Unveiling the Masonic World: Nonprofit Leadership, Chaplaincy, and Etiquette

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, chris, yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Fred, what's a Mason?
That's a really good question,fred.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
You've reached the internet's home for all things
masonry.
Join Chris and I as we plumbthe depths of our ancient craft,
from the common gavel to thetrowel.
Nothing is off the table, sograb your tools and let's get to
work.
This is On the Level.
Yeah, there, it is the RebelYell, the Rebel Yell.
Oh my gosh, we are back.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hey, we are back Wow.
I gotta tell you.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Alright, I'm listening.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
I was having a conversation with a brother
named Michael Manning.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Michael Manning, you know him.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
He's from a little bit north of us, okay, involved
in the Scottish Rite.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
Oh, oh, michael, yeah , yeah, big beard Cuban guy.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Actually, if you close your eyes you think you're
talking to Doug Dobbs.
They sound very similar.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
Right, right right.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
And so I saw him calling and I picked up the
phone and he goes, Ha, and Isaid, are you alright?
And he's like I'm trying to dothe Chris Scream.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
I'm like that's that?

Speaker 2 (01:07):
No, it's yeah.
He was like that's it.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
That's it, baby Come on.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
You gotta get your impersonations down, guys.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Now I gotta say, michael, that was probably the
best shout out we've ever done.
Way to go, bro.
Way to go.
We have to have them on thepodcast, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
He teaches firefighters, so he's got a
great presence and speakingvoice, nice, nice.
Sorry.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
No no.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
I traveled you right out of the gate.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
I don't know, man, I'm a little excited this
morning, maybe because Iprobably got a decent night's
sleep.
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
But what's that like?

Speaker 1 (01:46):
Yeah what's that like Right?

Speaker 2 (01:47):
Five hours last night Sleep when you're dead baby.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
But yeah, I'm feeling encouraged, I'm feeling strong.
Good for you.
Yeah, man, you know, look,listen, listen, guys, who's more
blessed than we are?
I mean, you know, if you lookat around the world, man,
current events right now, andthere are people in this world
who are just flat out suffering.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
We should talk about it, I guess.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
A little bit.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Everyone else is.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
Well, we could talk about it a little bit.
Yeah, I'm a whole podcast onpolitics.
Not on politics, especiallycurrent politics.
What a drag.
But yeah, we are blessed, weare kings compared to the rest
of the world, especially rightnow with what's going on in all
of these hot spots, man, thatare going on and everyone has

(02:33):
their opinion.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
We were just talking about it before the show.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, about this, that and the other, but at the
end of the day, you know, I'malways turned towards you know?
Yeah, but what about all thewomen and children who live in
these places, man?

Speaker 2 (02:44):
What about them yeah?

Speaker 1 (02:45):
You know, we can talk about soldiers, we can talk
about terrorists and armies andbillions and billions of dollars
, this and that, but at the endof the day, man, it's always the
women and children that end updying.
You know, afghanistan 275,000women and children.
You know lost.
You know, in Syria it wasalmost 300,000 civilians.

(03:08):
You know, come on, man, I mean,that's where I go.
So when I see these thingshappen, where these great men of
political favor start fightingwith each other and killing each
other, it's, it's.
We like to think it's atechnical war out there, but
it's not these long, long drugout things that go on.

(03:29):
They kill innocent women andchildren.
That's what happens.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
You're right, and the average American.
Honestly, we haven't seen war.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
We have not seen war.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
No, no living person listening to this has seen war
on the scale that you're talkingabout.
I mean we have people that haveserved in the military.
That certainly I'm sure I'veseen some nasty stuff.
Yeah, absolutely they're notthe average American.
They're the exceptions.
Yeah, that's right, and theyare exceptional, and they are
exceptions to this.
The average American justdoesn't see the violence of war

(03:59):
and how horrible it is.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
And just just inhuman .

Speaker 2 (04:03):
It really is to everyone involved.

Speaker 1 (04:05):
And, if you think about it, most of the people in
these lands.
They don't have access to theinformation that we have access
to.
So, not only are they losingeverything they have and losing
their lives, they don't evenknow why.

Speaker 2 (04:18):
They're well, they're being lied to.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
They're being lied to .

Speaker 2 (04:20):
They're doing it for false reasons, probably a lot of
times.

Speaker 1 (04:25):
And, and, and you know, from all sides, I don't
care what political persuasionyou you happen to be from.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
We have nowhere war here in our country and it's
like you're at war.
To try to get actualinformation.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
Right.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, everyone wants to feed you their line of stick
instead of give you the info.

Speaker 1 (04:39):
It's tough, I know.
I spend a lot of time onalternative media sites trying
to get that's called pornography.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
You don't want to.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
I don't I don't do pornography, oh okay.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
I just heard alternative media and
alternative.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
Oh, is that what they call it now?
Is that what they're calling itnow?

Speaker 2 (04:54):
Probably.

Speaker 1 (04:56):
Oh my gosh, fred doesn't do porn.
I do not do porn, no yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
He's a good citizen.

Speaker 1 (05:02):
Well, no, I don't do it because in my opinion it's an
insult to my wife.

Speaker 2 (05:05):
But that's it.
It insults we should.
I can't wait to talk to yourwife someday.
Oh yeah, I can't wait tointerview her.

Speaker 1 (05:12):
Well, it's going to happen.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
Speaking of that.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
What?
Yeah, that's right.
Ladies and gentlemen, let us bethe first to announce well, who
else would announce it?
Yeah, that we have an interviewcoming up with our wives.

Speaker 2 (05:24):
Oh man, so the four of us are going to sit down over
drinks.
Is anything can we give themlike hey, don't tell them about
this.

Speaker 1 (05:32):
Nope, no coaching.
It's no holes bar.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Wow, okay, wow.

Speaker 1 (05:38):
We are going to just so our last podcast will be on.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
No, I'm actually here , you know, I have asked my wife
.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
Yeah me too.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
She's quite hesitant with the idea.
But I said you don't have toknow anything, no one's gonna.
You don't have to be prepped,this is just going to be.
We want to find out what yourlife is like that's right Part
of this thing.
Yes, with no prep.
I'm like, yeah, you can curse,you know we can edit this stuff,
just be yourself.
Forget, there's a mic there.
We're just having aconversation.
We're gonna have a good time.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
That's right.
It's going to be fun and she'sin.
We're going to try to get tokind of like the wives
perspective of what it's like tobe married to a Mason.
The good who spends more timewith Mason re than with them?

Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true story that true
story that's going to come out.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
It'll be a lot of fun .
Anyways, that was a rabbittrail that changed our current
event.
Yeah, downer talk.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:31):
And from on the level with Fred and Chris, we do send
prayers and thoughts out toanybody out there who's
suffering under this currentmadness that we've got going on
here A lot of suffering anddeath.
And yeah, and I would justencourage you, as a Mason
brother, be slow to speak onthis and quick to listen to

(06:52):
other people.
Don't throw everything that youthink you know about it out
there.
I'm certainly not doing that,and I know Chris isn't either.
Be slow, be quick to care abouthuman beings and about their
needs and about the people whohave no weaponry.
They have no voice, they haveno influence.

(07:13):
You know, they woke up one dayand their neighbor's house was
blown up and people died andthey're now being told that they
have to leave and that kind ofthing.
Let's think about it.
Let's try.
I would encourage everyone totry to think about it from that
perspective and hopefully it'llchange the way we deal with each
other on these issues.
But we got a long way to go onthat one, brothers.

Speaker 2 (07:34):
Yeah, I mean I have removed a lot of people online
that tend to be inflammatory.
And they're speaking, I don'tcare what side they're on.
So I'm impressed with myselfbecause my feet's not blowing up
with a lot of hate and weirdstuff right now.
I mean, obviously people talkabout and they should talk about

(07:55):
what's going on.

Speaker 1 (07:57):
I mean we should be informed, but we should be
informed with the facts, notwith emotion.

Speaker 2 (08:02):
And calling for really bad evil stuff to
counteract.
Bad evil stuff gets dicey.

Speaker 1 (08:10):
Yeah, and all it does is feed the uniparty.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
If you have to, but don't have to say it on the
internet to everybody.

Speaker 1 (08:17):
That is a Mason, maybe that's not a best idea.
Well, and if you're calling outentire people groups in some
pejorative way, then you're justwrong.
Your method is wrong.
Your message might have somevalidity in it, but your
messaging is completely wrongand it's always going to be
wrong to take an entire peoplegroup and classify them.

Speaker 2 (08:41):
You know you're saying to one group Don't call
all Palestinians Hamas,Basically right.

Speaker 1 (08:46):
There is a difference between the mom and dad,
palestinian mom and dad, who arejust trying to make ends meet,
and the evil organization knownas Hamas.
There's a difference, yeah, andeducate yourself on that.
Take a look at what that means.

Speaker 2 (08:59):
They're talking about nuclear weapons in Israel.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
They're always talking about nuclear weapons.
This is always the big bugaboo.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
I don't think that is a big bugaboo.
It's a big bugaboo.

Speaker 1 (09:09):
I think that there are radicals in this world who
do want to burn it all down, youknow, like the Joker, you know
that's scary.
But, generally speaking, thegrifters in the uniparty.
They want to scare the goldengoose, but they don't want to
kill the golden goose and,generally speaking, that's the
way it works.
You know, kings and queens andall of the highfalutin uniparty

(09:32):
people, they know how to keepthis thing going, you know.
And nuclear war is a quick stopto poverty for all, including
them.
So I would say that they use itas a tool to keep people afraid
and scared.
But I still am of the beliefthat we are not going to see any

(09:54):
kind of nuclear action in ourlifetime, if ever.
In my opinion.

Speaker 2 (09:57):
From your lips to you .
Know God's ear.
Yes, please, yes, Lord, let itbe All right.
Aliens come.
We need your help.
Now's the time.
Here we go, the alien talk.
It's only a matter of timebefore aliens are put into this
situation.
No sorry, ancient aliens,ancient aliens, they're the best
kind, that's right.

