At our most recent Rummer & Grapes gathering, something was mentioned in passing that has stuck with me since. So, I thought that maybe we should discuss it here:
What responsibilities, benefits, and risks come about when we wear a Masonic ring in public?
The same question applies I think no matter what Masonic thing we might be wearing, ring, shirt, hat, &c. But it is I think a very interesting question to ponder.
I'd just like to say to start with I really enjoy your updates, you clearly put a lot of work in to them and they're nice to receive in my inbox.
So, on to the discussion, I'm from UGLE and generally we try to be a little conservative or understated with our jewellery. I have a ring and a small lapel pin on my coat, which look quite smart but at the same time are not extravagant.
The aim is mainly so, if I'm on the bus or tube, there's the chance another mason may recognise it but most of the public probably won't even see them, and if they do it's the chance for a discussion about the "mysteries and privileges" of our ancient and honourable institution.
I generally don't like ostentatiousness as it always appears to be only half a step away from bragging, I think a gentleman should be reserved, smart and understated in his dress, that's just my own opinion, but there's no harm in wearing a ring as long as it's not to show off,
Don't forget tattoos. We're not that many years/decades from a prohibition on masonic paraphernalia in public here in my jurisdiction. Older members tell me of times that it was frowned upon to advertise your membership. Something I can say from experience here in the southeastern USA that i take to heart. Safety has to be considered when wearing paraphernalia and being open about your membership, although less so today than years ago.
I've heard tales of Primitive Baptist congregations threatening Lodge members with death threats after posting officer pictures in the local paper here in a local town. To this day the lodge is careful what they publish. I sat in a lodge who argued over new signage, worried that the use of the word "temple" on the sign would offend the locals and set off attacks, others argued that the lodge is a group of masons, and the temple the building.
I'm glad many of those days are behind us, the prohibition on masonic paraphernalia is gone. That said, some brothers over do it but thats imho. The issue is, when you wear this "swag" your a public representation of all of us and we all make mistakes. We must take extreme care of our brand, as a group. Remember that there are fanatics still out there political and religious. There are already enough clandestine groups out there ruining our brand. Personally I only wear Masonic paraphernalia to masonic events. Those that know me personally know i am a mason. I don't share it with those at work, etc. I do on my private social media. Freemasonry is really the only reason i keep a FB account. in that sense Social media may be just like "swag". I keep my account locked down but, its public regardless. Perhaps the lodges being more open, and masons being more open is just a necessity of the time.
I’m afraid I have dark thoughts on this topic these days as I see our country entering a period of potential turmoil. I suppose that it’s technically almost always a possibility in this country since I cannot remember a time in my life where there wasn’t a world ending crisis on the horizon. Still politics being what they are, I have seen many Q people talk about Jews and Freemasonry and pedophile rings. One of the founding Q documents referenced a supposed ancient war between factions of the Knights Templar and the Illuminati and somehow it was tied to John McCain and the US Navy and went back to the pirates of the Caribbean and the war is funded by child sex trafficking which was somehow run by John McCain and the navy. It was obviously garbage but it makes me worry a bit. Things like that are like the Nigerian Prince scams, we look at it and see it for the garbage it is, poorly written, illogical and full of spelling errors; however those are the point. It’s designed to pre-screen for people who ignorant enough to fall for it since they don’t want to waste their time trying to scam someone who are smart enough to avoid it.
Still I don’t think we can talk about Masonic accoutrements without noticing the difference between how our brothers in other countries do it and how Americans do it. In this country it has never ceased to amaze me how much the culture is geared towards identifying with or as something. From trucks with 50ft flags in the back to VW beetles covered in save the earth bumper stickers or my favorite “no blood for oil” bumper stickers. Let’s not forget sports teams and every other organization you can think of. Americans really seem to like to identify as, or with things and they are very in your face about it. Still it isn’t everyone. I strictly avoid bumper stickers of all kinds, besides I think they’re tacky I don’t generally like telling everyone what I think all the time.
