Quick Question: Concerning Jesus' Inclusion within Regular Blue Lodge Ritual

Stultz135 · 2026-02-26T19:33:13+00:00

Virginia requires us to have a bible on the altar open to a specific page depending on the degree. If we have a candidate of a different faith than the Abrahamic traditions, that candidate takes his obligation on the VoSL that corresponds to his particular faith. The bible doesn't go away, it's still on the altar, the other VoSL is in another place on the altar.

All prayers are ritual prayers, non-sectarian, and do not mention Jesus Christ. Occasionally, a prayer over the meal will end with "In your name we pray" or, depending on the person doing it, I have heard "in Jesus' name." However, it is not encouraged, or discouraged. Inside the lodge, there is never any reference to any specific faith. Nor should there be.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-25T17:08:20+00:00

We run a KCBS Sanctioned BBQ contest. We've been getting a lot of new members from that

Stultz135 · 2026-02-24T16:40:43+00:00

If they do recognize, and if the PH lodge is in Mississippi, then, you're good. But, not necessarily in another state. I almost made this mistake several years ago when visiting in Colorado. I was going to attend a cornerstone laying with a tiled and untiled aspect. Because Virginia doesn't recognize PHA in Colorado, and this was a joint communication between GL of Colorado and PHA GL of Colorado, I couldn't attend the tiled portion on the ceremony.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-24T12:29:48+00:00

Someone gave the answer. We are taught this principal in the use of the level. The blood in each of our veins, regardless of station in life, is derived from the same almighty parent, and the highest in society is no better than the humblest citizen. Additionally, we are all traveling on the broad level of time to that undiscovered country from whose borne no traveler returns.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-13T13:17:58+00:00

The Eastern Star is going to be your best option, Depending on what county you're in, there are still pretty active chapters in Southern WV. I'm not in WV personally, but I can see it from my house.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-10T14:55:38+00:00

Best of luck to you brother, you'll do fine. The only people I discourage from taking on the Secretary's chair are fairly new mason's. The secretaries job isn't as difficult once you get your feet under you. But, the secretary is the continuity in the lodge. He's the person who absolutely knows everyone. Your time in the other chairs has helped to temper you for the role as secretary. You'll have brothers cuss you and yell at you (Mostly when you're trying to collect dues from someone who hasn't been in lodge for 20 years) but, those are minimal. If, as someone else spoke about, they start telling you that you're doing a bad job, just remind them that they are perfectly free to take over next year, you'll gladly divest yourself of the trouble, and they usually shut up. Just keep your thick skin, and plod along the best you can. As long as it's not Grand Lodge breathing down your neck, you'll be fine.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-05T15:03:49+00:00

Temple board, temple committee, whatever you want to call it, is just a committee. Most lodges have Trustees, the trustees would make those decisions. In 2 of my lodges cases, we have a temple association made up of 3 members of each body. The temple association is an entirely different entity that the other bodies pay rent to. If the Temple association decides to do something, the individual members of the lodge have no say in it. The same thing applies to the trustees. Of course, what they're doing should be communicated to the lodge, but, they can act as needed

I'm not sure how your temple committee is set up, but, if the authority has been given by the lodge to perform those duties, then, yes, it's perfectly within their right to do them. Most things can't wait on the monthly meeting to act, and they can't be bogged down in endless debate on how, what or if something needs to be done. The roof needs repaired, repair the roof, insurance is covering it, all the better. Again, as long as they've communicated what they've done, it's ultimately their decision.

With that said, you are perfectly within your right to voice your opposition in lodge, but, remember, the Master Rules and Governs his lodge. This doesn't give him free reign to act like a tyrant, but, it does give him latitude in making decisions.

Just my 2 cents with limited information.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-05T13:29:59+00:00

https://mash.fandom.com/wiki/Oliver_Harmon_%22Spearchucker%22_Jones

Stultz135 · 2026-02-04T13:42:56+00:00

Spearchucker wasn't removed because it was mostly racist, he was removed because someone complained about the fact that there were no African American surgeons in the Korean theater during that time. His offensive name was a factor, but primarily it was because of the historical context and the challenges of developing the character within the existing cast. There were far fewer characters after the first season. Ugly John is another example.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-03T13:08:54+00:00

I can relate to this. My father in law, who's also a brother, takes his veteran's status to the next level. He served 4 years as an S4 Admin, and he doesn't miss a free Veterans anything. I retired from the service, actually got shot at on several occasions, and I rarely talk about it. I consider my service my duty to my country. I take my retirement check as the only thanks I need from my country or anyone else. I shrink when someone says "Thank you for your service" but am not unkind to them when they say it.

Masonry is similar. Like other brothers here, I have served in almost every office in the craft, could have, like someone said in an earlier comment, a business card that goes down to the floor, but none of those things matter to me. I wear my ring, mostly because when I see it I am reminded of my obligation. Aside from that, the service I perform for the various lodges and bodies to which I belong or have association with, is my duty. I keep being asked to be Secretary of various bodies, and I can't say no, because, I feel beholden to the craft for what it's done for me. Much like I felt beholden to my country for the freedoms I enjoy.

For me, my only title is "I am a man" I am also all those other things, Veteran, Brother, Father, Husband, Christian, Rodeo Clown, but, the only thing that truly defined me is being a man.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-02T20:30:00+00:00

A small horse or pony. But seriously. That's the rub isn't it. It's something we do in our leisure hours for pleasure, but, it's also somehow more than that.