Speaker 1 (10:16):
So I thought I'd bring up a little topic.
This is not a rabbit hole.
This is an official topic, okay, but it better be a little
topic.
All right, little topic beforewe get back to the etiquette
book which we are in.
This is number two of theetiquette book series that we're
doing currently, but so thequestion I want to pose to you,
brother, is me, yes, oh no.

(10:36):
How would?
How would a man, one man who'sin charge of a not for profit
organization, let those men inthe organization to follow his
vision?
What is an adequate or good waythat one might achieve getting
these men who are in a volunteerorganization?

(10:58):
They don't get paid, they don'thave to be there, they want to
be there.
And you have a strong vision,you have something that you
really want to accomplish.

Speaker 2 (11:06):
Man, you want to get it done.

Speaker 1 (11:08):
How do you do that without scaring them all off or
making them mad and making themgo home and ruining the whole
thing in the beginning?
How is that done?
Hypothetically, of course,impossible.
Cannot be done Cannot be done?

Speaker 2 (11:22):
I think our listeners probably have all of them have
answers to that question.

Speaker 1 (11:26):
I bet, I bet, they do Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (11:29):
I think you have answers to that question.
Yes, I'm my is personally,because I just am wrapping up a
year as the basically thepresident of a not for profit
organization.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
One situation you just talked about.

Speaker 2 (11:42):
I'm not saying that I succeeded or I'm saying he did
but I have some experience inthis and for me the way was to
meet early with as many peopleas openly as possible and not
talk about my vision at all.
Right, that was the way to doit right Because, amazingly,

(12:03):
your vision is their vision.
So when you start asking peoplewhat's important, you'll be
amazed how quickly your thoughtscome out of their mouth Right,
and all of a sudden it's theiridea.

Speaker 1 (12:14):
It's not your idea.
That's really profound, becausereally we do all want the same
thing we do.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
We do, and the message is different when you
ask what's important to you,versus me saying this is what's
important to me.
Right, it's different.
It just is different.

Speaker 1 (12:28):
Yeah Right, why wasn't I consulted on this?
Yeah, yeah, well, I mean, yeah,you don't ever want to hear
that from anybody, you know yougot to show up, you got to show
up, you got to show up.

Speaker 2 (12:42):
You got to show up sporadically and then get upset.
If you don't know everything,that's your fault, not the other
people's fault.
That's right.
That's right.

Speaker 1 (12:49):
And the assumption that you know you are owed, you
know all the information that iscurrently at hand, is a bad
assumption, because noteverybody, no one, knows all the
information we don't know.
Some people have a vision to dosomething and they're in a
small group of men together andthey were like, yeah, that's a
great idea, brother, let's givethat a try.
And the brother takes off on itand does it, and everyone's

(13:11):
excited about it.
But then one person is likewell, you know, this is
interfering with my thing, andit's like well, we had a meeting
and you know it's like.
It's like the assumption is isthat everything that I want to
do should be taken seriously,over and against everything you
want to do?
That should be taken seriouslyand I think your approach is the

(13:34):
best approach.

Speaker 2 (13:35):
Is that your approach ?
That my I'm not in your mindwhen you pose the question.
I'm curious to hear your answerto your own question.

Speaker 1 (13:43):
Well, I knew where you were going to go, because I
agree with you 100%.
This is you used me yes, I didTo say your idea.
Look it, you're a genius.
I'm not done using you, sir.

Speaker 2 (13:56):
I like it, don't go there.

Speaker 1 (14:01):
So I knew you would go there because I followed you
and I've seen the way you did itand it is profound in that
generally speaking masonry in alodge environment where you've
got a lot of guys, a lot of egos, a lot of ideas, everybody
generally wants the same thing.

(14:21):
We want to see the lodgeprosper.
We want to make new masons, wewant to better ourselves, we
want to better our community, wewant to have fun, we want to
enjoy ourselves.
Generally speaking, everybodywants that by coming to
individuals and or small groupsand saying, hey, what do you
guys see in the future?
What would you like to do?
What is your good, your bad,your ugly, where are you at with

(14:43):
all this?
And then you just movingforward with the general
consensus that, at the end ofthe day, we don't want this to
suck.
That's the bottom line.
I don't want masonry to suck sobad that I don't want to go
there anymore.

Speaker 2 (15:00):
Right, it does seem to be a bit like we're in an
interesting time in free masonry.
It's almost like arevitalization.

Speaker 1 (15:09):
I agree, a word Ascendancy, a renaissance and
renaissance Well it's almostlike what is a renaissance.

Speaker 2 (15:16):
It's like a changing of something new that's also old
.

Speaker 1 (15:20):
I don't know how right, so our reformation would
be a reformation.

Speaker 2 (15:24):
Well, that's a return ?

Speaker 1 (15:26):
Well, maybe because that's a return to something
from the past that was lost.

Speaker 2 (15:31):
Okay, you're reforming more of a reformation,
more it's kind of a reformation.

Speaker 1 (15:35):
I like to say it's, it's, it's an ascendancy to
where it once was.
Yes right, we want masonry togo back to the days where it was
a very solemnly respectedMember of the community, right?
You know the alright?
That weird building with nowindows on the end of the street
, yeah, that's a little weird,but the guys in there, they're

(15:55):
awesome.

Speaker 2 (15:56):
Yeah, I mean we, we were coming out of our own lodge
last meeting.

Speaker 1 (16:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
I believe, and a woman was walking by and started
cursing at Worshipful Leonardwho was coming out of our lot
right was like oh, you're donewith your Satan worshipping you
evil.
Blah, blah, blah.
He was like I don't know whatyou're talking about me.
She's like you know what I'mtalking about and she was
cursing it and he said I'm agood Christian, I don't know
what you're talking about right.

(16:22):
I don't know anything aboutwhat you just said.
And she wasn't satisfiedbecause she didn't get that she
didn't get the reaction.
She really wanted right was forhim to be all like but, how dare
you man right and you know sothat's alive and well today.
And who do we have to blame forthat?
This is our town.
We haven't been in our townenough showing people.

Speaker 1 (16:42):
Yeah, yeah, that's our fault.
Oh, good call, we need to getout there.

Speaker 2 (16:46):
We need to get out guys, we're here for you, we're
here to help, and that'ssomething we should work on in
the future.

Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (16:52):
There was a public meeting in the leadership of our
lodge and anyone asked anopinion.
I would say maybe we shouldfocus on that a little bit right
, yeah, if there were any kindof questions like that out there
who knows, maybe there is,maybe there isn't, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (17:06):
anyway, I just thought I'd bring it up.
It was on my mind justarbitrarily, for no particular
reason, and thought you knowit's and I like where we just
went, I think the listenersprobably did too.

Speaker 2 (17:19):
All lodges, I bet have all lodges have the same
same issue.

Speaker 1 (17:22):
How do you get, how do you get and I bet Grand Lodge
has a lot to share about thisas well as how do you get the
men you know of differingpositions and different thoughts
and ideas and egos to want thesame vision as the leader, as
the Worshful Master, withoutmaking it so bad that you know
nobody wants to come anymore andyou loot?

(17:43):
Not only did you lose yourvision, you lost your manpower,
you know, and it is a unique manwho can pull it off, and I
think your subscription, thedirection you went, chris, was
the right one is that this is avolunteer organization.
Everybody matters, but noteverybody can get everything

(18:04):
they want.

Speaker 2 (18:05):
So we all have to.
You will be heard and respected, and you won't be gaveled.
You pay your dues, right?
You're a member, it's yourlodge.
It's your lodge, I think that'spart of our issue is that we
elevate individuals, and I wastrying my wife and I watch a lot
of documentaries and we weretrying to define what a cult is.
Oh yeah, and oftentimes, if youlook at the definition of a cult

(18:29):
, it does come down to elevatingone charismatic individual to
be like the supreme leader orwhatever right that everyone has
to listen to, and I'm afraid wemight have gone too far in
elevating our leadership,including even the masters of
our lodge, and say you'resupreme in your leadership.

Speaker 1 (18:46):
No one can question you.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
Right, okay, okay.
But let's be real, it's aservice job.

Speaker 1 (18:52):
It's a service job.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
You're really here to serve.
You don't really get to vote onthings or raise any kind of
motion.
It's like right, you're just aringleader man, you're just
supposed to be here tocoordinate things, and I like
that we dedicate one personwhose job is to bring light to
the craft.
Right, so that man's job isreally to think about how can I
help my lodge become better?
How can I get more education inhere?

(19:13):
How can I get them better attheir ritual work?
Like really that's the job ofthe master.

Speaker 1 (19:18):
How can I foster that fellowship Like last night?
Everybody was in the dininghall eating last night together
and it was great I heard peoplelaughing and joking.

Speaker 2 (19:29):
I didn't either.

Speaker 1 (19:30):
I was the treasurer, I was in the office.
That's all right, I serve.
Yeah, you were too, but as Iwalked in there, passed through
there to go to the bathroom andrun back into the office to get
back on my computer.
Everybody's having a great time.

Speaker 2 (19:44):
That's awesome.
I'm so happy to hear that yeah.

Speaker 1 (19:46):
Yeah, and it was a full.
It was it was pretty full.

Speaker 2 (19:49):
Oh good.

Speaker 1 (19:49):
The dining hall was, and so a lot of guys came out
last night to our stated meetingand and it was, you know it was
a stated meeting man.
You know there's not, you knowthere's it's.
We do it, we can.
It's a business meeting guys.

Speaker 2 (20:02):
We have our little trivia game.
That's a that actually cameabout, so I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 (20:08):
No, no trivia game Like they know what I'm talking
about.
We go ahead explain.

Speaker 2 (20:14):
We do open education before lodge for 30 minutes
after the meal for everybody.
But then in the lodge we haveMasonic education and we
sometimes do that, have actualclosed dialed Masonic education
for the Masons.
But we always do a trivia game.
So we bring in a gift card.

