Female branch of Freemasonry

[lozz]

I discovered today from a wife of a Freemason that there is a group under this umbrella called "The Inner Wheel"

I've never heard of it before even through all the research out there!

This lady has never mentioned it before in all the years i've known her although i have asked her point blank if her husband was a mason a few months ago,to which she proudly answered yes. Today i saw she had this plaque from "The Inner Wheel" which she wasn't forth coming about until again i asked straight is it like the female version of Freemasons to which her whole definer changed from light hearted to very serious and she firmly said yes it is.

When i asked what they do she said "We help some people".

Can anyone shed more light on this organisation please? :)

[delamo1999]

I discovered today from a wife of a Freemason that there is a group under this umbrella called "The Inner Wheel"

I've never heard of it before even through all the research out there!

This lady has never mentioned it before in all the years i've known her although i have asked her point blank if her husband was a mason a few months ago,to which she proudly answered yes. Today i saw she had this plaque from "The Inner Wheel" which she wasn't forth coming about until again i asked straight is it like the female version of Freemasons to which her whole definer changed from light hearted to very serious and she firmly said yes it is.

When i asked what they do she said "We help some people".

Can anyone shed more light on this organisation please? :)




Here is the link to their international website:

http://www.innerwheel.com/

According to them they assist the rotary clubs and "help people". They claim to be the largest women's volunteer group. What is underneath or behind the scenes is unknown.

[grandsecretary]

This is the female branch of Rotary International. It is not Freemasonry.

http://www.rotary.org/en/Pages/ridefault.aspx

I hope this helps.

[lozz]

Proposal 19

Proposed by District 69 France
Seconded by Inner Wheel Club of Pau District 69 France

MEMBERSHIP

Females without any relationship to Rotarians, but who share
International Inner Wheel objects who have been presented by 2
active members and accepted by a majority of the Club members.
This category must not exceed 4 at any given time.

Motivation

There are many Service-minded females who share our ideals and
whom we would like to invite to join our movement. We need to increase
our membership. A little bit of fresh blood would do no harm to our
identification with Rotary. It is up to us to teach them our spirit and our
ways. And perhaps their male family members would like to join Rotary.

Hmmmmm they sound friendly, wonder if they would want my blood http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m131/LAD_VXL/laugh.gif

[lozz]

This is the female branch of Rotary International. It is not Freemasonry.

Well my friend who Is a member says it is.

[thelonious]

Well my friend who Is a member says it is.

Then she's wrong. It's part of the Rotarians, not the Freemasons.

[rosix]

Then she's wrong. It's part of the Rotarians, not the Freemasons.

it's a conspiracy! :D

[noir]

I thought that women could never be a Freemason and their so called branches are not recognized, for what ever reason, by the actual Freemasons?

Anyone know why Freemasons dislike having women in their lodges? Just curious and everywhere I have seen this same question asked, the members do not explain well. They state it's the rules.

[grandsecretary]

I thought that women could never be a Freemason and their so called branches are not recognized, for what ever reason, by the actual Freemasons?

Anyone know why Freemasons dislike having women in their lodges? Just curious and everywhere I have seen this same question asked, the members do not explain well. They state it's the rules.

Each masonic jurisdiction has its rules.

It is only the United Grand Lodge of England and its Moderns satellites that claim ownership of freemasonry but this is just a manifestation of insecurity borne out of its own definition of freemasonry which is, in truth, a public and indefensible declaration of its own illegitimacy.

[noir]

Thank you so much for replying. :)

[gods sun]

dont like masons i dont care if any of your lodges are not joined still need to be burned with all your books people can live but i make sure all your books are gone from history.

[lozz]

Then she's wrong. It's part of the Rotarians, not the Freemasons.

So what is the difference between Freemasons and Rotarians please?

Maybe i'm confusing the narrative here, as she agreed with me when i asked if its was like the female masons.....so maybe she was agreeing with me in essence as a posed to clarifying the origin.

dont like masons i dont care if any of your lodges are not joined still need to be burned with all your books people can live but i make sure all your books are gone from history.

Um thanks for your opinion but the subject at hand is the inner wheel and any parallel to freemasonry. Please join if you have any information or wish to discuss, but i feel your statement a bit out of place here. :)

[grandsecretary]

So what is the difference between Freemasons and Rotarians please?

Maybe i'm confusing the narrative here, as she agreed with me when i asked if its was like the female masons.....so maybe she was agreeing with me in essence as a posed to clarifying the origin.



Um thanks for your opinion but the subject at hand is the inner wheel and any parallel to freemasonry. Please join if you have any information or wish to discuss, but i feel your statement a bit out of place here. :)

Oh OK - not your fault, it is LIKE the freemasons in that it has meetings with a Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, the usual. But it does not have the religious initiation ceremonies, it is more charitable and social, very good IMHO.

