EXTEND CHRISTMAS FREE SHIPPING! Enjoy free shipping on all retail orders this month!
1. The Freemason Starter Pack Meme. Too many Freemasons online found this meme so relatable that it stayed as a top post in Reddit r/freemasonry for a good time. Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit (70+ comments), Facebook (200+ comments), Instagram (50+ comments).
2. The Undertaker meme became one of our most shared Masonic Memes of 2022! WMs and Secretaries alike love it! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.
3. The self aware doge spewing painful truth! Too many can relate! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.
4. The Masonic Entanglement meme is a painful reminder of what can become of a brother sometimes when moderation is non-existent. Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.
5. The Slap Meme slaps hard! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.
6. The angry lady and the cool cat meme is definitely a top fave! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.
7. Oh hi there, Spongebob! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Facebook, Instagram.
8. If she only knew.
9. If she only knew part 2.
10. Oh the cold sweats!
More FraternalTies Masonic Memes below! enjoy the New Year!
I know it's just January but May the Fourth be with you all!
All of us, even the best of us, sometimes fall into this dark mental space where tired bodies and minds conspire to convince us that our effort is leading to nowhere. If you find yourself to be in this depressive bubble, I encourage you to read and absorb these three quotes from our Masonic Brothers who came before us.
“Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.” - George Washington
"Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection" -Mark Twain
At some points in our lives, we find ourselves postponing many important and great things due to a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons are truly valid such as in cases of emergencies but a lot of times we delay because we want it to be "perfect". There's something to be learned from software developers who release their programs even if it's not perfect. The way programmers do it is like this- write a program and release it as Version 1.0, let the people give it a go, identify the bugs, gather feedback, go back to the drawing board, and release Version 1.1. This process gets repeated ad infinitum with the program getting better and better with each release. The focus is on progress, not perfection.
See you all at the quarry.
// This article was first posted on our Instagram page on July 6, 2022.
The goal of this partnership is to provide the best shopping experience for Freemasons looking to buy Masonic Regalia and other original Masonic merchandise.
This partnership between FraternalTies and Dominion Regalia was spearheaded by a couple of visionary senior Masons in Ontario who saw a tremendous potential in the joint venture. It's been in the making for a few months and finally it's official!
We are very excited to be working with a historic business that is Dominion Regalia! Stay tuned for more updates!
In April last year, we met with W. :M. : Iain J.Y. Mann to discuss a special Masonic Jacquard-woven silk necktie project for his lodge Fairbank Lodge No. 592 in Toronto, Canada. This is the result of that collaboration. A portion of each tie sold will go towards the Drive for Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief—a Toronto Don Valley District Charity committee chaired by Brother Mann himself.
Iain, Gaelic for John, was born in Kilwinning Scotland in 1963. He is a Freemason of 31 years and is currently on his 5th term as the Master of his lodge. It is also worth noting that Brother Iain is an affiliate member of Mother Kilwinning Lodge 0, his ancestral Lodge. The apron on the photo belonged to his grandfather and was passed on to him. Click this link to see more photos of Brother Iain and the Kilwinning apron.
Brother Mann (drummer above) is a 30-year Canadian Army veteran who served with the Airborne Regiment Special Service Force. He played hockey, rugby, soccer and baseball competitively. I believe he also took up boxing recently. He has played in pipe bands since he was 9 years old and has competed in the World Championships in Scotland many times. He considers it a privilege to have played with the Black Watch Pipes and Drums.
The Fairbank Tie features a strong and masculine design. It is made of an alternating pattern of blue and gold stripes accentuated by textured patterns which, upon closer inspection, will become legible text and symbols (see below).
According to legend, an invading Norse army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army's encampment. During this operation one barefoot Norseman had the misfortune to step upon a thistle, causing him to cry out in pain, thus alerting Scots to the presence of the Norse invaders.
The subtle Square and Compasses adorned with a wreath provide a nice texture to the tie.
The tie is a beautiful alternating pattern of blue and gold stripes. The Masonic motto "Making Good Men Better" and Brother Iain's mother lodge "Fairbank Lodge 592" flanked by Doric columns are subtly visible on the blue stripes.
This necktie is not available directly from our web store. To purchase, please email Brother Iain J.Y. Mann at kilwinning63@gmail.com with the subject line "Fairbank Tie" and indicate the number of neckties you would like to purchase. You may also call him directly at +1 (437) 999-7829. Please allow 5-7 business days handling time. Please see the pricing information below:
This is a photo of option 2.
