Age ??

We learn in the MM degree that we will not aid nor assist in the indoctrination of an old man it dotage, or a young man in non-age. The definitions are interesting, and again one word represents a distinct meaning.

dot·age

 [doh-tij] 

noun

1.

a decline of mental faculties, especially as associated with old age; senility.

2.

excessive fondness; foolish affection.

 

 

non·age

 [non-ij, noh-nij] 

noun

1.

the period of legal minority, or of an age below 21.

2.

any period of immaturity.

 

I've always recognized that dotage referred to an elderly man. What this points out is that an elderly man is capable and qualified to join if he is possession of his faculties. Also, in our case in Michigan, 19 is the minimum age to join. Keep in mind that a 40 year old could be too immature to join or a 40 year old could have a decline in his mental faculties.

 

Once again the authors of the ritual covered all of the bases with two simple words......amazing stuff. 

Really ? You Don't Say ?

Tubal-cain

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For other uses, see Tubalcain (disambiguation).

Tubal-cain
Tubal-cain in his forge. Tapestry in the Musée de Cluny
Born	Tubal-cain
Other names	Tubal-Cain, Tubalcain, Tubal (simplified name)
Occupation	smith
Known for	forefather of smiths
Title	"an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron"
Parents	Lamech and Zillah
Relatives	Jabal (half-brother) Jubal (half-brother) Naamah (sister)

Tubal-cain is a person mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, in Genesis 4:22. He was a descendant of Cain, the son of Lamech and Zillah, and the brother of Naamah.

Name

Tubal-cain at his forge

In Hebrew his name is תובל קין. In the King James Version this is rendered as Tubalcain, in the New International Version it is Tubal-Cain, while in the English Standard Version it is Tubal-cain. Rashi interprets the name to mean "he who spices the craft of Cain."^[1]
It is not clear why he has a double-barrelled name. Gordon Wenham suggests that the name "Cain" means "smith" (which would anticipate the remarks about his metal-working skill), or that he is called "Tubal Cain" in order to distinguish him from the other Tubal, the son of Japheth.^[2]
Henry Morris suggests that etymologically, his name is "the progenitor of the name of the Roman God Vulcan."^[3]
Coggins suggests it "may be a variant of the same tradition which lists Tubal in the table of nations" at Gen 10 2, as a land well known for metalwork.^[4]

Occupation

Genesis 4:22 says that Tubal-cain was the "forger of all instruments of bronze and iron" (ESV) or an "instructer of every artificer in brass and iron" (KJV). Although this may mean he was a metalsmith, a comparison with verses 20 and 21 suggests that he may have been the very first artificer in brass and iron. T. C. Mitchell suggests that he "discovered the possibilities of cold forging native copper and meteoric iron."^[5] Tubal-cain has even been described as the first chemist.^[6]
Others connect Tubal-cain's work to making weapons of war. Rashi notes that he "spiced and refined the Cain's craft to make weapons for murderers."^[1] In The Antiquities of the Jews, Flavius Josephus says that "Tubal exceeded all men in strength, and was very expert and famous in martial performances, ... and first of all invented the art of working brass." Walter Elwell suggests that his invention of superior weapons may have been the motivation for Lamech's interest in avenging blood.^[7]
Alternatively, E. E. Kellett suggests that Tubal-cain may have been a miner.^[8]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tubal-Cain

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Rashi, Bereishis, chapter 4.
2. ^ Gordon Wenham, Genesis 1-15 (Word, 1987), 113.
3. ^ Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record (Baker, 1976), 146.
4. ^ Richard Coggins (1981). Who's Who in the Bible. London: Batsford. p. 154. ISBN 0-7134-0144-3.
5. ^ T. C. Mitchell, "Tubal-cain," in New Bible Dictionary (IVF, 1962), 1302.
6. ^ "Tubal-Cain Acclaimed as Pioneer Chemist". The Science News-Letter (Society for Science & the Public): 142. August 30, 1941. JSTOR 3918014.
7. ^ Elwell, Walter E. (1988). Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House. p. 2109. ISBN 0-810-3447-7.
8. ^ E. E. Kellett (1922), "Some Old Testament Notes and Queries", Expository Times 33: 426

Inundations and Conflagrations ??