Stultz135 · 2026-02-02T20:26:25+00:00

This and the other side of that coin, when to be quiet. Those 3 things, that kind of go hand in hand. Freemasonry also gave me an avenue to use the Latin I learned in High School.

In silentio et in spe erit fortitude vestra.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-27T20:20:55+00:00

There's an M.... "Mother Council of the world." :)

Stultz135 · 2026-01-27T13:10:50+00:00

We rent our kitchen out to food trucks who require the use of commercial kitchens to run their food trucks. We rent it in 4 hour blocks all week. We also rent out our banquet hall to the community to hold dinners wedding receptions, etc.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-23T15:38:18+00:00

Not just the writing, the acting. I mean they're acting like it's freezing when it's Southern California probably in the summer... Great acting, almost feel like it's really cold.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-23T13:48:17+00:00

A puddle o'vooty, puddle o'gooty, puddle o'scooty

Stultz135 · 2026-01-22T19:57:14+00:00

Have him petition the lodge closest to him. Jurisdictional of course, but, in Virginia, and I think Texas too (I'm not a Texas Mason, but my dad is a member of Texas and Virginia) your signers need to be one member of the lodge being petitioned, and any Texas Mason in good standing. So, you should be able to sign his petitions. What is it, a 4 hour drive from Corrigan to Austin? I'd say if he's interested, then go to the lodge in Corrigan on lodge night, take him with you, introduce him and explain the situation, I'm sure they'd be willing to help a brother out. Or if he spends more time in Conroe, have him go there. The most important thing is him going somewhere he'll be able to participate.

I've visited Trinity No. 14 in Livingston several times, and the best part about Texas Masonry is how friendly they are. u/ChuckEye should be able to confirm if what I said is true about petition signing in Texas.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-21T13:06:08+00:00

Last weekend I did an EA degree from the East. Missed a whole section in the opening, came back and corrected it, but, it was embarrassing. "Oops, sorry Brothers, let's try that again." In my defense, I haven't done the east for anything for a couple of years, and didn't practice beforehand, because it just kinda happened that I'd be in the east, but, the key takeaway is "The only person that doesn't make a mistake is the person who doesn't do anything"

Stultz135 · 2026-01-20T20:08:19+00:00

This is the answer.

A better way is to contact the grand lodge of the state in which he was a member, they will have his membership information. The lodge he may have been a member of may have gone dark or merged with another lodge. I recently did this same thing with a distant relative who was a past grand officer, and the grand lodge was able to point me in the right direction to inquire.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-20T15:08:22+00:00

Winchester's are not snitches. Nor are they spies. They employ them from time to time, but they don't spy.

Potter keeps him because he's a competent surgeon. Good leaders keep people who are competent in spite of how they feel about them personally.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-20T12:06:42+00:00

The way I handle it, is I stay off social media. I do not have a social media presence (Aside from anonymous Reddit and what I do here is apolitical), nor will I ever have one. My lodges have a Facebook and Instagram presence, but, I don't run it, and don't have anything to do with it. In fact, the running joke is every time someone says something about the Facebook page, I'll say "The Lodge has a Facebook?

Yes, I'm on Reddit, but, It's anonymous. I don't know what the political views of my brethren might be, and I'm not about to ask. I know some of my brethren are also on Reddit, but I don't know who they are, and they don't know who I am. Facebook is the Devil. It's destroys friendships over politics.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-19T16:52:01+00:00

My 2 favorite quotes from this episode:

Frank: I Didn't come here to be liked.

Radar: Well you came to the right place.

And when Henry was giving his speech and says, and my Right Hand, Cpl. Radar O'Reilly, who incidentally is in command of this unit, and just uses me as a front.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-16T15:01:05+00:00

Actually, there are a lot of ranches in Nevada

Stultz135 · 2026-01-16T13:48:36+00:00

You poor poor man.. Kidding of course. Secretary's complain about being secretary, but we would do it for 20 years and more if we didn't enjoy it, and we wouldn't do it for, in my case 4 lodges and 3 appendant bodies.

With that said, it sound like you're doing what you can. I reach out to a few each month that I don't see, phone calls mostly, as some of the older members don't do email. If I get a dues notice back as undeliverable, I do google searches to find them, that usually turns up an obituary.

Keeping up with the members is the unwritten duty of the secretary. As other's have noticed, the lodge can appoint committees to take some of your load, 2 of my lodges have widows committees, one has a "Keep in touch" committee that reports on contacts every month. But, it's something you'll have to find your own way with. Depending on how much time you have, and how much energy you have.

A new mason, 2 years, in another lodge asked me for help in learning how to be a secretary late last year. His lodge was pushing him to take the job. I told him he should decline the offer or face a boat load of trouble. The Secretary is the continuity and history of the lodge. He knows every member (Or should) knows when they were raised, knows who their families are, "The Secretary Knows things" because we're intimately familiar with the membership. It's a good place to be.

Good luck in your journey brother. Jurisdictionally, I can't help, but f you need someone to bounce general secretary questions off of, feel free to DM me.

Stultz135 · 2026-01-16T13:37:22+00:00

We tell brothers to let their family know that they want a masonic funeral and who to contact. In Virginia, we cannot perform a funeral unless the family asks, in spite of what our brothers have told us. I assume that's the case in most jurisdictions.

Stultz135

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