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Vintagemalt
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Posted 05/03/2010 00:16:27
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I would like to open a thread on the Past Masters jewel.I have a number of questions and observations; In my Lodge it seems to be a bit of a hit & miss affair. Some PM's wear their jewel some never do. Some have been 'recycled' some are kept for a few years and then either offered back or they are cajoled into returning them for recycling to another IPM. When my time comes I would like to think that I would be presented with a jewel that I could keep indefinitely and wear with pride. Notwithstanding the protocol of not wearing them if one is awarded provincial honours. That is too far away to be concerned with. Its that time of year for us when the current WM has one meeting left and then the summer break and the installation in October. So a decision has to be made. I happen to know that, like me, our WM would love to have a jewel that he keeps. Who should bring this matter up and with whom? If the Lodge insists on the matter of one returning the jewel is it Ok to purchase your own? What exactly is right - what do your Lodges do. My Lodge is a UGLE lodge in England, I am however interested in how any of you handle this and also what the correct procedure is under UGLE.
Stephen 
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chestnut
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Posted 05/03/2010 09:36:30
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I can of course only speak from the experiences of my Craft Lodges one old one new. The PM jewel in my old Lodge is either purchased from Lodge funds or a recycled one is used with suitable additional inscription. These jewels are very expensive being Cold Enamelled and very intricate. The cost is £400. The PM jewels are only handed back to the Lodge when the recipient has passed away. In my new Lodge the PM jewel is a cheaper affair at £100 and is again purchased from Lodge funds.
I also understand that some Lodge have laid down 'rules' or accepted practice that these jewels, due to cost, are handed back if the recipient gets any Provincial honours. There is no UGLE ruling on this.
On a Lodge level if a Brother wished to foregoe this by purchasing the jewel from the Lodge or replacing it I can not see why this cant be done.
On a personal level I have never seen anywhere this requirement which is so often stated that you can not wear your PM jewel when you have a Provincial honour. To me the PM jewel is a mark of esteem from the Lodge for your work and being Master is the highest honour as this is voted for by your peers. The Jewel of the PM which is the 47th Problem of the 1st Book of Euclid is extremely significant and shows the responsability and experience withing all PM's. The PM jewel is a badge of honour and should be worn with pride within your own and when representing your Lodge at visits. The only reason I can see for stopping wearing it is so that the breast pocket is not overburdened by jewels.
I shall always wear mine, not to show off, but because I am proud of being a PM of my Lodges and am proud to be a member and a representative of them.
David
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lauderdale
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Posted 05/03/2010 10:51:19
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I still have my PM Jewel from when I was in an UGLE lodge. I bought it from the Lodge by providing them with a piece of Lodge equipment which they required and they were happy with that exchange. Thus is is my property to do with what I wish. I still wear it on my LDH PM's Collar haviong cleared this with our MPGC who said there was no problem with this as LDH recognoises the validity of my having been Master of a Lodge. When I did have a Past Provincial Rank in UGLE I still wore my PM Jewel as did many Past Masters I met. Some did, some didn't. Once a person who was no higher in matters than myself and thus had no authority did try to tell me that "It was not done". I often wonder how long it took him to recover his hearing in that ear!So Bro VM, if you wish to retain your PM Jewel which I am sure you will receive in due time, I suggest you buy it from the Lodge, either for an agreed amount of money or by providing some piece of Lodge furniture or equipment of similar value to them.
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yorksmason
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Posted 05/03/2010 18:18:16
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In both my Lodges the Lodge buys and presents the outgoing master with a collar,jewel and breast jewel all engraved with his name and date of mastership etc.They are his in perpetuity and i quite honestly thought that that was the standard thing in all lodges. You live and learn.
p.s. i also wear both my past masters breast jewels along with my dark blue collar. They are mine and to get me to take them off you would "have to prise them from my cold dead fingers"
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mopsey
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Posted 08/03/2010 19:29:32
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My Mother Lodge presents the IPM with a nice shiney new jewel but my Kent Lodge re-cycles old ones that have been given back.
One strange thing, though. My Kent Lodge doesn't present the jewel until the recipient has completed his year as IPM. Or his PM's collar either. Odd, if you ask me
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chestnut
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Posted 08/03/2010 19:38:08
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mopsey (08/03/2010)
My Mother Lodge presents the IPM with a nice shiney new jewel but my Kent Lodge re-cycles old ones that have been given back.
One strange thing, though. My Kent Lodge doesn't present the jewel until the recipient has completed his year as IPM. Or his PM's collar either. Odd, if you ask me
I would say that that particular practice is incorrect. For instance,
A Past Master’s jewel may be presented to a Brother only after his successor in
the office of Master has been installed;(Guidance to the Craft)
If the IPM is invested after installation of the WM then the previous subscribing WM becomes a PM. He is thus entitled to the Collar and jewel and the breast jewel which is after all a minature PM jewel.
David
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mopsey
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Posted 08/03/2010 19:52:57
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I completely agree. I've told my good friend, who is the current IPM and thus has no Jewel or Collar, to go and buy his own.
He also attends meetings as a visitor dressed as a reigning Master when he isn't. Which ain't right.
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chestnut
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Posted 09/03/2010 07:52:10
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mopsey (08/03/2010)
I completely agree. I've told my good friend, who is the current IPM and thus has no Jewel or Collar, to go and buy his own.
He also attends meetings as a visitor dressed as a reigning Master when he isn't. Which ain't right.
You ar correct and just for the record;
Masters of Lodges (and Wardens) are permitted to wear their collars and jewels only in the Lodge in which they hold such office and in Grand Lodge and Provincial and District Grand Lodge. These collars must not be worn when visiting other private Lodges. (Guidance for the Craft)
It is simple really a WM and Wardens rule and control the Lodge and are distinguished by the collar, nobody else can therefore wear such a collar as they have no jurisdiction within that private Lodge.
David
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sojourner
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Posted 09/03/2010 13:30:50
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When I went through the Chair, I was upon becoming IPM, presented with a lovely Past Master's jewel. It was customary, upon being awarded Provincial Honours, to hand it back in for recycling. this I duly did.Sadly my Mother lodge became erased in 2006. I attended that last meeting when the warrant was handed back to the Grand lodge representative. I hope never to undergo such a devastating 'ceremony/final meeting' again. Before the Lodge was closed for the final time, the W.M. came down from his chair and approached me. He then re-presented me with the Past Master's jewel, as a permanent reminder of my time with the Lodge. The last time I howled, in my own defence, was when I was five years old and I had been stung by a number of hornets in the Tropics where my father was at the time stationed. I have no such excuse for the tears that freely flowed on this occasion. That jewel will be worn, whenever and wherever I am at Lodge. 
Roy L."SELUME PROFERRE"
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chestnut
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Posted 09/03/2010 13:46:41
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Roy how wonderful and fitting that you display a permanent reminder of a once great Lodge.
David
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