Thread: Masonic Straight Shavers Unite!

Originally Posted by Englishgent

I was raised about ten years ago , then decided that it wasn't for me and left.

A question for the Brothers, If I wanted to rejoin another lodge (I live in a different country now) whats the best way to go about it? Am I technically still a Mason?

All help gratefully received

Once a Mason, always a Mason.

When you left your original Lodge, did you just stop going or did you resign or did you demit (demitting is for jurisdictions which do not allow multiple memberships...so you belong to Lodge A, but have moved to Location B and want to join Lodge B...you request to demit from Lodge A. they vote on it and you can then petition Lodge B for membership).

Personal Steps:

Reflect on why you chose to leave and if you feel that that issue is now resolved. There is nothing wrong with a Brother reflecting on is involvement in Masonry - more Brothers should do so - and choosing to leave, rather than stay and just go through the motions.

What did you originally expect?
Why did you decide to leave?
Was the issue personal, related to location, other members, etc.?
Do you feel the issue is resolved?
Do you feel you can dedicate time to the Lodge so that both you and the Lodge benefit?

Adminsitrative Steps:

A - If you just stopped going, you were probably suspended in the original Lodge for non-payment of dues. You can contact them and petition to be reinstated (you'll have to pay some back dues...it varies from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge).

B - If you resigned formally, you would need to contact the Grand Secretary for that Grand Lodge and request information on how to become reinstated. He may ask questions regarding your decision to leave, etc., but I doubt there would be any problems. Then, once reinstated (not sure how dues would be handled), you can move forward from there.

C - Once you have been returned to "good standing" in your old Lodge, you can then petition to join your local Lodge, provided both Lodges allow dual or multiple memberships. If they do not or if your old Lodge does not, then you will have to demit from your old Lodge and petition the new one.

Once you have reflected and made the decision, either way, I think you will confident in your choice.

In what country were you Raised?

If I can be of any further help, let me know.

Greg

Wow Greg that is impressive off the cuff. I was looking in the Grand Lodge book to see how Ohio would handle it. You looked at both the man and the mason. The judge in our county was a mason and took a demit for the time he sat on the bench as to help him not show prejudice. After his term was up he was reinstated. I kind of respected his seperation of politics and blue lodge.

Don

Originally Posted by WireBeard

Once a Mason, always a Mason.

When you left your original Lodge, did you just stop going or did you resign or did you demit (demitting is for jurisdictions which do not allow multiple memberships...so you belong to Lodge A, but have moved to Location B and want to join Lodge B...you request to demit from Lodge A. they vote on it and you can then petition Lodge B for membership).

Personal Steps:

Reflect on why you chose to leave and if you feel that that issue is now resolved. There is nothing wrong with a Brother reflecting on is involvement in Masonry - more Brothers should do so - and choosing to leave, rather than stay and just go through the motions.

What did you originally expect?
Why did you decide to leave?
Was the issue personal, related to location, other members, etc.?
Do you feel the issue is resolved?
Do you feel you can dedicate time to the Lodge so that both you and the Lodge benefit?

Adminsitrative Steps:

A - If you just stopped going, you were probably suspended in the original Lodge for non-payment of dues. You can contact them and petition to be reinstated (you'll have to pay some back dues...it varies from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge).

B - If you resigned formally, you would need to contact the Grand Secretary for that Grand Lodge and request information on how to become reinstated. He may ask questions regarding your decision to leave, etc., but I doubt there would be any problems. Then, once reinstated (not sure how dues would be handled), you can move forward from there.

C - Once you have been returned to "good standing" in your old Lodge, you can then petition to join your local Lodge, provided both Lodges allow dual or multiple memberships. If they do not or if your old Lodge does not, then you will have to demit from your old Lodge and petition the new one.

Once you have reflected and made the decision, either way, I think you will confident in your choice.

In what country were you Raised?

If I can be of any further help, let me know.

Greg

PM sent , thanks for your help

Originally Posted by junkinduck

Wow Greg that is impressive off the cuff. I was looking in the Grand Lodge book to see how Ohio would handle it. You looked at both the man and the mason. The judge in our county was a mason and took a demit for the time he sat on the bench as to help him not show prejudice. After his term was up he was reinstated. I kind of respected his seperation of politics and blue lodge.

Don

An excellent solution on his part....I wonder how many others would have done the same thing.

I have run into many Brothers who did not enjoy being members, but joined to please others (family, friends, etc.) or joined thinking it was just a club and did not take the ceremonial aspects seriously. While sitting in the West, I -sadly - have stopped ceremonies where the proficiency deviated too much from the standard work, due the candidate's coach not being prepared - a poor reflection on the coach and the lodge. It took a lot of effort to undo the bad impression this person had made on the candidate and made e wonder why this man joined. (I was not in the West when the coach returned proficiency.....).

A person must reflect on there reasons for joining and what they expect...and if their expectations are in keeping with the objectives of Freemasonry (based on what you can read about the Fraternity). At my lodge in Germany, prior to initiation, the candidate would be in a waiting room by himself. I would go in and welcome him and give a small lecture on self-reflection, community involvement, commitment, etc. - pretty much the same info he received when he petitioned - but in this situation and environment, these point had more gravitas.

As with any organization, you get out of it what you contribute - some Brothers focus on the charity aspects, others on the history and ceremonies, others on working with new Brothers. If you come informed, you will find there is something for just about everyone.

Brethren,

I just created a social group for Masons called "The Master's Shave." Everyone who wrote in the thread that they wanted to join got an invite, but I'm just announcing it in case there's some in the woodwork who were just watching the thread but didn't post.

I've joined!

Me too!!

Thanks,

I just discovered this thread (after a long absence from here).

Count me in!

Aiken #156 AFM
Aiken, SC


v/r

Allen

Hello,

I am a fellow MM and within the length of your cable tow. And I am a straight razor user!

Can we get decoder rings?