In the Fellowcraft degree we learn about the two brazen pillars which were cast hollow, the better to serve as a safe repository against all inundations and conflagrations....huh ??

As it turns out they served as a safe repository against flood and fire.....that's right flood and fire.

Inundation---to flood, cover or overspread with water
Conflagration---a destructive fire, usually an extensive one

I've heard these words for many years and just never sought out their definition. In fact I've given that part of the lecture many times and was not sure of the meaning of what I was saying.....now I do.....so the next time I will have a better understanding of that part of the lecture.

We always hear after a degree while remarks are being made that there is much to learn about this craft...truer words can never be spoken. If we delve into the ritual and pick it apart and explore these terms it opens a whole new avenue to this great fraternity we call Masonry.

What is a Lodge ?

It may take a while to get around to answering what is a lodge, but hopefully we can explore what a lodge means to all of us.

How many times have you said, "I'm going to lodge" or "See you at Lodge" or "When was the last time you were at Lodge?" or "Honey, we are having a dinner at Lodge and you're invited"

Sometimes we use the word Lodge to mean many different things.

What is a lodge? Is it the building where the lodge meets? Does Mt.Morris Lodge meet at the Mt.Morris lodge? .......or is Mt.Morris Lodge the members and officers of Mt.Morris Lodge which happens to meet at the Mt.Morris Masonic Temple ? by the way in my opinion....I've never bought into the Masonic Center name...again that is my opinion and not that of the Grand Lodge of Michigan.

If you look up the word lodge, it is a crudely built, temporary shelter. A more modern version is a hunting lodge but still a temporary or seasonal shelter not intended for long term use.

In Masonic jargon we use lodge to mean "the lodge" or for example, "I'm going to Swartz Creek Lodge" yes it means the location of where Swartz Creek meets but more importantly it means the brothers and officers of Swartz Creek lodge.

If something were to happen to the "building" at Mt.Morris or Swartz Creek or anywhere.....the lodge would continue on and just hold their meetings in a different "building" at a different location. Remember in the infancy of the craft in this newly formed United States, lodges usually met in an upstairs room of a tavern, and after the meeting they could get a pint, after all the water in those days would kill you, but that's another story.

I thought of all this last night during our Past Masters & Life Members banquet. I happened to step outside for a few moments and it was dark, cold, and rainy; when I went back into the "lodge" it was well lit, warm, and dry.....it suddenly dawned on me that the "lodge" is all the members, officers, honorary members, and their families......I had come in from the outside which was not pleasant at the time into the building which provided shelter from the inclemency of the current weather conditions.....and from a place of darkness and loneliness back into the warmth, light, and brotherhood of the "lodge"

I am sure that we have all heard a sermon or two at church discussing that "the church" is not the building but the congregation.....the same holds true for our lodges. Too often as of late we have lodges who have become slaves to their buildings and pour every ounce of energy into maintaining and paying the bills to keep the building or as we would term it the lodge......but the "lodge" is much more than a building, it's a living breathing brotherhood or fraternity that is ever growing and evolving.....as we learn in the Fellowcraft degree many majestic buildings have fallen or been destroyed but Freemasonry has survived through the ages.

We need to focus on the "lodge".....the true lodge---the brothers, officers, honorary members, and all of their families.....as our Deputy Grand Master Ray Lemons has said .....let's get back to Masonry....if we do Masonry correctly......the building will be taken care of.......let's focus on what is important and that is meeting the needs of all the members of the lodge.....they joined for a reason, lets give them a reason to be active and really enjoy the true meaning of going to .........lodge.

To sum up the whole.......long read but good info

The Classical Order columns

When deciding columns, the first order should be the classical order.
The classical order is one of the ancient styles of building design that is recognizable by the type of column and capital.
Classical columns are seen everywhere, on porches, entryways, or holding up a balcony, you probably just didn’t know their history.

From the sixteenth century onwards, there have been five recognized orders.
The Doric
the Ionic
the Tuscan
the Corinthian
the Composite.

All of these originated among the Greek architects and were modified by others, particularly the Romans who took column structures to a beautiful art.

The structure of a column
A column is divided into three parts- the base, shaft, and capital. The easiest way to distinguish between the classical orders is the capital.
The horizontal structure that is supported on the columns like a beam is called an entablature. The entablature is commonly divided into the architrave, the frieze and the cornice and each style has its own individuality.

The Base
The stylobate is the flat pavement on which the columns are placed. On the stylobate is a square or circular block called a plinth. Above the plinth there may be another with molding profiles. These profiles are commonly the convex torus and the concave scotia, separated by fillets or bands.

The column

On top of the base is the column proper, or shaft. Long and narrow, shaft heights are determined and measured as a ratio between the diameter of the shaft at its base to its height. The shaft is sometimes fluted or carved.
The capital
The capital sits at the top of the shaft. It is the capital that distinguishes the column orders from each other.
The capital is composed of three parts, the necking which sets on the shaft and has one or more grooves, the echinus which sets upon the necking and is a circular block, or large torus, and supports the abacus, which is a square or shaped block that in turn supports the entablature.

The entabulature
The entablature is the horizontal beam on top of the columns. It consists of three vertical layers which are separated from each other using moldings. The three layers have distinct names: the architrave is at the bottom, the frieze is in the middle and the molded cornice lies on the top. In some work the entablature may be an arch.
The entabulature is distinct to the column style.

The 5 orders
Doric order
The Doric order is the oldest and is composed of a tapered shaft most often fluted. There is no base or capital in the Greek designs but the Romans used a base.
The top is often an inverted, shallow frustum or a carved torus. The height-to-thickness ratio is about 8:1.

Tuscan order
Also a simple design, the Tuscan shaft is almost always smooth. The base and capital are cylindrical disks of alternating diameter. The height to thickness ratio is about 7:1. Because of the simple design of the style it was easily adopted by carpenters and became a distinguishing mark of the Georgian style.

Ionic order

The Ionic column is more complex and decorated. The base is a astragal and torus and the shaft is often fluted. The capital has a volute at the four corners. The height-to-thickness ratio is around 9:1. The Ionic column is sometimes associated with academic buildings.

click to enlarge Corinthian order
The Corinthian capital uses no neck and instead has a ring-like astragal molding forming the base of the capital. There is an abacus on the capital which has concave sides that conform to the scrolling corners. There may also be a rosette at the center or each side.
The Corinthian order is named for the Greek city-state of Corinth. The story of the Corinthian capital is very interesting. The following is from the Wikipedia article on Callimachus, according to the Greek architectural historian Vitruvius....




A freeborn maiden of Corinth, just of marriageable age, was attacked by an illness and passed away. After her burial, her nurse, collecting a few little things which used to give the girl pleasure while she was alive, put them in a basket, carried it to the tomb, and laid it on top thereof, covering it with a roof-tile so that the things might last longer in the open air.
click to enlarge This basket happened to be placed just above the root of an acanthus. The acanthus root, pressed down meanwhile though it was by the weight, when springtime came round put forth leaves and stalks in the middle, and the stalks, growing up along the sides of the basket, and pressed out by the corners of the tile through the compulsion of its weight, were forced to bend into volutes at the outer edges.
Just then Callimachus, whom the Athenians called katatêxitechnos for the refinement and delicacy of his artistic work, passed by this tomb and observed the basket with the tender young leaves growing round it. Delighted with the novel style and form, he built some columns after that pattern for the Corinthians, determined their symmetrical proportions, and established from that time forth the rules to be followed in finished works of the Corinthian order.

