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| Mississippi Masonic Mountain Men Degree Team - Grand Lodge of Mississippi |
Mississippi Masonic Mountain Men
Degree Team
The Mission of the Mississippi Masonic Mountain Men Degree
Team is “to exemplify the first three degrees in Ancient Craft
Masonry as approved by the Grand Lecturer of the Grand Lodge of
Mississippi and Board of Custodians of the adopted work in
Mississippi and to create enthusiasm, participation, membership
growth and interest in Mississippi Masonry and Masonry in general
by exemplifying the work in authentic period correct pre-1840
Mountain Man Regalia”
The Mississippi Masonic Mountain Men (MMMM) Degree Team was originally organized by Past Master Wilson Arthur Windham, MMMM No.I while serving as Worshipful Master of the sponsoring lodge-John Henry Wooten, Sr. Lodge No. 503, F&AM, Jones County, Mississippi as a testament and celebration of the lodge’s One Hundredth Anniversary in 2009.
The minimum mountain man outfit consists of a Customized Authentic Handmade Wool Trade Blanket Capote, Handmade Elk hide moccasins and masonic apron, period correct Handmade Osnaburg shirts, pants and a possible bag. Accessories may include other items and clothing normally used by the mountain man prior to 1840. All attire is authentically produced to represent the actual mountain man dress from the period of 1804 to 1840. All participating members of the degree team confer the degrees in authentic attire. The authenticity of the outfits is one of the things that degree attendees say makes the presentation exciting, unique and inspirational. The MMMM degrees are indicative of how our Masonic Forefathers would have performed degrees by campfire light as they trapped and traveled the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains of North America.
Strict research has been done from the time our Brothers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, under orders for the Great Expedition to find a way West by President and Brother Thomas Jefferson, set out to find a route to the Pacific Ocean in May of 1804. These great Masons and Patriots were very active Masonically as they conferred numerous degrees under the stars on high hills and in low vales and fulfilled the orders of President Jefferson. Brothers Lewis and Clark began what would be a short-lived portion of our American History as many of their expedition would be raised Master Masons and continue to trap, raise and guide others westward. The Mountain Men Rendezvoused annually to trade their wares and often to confer degrees. History teaches us that they conferred many Masonic Degrees during this period of less than 40 years which ended in 1840 at the last Rendezvous held at the converse of Horse Creek and the Green River near Daniel, Wyoming.
The Mississippi Masonic Mountain Men held The First Annual MMMM Rendezvous and Campfire Degree conferral January 23, 2010. A beautiful outdoor lodge setting has been established along Rocky Creek between Lake Ivell and Lake Hatten in western Jones County, Mississippi for an annual MMMM campfire degree. The date is set annually, and is usually the fourth Saturday in January. To date over 4,000 Masons have witnessed this unique degree team as they have conferred degrees all across Mississippi. By special invitation of the Grand Masters of Tennessee and Alabama, this team has performed this beautiful work in these states. Invitations are outstanding in several states with an outdoor degree scheduled to be held at the annual Tennessee Coon Degree June 2, 2013 some 40 miles east of Memphis, Tennessee.
The MMMM degree team is limited and consists of only twenty-four active members. Several members have retired and/or relinquished their active status but remain inactive members. Members must be Past Masters, be proficient in the adopted work and recommended, elected and accepted by unanimous vote of the degree team active members. Members are assigned a unique number with their credentials and a special MMMM pin for lapel use outside of the mountain man regalia. The team confers any of the three degrees and has some of Mississippi’s finest ritualist.
To inquire about degree work or to schedule a degree, the team secretary and scheduler is PGM Bobby Ainsworth, MMMM No. III who can be reached at 601.477.3994.
Tupelo Masonic Lodge No. 318 F&AM
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I used to live in the State of Utah and they had these mountain men events all over our state. I would like to know who I need to talk to have a Mountain man event in Macon MS. I would like to know if we could get one planned for the October or September of this year 2017?
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