(20:34):
We have a list of questionswith some answers.
It's kind of topical the fellowcraft degree, the master right
and charged is kind of like atopic, and whoever raises their
hand after the questions askedgets to answer the question.
First guy goes west of thealtar.
Once he's right, the rest ofthe craft keep going until we
have two guys west of the altarand then those two alone answer

(20:56):
trivia in a trivia off and thewinner gets the gift card.
And then we just kind of ask therest of the questions in case
we go through them just to getsome more education and we try
to include some informationpeople might not know about the
topic.
So you had a game, you had fun,you want money, but guess what?
You learn something.

Speaker 1 (21:15):
You learn something along the way.
Education in a fun way.
We're kind of about educationover here, big time education
and think about it.

Speaker 2 (21:22):
We're doing 30 minutes before.
Sometimes we do 10, 15 minutesin plus the trivia game.
Yeah, that's a lot of educationthat we still get out by nine
o'clock, right, mind you.

Speaker 1 (21:32):
And Chuck, chuck 3.0.
Shout out to.
Chuck Did a pretty good present, a very good presentation last
night on the masonry and theNazi party.
Yeah, and it was.
It was quite informative.

Speaker 2 (21:45):
actually, people get really engaged in that, because
our education isn't someonereading from paper Right,
something he wrote and thensitting down.
Our educations tend to besomebody talking about a topic
they're kind of passionate andknowledgeable about Right, and
then the conversation.
And the conversation is a bigpart of the education.
So don't skimp on the questionsand answers and back and forth

(22:10):
and the things people talk abouton that topic.
That's kind of the best part ofthe education.

Speaker 1 (22:14):
That's right.
Yeah, I agree, I agree.
And when you get like like wedo, when we do the esoteric
discussion group, getting meninvolved in discussion and
drawing them out you know oftheir silence into discussion,
it really helps.
It helps everybody.
Everybody learns because youdon't really, you don't when you
hear yourself articulating aposition.

(22:35):
It's really, it's reallydifferent than how you say it
inside your own head, isn't?
it.
Yeah, and it's, it's.
I have many, many long sessionsin my office talking out loud
and my wife knocks on the doorand says who exactly are you
talking to in there?
It's like, well, no one yet,but eventually I will be.

Speaker 2 (22:55):
So get out, get out of here I'm working.
Can't you see?

Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yeah.
So yeah, the trivia game is.
I think it's a great idea.

Speaker 2 (23:03):
It makes it fun what the esoteric thing you discussed
is you guys have probably seenwe post pictures online of
in-person groups that we have.
You see the people showing uplike right.
This is multiple lodges in ourdistrict.
That means we had more than onedistrict represented Right.

Speaker 1 (23:19):
That's right, a master from another district
came down and it was great.

Speaker 2 (23:23):
He shared so much of a different perspective he
brought so much to thatconversation Shout out.
Worshpill-carroll.
And we had a new EA from ourlodge that attended.
Usually EA's from other lodgesare there, but for once we had
one of our guys there.
So I was doing his catechismclass last night and I was so
curious what did you think aboutthat?
And the other EA's are aroundthat weren't there and he was

(23:45):
like absolutely blew my mind,like this is why I wanted to
join the fraternity.
Yeah, that's awesome I didn'teven know it could be that
useful and cool what you guysdid for us.
He's like I felt heard Right,even though I was an EA.
You guys at one point asked usspecifically for a viewpoint on

(24:05):
his entered apprentices.
He's like I felt like you guyscared about what I was thinking
and what I had to say mattered,and he's like I learned so much
from listening to other people'spoint of views.
I never thought that I couldhave an experience like that.
So it's profound for a newMason to come into an
environment where they seeMasonry.
We talk about it a lot withentered apprentices.

(24:28):
Right we go over the catechismright.
Memorizing the stuff and we talkabout it in the mentoring, but
did they really see it?
Do they see it much?
That's an opportunity for youto let them see and feel what
Freemasonry is.
Let it get into their heartsmore than it already is.
Yeah, so we encourage everyoneto start in your district.

(24:48):
Think about doing an esotericdiscussion night outside the
lodge, like this we're probablygoing to.
We're publishing blog posts now, like we promised on our
website.
Yes, and we will startpublishing agendas for esoteric
discussion groups.
Yeah, yeah, that's coming.

Speaker 1 (25:03):
How to do it as this year winds down.
Sorry, I'm going to cut you offbrother.
As this year winds down andwe're freed up more and more,
we're Chris is super busy rightnow as Worshful Master and the
Guardian of all things Masonryand District 23.

Speaker 2 (25:19):
Not for much longer.
Not for much longer, it'salmost over.

Speaker 1 (25:22):
Once that is over, and then I'll be freed up as
well we promise you, dearlistener, that we are definitely
going to take this, this OTL,which is on the level, to the
next level.
We absolutely will, in a bigway.
Yeah, we're going to we'reblowing it up we decided.

Speaker 2 (25:40):
We just want to get so much resources and tools to
do it every day, mason.

Speaker 1 (25:45):
That's our goal, and that's what you guys have been
telling us over and over.
We get more and more people allaround the world telling us
that this, this is somethingthat they want, this is
something you guys want and needin your lives, and we have
heard that, and we should be ina good position coming up this
new year to absolutely fulfillthat dream and desire, man.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
So we will be in a good position.

Speaker 1 (26:07):
We will be.

Speaker 2 (26:08):
Doesn't matter what happens in our lives.

Speaker 1 (26:10):
That's right, we will be, we'll go on.
It will go on Like we said inthe very, very beginning you,
you stuff me, you put me hereand you look at me when you talk
about stuff.

Speaker 2 (26:21):
I want to be part of the show.
Yeah, that's going to be.

Speaker 1 (26:25):
Maybe there's some digitized version You're good at
that stuff so digitize yourself, robot man, and then yeah, and
then we'll, we'll go that, we'llgo that way, but yeah, so
anyways, guys, keep listening,keep up the emails and the
contact, the support.
We really, really appreciate itand it's good, good things are
coming.

Speaker 2 (26:44):
It's your show.
We want you to be part of it.
We want to definitely help youinclude some of the stuff that
we're doing in your lives andyour lodges.

Speaker 1 (26:53):
If it works for you, that's right.

Speaker 2 (26:54):
Look for, look for some big things coming from
absolutely, it's coming.

Speaker 1 (26:59):
It's coming, okay, so why are we here again?
I forgot, oh right, so we'rehere to take dance lessons, but
we're talking.

Speaker 2 (27:06):
Oh no, that's not till 10.
Okay.

Speaker 1 (27:08):
So, AM.

Speaker 2 (27:10):
So your hardcore dancers 10 am on a Wednesday yes
, we'll be dancing with thestars.
No, we're talking about Masonicetiquette still.

Speaker 1 (27:20):
Oh, that's right.
Masonic etiquette.
So this would be the secondbroadcast of our series on the
etiquette book GL 208.
Sorry, where's what, kara?
He's probably yelling right nowout the correct name of it.
Here's the problem I left mybook at home again.
Those of you who are at thediscussion group will know what

(27:41):
that means, because I left, oh,gl, gl 208.
Got it Reprinted in 2010.
Nailed it and we nailed it andwe went through some.
Go back to the last one.
Where we left off was Biblepresentation, and I think that's
on the sixth page, If I'm notmistaken.

(28:03):
It is there we go.
Sorry, and so let's I'll readit if you want, Chris, and then
you can comment on it.
We don't have any of thismemorized.
All of this is published.
It doesn't matter if you're anEA, fellowcraft or master Mason.
You should know this.

(28:23):
You should know where your copy.
It's a yellow cover copy of abook that you got when you were
in.

Speaker 2 (28:30):
EA.

Speaker 1 (28:31):
So this book is somewhere with dust on it In
your office.
Please go get it, brother.
I admonish you with all loveand respect to go get it and to
read it and to understand it,because it's it's it matters
this.
This book speaks about Masonicetiquette in and out of the
lodge, and I think it'simportant we should.

(28:52):
We are supposed to be gentlemen.
It actually uses that word.

Speaker 2 (28:56):
Yes, repeatedly, that gentlemanly behavior is a
hallmark of Freemius and Rhaesyl.

Speaker 1 (29:00):
That's correct, that's correct.

Speaker 2 (29:01):
If you want to be a good Mason, you got to start
thinking more gentlemanly.

Speaker 1 (29:06):
Gentlemanly, using manners and slow and wise
counsel and speech, and the wayyou carry yourself, that people,
men and women, men, women andchildren would look to you
simply because of the way youcarry yourself.
And that's one of the ways totell that if you're you know

(29:26):
you're a man, you know agentleman.
people will trust you simplybecause of the way you live your
life and the words you say.
That doesn't come overnight,and I'm not saying it's done to
perfection.
I certainly don't do it toperfection.
I am an absolute slob at times.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
Just ask my wife.
It's a life long journey.
It's a baby steps that you gotto take every day.

Speaker 1 (29:49):
That's right.

Speaker 2 (29:49):
And you'll never be perfect.
You'll never reach thedestination, but it's about the
journey, right?
Correct and every time youcorrect something you become a
little more confident in fixingthe next thing and they start to
build and snowball and yourprogress gets faster and faster.

Speaker 1 (30:05):
Correct, correct.
So it's gentlemanhood,gentlemanliness, I can't believe
.

Speaker 2 (30:10):
I said anything.
If you started, excuse me, sir.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
Yes, that's.

Speaker 2 (30:14):
right, that's the gentleman's fighting.

Speaker 1 (30:16):
Excuse me, sir, a gentleman's only comeback is
good day, sir, and good day toyou.

Speaker 2 (30:23):
Good day sir.

Speaker 1 (30:25):
That's your, that's their only comeback.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
They can't take your mother.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
They're really not allowed to say anything else.
Good day, sir.
I like what they say inparliament.
When somebody asks a questionthat's unnecessary, they say I
refer my esteemed colleague tothe answer.
I gave a moment to go, yeah inAmerica.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
We're, like I just told you, a hole.
That's right.

Speaker 1 (30:47):
Don't you listen?
What's wrong with you overthere?
Shut up and sit down.