click to enlarge
The oldest known Corinthian capital was dated at 427 BC. It is the slenderest column with a ratio 10:1. The base is similar to the Ionic base but the capital is the most decorative of the orders. Richly carved it projects a very expensive, elaborate air.
click to enlarge

Composite orderThe Composite order is a composite of the Ionic and Corinthian capitals. The acanthus of the Corinthian column already has a scroll-like element, so the distinction is sometimes subtle but the composite volutes are larger mand the echinus is decorated with egg-and-dart ornamentation between the volutes. The column of the composite order is ten - 12 diameters high.

Solomonic
At least honorable mention must be given to the Solomonic column, which was the invention of Baroque architects in Europe.
click to enlarge They were called “Solomonic” because they were based on a description of columns in the great temple of King Solomon in the Old Testament.
click to enlarge A Solomonic column has a base and ends in a capital like a classical column, but the shaft twists around the shape of the column. The most famous use of Solomonic columns is in the baldocchino designed by Bernini for Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.
As mention previously the Solomonic column was revived as a feature of Baroque architecture. Used infrequently in Britain the columns became popular in Catholic Europe. The Solomonic column spread to Spain and from Spain to Spanish colonies in the Americas. After 1660, such spiraled columns became a familiar feature in the legs of French, Dutch and English furniture.

Columns less than 15oo years old
(aka) Your everyday present mode columns.

A nice square,fluted Federalcolumn.

click to enlarge
Forshortened but relatively common.A Tuscan column. It has all the parts of classical order column and even sits on a stylobate. I belive this is what was called a Georgian column.	A nice set of tapered Arts & crafts columns on a Bungalow.	A different size Tuscan with heavy carved balusters. These are fiberglass.
A perfect example of an Arts & Crafts capital sitting on a Tuscan or a non-fluted Dorian column. The Echinus is common but I have not found any discription of its style.	Another Tuscan with a Arts & Crafts house. Notice the diamond mullion glass in the windows and the canted side stairway window. The trim below the porch edge is interesting. And the carved capital, the white curly-que design is called a 'Swans neck'.	I don't think you can call this a Solomonic column. It's either a culvert pipe painted or a concrete caste piece. I think a heavier abacus and stylobate and a thinner diameter would be very attractive.
Tall Tuscan columns. This shows what a difference a tall column makes to a space.	A very nice bungalow with multiple square columns. The curved skirt is called a 'Belcast'. The Bargeboard with the Torus Plate on the end is unique.	A Craftsman porch with a long arched entablature sprung in tapered brick columns. Whats different about this design is the columns start at grade and not at the porch level.
It looks like an late 1800's house. Twin Ionic capitals at twin sidelights and the porch is Tuscan columns. The entablature at the doorway are very heavy with a large cornice molding.	An Antebellum period home. Very tall and slender Ionic columns.	Four Ionic columns flanking an entry portico. Nice curved entablature with heavy cornice making a balcony. Good wirework.
click to enlarge	click to enlarge	click to enlarge
A beautiful set of columns. The left is a very traditional, full scroll ionic, fluted column with the egg & dart echinus. The twin square paneled column is tied with the egg & dart at the echinus also. Notice the small beaded chaplet at the bottom of the echinus. A nicely colored entablature corniced with dental mold.	A nice old stone corinthian with a banded entablature. The highly decorative freize is bubeautiful capped with dental.	A nice set of corinthian columns under a curved entablature.
click to enlarge	click to enlarge
Beautiful corinthians on a home porch. Nice heavy, arched entablature. The 3/4 circle in the arch is very nice. At the back of the porch there's a nice example of an engaged square corinthian pilaster. Notice the arched panes in the arched window.	This is an entry. Slender, fluted Dorian columns with arched entablature. The four-lobbed spandrel with dropped pendants. Swans-neck corbels on a deep, paneled transom.