[grandsecretary]

dont like masons i dont care if any of your lodges are not joined still need to be burned with all your books people can live but i make sure all your books are gone from history.

Are you prepared to say why? You would not be the first to burn books by the way, or to burn human beings. Not very nice though is it?

[noir]

dont like masons i dont care if any of your lodges are not joined still need to be burned with all your books people can live but i make sure all your books are gone from history.

Why would you want to do that? I do not think anyone should ever burn books or buildings. Sounds very conquering does it not?

[catfood]

dont like masons i dont care if any of your lodges are not joined still need to be burned with all your books people can live but i make sure all your books are gone from history.

Burning books! You have touched on one of my pet hates.:mad:

[catfood]

Princesses of the crown and Society of Sappho are to my knowledge women only groups. But you rely want to be looking into co-masonry or adoptive Masonry, which I believe was started in France some where around 1740.

[delamo1999]

Women may join the order of the eastern star.

http://www.easternstar.org/eligibility.htm

[grandsecretary]

Women may join the order of the eastern star.

http://www.easternstar.org/eligibility.htm


That is a female support branch of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of freemasonry. It is not a system that is approved of in England. It is an American addition. I believe that they do good work.

[grandsecretary]

dont like masons i dont care if any of your lodges are not joined still need to be burned with all your books people can live but i make sure all your books are gone from history.

You posted this on another thread and so far you have succeeded in amassing agreement from one person - yourself.

Now, I invited you to advise us why you feel this way? Burning books and burning human beings is not a very nice thing to do is it?

[mike martin]

I discovered today from a wife of a Freemason that there is a group under this umbrella called "The Inner Wheel"

I've never heard of it before even through all the research out there!
Yep the Inner Wheel is part of Rotary which is not a part of Freemasonry, it is for the wives and partners of Rotarians. They also have Rotoract for younger members.

This lady has never mentioned it before in all the years i've known her although i have asked her point blank if her husband was a mason a few months ago,to which she proudly answered yes. Today i saw she had this plaque from "The Inner Wheel" which she wasn't forth coming about until again i asked straight is it like the female version of Freemasons to which her whole definer changed from light hearted to very serious and she firmly said yes it is.
If she was a female Freemason in the UK she would be a member of one of these:

www.owf.org.uk or www.hfaf.org or www.droit-humain.org/uk/ or www.grandlodge.org.uk/

[thelonious]

dont like masons i dont care if any of your lodges are not joined still need to be burned with all your books people can live but i make sure all your books are gone from history.

Gee, thanks for your comments, Mussolini.

[thelonious]

That is a female support branch of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of freemasonry. It is not a system that is approved of in England. It is an American addition. I believe that they do good work.

Just for the record, the Order of the Eastern Star is not affiliated with the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Chapters of the Order, however, must be sponsored by a Lodge of Master Masons.

The Order began in the United States, but is now international, with Chapters throughout South America, Asia, and continental Europe.

[thelonious]

So what is the difference between Freemasons and Rotarians please?


Freemasonry is an international men's fraternal organization. Rotarians are a luncheon club for business professionals.

[grandsecretary]

Just for the record, the Order of the Eastern Star is not affiliated with the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Chapters of the Order, however, must be sponsored by a Lodge of Master Masons.

The Order began in the United States, but is now international, with Chapters throughout South America, Asia, and continental Europe.

Thank you for this information. It is an American addition, shall we say connected to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, on that we can agree. It only appears in jurisdictions where there is also A&ASR of freemasonry. For instance you do not see it in England, or any jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England or the Grand Lodge of All England.

[thelonious]

Thank you for this information. It is an American addition, shall we say connected to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, on that we can agree. It only appears in jurisdictions where there is also A&ASR of freemasonry. For instance you do not see it in England, or any jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England or the Grand Lodge of All England.

It is not connected to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. It is connected only to Craft Lodges.

[grandsecretary]

It is not connected to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. It is connected only to Craft Lodges.

Oh dear. I am sorry to hear this. Why not here in England?

[thelonious]

Oh dear. I am sorry to hear this. Why not here in England?

The UGLE's official position:

The Board is also aware that there exist other bodies not directly imitative of pure antient Masonry, but which by implication introduce Freemasonry, such as the Order of the Eastern Star. Membership of such bodies, attendance at their meetings, or participation in their ceremonies is incompatible with membership of this Grand Lodge.

http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2008/01/english-lodge-in-sussex-shares-with.html

I do not know why the UGLE displays hostility toward the Order, as it seems to me to be harmless, and does not infring upon the just privileges of Antient Craft Masonry.

