Originally posted by Pictnation

For the first question, I live in a small village so know all the freemason's and when I went to one about joining, I got installed the following year.
the main reason I joined was out of curiosity, and the second that I already understood some of the ritual stuff so it seemed like a natural step to join.

I grew up in a small village in north east England and I never heard anyone being a member of the masons, if you don't mind me asking... which village... u2u me if you don't want that public.

Also... I would be very interested if you could tell us exactly what gets discussed as the meetings...

All the best,

Neon HaZe.

Originally posted by Neon Haze


Also... I would be very interested if you could tell us exactly what gets discussed as the meetings...

Masonic meetings generally follow this basic outline:

1. The Officers and members take their seats, and the Lodge is opened on the proper degree of Masonry for the conduct of business. In the US, this is generally the Third Degree, while outside of the US, it is usually the First Degree.

2. The Worshipful Master offers introductory remarks, and recognizes and welcomes the Brethren present.

3. The Secretary reads the minutes from the previous meeting for approval. Approval of minutes is determined by a majority vote via show of hands.

4. The Secretary reads any petitions for membership from potential members, and reports the findings of the Membership Committee for such petitioners. A secret ballot is cast to either elect or reject said petitioners for membership.

5. Unfinished business is then discussed. This usually consists of committee reports.

6. New business is discussed. Any Brother around the Lodge may introduce new business. He may also make motions and, if properly seconded, such motions go to the floor for a vote. Subjects that require investigation go to committees.

7. Some Brother appointed by the Master gives a brief speech or presentation on some Masonic related subject.

8. The Lodge is closed in due form, and the Brethren retire to the Festive Board to enjoy a meal and fellowship.

That is very interesting Masonic Light. Thank you for the insight.

This looks very much like how the inner workings of the English Parliament work...

What I was really getting at in my earlier question was...

What is the business at hand?

For example....

As a Member could I say, a rival business is taking an unreasonable chunk of my customers... let’s work against that business by any means at the disposal of the members??

How do I know that my life or anyone’s is not being altered in direction because of some person within the masons deems that it should??

All the best,

NeoN HaZe.

Hi Neon Haze

Sounds like you might be from England. ML's answer to you is broadly accurate also from an English perspective, but freemasonry can be quite different around the world and what may happen in the US can be quite different elsewhere.

What I was really getting at in my earlier question was... What is the business at hand?

The masonic business of an (English) lodge would typically be one of the following: Initiation into the organization; advancement within the organization; a practice of one of those two types of ceremonies; or a masonic lecture by a worthy brother.

How do I know that my life or anyone’s is not being altered in direction because of some person within the masons deems that it should??

Only matters relating to freemasonry are discussed in a masonic lodge. So you personally would only be discussed if you had applied to join. There is simply no framework or protocol to do otherwise. So if a group of freemasons wanted to work together against, say, a local business they would have to do it outside of the lodge framework. It could not be brought up in a masonic context - regular lodges, provincial grand lodges and grand lodges only regulate masonic matters and are structurally incapable of doing otherwise without compromising their terms of reference.

The short answer to your question, however, is you don't. Masonic meetings are private, and you only have the sayso of people like me of what happens within them. Having said that if you have any further questions I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability, or alternatively you could join a lodge and see for yourself first hand.

Originally posted by Neon Haze


As a Member could I say, a rival business is taking an unreasonable chunk of my customers... let’s work against that business by any means at the disposal of the members??

Trinity answered well, but I would also like to add the following:

It would be unmasonic for a brother to bring up his business in the outside world in this context within a Masonic meeting. Masons go to the Lodge to practice Freemasonry, not to advertize their business ventures in the profane world.

Yet, circumstances could arise where a business could legally get a plug. For example, my own Lodge recently discussed the need to frame and seal an old portrait of Brother George Washington wearing his Masonic regalia. A brother present mentioned that another brother from a neighboring Lodge owned a shop where he performed such work. A motion was made and seconded that this brother be hired to do the job. A vote was taken, and approval was unanimous.

However, to insinuate to fellow Masons, either within the Lodge or without it, that they should use Masonic influence to injure a business competitor would be unethical, and the party attempting to do such a thing would be subject to disciplanary action from the fraternity, up to and including expulsion.

This is a long shot, but maybe it stands for the holes in a so called solid society.

But like someone else stated probably just a bad decorative decision.

Originally posted by Masonic Light
However, to insinuate to fellow Masons, either within the Lodge or without it, that they should use Masonic influence to injure a business competitor would be unethical, and the party attempting to do such a thing would be subject to disciplanary action from the fraternity, up to and including expulsion.

Actually, we make them sit facing the corner in a pointy hat with a D on it, and flick elastic bands at them until they cry

leave us not forget the most important parts of " Masonic Business" that is
attended to at all meetings( at least from my experience as a DeMolay).

Paying the rent, electric,water,and gas bills, sending cards and flowers to
ailing members and familys, cards and arraingments for funerals, collections and deliveries of " Christmas Baskets", visitations to hospitals and "Convalesent
establishments" , ETC. ETC. ETC. all of which comes under the heading of
"Masonic Business".

I don't know about all the other lodges but ours in Scotland follow this pattern:-

1:- Get business done and dusted.
2:- Retire to the bar area and consume loads of beverages.
3:- Get nagged at by wife for being drunk during the week and making her stay up so late to pick you up.

4:- This only applies to the beginning of each season when new people are voted into office...... Before said wife comes to pick you up, join in with a drunken sing along, usually songs by Scottish bards e.e Rabbie Burns and finish off with Auld Lang Syne.

Nothing untoward happening here, unless of course, leaving the wife to wait in her car for an hour while I get pie eyed, counts.

Originally posted by Trinityman
Because speculative freemasonry started out as a purely Christian organization it would be very unlikely to have Islamic influences. However Christianity and Islam have a shared past, and Islam would certainly be aware of the (alleged) black & white checkered flooring in the Temple of King Solomon.

Hello Trinityman

I thought I'd drag this one out of the ether.

Could it be possible that the chequered floor could be due to Templar influence? I think that it is clear that the Templars were "touched" by islam, which is evidenced in the testimony of their trials and some of their so-called heretical practices. They certainly would have contact with mohamedians in the Holy Land.

The Templars were detailed as leaving their shoes at the door and going bare foot into their meetings for example.

The Chapterhouse at York Minster, which I believe was built for or by the Templars immediately prior to their arrest, originally had a chequered floor as did other religious buildings at this time admittedly, still noteworthy though.

I also believe that the circle and the square are sacred in Islamic architechure - although I'm not 100% on that one.

I wondered whether it was true that the freemasons at some point in the initiation or ceremony, have one foot shod and one foot bare? If so could this perhaps be indicative of the marriage between the Templars and the operative Masons?

Any thoughts?

Hi KT

Originally posted by KilgoreTrout
I thought I'd drag this one out of the ether.

Woah! There's a blast from the past!

Could it be possible that the chequered floor could be due to Templar influence? I think that it is clear that the Templars were "touched" by islam, which is evidenced in the testimony of their trials and some of their so-called heretical practices. They certainly would have contact with mohamedians in the Holy Land.

The timeline of the development of the speculative lodge wouldn't allow for such a link. Early speculative lodges in the 18th century did not have a checkered floor, but used the floor to draw, or trace, masonic symbols upon which they subsequently referred to during the masonic lectures of the time This practice developed into the creation of a 'tracing cloth' which was rolled out for meetings and put away again afterwards, and further evolved into the tracing boards which are used today. This change of practice created a 'vacuum' in the middle of the lodge room which is when the checkered floor started to be used. As I mentioned before in this thread, in freemasonry King Solomon's Temple is traditionally (but hardly historically) regarded as having a black and white checkerboard floor (symbolizing light and dark, good and evil, and man's perpetual journey from one to the other and back again) and this was a perfect choice for a carpet design for a masonic temple.

It's interesting to note that this practice did not extend to the United States, where most masonic temples (in my experience) do not have a checkerboard floor but just a regular carpet.

Black and white checkered floors significantly predate its use within masonic temples. It was a very popular flooring style in roman times, for example, and consequently I don't believe there is any evidence for Templar influence in its use in a masonic context, although many might wish it to be true!

I wondered whether it was true that the freemasons at some point in the initiation or ceremony, have one foot shod and one foot bare? If so could this perhaps be indicative of the marriage between the Templars and the operative Masons?

At no point in any initiation or ceremony is a freemason barefoot. Occasionally one or both feet are slipshod, partly as a sign of humility but it should also be noted that there is an old Scottish tradition that an unknotted, or unlatched shoe, represents 'luck' and averts 'danger'.

Just a question for you guys, do you join this forum as masons or as regular people.

What does that mean? I joined because I have always had an interest in history,philosophy,paranormal,the occult,initated systems,spirituality, and world religions.These all existed in me years before I became a Freemason.I joined these forums because they interest me, and of course if I see something untrue about freemasonry posted, I will correct it to the best of my ability,though there certainly are more learned brothers than I who post here regularly.

I would assume most other Masons to be the same as me, interested in the subject Manner.If you are imagining that there is some hierarchy that forces people to post here, then you are far from the truth.

Affluent families (who could spell :lol had them when i was a child. It was the epitome of luxury, and i've seen it in all high class places-not just your local Rock and Roll diners.

We had them and right now i'd kill to have one on my kitchen floor. It goes so well with all my baby blue appliances!!!!!

Forget the secret societies, this was the IN thing to have- imo, its still very desirable and pretty!!!!!

*They come in powder blue and white, red and white, gray and white to suit all tastes*

If you live in an old house, rip your floor and take a peek- might be surprised

[edit on 20-10-2007 by dgtempe]

Originally posted by pepsi78
Just a question for you guys, do you join this forum as masons or as regular people.

Is there a difference?

Originally posted by pepsi78
Just a question for you guys, do you join this forum as masons or as regular people.

I joined as a regular person.

One who happens to be a Freemason.

Guys, please remember: this is a public forum and most jurisdictions consider the manner of the candidate's preparation to be esoteric.