It has been officially six weeks since I last updated this blog, this is various reasons, including hurricanes (being in the Texas National Guard can cause you to be called up for such events), work, and home. I guess that I have spent my fair share of time reading or lurking, but not really contributing. I have started lots of posts, only for me to scrap them. See I want this blog to be above reproach, no petty wars, squabbling, flaming, etc only healthy disagreement and the core reason that I started this blog, to document my Masonic journey. While it’s fair that the web and the Masonic Blogsphere has influenced that journey, this blog can’t revolve around it, and can’t be drug down into the less than honorable behavior.
I have scraped a number of posts because they turned into ranting and raving, and less stimulating thought (even though I concede that ranting and raving can be stimulating, it rarely is when I do it), these posts include:
1) Masonic Central Podcast
2) Invitational Bodies
3) The Relationship between the Grand Lodge of Texas and The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas (I might still finish/edit this one)
4) Recognition of the GOUSA
5) Masonic Law
6) Plural memberships
Going back that is all the partially written and mad man writing post I scraped in the six week period, I am sure there are more rattling around in my head. One of the many lessons in Freemasonry is that you must learn to subdue your passions, I am not saying censor yourself, just be able to state your opinion without being so inflammatory. Don’t worry I will get controversial, I just know my limits.
Also, I recently got into Facebook, so if you want to add me, use my e-mail.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Going to Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
It seems that my travels are going to take me to England, while this won’t be the first time I have been to England; it will be the first time as a Master Mason. I won’t have the time (or really the money) to go see all of the Masonic sites. It’s also unfortunate that all of the lodges in the immediate area I am in are closed for the summer, not to have meetings until September, so I will miss them by a month.
I purchased Solomon's Builders by Bro Hodapp, I have been meaning to purchase this book, and I think that the 7:44 minute flight from Chicago to London will be the perfect time to read through the book. I figure with all of the time I have been spending in DC lately that it should be a good read.
When I return I will be attending my lodges first stated meeting the second week of August, then that Saturday they are having a Knights Templar workshop that I will most likely go to, even though there isn’t a hope or a prayer that I will make the line up anytime soon. I do love the work of the KT degrees.
Travel well and be safe, my friends.
Picture of the Salisbury Cathedral
Friday, July 25, 2008
Those Crazy Shriners!
Another Shriner scandal is being reported in the New York Times regarding more issues with the way they handle their money and file their taxes, improper firings, etc.
Really nothing new to the Masonic blogsphere, but this one quote from the article nearly made me fall out of my comfortable chair:
“ The Shriners employed Vantage to handle fund-raising for the hospitals from 1999 through 2003. Out of $46.2 million raised by Vantage, the Shrine received only $2.5 million, according to the report.”
For employing financial whizzes and sitting on the richest endowment ($8 Billion), that seems like a poor choice.
Like I said the Shrine is going through some growing pains, much like the rest of the Masonic world, they just have a lot more infrastructure. :)
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/us/25shrine.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=sl
Really nothing new to the Masonic blogsphere, but this one quote from the article nearly made me fall out of my comfortable chair:
“ The Shriners employed Vantage to handle fund-raising for the hospitals from 1999 through 2003. Out of $46.2 million raised by Vantage, the Shrine received only $2.5 million, according to the report.”
For employing financial whizzes and sitting on the richest endowment ($8 Billion), that seems like a poor choice.
Like I said the Shrine is going through some growing pains, much like the rest of the Masonic world, they just have a lot more infrastructure. :)
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/us/25shrine.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=sl
Friday, July 11, 2008
Renewing Your Masonic Spirit
Washington D.C. and northern Virginia are nothing short of a Mecca for American Freemasonry. It is to Freemasons what Colorado Springs is to Born Again Christians. Here once a year the 1% of the 1% meets for what is called “Masonic Week”, but still to the rest of us regular active Masons it beacons to us like some type of pilgrimage to the place where Washington was raised and to experience the myth of Freemasonry in the cradle of democracy and power in the free world. Even if you aren’t a history a buff, as a member of our glorious fraternity you can’t help feel a level of giddiness when you walk past the Houses of the Temple or the numerous other Masonic landmarks in the area.
Still Freemasonry is far beyond impressive structures and past leaders; it’s about enlightenment and of course the tagline “Making good men better”. In that sense it has been since December of 2007 that I have visited a lodge in the area, and being charged by TO Lodge talks I have been given, I felt emboldened to try a visit to another lodge. Due to timing, it wasn’t any lodge; it was the famed Alexandria-Washington No 22 A.F. & A.M. which meets in the George Washington Masonic Memorial.
Now for the regular readers of my blog, know that I had mixed feelings about the memorial (particularly the rite recruitment), but I do have to say that it is an impressive structure to meet and work in. The lodge room itself is immaculately maintained, the lodge is one of the few left that plays music during the various processions and pauses in the opening, closing, and ritual work. I was also fortunate to witness a Fellow Craft Degree and witness three men being passed. Witnessing this ritual, which is so different than that we perform in Texas, helped wash my soul in the excellence of ritual and the teachings that each of us should strive for when we do the work.