It took a fraud case that costs us more than US$5,000 before we actually seriously looked into this. In case you're curious what it's about, visit our Facebook and Instagram page and look for postings between December 4-8, 2021.
Rechelle and I were very hesitant to consider crypto at first because the concept was so foreign to us. We still have a lot to learn but the fastest way get a working knowledge about it is by doing it.
Let's see where this goes. :-)
If you're following us in social media you probably know the reason why we decided to auction our earliest Masonic ties in our own collection.
Anyway, here are some the winning bids.
This is a milestone! Thank you for supporting us!
-JP and Rechelle Gomez (the FraternalTies Team)
Death is defined as the permanent ending of vital processes in an entity. From my point of view, the lockdown due to the pandemic afforded us more time to practice Masonry outwardly through the life that we live outside of our halls (like the way it should be).
As the boxer goes to the gym to perform an endless grind of repetitive exercises, drills and technical footwork in hopes of becoming a better fighter when he finally steps in the ring- so does the sincere Mason goes to lodge to perform an endless grind of repetitive mental, verbal and technical footwork in hopes of becoming a Better Man when he steps in the outside world.
Repetition is key—just like how this article is littered with repetitive words and thoughts. Repetition leads to a realization, realization leads to either an enhancement or, in some cases, a change of thought. Our ritual Work, although as repetitive as it can be, can be humbling and exhilarating especially when performed with such technical precision. With that, I understand and sympathize with the Brethren who truly miss the points of fellowship and the social aspects of our Craft. But not simply because a boxer cannot go to the gym to train means that he is no longer a boxer and the art of sweet science has died.
Financially, I have nothing to gain from this lockdown. And because more and more people are working from home, less and less the neckties we sell. But if there's anything good that the pandemic has given us, it afforded us more opportunities to apply our knowledge of our Working Tools outside of the lodge. It allowed us time to acquire new hobbies and hone the existing ones—and during our quiet moments, connect with what the ancient philosophers refer to as the "inward man".
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." –2 Corinthians 4:16
Edit: First published on May 2020. Edited on September 2021.
They want to have a logo that says "HAPPY TO MEET AGAIN" as an optimistic outlook on the current events. One of their hosts wrote, "Lodges are closed down and we are missing our brothers, but are 'happy to meet again' once this is all over."
Bro. Darko Zdravic from University Lodge No. 496 in Toronto is in charge of coordinating with charities. Bro. Zdravic is a trained Immunologist, Hematologist, and chairman of the Toronto West District Blood Donor Program. One of his current roles as an Immunologist is to develop a vaccine for COVID19 with the Provincial and Federal Government.
The defining feature of the artwork which I named "Ad Astra per Aspera" (Latin for “Through Adversity to the Stars”) is the caduceus and the Masonic Square and Compasses in Fellowcraft position. The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The Freemason's emblem is in 2nd Degree to symbolize ongoing Work.
The legs of the compasses along with the staff form a Tetrahedron which symbolizes balance and stability. The human body has 5 parts- 1 head, 2 arms, and 2 legs; thus the Five Sprigs of Acacia adorning the emblem represent humankind. A visual way of saying “quintessential”.
The hinge of the Compasses is formed by Seven Overlapping Circles (also known as the Flower of Life). In this usage, the seven circles represent the Seven Liberal Arts & Sciences. The Five Platonic Solids can be fit within the geometrical “Flower of Life”. It is also made took like the old Atomic Model to symbolize science. Leonardo da Vinci studied the Flower of Life and its mathematical properties.
Be the first to know when the prints become available by subscribing to our newsletter (see form below) and by listening to the F3K podcast.
Here's the Wikipedia entry: "Lodge Mother Kilwinning is a Masonic Lodge in Kilwinning, Scotland, under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. It is number 0 (referred to as "nothing" and not zero) on the Roll, and is reputed to be the oldest Lodge not only in Scotland, but the world. It is thus styled The Mother Lodge of Scotland attributing its origins to the 12th Century, and is often called Mother Kilwinning."
Yesterday, Rechelle and I had the pleasure of meeting Armed Forces Veteran and 5th generation Freemason W.B. Iain J.Y. Mann. Brother Iain (Gaelic for John), is a member of Fairbank Lodge No. 592 in Toronto and an affiliate member of Mother Kilwinning Lodge 0, his ancestral Lodge. He showed us his great grandfather's MK0 apron and gave us permission to share photos of this historic gem with you. Enjoy!🌿🙏