Speaker 2 (30:51):
You have to start with it.
Excuse me, sir, I just told youa hole and then you're a
gentleman, maybe not, maybe not.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
Perhaps we should keep reading All right, page two
GL 208, the 2010 revisedversion Bible presentation.
Our regulations prescribe thatthe Bible used in the Lodrum
should be the unadorned HolyBible.
It is not believed that thisprohibits the presentation to a
new brother, to a new brother,of a Bible bearing the square

(31:19):
and compass on the back, theremainder of the covering being
plain and of a solid color.
Nor does it prohibit the use ofthe Bible having a page in the
front for recording presentation.
It goes without saying that noone new member is to be singled
out for such presentation, thatif the Lodge authorizes such

(31:41):
presentation, then the Bibleshould be presented to each
member thus received.
When so presented, theofficiant presenting the same
should deliver a short anddignified message as to the
place the Holy Bible occupies inMasonry and its significance
and binding effect upon everyMason.

(32:03):
In parentheses, as he alsopresents to candidate.
I don't know what that means,but we'll figure that out.
So, anyways, the Bible that'son our I think there's more to
be said in this other partpresents.
So we'll get there, it lookslike.
So the one that sits on ouraltar is the King James Version,

(32:25):
the authorized King James.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
Version.

Speaker 1 (32:27):
And it seems to bring a little bit of controversy
with it.

Speaker 2 (32:31):
I think the spirit of this is that they don't want a
God-y book.
You know what I mean.
It's profound enough on its own.
It doesn't need that.
It doesn't need that gold, leaf, flowery things flowing off of

(32:52):
it.
It's profound enough, thewritten words on the pages, and
so let's focus on that.
Let's just have the scripturesopen.

Speaker 1 (33:01):
Correct.

Speaker 2 (33:01):
We're doing business and not focus on our
distractions from the shiny.
Whatever that book had we haveused a Masonic Bible in the past
on our altar.
It does have a picture on thecover.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
I remember that.
I remember seeing that it'sgone now.

Speaker 2 (33:19):
Yeah, we're trying to get to a more plain looking
Bible, which is what we usetoday.
I don't think it's over adorned.

Speaker 1 (33:30):
I don't think we have any over adorned scriptures in
our no, the one that you'retalking about did have a
portrait on the cover of.
I believe it was John theBaptist, but it was a portrait
which was inappropriate.
It's not supposed to be clearlyby this standard here.
That's not supposed to be.
That's the reason why weremoved it.

Speaker 2 (33:49):
Yeah, and we're always learning and trying to do
things the right way, correct.
So there you go.
You need to have a fairlysimple, authorized In Florida.
We have to have an actualChristian Bible on the altar.

Speaker 1 (34:04):
That is correct.

Speaker 2 (34:05):
It is law, we are allowed to obligate other
brothers under their books offaith and they can be on the
altar.
Florida Works says that weremove it very quickly after the
obligation so that the one bookremains the focus.

Speaker 1 (34:20):
Yeah, so during our last esoteric discussion group
that did come up yeah that cameup and I learned something.

Speaker 2 (34:30):
I guess we were talking about this.
We were, that's fine.

Speaker 1 (34:34):
We were talking about it and it seemed so long ago,
right?
But I, everybody, knows myparticular faith, being from the
Christian faith.
So the Scriptures that I'vestudied for 35 years and
theology that I've studied, soto me the Bible is very, very

(34:56):
familiar.
For me.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
You're dispensational premillennialism.

Speaker 1 (34:59):
No, I'm not a premillennial dispensationalist.
I just learned that.

Speaker 2 (35:03):
I just wanted to use it because it sounds smart if
you say it.

Speaker 1 (35:07):
I'll tell you what sounds smarter is.
I am a never, mind.

Speaker 2 (35:13):
I like to hear myself talk.
That's the problem.
Go back.
You were talking about theesoteric discussion group in
this Right right.

Speaker 1 (35:21):
So what I learned is and I'm always trying to figure
out, lord, what do I do?
I'm a Christian man who happensto be a Mason, and for me it
has so sharpened my faith withinmy own mind and caused me to
dig deeper and deeper and deeperinto all of this teaching.

(35:42):
And I hope everybody has thisexperience that you're digging
deeper and deeper into what youbelieve and why you believe it.
So I came to this conclusionduring that time, and the
conversation was about why theChristian, why in Florida?
Does it have to be the actualold and New Testament, the King

(36:02):
James 1611 authorized version ofthe Holy Scriptures, which has
been the rule and guide for allChristian doctrine and behavior
for thousands of years well,since 1611, as far as that
particular canonized versiongoes, and all of these things.
But for me I came to theconclusion that the reason it's

(36:25):
on that altar, the reason why inFlorida it's there, is because
that's where we get all of ouranalogies and teachings from.
It doesn't necessarily preach.
You know, if you open up thatBible, go to the book of the
Gospel of John and read it.
Okay, you're going to find alot more than Masonry in there.
But the reason why it's thestandard for this state is not

(36:49):
for any religious reasons.
It's because that's where youfind Solomon, that's where you
find the temple, that's whereyou find the King of Tyre,
that's where you find HiramAbith, that's where you find
Sikh Noc Ass.
It's all in there and that'swhat's used for our degree work,
for the analogies we use forliving a good life, for squaring

(37:12):
your work by the virtues, allthat stuff.

Speaker 2 (37:17):
Like you said, the characters that we use in our
stories to teach moral lessonsall come from there.

Speaker 1 (37:22):
To teach moral lessons come from there.
That's why it's there.
It's not promoting any onereligion.
We are not a religion.
Masonry is not a religion.
We are a group of brothers.
It's a fraternity of religiousbrothers, of men who believe
that there is a God, and we cometogether and all are welcome

(37:44):
under the roof, as long as weall treat each other with
gentleness and respect withregard to our individual belief
structures.
From that place I've said itbefore and I will say it again
and again and again there is noother place like that on this
planet currently.
I don't know if there's everbeen a place where people from
different faiths can sit andenjoy a meal together, discuss

(38:08):
their differences in harmony andcome away being better men for
it.
It's worth the price ofadmission, baby, right there,
I'm telling you, man, it's anamazing thing.
Anyway, I'm going on a littlebit here.
Help me out.

Speaker 2 (38:23):
The one kind of hot topic that came out of this in
our discussion group was and Iactually agree with the
dissenting view of, again ScranLodge.
Here is because I've been thesenior deacon and I've been in
this position.
So you have a Jewish brotherwho's obligating himself on the

(38:45):
Torah, the Tanakh.

Speaker 1 (38:46):
Oh, Tanakh, okay, it's great.

Speaker 2 (38:49):
And then you have the obviously the Christian Bible
for the other guys that arepotentially going with him.
And so you know, we don't wantto get into details here, but we
do take our obligationstogether and we take our
obligations on the books thatare sacred to us and we allow
that in free masonry it'stotally okay, totally common,

(39:10):
especially in Florida, to havethat happen.
But in Florida our rules saybasically, as soon as that's
over, you take that book rightoff of, right in front of them,
take it off.
And that's where I personallyfeel it's quite disrespectful to
the person to remove it whilethey're still there right in
front of them.
It seems like it would be morecompassionate to wait until

(39:33):
later, point when they're notright in front of it, to remove
it.

Speaker 1 (39:37):
Yeah, I don't Do you know the reason why that is?

Speaker 2 (39:39):
I really don't know.
I just know it only recentlybecame.
Somebody made this rule just acouple of years ago, wow, and I
don't know what the spirit of itis, but I know it's tough.
It's tough to be the person toyank that book off in front of
the brother and get rid of it.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
It seems a little bit disruptive to the entire
process.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
anyway, that's where the only confrontation I think
came in with our discussion wasa lot of people apparently feel
that way.

Speaker 1 (40:06):
Interesting.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
That we should probably wait until we're at
break or something, when noone's around, and then remove it
and no one will even noticeit's gone then.

Speaker 1 (40:13):
Right, right, because the jewels stay on the original
one anyway.

Speaker 2 (40:18):
Correct.
And that's a new rule also, weused to have jewels on each of
the books.

Speaker 1 (40:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (40:24):
And we only have one book with jewels, which is way
better, right, way better.

Speaker 1 (40:29):
For me personally, I know the Scriptures.
Like I said, I've studiedtheology for many, many years
and I have no problem with itbecause it always comes down to
the same thing.
If you truly believe something,can it stand the test Any test?
It can, it should.

Speaker 2 (40:47):
Right.

Speaker 1 (40:48):
It should be able to stand the test, and can you
defend your position and yourbeliefs in a way that is
respectful for others?
And are you confident enough?
Am I confident enough to seethat the King James version of
the Scriptures is sitting nextto the Tanakh on a Masonic altar
while we do a degree?

(41:09):
Of course, of course.
It's really the spirit of it isabout that brother.
He's coming in, he's bringingwith him something from his life
that we knew nothing aboutbefore we met him, and this is
we're accommodating him in thatway.
Now, as you know, do I want tobe able to teach him something

(41:31):
about my life?
Yes, do I want to learnsomething about his life?
Yes, I do.
I do, but I don't understandthe reason behind it.
Maybe, if somebody out there islistening and they know why
that came about, I'd really liketo be educated on that too.
I really would be, because, ifanything, it seems just all of a
sudden everybody knows wherethe part of our degree that

(41:52):
we're talking about right there,and it's always a bit hard to
negotiate.
Anyway it seems to be, at leastin our lives it does.

Speaker 2 (42:02):
There's a lot going on there.

Speaker 1 (42:03):
We've drawn blood during that time in that small
space.
Yeah yeah.
So it just seems disruptive atthat point.
Just leave it there and move on.
I'd like to know why.
All right, Next one is Brotheris a title.
I read that forever sayingBrother as a title.
But it doesn't say that.
It says Brother is a title,it's the title right, it's the

(42:24):
title.
It's the one we all joined forit's the great equalizer man.
You can have a bunch of lettersbefore and after your name,
which I respect if you've madeyour way through.

