New Freemason wife

Quentin

We'll never know the truth about the chicken sacrifices or the riding on toy goats as they all have to swear an oath that they will have their throats slit if they reveal whst goes on to anyone, even their wives.

MothballsWallet

Okay, can't be arrised reading all the way through, but this is something my dad used to say:

The Freemasons is a society of secrets, not a secret society.

Now, the Carlyle Group, that's verging on a secret society

lostinrates

Its really good to hear how supportive they are to some members at times of need. Have to say, though my grandfather was dedicated, (hence my father , not a pushover in most things being in a lodge or whatever until grandfathers death) there was no support I saw when he and my grandmother ailed. .

Perhaps they all hated him.

jemb

I do find how some of the ideas people have on the world of freemasonary quite funny! My family have always been involved, you dont have to go every week, they are practices, you have to go once a month when it is an actual lodge night and there is like a service. There are ladies nights, garden parties and wives get togethers throughout the year which anyone can go to albeit through invitition by a lodge member. There are traditions, all based on old testament so anyone from any religious background can join in. There are no ceremonies where they kill anything anymore, although there might used to have been, have you been to a lodge building where there would be space to sacrifice a goat?! People have weddings in these buildings! Lastly, Freemasons raise money for others, as others have said. When the floods happened around 2006 in Sheffield area the Freemasons were the first to put their hands in their own pockets without rattling buckets and West Yorkshire sent over just shy of half a mil overnight. The salvation army however (who were organising the clean up) sent it back saying they didnt want money from the likes of these people (who were they to say no to this money and only on behalf of the people knee deep in filthy water in their homes?) and therefore wouold not accept the money on behalf of the people. Tell me which group were in the wrong there?
My Dad had Cancer last year and you have never seen such a supportive group. Visiting him in hospital, visiting my Mum, calling and sending flowers, they generally cared about their Brother and it was lovely to see them rally round, as we have as a family before for other members.
Freemasonary whilst secretive is quite open when you're involved, members will always answer questions (a few think they've something over you by keeping quiet, but the same with any group of people). Read up on it, visit things, speak to people, it's actually a very sociable society! There is a female version, but the two are held seperately from each other.
I know someone will come along to mock me, belittle me or generally try show/trip me up. Feel free, I have nothing to win or lose from my reply, just thought you may want to hear it from someone who knows a little, by no means alot about it from a female point of view.

Georgiegirl256

jemb wrote: »

I do find how some of the ideas people have on the world of freemasonary quite funny! My family have always been involved, you dont have to go every week, they are practices, you have to go once a month when it is an actual lodge night and there is like a service. There are ladies nights, garden parties and wives get togethers throughout the year which anyone can go to albeit through invitition by a lodge member. There are traditions, all based on old testament so anyone from any religious background can join in. There are no ceremonies where they kill anything anymore, although there might used to have been, have you been to a lodge building where there would be space to sacrifice a goat?! People have weddings in these buildings! Lastly, Freemasons raise money for others, as others have said. When the floods happened around 2006 in Sheffield area the Freemasons were the first to put their hands in their own pockets without rattling buckets and West Yorkshire sent over just shy of half a mil overnight. The salvation army however (who were organising the clean up) sent it back saying they didnt want money from the likes of these people (who were they to say no to this money and only on behalf of the people knee deep in filthy water in their homes?) and therefore wouold not accept the money on behalf of the people. Tell me which group were in the wrong there?
My Dad had Cancer last year and you have never seen such a supportive group. Visiting him in hospital, visiting my Mum, calling and sending flowers, they generally cared about their Brother and it was lovely to see them rally round, as we have as a family before for other members.
Freemasonary whilst secretive is quite open when you're involved, members will always answer questions (a few think they've something over you by keeping quiet, but the same with any group of people). Read up on it, visit things, speak to people, it's actually a very sociable society! There is a female version, but the two are held seperately from each other.
I know someone will come along to mock me, belittle me or generally try show/trip me up. Feel free, I have nothing to win or lose from my reply, just thought you may want to hear it from someone who knows a little, by no means alot about it from a female point of view.

I don't think anyone will mock you or belittle you, at least I should hope not anyhow, because what you've wrote above is lovely and also informative too. I think it's lovely how they rally round when one of their own or their own's family needs help.

