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Degrees Taking A While?

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easttowesttoeast View Drop Down
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    Posted: March/11/2013 at 5:51pm
Want some input on this.

Initiated last September, passed proficiency within a month.
Not passed till February. Passed exam in 2 weeks.
MM tentatively scheduled for last week of May, maybe even June.

Is this a normal time to wait?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote droche Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2013 at 6:11pm
Does your Grand Lodge have a minimum time required for conferring degrees from one to the next? It would be difficult to answer your question without knowing that. You should find out that and then you can tell yourself if it is a normal time to wait. If you feel that the time between your degrees is unreasonable, the first person you should talk to is the master of your lodge.

As I look back over 31 years after I was initiated, I have come to learn that in the grand scheme of things, rushing through the degrees is not in the best interests of the candidates over the long run. However, between your degrees, in my opinion, you should be active in some sort of fashion, such as attending meetings if they are open on the First Degree or going to Lodges of Instruction. If you are just languishing between degrees with no contact with your lodge or nothing to do, so to speak, then that would be a concern to me.




Edited by droche - March/11/2013 at 6:13pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote edwmax Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2013 at 6:36pm
Originally posted by easttowesttoeast easttowesttoeast wrote:

Want some input on this.

Initiated last September, passed proficiency within a month.
Not passed till February. Passed exam in 2 weeks.
MM tentatively scheduled for last week of May, maybe even June.

Is this a normal time to wait?


First questions is, how often does your Lodge meet?    ... As already pointed out, there is usually a minimum time between degrees, but the time you are stating seems a little long.
"He who would assume to govern others must first learn to govern himself."





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easttowesttoeast View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote easttowesttoeast Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2013 at 6:39pm
Not sure on minimum time. Pretty sure it is a month after degree that you can progress.

I just wanted to ask if it seemed a little long. I had to ask repeatedly when my degree was going to be scheduled, but even that seems kind of iffy.

I have been to meetings, so Its not like I'm totally excluded. However, you can't vote or hold office or anything.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote edwmax Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2013 at 7:11pm
off hand ... I'd guess the Lodge is having trouble getting a degree team practiced & proficient enough to preform the degree.    ...  That is just guess  ... Ask the WM if another Lodge can do the degree on you as a courtesy so you want have to wait until May?
"He who would assume to govern others must first learn to govern himself."





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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote droche Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2013 at 7:17pm
It does seem long, yes, and there could be many reasons for it, some good, some not good. I won't speculate. I would use the time to study materials, be as active as you can and soak up as much knowledge as you can through studying books such as Claudy and through observation. This could provide a much sounder foundation for you in the future. It could be a blessing in disguise without you realizing it.

So, let's say you become an Master Mason in June rather than November. That's six or seven months. Would you be able to join the officer's line in November? Chances are you wouldn't be able to do that until the following September anyway. And if you have to wait six months or a year before joining the line will it make that big a difference? Again, use that time to learn and you will be much better prepared to be an officer. As far as voting goes, does it also make that big a difference?

I appreciate your eagerness, but you hopefully have 30, 40, 50 years or more in Masonry ahead of you. When you reach that point I think you'll realize looking back that a six or seven month wait wasn't as bad as it seems to be now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote easttowesttoeast Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2013 at 7:27pm
Originally posted by droche droche wrote:

I appreciate your eagerness, but you hopefully have 30, 40, 50 years or more in Masonry ahead of you. When you reach that point I think you'll realize looking back that a six or seven month wait wasn't as bad as it seems to be now.
That's great advice. Thank You.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote simple man Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/2013 at 1:58am
Originally posted by easttowesttoeast easttowesttoeast wrote:

Originally posted by droche droche wrote:

I appreciate your eagerness, but you hopefully have 30, 40, 50 years or more in Masonry ahead of you. When you reach that point I think you'll realize looking back that a six or seven month wait wasn't as bad as it seems to be now.
That's great advice. Thank You.

