My view; and always been is a social virtual site like FB; even if it is a closed group will not and can not be a substitute to a Tyled Lodge wherein Masons 'Masonically' communicate with each other. Hence the 'masonically' adverb modifying the word 'communication'.
We always bandied around our aim of "Brotherhood of Man, Under the Fatherhood of God" [which is not even unique to Freemasonry and can also be attributed to Nelson A. Rockefeller, et al.]. So how can we make this world a better one if we exclude non-Masons or Masons from different Grand Lodges not in amity with ours in our social lives? This extreme view motivated me to further sought what Masonic communication is.
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"There is some dispute as to the origin of this word but usually it is held to have come from communis, a Latin term for general, or universal, whence our common, common wealth, communion, communism, communal and many similar words. To communicate is to share something with others so that all may partake of it; a communication is an act, transaction, or deliberation shared in by all present. From this it will be seen how appropriate is our use of the word to designate those official Lodge meetings in which all members have a part or a voice." [1]
"In this age of changing technology, the science of communication has made some dramatic advances - radio, TV, space [satellite] communication. We tend to accept these advances without question, and in the course of acceptance we also seem to lose sight of some of the more basic definitions of communication. Sometimes a simple referral to the dictionary definition can reshape our thinking and stimulate our awareness. Let’s take a look at some of the definitions we find for communication in any standard dictionary.
"COM . MU . NI . CA TION. noun - an act or instance of transmitting; a verbal or written message; the act of communicating; exchange of information or ideas; intercourse; a system (as of telephones) for communication; Eucharistic communion; a system of routes for moving troops, supplies and vehicles; a process by which meanings are exchanged between individuals through a common sys-tem of symbols; a technique for expressing ideas effectively in speech or writing through the arts; the technology of the transmission of information.
"Those are the basic definitions. However, they don’t seem to include any of the Masonic meanings of communication. What about “stated and emergent communications?” Or “Grand Communication", “Quarterly Communication?”, or the “Communication of Degrees?” [2]
"The term communication with respect to Freemasonry is often misunderstood.
Communication in this sense means a lodge meeting. Therefore the injunction that
a Mason is not to hold Masonic Communication with a clandestine mason simply
means you are prohibited from sitting in the same lodge room." [1]
"In Mac-key’s Revised Encyclopedia of Freemasonry we find: COMMUNICATION: The meeting of a Lodge is so called. There is a peculiar significance in this term. To communicate, which, in the Old English form, was to common, originally meant to share in common with others. The great sacrament of the Christian Church, which denotes a participation in the mysteries of the religion and a fellowship in the church, is called a communion, which is fundamentally the same as a communication, for he who partakes of the communion is said to communicate.
"Hence, the meetings of Masonic Lodges are called communications, to signify that it is not simply the ordinary meeting of a society for the transaction of business, but that such meeting is the fellowship of men engaged in a common pursuit, and governed by a common principle, and that there is there-in a communication or participation of those feelings and sentiments that constitute a true brotherhood.
"The communications of Lodges are regular or stated and special or emergent. Regular communications are held under the provision of the by-laws, but special communications are called by order of the Master. It is a regulation that no special communication can alter, amend, or rescind the proceedings of a regular communication." [1]
"So we find that a Masonic Communication takes on a much greater meaning—that of joining together in a common brotherhood in pursuit of common goals and common purposes based upon our common principles. With that explanation in mind, we can better guard our-selves in the transaction of our lodge business, in the conferral of our degrees and in the meeting in fellowship with our Brethren.
"The Lodge Communication is much more than just a meeting. It is much more than an assembly of Masons. It is, must, and should ever be, a joining together of kindred spirits for those loftier purposes of promoting, practicing, and extolling those Masonic virtues we espouse.
"The meetings of Grand Lodges are known as “Grand Communications.” The word “Grand” is used to distinguish the level of meeting Masonically. COMMUNICATION, as we learned from Mackey, is the name given to a meeting; a lodge or Grand Lodge meets in a stated, special, regular, business, emergent, occasional Communication, using the word in its ancient sense of sharing thought, actions, and friendship in common." [2]
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