Bro. Tom Coste, of Halcyon Lodge No. 2 in Cleveland, Ohio, wrote in to tell us about an "irregular Masonic meeting" he attended earlier this week. The get-together was "irregular" because it began at 5:30 pm at the Jigsaw Saloon, where the gathered brothers enjoyed food and drink while listening to a band whose bass player is their lodge's Worshipful Master. Then, sadly (for them), they got to see on big screen TV the LSU Tigers chew up their beloved Ohio State Buckeyes.An Irregular Masonic Meeting: 1/7/08 @ 5:30pm!?, by Bro. Tom Coste
Last night several brothers met up at the Jigsaw Saloon to take in The Whiskey Daredevils set, and to discuss pending Masonic Constitutional matters before the Ohio State/LSU game.
In attendance were a few Past Masters, but the average age of the brethren there was still only 37. The Whiskey Daredevils is Worshipful Master Ken Miller's band. He plays bass guitar with his blood brother as the lead singer. The Daredevils played to a full house starting around 7:00 pm alongside an all-you-can-eat hog roast and buffet with special draft beer included for $20. Not a bad deal, with the National Championship game to follow.
The place was filled with scarlet and grey and the smell of hot fresh pork. It was nice to have Masonic discourse and fellowship out in that environment. With the Masonic business concluding favorably, and jamming to a 1½ hour long set, it was time to focus on OSU. The start was great, just like last year, and ended the same as last year. I am glad I got out of there before it got ugly.
All in all, it was a pretty good night: Masonic business, Lodge business, Masonic internet discussions and what is transpiring out in the wild west of the web, Whiskey Daredevils, fellowship, food, beer and camaraderie with your Brothers.
I'm not a huge sports fan anymore, but I enjoy having casual fellowship with my brothers plus supporting ones hobby. It is nice to relax a little bit with the brothers all on the level, where no aprons or jewels may show a Masonic distinction between us. I hope all excel in their own personal Masonic endeavors in 2008 and may T.G.A.O.T.U. watch favorably over you and your Brothers.
So Mote It Be
Brother Tom Coste
Halcyon
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Would someone please explain to me why I care about this?
ReplyDeleteThat would be your job, bro Warwick.......
ReplyDeleteOnly you know why you care about whatever it is you care about, not us...
Thanks for the input, though..?
Despite the apparent fellowship, this is no different than going out with friends to the bar. It is frequent that I've gone out to the bar and/or a party with people not members of the fraternity. On occasion, I drink with brothers from my lodge.
ReplyDeleteSome brothers in lodge are recovering alcoholics, and some drink to excess on occasion and have medical issues where they probably shouldn't overindulge (speaking for myself). I celebrate any social interaction and friendship, but to me, Masonry shoudn't be about partying. To be honest, my best friends are not Masons because of religious or other reasons. To me, it is just a preference. To hang out in a bar with Masons is usually not mine. I learn much more over donuts and coffee or in a tyled lodge.
I know-
ReplyDeleteI'll start posting the mundane details of my life and lodge and really believe that everyone else should be interested in it. In fact, let's all do it.
Q: Whence came you as an Entered Apprentice?
ReplyDeleteA: From the Jigsaw Saloon, where it’s 2 for 1 on domestic drafts and girls drink for free after 10pm.
Speculative Freemasonry began in the taverns of London as a convivial cosmopolitan society.
ReplyDeleteThe present grandiose system filled with pomp and circumstance would be unrecognizable to the original brethren of 1717.
It’s too bad that we replaced friendship and brotherhood with a bunch of pretentious nonsense and silly titles.
Halcyon has merely returned to our roots looking for that which we lost long ago. Maybe they know something everyone else has forgotten, or never knew in the first place.
I think pomp and circumstance is a fine thing. It, like alcohol, can be and sometimes is abused. IF it is taken as a matter of pride in the craft (as has often been seen), it is a wonderful thing. IF it is taken as pride in oneself, it sometime resembles drunkenness.
