Comments on The North Eastern Corner: Are You A Traveling Man?

Luther, If you believe in a supreme being or a hig...

2010-03-10T19:00:25.133-05:00

Luther,
If you believe in a supreme being or a higher power, are over the legal age in your state or jurisdiction, and wish to make yourself a better man for the benefit of all society it does not matter what color you are, what your socio-economic status is, or where you are from. All Masons meet on the level and part on the square.

I'm black can I join?

2010-03-10T18:36:34.006-05:00

I'm black can I join?

I, like J above, am a traveling man, have been to ...

2010-01-28T09:48:46.564-05:00

I, like J above, am a traveling man, have been to the East, lived there for almost a quarter century, and recognize that the Light comes from the East. Also, as a 4th degree "initiated" Master in traditional martial arts, we too are taught to understand the relation of thought, word, and deed. We are taught thus so that we might teach to the worthy that Force must only be exerted under the Rule of Right and Justice. It is interesting that the Eastern character for the Sun, the source of Light, is based on the hieroglyph of a point in a circle. There are a few of us, my brothers, through study and perseverance, who learned to begin to understand the universal symbols that bind us. I too, consider myself a Friend of the Lodge.

I'm a traveling man in more than one sense of the ...

2009-02-09T11:05:00.000-05:00

I'm a traveling man in more than one sense of the word: I moved from Rhode Island to Seattle, and then from Seattle to Maine. ;-)

It is an interesting thing, I am a traveling man, ...

2008-10-22T07:04:00.000-04:00

It is an interesting thing, I am a traveling man, and I have been to the East, but am not in the Fraternity. After living for more than two decades in the Far East, I have come to understand and appreciate that yes, the Light comes from the East. Perhaps one day I will petition, in the meantime, I consider myself a Friend of the Lodge.

Who would have guessed that a little poem would be...

2008-07-07T09:38:00.000-04:00

Who would have guessed that a little poem would be so controversial?

Justa - that's exactly why I don't care for it.
2008-07-05T11:46:00.000-04:00
Justa - that's exactly why I don't care for it.

However...

Part of an initiation is learning new things about the culture and background of your adopted organization. In the US, we have a section that says "In your leisure hours, you are to converse with your more well informed brethren who will always be as ready to give, as you shall be ready to receive instruction." The point here being that if you decided to knock on the door, then you have some responsibility to learn about the fraternity that you joined.

Some members really enjoy the "I'm in this sekret klub" thing, and to tell the truth, I sort of enjoy it - at times - myself. It's like being in on certain jokes, or seeing a "cult" movie and getting most of the references.

Or, it's like going to see "HHGTTG" at the theater and remembering to wear a bathrobe and bring a towel (something that hardly anybody else did in my town, much to the embarrassment of my daughter).

However, those guys, instead of calling your buddy an "impostor," should have taken him aside and explained the joke, er, references. Some of the PMs in my lodge did that a few months after I was raised, and I make a point of doing the same to the new guys.

Probably the only reason I mention it is reading h...

2008-07-04T19:49:00.000-04:00

Probably the only reason I mention it is reading how playing silly verbal games got in the way of a good Masonic conversation.

A number of years ago, a new member of my Lodge was working on a movie set as a stand-in. A bunch of Masons also working on the film asked stuff about mothers, and little dogs and heading east and he hadn't a clue what they were talking about. Eventually, he explained to them he was a Mason, at which point they called him an imposter because he didn't know answers to any of the cryptic questions they asked. It all could have been avoided with the simple question "Are you a Mason?"

Justa Mason

Tom, your such a non-conforming anti traditionali...

2008-07-04T15:30:00.000-04:00

Tom, your such a non-conforming anti traditionalist :)

Justa, I like the traveling man stuff, your suc...

2008-07-04T13:49:00.000-04:00
Justa, I like the traveling man stuff, your such a grump sometimes ;)

Heh heh - 3M, Justa isn't a grump - he's just... pragmatic.

Personally, I can go either way. After having been asked a dozen times if I'm a "traveling man" or something similar, I've learned to cop to the joke. Usually I look at a guy's hand and say "I like your ring" (or bumper sticker, or decal, or golf shirt, or wherever the logo, er, S&C happens to be).

Obviously this doesn't work as well in the UK.

To the best of my knowledge, he wasn't, but if he ...

2008-07-04T11:28:00.000-04:00
To the best of my knowledge, he wasn't, but if he were I think he would of been a fine one, despite his human frailties.

As for the "traveling man" question. From some digging I've done, its only one of about 2 dozen questions that can be given. My guess is that it's just one way of approaching someone without showing their hand, especially when in mixed company or when in doubt.

Early on I used it when trying to parse out friends and brothers on MySpace.

Justa, I like the traveling man stuff, your such a...

2008-07-04T09:26:00.000-04:00
Justa, I like the traveling man stuff, your such a grump sometimes ;)
I can't however find any reason why it is used except that when masons were operative in Europe in the middle ages and were free to travel between building projects that is what they were called. Anyone else have any info?
MT, Was Johhny a Brother? It would have been a good Cash song.

Gingerman, I don't understand the cutesy stuff. Wh...

2008-07-04T05:36:00.000-04:00
Gingerman, I don't understand the cutesy stuff. Why don't they just ask if you're a Mason?

I have no idea why Masons think they should ask "Are you a travelling man?" Is there a Grand Lodge that actually tells people to say this as some kind of code?

Justa Mason

I know that feeling... I think the meaningfulness...

2008-07-04T01:25:00.000-04:00
I know that feeling... I think the meaningfulness is always arbitrary, sometimes it is, sometimes not so much. But the experience is always a good lesson for next time.

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were driving ...

2008-07-03T21:41:00.000-04:00
A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were driving home (Maryland) from Savannah, GA. We stopped at a restaurant in South Carolina. When I was paying the bill, a couple of guys came up and asked if "I was travelling?" I blew it. I didn't respond, except with a grin and said, "Yeah we're driving home. . . blah, blah, blah." I didn't take my cue, and we parted without any meaningful dialogue.

There may not have been a meaningful dialogue, but who knows. Keep your mind and eyes open.

Is it me, or would that poem make a Great Johnny C...

2008-07-03T16:02:00.000-04:00
Is it me, or would that poem make a Great Johnny Cash song?