Inside A Masonic Lodge

[Cogburn]

Yeah, you've seen this shit before, but I'm a fan of the artwork. I had the opportunity to roam around inside the Ventura Masonic Center this weekend between receiving my Royal Arch degrees. Two weeks from now I'll be officially qualified to run the world.

Some of the woodwork is amazing. I figured I'd share some snaps I took while we were cleaning up.

Here's the original Worshipful Master's chair for the lodge. It was hand carved over 80 years ago.
http://i33.tinypic.com/6xt7ro.jpg

The alter in front had an almost complete set of antique officer's jewels.
http://i35.tinypic.com/6ekarl.jpg
From left to right: Junior Warden, Worshipful Master, Treasurer, Chaplain, Junior Steward, Senior Steward, Oganist, Tyler

An initiate enters the lodge through a specific set of doors located on the oriented western wall. You're blindfolded at the time, so you never actually get to see it from this view, which is from the "eyes" of an initiate, through those doors, into the lodge.
http://i37.tinypic.com/148n3hx.jpg

The alter is situated in the center of the room, facing oriented east. The Worshipful Master sits in the center chair on the dais, flanked by Past Masters and the Chaplain. The book on the altar is the Bible. My Royal Arch sponsor is in this picture in the tuxedo.
http://i34.tinypic.com/1g1wug.jpg

A shot of the outside brickwork. Given the area, it's Spanish-style architecture. The guys are my fellow candidates catching a smoke and calling the wives.
http://i37.tinypic.com/vzhs2u.jpg

... and, of course, the cornerstone.
http://i35.tinypic.com/2nb6r9h.jpg

I don't do ties. Ever.
http://i33.tinypic.com/2difyg9.jpg

As always, I'm more than happy to confirm or deny any myths or answer any questions you may have.

[Ducky]

Wow.... :shock:

Impressive Cog :D

Thanks for sharing.

Few questions for you...

1. In your 2nd pic, it shows 8 (medallions?) of different symbols. What do they represent?
2. What are 'Royal Arch Degrees'? Does it take long to achieve?
3. How does 'sponsorship' work within Masonery?

[GeneralStriker]

ah yes- religious cults...

http://www.bible-topten.com/images/Molech_2.jpg

[Cogburn]

I'm pastafarian.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/08/29/arts/29mons_CA0.jpg


1. In your 2nd pic, it shows 8 (medallions?) of different symbols. What do they represent?
2. What are 'Royal Arch Degrees'? Does it take long to achieve?
3. How does 'sponsorship' work within Masonery?
1. They are badges of office within the lodge. The office relating to each badge is under the pic from left to right.
2. Royal Arch masonry are akin to being the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th degrees. Conveying all 4 degrees takes about 12 hours, so it's split into two sessions. Any master mason can join the Royal Arch. Some masons never become master masons, but for those that do it usually takes 3-6 months minimum because there is a lot of memorization. It took me 8 months.
3. When someone sponsors you, they make themselves responsible for your acclimation to the group. They answer questions and coach you on learning the ritual.

[pack3tg0st]

Nice cog!

I'm still getting permissions needed to take photos inside a few of the temples around here... HOpefuly I'll have some awesome sauce pictures to add to your thread at asome point...

The one I'll be going in first was built in 1900...

[attachment=0:2tl7mplq]Athens History 045.jpg[/attachment:2tl7mplq]

The next one That i'll probably be in... is the Battle Creek Lodge:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=Battle+Creek+Masons&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Masons&hnear=Battle+Creek&cid=10559548436075544818&li=lmd&ll=42.316067,-85.178075&spn=0,359.972126&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.316104,-85.178177&panoid=EpWhT-FYm8blLgqg49QJcw&cbp=12,14.07,,0,-14.63

I've been finding that If you want to see high quality period craftsmanship... go into one of these fuckers... they keep everything for ever and ever.

edit: image resize.

[GeneralStriker]

don't forget to check out the garment room.

http://slog.thestranger.com/files/2008/01/mormon-temple-garments.jpg

[Lexion]

Thank you Mr. Tolerance.

[GeneralStriker]

you're very welcome, mr. young.

[pack3tg0st]

bah the masons aren't an evil religious organization...

They're pretty... bland if you ask me...

lots of ritual and pagentry...

all to drive those little fuckin' cars in parades...

http://www.cholulared.com/travels/graphics/07-12-06-02ParadeShriners3.jpg

[GeneralStriker]

oh- no disagreement from me. they're a bunch of middle aged fucktards with time on their hands.

[pack3tg0st]

and secret handshakes :P

Its like a "gang" for the upper middle class who want to feel important :P

[Cogburn]

It's a fraternity. All fraternities have ritual that make them unique: that includes freemasons, to the Society of Jesus, to Alpha-Chi-Omega. In fact, the ritual of most college fraternities are more secret than masonic ritual. Wikileaks is continuously under threat of lawsuit for publishing college fraternity ritual.