Ionic Order

Ionic order: 1 - entablature, 2 - column, 3 - cornice, 4 - frieze, 5 - architrave or epistyle, 6 - capital (composed of abacus and volutes), 7 - shaft, 8 - base, 9 - stylobate, 10 - krepis.

Triglyphs, metopes, and the frieze ???

Triglyph

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Triglyph centered over the last column in the Roman Doric order of the Theater of Marcellus

Triglyph is an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze, so called because of the angular channels in them, two perfect and one divided, the two chamfered angles or hemiglyphs being reckoned as one. The rectangular recessed spaces between the triglyphs on a Doric frieze are called metopes. The raised spaces between the channels themselves (within a triglyph) are called femur in Latin or meros in Greek.^[1]
The triglyph is largely thought to be a tectonic representation in stone of the wooden beam ends of the typical primitive hut, as described by Vitruvius and Renaissance writers. The wooden beams were notched in three separate places in order to cast their rough-cut ends mostly in shadow. Greek architecture (and later Roman architecture) preserved this feature, as well as many other features common in original wooden buildings, as a tribute to the origins of architecture and its role in the history and development of man.
In terms of structure, a triglyph may be carved from a single block with a metope, or the triglyph block may have slots cut into it to allow a separately cut metope (in stone or wood) to be slid into place, as at the Temple of Aphaea. There may be some variation in design within a single structure to allow for corner contraction, an adjustment of the column spacing and arrangement of the Doric frieze in a temple to make the design appear more harmonious.

Masonry comes alive

I had the pleasure of attending a Fellowcraft Degree at Linden lodge this evening. Myself along with around 60 brothers witnessed one of the most touching things I have ever seen in any lodge at anytime.

Linden has a brother who has been deaf since birth. This brother who is a little mature asked his father in-law what the brothers were saying when the flag was presented at the altar. His father in-law who happens to be a Past Master of Linden lodge explained that the brothers were reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Apparently when this brother was in school they were never taught the pledge and this was many years ago. Probably because he received his education along with other deaf students and they were not able to recite it.

This brother took it upon himself to learn the pledge and how to sign it. Now when the flag is presented he approaches the altar and as the rest of us recited the pledge he signs the pledge. This is something he is very proud of.

This evening was the first time I had witnessed this great event. I have never been more proud of any brother or this great fraternity, it truly brought tears to my eyes and warmed my heart. To think that this man, this brother had journeyed through life and it was this great fraternity that enriched his life and knowledge of this tradition that many of us take for granted.

It was very fitting and ironic that this was taking place before the Fellowcraft or the "education"  degree was conferred. As we all know a part of the Fellowcraft degree deals with the five human senses which includes hearing.

Now to top off the evening this brother was brought to the East along with a couple of other brothers and was presented with a riutal pin which was presented by the District Deputy Instructor.  He received the pin for learning the pledge and how to sign it.

You've heard me say numerous times a great night in Masonry......this was an AWESOME night in Masonry......and I am very glad I was there to witness it firsthand.

Never know what is on the web

Symbolism of Charcoal

By Wor. H. Meij

                                                                                                            

We learn in the first degree lecture, that EA’s serve their Masters with “Freedom, Fervency and Zeal”, symbolized by chalk, charcoal and clay.  Why charcoal? 

In many cultures, charcoal was seen as a wondrous substance, for it made possible the use of metals. Its fervency, or great heat, was critical to refining progressively harder and harder metals, from lead to copper, brass to bronze, and iron to steel. In the lecture we learn that “Nothing is more fervent than Charcoal, to which, when well ignited, the most obdurate metals will yield.” It is interesting and instructive that the term “obdurate” carries the meanings “hardened in wickedness”, “persistently impenitent”, and “resisting or insensible to moral influence”. Thus a second service is expected of our Brother, namely to ignite himself in his search for a better moral foundation and strive to fit himself for the Builder’s use.