 You say you been to meetings Hvae you sat in Lodge as E.A. or F.C. If so has these Brothers finished and moved past you? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote edwmax Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/2013 at 5:24am
simple man   ....

Some GLs/Lodges open and conduct business in the 1st degree.    We don't do it that way in Georgia.
"He who would assume to govern others must first learn to govern himself."





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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote edwmax Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/2013 at 5:57am
i just look at your Lodge's calendar.   It appears they are saving you for the One Day Class on May 11th.    ... These classes are for the Candidate who do not have time for doing the degrees the traditional way (one at a time).     The problem with these class is that if the candidate doesn't have the time to begin with, then he usually doesn't have time to learn the catechism and further his Masonic education.   Most of these candidates usually drop out of Freemasonry.    ... We don't do one day classes in my GL, as well as many other GLs.

You should talk to your Mentor & Sponsor and the WM.   Tell them you would like to proceed and not wait until May.
"He who would assume to govern others must first learn to govern himself."





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easttowesttoeast View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote easttowesttoeast Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/2013 at 1:00pm
I'm not going through the one day. Although, they kind of wanted that.


Edited by easttowesttoeast - March/12/2013 at 1:14pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CanuckMason Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/13/2013 at 6:07pm
As has been stated, it depends on the lodge. In my case, I was initiated in September, passed at the beginning of November, and raised at the end of November. I was in an officer's chair at the next meeting.

But really, I lucked out. My lodge generally gives priority to initiations, and then gives relative priority with a degree to the order in which brethren were initiated. It just so happened that they had already planned a passing and raising, and I was able to piggy back on to those.

We have other brethren who have taken much longer, and the reasons vary. Could be the beother's schedule, could be the lodge's. One of our guys has been waiting a few years to be raised -- reason being work keeps him out of the country a lot. But, he loves the lodge, and when he is in town, he makes a point of being involved.

The WM has many things to juggle, and three could be any number of reasons for the time period between degrees. I wouldn't worry so much if the time between degrees is long. Worry if they aren't scheduling your advancement.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RedDoor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/14/2013 at 11:23am

We used to take a year from ea to mm. Our new WM has, brilliantly, made the decision to have 1 EA degree, 1 FC, degree and 1 MM degree each year. The only brothers who will go through the degrees are the ones that show up to lodge and make an effort to learn and get to know the brethren.

Previously, a brother would show up 3 times...each time on his degree night...and then we'd never see him again for whatever reason.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shaun127 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/16/2013 at 4:51pm
Originally posted by RedDoor RedDoor wrote:

Previously, a brother would show up 3 times...each time on his degree night...and then we'd never see him again for whatever reason.

Not a satisfactory outcome at all.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BroScubaSteve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/02/2013 at 9:29pm
Originally posted by Shaun127 Shaun127 wrote:

Originally posted by RedDoor RedDoor wrote:

Previously, a brother would show up 3 times...each time on his degree night...and then we'd never see him again for whatever reason.

Not a satisfactory outcome at all.
Several reasons for this. The brother could have been asked to do something he didnt want to do and was too afraid to say no. I now know what the lost word of the MM is ... It is "No!" lol

His cabletow could be shorter than expected. We have to respect that. I for one have yet to sit in a regular meeting as we went dark after our MM degree. I'm hoping for some sort of education in masonry and not deciding how much to pay towards the water bill.


Edited by BroScubaSteve - July/02/2013 at 9:33pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ChrisLeeVella Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/07/2013 at 11:27pm
To get my third degree, it's gonna take exactly a year since getting my 1st. I assumed it's normal :/ But I can't wait! :) 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Warrior1256 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2015 at 11:14am
In Kentucky the shortest time between degrees in 28 days.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote windrider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/27/2015 at 1:59pm
I just realized who started this thread. Having followed your troubles, Simple Man, I see this is where they all began. You are a better man than I am. I hope I learn from your example, brother. If we ever meet, the first round is on me. Maybe even the second and third Tongue
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