Speaker 2 (42:35):
It's kind of ridiculous.
Let's be honest, I have severaltitles now.

Speaker 1 (42:39):
Right, you do.
It's quite annoying, it's quiteannoying.

Speaker 2 (42:43):
It's hard because we had Brother Marty Sia was
talking about something in thelodge last night and he was
trying to tell stories of manypeople in our district that are
leadership and good Lord gettingthe titles right takes longer
than the story.

Speaker 1 (42:59):
It's ridiculous.

Speaker 2 (43:02):
Okay, so we have a past district deputy who's a
current sitting master.
His proper title is Right,worshipal, worshipal Master,
that's the proper title that iscurrently his title.
It doesn't just roll off thetongue and you don't say it
every day, so you really got tothink about it when you say it,
and no one ever says it right.
So it's almost like oh man.
And he caught it after he saidRight, worshipal, right,

(43:24):
honorable, right, worshipal,right, worshipal, worshipal.
He was like you know what,brother?
He just wanted a brother,brother, and everyone was like
thank you, thank you Please.
Just call them all brothers.
Let's get to the story Right.
We don't need to spend moretime focused on the titles than
the point, and the titles, in myopinion, get in the way a
little bit.
I've been master in introducingGrand Lodge officers and holy

(43:45):
cow, it's stressful to remember.
Is it grand something or is itsomething grand?
And it's tough.
And then they're also rightworshipals and you know,
illustrious in this degree andover there you're something else
.
It's, it's it is hard to get allthese titles right and for an
organization that's so focusedon a quality we have a lot of

(44:07):
titles- we have a lot of titles.
So let's just stick to brother.
If you're struggling, don'tstruggle.
No one wants to hear youstruggle, just say brother.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
And that's what this is going to say here.
I'm sure, and I remember firstearly on in my Masonic career
bumping in I would almost avoidRight Worshipal Haber.
You didn't want to say itbecause I couldn't figure it out
and in my mind I'm going at ahundred miles an hour.
Okay, it's right.
Worshipal district.
Deputy grandmaster.

Speaker 2 (44:33):
Haber.

Speaker 1 (44:34):
Right and I'm in my head I got it, I got it I stick
my hand on.
I'm like, yeah, he looks at meand you know, and you know, you
know, haber is, he's likebrother just call me brother.
You did that well.
Yeah, you just call me brotherand it's just like ah.
And from that day forward Ijust felt like, yeah, I get it,
I get that.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
So, anyway, honestly, the people that that that got
titles, that earn those titles,don't care about the titles.

Speaker 1 (45:01):
Don't care about the titles, yeah.

Speaker 2 (45:02):
I mean, we do it out of respect.
I do it too.

Speaker 1 (45:04):
I really want to get people's respect for the
position.

Speaker 2 (45:06):
Sure, yeah, that's correct and you want to show the
person you respect them, so youwant to say their title right.
And it can be stressful becauseyou really want to get it right
.
Yeah, because they're like man.
I just made it worse when I gotthe.
I wanted to be respectful andnow he thinks I'm a tool.
Right, I just wanted to do it,right?
I?

Speaker 1 (45:24):
tried so hard and now I look like an idiot.
It's hard, don't?

Speaker 2 (45:27):
feel bad if you can't get the titles right.
It is hard.
There's a lot of titles and youdon't say them often.
So when in doubt, pull theultimate title brother, just
call my brother brother.

Speaker 1 (45:37):
in the usages of Freemasonry, brother is neither
a sentimental nor familiar formof address, but it is a title,
as much so as worshipful, right,honorable, right, worshipful or
most worshipful, and mustalways be used as such.
A man does not attain a lodgecommunicate.
A man does not attend a lodgecommunication in his capacity as

(45:57):
a private individual.
He is not just Joe or Bill orJohn, but is there in his
capacity as a Mason.
For this reason one shouldnever, in open lodge, refer to
Bill be, but always to brotherbe in the same literal sense as
any other office of the lodge orgrand lodge.

(46:19):
So that means that you know, asyou would address most
worshipful bishop, the same inthe same spirit.
Brother Chris is in the samespirit.
Yeah, you know, and that'sthat's what it's saying here.
It doesn't matter who it is orwhat their title is.
You should always refer to themwith their ultimate title,

(46:40):
which is brother.

Speaker 2 (46:42):
Yeah, and we've now interviewed grandmasters.
We have told us that that'sright, I don't mind being called
brother.

Speaker 1 (46:49):
Yeah, yeah, they like it.

Speaker 2 (46:50):
Yeah, they're like.
I like for you to think of meas your brother instead of this
other thing.
Yeah, because I am.

Speaker 1 (46:55):
I'm your brother, yeah, and you know it's.
It's just as cringy and awkwardfor them to watch you struggle,
yeah, as it is for you tostruggle through it when in
their heart they're, they'rethinking of self.
Just call me brother, man.

Speaker 2 (47:09):
We're brothers.

Speaker 1 (47:10):
I started where you started I'm, I'm where I am and
you're where you are, and we arebrothers always address a grand
lodge officer at anycommunication by his correct
title, and he in turn must showthe same courtesy to other grand
lodge officers present as well.
So here's the worshipful masterand to the brethren of the
lodge.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
So everyone's a brother, but only call them by
their titles in the grand lodgewhen must learn right on the
most worshipful.
You've got to say those titlesin open lodge, I think is what
they're saying when, when, when.

Speaker 1 (47:42):
When you're in an actual called communication, you
should always use those titlesand you know, as as part of
addressing them, this rule ofetiquette should be punctuously
observed punctuality means youbetter do it, huh no matter what

(48:04):
ties of family or friendshipmay exist, so even your buddy
needs to be used the propertitle.
Yeah right, that's right.
Yeah, so like I'm supposed tocall you worstful burns right, I
should not be saying yo, whatup, dude.
So even in.
And this rule of etiquette isto be punctuously observed,
which I would assume meanseverywhere, all the time

(48:26):
observed, no matter what ties,family or friendship may exist.
So technically I should bereferring to you as worstful
burns, and I know if I do thatyou're gonna hit me over the
head, I mean with a nerf bat.

Speaker 2 (48:36):
So I I guess I understand, because I get it,
gentlemen and so this is agentlemanly thing to do right
you learn the titles and usethem properly, right?
But I guess it also says afallback a brother shouldn't be
the end of the world, right,that's right.
If you just can't get it, justplease say brother and move on.

(48:56):
Yeah, but don't go aroundcalling everybody brother.
Try to get the titles right ifyou can.
I think you should, and in thework we're required to use
titles and in the words Floridaworks right you've got to learn
them, at least in that extentyou got to know the please, if
you're, if you're a juniorwarden, senior warden or master
or junior Dekker, anyone that'sgonna say, right, worstful
district deputy grandmaster,maybe spend a few minutes saying

(49:19):
it a couple times, because,right, right, honorable those
you are gonna say they are partof the ritual work and if you
don't say it, right yeah it's,it's, it's kind of well, and
like master Mason Association,we do a school of instruction
afterwards.

Speaker 1 (49:34):
Yeah and right, honorable broom yes is is is
acting in his position, eventhough it's not a called
communication.
He is giving instruction to thegroup, so you refer to him as
right, honorable broom, that'sthe way it's proper.
So to shout out across the roomyo broom, what's up that?

(49:54):
That would be inappropriate,even though we're not in a
called communication yeah, he'sdoing his function of his job.
He's doing his job in hisfunction he should be referred
to in that way.
That's correct.
Yeah, that's good.
I mean, that's good information.
Next is chaplain, brotherchaplain, and it goes on, it
goes on a bit.

Speaker 2 (50:13):
Essentially there are chaplains are supposed to be
the person connecting with thesick and infirmed and elderly
brothers of the lodge and justreally making sure he's the
advocate for them in theofficers line he's making sure
that we are all not forgettingabout the brothers that are sick
, any brothers that can't makeit to lodge, any brothers that

(50:33):
you know are dealing with anykind of long-term health or even
short-term health problems.
It's his job to be in touch andin tune with that and make sure
the craft is aware.
And also in many lodges, like wejust did, we have a brother who
had a heart procedureworshipful not gonna say his
name in case he doesn't want hismedical information out there

(50:53):
right he did and it wasmentioned, and the lodge bought
some cards and we all signedthem and the chaplain did that,
the chaplains coordinating,sending him our thoughts and
prayers through through himright so he's kind of like
that's the center of that forthe lodge.
I don't know what the book'sgonna say but, I, think it's
basically saying that in anutshell yeah, so I'm a ordained

(51:15):
chaplain.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
I've been one for many years.
I've done hospital work andjail, jail ministry.
Can you bless me as a chaplain?
I can, of course.
I'll sneeze.
Far be it for me not to blessmy brother.
But the word chaplain is aninteresting word.
It comes from it's a Frenchword is where it comes from, and
it comes from Chappelle, whichwas that the king of France his.

(51:38):
He had an attendant that wouldhold his cloak, so the king's
cloak could never touch theground and it had to be
protected at all time.
So when the king took off hiscloak he handed the chapel, or
he handed his cloak to thechapel and he was the one who
tended the king.
He was also protector andminister of the king.

(51:59):
So that's where the wordchaplain comes from the king
protector and minister to and ofthe king to the people.
So he was kind of like theking's right-hand man okay, so
he was right.
So so chaplaincy, like in themilitary, a chaplain is.
He is.
He's the one who, if, like aChristian chaplain, a Muslim
chaplain, a Jewish chaplain inthe military, is the right-hand

(52:23):
man of the church.
So he's the one who's out inthe field representing the
church to the people who need tohear from their faith.
He's the go-between in thefield of battle, in the, in, you
know, in the trenches.
That's what chaplains do.
So you know me as a.
When I worked at ManateeMemorial Hospital I was on the

(52:45):
chaplain Corps and wheneversomebody they feel you know if
you ever been in the hospitalyou fill out that, that piece of
paper and it asks you whatreligion you are.
Well, if you were to checkChristian, then that that goes
into the computer and thecomputer finds out who's next on
the roster and then we'reresponsible for going up there
and saying did, do you hi?
I see that you, you check thatyou are a Christian or if you

(53:06):
were a Muslim or or a Jewishperson.
Whatever do you need do?
Would you like me to sit withyou, talk with you?
Do you need us to pray with you?
Do you want?
You know, some people would belike, oh, I'm so glad you're
here, and other people like whoI don't know, I just checked it
because my parents were and nowget out, you know.
But but that's, that's wherethe, the whole idea behind
chaplain comes from.