The Romans marked festive days on their calendats with lime (or white chalk) and unlucky days with charcoal, perhaps herein lie one association often made in many cultures that black=unlucky, white = lucky.

A Korean tradition is to wait twenty-one days before visiting a new mother and child. All visitations are restricted during this time period, and ropes are hung across the gate to keep people out. These ropes, called kumchul (or geumjul), are decorated according to the sex of the child. Charcoal, white paper, and pine needles let people know that a girl has been born; charcoal and red paper (sometimes peppers) signify that a boy has been born to the family. The charcoal symbolizes cleanliness, red symbolizes the male, pine needles symbolize chastity in women, and white is to prevent impurities from entering the house.

 Charcoal is also a symbol of absorption, coming from the same physical properties it possesses, and hence was often used as a symbol of quick absorption of thoughts and lessons. It is the porosity of wood charcoal that explains why it floats on the surface of water, although it is actually denser. This also accounts for its ability to readily absorb gases and liquids; charcoal is often used to filter water or absorb odors. Its pharmacological action depends on the same property; it absorbs the gases of the stomach and intestines, and also liquids and solids (hence its use in the treatment of certain poisonings). Charcoal filters are used in some types of gas mask to remove poisonous gases from inhaled air.

To dream of charcoal unlighted, denotes miserable situations and bleak unhappiness. If it is burning with glowing coals, there is prospects of great enhancement of fortune, and possession of unalloyed joys.

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Might just be my favorite

We had the pleasure of conferring the Entered Apprentice degree last evening at Mt.Morris Lodge #535.

Given the fact that there were other activities going on in the county we had a very nice showing of brothers from various lodges. Without the help of all the traveling brothers it would be extremely difficult to confer any degree.

Our candidate was a slightly mature gentleman, who made everyone a little nervous because of his arriving about 15 minutes before opening lodge. In talking with him he indicated that he had been helping a friend of his who happens to be partially disabled. She is a single woman who cleans an office building and he goes along to help with the heavy lifting and more physically challenging work. He does this voluntarily to help her earn extra money.

The above little scenario set the tone of the evening for me. I knew in my heart and mind that he was already a Mason without the degrees.

My job prohibits me from arriving on time for dinner.....but it gives me the opportunity to walk into the dining hall and see and experience the fellowship that is taking place. Plenty of conversation, laughter, and hand-shakes are taking place and you can sense the energy of brotherhood. Try it sometime....show up about 15 minutes late and witness it for yourself....it's truly the spirit of our fraternity at work.

The Entered Apprentice Degree might very well be my favorite degree. It is so rich with symbolism and heritage. If you have an attentive candidate you can see him taking it all in. The apron presentation is without a doubt the most beautiful part of any of the three degrees....that's just my opinion of course.

As you can probably tell it was an excellent night in Masonry.....the lectures were flawlessly given and the whole degree went very smooth....with perhaps the exception of the Master(me) who had a couple of senior moments and inter-mingling of degrees.....the key is the JEA method of ritual delivery just keep going, go back and include if possible....if not press on and make it fit.....in the Scottish Rite we do some ad-libbing because we just don't get the practice like blue lodge....but hey we are all human and provided the proper intent is there and we are getting about 90% right we are doing a good job.

In conclusion brothers....get out and travel.....experience the spirit of the fraternity !!!!

Behold How Good and How Pleasant

Had some great fellowship over the weekend. For starters, Friday night attended Grand Blanc's fish-fry. They had a nice crowd and we had a full table of brothers and their ladies. It is really neat to get together and break bread and have some nice conversation.

Saturday, we had our monthly Country Breakfast at Mt.Morris. Another great opportunity for fellowship. Unfortunately we were very short-handed...but there were a few Masons and Stars who really stepped up and made it a success.

