One aspect of Freemasonry is ‘networking’. You can meet two dozen new people at each meeting and easily befriend a couple of them over a dinner. You might sit next to a dustman on one side and a high court judge on the other and Masonically speaking, the dustman may far outrank both you and the judge. It’s a great leveller.
We know what you’re thinking: shouldn’t an application form be enough to become a Freemason? Well, we can tell you straight up that it isn’t. You need to gain the support of two members in the lodge if you want to stand a chance. One acts as Proposer and takes primary responsibility for your conduct….
If you’re an out-and-out, atheist, you won’t gain a place in your local Masonic lodge. This is because to become a Freemason, you must profess a faith in a “Supreme Being.” The reason is simply because you have to make certain solemn obligations of fidelity upon your Holy book which renders them sacred vows.
Salutes aren’t just for the military, we Freemasons have our own similar ‘signals’ of respect. Upon entering a lodge, members are expected to acknowledge the Worshipful Master with a salute before they speak, doing the same again when they depart. Salutes are also compulsory when addressing a superior officer within the Lodge.
It’s true that sometimes a good anecdote can help lighten the mood of a particularly stuffy room, but don’t try it in a Lodge meeting as the proceedings are quite serious matters! The meetings aren’t without humour, but no one expects a belly laugh during the meeting. Perhaps at the bar or at dinner afterwards?
If you’re working within a large group of people for a while, there’s a good chance that there will be differences of opinion, and thus an argument could ensue. Disagreement exists and conflict happens, right? In this instance you’re both invited to leave the Lodge room and return once you have amicably settled your differences….
Once your day at work or education comes to an end, you can kick back and relax in the knowledge that you no longer have to follow so many rules. It’s a bit different with we Freemasons, though. When members leave their lodges, they continue to live by Masonic Law. If they don’t, then they could…
