Masonic Rings Revisited

by Midnight Freemasons Contributor

Todd E. Creason, 33°

Some time back, Midnight Freemason Brian Schimian and I wrote a tongue and cheek piece about the proper way to wear Masonic rings called Masonic Rings: Points In Or Out?  Let's just say it created quite a lively conversation.  It has gotten more hits than another other post in our history (thus far).  But there were some interesting ring traditions that came out of that discussion.  Local customs about rings run the gambit.

I thought I'd share one I thought was particularly interesting.

One Mason shared with me the way he's worn his ring everyday for as long as he's been a Mason.  He said every day when he's getting ready to leave the house, he takes his ring off his dresser and puts it on without looking at it.  He said if the points were towards him, he'd work that day on improving himself, and if the points were out, he'd work on improving the world around him.

To me, the way that Brother wears his ring encompasses what Freemasonry is all about--improving ourselves, and improving the world around us.  Often I find as Masons we spend a lot of time working to improve the world, and to make an impact on our communities, but we don't always spend enough time chipping away at that rough ashlar.  We should set time aside every week to work on ourselves through inspirational reading, spiritual activities, educational pursuits, working on our relationships with our family, friends and co-workers, learning new skills, working on our flaws--whatever it is that needs to be improved within ourselves.

So try and remember that the work we do on ourselves is every bit as important as the work we do improving our society.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33°, FMLR is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and is a regular contributor.  He is the author of several books and novels, including the Famous American Freemasons series. He is the author of the From Labor to Refreshment blog.  He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and currently serves as the Secretary, and is also a member of Homer Lodge No. 199 where he serves as Senior Warden.  He is a member the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, the York Rite Bodies of Champaign/Urbana (IL), the Ansar Shrine (IL), Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, Charter President of the Illini High Twelve in Champaign-Urbana (IL), and a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research.  He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D.  He was named the 2014 Illinois Secretary of the Year Award by the Illinois Masonic Secretaries Association.  You can contact him at: webmaster@toddcreason.org