I've always thought that the Salvation Army were a good worthwhile charity (and I'm sure they are), but I'm disgusted to read what they did regards the flood money. That is truely shocking.

Like I've said in previous posts, one of my ex-colleagues is in the FM's, and when he talked about it, rather than thinking "Ooo this is some weird secret society", I always found what he had to say interesting, and when he got his little pocket book out to swot up on it when he was rising through the levels, I always found it intriguing and was fascinated by it!

moneysniffer

I have had two experiences with Freemasons - both instances involving corruption in the name of the organisation. One in particular was a truly disgraceful episode, and i'm amazed it didn't make national news. Or maybe i'm not amazed, the newspaper editors are probably members themselves... don't want to make trouble for one of their own, do they?

Though I should add, I of course don't believe that all members are like this - and I suspect it's something the organisation itself disapproves of. I guess it'd just an environment that fosters a kind of opportunism in the less than scrupulous members..

axomoxia

lostinrates wrote: »

Its really good to hear how supportive they are to some members at times of need. Have to say, though my grandfather was dedicated, (hence my father , not a pushover in most things being in a lodge or whatever until grandfathers death) there was no support I saw when he and my grandmother ailed. .

Perhaps they all hated him.

Its often the case that the lodge dosn't know. Someone steps down due to ill health, they loose contact with the lodge. We've were fortunate enough to find local to us some elderly ex-members and their wives who were struggling, and we were able to step in and help.

They had been members of a different lodge that met some way away, so we didn't know they were living close to us, and when they moved away, didn't let their original lodge know there new address.

My lodge has eight widows of members of thier lodges - we keep in regular contact with them to make sure they are all right and if they need anything. They range from bed-ridden to terrifyingly sprightly....

axomoxia

Judi wrote: »

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.

Interesting you should mention secrecy. Freemasonry in the UK became far more secretive in the late 1930s and 1940s as what happened in Europe under the nazi regime - the estimate is that between 30,000 and 60,000 freemasons died in the concentration camps. Persecution of British masons occurred throughout the war in the occupied channel islands, and main member of the united grand lodge of England were on the post-invasion "round up and shoot" hit list that the Nazis drew up prior to the aborted invasion in 1940.

Post war, the habit of privacy continued, and this couple with the grand lodge's policy of not commenting on pretty much anything let the myth of some secret society grow unchecked. Although quite how a secret society and have a website, organize free guided tours of its head office, and let Lilly Allen shoot a music video in the toilets is hardly a secret society.

It is slightly ironic that we have been discussing openness and transparency, but we are all posting under pseudonyms..

lostinrates

axomoxia wrote: »

Its often the case that the lodge dosn't know. Someone steps down due to ill health, they loose contact with the lodge. We've were fortunate enough to find local to us some elderly ex-members and their wives who were struggling, and we were able to step in and help.

They had been members of a different lodge that met some way away, so we didn't know they were living close to us, and when they moved away, didn't let their original lodge know there new address.

My lodge has eight widows of members of thier lodges - we keep in regular contact with them to make sure they'd are all right and if they need anything. They range from bed-ridden to terrifyingly sprightly....

That DOES make sense. Thanks. I wish I'd known we could possibly have made contacts for my grandmother.

Do the links work in other areas....for example, if widows move into care out of area would the old lodge make an approach to the new area one to say a widow were living in their area could they have a cup of tea with her ever now and again or something? Similarly, if an older lodge member moves areas, and isn't as spry as he was do new lodge areas get involved on the word of old area lodges?

axomoxia

lostinrates wrote: »

That DOES make sense. Thanks. I wish I'd known we could possibly have made contacts for my grandmother.

Do the links work in other areas....for example, if widows move into care out of area would the old lodge make an approach to the new area one to say a widow were living in their area could they have a cup of tea with her ever now and again or something? Similarly, if an older lodge member moves areas, and isn't as spry as he was do new lodge areas get involved on the word of old area lodges?

Thats exactly was does happen - but they need to let the new area lodge know that they are there! The best approach is to contact the old lodge and let them know the new address, if you don't have their details then you can contact the provincial office in the new area, or if you don't know who that is then contact grand lodge directly at https://www.ugle.org.uk.

Round our way there are a couple of daytime clubs for elderly brethren and widows that have been set up recently - there may be one local to you.