There are good things about bumper stickers though. I was attending a new lodge nearby and since I was not able to get any response from email it was sort of a blind date. All I had was the lodge address and a time and no idea if they did dinner first or really anything about how this lodge ran things. So I showed up a little early and the parking lot is shared, the door is locked and I have no honest idea if this lodge is even active. Could be an old webpage. I waited around a while and it was getting really close to time. Long story short I had to pee, went to the gas station, came back and spotted a new car in the lot with a square and compasses so I knew I wasn’t the only waiting for lodge to open and it was after time to start. I would have left otherwise.
So I agree with Bro. Potts I have a ring and lapel pin that I wear sometimes, that’s it.
I also definitely believe we have a responsibility to rep what we wear in a positive light. While a part of me hopes people will notice my ring and maybe ask a question. I’ve only ever had one person notice and that was because her dad was a mason. I’ve given up on the idea that they’re a recruitment tool.
In all my years commuting back and forth to work on public transportation, only two men asked if I was a mason, both were fellow masons. I've surprisingly had more women mention it, they all were former rainbow girls, or jobs daughters. More than likely most of the people that might notice the symbols may not even know what they are, as Bro David noted.
Also, as Bro Robert mentioned, I firmly believe that there was a generation that didn't quite understand the fraternity. They took to heart the whole "secret society" thing, They came up with all sorts of new traditions that were counterproductive to the craft. That's why I really love the idea of "reclaiming the narrative", as we need to be open and transparent with the public about who and what we are, not hiding in our temples waiting for that odd man to stumble into the building.
Long ago there was no need. Almost anyone in a typical town knew who the masons were, and who were members. The urban members tended to be the well-to-do, the businessmen, the movers and shakers in their communities. In the US the merchant class were the nobility of the masses, as well as the professionals, the doctors, lawyers, etc.
But the explosion of fraternal organizations in the 40s, 50s and 60s, the lowered standards, lowered dues costs, lowered expectations all brought in the "average joe" who missed the camaraderie of the military lifestyle and joined up, looking for that brotherhood missing in civilian life.
I'm not saying that those men were bad masons, but there was a growth of bad men joining, simply because no one was guarding the west gate. And in more than one occasion, all it takes is one bad apple to spoil the bunch.
Also, as towns grew, the percentage of people who knew about the masons shrank. It no longer was exclusive. When you drive into tacoma, there's no longer that typical display of organizations to greet you. In port orchard where I used to live, they tore down those placards completely, and put up these stupid marketing signs that looks like they were designed by a 12 year old. A lot of lodges either have a small sign, or even nothing at all to let someone know we even exist. I can't tell you how many times when someone finds out I'm a mason that they admit they didn't even know we existed in the town, even though they probably drove by the temple almost every day.
Boy, did I really go off on a tangent.
For some this topic might be about conduct and civility while representing the craft outside of lodge. Perhaps that's true as well, but it's (obviously) not my focus in life, perhaps it should be. But maybe my point is, even with the symbols, most people couldn't tell you what they meant, regardless.
I'm glad that Grand Lodge is making the effort to raise our visibility within our communities. It's the only way we will reverse the ship and set things right.
I'm a "less is more" guy when it comes to Masonic bling. We've all seen Brothers in Lodge meetings sporting so much bling that it almost appears that they were inspired by the NASCAR practice of smothering a car with sponsor logos. In my opinion it's a bad look inside a Lodge, so any similar practices will likely appear as an oddity (a polite phrase for weird) to the outer world. But that's only my opinion. I don't think any less of the Brothers who are into bling. It must be making them happy and they're certainly not doing me any harm.
