It looks as if it was meant to be in that position on my hand, although I may be the only one to utilize historical accuracy in the placement of my rings. Interestingly, on the side of it is the numeral 32 within a triangle. Since I equate the level of the Knight Templar Order as roughly comparable in level to the Scottish Rite's 32º, I wear my 32º double-eagle ring on the index finger of my left hand. ![]() I wear my KT ring on that finger to honor their legacy. I have read that the Knights Templar wore their KT ring on the index finger of the right hand. Get any proposals I might entertain a wedding ring on that finger!!) (At times, I have people, including girls, ask me if that gold band is a wedding ring. I wear it on the ring finger of my right hand. He gave a little speech in open Lodge and said he hoped that I would always wear that ring with all the honor and dedication that the emblem denotes. When I joined Masonry at age 18 (permitted in Kansas), my Dad gave me a ring with a red stone featuring the Square and Compass. Our various organizations should not be treated like "notches on a gun belt." Their Masonic heritage is the anchor which enables them to prosper, and our Lodges are the foundation of the whole superstructure, so if we promote the entrance gate," we will nurture the seeds of future growth, and, whenever the Symbolic Lodges prosper, the Rites will prosper, and so on. I enjoy my membership in my High-12 Club and my Grotto, but I just try to promote the overall Masonic Fraternity with a pin and praise fine groups such as these by my favorable words and actions. However, I hope the primary one which stands out among your selection will be the Square and Compass. ![]() I don't care whether you wear one lapel pin or 15 lapel pins (that choice is up to you). Furthermore, the public needs to see one constant image that they can link to our Craft. We need to display Masonic Unity at the most basic level. There simply is no substitute for the Square and Compass for thatĮmblem binds us together as a fraternal band of Brothers. It seems to me that Masonry and Shrinedom are getting too splintered with subgroups, committees, clubs, and units. I would prefer that they develop a commemorative coin to mark their year instead. Some Shrine Potentates promote their own "Potentate's pin" to celebrate their year in office. For those who utilize the four-emblem tie bar, I still recommend that they stick with the Blue Lodge lapel pin on their suit jacket. I have adopted this idea as well and have a four-emblem tie bar, which shows the Blue Lodge/York Rite/Scottish Rite/Shrine emblems. That gets the point across without going overboard. I have seen other Masons adopt an even better way of showing Masonic unity: a tie tack or tie bar with all four emblems side by side. Even though not a prerequisite for today's Shrine membership, the original Shriners in the year 1872 felt that both rites were vital in one's overall understanding of the whole Masonic Fraternity, and I totally agree. I try to treat both Rites equally, and even in conversation, when I mention one Rite, I like to mention the other. The final pin on the bottom would be the Shrine's famous scimitar and crescent. I always wear the Square and Compass on the top and in the middle two pins, one a Scottish Rite double-headed eagle and the other one a Knights Templar Cross and Crown of the York Rite. (I applaud former astronaut and Senator and Brother John Glenn for regularly wearing the Masonic Square and Compass on his lapel.) I think it imperative that this basic emblem of Craft Masonry be the pin chosen, although I confess, I have worn four lapel pins to Shrine meetings-in the hope of promoting Masonic education and unity. Tradition holds that a man's left lapel is suitable for a membership pin or button. It is sad that a few of our card-carrying members display the emblems for selfish motives often hoping to generate some type of business gain from publicly trumpeting who they mingle with, but in most cases, the wearing of Masonic emblems is a positive thing, if done modestly and with respect to our gentle Craft. When done modestly, these emblems can sincerely display a man's dedication to those associations he values or holds most dear. Many Masons like to wear Masonic pins or rings.
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