Freemasonry In Bedlington.

[Harty]

Does anyone realise that Freemasonry has been in Bedlington since 1876??

There have been many a freemasons in our village, some of which are very famous. They have been involved in raising funds in the local community, not only for the health centres but to help many other organisations within our area. Of late unfortunately there has been a decline in the membership over the past few years. Is this down to people not understanding what Freemasonry is about?? is it due to the community not knowing enough about what they do? Or is it just due to the way society is today?? It's a shame!!

It is a very enjoyable and rewarding organisation. Lets not see the freemasons of Bedlington disappear.

Let me have your views.

[tomtom]

My late father was a Freemason for many years, although not in Bedlington I have to say. He made tentative approaches to me on numerous occasions to see if I would be interested in becoming a member of the organisation.As he divulged very little if anything of the mysteries of Freemasonry I was not prepared to join anything that was enveloped in 'behind closed doors' activities. perhaps this is why there is a decline in membership as openess and transparency appears to be the new watchwords of today.

[Harty]

I could not agree more with your comment and I also thank you for your reply.

Freemasonry has always been a mystery to many a person who wishes to join. I know it was the same for me, following on as a 3rd generation mason. Everyone says it's a secret organisation, however its not actually, its an organisation that has some secrets (traditionally). The secrets however are not that secret, due to the wonderful World Wide Web. If anyone wants to know anything about masonry that's the fist place they go. I understand that the Web was not so readily available some years back, however now it is.

Researching the web gives you lots and lots of information, however always be very weary of this as a lot of the information is not correct.

The Grand lodge of England has an excellent web site which is very informative. As a freemason myself I would hate to see lodges disappear and cease to exist. I think it is a great organisation, I think it is a worthy organisation. People are not aware of what Freemasons do a lot of work behind the scenes, take when the tsunami hit a few years back. The very next day about 3 million pounds was donated instantly to the country for help. This was done totally anonymously.

[mercuryg]

I'm interested in your comments, Harty. What do you see as Freemasonry's part in modern society?

[Monsta®]

I'm interested in your comments, Harty. What do you see as Freemasonry's part in modern society?

they couldn't tell you its a secret! you'll have to know the secret hand shake!!!

It's a regular handshake, except the thumb presses agains the base joints of the second and third fingers.

[Monsta®]

The Freemasons themselves will not speak to anyone about their Masonic degrees or their secret rituals. Although the Freemasons are the keepers of secrets they are also a group with amnesia. The Masons have been blind to their history since they came out of total secrecy in 1717. Some Freemasons say that they are descended from the medieval stone guilds; the other side says that they are the direct descendants of the Knights Templar! What is the truth?

[mercuryg]

The Freemasons themselves will not speak to anyone about their Masonic degrees or their secret rituals. Although the Freemasons are the keepers of secrets they are also a group with amnesia. The Masons have been blind to their history since they came out of total secrecy in 1717. Some Freemasons say that they are descended from the medieval stone guilds; the other side says that they are the direct descendants of the Knights Templar! What is the truth?

History quite clearly shows they are nothin whatsoever to do with the Knights Templar, despite romantic notions that they might be. It is a convoluted story as you say. I'm interested to hear what our Mason thinks they bring to the party in teh 21st century.

[Dajazar]

History quite clearly shows they are nothin whatsoever to do with the Knights Templar, despite romantic notions that they might be. It is a convoluted story as you say. I'm interested to hear what our Mason thinks they bring to the party in teh 21st century.

My husband is an active Freemason although his mother lodge is in Newcastle. Freemasonry is rightly proud of it's charitable works and as has already been pointed out, they contribute to both masonic and non masonic causes. A few years ago they donated over £2 million to the Samaritans and there are countless other contibutions both nationally and internationally. Freemasons embrace charity, indeed it is one of the fundamental principles on which the Order is founded. This is as relevant in the 21st Century as it was in ages past. It is true that membership is continuing to fall but that is due to many factors not least the difficulty in recruiting new and younger members into an organisation seen as one for older men. None the less, masons are proud of their history, traditions and(not so)secrets. There are also many branches of Masonry, each with it's own unique heritage. A dedicated Mason finds it hugely rewarding and it can be hard for a non Mason to understand just what it is? but it is not a religion or one which shamelessly promotes it's own interests.

Interestingly, discussion of Politics and Religion is forbidden in the lodge, because such things do not lend themselves to harmony and brotherly love. Freemasonry does not boast of it's contribution to society but goes about it's work quietly. This engenders suspicion in some people but the information is in the public domain and can be readily found for those who care to carry out some basic research. The website of the United Grand Lodge of England is a useful place to start.

[Cympil]

I could not agree more with your comment and I also thank you for your reply.

Freemasonry has always been a mystery to many a person who wishes to join. I know it was the same for me, following on as a 3rd generation mason. Everyone says it's a secret organisation, however its not actually, its an organisation that has some secrets (traditionally). The secrets however are not that secret, due to the wonderful World Wide Web. If anyone wants to know anything about masonry that's the fist place they go. I understand that the Web was not so readily available some years back, however now it is.

Researching the web gives you lots and lots of information, however always be very weary of this as a lot of the information is not correct.

