New Freemason wife

smithyjules

I haven't read the whole thread as I am supposed to be working, but I couldn't read and run.We recently lost my FIL who I have known for over 10 years and had a very close bond with. He had been a FM for years and years and was the most sociable, loving, kind man who would do anything for anyone for no other reason than it being "the right thing to do". In fact we had over 400 people at his funeral and the stories people told us were very comforting. There were many, many things in the community that he did without even us knowing because he didn't do things for the glory of it. Obviously I'm not daft and I do realise that these were his personal traits and not taken directly from being a FM, although I know he used his influence there with fundraising too.There is a real sense of community and friendship amongst the FM's from my experience. We went along to Lady's Nights, Burn's Night suppers etc and if we ever saw any of the other FM's in town etc they would always stop and chat. My FIL died after a short battle with cancer and there were so many FM's who offered support to us as a family both during and after. In fact they walked his coffin on an old wooden funeral bier throughout the town, in the rain (FIL would have chuckled at that!) from the church all the way to the cemetery as a sign of respect, some of them were very elderly too.Sorry I suppose you didn't need to hear my life history, but honestly from my experience I have fond memories of FIL coming home with a little red wine smile at the corners of his mouth, some lovely social events and the continuing support they (and their wives/partners) show to us and my MIL.PS my Hubby goes off fishing and comes home stinking of fish (if he's lucky) and ground bait, or football when he gets rather stinky too. I know which I'd prefer lol.All the best OP

Mr_Toad

Judi wrote: »

Just googled it. Theres a meeting place less than 2 miles away from me. Never knew that!

That's because it's a secret society :rotfl:

System

Mr_Toad wrote: »

That's because it's a secret society :rotfl:

A big thumbs up from me cause they are supporting our local hospice.

Doesn't seem very secret though.

I cant say the idea of the secret society of Freemasons is a bad idea, I just don't understand the secrecy behind it.

Our husbands/wives/partners go to work every day and we don't know what they are doing or saying every minute of every day. That's where trust comes in.

poet123

LannieDuck wrote: »

Never heard of them. Is that the female version of the Masons?

Looking at their website it looks more like an organisation for encouraging female education and women's rights in developing countries than a networking organisation for business women.

It is a society for "Professional Women" and very much a networking arena. They do lots of charity work too.

Georgiegirl256

Mojisola wrote: »

Their fund-raising is all done within the society so it will affect their household budget.

Interesting. That's something I didn't realise about the FM's. So they pay a percentage of their income to them?

There was a lad who used to work with us who was very religious (can't remember which religion/branch of religion it was) and he paid about 10% of his wages to them.

Errata

It seems nowadays that all the nosey parkers and sticky beaks expect everyone's business to be hung out on the line like last week's washing.
Privacy is an important freedom which everyone is entitled to make full use of.

minerva_windsong

penrhyn wrote: »

The Simpsons Stone Cutters song.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZI_aEalijE

It isn't just me! When everyone has been talking about the rituals I keep thinking about the Stonecutters and Homer falling through the floor...

Mojisola

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Interesting. That's something I didn't realise about the FM's. So they pay a percentage of their income to them?

I don't think so - but don't know for sure. What I was told was that they don't go round trying to get the general public to donate money - everything they give is raised from members.

Amanda65

Mojisola wrote: »

I don't think so - but don't know for sure. What I was told was that they don't go round trying to get the general public to donate money - everything they give is raised from members.

My understanding is that you don't pay a monthly salary percentage but there are membership fees, there is usually a pence collection at each meeting and all fundraising done through the Masons is done by them and not through public donations. My father's lodge is supporting two local charities this year - one set up in memory of a member's son who tragically died in a car accident and which raises money for our local hospice and the other is the colts team of the local cricket club.

Georgiegirl256

pimento wrote: »

The Freemasons always make me think of the two Freds. Elliott and Flintstone.

After my colleague, Fred Elliot is one of the first things to come to my mind when I think of FM's too!