With the festive afterwards, I didn’t leave the Memorial until around 2345, got in my rental, lit up a San Cristobal and drove home listening to WETA 90.9 FM completely content with the world, all the while my mind swimming with esoteric thoughts. I look forward to returning to that lodge in the future. #
Saturday, July 5, 2008
The Burning Taper and GOUSA
The two in the subject are completely different, but I thought it would be fun to lump them together.
1) For those that don't know the The Burning Taper author has been locked out of his blog because of a report that it was a spam blog. From his new blog:
Google/Blogger has proven to be unreliable, having blocked my publishing access to a two-and-a-half year old blog because a robot tagged it as a “possible spam blog.” Inadvertent though it (probably) is, not having the ability to write and post at will after doing so for nearly three years is… well, incredibly restricting as well as incredibly liberating.
He is now updating his blog from wordpress, hopefully he will get access back and will be writing again.
2) There was a question about the sovereignty of the new Grand Orient US, from their website:
The official Patent from the Grand Orient of France giving the Grand Orient of the United States of America legal Masonic authority to work in North America was signed in Paris on Friday, the 27th of June, 2008 at 9:15 AM EST. A Treaty of Amity was also signed between the two sovereign Masonic powers.
A thanks goes to Brandt from Euclid lodge who commented about it.
Again, this is for those of you that care.
1) For those that don't know the The Burning Taper author has been locked out of his blog because of a report that it was a spam blog. From his new blog:
Google/Blogger has proven to be unreliable, having blocked my publishing access to a two-and-a-half year old blog because a robot tagged it as a “possible spam blog.” Inadvertent though it (probably) is, not having the ability to write and post at will after doing so for nearly three years is… well, incredibly restricting as well as incredibly liberating.
He is now updating his blog from wordpress, hopefully he will get access back and will be writing again.
2) There was a question about the sovereignty of the new Grand Orient US, from their website:
The official Patent from the Grand Orient of France giving the Grand Orient of the United States of America legal Masonic authority to work in North America was signed in Paris on Friday, the 27th of June, 2008 at 9:15 AM EST. A Treaty of Amity was also signed between the two sovereign Masonic powers.
A thanks goes to Brandt from Euclid lodge who commented about it.
Again, this is for those of you that care.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
That Went Over Like a Lead Balloon
Well my first presentation in a lodge room that was solely my own (i.e. not reading someone elses work) was a complete dud in the lodge I presented it in. Honestly it was bound to happen, just didn’t think it would happen my first time at bat. This wasn’t my mother lodge, it’s another local lodge that I am/was considering affiliating with.
Let’s see what didn’t go wrong? The projector worked, the slides were the right version that is always a plus. The downside? I broke the light (I still feel awful about this), the audience was skeptical to the entire concept of Traditional Observance Lodges ever working in Texas “Texas isn’t formal enough for that to work here.” The usual skeptical fare, they are somewhat right. I live in one of the biggest cities in Texas and it isn’t as formal as a small town lodge in Virginia (at least I haven’t sat in a lodge that is as formal). What’s with the additional ceremony? When would they pay the bills? Etc, etc.
But with all chances in life sometimes you win big, sometimes you lose, this time I take it as a lost. Still I must have pride that I put myself out there, and at least got people thinking about something than their lines in the lodge room or how much the rent is that month, even if I made an ass out of myself in the process.
At least I have the long weekend to lick my wounds and try again in my mother lodge.
Let’s see what didn’t go wrong? The projector worked, the slides were the right version that is always a plus. The downside? I broke the light (I still feel awful about this), the audience was skeptical to the entire concept of Traditional Observance Lodges ever working in Texas “Texas isn’t formal enough for that to work here.” The usual skeptical fare, they are somewhat right. I live in one of the biggest cities in Texas and it isn’t as formal as a small town lodge in Virginia (at least I haven’t sat in a lodge that is as formal). What’s with the additional ceremony? When would they pay the bills? Etc, etc.
But with all chances in life sometimes you win big, sometimes you lose, this time I take it as a lost. Still I must have pride that I put myself out there, and at least got people thinking about something than their lines in the lodge room or how much the rent is that month, even if I made an ass out of myself in the process.
At least I have the long weekend to lick my wounds and try again in my mother lodge.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Texas Freemasonry Video on YouTube
Brother Blake from Gonzales Masonic Lodge #30 made the following video:
He made it for his lodge, but I think that it's pretty good for South Texas overall, check it out when you get a chance!
He made it for his lodge, but I think that it's pretty good for South Texas overall, check it out when you get a chance!
GOUSA Has Recieved a Patent From GOdF
This is starting to bubble across the internet, but it appears that John Silfko Grand Master of the GOUSA has been given an official patent from the GOdF giving the GOUSA Masonic authority over North America.
This was signed on Friday June 27th @ 9:15am, also a treaty of Amity was signed between the two sovereign Masonic "powers".
Just in case you cared...
This was signed on Friday June 27th @ 9:15am, also a treaty of Amity was signed between the two sovereign Masonic "powers".