(53:26):
If he and I think, in misson,in in Masonry, we're about to
find out here by reading it, butit's.
It's that, like you kind ofsaid, he represents the, the,
the worshipful master andMasonry to the brother outside
who's hurting, or inside who'shurting.
So he's the liaison, he's theguy in the trenches that goes

(53:48):
like we ask, we ask all the time.
Brother, chaplain, are thereany distress, any reports of
distress?
yeah well, he's supposed to knowthat right because he's the guy
in the trenches making thephone calls right and getting
that and people call him and hecalls them to find out where
they are now.
Some chaplains do that workbetter than others, obviously,
but but that's kind of the ideabehind it and that's where the
word comes from, chaplain.
It's an important role it's.

(54:10):
It's a very important role.

Speaker 2 (54:11):
You're not in the progressive line, which some
people don't like.
Right, but think about that.
That means you're an officerwho's gonna run through.
The only other officers likethat are the treasure in the
secretary yes, you're on thatlevel right, you're the
institution you're helping thenew masters and the new officers
yeah, you sit at the left handof the east.
I mean, yeah, you're involvedin everything and your opinion

(54:34):
should be really greatlyappreciated because you're like
the legacy of the watch, right?
yeah there's not many people atan officer's meeting who have
been there year after year.

Speaker 1 (54:43):
Chaplain should be one of them you have the
opportunity to be the point manfor the physical needs of your
people, huge, huge.
I love the chaplain's work Idid.
I was a chaplain for SarasotaCounty jail for all of 2013 some
of the best experiences of mylife being able to go in there
every night, every Sunday night,for 52 Sundays in a row.

(55:03):
I was able to go in there andcreate relationships with men,
some who went on to completelyturn their lives around.
You know, few, there's few, butsome that did and it was just
an incredible experience.
But I think it's just a greatexperience.
But you're literally in thebusiness of tending to the needs
of others, yeah, and to me.
If I could do that full time, Iwould, but that's that's a

(55:26):
dream.
That's gone a differentdirection.
Chaplain, as an officer of thelodge and while acting in the
capacity, the correct place forthe chaplain is to be seated
during a communicate.
For the chaplain to be seatedduring a communication is to the
left and in front of theworship of master.
The lodge may be offered by thechaplain while kneeling at the

(55:48):
altar or while standing at hisplace, at the option of the
worship master.
The scriptures assigned to this, to the circumambulations,
should be recited by thechaplain standing in his place
of the lodge yeah, we do havefloor to work the details when
he stands, when he sits when hesays things when he doesn't.

(56:11):
So that is all spelled out righthere and your combined floor
workbook, which I hope you allhave chaplain standing in his
place in the lodge.
Sorry, I lost my spot here andshould, should not be read.

Speaker 2 (56:23):
I didn't know that yeah, you're supposed to
memorize these you know?

Speaker 1 (56:27):
I was always told that chaplains.
The reason why the chaplainspot is a bit attractive for
some people is because theydon't have to memorize
everything.

Speaker 2 (56:34):
That's the wrong way to look at it.
I think if you're new, maybeyou're not going to be expected
to do it right out of the gate,but it should be an expectation
that before the end of yourfirst year you're doing it by
memory okay, okay, so it says itright here.

Speaker 1 (56:47):
So that's obviously true.
The chaplain has otherwise solittle to render.
The chaplain has otherwise solittle to render that the
memorization of these portionsshould not prove burdens into
him whoa, that's right.

Speaker 2 (57:01):
Well, you're not learning all the different parts
and all the degrees like theother office that's true, yeah
these to learn, so it should beeasy for you to get it.
Look at what all the other guysare learning that's true.

Speaker 1 (57:10):
That's true.
I mean any.
What do you know?
Junior?

Speaker 2 (57:12):
warden already.
You know, junior Deakin, youknow.
You know all these differentroles right right different
degrees to.
They just have to learn theprayers, which are all written
out.
Yeah, they don't need any helpand it's the same every time.

Speaker 1 (57:27):
So you should be able to get.
It's not?
It shouldn't prove it shouldn'tprove to be burdens into him.
No, only the adopted ritualprayers as founded in the
official Florida monitor shallbe used in opening, closing and
during degree conferrals, exceptthat the chaplain may add some
words of his own at the end ofthe opening and or closing

(57:50):
prayer in non sectarian languageand in good taste.

Speaker 2 (57:54):
I love that well, we are so lucky, our chaplain is
the best chaplain out chaplain,joel brother, joel Furman, I
mean, he's a competitionchaplain yeah, no, he's great he
did many times and flawlessly.
But he doesn't just know ourwork, he knows the, the Canadian

(58:15):
charge right and he has veryvarious other flavors of prayers
that he does add to thebeginning, opening and closing
after the proper ones yeah sowe're just so lucky.
He knows all of the prayers andall the circumambulation for all
the degrees from memory and heknows all the charges.
He's got a brown card, whichmeans you know all that stuff.

(58:36):
Yeah, even presentations and 25year presentations.

Speaker 1 (58:40):
He's got it all yeah, and he's such a humble man, you
know, and once he wants thebest for that position, you know
, yes, he's willing to see that.

Speaker 2 (58:49):
So our chaplain, when was this last month?
Yeah made an announcement thathe won't be continuing right
right and literally an openlodge, requested anyone
interested to get in touch withhim so that he can personally
make sure that he trains themand that they learn everything
before they're installed yeah sothey can abide by the masonic
yeah, I love that he just tookit takes.

Speaker 1 (59:11):
He takes such ownership and pride in it, you
know, and and the reason whyhe's stepping down is he's.
He says he's got some healthreasons, that he's yeah, he's
not comfortable with the wayhe's doing.
I am completely comfortable,brother, with the way you're
doing it, but I get it you knowit's his own.

Speaker 2 (59:26):
Is that he's losing his hearing?
Right, he has beenprogressively so.
He's been learning signlanguage for years to prepare
for this okay so he can't hear90% of what happens in our
meeting.
Can you imagine sitting through?

Speaker 1 (59:37):
one of our meetings and not knowing, yeah, at the
time what's going on.
That would drive me nuts.
It drives him nuts yeah, I cansee that and.

Speaker 2 (59:44):
I actually learned the sign of brother chaplain
lead us in prayer in case it gotthat bad for him.
We did that together.
He's cool but he's still ableto hear it.
You know we talk loud.
He can hear it, yeah, knowswhen to do it and so he's
powering through.
But, yeah, next year he doesn'thave a desire to.
Well, I, I be president, not.
I hope what's happening.

Speaker 1 (01:00:05):
I hope that doesn't mean we won't see him oh no,
he'll be around.

Speaker 2 (01:00:09):
Yeah, yeah and.

Speaker 1 (01:00:09):
I hope he's there.
I think Marty's taken overright, brother Marty Sykes is
gonna be a chaplain.

Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
So that's yeah, that's what I'm hearing.
So they're working together.
They're working togetheralready, teaching him to
memorize and.

Speaker 1 (01:00:19):
Marty.
Marty's a great man.
We love Marty and we're so,we're so glad he's part of our,
a part of our lodge man.
He's a, he's a, he's cool man.
I like I don't know why he'sjust there's always an incurred.
He's one of those guys.
There's always an encouragingword that when, when Marty's
walking towards you, you knowwhat's coming, you know, and
he's just gonna put his armaround you and he's just gonna

(01:00:41):
say I love you, brother, I'm.
You know this, that and theother, but it's always gonna be
an encouraging word and hereminds me of what it's supposed
to be.
That that reminds especiallywhen I'm having a really rotten
day and I really want to choosesomebody's head off.
You know it's nice that Marty'sgot that.
You know that spirit that Icovet so much.
I'm not that way by nature.

(01:01:01):
You know I'm the opposite soanybody who has that, that
spirit in them by nature.
You know, it's something that Iaspire to correspondence,
masonic correspondence, this is.
This is interesting whenaddressing male to a brother
mason, do not put his title assuch on the envelope.

(01:01:22):
It should.
It should be addressed ashonorable John Doe.
Yeah, I didn't know that in thesalutation of the letter the
title should appear as Rightsemi-colon period, w semi-colon
period John Doe with his addressand then dear brother Doe.
That's interesting.

Speaker 2 (01:01:43):
That was it, so you will be getting Correspondence
from Grand Lodge, right, youwill be yes, because you have,
because you signed me up forstuff, I wasn't aware.
Yeah and this is exactly howit's gonna look.
They follow these to the tee.

Speaker 1 (01:01:56):
Well, I, I know I on my chaplain, my treasury report.
I learned to brother Dot,semi-colon Period Fred Packwood,
so I know I know to do that.
So I get that.
But it's interesting that onthe cover of the letter
Honorable, hon period and thenthe name Should be on that.

(01:02:17):
So when I get my monthlyTrestle board I'll have to look
and see if that's how it'saddressed.

Speaker 2 (01:02:23):
Hmm, if not somebody's heads rolling.

Speaker 1 (01:02:25):
Somebody's heads gonna roll.
Why wasn't?
Why wasn't?
I told about this.

Speaker 2 (01:02:32):
Can't make that stuff up here's.

Speaker 1 (01:02:33):
Here's one that we might.
We might end on this one.
We'll see discussion in Lodge.

Speaker 2 (01:02:40):
Okay, I know, let's do this, let's do this.

Speaker 1 (01:02:43):
So okay, we've dealt with this in our lives.
Just so everybody knows highlevel.

Speaker 2 (01:02:48):
I, as the master and the fan of lettering.
Everyone speak their peaceuntil they're satisfied.

