Posted: 11/26/2007 8:26:57 PM EDT
I have a friend who is going to recommend me to become a mason something I have been interested in doing for awhile now. He is a part of Prince Hall and I am looking to get into the scottish or york rite. I live in Acworth and was wondering if someone would be so kind as to recommend a lodge locally for me. My friend is more familiar with prince hall and not the other two so he isn't sure, but he says that some are better then others. Any advice is welcome. You guys seem to know everything so I figured that I would ask here.  Feel free to e-mail or PM me. |
I have wanted to be a mason for quite a while as well, but I don't know any that well. My great-great-grandfather was a high-up in his Mason lodge in Blairsville, but it didn't carry on through the generations. Of course, he was also a grand wizard of his local clan, and that didn't carry on either... 
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Freemason eh??? Aint yall the folks that have the holy grail hidden somewhere??? Or some said it was the head of John the Baptist??  Seriously, whats the big deal about wanting to join them now?? I can understand during the crusades when they were fighting for a cause, but what is it they do now that you want to be a part of? |
See link above |
Freemasons represent a body of men who actually still care about morals and doing what is right. All of the masons I have known have been upright men who are pillars in their communities. I have no idea what they really do, but I know the ones I have seen are what I would like to be like. |
Very well said engineer2001 and very true. Have you thought of becoming a Mason? |
I am a Freemason and I can only assume you are black, otherwise you might want to consider another Lodge. Prince Hall is considered a clandestine lodge by the Grand Lodge of GA. As a Prince Hall Mason you will NOT be eligible to join the Scottish or York Rite. You also won't be eligible to become a Shriner. Prince Hall is an all black Lodge or to be more accurate I have never known of anyone white that belonged to Prince Hall, but I suppose there could be some white members. If you want any additional information send me a PM. BTW: If anybody wants to become a Mason the only way is to make a Mason in good standing aware of your desire. That will get the ball rolling, but I will not discuss it further on the forum. I don't know if the same holds true for Prince Hall. TD |
Please don't take this in a negative way, I am just trying to learn a little. What is it that they fight for now? I see the Shriner's taking up money for various charities. Same with the local Elks Lodge. I don't see them protesting anywhere. Have never one time seen them at a local commissioners meeting opposing ludicrous legislation. They never make the news with their actions for or against anything. Is it a sense of "belonging" that folks are looking for? I guess I could say the same thing about a church, no?? Freemasons represent a body of men who actually still care about morals and doing what is right. All of the masons I have known have been upright men who are pillars in their communities If you really don't know what it is that they do, why do you want to be a part of it?? Seriously, I am not trying to be a prick, I just want to better understand why folks want to belong to them now. I know the history of them decently well (and its quite interesting and it fascinates/intrigues me), just nothing much of the present. |
You seek fraternity, purpose & identity. Do you seek enlightenment?
It is almost unheard of to be asked to join, or even more rarely to be made one "at sight".
My grandfather also was a 32 degree in the Scottish Rite. He was not a Shriner. He didn't pass on any of this to us. My mother in law was an Eastern Star. She didn't pass on any of this. Since my parents knew nothing, other than what they witnessed, I began to read. I read of history, symbology & geometry, and (of course) conspiracy(alot of that popped up in the last 10 years). Combining a reasonable knowledge of the Old Testament & interest in ancient history outside of Christianity, things will jump out at you. All written Masonic material is considered public knowledge(such as found in Coil's), the "between the lines" is passed on verbally. Masons will talk with you & are very interesting. I hold no strong feeling for or against Masonry or Masons in general. I do have an aversion to ritual & structure. Maybe the rebel in me. But it sure can be interesting. Like walking into a certain Shrine Temple & realizing the architectural similarities between that physical structure & another, long destroyed Temple..... Absolutely identical foundation, on purpose I'm sure. I marvelled at the fact that tons of people have been in that building for one function or another & didn't have a clue.... Most people don't think. Or see what is in front of them. Fascinating. |
I think they work behind the scenes. You'll find that many of our leaders from the local to national level are Freemasons. They don't put on a big show at all.
I just know I like the men I am acquainted with who are Masons. As a lot, they seem to be good and to be what I try to be (good fathers, good husbands, good citizens, and good leaders). If it turned out to be a cult that sacrificed virgins on an altar, I'd get the heck out of dodge (but I don't think it is).  I do seek enlightenment. If they have some to offer, I am all for it.
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Anyone who wants to join need only ask a Master Mason. You'll have to fill out an application, be interviewed, and then be voted upon(favorably) by the lodge to receive the degrees. After that happens, you'll be called by the lodge(usually the secretary of the lodge) to set up a time for them to confer the Entered Apprentice degree upon you. After this is done, you may or may not be required(different states have different regulations) to learn the memory work for the degree before progressing to the second, or Fellowcraft degree. Again, you may or may not have to learn the memory work before progressing to the third, or Master Mason degree. After the Master's degree, it is optional to continue on to the York Rite, Scottish Rite, or Shiners appendant bodies. However, it has been stated that the Grand Lodge of Georgia does not recognize Prince Hall Lodge members as being regular masons, which means you would not be able to join any other body of Masonry. I have enjoyed my membership in the lodge immensely, and I would also recommend as Treedawg did, that you find a regular lodge to join....because you won't learn everything in the Blue Lodge. 
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You take things waay too seriously, and perhaps too personal this time. Someone could chop their toe off with an ax and guys will have fun with it, its because we are guys, not a bunch of sensitive women. Saying that, I mean no insult, personally I believe that if you can't laugh at yourself, you have no business to ever laugh an anyone else. I've had opportunity to laugh at myself often enough that I feel others are fair game, and thats how you should look at it. I thought the simpsons stonecutters episode was hilarious. Having said that, if you think you might have to hunt for a place that is run well.... why join? Shouldn't they all be run well. |
| Woodmen's just an insurance company. That's all it's been for decades. I'm chapped at the Southern Baptist Convention for their attacks on Freemasonry. They also had a giant project to convert Jews to the Southern Baptist faith. Ignorance and arrogance at its worst! |
Not "fight" as in physically fighting like in the crusades, but fighting for a cause (what do they stand for) - be it political, ect.... |
Hey, if the people of Jewish faith want to convert, that's fine by me. Heck, if my fellow Baptists want to convert to Judaism, that's cool too. What made you angry with them? Was it done in a "Jews are bad, m'kay?" way? AFAIK, my church has no affiliation with the Southern Baptist Wackos (SBW) that are always mouthing off about women preachers and Walt Disney, so we didn't get the literature on the conversion scheme. |
The Lodge takes zero position on any political issue, and no mason is allowed to speak on the lodge's behalf in such matters. He may speak for himself, regarding his own views, but for no other person. |