The most interesting conversation concerning the craft was had between myself and one of our junior officers. We went to another activity which was eventually cancelled because of circumstances beyond our control....however, we made the most of our time and had a great conversation about getting the newer members interested enough to come back.

In talking with this brother who is in the "younger" age group, he mentioned that he had his own ideas about why the newly made Masons are not coming back to take part in the activities of the lodge. He summed up his feelings to three simple words----it's too easy-----

He feels that they have very little invested financially, and they have very little time invested. They pay a little over a hundred bucks to get in.....they invest three evenings....and bam---they are a Master Mason. Their dues are good for the balance of the year, they have probably less than an hour invested in learning their "lessons"....they find out all of the "supposed secrets" and there is nothing left for them to learn or to work at.

I know what most of you are thinking.....there are dozens, hundreds, if not thousands of things to learn. In their mind they have learned everything they need because after-all they are Master Masons. This young officer alluded to the "old days" when an initiate was made an EA they had to invest some real time and real effort to pass the "test" before moving on to the next degree. In learning that lesson they worked their butt off and also built a relationship with one or more brothers preparing to be tested.

He also noted that we as a fraternity have lost sight of membership, in his opinion it is a "honor and privilege" to be a Master Mason.....we, the fraternity, because of our starving for membership, consider it a privilege to have them join and in his opinion that is opposite of how it should be. He also noted that he has never seen anyone turned down for any reason.....it's almost like the old mirror test.....if you can fog this mirror---you're in.

There is much to be learned from this conversation. The words that the RWDGM Ray Lemons spoke of at the summit meeting----they are joining us....we are not joining them. Are we so starved for members that we move them through too rapidly? Only to have them be raised to the sublime degree of a MM so they have no reason to come back......I'm not sure.

The one thing I do know is that with some exclusivity, protecting our ritual, letting a certain air of mystique be known, filtering the candidates through a more thorough investigation, and maybe prolonging advancement, and getting them involved in lodge activities inside and outside the confines of the temple just might be our ticket to ensuring the everlasting longevity of this fine fraternity.

CBC

It seems that our world is filled with acronyms or the use of a few initials to represent a certain phrase or title.
CBC is one we need to get familiar with as it will be one of the hot topics in our world of Freemasonry here in the Grand Jurisdiction of Michigan.

CBC or Criminal Background Check is an issue which the Grand Lodge of Michigan feels very strongly about. CBCs are a current component of life for many of us. Whether applying for a job, a professional organization, volunteering to help with youth groups, and many other situations.

It is a reflection of the society in which we live. Society is much more mobile than in prior decades. It is not unlikely for younger people to hold in excess of 7-10 jobs in their lifetime and very unlikely that they remain in the same locale.

Given the huge influx of internet leads generated by the Grand Lodge website we are receiving many inquiries for membership and the majority of the time we really don't know the applicant.

In reading some BGP reports, I have noted that some lodges require that the applicant attend various social functions of the lodge so they can get to know the applicant, a great idea. We are so starved for membership that we have not been doing a good job of investigating who wants to join us. RWDGM Lemons stated that we have to remember the applicant is joining us...we are not joining them.

The Grand Master has also stated that there are some issues that have occurred that may have never happened had we had a CBC program in place.

The issue of privacy and confidentiality has come up and the company which is chosen to do the CBC will also be the custodian of the records, and that the local lodges and GL will not have access to these reports for retention.

As mentioned before just exactly what is our fraternity worth? Is it worth screening potential new members to safeguard our members, members families, and our reputation. The question has been posed, what if a policeman, attorney, judge, cpa, clergyman, or others who may have been through the CBC....or for that matter a grandson, son, nephew, or other relative of an existing member applies for membership do they go thru the same CBC process......the answer is yes.....and here is why......if want to open ourselves up to potential lawsuits then this would surely lead to that....by excluding certain groups and not including all who apply is morally and ethically wrong but probably against some law...not sure I'm not an attorney. I feel the professionals would see it as good thing by protecting our reputation......and I'm sure that any parent will agree that we know everything our sons, grandsons, and nephews have been involved in...right....probably not.....so everyone goes thru the same process.....then we know and are being fair and equitable.

