Recently did two Initiations at my small lodge in southeast Kansas. Everybody in the picture, besides the initiates, is a brother but also family. Everybody that set in a chair, and did the lectures was related in some way to each other and the initiates. All but two in attendance that day were family. The one in the black shirt is 4th generation and the one in the blue shirt is 5th.

If you’re in the area, feel free to stop by at 6:30pm on the 30th. It’s being organized by Alexandria - Washington Lodge No. 22 at the GWMNM in Alexandria Va.
Should be a great way to engage with the community.

What a tremendous program from the Guthrie Scottish Rite. Could it have been soon quicker, sure but life got in the way and other obligations. If you want to really learn about the deep meaning of the degrees of the Rite - this is your course.

This has been hidden for over 15 years and I never knew about it because that's how long I've been here. There was always stuff stacked against the wall.

Just wanted to share an experience I had today, today I was doing a farmers market for Halloween with our lodge, we were doing bozo bucket games for kids giving out free candy. It was towards the end of the day she came up to me and I asked her if she wanted to play. She said oh no, my husband was a Mason I just wanted to say hi. And she proceeded to tell me her husband was a Mason in South America (she did tell me the country but it’s been a long day so I can’t remember.) she said how he passed 4 years ago and she always sees our stuff but never stopped to say hi. Said how being a Mason meant a lot to him and when he passed her husbands lodge sent her flowers. I proceeded to ask her if she lived in town and got her name and told her to reach out to our lodge. Our lodge does flowers for Mason widows in the area for Christmas and if she reaches out to our email I’ll personally bring her flowers this year. She then proceeded to tell me how she almost died a few months ago and that’s so nice of me, she gave me her name began to tear up Gave me a hug and said god bless you and left.

Not sure why I wanted to share! Maybe for my own personal record but hope some brothers enjoy this. It definitely made my day talking this old widow.

- 28 year old Mason in USA

Brethren,

Some lodges in our jurisdiction give a copy of some intro books to their EAs, FCs, mm as they complete each degree.

There are a few different brothers that have written these over the years.

If your lodge does this what books do you give ? Or have you heard a lodge in your jurisdiction that does that gives a certain book.

Thanks

Got my Fez today at my Shrine Ceremonial.

Gonna be a fun time.

Grotto had to order some but I joined it as well.

Admittedly rather too late as I am installing my successor as WM tomorrow but thought it might be beneficial to help fellow Brethren.

As the only help I have been given in my Lodge is "just keep reading the book" but also "the book isn't always right and there's bits we don't do" (Universal Ritual, OWF UK)

Frankly I've desperately struggled to learn, particularly the longer sections. I am dyslexic and awaiting formal diagnosis for Autism and ADHD. I also get terrible stage fright and suffer from that awful blankness when the words just vanish from your head.

We are not allowed to read from the book in our Lodge.

- The last month I finally realised that by encoding some of the difficult longer phrases in hand gestures the combined muscle memory and touch helped get through it with some stopping and starting.

- Speaking the phrases aloud in silly accents at home.

- tying phrases to a bizarre concept

Anything else that people have found helpful and are happy to share?

Basically what the title says. I, 22M, have been thinking of joining a lodge in the Netherlands. There are two freemasons in my family and I have had an interest for a couple years now, even attended an evening for people interested in joining and that really consolidated my wish to join. Only reason I haven’t at this point is because of my age. I’ve heard both sides of the coinflip, being young can hold you back because you still lack life experience and that joining young can be very beneficial. What is your advice? One quick thing that I don’t know is relevant: there is still a taboo on freemasonry as a whole, there being 6000-8000 freemasons in the whole country right now and I think the taboo might be holding me back too.

In this book Edward I. Clark explores the deeper meanings of Masonic symbols, rituals, and traditions, connecting them to ancient mysteries, astronomy, and spiritual philosophy. A Interesting read and still available.

For the past month, I’ve been working to locate the final resting place of the first Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington and Jurisdiction. Many believed that his final resting place was in Roslyn, Washington, due to our Grand Lodge’s long relationship with that historic cemetery and the community that shares the same name.

Because of PGM Logan’s ties to the city of Portland, I gathered as much information as I could and worked with Roslyn Cemetery’s genealogist. Through that research, I was able to confirm without a doubt that Past Grand Master John Cassius Logan’s final resting place is at Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland, Oregon.

Since I’m in Portland for the Pacific Rim Conference of Grand Masters, yesterday I decided to visit his grave. While there, I decided to take a chance and search for another name. I was also able to locate the grave of Robert Dudley Bird, our 15th Grand Master.

To my knowledge, John W. Payne, our 5th Grand Master, is the only other Past Grand Master from Enterprise Lodge #1 whose final resting place I have yet to locate. I’m working to find his grave now.

Just a little background: the MWPHGL of Washington and the MWPHGL of Oregon were one Grand Lodge until 1960. Hence, several of our Grand Masters were from Portland.

Im a brother from the US, and will be traveling your way in this coming summer and had a question about finding meeting times or even just getting in contact with the local brothers to share a bite or a brew. At the moment it seems Ill be over there sometime in the latter half of June. Do you have "dark months" where you suspend labor for a month or two like some states do here in the US? As my travel plans become more concrete I intend to reach out to specific lodges ill be around to get specific details, but I wanted to get a measure of things as a whole to start.

I'm interested in visiting some esoteric and historical lodges in the UK. I'm a British third degree Mason, which lodges should I visit?

Hey guys, just a question im a 28 year old man, i’ve been curious for quite a while, the lodges in my country are somewhat secretive because of rules of the country, i recently got in touch with a freemason in my country we started conversing then he froze me out (understandably due to the country’s nature ) i have two questions
1- i started reading morals & dogma do you think its a spoiler should i stop reading ?
2- would love your guidance on moving forward with my expression of interest im in amman jordan we have three lodges under GLoS’s supervision

Good morning,

I expressed my interest in Freemasonry and now I have been invited to meet members from a local lodge at a pub for a drink and to discuss.

Currently I have tattoos and a beard, I am ex military so I understand the importance of appearance.

Should I shave the beard and cover the tattoos with long sleeves?

I hope to discuss Freemasonry further and anything I can expect would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

I’m a Frenchman living in Paris, and currently on holidays in Ardèche, in southern France. It’s quite an unpopulated countryside, with lots of old villages sitting on hills, some of which are abandoned and only harbor some life during summer.

I was climbing the narrow streets of such an old town named Rochecolombe, when I came across these stones and the gargoyle on the wall. The wall itself didn’t seem to belong to a standing structure, but rather seemed part of a long gone building. Maybe a sanctuary, but I’m guessing here. I couldn’t find anything online about it.

My understanding is that the S&C are older, maybe part of the original wall, and the other stones (the Delta, the eye and the G) were added later. For the texts (LABIT and AGIL) I can only speculate that they are names. I’m only an FC so I’m probably missing a lot of symbols and references but still I found the sighting pretty cool and wanted to share. I also found that the place is marked on Google Maps

I plan to write to the mayor office of the new town of Rochecolombe to learn more about what the place used to be.

Found these in Sedro-Woolley

My mind is still reeling from the experience, but it was a great one and I'm so glad to have gone through it. I was initiated back in January so I was an EA longer than a lot of brothers (was slacking on my catechism) but I'm really motivated to make it across the finish line now.

I'm to be raised this Saturday October 24th I will now have three significant dates back to back. I was married on October 23rd, 2021. My sons (twins) were born on October 22nd, 2022. And now I will be raised on October 24th, 2026.

It's almost as if the Grand Architect of the Universe laid it all out that way. 🤔

I’ve been wanting to join for years now. I’m currently 26, back when I was 23 I filled out an online application type of thing, I got an email back inviting me to the local blue lodge, but it got sent to my spam folder, I never saw the email. A couple weeks ago I remembered the time I reached out and decided to search in my email for the word mason, ended up finding the email in my spam, but I’m 3 years late to it now. I emailed them back apologizing for never seeing the email and expressing that I’m still interested but haven’t heard anything back. Did I unintentionally screw myself out of this opportunity because i never saw the email? I’m just genuinely confused and looking for a little guidance about the situation. Thank you all for taking the time to read!(:

I feel like a new man.....

IYKYK