Location
Comment

Master Mason

  • Epilogue

    VWB Gene Ulrich, District 7 representative of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, asked me to share some of the thoughts and feelings from this blog at a District meeting.

  • Finis

    I knew when I began this series of articles that it would end when I was raised to Master Mason. Formally, I am no longer an initiate.

    I also knew that I was very likely to be the only person who ever read it - that the individual blogger on an isolated website was destined for obscurity as social media obscured the Internet.

  • Lodge vs. Freemasonry

    Why position these two aspects of our craft in opposition, you ask?

    Perhaps, it is comfortable to imagine the two as identical, but consider what happens in a Stated Communication. There we practice standard ritual, address the business of the Lodge, approve petitions and vote on new members, serve as an officer or in a station, go through the chairs, and occasionally have a meaningful discussion. And generally this happens only once a month!

    Freemasonry is about realizing personal potential, learning moral truths, becoming better men, and sometimes, husbands and fathers. We can, and in some ways must, do this outside of the Stated Communication. Remember the well-worn phrase, "Freemasonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols." Purposes of Freemasonry are strengthening character, improving moral and spiritual outlook and broadening mental horizons. (See http://mastermason.com/wilmettepark/intro.html.)

    It is easy to emphasize Lodge at the expense of Freemasonry.

    If all our "Masonic" time limited to "Lodge" It is easy to "do Lodge" without broadening mental horizons and improving moral and spiritual outlook. So how much time do we delegate for becoming better men who build a better world?

    It is a good question whether Lodge is a suitable vehicle for advancing Freemasonry - certainly, it is not adequate in itself. The idea of one business meeting a month benefiting the building of better men, Masons and Freemasonry is ludicrous!

    Lodge and Freemasonry are like Siamese Twins, but joined at the buttocks. They are bound together, but face in opposite directions, have different perspectives, require different skills, measure performance in different ways. Freemasonry requires more than we can give it in Lodge.

    Retaining Masons

  • Origin of Musings

    This blog is written by an admittedly stubborn, opinionated and inexperienced Master Mason, who may sometimes be (unintentionally) disruptive.

    In following posts I muse about the practices of Masonry as I have observed them over three years.

    If you care to provide feedback to any post you may do so by directing a message to the Blogger's email or by clicking the Comment button at the bottom of this screen. (Note: this button is different from the Send a Message button on other pages.)

  • Raised

    I was thrilled and satisfied to be raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. The ceremony was meaningful and engrossing, and revealed the actual secrets of the craft which I had repeatedly promised not to reveal, though at those times I hadn't a clue what they really were.

    I knew the story behind the ceremony of the raising. I avoided creating expectations. However, the experience of the ceremony blew past what think I might have imagined and took me to a higher level. Thanks and congratulations to the Brothers (from all District 7 Lodges) who worked around holiday events, personal plans, and even a wedding (congratulations Corey!) to present and perform that Saturday. This raising took lots of effort.

  • Waiting

    Now it has been 14 months since I petitioned to be made a Mason. I have been initiated as an Entered Apprentice and passed to the second degree of Fellowcraft.
How to become a Mason Read more

Connect With Us Today

Check out North Bend Masons Facebook page or subscribe to changes in our website via our RSS feed to stay up-to-date with events and activities.