Speaker 1 (01:02:52):
Correct.

Speaker 2 (01:02:53):
I understand that that is not a Prominent way of
thinking.
People want to just get out asquickly as you can.
That's kind of what people aremore focused on than hearing
everyone out.
But you know, when you havelike an amendment to Raise your
dues, for example, a lot ofpeople are gonna come and
they're all gonna have anopinion and you saw it at Grand

(01:03:15):
Lodge.
The way that we accommodate,that is, we say alright, this
number of people will speak for,this number of people will
speak against.
Right have X number of minuteseach to speak, and then that
will be it, and so that way youget a Representation of the pros
and cons correct from the craft, but in general, everyday
meetings, we don't need to dothat.

(01:03:36):
Brothers can just Follow theguidelines here in the Masonic
etiquette.

Speaker 1 (01:03:40):
That's right we should be good guidelines, which
are all sectarian discussion,all argument or Statement pro or
con as to the merits of civilpolitics or any given religion
or theological creed or racialquestions or private businesses
or Of any other non-Masonicsubject by which masons might be

(01:04:02):
to, might be divided intoclasses, feuds, schisms or
opposed schools.
No, sports talk is at all timesforbidden.
It is strictly forbidden todiscuss a petitioner, or it is
strictly forbidden to discuss apetition, a partition, a
petitioner, or From a mate, orfor a Mason to reveal how he has

(01:04:27):
voted or in any way to seek toPersuade members to vote one way
or another on a petitioner.
All uses of personalities, allexpressions of bitterness or
ill-will, acrimoniousness,acrimoniousness and all, any or
all or any slurs upon the lodgeor its officers, grand Lodge or

(01:04:50):
its officers and the fraternityitself, and all flim, pent,
flippant, unseemly ordiscourteous remarks addressed
to the lodge or its officers arecondemned, like by the
principles of common courtesyand etiquette and by the
disciplinary laws of the craftWow.

Speaker 2 (01:05:12):
Wow, disciplinary laws can come into effect.
Interesting, and that's that's.

Speaker 1 (01:05:17):
That's pretty heavy man.
So sectarian discussions andArguments and it really boils
down to that one statement rightthere.
That would that would causeschism yeah, and and separation
and disharmony.
That's what it's all about.
Yeah and and we talked aboutthis before on the show.
We, when I first came to thelodge, there was this belief

(01:05:40):
that there's this hard, fastrule that you cannot talk about
anything of a religious natureor a political nature and if you
do, the thought police arecoming your way to shut you up
like ever like ever.

Speaker 2 (01:05:53):
Some people thought that as a mason, you just can't
ever talk about this stuff.
Right, and our mason?

Speaker 1 (01:05:57):
and my question is well Then, what do we talk about
that has any kind of meaning orsubstance?
What we adopted, we killed it.

Speaker 2 (01:06:05):
We successfully killed that.
We killed way of thinking, atleast in our lodge, and I think
it may be spreading the other.

Speaker 1 (01:06:11):
I hope so.
What we came up with was theconcept that First thing were
grown men and we're masons, sowe should be able to have a
conversation about anythingAnything at all with gentleness
and respect with regard to theother person's feelings, and
that we have adopted in ourlodge, and it works very well.
Well, works very well nonobody's ever walking away

(01:06:34):
offended because somebody barkedat them.
You know their viewpoint onsome political Issue and I know
that does happen in lodges.
I.

Speaker 2 (01:06:44):
It shouldn't happen in the lodge, should never
happen.
What we're talking about herein the etiquette book is during
the stated meetings correct,that is open lodge.
We treat each other morerespectfully, we use our proper
titles, we behave moregentlemanly and you don't talk
about anything that's gonnacause disharmony or disrep,
repute to the brother or thefraternity right.

Speaker 1 (01:07:04):
It's right.
Right here, that's right.
Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 2 (01:07:06):
It does not say and and, furthermore, you shall not
go home and talk to your friendsabout anything right.

Speaker 1 (01:07:12):
It doesn't say that right right says in the lodge.

Speaker 2 (01:07:15):
You need to be thinking about and not doing
these things, because they docause disharmony and they would
probably I mean it would it'sjust we're too crazy divided in
this country to for it not toaffect people.
So and anything it says,anything Religion politics are
two great examples, but it's notthe only ones given there.

Speaker 1 (01:07:35):
It's sports, anything like you said, sports that
could divide.
If I divide you, I'm thinkingabout you, johnny Schaefer, you
Eagles, philadelphia, ego man.

Speaker 2 (01:07:45):
Cincinnati?
I don't.

Speaker 1 (01:07:46):
I don't know anything about sports, but I cut you,
man, you know, oh yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:07:50):
He's he'll cut you.
Man, try to move her openhouses because it interfered
with this football season.
Sorry, you're down right, butit did happen in lodge last
night and according to theetiquette book it was incorrect
to be done.
Somebody made a joke about asports team that our senior
warden likes and it didn't dowell and they were making a
little jab at him.

(01:08:10):
That was fun and playful, right, but that could cause some
disharmony Because people getreally attached their freaking
sports team.

Speaker 1 (01:08:19):
Oh man, I know.

Speaker 2 (01:08:20):
I guess you got to be careful with that stuff and
also the making jokes that couldbe offensive to people or, you
know, cause them to feel likethey were Made fun of her or
belittled.
Yeah, I think it goes back toour original statement.

Speaker 1 (01:08:35):
You know you're a grown man and you're a Mason.
You know when you've gone toofar.
You know when a when, a joke,when a comment, you, you know
you can tell by the bodylanguage of the person you're
talking to, by the way it'sbeing received.
You know when you're sayingsomething that you already know
is potentially you know, offcuff and then all of a sudden

(01:08:57):
the crowd goes silent.
It's probably time to stopsaying it and and and think
about, because you're a Mason,check yourself, check yourself
before you wreck yourself.
Because Because, at the end ofthe day, you, we, what we want
to do is it's okay to share whatyou believe and why you believe
it, but if you're not doing itwith the view to teach and to

(01:09:20):
share and to educate and to be apart of the Conversation, then
then you might as well not do itat all, because it's not going
anywhere, it it's not foreducational purpose, it's not
Masonic and at the end of theday, you're only harming your
own, your own reputation.
You're gonna get a name.
There's a guy that's you knowconstantly.
You know there's always trouble.

(01:09:41):
You know there's always thisguy, every time this guy talks
and every you know, after awhile your reputation will
proceed.
You and, and you don't wantthat.
We're mason's, we're supposedto be gentlemen.
That's what this whole book isabout being a gentleman, a Mason
, caring for the needs.
That's the feelings, thethoughts, yes, even the feelings
and thoughts, and and excuse me, sir.

Speaker 2 (01:10:02):
Excuse me, I care not for your thoughts or feelings.
Good day, sir.
There see, gentlemanly Argumentjust happened.
All right here.

Speaker 1 (01:10:10):
This is not to say that a master Mason,
particularly one who has actedas a representative in Grand
Lodge, should not inform thecraft fully and completely as to
what has taken place in GrandLodge.
Such a report can be renderedtruthfully and with dignity and
without the use of personalities, and this rule of course.

(01:10:30):
Should always be observed.
A brother wishing toparticipate in a discussion in
open Lodge Should always riseand address the worship of
master.
He should speak on the subjectat issue in the fewest possible
words, not using his privilegeof the floor as an opportunity
to deliver a speech merely forhis own Sake is this thing on

(01:10:52):
hello, repeat that lesson.

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
Yes, one more time in case people weren't listening
because it's incrediblyimportant.

Speaker 1 (01:10:58):
He should speak on the subject at issue in the
fewest possible Words.
Wait, I don't think I said thatright.
Fewest possible words, yeah,not using his privilege of the
floor as an opportunity todeliver a speech merely for his
own sake there you go.

Speaker 2 (01:11:16):
A Lot of people violate that one.
Yeah, a lot of people violatethat one now.

Speaker 1 (01:11:23):
Now look, I get it.
No one likes to hear themselvestalk more than me.

Speaker 2 (01:11:27):
I.

Speaker 1 (01:11:27):
Totally get it.
I am my favorite subject, makeno mistake about it.
But you, we have to resist theDesire to get up there and drone
on about things that are notyou know.
Like it says, don't use yourprivilege of the floor as an
opportunity To deliver a speechfor your own sake, because what

(01:11:49):
happens is that Silence that younotice while you're talking.
There's a reason for it.
There's a definite reason forit, because everybody knows what
you're doing and and it's.
It's just, it's cringy and youdon't want to do it.
I'm telling you.

Speaker 2 (01:12:05):
Yeah, don't be afraid to talk.
I mean, I would encouragepeople to participate more and
Stand up and speak, but this isa very clear admonishment that
you should think about what yourpoint is and get to it as
quickly as possible.

Speaker 1 (01:12:20):
Correct, that's what it's saying think through what
you're gonna say, say it and bedone get to the point of it.

Speaker 2 (01:12:26):
Right, you don't need to add a personal story or
color it or use a few extrawords and draw it out Like get
to the point, say what you gotto say right and sit down.
Yeah, so that somebody else cancome up and say what they have
to say.
We have a limited amount oftime in our meetings.
Everyone wants to get out of areasonable hour.
We care about what you have tosay, but there are people that

(01:12:50):
they talk yes and they'retelling a story and they're
relating it to something intheir life To make their point,
and then they sit down andsomebody else says something and
they pop right back up andrespond to that.
Right?
Did you have to do that?
Did you really need to furtheranything that you didn't say the
first time?
Those are the kind of things wehave to think about right.

(01:13:11):
Because when you start poppingup and having a conversation in
front of everybody, he talks,then I talk, then he talks, then
I talk.
That's really got no place inthe Lodge right, right I say my
point and I sit down.

Speaker 1 (01:13:24):
He says his point and he sits down, and that should
be the end of it right, exactly,I think a lot of guys feel like
they might be, might want to doPresentations or do speeches
and stuff and that's great.
You should.
That's great, you, you shoulddo that.
It's not as easy as it looks,let me.
Let me just share that with you.

