Wednesday, October 13, 2010
To Be One Ask One!
My journey to joining the ranks of “Traveling Men” is probably atypical of the stories you have heard. It took me years of trying before having the opportunity of being “Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason.”
I, of course, knew George Washington to have been a Mason along with a couple of my other heroes. My number one Masonic hero was, of course, my dad. So, naturally, I wanted to follow in their footsteps.
Although he hadn’t been active for years, Dad and I, on several occasions, discussed Masonry. He only told me that Masonry contains a lot of Bible and it is an immeasurable honor to be one. Sometime after reaching adulthood, I decided it was time to take my first step in Masonry.
It’s not that I didn’t know how it worked. I knew no one would ever overtly invite me into the Craft. Because I knew to be one, I had to ask one. The problem was, at that time, I had no idea who to ask in order “to be one.”
I decided to keep my eyes open. Surely, I would run into someone who could help me.
It so happened that, sometime after, I started a new job. I hadn’t been there long when I noticed a man with “that ring” on his finger. So, I inquired, ignorantly, if he truly was a Mason. He replied that he was. Then, I explained to him that I was very interested in joining up and I hoped that he could help me. He explained that although he was a Mason, he wasn’t very active, but he would do what he could. Not knowing much about the way those things worked, I waited patiently for whatever would come next. Well, days passed into weeks and weeks passed into months, time flew by, and no other words were exchanged between him and me concerning the subject at hand.
Time passed and I changed jobs. It wasn’t very long before I met a man on this particular job whom I discovered to be a Mason. I inquired if he was, in fact, a Mason. He said that he was. Then I asked him if he could help me become one myself. Well, he explained that he wasn’t very active, but that he would do what he could. Days passed into weeks, weeks passed into months, time flew by, and, again, nothing else was said between us on the matter.
After a couple of years, I again changed employment, as I was wont to do. Again, after some little while there, I came across a man whom I believed to be a Mason. I worked up the gumption to ask him if he was or was not a Mason. He explained that he was, but he was only a Fellow Craft and had not been to Lodge in quite some time. I, of course, asked if he could help me get in the Lodge and he said that he would do what he could. Once again, days passed into weeks and weeks passed into months, time flew by, and nothing came of this most recent request.
I admit, at this point, I was feeling a little frustrated about the whole matter. Then, I had an epiphany. After asking around, I discovered where the local Lodge was located. I didn’t know what hours they kept or if they had a secretary or what. I thought to myself, “If this is how it works, I’ll try it.” I arrived at the Lodge one sunny day, only to find a locked door and even more exasperation.
Some time after this, I again started a new job. It’s a very public job in sales and I see many different people every day. One day, I was ringing up a customer’s sale, when I suddenly realized he was covered with Masonic regalia. He had the hat, the belt buckle and the ring too. I mused, “Surely this man is a Mason.” When we were finished, I inquired if this, in fact, were true. He assured me it was. So, I continued by saying, “Can I ask you a question?” He said I could. I then asked, “How many Masons do you have to ask before you can become a Mason?” A puzzled look swiftly overcame him so I related the short form of my quest to join the Masonic institution. He said that he was from a Lodge out of town, but assured me that he would have someone in the local Lodge come by to see me. Frankly, I had my doubts that this would have any different outcome from any of my previous inquiries.
The next day, to my surprise and great joy, a thin, grey-haired gentleman showed at the store looking for me. He introduced himself as Julian Pettitt and explained that he was told that I would be interested in petitioning the local Lodge. I stated enthusiastically and emphatically that I would love to do so! He gave me a petition, chatted with me for several minutes about the blessings of Masonry and explained the next steps involved in joining. To say the least, I was thrilled!
Well, as they say, the rest is history. Later that year, I was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. I now am Past Master of Meridian Sun #50 F&AM, am KYCH nominated, carry my Proficiency Card proudly, was awarded a Funeral Master’s pin by Most Worshipful Grand Master Tom Boduch and am currently serving as District Deputy Chairman for District 17 of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee F&AM. It’s more than I thought I would be doing, but I have no regrets.
It has been a wonderful journey and I’ve formed more friendships and made more connections than I could have imagined. The many brothers I have gained and the maturity I have hopefully acquired has, I believe, made me a better man. (I’ll work on humility next year.)
Yes, our Fraternity is not for everyone, but for those who decide to walk through the door of Masonry and gain admittance into the local Lodge, the blessings we receive far surpass whatever trivial sacrifices we make.
If you read this and you are an “inactive” Mason, be “inactive” no more. Join us as often as you can. Don’t just sit at home on those nights when you could actually be enjoying fellowship with the “children of light.” Be the man who helped me and not those before who could not.
Remember the joy. Remember your obligations. Remember your first steps in Masonry and let them lead you back to your brothers. We miss you! We hope you miss us too.