Why do people join fraternities? It's always a personal decision... so ask them. Otherwise you do little but make sweeping generalizations. All black people like watermelon. kool-aide and fried chicken, right?

There are no secret handshakes, signs or symbols. All that went out the window nearly 100 years ago when Duncan's Monitor was published. I find myself telling that to fellow masons all the time, so the fact that non-masons still make the mistake is no surprise.

The true secrets are encoded in the ritual itself: it is symbology wrapped in religious claptrap wrapped in symbology wrapped in a riddle. Unwrap it all and in the center you'll find masonry's "secrets".

The problem with that is that most people's preconceived notions are so deeply ingrained that any hope of actually revealing such secrets for themselves is rather lost... and as a result meaningless, baseless prejudices born from ignorance which is substituted in their place.

I'll take being a freemason over being a failed communist any day.

[Lexion]

oh- no disagreement from me. they're a bunch of middle aged fucktards with time on their hands.

Yet, you bring the Mormon culture
into the mix.

Hypocrite much ?

Oh.....wait.....

[theeindiee]

Tell 'em Cog.... about the shapeshifting!!!!

LoL!!!!

[Martian Exile]

E Clampus Vitus

[WhispersInTheDark]

Bump.

Not enough stoushes about Freemasonry going on.

Is the craft dying?

[WhispersInTheDark]

http://beaconofmasoniclight.blogspot.com/2008/01/membership-decline.html

http://www.msana.com/abouttime_intro.asp

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread12332/pg1

http://www.masonicdictionary.com/boredom.html

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/article_caf49c0a-e8a3-11de-bdfd-001cc4c03286.html

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=198897254392

[Alessandra]

Ventura!

I think that was the one I went to as a Job's Daughter.

[Cogburn]

Bump.

Not enough stoushes about Freemasonry going on.

Is the craft dying?

I wouldn't say that it is "dying," but no one can argue that the heyday of freemasonry is over.

We still initiate at least 2 people per month, with about ten 3° per year.

Lodges are folding, but the membership is being rolled up into existing lodges. I think it's a good thing because masonic lodges were opened like Starbucks as the nation was growing.

One thing I've noticed is that there aren't many baby boomers: membership is either 75+ or under 50.

What's hurting are the York and Scottish Rites. There's not much interest in those as they tend to have a more openly religious slant (in the case of the York Rite) or a metaphysical slant (in the case of the Scottish Rite). You can't join either body until you're a master mason, and that takes a bit of work to achieve. The process typically takes a year or more and as such there is an expectable rate of attrition.

I don't lament the shrinking of freemasonry one bit. Sometimes you need to go away for your influence to be missed.

[Cogburn]

Ventura!

I think that was the one I went to as a Job's Daughter.

Probably did if you went to the one downtown.

If you're in your early/mid twenties, I probably know a few of your your Honor Queens.

[WhispersInTheDark]

How would you explain an underrepresentation of 50-75 year olds in the general membership?

[Cogburn]

How would you explain an underrepresentation of 50-75 year olds in the general membership?

Turn on, tune in, drop out.

Masonry was something only your dad and squares did, man.

:bong:

[Alessandra]

Probably did if you went to the one downtown.

If you're in your early/mid twenties, I probably know a few of your your Honor Queens.

Most likely. Bethel 330.

I don't remember their names anymore though. I got some pics of me and the group in our little getups

[Cogburn]

Most likely. Bethel 330.

I don't remember their names anymore though. I got some pics of me and the group in our little getups

That's Camarillo. It closed and rolled up into 219, I think.

Damn... I can't remember that girl's name that went there. Cook was her last name. Everyone calls her "big red" because she's 6' tall with shocking red hair.

[Alessandra]

Dana?

or am I thinking of someone else.

A few of the girls in that bethel went to that private college... Crap what was it...
Loyola Marymount I believe.

[Cogburn]

Nah, she went to UoHI.

Ah well. I'll ask her dad next time I see him.

I got an invite to join Carpenteria's lodge last weekend. :)

[Alessandra]

cool. I have family in Carpenteria

[MissSilver]

http://i33.tinypic.com/6xt7ro.jpg


This pic makes me think about a cross between royalty throne meet the catholic church. Meh, that's just my perception of it.


Thanks for sharing.

[Ima Nasshole]

http://i33.tinypic.com/6xt7ro.jpg


This pic makes me think about a cross between royalty throne meet the catholic church. Meh, that's just my perception of it.


Thanks for sharing.
The kneeling cushions in front of each throne makes me wonder what Cog had to do to get in? A bong may not be the only thing he was sucking on. lol

[Cogburn]

The kneeling cushions in front of each throne makes me wonder what Cog had to do to get in? A bong may not be the only thing he was sucking on. lol

I never noticed where they put those.

Gross.

:lol: