I am a Mason!

Tonight I earned my Entered Apprentice degree. A positively, overwhelming, unexpected experience. I feel honored to have my fellow Brothers take time on a Friday evening to participate in my initiation. I am short for words as to how I feel, but can easily say that this was an experience that I will never forget for the rest of life. I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, but with patience and perseverance hope to be a valuable member to our Fraternity and our community.

I have a year to complete my EA proficiency and another year to become a Master Mason. I do not plan for it to take that long, although I am going through my MBA at the University of Texas at El Paso. What I really liked is that my friend E. who has been my primary contact in becoming a Mason, agreed to be my coach. He also lives on my side of town which should facilitate things. I am also glad that he is my coach because I saw the progess another brother has made in the last three months under his guidance. I know it's going to be hard work, as he mentioned that he typically coaches daily for about an hour a day to his EAs.
I am so excited this day finally arrived! My journey barely commences. I feel like I haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg yet, only got a glimpse.

EA Degree Scheduled

My Entered Apprentice degree had been scheduled for November 30 at 6:30PM. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, it was understandably difficult for my future brethren to get it scheduled any sooner. Either way, I am happy and looking forward to my big day, which as a coincidence it is on the same day of my little boy's 8th birthday!

It's official!

Right when my family and I were celebrating my son's all-city football championship victory, I received a call from my friend E. at the lodge. I'm in! He indicated that all went well with the ballot, and they will be contacting me soon so that I can schedule my first degree. What a way to end an evening! I can't wait to get started, a little nervous too I may add!

Ordeal of the Secret Ballot

My third and final investigation was completed last Tuesday and now this coming Thursday at their stated meeting, Five Points Lodge will vote by secret ballot on whether to allow me to join them or not. My investigation reports will be read aloud and the ballot box will be passed around. Each Mason votes by putting their hand in a hole in the box and retrieving either a white ball (yes) or black ball/square (no) and then placing that ball or square in a little drawer below. To be elected, I must receive an affirmative vote from each and every member present at the meeting. The black balls were changed to squares to avoid confusion from the white to the black. This is where the original term "to blackball" someone, came from. I wish for the best, and will most likely have dinner with my future brothers before their stated meeting.

2nd Investigation

My 2nd investigator and his wife showed up at my house last night. Went through the same form with questions as with my 1st, except this one had a few questions of his own after filling out the form. He asked me how I heard about the Masons and why I wanted to become one. I told him about the experience with my grandfather and the Elks and how I got in contact with the El Paso group through the Internet and about the lodges and events I had been to so far. He was a really nice guy and seemed very knowledgeable. He is a Workshipful Master at one of the lodges here in town, but not the one I'm petitioning. His wife sat in the living room chatting about a million things with my wife, but not necesarrily about Masonry. All in all I feel the investigation went very well. Next one is on Tuesday with the gentleman I already know who is a newly minted MM and 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason.

Investigators finally called!

OK! My remaining two investigators finally called and set up appointments to meet with me. One of them I do not know and will be coming to my house tomorrow. The other guy, I know pretty well since he was an EA when I started looking into lodges and meeting Masons. I will be meeting him at his office on Tuesday, which I suspect will be a pretty easy going investigation. My understanding is that I am not supposed to know my investigators, but in this case the original investigator is in the Army Reserves and was recently activated. All seems to be in line now for my ballot to be taken on November 8. I'm really looking forward to it now, especially since I found out that a Masonic Student Organization is about to be started at the University of Texas at El Paso, where I am currently a graduate student!

Inspiration from across the pond!

This morning I was inspired to see that somebody has actually read my blog! In the midst of being a little down due the stumbles in my entrance process, there was a comment on my previous post from Young Mason today where he found my blog and could relate to the emotions I'm feeling when he went through his initiation experience about one year ago. To my further amazement, he has made my blog famous by posting about it on his, which is called Middlesex-Fire!!! Doctrine Day has gone global, yippee! Anyway, I am thrilled to have a brother to be in England who has a keen interest in my progress through the initial stages of the Craft. This has inspired me to be even more diligent in my pursuit for light and in keeping up with this blog. Please visit his blog as I found it to be very well written and informative as well!

A little disappointed

I got an email last Thursday from my friend at the lodge, stating that they would have liked for me to show up before the stated meeting to see if they could "rig" something up in regards to completing my final two investigations. He did state in the email that they really hated having to do it this way, but that sometimes there was not much choice. I was going out of town on business so on Friday I got an email from him stating that they "obviously" were unable to vote on my petition. I will have to wait until the second week of November for them to vote. That's if my investigations are completed.

My friend did state that the Secretary and Worshipful Master were furious that this had happened. Interestingly, I have not been contacted yet. Perhaps they will wait until the last minute...again?!

It's almost Thursday...where are my investigators?!

The next stated meeting where they are supposed to vote on letting me in or not, is this Thursday, October 11th. I've yet to hear from the remaining two investigators. I saw my friend at Coronado Lodge's fish fry this past Saturday and he seemed amazed to hear that I have not been contacted by the remaining two. He said he would contact the secretary to get them to hurry up. My understanding was the orders given to the investigators had a deadline of October 9th (today) and that they can be reprimanded for not following an order.

Anyway...I think I might email my friend to see if he could speed things up, or perhaps I'll just sit back and wait to see how serious about their lodge my new friends are :)

Secrets of the Freemasons on NGC

Will air tonight on National Geographic Channel, tomorrow and next Sunday. Click below for your local listing. I watched this a couple months ago and it shows an interesting glimpse inside Naval Lodge #4 in Washington DC.

Secrets of the Freemasons [TV-PG V]

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Sunday, September 30, 2007, at 10P
It is a secret society that is said to have shaped world events for more than 1,000 years. Members have been found everywhere, from the World Bank to the United Nations, from the Pentagon to the top ranks of major corporations. They have been accused of controlling the money supply through the Federal Reserve, and throughout history they have been present everywhere, from the Boston Tea Party to the French Revolution. They are the Freemasons. But who exactly are they?