I wear my father's ring and a tiny past masters pin on sport coats and suit jackets. I wear them not to attract attention but because I'm proud to be a Mason and they serve as a physical reminder to me to square my actions and circumscribe my passions. In the ten years since I was first installed as a Worshipful Master my lapel pin has sparked only one or two conversations. At district or Grand Lodge events I wear my Grand Masters Achievement award as a sign of gratitude and respect to those who bestowed the award on me. I have a Lewis Jewel to honor my father and grandfather and I think I've worn it two or three times, but if they were alive and sitting in Lodge with me I'd wear it to every meeting,
I wear my rings everywhere and usually have a hat on as well. People are going to think what they will. I know I was able to meet brothers from VA, MD, and NC when I was in Rapid City, SD on vacation because I had my hat on. I've met a Past Grand Master of FL at Disney World because of a Polo shirt. So I'm not afraid to wear my rings or apparel in public. I've been able to learn about other jurisdictions on my travels because I was wearing a Polo shirt from WA. It's been educational and opened doors to information.
At first when I became a MM ten years ago, I started wearing a lot of lapel pins. After a while I decided I needed to scale back things, so now I restrict myself to two. I wear my past master ring at meetings, otherwise I don't usually wear it. I have a light jacket with a smallish past master symbol on the left breast that I bought a year ago from Ink Nutz. I wear that jacket a lot, mostly because it's perfect for life in wet western washington.
On my motorcycle vest I have a S&C patch but otherwise, the patches on it are mostly veteran related.
Not to be flippant but one of my lodges actually turned the whole Masonic Bling thing into a fun night......Wear All Your Pins Night.......several Brothers filled a merit badge sash and most managed to at least cover one, if not both lapels. It was fun.
On a serious note....I wear my Grandfathers Blue Lodge/Shrine ring to remind myself of my obligations. I have a PM insignia on my car, and again....it is to help me keep my actions within due bounds (I don't give other drivers the one-fingered wave due to not wishing to embarrass the fraternity).
To each his own....I own a number of tshirts and hoodies with PM or S&C logos. Again....they mainly serve to remind ME to always try and speak and act accordingly.
Balance the risks, I’ve run into the fringe explorers who have noticed the name tag on my suit when I’ve had to run to the store on Lodge night for drinks who have accosted me with the strangest questions, I’ve met the angrily distrustful who noticed my ring who believed that it’s my prerogative to kill them for putting a square and compass sticker on their over stickered work truck because they thought it looked cool, and I’ve done my level best to meet them with the most sincere kindness. Those are risks that if met with anything but kindness will only reinforce whatever negative ideas those people have conjured for themselves about our Fraternity. Responsibility is a key component here regarding Masonic jewelry and identifying personal articles. We’re responsible for our reactions to the people who see masonry in a negative light. Showing kindness to the strange questions, and potentially threatening questions in my mind is my responsibility to masonry, it may not be possible to change already made up minds about the fraternity but at least I can show that as a Mason I’m not a threat and I’ve let them feel heard. The other side of responsibility is the rarified time that my ring is recognized and I’m asked about what my Lodge does, and I need to be ready to describe my Lodge and Masonry in the best possible light, and if I can express that best possible light with sincerity and enthusiasm, I might create the benefit of sparking the right curiosity with the right man to one day help that man become a Mason.
If I’m wearing a suit or sport coat it will always have a lapel pin (one pin only), usually a Masonic one of some kind depending on the circumstances (I have a couple of cool Northrop aviation related ones that were my grandfathers I break out sometimes), I default to some version of a forget-me-not a lot if I’m traveling for work.That way those who know, know.
I used to wear either my grandfather or my great-grandfathers ring quite often, but they are quite old, and were showing their age before I started banging them around, now I tend to wear those for special occasions. Even when I wore one of them all the time, as others have noted, most of the people who noticed were people with a Masonic connection, never got any questions from anyone else, never really even got any looks. I did get challenged once by a Prince Hall Mason in Michigan to “defend my light”, which lead to an interesting conversation about customs.
I’ve never been an apparel kind of guy outside of Lodge functions (like a lodge polo shirt at a jambalaya cook off where the Lodge entered a team).
During COVID I also just got out of the habit of putting a Masonic ring on in the morning since I wasn’t leaving the house anyway. I’m going to think about getting back into that habit.