Just in case you cared...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Doing Something Positive, Just Not Complaining
I started last night to fall for the bad behavior that seems to infect others who blog. Regardless of it being a Masonic blog or not. I have tried to keep this blog above the sniping that seems to be an easy road to go down, and keep it focused on one thing, my Masonic journey, not be distracted by less than desirable behavior.
The incoming Worshipful Master asked me if I would consider heading up the education committee, since our lodge hasn’t had an official education committee for a while, I thought it would be a positive contribution to the revitalization of thought and helping the lodge out beside sitting in a chair and memorizing a bunch lines (which is equally important, but does less to stimulate Masonic discussion). While I could dust off some of the speeches of the past, talking papers on the third degree or promotion of apendent bodies, I am going to talk about Traditional Observance Lodges. While this topic is pretty well known in the blogsphere, it seems to be a knowledge point lacking in Southern Texas Freemasonry.
It seems that when Texans think of Traditional Observance Lodges, they think of the Grand Masters vision of the “Men we use to be” which is to say 1955 Freemasonry, which is completely different than a Traditional Observance Lodge concept (Less than 72 Members, High Dues, emphasis on the INITIATIC experience, Festive Boards, etc.) So I am working on a presentation using *GASP* a powerpoint presentation, I will present it to my mother lodge and see if there are any other lodges that are willing for me to come out and speak.
I don’t see this as an out right recruitment plan, as more as an education plan. If a club starts so be it (thought I am pretty skeptical that will ever happen) at least it might, just might start the gears turning about other ways to think of lodge outside of sloppy joes, opening, reading of the minutes and closing.
You can sit on the sidelines and bitch, or you can get up and do something, it’s entirely up to you.
The incoming Worshipful Master asked me if I would consider heading up the education committee, since our lodge hasn’t had an official education committee for a while, I thought it would be a positive contribution to the revitalization of thought and helping the lodge out beside sitting in a chair and memorizing a bunch lines (which is equally important, but does less to stimulate Masonic discussion). While I could dust off some of the speeches of the past, talking papers on the third degree or promotion of apendent bodies, I am going to talk about Traditional Observance Lodges. While this topic is pretty well known in the blogsphere, it seems to be a knowledge point lacking in Southern Texas Freemasonry.
It seems that when Texans think of Traditional Observance Lodges, they think of the Grand Masters vision of the “Men we use to be” which is to say 1955 Freemasonry, which is completely different than a Traditional Observance Lodge concept (Less than 72 Members, High Dues, emphasis on the INITIATIC experience, Festive Boards, etc.) So I am working on a presentation using *GASP* a powerpoint presentation, I will present it to my mother lodge and see if there are any other lodges that are willing for me to come out and speak.
I don’t see this as an out right recruitment plan, as more as an education plan. If a club starts so be it (thought I am pretty skeptical that will ever happen) at least it might, just might start the gears turning about other ways to think of lodge outside of sloppy joes, opening, reading of the minutes and closing.
You can sit on the sidelines and bitch, or you can get up and do something, it’s entirely up to you.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Masonic Central – Episode 2 W/ Tim Bryce Thoughts
Listen to the first Masonic Central episode this afternoon while waiting for my air conditioner to be repaired (let me tell you how much fun it is to be in South Texas with no air conditioner on a 92 degree day). I have some thoughts on the subject matter on content:
1) I honestly think that I am the only person in the Masonic Blogsphere that doesn’t think that the Shrine and the Blue Lodge should split. The Shrine is an aspect and apart of our American Masonic Heritage. What makes my statements even more bizarre is that I’m not even in the Shrine, and I don’t have any plans to join. I understand their recruitment tactics leave something to be desired in some states (we’ve never entertained the idea of one day classes in Texas), but it is an organization that exemplifies charity aspect of Freemasonry.
2) I do agree about TO Lodges, I honestly think that two types of lodges need to be made available in the US, the 1950s style lodge and a TO Lodge. That way you have more of a choice of the type of Masonic experience you want to get out of the Craft.
3) I also agree about the on-line Freemasonry discussion groups get really nasty, which is why I don’t pipe up more often about current events.
Overall it’s a good show with more of a round table discussion. I look forward to future broadcasts.
1) I honestly think that I am the only person in the Masonic Blogsphere that doesn’t think that the Shrine and the Blue Lodge should split. The Shrine is an aspect and apart of our American Masonic Heritage. What makes my statements even more bizarre is that I’m not even in the Shrine, and I don’t have any plans to join. I understand their recruitment tactics leave something to be desired in some states (we’ve never entertained the idea of one day classes in Texas), but it is an organization that exemplifies charity aspect of Freemasonry.
2) I do agree about TO Lodges, I honestly think that two types of lodges need to be made available in the US, the 1950s style lodge and a TO Lodge. That way you have more of a choice of the type of Masonic experience you want to get out of the Craft.
3) I also agree about the on-line Freemasonry discussion groups get really nasty, which is why I don’t pipe up more often about current events.
Overall it’s a good show with more of a round table discussion. I look forward to future broadcasts.
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