The Grand lodge of England has an excellent web site which is very informative. As a freemason myself I would hate to see lodges disappear and cease to exist. I think it is a great organisation, I think it is a worthy organisation. People are not aware of what Freemasons do a lot of work behind the scenes, take when the tsunami hit a few years back. The very next day about 3 million pounds was donated instantly to the country for help. This was done totally anonymously.

My husband is an active Freemason although his mother lodge is in Newcastle. Freemasonry is rightly proud of it's charitable works and as has already been pointed out, they contribute to both masonic and non masonic causes. A few years ago they donated over £2 million to the Samaritans and there are countless other contibutions both nationally and internationally. Freemasons embrace charity, indeed it is one of the fundamental principles on which the Order is founded. This is as relevant in the 21st Century as it was in ages past. It is true that membership is continuing to fall but that is due to many factors not least the difficulty in recruiting new and younger members into an organisation seen as one for older men. None the less, masons are proud of their history, traditions and(not so)secrets. There are also many branches of Masonry, each with it's own unique heritage. A dedicated Mason finds it hugely rewarding and it can be hard for a non Mason to understand just what it is? but it is not a religion or one which shamelessly promotes it's own interests.

Interestingly, discussion of Politics and Religion is forbidden in the lodge, because such things do not lend themselves to harmony and brotherly love. Freemasonry does not boast of it's contribution to society but goes about it's work quietly. This engenders suspicion in some people but the information is in the public domain and can be readily found for those who care to carry out some basic research. The website of the United Grand Lodge of England is a useful place to start.

I`ve never really given the Freemasons a second thought, until these posts. I`ve always thought that there was a cloak around the Freemasons, and after reading these posts from a new member then a councillor (both pushing me in the direction of the same Freemason website) that i`m even more wary than ever!

You both mention giving millions to charitable causes (while declaring `Freemasonry does not boast of it's contribution to society but goes about it's work quietly`)

So, without going to an outside website, can any of you explain what free masonary is all about?

Where does these millions come from?

Is there a certain clientelle who can join the Free masons?

Are there any female Free masons or are they all men?

What does `black balled` mean?

I`m not having a dig here, but i`d really appreciate straight answers to straight questions here.

Thankyou

[mercuryg]

Dajazar,

Thanks for that, and I respect all the charitable contributions, and like cympil I'm not having a dig but it is something that strikes me as curious that whenever I talk to anyone involved in Freemasonry they immediately leap to its 'defence' with tales of incredible charitable contributions and so on. Sometimes, it's almost as if the subject is embarrasing and the charity aspect is some sort of 'get out clause'. After all, as we all know charity begins at home - you don't need to be a part of some 'brotherhood' or other organisation to be charitable, it should come naturally.

I'm interested, too, that you are keen to point out it is not a religion; I honestly thought Mason's were required to have some belief in God, and to declare such at whatever intitiation they take part in. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I would have thought that any such organisation with it's roots in relatively old history would have some Godly leanings. As it happens, I am not a complete newcomer to Freemasonry, having become interested at an early age in what it was all about upon finding that my father was (here's one for you Cympil) blackballed from the lodge in Blyth. Personally, I have to admit to finding what I read quite humourous, and that's what brings me to question the relevance of Freemasonry today.

Perhaps numbers are falling because it continues to pursue an aura of 'mystery' and intrigue, coming across to the layman as something akin to a secret society in Harry Potter world, rather than offering anything that is unavailable elsewhere. In truth, those Mason's I know consider it a network for getting their professional attributes known, and if I want to I can do that at the Golf Club.

Charity is great, and I hope the Freemasons continue to contribute quietly to such causes, but it can't just be charity that makes the Mason's relevant, can it?

[Monsta®]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT0WEFs2S90

[Dajazar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT0WEFs2S90

Hi. Some interesting replies there chaps and tbh I've had to ask the other half about some of them-at least to make sure I've got it right. Cympil, your answers are as follows. The millions in charitable donations come from individual masons and their lodges. There is no typical mason and no social class or strata from which they are drawn. Whether rich or poor or any point in between is irrelevant. The only real qualification is that a candidate for joining must have a belief in a supreme being. You or I may call that being 'God' but others for example, may call Him Allah, Yaweh etc. In that sense, Mercuryg is correct. Whatever you call Him is irrelevant beyond the simple belief. In lodges in this country, the Bible is usually the book which lies open during the ceremonies but it can be the Koran or other holy text as necessary. Some lodges have several open at the same time. Freemasonry is exclusively male but there is the womens Masons. This is called The Order of the Eastern Star and is most common in Scotland. My husbands mother and grandmother were members (I am not) but I know little of it beyond these basic facts. Blackballing refers to the vote carried out for prospective members of a lodge. Each candidate for admission must have a proposer and seconder who should know the candidate well and be prepared to vouch that they consider him to be of good character. The vote is taken when each lodge member places a ball, coloured white for 'yes' or black for 'no' into a box (although in practice a ball is placed into a box which is divided into two parts one marked Y the other N). The box is then opened by the Master. If all the balls are white (or in the Y segment) the candidate can be admitted but if just one of them is black (or in the N segment) then a member or members do not believe that person is of good character and his candidacy is refused.

I can cetainly understand many of the reservations on here. I can honestly say that I have never found that it incurrs any advantage, say a nod or a wink to get off with a fine or prosecution or to obtain "favours" from other Masons who may be in positions of authority or "power". Nor should it and anyone who considered seeking admission for those unworthy reasons should certainly be blackballed IMHO. My husband often refers to Masonry as a gentlemans club with ceremony. Be that as it may, I know that he derives a great deal of enjoyment from his membership and would encourage others to consider membership if they wish to discover more. The Americans have a bumper sticker which says "To B1 Ask1". Sounds straightforward enough to me.

Monsta that Stonecutters song from The Simpsons is great. Guest voice for the episode is Patrick Stewart as "Number 1" or Jean Luc Picard as he is better known.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Dajazar

[mercuryg]

Dajazar,

Thank you for a measured and informative response. The problem for me is this 'belief in a supreme being'; I have none, and wonder whether all Mason's actually do? I would guess, and again I may be wrong as it is a guess albeit an educated one, that the majority of Freemasons in the UK are of the Christian faith. If so, do they also attend Church on a regular basis?

[Tarby]

I have always thought of joining the freemasons but thought that it was through personal invite or reccomendation only!

is this true?

If not how could i join~???

[mercuryg]

I have always thought of joining the freemasons .....

Tarby, as an addendum to my earlier question about the merits of the Freemasons in the modern era, can ask you why you fancy joining? What is it that appeals to you?

[Monsta®]

other secret societies along the lines of the freemasons include:

ordo templi orientis,

the back hand,

Hashshashin (the order of the assasins)

the knights of the golden circle,

the thule society,

the sons of liberty,

skull and bones (thats not a pirate gang mind!!!)

and the illuminati

oh and dont forget "the scientologists"

[Monsta®]

is opus dei along the same lines as well?

[mercuryg]

other secret societies along the lines of the freemasons include:

ordo templi orientis,

the back hand,

Hashshashin (the order of the assasins)

the knights of the golden circle,

the thule society,

the sons of liberty,

skull and bones (thats not a pirate gang mind!!!)

and the illuminati

oh and dont forget "the scientologists"

I think you're being a little harsh there! It's quite clear that the Freemason's is nothing more than a gentlemans collective that has some traditional rituals; a number of those you mention above are about as far removed from that as possible, and are very much occult based. The Thule Society is nothing like the Freemasons at all, and the Illuminati probably doesn't exist (that's the original version, the Bavarian one, not th one that is rife on the internet as a new world order and is entirely fictional.) Scientology is, like it or not, a religion and I don't think many Mason's are assassins. Opus Dei is in fact not secret at all, but is merely a [art of the catholic church that is a bit more pious than the rest. Don't believe everything you read in The Sun.

Edited November 26, 2010 by mercuryg

[Monsta®]

I think you're being a little harsh there! It's quite clear that the Freemason's is nothing more than a gentlemans collective that has some traditional rituals; a number of those you mention above are about as far removed from that as possible, and are very much occult based. The Thule Society is nothing like the Freemasons at all, and the Illuminati probably doesn't exist (that's the original version, the Bavarian one, not th one that is rife on the internet as a new world order and is entirely fictional.) Scientology is, like it or not, a religion and I don't think many Mason's are assassins. Opus Dei is in fact not secret at all, but is merely a [art of the catholic church that is a bit more pious than the rest. Don't believe everything you read in The Sun.

i never said they were the same! i was just pointing out some other orders and societies. ofcourse the masons are not assasins far from it !

as for scientology now that is a mad cult!

[mercuryg]

i never said they were the same! i was just pointing out some other orders and societies. ofcourse the masons are not assasins far from it !

Monsta, you listed them as 'along the same lines'. They're not, are they?

[Monsta®]

Monsta, you listed them as 'along the same lines'. They're not, are they?

mercuryg dont be so pedantic! the mason are a secret society and so are the hashashins thats were the similarities end! just like the church of england and the scientologists are both faiths just one worships god and the other was made up by a sci fi author!

[mercuryg]

mercuryg dont be so pedantic!

It's my middle name!

.....and the other was made up by a sci fi author!

This is the one thing that baffles me about Scientology. They all know it was created by Hubbard, so what are apparently intelligent people doing subscribin to a belief system they know is a fictional creation?

[Monsta®]

It's my middle name!

This is the one thing that baffles me about Scientology. They all know it was created by Hubbard, so what are apparently intelligent people doing subscribin to a belief system they know is a fictional creation?

suppose they spike your drink with lsd when your baptised!

[Symptoms]

Dajazar – I was suprised to read in your earlier post that the Koran and other holy books are used during ceremonies ... does this imply that Muslims, Jews, Black and Asian people would be welcome in your UK Lodges?

Monsta® - The Bullingdon Club could be defined using similar standards to those on your list.

Is the Masonic Hall at the top of Hartford Road still there?

[Merlin]

Yes it is symptoms, though how much longer........especially when the Muslims, Jews, Blacks and Asians realise.........