ReplyDeleteTo me, certain areas of Freemasonry have turned into a 'social club', and the most pompous seem to come from the Shrine, where there is mostly drinking and little 'pomp and circumstance'. Outwardly, it is soemtimes represented as a drinking club. That's fine, but drinking does not always give rise to philosophical contemplations (although admittedly it sometimes does).
I would have to differ with you my brother. The Shrine was merely an answer to a problem created by the arrogance of the Grand Lodges in the 1860's. When alcohol was removed from the symbolic lodges, the brothers simply created the Shrine as a way to get around the new rules.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem with pettiness and pomp is within the Scottish Rite. The idea that the 33rd degree is something special is utter rubbish. It also acts to create an unequal situation where not all brothers can meet on the same level.
We need to get back to the basics of our brotherhood, and needs to begin with equality and integrity.
All it is is that "some" masonry was had, discussed, practiced and accomplished outside the Lodge room, instead of that place where certain masons want to divide us, a Tyled Lodge room. Nothing more, nothing less.
ReplyDeletenothing has been mentioned about interaction with the profane in the same circumstances, has it?
profane do not discuss masonic constitutional matters or Lodge business that needs to be addressed, so if just one brother brought a freind to this gathering, no masonic discourse could have happened.
It is relevant because all over the internet you have masons throwing labels around like "irregular", "clandestine", "bogus" and "fraud" when it comes to masons, yet as some have come to accept' is that it only matters really within a tyled Lodge room what one's lineage is and whom one can sit with or not.
People act like our lives and Souls depend on whether or not a woman can be a mason or a recognised, regular mason; fanatical masons who will defend their racist Grand Lodges Rules
no matter how unmasonic it is?
It was only to show that the Brothers do not "have" to meet within the Tyled Lodge to practice masonry with each other and to be able place another stone in the temple not made with hands.........
Just a lighter side to all the flame throwing lately, a liitle spoof on all the "irregular/clandestine" banter..... for those who choose to see it in that Light, or as you state, a waste of your time.......
Peace Br. Warwick
I understand where and why the Shrine came about, but it is now what was created to get away from. The 33rd degree is not nonsense, but it has likewise gotten away from initial intentions. Yes, we need to get back to the path toward enlightenment in general. I speak often to people who are not Masons about Masonry. The difference is I do not speak to them Masonically except from using the working tools to measure. I don't read exclusively Masonic material, but all material is Masonic if that is how you approach it. Like pride, alcohol can detract from the goal if it becomes the goal-that is my point
ReplyDeleteBro. Tom and the Halcyon brothers have discovered the joys of the informal meeting.
ReplyDeleteWe do this in our lodge quarterly. We get together somewhere, hammer out whatever business which easier discussed in a less formal atmosphere, and enjoy some really good food and wine. It's a great supplement to our regular meetings, and enriches our lodge bonds immeasurably.
I'd have to argue that this kind of socialization far different than just hanging around with buddies.
Our Masonic bonds of mutual respect and trust, as well as our shared interest in ideals, makes any of our gatherings outside of lodge very special.
As 2 bowl cain says, we don't have to be in lodge for the magic to happen.
Perhaps the reason that Friendship Lodge has done so well for members and activity is because we are a "kitchen lodge".
ReplyDeleteWe have a meeting, we get the easy business done ASAP, and then close and head downstairs for fellowship. Inevitably, a number of the officers and active members end up in the kitchen, discussing some of the other things that need to be done, and planning how to do them.
Very informal, everybody gets some input, and only the interested people have to be in the room. WHen the subject changes, people wander off, and others wander in.
Howard Roark,
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading your comments on the BT over the last couple of weeks.
I find your statments to be balanced, direct, candid and full of plain old fashion common sense.
If you have your own blog please let me know, I would like to add it to my list.
I am sure we had a great time because it is great when we can meet with our friends to have Whiskey! When I meet my friends I do not take my treatment of generic viagra so that I can drink alcoholic drinks.
ReplyDelete