I wear my hat with the square and compass on a daily basis. Sometimes I might swap it with my valleys scottish rite ball cap. No one has really ever said anything about it. But I know, when I wear that hat, that I am the face of the craft to whomever sees me. So I remind myself to act as such.
Hi Cameron,
I'd just like to say to start with I really enjoy your updates, you clearly put a lot of work in to them and they're nice to receive in my inbox.
So, on to the discussion, I'm from UGLE and generally we try to be a little conservative or understated with our jewellery. I have a ring and a small lapel pin on my coat, which look quite smart but at the same time are not extravagant.
The aim is mainly so, if I'm on the bus or tube, there's the chance another mason may recognise it but most of the public probably won't even see them, and if they do it's the chance for a discussion about the "mysteries and privileges" of our ancient and honourable institution.
I generally don't like ostentatiousness as it always appears to be only half a step away from bragging, I think a gentleman should be reserved, smart and understated in his dress, that's just my own opinion, but there's no harm in wearing a ring as long as it's not to show off,
Dave
Nottinghamshire province
UGLE
Don't forget tattoos. We're not that many years/decades from a prohibition on masonic paraphernalia in public here in my jurisdiction. Older members tell me of times that it was frowned upon to advertise your membership. Something I can say from experience here in the southeastern USA that i take to heart. Safety has to be considered when wearing paraphernalia and being open about your membership, although less so today than years ago.
I've heard tales of Primitive Baptist congregations threatening Lodge members with death threats after posting officer pictures in the local paper here in a local town. To this day the lodge is careful what they publish. I sat in a lodge who argued over new signage, worried that the use of the word "temple" on the sign would offend the locals and set off attacks, others argued that the lodge is a group of masons, and the temple the building.
I'm glad many of those days are behind us, the prohibition on masonic paraphernalia is gone. That said, some brothers over do it but thats imho. The issue is, when you wear this "swag" your a public representation of all of us and we all make mistakes. We must take extreme care of our brand, as a group. Remember that there are fanatics still out there political and religious. There are already enough clandestine groups out there ruining our brand. Personally I only wear Masonic paraphernalia to masonic events. Those that know me personally know i am a mason. I don't share it with those at work, etc. I do on my private social media. Freemasonry is really the only reason i keep a FB account. in that sense Social media may be just like "swag". I keep my account locked down but, its public regardless. Perhaps the lodges being more open, and masons being more open is just a necessity of the time.
I’m afraid I have dark thoughts on this topic these days as I see our country entering a period of potential turmoil. I suppose that it’s technically almost always a possibility in this country since I cannot remember a time in my life where there wasn’t a world ending crisis on the horizon. Still politics being what they are, I have seen many Q people talk about Jews and Freemasonry and pedophile rings. One of the founding Q documents referenced a supposed ancient war between factions of the Knights Templar and the Illuminati and somehow it was tied to John McCain and the US Navy and went back to the pirates of the Caribbean and the war is funded by child sex trafficking which was somehow run by John McCain and the navy. It was obviously garbage but it makes me worry a bit. Things like that are like the Nigerian Prince scams, we look at it and see it for the garbage it is, poorly written, illogical and full of spelling errors; however those are the point. It’s designed to pre-screen for people who ignorant enough to fall for it since they don’t want to waste their time trying to scam someone who are smart enough to avoid it.
Still I don’t think we can talk about Masonic accoutrements without noticing the difference between how our brothers in other countries do it and how Americans do it. In this country it has never ceased to amaze me how much the culture is geared towards identifying with or as something. From trucks with 50ft flags in the back to VW beetles covered in save the earth bumper stickers or my favorite “no blood for oil” bumper stickers. Let’s not forget sports teams and every other organization you can think of. Americans really seem to like to identify as, or with things and they are very in your face about it. Still it isn’t everyone. I strictly avoid bumper stickers of all kinds, besides I think they’re tacky I don’t generally like telling everyone what I think all the time.
