Free Masons

[jpmcgrew]

I watched National Treasure for the third time.It deals with the Knights Templar.the Masons and actually the Shriners who are the highest order of this secret society. My father was a Shriner but when he died I could not get anyone to tell me what it was all about.I know quite a bit of the history of the Knights Templar as they began during the Crusades and they were Masons(actual stone builders) as well.Its a society that included George Washington,Thomas Jefferson and many other well known people and so on, the dollar bill has many of their symbols and Washington,DC is based on the Masons.I inherited a ring from my father who was a serious Mason all I know is he was from one of the Scottish Rites and he did not want my loser brother to have it but Im not allowed to wear his ring as Im not a Mason and a female.I was told some other things but never found out what I really need to know,

 

[jabbur]

And you won't find out without joining. My father is a Mason and my brother, sisters, mother and I were all involved in Eastern Star, Rainbow Girls, and Demolay (masonic groups for women, girls and young boys). They generally accomplish alot of philantropic services to thier communities. The specifics however will not be divulged by members. They even have a rule that they cannot invite anyone to join. They have to wait for you to approach them for membership. I know my family has made some life-long friendships through this group as well as continuing to serve our communities even though some of us have let our membership lapse in the press of full-time jobs and young children.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I remember my father and grandmother discussing me joining the Eastern Stars when I was about 11 it never happened.Im just so curious but just cant get any information from this tight lipped group.I did give my dad a real military 21 gun salute and a Masonic funeral but I was still clueless his funeral by the Shriners was in a strange language. I was also told by his friends that when you join the Military you will advance faster if you are a Mason and if you are in a situtation any where in the world you will be helped as there are Masons all over the world including the middle east etc.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I know the Shriners operate some of the best burn hospitals in the world for children.

 

[Dave Hutchins]

I am a De Malay and a 3rd degree Mason. I would never divulge what transpires in my lodge room to any body for any reason.. How ever there are several books on the currant mkt. that will give you some in sites as to what we believe and practise. But not our secrets. But when you know the secrets of FreeMasonary you will find that they are really not secrets at all but just very good instruction on how to live your life in a righteous manner. Please do not embarrass your self by asking a Mason he will not tell you.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I am a De Malay and a 3rd degree Mason. I would never divulge what transpires in my lodge room to any body for any reason.. How ever there are several books on the currant mkt. that will give you some in sites as to what we believe and practise. But not our secrets. But when you know the secrets of FreeMasonary you will find that they are really not secrets at all but just very good instruction on how to live your life in a righteous manner. Please do not embarrass your self by asking a Mason he will not tell you.

I would never do that as I know better than that ..But I would like to know what to do with my dads ring besides keep it in a drawer. Maby I should join if it was good enough for my dad its good enough for me he joined in the 1950s.All I know is that they are all over the world and will help each other no matter what country you are in with the rings and and secret questions or phrases.I know you should not ask certain questions but how do I know what questions not to ask?My dad wanted me to have his Shriners ring as he knew my brother would abuse it to his advantige.He has one that is plain gold band with a Camel and so on it he has abused it I know for sure.Something about how far have you traveled and so on he is a jerk in my eyes and has no respect for anything but what he can get out of something for nothing for his own selfish benefit.My dad did the right thing by giving me the ring he knew I would not abuse it that was over 11 years ago.

 

[GB]

But when you know the secrets of FreeMasonary you will find that they are really not secrets at all but just very good instruction on how to live your life in a righteous manner.

I am curious then...Why keep something like that a secret? Wouldn't it benefit everyone to publicize something like that to as many people as possible instead of keeping it hush hush?

 

[bethzaring]

I have my grandfathers' F. & A. M. apron and have no idea what I should be doing with it. It is dated 1929. Any advice of how to treat it?

 

[Uncle Bob]

I

have my grandfathers' F. & A. M. apron and have no idea what I should be doing with it. It is dated 1929. Any advice of how to treat it?

Have it dry-cleaned, and bagged properly. Cherish it along with the memory of your Grandfather who was a good man!

 

[bethzaring]

Thanks UB, I will do that.

This grandfather died 5 years before I was a tadpole. But my grandmother and mother certainly spoke very highly of him.

 

[auntdot]

When I was in college there was a girl in the dorms who was becoming the head of whatever Freemason thing is for young ladies of that age. There were all these protocols, I might be using a wrong term, but she had to learn them. So she asked me to help her learn them, she was having a problem doing so.

And I got to see all sorts of Freemason stuff. Yeah, I knew it was 'secret' but that only made the stuff more alluring to look at.

Frankly, I was bored to tears.

Have known a number of Freemasons, including my fil who reluctantly joined at the incessant behest of his uncle. He only attended very few meetings and was a bit disturbed I think that I knew more about the Masons than he did.

There was nothing weird, just mundane. But I guess you gotta be there.

The Shriners do a great deal of good. The hospitals are wonderful and if a bunch of folks want to get together and have a secret society that leads to all the good they do, God bless them.

Just my take on things.

 

[Uncle Bob]

The order of Rainbow Girls know very, very little about the inner workings of Free Masonry. In fact one could argue....They know nothing!

...And just for clarification the "Shrine" is a Charitable Fraternal Organization committed to community service who Predicate their membership on being a Free Mason. Stated another way..The Shrine is not a part of Free Masonry.

I just googled Shriners and Free Masonry and got over 800,000 pages each Dosn't sound very secretive to me!

 

[Fisher's Mom]

JP, I think it would be a fitting tribute to your father for you to explore joining. Although the organization is "secret", I think most of know at least one Mason and it looks to me like a group of people who band together to perform good and charitable works as well as serve as a brotherhood and sisterhood of like-minded people. Besides, how else can you get to know this side of your father?

 

[jpmcgrew]

JP, I think it would be a fitting tribute to your father for you to explore joining. Although the organization is "secret", I think most of know at least one Mason and it looks to me like a group of people who band together to perform good and charitable works as well as serve as a brotherhood and sisterhood of like-minded people. Besides, how else can you get to know this side of your father?

There is alot I dont know about my dad he died 11 years ago dont know much about his military service but he was every where including Normandy.I also know he was a sharp shooter at one point this is stuff I read in his discharge papers couldn't make sence out of some of it.Uncle Bob from what I understand a Shriner is the highest order after becoming a Mason.Alot of people dont know they started in Medieval England during the Crusades supposedly they may have had something to do with the Holy Grail. Its so interesting even the dollar bill supposedly linked to the Free Masons with the pyramid,the eye I mean isn't it kinda weird to have those symbols on the dollar bill.
When my dad died he was buried in Andersonville National Cemetary he had a Veterans funeral and by the adivise from his friends I also let them give a Masonic Funeral most I could not understand as they spoke in a language I could not understand.
One of his best friends told me that as long as I have his ring I would be helped by any Mason if I ever needed it.Its not the regular Masons ring this one has a camel on one side a star on the other, a crescent and star encrusted with diamonds on the top.I also have his Fez he used to drive one of those silly little cars like they do at parades.
Writing this makes me really miss him

 

[Uncle Bob]

Miss McGrew your dad was/is an American Hero, and a exemplary man of the highest degree! You can be proud of him. The ring you describe is a Shriner's Ring. It signifies that he was a Shriner, and also a 32 Degree Mason which was a requirement to join the Shrine Fraternal Organization.

The Masonic Burial Ceremony is spoken in English...unless you are in Germany, then it's German, or if you are in France then French etc. etc. Maybe the sorrow of the hour made it difficult to understand the words. I assure you Masons do not speak some kind of Masonic Tongue! Only the tongue of there native country....

 

[jpmcgrew]

Miss McGrew your dad was/is an American Hero, and a exemplary man of the highest degree! You can be proud of him. The ring you describe is a Shriner's Ring. It signifies that he was a Shriner, and also a 32 Degree Mason which was a requirement to join the Shrine Fraternal Organization.

The Masonic Burial Ceremony is spoken in English...unless you are in Germany, then it's German, or if you are in France then French etc. etc. Maybe the sorrow of the hour made it difficult to understand the words. I assure you Masons do not speak some kind of Masonic Tongue! Only the tongue of there native country....

Thanks UB maybe it was me but I swear it was like the man was speaking in tongues.I know he had something to do with the Scottish Rite

 

[Dave Hutchins]

For those of you who have family memento of dear ones passed I suggest that you give it back to the lodge he belonged to. Most lodge's I have been in have a display case of aprons, fez, rings, masters hats and so on honoring passed masons/Shriner's.
I have a friend who is a 33rd degree mason and they honor him by having a Christmas dinner for the poor/Seniors, who ever can come to the temple. And if you can not come they will deliver it to you, this is just a wee bit of what we do

 

[jpmcgrew]

For those of you who have family memento of dear ones passed I suggest that you give it back to the lodge he belonged to. Most lodge's I have been in have a display case of aprons, fez, rings, masters hats and so on honoring passed masons/Shriner's.
I have a friend who is a 33rd degree mason and they honor him by having a Christmas dinner for the poor/Seniors, who ever can come to the temple. And if you can not come they will deliver it to you, this is just a wee bit of what we do

Yes I under understand but why do they keep the women out out of this society.I could never leave my dads ring to the Masons it means too much to me.So tell me is it really true that if I really needed help and I have that ring I will be helped if I really needed it? And is it not true that there are Masons all over the world?

 

[jpmcgrew]

Famous Masons

 

[criniit]

Hey everyone, and hello to you brothers in this thread. I am a Mason as well Lodge #235 in Georgia.

Just to clear up some things there are no levels above a 3rd degree master mason. The higher numbered ranks (4-33) are earned by masons who chose to join the Scottish Rite which is an appendant body of freemasonry. York Rite is another appendant body. The higher the number does not mean the higher the "power level" (or how ever you want to put it) instead the degrees of the appendant bodies of free masonry are horizontal. Meaning that a 32nd degree Scottish rite mason holds no more power than a 3rd degree Master Mason. All the higher degrees do is allow you to explore more knowledge within the appendant body you have joined.

Also the 33rd degree in Scottish Rite is a special degree bestowed upon masons who have done Great things for the community. This degree is not given out lightly (my grandfather was one) So if you do have a relative that was a 33rd degree know he was truly a great man.

As far as Masonry being a secret society, we are more like a society with secrets the main of which are our modes of recognition. I would be happy to answer any of your questions feel free to PM me.

PS: No I won't teach you the hand shake