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| French Lodge 1790 |
My journey to joining the ranks of “Traveling Men” is probably atypical of the stories you have heard. It took me years of trying before having the opportunity of being “Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason.”
I, of course, knew George Washington to have been a Mason along with a couple of my other heroes. My number one Masonic hero was, of course, my dad. So, naturally, I wanted to follow in their footsteps.
Although he hadn’t been active for years, Dad and I, on several occasions, discussed Masonry. He only told me that Masonry contains a lot of Bible and it is an immeasurable honor to be one. Sometime after reaching adulthood, I decided it was time to take my first step in Masonry.
It’s not that I didn’t know how it worked. I knew no one would ever overtly invite me into the Craft. Because I knew to be one, I had to ask one. The problem was, at that time, I had no idea who to ask in order “to be one.”
I decided to keep my eyes open. Surely, I would run into someone who could help me.
It so happened that, sometime after, I started a new job. I hadn’t been there long when I noticed a man with “that ring” on his finger. So, I inquired, ignorantly, if he truly was a Mason. He replied that he was. Then, I explained to him that I was very interested in joining up and I hoped that he could help me. He explained that although he was a Mason, he wasn’t very active, but he would do what he could. Not knowing much about the way those things worked, I waited patiently for whatever would come next. Well, days passed into weeks and weeks passed into months, time flew by, and no other words were exchanged between him and me concerning the subject at hand.
Time passed and I changed jobs. It wasn’t very long before I met a man on this particular job whom I discovered to be a Mason. I inquired if he was, in fact, a Mason. He said that he was. Then I asked him if he could help me become one myself. Well, he explained that he wasn’t very active, but that he would do what he could. Days passed into weeks, weeks passed into months, time flew by, and, again, nothing else was said between us on the matter.
After a couple of years, I again changed employment, as I was wont to do. Again, after some little while there, I came across a man whom I believed to be a Mason. I worked up the gumption to ask him if he was or was not a Mason. He explained that he was, but he was only a Fellow Craft and had not been to Lodge in quite some time. I, of course, asked if he could help me get in the Lodge and he said that he would do what he could. Once again, days passed into weeks and weeks passed into months, time flew by, and nothing came of this most recent request.
I admit, at this point, I was feeling a little frustrated about the whole matter. Then, I had an epiphany. After asking around, I discovered where the local Lodge was located. I didn’t know what hours they kept or if they had a secretary or what. I thought to myself, “If this is how it works, I’ll try it.” I arrived at the Lodge one sunny day, only to find a locked door and even more exasperation.
Some time after this, I again started a new job. It’s a very public job in sales and I see many different people every day. One day, I was ringing up a customer’s sale, when I suddenly realized he was covered with Masonic regalia. He had the hat, the belt buckle and the ring too. I mused, “Surely this man is a Mason.” When we were finished, I inquired if this, in fact, were true. He assured me it was. So, I continued by saying, “Can I ask you a question?” He said I could. I then asked, “How many Masons do you have to ask before you can become a Mason?” A puzzled look swiftly overcame him so I related the short form of my quest to join the Masonic institution. He said that he was from a Lodge out of town, but assured me that he would have someone in the local Lodge come by to see me. Frankly, I had my doubts that this would have any different outcome from any of my previous inquiries.
The next day, to my surprise and great joy, a thin, grey-haired gentleman showed at the store looking for me. He introduced himself as Julian Pettitt and explained that he was told that I would be interested in petitioning the local Lodge. I stated enthusiastically and emphatically that I would love to do so! He gave me a petition, chatted with me for several minutes about the blessings of Masonry and explained the next steps involved in joining. To say the least, I was thrilled!
Well, as they say, the rest is history. Later that year, I was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. I now am Past Master of Meridian Sun #50 F&AM, am KYCH nominated, carry my Proficiency Card proudly, was awarded a Funeral Master’s pin by Most Worshipful Grand Master Tom Boduch and am currently serving as District Deputy Chairman for District 17 of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee F&AM. It’s more than I thought I would be doing, but I have no regrets.
It has been a wonderful journey and I’ve formed more friendships and made more connections than I could have imagined. The many brothers I have gained and the maturity I have hopefully acquired has, I believe, made me a better man. (I’ll work on humility next year.)
Yes, our Fraternity is not for everyone, but for those who decide to walk through the door of Masonry and gain admittance into the local Lodge, the blessings we receive far surpass whatever trivial sacrifices we make.
If you read this and you are an “inactive” Mason, be “inactive” no more. Join us as often as you can. Don’t just sit at home on those nights when you could actually be enjoying fellowship with the “children of light.” Be the man who helped me and not those before who could not.
Remember the joy. Remember your obligations. Remember your first steps in Masonry and let them lead you back to your brothers. We miss you! We hope you miss us too.
Labels: Freemasonry, jobs
