deeper and deeper
today, i had two different envelopes from the masons in my mailbox. one was my lodge's trestleboard (monthly newsletter) and the other was the first of three mailings from the southern california research lodge.
my lodge's secretary had overlooked putting me on the mailing list, so until this month, i had no real idea what was going on over there. now, i'm in the loop, which is good. such is the way things are run in all-volunteer organizations. since most of the lodge's meetings are on monday evenings, i think i'm just going to make it a habit to go by on mondays and, if nothing else, just say hello and ask for a little bit of tutoring from one of the brothers each time.
the research lodge's letter concerned their masonic education program and alerted me to the fact that i would be getting two other mailings from them, including a complementary book on masonic symbolism they send to all new masons. so now i have more things to anticipate finding in my mailbox. i'm going to subscribe to their newsletter and when i become a master mason, will be allowed to join as a full member in the research loge. i'm very much looking forward to that, if only for the discount on foreign-published masonic literature. however, since it's just across the curtain in orange county, i can actually attend a meeting or two every now and then.
i've been reading the history of my lodge and am just about finished with the book on the first hundred years. will finish that tonight and then start in on the second fifty, taking me up to 1981. there won't be another book till 2031 i guess, so everything after that will be word of mouth.
other masonic reading of late involves having finished freemasonry for dummies (yes, one of those books--it's actually on the california grand lodge masonic education reading list for new masons) this weekend and tonight reading the first chapter in freemasonry: rituals, symbols & history of the secret society by mark stavish (with foreword by lon milo duquette). the for dummies book was a good complement/adjunct to the complete idiot's guide to freemasonry i had previously read.
as i get deeper into it, it's amazing how so much of it is so like the craft and yet how different it all is. i'm glad i've taken this step and am sure it will be a path that reveals much to me, continually opening up new avenues for growth and learning. plus, once i'm a master mason, i can become a shriner and drive a mini-car in parades while wearing a funny hat.
my lodge's secretary had overlooked putting me on the mailing list, so until this month, i had no real idea what was going on over there. now, i'm in the loop, which is good. such is the way things are run in all-volunteer organizations. since most of the lodge's meetings are on monday evenings, i think i'm just going to make it a habit to go by on mondays and, if nothing else, just say hello and ask for a little bit of tutoring from one of the brothers each time.
the research lodge's letter concerned their masonic education program and alerted me to the fact that i would be getting two other mailings from them, including a complementary book on masonic symbolism they send to all new masons. so now i have more things to anticipate finding in my mailbox. i'm going to subscribe to their newsletter and when i become a master mason, will be allowed to join as a full member in the research loge. i'm very much looking forward to that, if only for the discount on foreign-published masonic literature. however, since it's just across the curtain in orange county, i can actually attend a meeting or two every now and then.
i've been reading the history of my lodge and am just about finished with the book on the first hundred years. will finish that tonight and then start in on the second fifty, taking me up to 1981. there won't be another book till 2031 i guess, so everything after that will be word of mouth.
other masonic reading of late involves having finished freemasonry for dummies (yes, one of those books--it's actually on the california grand lodge masonic education reading list for new masons) this weekend and tonight reading the first chapter in freemasonry: rituals, symbols & history of the secret society by mark stavish (with foreword by lon milo duquette). the for dummies book was a good complement/adjunct to the complete idiot's guide to freemasonry i had previously read.
as i get deeper into it, it's amazing how so much of it is so like the craft and yet how different it all is. i'm glad i've taken this step and am sure it will be a path that reveals much to me, continually opening up new avenues for growth and learning. plus, once i'm a master mason, i can become a shriner and drive a mini-car in parades while wearing a funny hat.