There are good things about bumper stickers though. I was attending a new lodge nearby and since I was not able to get any response from email it was sort of a blind date. All I had was the lodge address and a time and no idea if they did dinner first or really anything about how this lodge ran things. So I showed up a little early and the parking lot is shared, the door is locked and I have no honest idea if this lodge is even active. Could be an old webpage. I waited around a while and it was getting really close to time. Long story short I had to pee, went to the gas station, came back and spotted a new car in the lot with a square and compasses so I knew I wasn’t the only waiting for lodge to open and it was after time to start. I would have left otherwise.
So I agree with Bro. Potts I have a ring and lapel pin that I wear sometimes, that’s it.
I also definitely believe we have a responsibility to rep what we wear in a positive light. While a part of me hopes people will notice my ring and maybe ask a question. I’ve only ever had one person notice and that was because her dad was a mason. I’ve given up on the idea that they’re a recruitment tool.
In all my years commuting back and forth to work on public transportation, only two men asked if I was a mason, both were fellow masons. I've surprisingly had more women mention it, they all were former rainbow girls, or jobs daughters. More than likely most of the people that might notice the symbols may not even know what they are, as Bro David noted.
Also, as Bro Robert mentioned, I firmly believe that there was a generation that didn't quite understand the fraternity. They took to heart the whole "secret society" thing, They came up with all sorts of new traditions that were counterproductive to the craft. That's why I really love the idea of "reclaiming the narrative", as we need to be open and transparent with the public about who and what we are, not hiding in our temples waiting for that odd man to stumble into the building.
Long ago there was no need. Almost anyone in a typical town knew who the masons were, and who were members. The urban members tended to be the well-to-do, the businessmen, the movers and shakers in their communities. In the US the merchant class were the nobility of the masses, as well as the professionals, the doctors, lawyers, etc.
But the explosion of fraternal organizations in the 40s, 50s and 60s, the lowered standards, lowered dues costs, lowered expectations all brought in the "average joe" who missed the camaraderie of the military lifestyle and joined up, looking for that brotherhood missing in civilian life.
I'm not saying that those men were bad masons, but there was a growth of bad men joining, simply because no one was guarding the west gate. And in more than one occasion, all it takes is one bad apple to spoil the bunch.
Also, as towns grew, the percentage of people who knew about the masons shrank. It no longer was exclusive. When you drive into tacoma, there's no longer that typical display of organizations to greet you. In port orchard where I used to live, they tore down those placards completely, and put up these stupid marketing signs that looks like they were designed by a 12 year old. A lot of lodges either have a small sign, or even nothing at all to let someone know we even exist. I can't tell you how many times when someone finds out I'm a mason that they admit they didn't even know we existed in the town, even though they probably drove by the temple almost every day.
Boy, did I really go off on a tangent.
For some this topic might be about conduct and civility while representing the craft outside of lodge. Perhaps that's true as well, but it's (obviously) not my focus in life, perhaps it should be. But maybe my point is, even with the symbols, most people couldn't tell you what they meant, regardless.
I'm glad that Grand Lodge is making the effort to raise our visibility within our communities. It's the only way we will reverse the ship and set things right.
I'm a "less is more" guy when it comes to Masonic bling. We've all seen Brothers in Lodge meetings sporting so much bling that it almost appears that they were inspired by the NASCAR practice of smothering a car with sponsor logos. In my opinion it's a bad look inside a Lodge, so any similar practices will likely appear as an oddity (a polite phrase for weird) to the outer world. But that's only my opinion. I don't think any less of the Brothers who are into bling. It must be making them happy and they're certainly not doing me any harm.
I wear my father's ring and a tiny past masters pin on sport coats and suit jackets. I wear them not to attract attention but because I'm proud to be a Mason and they serve as a physical reminder to me to square my actions and circumscribe my passions. In the ten years since I was first installed as a Worshipful Master my lapel pin has sparked only one or two conversations. At district or Grand Lodge events I wear my Grand Masters Achievement award as a sign of gratitude and respect to those who bestowed the award on me. I have a Lewis Jewel to honor my father and grandfather and I think I've worn it two or three times, but if they were alive and sitting in Lodge with me I'd wear it to every meeting,
I wear my rings everywhere and usually have a hat on as well. People are going to think what they will. I know I was able to meet brothers from VA, MD, and NC when I was in Rapid City, SD on vacation because I had my hat on. I've met a Past Grand Master of FL at Disney World because of a Polo shirt. So I'm not afraid to wear my rings or apparel in public. I've been able to learn about other jurisdictions on my travels because I was wearing a Polo shirt from WA. It's been educational and opened doors to information.
