Westward Bound

Those of you who follow my twitter account may have seen that I posted about my wife's grandfather last week, and that he was headed into heart surgery. We decided to make a trip to Edmonton, which is where the doctor sent him for his surgery, so that we could visit him.

This past weekend was a long weekend here in Canada, and we had some plans originally to take our daughter on a little holiday so we still did so, just changed destinations to Edmonton.

There is a wonderful park there called "Fort Edmonton". It is a historical park that has everything from an old trading fort to a whole town from the 1920's. Naturally Freemasonry playing the important part it did in the formation of western Canada, there was a Masonic lodge in this town.

The lodge room was on the top floor of a store and for me was the highlight of the whole park! The lodge is still in use at times today, and is staffed by Brethren to answer the questions of tourists. This was extremely helpful and a wonderful idea. I had my parents with me and this served as an invaluable tool in showing my mother just was Freemasonry was. As an EA I don't feel I am qualified to say exactly what Masonry is, however having a lodge room, filled with memorabilia and information correctly laid out, and staffed by two master masons really helped her to understand a lot more about just what I was up to. Not to mention I got to use a grip in a foreign place with Brethren that I had never met previously (Very exciting for me!!)

And what is cuter than your two year old daughter taking a rest on a perfect ashlar?

All in all our trip to Fort Edmonton was a wonderful time! In the evening we decided to go for a drive through the city and what better challenge would it be than to search out the Masonic lodges around the city?

Acacia Hall

Highlands Masonic Hall

Freemasons Hall

Freemasons' Hall was an absolutely amazing looking building nestled into downtown Edmonton, with amazing carved features on its exterior. I could hardly imagine what it looks like on the inside. I would definitely like to visit it someday, given the opportunity.

All in all it was a wonderful weekend, even if the circumstances that led us to Edmonton were less than perfect. It was a good time to experience the fraternity again with fall fast approaching and meeting the two brothers at the lodge in Fort Edmonton, made me even more excited for what the future holds and I cannot wait to prove up this fall!

The Summer Of An Entered Apprentice...

What does an EA do when he has 2 or 3 months of time to pass while the lodge is dim?

I think the first answer would be obvious, study study study! The lodges in my jurisdiction provide a cipher to use to study the obligation from.

At first I was very intimidated about having to memorize the whole thing. I thought to myself "Well maybe I should wait to memorize it, what if I forget it by the time the lodge lights get turned back on?"

I was amazed at how right the brethren of my lodge were in saying once you know it you will not forget it.

With that obstacle overcome, what to do next?

I read Freemasons for Dummies from cover to cover, with the exception of anything pertaining to the FC and MM degrees (didn't want to ruin any of the surprise). From that I learned alot about the history of the craft and alot about appendant bodies. Very useful source of information, as well as a tool to answer alot of questions from other family members regarding just what this Freemasonry was all about.

The most surprising thing about the whole summer for myself has been how much becomming an EA, and keeping the lessons taught in the back of my mind has really put in motion change within myself.

It started as a seed in my heart and is now blossoming into a a tree with many branches reaching into my life.

I know I still have a long way to go in shaping myself and my heart into that perfect ashlar but I am surprised at how much impact this whole experience is having on me.

All I will say is that I am applying the lessons in the lecture of the first degree to my life and it feels great knowing that I am making change!

What am amazing summer and amazing experience! I cannot wait for what the future holds! With fall rapidly approaching and the opening of lodge again it will be an exciting season!

When Is A Man A Mason

I read this on Masonic Matrix and I just wanted to share it with you all, it's from "The Builders"


When is a man a Mason? When he can look out over the rivers, the hills, and the far horizon with a profound sense of his own littleness in the vast scheme of things, and yet have faith, hope and courage — which is the root of every virtue.

When he knows that down in his heart every man is as noble, as vile, as devine, as diabolic, and as lonely as himself, and seeks to know, to forgive, and to love his fellow man. When he knows how to sympathize with men in their sorrows, yea, even in their sins — knowing that each man fights a hard battle against many odds.

When he has learned how to make friends and keep them, and above all how to keep friends with himself. When he loves flowers, can hunt the birds without a gun, and feels the thrill of an old forgotten joy when he hears the laugh of a little child. When he can be happy and high-minded amid the meaner drudgeries of life. When star-crowned trees, and the glint of sunlight of flowing waters, subdue him like the thought of one much loved and long dead. When no voice of distress reaches his ears in vain, and no hand seeks his aid without response.

When he finds good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of devine things and sees majestic meanings in life, whatever the name of that faith may be. When he can look into a wayside puddle and see something beyond mud, and into the face of the most forlorn fellow mortal and see something beyond sin.

When he knows how to pray, how to love, how to hope. When he has kept faith with himself, with his fellow man, with his God; in his hand a sword for evil, in his heart a bit of song — glad to live, but not afraid to die! Such a man has found the only real secret of Masonry, and the one which it is trying to give all the world.

– Joseph Fort Newton – THE BUILDERS

After The Knock Pt II

So now that the excitment and rush of my initiation had settled down a little I was trying to decide where I wanted to go with this blog. I think for now I will just talk alittle about what I am doing with Freemasonry.

Lately I have been chomping at the bit with wanting to learn more, about the EA degree the symbols etc, but am not too sure where to go for that. I picked up a copy of Bro. Hodapps Freemasons For Dummies book, partly because i've wanted to read it for a while now but swore off reading anything that would have anything to do with ritual etc in it. (I skipped over the parts that talk about the F.C degree and the M.M degree) and partly because I wanted to give my mom something that would be easy to read and understand that will explain just exactly what Freemasonry is.

I have to say, his book so far is very informative. I've found it easy to read, not boring and a very good beginners tool to have.

Between reading Freemasons For Dummies and my family duties i've spent about an hour every other night learning my obligation and am happy to say that I have about 3 quarters of it solidly in my head. I hope i'm not going to fast and forget it by October, when I will be proving up. That is still quite a few months away.

In the mean time if anyone knows of any more supplemental reading I might be able to look into, please let me know in the comments. I would like to learn as much as I can about the E.A degree, symbols, ritual etc before I move on, so as to make sure I can take out as much of it as I can!

Until next time light be with you all!

Fraternally, Bro. R.S (I love being able to say that!)

After The Knock

Wow what an amazing, overwhleming, nerve wracking, enlightening, fellowing, brotherly night it was! It is now 11:21 here and I am exhausted. I just wanted to say thanks for all the well wishes, and messages of congratulations i've recieved from all the Brothers who have been following my blog, and following on twitter! Tonight a path ended at the west gate, and a new road beyond that gate to the east lies. I am so very excited! Once again thanks for all the fraternal love and kindness that has been shown! Now to start that memory work!!

A Knock On The Flipside.

Well everyone, tomorrow marks the end of one journey that will bring me to a gate at 7:30pm tomorrow to knock. Words cannot say how excited I am, to finally see whats on the other side! I just wanted to say good night, and the next time you all read I will officially be a brother. Wish me luck tomorrow!!!

Fellowship

Before I get into this post, I just want to apologize to my readers for the late response. I've been waiting this long to post for a couple reasons. One being that I wanted to end my history story closer to the date of my initiation and two because there was an issue with my DSL line so I had limited access to the Internet (ie: I really didn't want to have to do a blog post on my blackberry) So that being said "I'm Sorry" and without further ado ill get into this!

After hearing that my ballot was affirmative I was pleasantly surprised that the members of the lodge started to welcome me in to readily. Not that I was surprised at being welcome, but that out of the blue, people I hadn't met would come up to me in introduce themselves.

One such incident comes to mind readily. One evening after work I had to run to the grocery store for some buns. I had my young daughter with me because she likes shopping with her dad (Usually ends up in a treat for her) When we walked into the store a man walked up out of the blue and introduced himself to me, told me he was a member of the lodge, that he was excited to have me join and was looking forward to getting to know me. He asked me about my daughter, talked a little with her (She's not even 2) and we parted ways. I had always known the Masons were good, friendly people, but was still pleasantly surprised at how readily this man approached me and talked to me, and how genuinely excited he was to have me become a member. Not that I needed more affirmation of my decision to petition, but I left this parting even happier with the decision. It's so hard in today's society to find people so willing to extend an olive branch, and it totally excites me that I get to become a part of a fraternity that, that is one of its core practices; the olive branch of brotherhood.

The service award night quickly came, and the W.M of the lodge came over to pick me and my wife up. The evening was fantastic! I got to meet a good portion of the brethren and all of them were extremely excited about meeting me and having my upcoming initiation (though some of them that were going to have parts jokingly cursed me for making them brush up on their work) We got to have a wonderful meal and enjoy the fellowship of the brothers and their families.

I was amazed at the dedication of the brothers of the lodge. One member (who hadn't attended lodge for 25 years, age related) but kept his dues current, received his 65 year service pin. He was initiated into the very lodge we were in, in 1945! I was so touched by the fact that even though he hadn't attended lodge for 25 years, Freemasonry meant enough to him that he kept his membership up to date.

Needless to say, I am sitting here exactly one week from my initiation, (this time next week I will officially be able to be called a brother) Totally excited for what the future has in store. Over the last two months, I've been allowed to share a story with you all that I hold dear to my heart, so I would like to thank you all for listening to me. I'm all caught up to the present day, and so the next post you will get from me will be next week after I knock at the gate. Thanks again and good night!