Goodbye Facebook

To all of my brethren out there who have supported my posts over the years, and contributed to absolutely wonderful and educational Masonic discussions.

I, unfortunately, can no longer, in good conscious, support Facebook, or it's policies and procedures.

My posts have always been, and are still always free to share, by anyone.

As always, my endeavors, will continue at:

masonicinsights.blogspot.com

Peer Group

One of the first things that changes when you join a lodge, is your peer group.

How does this affect you "Becoming a Mason?"

Memento Mori

How meaningful would our lives be if people lived forever?

How important would relationships be, if you knew you would never run out of time?

Would we be able to love, if death was not a reality?

Memento Mori

Plato Trivium and Quadrivium

Why are students no longer taught the Trivium and Quadrivium?

Why must these be sought, outside of traditional education?

Aren't they considered "classical?"

Wasting Time

Can you think of one thing that we all have a limited amount of?

Why would anyone want to waste it?

Keep this in mind during "Stated Meetings."

Appreciation

Appreciation comes from working toward, and achieving a goal.

If we hurry men into the fraternity, and push them through the degrees just to make members, you will end up with a bunch of guys who aren't really sure why they "joined" a fraternity.

Take the time to find out if they are instead, interested in "Becoming a Mason."

Confusion

Has someone ever told you something about the Craft of Masonry that you didn't quite believe?

How did you resolve this situation?

Did you find it to be true, or false?

Face Value

Don't take things at face value! Look into the situation yourself, and you will learn more than you ever thought possible.

This applies to Life, Spirituality, and most definitively, Masonry.

Hope and Faith

Is "hope" an integral part of "faith?"

Substitute

Why do we congratulate our candidates when they only receive a substitute?

Wilmshurst

"Seldom or never do we employ our Lodge meetings for that purpose for which, quite as much as for ceremonial purposes, they were intended, viz.: for "expatiating on the mysteries of the Craft," and perhaps our neglect to do so is because we have ourselves imperfectly realized what those mysteries are into which our Order was primarily formed to introduce us."

When was the last time you had a Masonic Meeting when you had an open discussion about the mysteries of the craft?

Trivium Proverbs

The three paths of the Trivium mirror the biblical pattern of learning expressed by Proverbs 24:3-4:

Grammar = Knowledge

Knowledge fills the metaphorical house of the soul with treasures;

Logic = Understanding

Understanding holds the house together, giving it integrity;

Rhetoric = Wisdom

Wisdom builds it, providing it with its final purpose.

Declaration of Independence Prince Hall

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

A special thanks to Prince Hall Masons who continue to honor the trials and tribulations of their predecessors who "altered and abolished" this corruption of equality and rights.

Offended Question?

How is it possible to get offended when you have been simply asked a question?

It's in the code...

"It's in the code..."

is one of the most ridiculous things that can be said when someone asks why we, as Masons, do things a certain way.

Priceless...

Reserve Hotel for upcoming Masonic event.

Catering for meals.

Projector for Power Point Presentation, because the one at the hotel is broken.

Adapter to connect to laptop/phone, because the Hotel hasn't heard of anything newer than VGA.

Coordinating the location and event ideas with attendees.

Having no one show up on the day of the event, and have to pay for the whole thing yourself... Priceless.

Burnout

Burnout comes from having your continuous efforts get wasted.

Ask, Seek, Knock

Ask
Did the candidate ask about Masonry?

Seek
Did the candidate follow up by coming to the Lodge and inquiring on becoming a Mason?

Knock
Did the candidate prepare himself to open the door when he was ready?

Superfluous Business

What happens if the Business of Freemasonry starts to become superfluous?

Freemasonic Business

Why is the Craft of Masonry put aside in lieu of Freemasonic Business?