(01:13:45):
But if you feel that you knowthat's something you want to do,
I would, I would encourage youto pursue it.
It's part of you know the sevenLiberal arts and scientists.
One of them is rhetoric andthat's the ability to portray
through words, you know, ideasand thoughts.
You know, for the sake of, forthe purpose of teaching, to

(01:14:07):
Learning rhetoric.
The art of rhetoric is part ofwhat Masonry is all about.
I and I encourage you to dothat, and sometimes I feel like
there's brothers out there whofeel like they want to get up
these opportunities to stand upIn open Lodge and say a few
words is their opportunity topractice on their rhetoric or to
be heard and to try it out.
That's not the place.

(01:14:27):
Brother, if that's somethingyou want to do, there's lots of
opportunities.
Put together a presentation Formasonic education and get on
the list.
You know that's a great way todo.
It.
Puts up.
It doesn't have to be.
You know you don't have to beplay-doh man or Aristotle here.
You know you just put togethersomething that you think is
important, that's important toyou and you think the brothers

(01:14:49):
would appreciate, and then getout there and do it.
Man, don't do it in Lodge Whilewe're all trying to get out of
there by 9 30.

Speaker 2 (01:14:58):
Yeah, and don't have a conversation in in front of
people in open Lodge either.
Save it for later.
Say it, please so one thing or,if you think it's gonna happen,
request the committee be formed.

Speaker 1 (01:15:08):
So that, yes, you can go talk about it outside the
lodge.
Absolutely, absolutely.
Something jumped out at me here.
Let's see the brother wishingto participate in a discussion
in open Lodge should always rise.

Speaker 2 (01:15:22):
Address the worst-of-a-master this also gets
broken a lot.

Speaker 1 (01:15:26):
So and I know this is gonna this is gonna come up
here in the future but when theway I was taught is that if you
have something to say in openLodge, you stand up and and you
don't say anything else untilthe worst-of-a-master addresses
you, right, then you address theworst-of-a-master.
May I Whatever it is, and andthat's the way it's supposed to

(01:15:48):
be.

Speaker 2 (01:15:48):
I address brother Pakwit right.

Speaker 1 (01:15:50):
May I address the craft may I tell brother Pakwit
to shut up.
I mean exactly.

Speaker 2 (01:15:55):
You should request permission to address anyone
other than the master.

Speaker 1 (01:15:58):
May I address the craft?
May I walk about the Lodge?
That's the proper way to do itand I think it goes into that a
little more in-depth, in depthas we go forward more and more
Well.

Speaker 2 (01:16:08):
I'm wait to be recognized.
Don't just pop up and starttalking right, especially to
somebody else.
You should.
You should start as wishfulmaster blah right.

Speaker 1 (01:16:20):
You don't just get up and start talking and the fact
that you stood and you'rewaiting to be recognized.
Yeah, you are not guaranteedand you don't have a right to be
recognized.
You stand up and if theworst-of-a-master deems it
Appropriate, he will address you, and then you address him.

(01:16:40):
And, and all of this should bedone with decorum, thoughtful,
thoughtfully, slowly, cautiouslyand with decorum, and I think
we're getting there more andmore yeah, in our large yeah
it's getting better and betterand I really dig it.

Speaker 2 (01:16:56):
I like, I like that stuff.
Yeah, yeah it does.
It does give more gravitas tothe whole situation when we
follow the rules of decorum.

Speaker 1 (01:17:03):
That's right.
Well, the next one is Districtdeputy grandmaster.

Speaker 2 (01:17:08):
So, maybe there it is .

Speaker 1 (01:17:09):
Maybe we'll save that for next time.

Speaker 2 (01:17:12):
District, the director district, it Learned
wow it's two pages long.

Speaker 1 (01:17:19):
So, yeah, we'll save that one for next time, or we'll
skip it all together.
We'll see how that goes.
So, um, what's going on in inyour life there?
Worshipful Burns, what's?

Speaker 2 (01:17:32):
what's coming up?

Speaker 1 (01:17:32):
here.
What do we got going on?

Speaker 2 (01:17:34):
awesome things coming up.

Speaker 1 (01:17:37):
Somebody told me something about a symposium in
January.

Speaker 2 (01:17:39):
I was hoping you'd want to talk, so we have a date.
Okay, this isn't an officialannouncement.
This is an unofficial cuz.

Speaker 1 (01:17:49):
No, it's the official .
If you're listening, don't tellanyone.
Yeah, it's a tell everybody.

Speaker 2 (01:17:54):
Okay, In January I won't say the date yet, but in
January or early January we arehosting our first ever on the
level of Fred and Chris MasonicEducation Symposium in Sarasota,
Florida.

Speaker 1 (01:18:08):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (01:18:09):
Yes, it's gonna be an all-day event.
We've already lined up twoProminent Masonic speakers that
we just love.
We've seen them personallyspeaking person.

Speaker 1 (01:18:18):
Yes, yes, excited.

Speaker 2 (01:18:20):
So excited to have those brothers come and talk.
Will be talking.
The format's a little differentthan we've seen in the past.
Speaker will speak, there'll bequestions and answers and then
Fred and Chris will get to sitdown with the speaker in front
of everybody and ask.
We'll do a short interview withthem Short interview.

Speaker 1 (01:18:38):
We're gonna put them in the middle and Chris will be
on one side, I'll be on theother side.

Speaker 2 (01:18:43):
It'll be completely unprepped and unstructured
conversation with the speaker.
We don't know what's gonnahappen and and then at the end
of the day we will have a roundtable with us and all the
speakers and that's foreverybody present to participate
.

Speaker 1 (01:18:57):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (01:18:58):
Everyone we hope will participate in that round table
discussion at the end of thenight.
We're working on food,potentially drink tickets for
the people that come.
We'll have an after-party.
This is gonna be the happeningevent.

Speaker 1 (01:19:10):
Yeah, and if you don't know the Sarasota Saheb
shine shrine.
They have a gigantic tiki hutbar, restaurant, tiki hut out
front.
It's wonderful and Tommy shoutout to Tommy down there it has
done an amazing job.
And to potentate PaulBeckenhaus yes, doing a fan
doing a fantastic, fantastic jobdown there.

(01:19:32):
So just that alone Is gonna beis gonna make it worthwhile.
There will be.
There will be live asians,there'll be food.
We know exactly.
Sure, I was going.
We have a couple of keynotespeakers that we're working with
right now.
Hopefully, the one we really,really want will say yes, we
can't tell you who that is rightnow, but we will once we have

(01:19:52):
it confirmed.
But please plan on attendingit's.
It's.
It's the first or second weekin January.
I think is what we're thinking.

Speaker 2 (01:20:01):
I think it's the second Saturday in January.

Speaker 1 (01:20:03):
We think it's the second, check your calendar
right now.
Stop pull over.
All right, thank you.
Check your calendars right nowand try to make sure you can
make that.
It's at the Sarasota Sahebshrine.
That's on Beneva Street, benevaBoulevard in Sarasota, january
13th.

Speaker 2 (01:20:19):
January 13th, there you go.
9 am To 6 pm 9 am To 6 pm.
Wow breaks long lunch yeahright like you're gonna get like
over Stimulated.

Speaker 1 (01:20:31):
This is not a seminar .
This is a symposium.
This is a great day of food,fun, livation and some great
Masonic teaching.
Man You're really really goodand and and.
A vision for the future ofFlorida Hopefully a Vision for
the future of Florida masonry iswhat we're really hoping for.

Speaker 2 (01:20:52):
Can't really announce that from a man who might Be
shaping that future for us.

Speaker 1 (01:20:56):
That's enough, all right, stop right there.

Speaker 2 (01:20:59):
Okay, but this is.
Everybody says they wantmasonic education.
Well, let's see.

Speaker 1 (01:21:05):
Let's see if you really want mason.

Speaker 2 (01:21:07):
Yeah, yeah because we will make it available to you.

Speaker 1 (01:21:09):
Yeah, and and the cost?
We're gonna keep the cost downas low as we can get it.

Speaker 2 (01:21:12):
We want as many people.
No, no, we want to just coverthe cost of the event and get
you guys here.

Speaker 1 (01:21:18):
Yes, that's it, and and the goal is, if this one's
successful and that depends onyou guys listening Then we want
to do one every quarter.
Yeah, I'm going for differentareas of the different areas,
different districts, if you guysthat maybe in other states.

Speaker 2 (01:21:32):
Maybe you know the country's.
Hey depends on who's listening.

Speaker 1 (01:21:35):
Ireland would be great if you're listening in
Ireland.

Speaker 2 (01:21:37):
We'd love to come.
Until you want some masoniceducation, do I don't?

Speaker 1 (01:21:40):
get my wife to Ireland soon.
She's probably gonna kill me inmy sleep, so oh, all right.
Well, keep a four-leaf cloverunder your pillow and on that
note, oh, I hear the music,brother, I just.
Every time we do this, man, I'mjust remind.

(01:22:01):
I know I say this all the time,you guys are probably sick of
hearing it, but every time we dothis I'm just reminded of how
much I love it.

Speaker 2 (01:22:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:22:07):
This is going.
We mark our words, guys.
This will be Next level nextcoming in.
This coming year, 2024, isgonna be the year I've Chris and
Fred have anything to say about.
It's gonna be the year for, onthe level with Fred and Chris, I
can, I can guarantee you that,chris, you got anything on our
way out.

Speaker 2 (01:22:24):
We got some big things planned for the future,
look for technologies coming,look for tools, useful Items
that will be available to you sothat you can do what we're
doing, and look to be able tomeet us in person, because we're
gonna be out there, we're gonnabe out there, man.
We want to meet you in our infull glory.

Speaker 1 (01:22:44):
We'll be out there and and again.
If you've listened to thepodcast of the very end, you are
our heroes man.
You're what make this show work.
Any questions, comments,anything?
Please just email us, fred orChris at on the level with
friend Chris calm and I will seeyou next time.

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