In conclusion is our fraternity worth requiring a potential member to jump thru this hoop....in my opinion most certainly.....YES

vouchsafe and others

vouchsafe

verb (used with object)

1. to grant or give, as by favor, graciousness, or condescension: to vouchsafe a reply to a question.

2. to allow or permit, as by favor or graciousness: They vouchsafed his return to his own country.

 

We have all heard this word numerous times......Vouchsafe Thine aid almighty Father of the Universe 

 to this our present convention. 

 

Convention is used to indicate a meeting or formal assembly....hmmmm.....quite interesting.

 

Endue him with a competency of Thy Divine wisdom.......if you explore the meaning of the word endue....

 

to invest or endow with some gift, quality, or faculty.

 

 Competency-possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification, or capacity

 

Therefore we are asking the Grand Architect of the Universe to aid us by granting through his graciousness and to allow the candidate at this assembly or meeting to be endowed or invested with the skills, knowledge and qualifications of the wisdom of God.

 

Four words that pack a powerful request into a few small sentences that we often take for granted.

 

Brothers.....our ritual is more than worth the price of admission to our fraternity if we open our minds to the

true meaning the words represent.

What is it worth?

Please let me begin by apologizing for the long delay between posts. Originally I thought this would be an easy task but with the demands of life blogging can easily be pushed aside. Our fraternity is at a crossroads as well as all the appendent bodies of Freemasonry.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Mummers Dinner in Bay City at the Scottish Rite. As usual a great meal, great fellowship and some interesting thoughts were shared. Everyone knows that there are certain activities which need to be implemented and more substance needs to be shared not only with our new members but also the existing members.

The fraternity of years gone by could offer a dinner and a speaker and that was considered valuable entertainment and a good use of one's time. Fast-forward to today and in this very hectic fast-paced world we have to be more than what we were in the sixties.

Throughout most of the renewal talks I have attended there are a few key elements that new members and potential new members are seeking.

• to be part of something bigger than themselves
• to be accepted and to associate with others who share the same views
• to take part in community and charitable activities
• to be part of something which includes the whole family

Our biggest obstacle in growing this great fraternity and all of the associated groups is: OURSELVES

We love to form committees and study groups to plan and plot our strategy...however, there is one thing missing: ACTION ....to quote a famous ad campaign.....JUST DO IT !

One other very important thing which was discussed is the value of our fraternity. Just how valuable is the fraternity. The subject of initiation fees and how they relate to dues was discussed. For example to join the Scottish Rite about 30 years ago cost approximately $100 and the dues were about $35 so the cost to join was about 3 times the amount of yearly dues. Now it costs $250 to join and the dues are $185 BUT of the $250....it covers the next year's dues...so in reality only $65 to join.

The same rings true in our Blue Lodges....30 years ago you could join for $105 and dues were about $35 today you join for $105 and dues are about $100. Also, years ago a catechism was required, sometimes a waiting list, and it cost approximately 3 times the yearly dues to join. In other words the newly made Mason had something invested they had equity in the fraternity. It was far harder to walk away then because of the investment and equity. Now there is far less investment and equity.

We have devalued our fraternity and dumbed it down in an attempt to attract more new members. In reality  I am not sure if that strategy has proved itself to be that successful. The case has been made also that the reason we are not attracting the doctors, lawyers, ceos, and business men is that our fraternity is too cheap to become affiliated with.

So, what is the value of our fraternity. Like one of the great advertising campaigns said....Price of admission $105...yearly dues $100.....lasting friendships and camaraderie .....priceless. We are in....we recognize the worth of our fraternity.....the real challenge is communicating that to the new member and the potential new member.