[lozz]

Yep the Inner Wheel is part of Rotary which is not a part of Freemasonry, it is for the wives and partners of Rotarians. They also have Rotoract for younger members.

If she was a female Freemason in the UK she would be a member of one of these:

www.owf.org.uk or www.hfaf.org or www.droit-humain.org/uk/ or www.grandlodge.org.uk/

Thank you Mike :)

Freemasonry is an international men's fraternal organization. Rotarians are a luncheon club for business professionals.

So are Rotarians not international?

So both work on a "i'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" understanding but Freemasonry also has a religious basis??

Please excuse my ignorance but i am doing my best to overcome it :) Thats what questions are for after all :)

[eastbeast]

Thank you Mike :)

So are Rotarians not international?

So both work on a "i'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" understanding but Freemasonry also has a religious basis??

Please excuse my ignorance but i am doing my best to overcome it :) Thats what questions are for after all :)


Excuse me jumping in here, but I see Mike has gone for a bit.

Rotary is international as we all know.

I don't know how Rotarians work, but Freemasonry is certainly not i'll scratch your back if you scratch mine".
There is NO obligation to return favours, do favours or favour the services of a Brother.

[thelonious]

So are Rotarians not international?

They are.

So both work on a "i'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" understanding but Freemasonry also has a religious basis??

Rotary is mutual back-scratching organization. Freemasonry is not. Rotary's primary purpose is business networking. Freemasonry's primary purpose is moral and intellectual enlightenment.

Please excuse my ignorance but i am doing my best to overcome it :) Thats what questions are for after all :)

Not at all, we all learn by asking questions.

[grandsecretary]

The UGLE's official position:

The Board is also aware that there exist other bodies not directly imitative of pure antient Masonry, but which by implication introduce Freemasonry, such as the Order of the Eastern Star. Membership of such bodies, attendance at their meetings, or participation in their ceremonies is incompatible with membership of this Grand Lodge.

http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2008/01/english-lodge-in-sussex-shares-with.html

I do not know why the UGLE displays hostility toward the Order, as it seems to me to be harmless, and does not infring upon the just privileges of Antient Craft Masonry.

Because it is very obviously American women's freemasonry attached to the American Grand Lodges with which it is in amity. It must be very difficult to face both ways on this issue, as it does.

[grandsecretary]

They are.



Rotary is mutual back-scratching organization. Freemasonry is not. Rotary's primary purpose is business networking. Freemasonry's primary purpose is moral and intellectual enlightenment.



Not at all, we all learn by asking questions.

Free Masonry of all kinds, without exception, is a system of exclusion to the benefit of its members. To deny this has no credibility and is damaging in the extreme. Rotary is best described as freemasonry without rituals of initiation. The word freemasonry is in the Engish language and does not mean membership of any particular, or essentially Masonic jurisdiction.

[thelonious]

Because it is very obviously American women's freemasonry attached to the American Grand Lodges with which it is in amity. It must be very difficult to face both ways on this issue, as it does.

But the Order of the Eastern Star is not Freemasonry. It's ritual is unlike the Masonic one, and does not make its initiates "Masons". The only actual tie is that male members of the Eastern Star must alraedy be Masons, and that Eastern Star Chapters be sponsored by a Lodge. But the organization itself cannot really be deemed "Masonic", so I'm not sure what the UGLE's gripe is.

[thelonious]

Rotary is best described as freemasonry without rituals of initiation.

I don't see how that could be the case. Again, Freemasonry is about brotherhood, service, and moral and intellectual growth. Rotary is about business networking.

They are two entirely different things, and in fact, could be in opposition to each other.

[grandsecretary]

I don't see how that could be the case. Again, Freemasonry is about brotherhood, service, and moral and intellectual growth. Rotary is about business networking.

They are two entirely different things, and in fact, could be in opposition to each other.

No it isn't. That is your personal slant on the importance of freemasonry to you, and that is your choice. But it is NOT what Free Masonry is.

You know that even your form of freemasonry states that freemasonry is Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. That is, Brotherly Love, Brotherly Relief and Brotherly Truth within the fraternity of brothers. Your freemasonry, as mine is, is separate from general society otherwise it would not exclude it.

I admire what you would like freemasonry to be, but you cannot make it so just by wishing it. You would be better of in Rotary IMHO.

I have reached the conclusion that you have never actually read the Constitutions of Masonrie. Have you?

[catfood]

No it isn't. That is your personal slant on the importance of freemasonry to you, and that is your choice. But it is NOT what Free Masonry is.

You know that even your form of freemasonry states that freemasonry is Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. That is, Brotherly Love, Brotherly Relief and Brotherly Truth within the fraternity of brothers. Your freemasonry, as mine is, is separate from general society otherwise it would not exclude it.

I admire what you would like freemasonry to be, but you cannot make it so just by wishing it. You would be better of in Rotary IMHO.

I have reached the conclusion that you have never actually read the Constitutions of Masonrie. Have you?

Is it going to be a mason fight, aprons out at noon. May the best mason win:D

[thelonious]

No it isn't. That is your personal slant on the importance of freemasonry to you, and that is your choice. But it is NOT what Free Masonry is.

I'm telling you how legitimate Freemasonry is defined. Your Neo-Modern "Grand Lodge" may be Rotary in disguise, but Antient Craft Masonry is not.


I have reached the conclusion that you have never actually read the Constitutions of Masonrie. Have you?

I have read the Gothic Constitutions more than once. Some are religious in nature, parts are concerned with mythology, with science and mathematics, with geometry and operative masonry, with Euclid and Pythagoras.

That obviously ain't Rotary.

[grandsecretary]

I'm telling you how legitimate Freemasonry is defined. Your Neo-Modern "Grand Lodge" may be Rotary in disguise, but Antient Craft Masonry is not.



I have read the Gothic Constitutions more than once. Some are religious in nature, parts are concerned with mythology, with science and mathematics, with geometry and operative masonry, with Euclid and Pythagoras.

That obviously ain't Rotary.[/QUOTE

No, it isn't, but your freemasonry is not what you claim it to be is it?

[QUOTE]"Preston is decidedly more full and clear than Anderson, although both wrote in the interests of the London Grand Lodge, yet not with the same bias of feeling. Anderson was one of the originators of the London Grand Lodge, and as a man of strong prejudices he was biased in all his inditings, evidences of which are seen throughout his two publications on every possible occasion, in the omission of historical facts, or giving the contrary construction to, and diverting attention in cases reflecting unfavourably upon the New Grand Lodge. The Books of Anderson, however, are almost universally accepted by the Masonic fraternity as containing a true history of Freemasonry, at least from the time our review commences, and the Ancient Charges, especially those contained in the 1723 edition, are as generally adopted as the fundamental law and basis of Masonic principles. But notwithstanding Anderson's Books of Constitutions were published by order of the London Grand Lodge, with its approval and sanction, yet no more untrustworthy, unreliable books were ever printed under the direction of any organised association. We affirm that Anderson is not to be credited. The Books of Constitutions were written purposely to deceive, to mislead and misrepresent facts as they existed; and if his reports of Grand Lodge Proceedings are true copies of Grand Lodge Records, then the records were corrupted with the design to mislead the reader." (SOURCE: Freemasonry in England from 1567 to 1813, Ancient York and London Grand Lodges , pages 15 and 16, by Leon Hyneman, 1877)

Nothing changes.

Oh, Leon Hyneman is one of yours. It's the inside track on what went on, at the time.

HYNEMAN, Leon, editor, b. in Montgomery county, Pa., in 1806; d. in New York city in 1880. He was a Hebrew, a Rabbinic Scholar, and a Freemason, and founded the order of Female Druids. He wrote and published "Ancient York and London Grand Lodges," afterward entitled "Hyneman's Review"; edited the "Masonic Library," a collection of Masonic pamphlets; the "World's Masonic Register" (Philadelphia, 1860); and the weekly "Masonic Mirror and Keystone" (Philadelphia, 1852-'60).

[mike martin]

But the Order of the Eastern Star is not Freemasonry. It's ritual is unlike the Masonic one, and does not make its initiates "Masons". The only actual tie is that male members of the Eastern Star must alraedy be Masons, and that Eastern Star Chapters be sponsored by a Lodge. But the organization itself cannot really be deemed "Masonic", so I'm not sure what the UGLE's gripe is.

The situation between OES and the UGLE is this:

OES was investigated by UGLE in 1921. They do not condone any organisation that makes association with Freemasonry a test of memmbership whilst admitting persons who are not qualified to join a Freemason's Lodge. This report was adopted in 1921 and the Grand Lodge of Ireland took a similar view in 1922. In the same year the Grand Chapter of the OES approached the GL of Scotland to find a basis for avoiding similar action in Scotland. A Committee of the GLof S visited a Chapter of OES and viewed its Ritual. Following negotiations and suggested changes to the Constitution and Ritual being adopted by OES, the Committee reported that " The Constitution and Ritual have been altered and as now in use in Scotland, these contain nothing associating or claiming to associate or connect the Order with Freemasonry". This report was adopted in 1929. Up to the present time there has been no change in the attitude of the Grand Lodges of England or Ireland.

The UGLE does not like its members to act in their capacity as Freemasons outside of Masonic Lodges. The OES requires that Master Masons act as such within its ceremonies when making "stars".

I'm sure you must have known that.

Mike