward the "extras" before their feet are even under the table which is all a bit unnecessary. The different degrees that have been mentioned are, in essence (and fact) separate organisations that you can join once you are a Master Mason so yes their charitable focus is different from what you will come across in Lodge and if you choose to join them you will look to their charitable activities as well, however, it should be pointed out that you have no need to join them to be a Freemason. However other than your annual donation to the national Charity your other charitable activities are yours to decide. As to theology you will find very little of it in Freemasonry, KST is the "setting" of our Degrees as the place where the tale of the builder unfolds but no more than that. Some side degrees have a Christian flavour whereas others are more Old Testament but I would say don't worry about that until you are actually a Freemason and then eligible to join them.

Welcome to the Forum, if you think of any questions post them and we see if we can help.

I defo wouldn't want to try and "bring them in" as I don't see it as really practical and I also feel that doing so would add credence to their "legendary histories". I would, however, like to see a proper education given to Freemasons about their actual origins so that they can make their own informed decision about whether they want to get involved with them.

Hi John, Welcome to the Forum.

Here in England we take a similar obligation as a Master Mason but it has caveats as to how far we need to go to assist a fellow MM. However and as I'm sure you must know not all organisations that style themselves "Masons" are the same thing. This is why Grand Lodges have their own criteria for which other Grand Lodges they will recognise based on what is practised in the name of Masonry, there is no trademark on the term and it is today applied to many things that were unheard of back in the 1600s.

Hi there and welcome to the Forum, it might be nice if you stick a little intro into the relevant section. I suppose that it's possible that where you are you do take an oath like that but here in England we do not take an oath to make anyone Masons in fact the closest we get to that is as an Installed Master we promise not to be involved with the making of women Masons. I'm not sure if you've misinterpreted the talk of "ashlars" as here it is related to ourselves and our efforts to improve ourselves so that we become a credit to ourselves and to Freemasonry. The treatment of the Ashlar in our First Degree lecture seems quite different to yours: "The Rough Ashlar is a stone, rough and unhewn as taken from the quarry, until, by the industry and ingenuity of the workman, it is modeled, wrought into due form, and rendered fit for the intended structure. This represents man in his infant or primitive state rough and unpolished as that stone, until by the kind care and attention of his parent or guardians, in giving him a liberal and virtuous education, his mind becomes cultivated, and he is thereby rendered a fit member of civilised society. The Perfect Ashlar is a stone of a true die or square, fit only to be tried by the Square and Compasses. This represents man in the decline of years, after a regular well-spent life in acts of piety and virtue, which can no otherwise be tried and approved than by the Square of God's Word, and the Compass of his own self-convincing conscience."

Hi Michael and welcome, The following link will explain how to verify whether your granddad was a Freemason and what Lodge/s he was a member of: https://museumfreemasonry.org.uk/family-history/

Greetings from London and welcome to the Forum.

Ha ha ha, I can just imagine those Georgian Freemasons complaining about these new fangled Victorian dress codes in Lodges

The G has been covered but I noticed that I'd missed your other points. Under the UGLE we have tie called the "Craft tie" which was designed to be worn both at Lodge meetings and also at normal work. It is covered in small S&Cs which when you are about 3 feet or more away become hard to distinguish. I have always wondered about the logic of buying jewellery that is only worn at masonic meetings as jewellery shows your affiliation to the Craft to others or reminds you yourself of it and it seems to my mind to become very redundant when you're at a meeting that only Freemasons can attend. If rings are dangerous at work you could always plump for a necklace, I have a pendant S&C necklace that I can close or open depending on what I'm up to. Regarding the forget me not, first you need to understand that it isn't really a masonic emblem and its legendary explanation is beyond deeply flawed but also be prepared to answer questions about the Alzheimers Society as they have been using the fmn for a long time

Snippet: Has the suit and tie had its day? Maybe, says M&S Suits you sir? Maybe it doesn’t any more. Sales of formal tailoring have taken a fresh dive as chinos and trainers replace suits and ties in the office. In a presentation to City analysts earlier this week, Marks & Spencer, the UK’s biggest menswear retailer, said it was cutting back its formalwear ranges and the space devoted to selling suits, pointing to a market-wide 7% fall in suit sales. Sales of ties are down by nearly 6% while blazers and formal jackets fell by 10% year on year, according to market analysts Kantar. Jacob Rees-Mogg may be hiding inside a giant ill-fitting suit, but the typical British man is not only unlikely to have to wear a jacket, tie and tailored trousers to the office but has also eased out of a suit for formal occasions. City banks such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, once bastions of sharp suits, have relaxed their dress-code to keep pace with rival employers such as tech giants Facebook and Apple, where the founders’ famously casual attire has become the mark of a modern workplace. Full article: http://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/style/has-the-suit-and-tie-had-its-day-maybe-says-mands/ar-AAIjoyE?ocid=ientp

It's hard to imagine what questions freemasons couldn't answer, other than those ones based on misinterpretations of what Freemasonry actually is, but the only way for us to find out is for you to ask them and then we can tell you.