I met a mason and he said to me...what does it mean?

I was in the hospital with a migraine and was receiving IV treatment and I met a pilot there who was also with an IV. I looked at him and right away I knew...I asked him, is that a masonic ring? And he said "oh very smart very smart". And he told me "the sun always rises in the east". What does that mean? I've never heard this before. My grandmother told me it's a saying about beauty, but I looked it up online and it's a saying about war and optimism.

reply to post by babybowrain


It has something to do with their initiation into the group, I believe. North, South, East and West, I think they stand in different positions and reference the different directions.

If I say anymore, they'll find me!

Seriously though, something about that.

reply to post by babybowrain

Its a phrase that requires a specific reply. I assume he was assessing you.

Originally posted by babybowrain
And he told me "the sun always rises in the east". What does that mean?

Light comes from the east. It's what we most desire, no?

edit to add: mandrakerealmz is right, there's a specific reply, not appearing here. Well, there's actually a few things you might have done or said. Most Masons will take overt notice of a Masonic emblem to be a feeler, or a question as to whether they are legit. So if I came up to Charlie and said "Nice belt buckle", he might, if he didn't know me, challenge with that or a handshake, or an arm gesture to see if I was just passing the time or giving him a greeting. Generally not with a big overt one, if you had said that to me, I might have asked if you were searching for something.

reply to post by babybowrain
If you had made the proper response he would then know you were a secret Masonic super spy, and then he would give you the cache of secret documents for you to smuggle out of the country! Duh!

Here is what it is from:

Link

As the sun rises in the East to open and govern the day, so rises the Worshipful Master in the East [WM rises.], to open and govern his Lodge, set the craft at work, and give them proper instruction.

reply to post by babybowrain


My father and I had a similar experience when I was a child. That phrase was said to him too.

A quick google search brought this:

Q: Where stands your Master? A: In the East.
Q: Why so? A: As the Sun rises in the East and opens the day, so the Master stands in the East, (with his right hand upon his left breast, being a sign, and the square about his neck,) to open the Lodge, and set his men at work.
Q: Where stand your Wardens? A: In the West.
Q: What is their business? A: As the Sun sets in the West to close the day, so the Wardens stand in the West, (with their right hands upon their left breasts, being a sign, and the level and plumb rule about their necks,) to close the Lodge, and dismiss the men from labor, paying them their wages."

SOURCE

It's claimed the article is an essay written in 1818 regarding freemasonry.

[NOTE: This essay appeared in New York, 1818, with an anonymous preface of which I quote the opening paragraph: "This tract is a chapter belonging to the Third Part of the "Age of Reason," as will be seen by the references made in it to preceding articles, as forming part of the same work. It was culled from the writings of Mr. Paine after his death, and published in a mutilated state by Mrs. Bonneville, his executrix. Passages having a reference to the Christian religion she erased, with a view no doubt of accommodating the work to the prejudices of bigotry. These, however, have been restored from the original manuscript, except a few lines which were rendered illegible." Madame Bonneville published this fragment in New York, 1810 (with the omissions I point out) as a pamphlet. -- Dr. Robinet (Danton- Emigre, p. 7) says erroneously that Paine was a Freemason; but an eminent member of that Fraternity in London, Mr. George Briggs, after reading this essay, which I submitted to him, tells me that "his general outline, remarks, and comments, are fairly true." Paine's intimacy in Paris with Nicolas de Bonneville and Charles Frangois Dupuis, whose writings are replete with masonic speculations, sufficiently explain his interest in the subject. -- Editor.]

reply to post by theAnswer1111


It's from the same general set of teachings, but the response to that challenge is not in that document.

He was definitely testing you to see if you were a fellow mason.

Well now...if you're ever in a similar position and spot a masonic ring or whatever else they wear (belt buckles?), speak up first with that same phrase and see what the response is.

Then you'll know what you should have said.

reply to post by UberL33t


Hah! Good idea i'll remember that one

Or you could have waited until you were parting, smiled, and said "We met upon the level..."

That would have confused the crap out of him.

so rather then ask him something important like why are the masons taking over everything and why do they enslave us you just ask him.. "are you a mason" why else would he wear the ring guy?...

reply to post by dc4lifeskater

Trust me. Speaking that way to Masons gets you NOWHERE.... I would know lol...

Walk around with a replica mason ring and see who asks if your a mason

Ok, so from now on I will walk around with the mason ring on and when a person asks me about it Ill reply with "the sun always rises in the East"... And when I hear their reply I will use that moving forward when I see a person I believe to be a mason...

Originally posted by dc4lifeskater
so rather then ask him something important like why are the masons taking over everything and why do they enslave us you just ask him.. "are you a mason" why else would he wear the ring guy?...

BWahahahahahahahah!

Why not ask him how many babies he eats every month?

Some folks have Waaaaaay too much time on their hands.

Now hurry up and mop that floor slave.

You were supposed to say the sun may rise in the eastern sky but at least it settles in a final location
It's given in RHCP song Californication. And they are Masons, so they gave us the answer.

reply to post by ElOmen

I've seen a few legit masonic rings and all of the "for sale" or replica rings looks nothing like the real ones. Over the top with blatant known symbolism. Plus one must keep in mind many different lodges make rings for there members and there isn't a specific design that is universally shared.

So wearing a Fake ring probably wont yield any good results (Whatever those may be)

Edit. My grandfather and his father were FreeMasons affiliated with the Scottish right. Some of the very first people to arrive in New Zealand from Britain ^.^

reply to post by babybowrain


Some jurisdictions teach phrases to identify other masons. They are always cryptic and have cryptic answers. Mine does not so even though I am a mason, I would have been just as lost as you, and might have answered with, "the chair is against the wall" Just to mess with him. Masons can find out if others are masons quite quickly, but they can usually tell by how they act and how they talk.

You could say, "and sets in the west" and you might be close to the correct answer, but the next question he asked would surely mess you up. Did he try to enslave you or was he too busy taking over everything?