At first when I became a MM ten years ago, I started wearing a lot of lapel pins. After a while I decided I needed to scale back things, so now I restrict myself to two. I wear my past master ring at meetings, otherwise I don't usually wear it. I have a light jacket with a smallish past master symbol on the left breast that I bought a year ago from Ink Nutz. I wear that jacket a lot, mostly because it's perfect for life in wet western washington.
On my motorcycle vest I have a S&C patch but otherwise, the patches on it are mostly veteran related.
Not to be flippant but one of my lodges actually turned the whole Masonic Bling thing into a fun night......Wear All Your Pins Night.......several Brothers filled a merit badge sash and most managed to at least cover one, if not both lapels. It was fun.
On a serious note....I wear my Grandfathers Blue Lodge/Shrine ring to remind myself of my obligations. I have a PM insignia on my car, and again....it is to help me keep my actions within due bounds (I don't give other drivers the one-fingered wave due to not wishing to embarrass the fraternity).
To each his own....I own a number of tshirts and hoodies with PM or S&C logos. Again....they mainly serve to remind ME to always try and speak and act accordingly.
Balance the risks, I’ve run into the fringe explorers who have noticed the name tag on my suit when I’ve had to run to the store on Lodge night for drinks who have accosted me with the strangest questions, I’ve met the angrily distrustful who noticed my ring who believed that it’s my prerogative to kill them for putting a square and compass sticker on their over stickered work truck because they thought it looked cool, and I’ve done my level best to meet them with the most sincere kindness. Those are risks that if met with anything but kindness will only reinforce whatever negative ideas those people have conjured for themselves about our Fraternity. Responsibility is a key component here regarding Masonic jewelry and identifying personal articles. We’re responsible for our reactions to the people who see masonry in a negative light. Showing kindness to the strange questions, and potentially threatening questions in my mind is my responsibility to masonry, it may not be possible to change already made up minds about the fraternity but at least I can show that as a Mason I’m not a threat and I’ve let them feel heard. The other side of responsibility is the rarified time that my ring is recognized and I’m asked about what my Lodge does, and I need to be ready to describe my Lodge and Masonry in the best possible light, and if I can express that best possible light with sincerity and enthusiasm, I might create the benefit of sparking the right curiosity with the right man to one day help that man become a Mason.
If I’m wearing a suit or sport coat it will always have a lapel pin (one pin only), usually a Masonic one of some kind depending on the circumstances (I have a couple of cool Northrop aviation related ones that were my grandfathers I break out sometimes), I default to some version of a forget-me-not a lot if I’m traveling for work.That way those who know, know.
I used to wear either my grandfather or my great-grandfathers ring quite often, but they are quite old, and were showing their age before I started banging them around, now I tend to wear those for special occasions. Even when I wore one of them all the time, as others have noted, most of the people who noticed were people with a Masonic connection, never got any questions from anyone else, never really even got any looks. I did get challenged once by a Prince Hall Mason in Michigan to “defend my light”, which lead to an interesting conversation about customs.
I’ve never been an apparel kind of guy outside of Lodge functions (like a lodge polo shirt at a jambalaya cook off where the Lodge entered a team).
During COVID I also just got out of the habit of putting a Masonic ring on in the morning since I wasn’t leaving the house anyway. I’m going to think about getting back into that habit.
I wear my hat with the square and compass on a daily basis. Sometimes I might swap it with my valleys scottish rite ball cap. No one has really ever said anything about it. But I know, when I wear that hat, that I am the face of the craft to whomever sees me. So I remind myself to act as such.