The Burning Taper is one of the numerous weblogs I have been reading over the past week, but I hadn't yet come across WS's account of Small Town Masonry, which unfortunately reinforces many of my preconceptions of what goings on in a small-town lodge could be like.
But I'm tremendously thankful to have been able to read about it, and weigh it in my deliberations.
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I've enjoyed reading your blog so far, Alex. Well-written, introspective and thought-provoking.
Sounds like you'd make a great Mason.
In spite all the negative stuff you've read, by me and others, there is a lot of good to be had by becoming a Mason. Unfortunately, like in any organization, or society at large, there is a lot of negative stuff, too. Weigh it out. Talk to your neighbor, and to other Masons you come in contact with. I've communicated with Masons from your area (Connecticut), and from what I hear, Masonry is much more like what Masonry is supposed to be north of the Mason-Dixon line. What you read about in my Small Town Masonry series is, though, unfortunately what it's like in much of the Old South.
Take your time. Talk to as many Masons as you can and pick the lodge you're interested in, if you remain interested. The only secrets a Mason isn't supposed to talk about is the ritual, grips, signs and tokens (methods of recognizing another Mason); everything else is "proper to be written" or discussed. If someone pulls the "I can't talk about it" ruse, it means they don't know the answer and are trying to hide it.
Again, great blog you've got going here. Keep at it.
Widow's Son
BurningTaper.com
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