D. W. Brown

It truly saddens me every time I see the words "irregular or clandestine" used when they refer to either the Antient or Modern Masons. We should look to the strengths of each other and build to a common goal. I cannot say that the Antient version is better or the Modern version is better, really. They are different and that is ok, as long as they can meet, discuss ideas and work together.

I am familiar with both, an expert of neither, but I see positives in both. Maybe I'm a non-conformist by nature, which has served me well so far, or maybe I just expect too much out of my fellow man or woman. I don't expect a utopia world were it would be boring, remember the non-conformist in me, but I do expect Brothers and Sisters to live up to some basic principles.

I expect that when we shake each others hand and give our word, that neither will have to worry about our agreement, it will be honored. I expect that when a Brother or Sister is in distress we all come to their relief, no matter the danger. I expect the secrets between Brothers and Sisters to remain that way, no matter what. I expect mutual respect and courtesy, no matter what the ideological, religious, or even palatable difference may be. I expect to be able to show a weakness and ask for help without ridicule, distain and Totalitarianism greeting me in return. Most of all I expect my Freedom, my Freedom from oppression, my Freedom of thought and the Freedom to live my life, as I see fit. For this, I will ensure to always do the same to my fellow Brothers and Sisters. With these basic principles followed by all the Masons, Antient and Modern, we could have such a beautiful and rich fraternity life ahead of us.

If we are truly honorable men, we will not allow the intolerable use of clandestine and irregular to separate us. Instead we should open our minds and gravitate towards each other, all the while mutually respecting each other, as we pass.

-- Your Humble and Resolute Brother

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Dale Brown, 3°
TBL Staff
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Must Reads for Every Mason:

A Peculiar System of Morality | Laudable Pursuit | The Ancient Landmarks
The Truth About the Antients and the Moderns | It's About Time
__________________

Must Visit Links for Masons:

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society
Regulus Lodge | Sirius Lodge | Emeth Lodge

__________________

Something Every Freemason Should Fight For:

Pickens Plan

jpeffer2007

Bro. Brown,

If I may throw my 2 cents in....PLEASE FILE CHARGES AGAINST THIS OUT OF CONTROL LUNATIC.

S&F,
Jamie

AlabamaFreeMason

Its time that we stand up against the tyranny of those using these words of division; clandestine and irregular. Both of which have had their true meaning perverted from their true meanings.

George the 3rd

What is the true meaning of the words clandestine and irregular?

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D. W. Brown

There is a line that when crossed I will stand-up, I prefer to let their words speak for themselves.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3°
TBL Staff
__________________

Must Reads for Every Mason:

A Peculiar System of Morality | Laudable Pursuit | The Ancient Landmarks
The Truth About the Antients and the Moderns | It's About Time
__________________

Must Visit Links for Masons:

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society
Regulus Lodge | Sirius Lodge | Emeth Lodge

__________________

Something Every Freemason Should Fight For:

Pickens Plan

grandsecretary

A Lodge is regular when it adheres to the Ancient Landmarks of the Order. Adherence is the only measure of regularity. Regularity is not in the gift of any Grand Lodge.

Clandestine means hidden. In the Masonic context a Grand Lodge cannot, by definition, be clandestine if it does not hide its existence.

However a Lodge may be clandestine.

The best way to describe a clandestine Lodge is by quoting the example of the Italian P2 Lodge:

This Lodge met in secrecy, away from the knowledge of the mass membership of its own Masonic jurisdiction, in order to carry out unlawful activities in contravention of the constitutions of its own Grand Lodge.

That is a clandestine Lodge. It is quite specific and the word should not be used loosely or unwisely.

Unfortunately it is often used malevolently. Of course, when that happens, it serves to brand the messenger as either an ignoramus, or a charlatan. Either way he is unquestionably a fool.

D. W. Brown

Very interesting take on the subject grandsecretary, as always.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3°
TBL Staff
__________________

Must Reads for Every Mason:

A Peculiar System of Morality | Laudable Pursuit | The Ancient Landmarks
The Truth About the Antients and the Moderns | It's About Time
__________________

Must Visit Links for Masons:

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society
Regulus Lodge | Sirius Lodge | Emeth Lodge

__________________

Something Every Freemason Should Fight For:

Pickens Plan

uzi

Seems to me that that the Ghosts of Freemasonry's Future is what has some well not sleeping well.

A new Generation is will replace the old and one day they themselves will be replaced... This is what it's all about --no more no less.

Mystic knight

And who is this "out of control lunatic" whom you refer to? Why should charges be filed? I feel like I've missed something.

chgregory

My Brothers,

This short video message was made almost 9 months ago. I had not dug deeply enough into the site to find it until today, my shortfall.

This truly expresses a question of path and intent that is at the very heart of our fraternity.

As we have all discussed, a "clandestine" lodge was a term meant to denote those lodges that met in secret of their Grand Lodge for the intent of usurping one lodge in favor of another, or one set of officers in favor of another. An irregular lodge has been open to many differnet points of view, but in general it refers to a group of mason who are chartered by some unrecognized grand lodge. Neither term seems to hold a great deal of usefulness today except in the adherence to the promises each of us made during our degrees.

I have a slightly different outlook on the use of these terms. I doubt rather seriously if we will ever really see many clandestine lodges, so I am just going to ignore that term for a while and deal with the "competing lodges."

I choose the term "competing" advisedly because that is what they are doing, each is competing for members. Some groups can claim real ties to masonic history, and I suspect some can't, but as long as the aim is the same, we should be able to interact, if only socially as long as we avoid the direct ritual interaction. That is all that our vows preclude. If we all sat together and watched sports, shared the labor at a Christmas Tree lot, had join barbarque or chicken fry, and generally became friends, we could certainly avoid that one simple issue.

Here in VA we recognized Prince Hall Masons as Regular in 2003 or 4, and the world has not stopped spinning. If we interact with masons who believe differnently we are simply widening our horizons. Restated, that would be seeking more light. I doubt if any of us is ready for a joint ritual, but we should be willing to at least recognize the efforts of men (and women) working to better themselves, better their world and better their fraternity.

If we suffer with words in our oaths that prevent us from being the best men we can be, maybe the words need to change.

I am suggesting nothing but an open mind and an open heart. "For every man has a claim on your good offices." Does not sound exclusive to me - it sounds inclusive. Friendship and Brother love ask no less of us as men and masons.

In my humble opinion.

S&F,

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Cliff Gregory, 32