tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post4746685901451197077..comments2023-12-26T13:33:07.730-06:00Comments on The Midnight Freemasons: That's Not the Way It's DoneTodd E. Creasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12966451416841599132noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-65498669558802019942015-11-09T09:06:20.244-06:002015-11-09T09:06:20.244-06:00That sounds terrible, that would have made me neve...That sounds terrible, that would have made me never want to sit in a chair again. As a past Master I always cautioned the members to be quiet in a degree if they want to give you some friendly brotherly advice afterward that is fine, appreciated and expected but the candidate should not hear any "corrections" as it takes away the degree and it makes us brothers seem like an ass.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003638428654874157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-74361369373599668042015-11-01T17:06:31.227-06:002015-11-01T17:06:31.227-06:00some guys get off on that garbage. you have to ri...some guys get off on that garbage. you have to rise above it.-John Kitzmiller, PM 810Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10153899014726406774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-27502232565151735732015-10-30T10:17:02.087-05:002015-10-30T10:17:02.087-05:00AMEN, BROTHER, AMEN. No wonder newbies don't r...AMEN, BROTHER, AMEN. No wonder newbies don't return, or fogies like me. The sideline whispering is completely distracting to the candidate, besides being rude and annoying to the officer. And to what good do these sideline "hecklers" think will come of their whispers? As a Brother as well as past-master, I go to lodge to encourage and add-to the event, not detract from it. Sour grapes, bad form, useless, rude are all appropriate for the experts who interrupt the lodge proceedings. And the candidate is far more aware of what he hears by being blindfolded. There is (or should be) an "awe" about degree work, a solemness, and dignity to the meaning of the work. Has anyone of us ever attended a "perfect" degree? I don't think so. But commenting on imperfections during the degree is wrong. Guidance and good counsel outside the tiled door would be welcomed.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14377430445595703922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-28278919628175571962015-10-28T09:31:12.766-05:002015-10-28T09:31:12.766-05:00Brother Sobecki, this is a good outline of the typ...Brother Sobecki, this is a good outline of the typical problems that disrupt the harmony of the Lodge: overly critical comments regarding the efforts of new brethren, routine editorials from the sideline turning every meeting into a rehearsal atmosphere, the need for the Master to rule and govern effectively, and a lack of focus on the candidate's impressions during the degree work. Good for you in persevering in your Masonic progress in spite of the challenges along the way.47thProblemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12464545089687192696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-44625656527352536812015-10-27T05:50:25.825-05:002015-10-27T05:50:25.825-05:00Brethren, Although ritual varies from jurisdiction...Brethren, Although ritual varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the lessons do not. The meaning of the lessons is to be mentored to every candidate after receiving each degree and before receiving the next degree. There is never to be more than one cipher open in Lodge and that in the hands of the Ritualist, in addition it is the Ritualist who is the only other voice to make corrections during the Open Lodge. Having a full line is nice but NOT required. I believe that this article brings out the importance of rehearsal prior to the degreework. One other point is that floorwork is the at discretion of the Master, where better to hear his thoughts than at REHEARSAL. Every candidate deserves the best degreework possible for all their degrees in all the bodies. Every degree should be a meaningful memory. I know that I'm not preaching to the choir here, I just thought that I would add my point of view. Thanks for listening!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13580970482658676342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-33401993984069762032015-10-26T23:36:13.373-05:002015-10-26T23:36:13.373-05:00There is a right way and a not quite correct way. ...There is a right way and a not quite correct way. How instruction is given to a Brother learning the ropes of his role is what makes the difference. Technically, only the DoC should be correcting the Brother. Those on the sidelines should be more courteous than you have described. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10793281222230214638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-10627960273922195172015-10-26T17:31:43.996-05:002015-10-26T17:31:43.996-05:00Before I ever confer a degree, I make sure to anno...Before I ever confer a degree, I make sure to announce very pointedly and strenuously that commentary from the sidelines, including hissing out stage-whispers to "prompt" somebody, is out of bounds. This kind of asinine, childish silliness ruins an initiation for a new Brother, which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We appoint one prompter and he alone can prompt, and only then at the express request of the person who's up for that part of the ritual. I've been thankful more times than I care to remember that I was initiated by some real old hands who had their ritual work down pat, and if I live to be a thousand years old, I'll never forget my First Degree. It should be like that for every candidate.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17171827424587138879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-78116952239411396022015-10-26T12:34:10.992-05:002015-10-26T12:34:10.992-05:00The beauty of "On the level", is you can...The beauty of "On the level", is you can single these hecklers up in open lodge and point out the err of their ways. Kindly ask them to keep their mouths shut during ritual unless you queue a prompt. If the WM doesnt support you, you have two options to affect change: become WM yourself or leave. But I do agree such schooling is unproductive. Much better to counsel a worthy brother one on one and offer assistance and education.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332010837809817223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-10657578787019520802015-10-26T10:18:29.614-05:002015-10-26T10:18:29.614-05:00This makes me love my Lodge so much more.This makes me love my Lodge so much more.Ryan Mercerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06414248790619053685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-61394747679034617102015-10-26T10:11:29.963-05:002015-10-26T10:11:29.963-05:00I remember an old Past Master reciting the closing...I remember an old Past Master reciting the closing charge along with me...out loud. After the meeting I requested that he please refrain. Also the WM is in charge of the Lodge..he should have asked the members to not interrupt...he can announce it before the Lodge is tyled. We hold rehearsals several days before meetings specifically for training. Never in an open Lodge or in front of a candidate...bad form. Training should be done kindly and supportive, not rough or rude.R. Meier, PM, Secretaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214041729073833140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-20693562369064716242015-10-26T08:19:42.054-05:002015-10-26T08:19:42.054-05:00I have found that those who are the most critical,...I have found that those who are the most critical, especially in regards to the minutiae of ritual, really have little idea of what the lessons within the degrees are teaching. We had a new JD in our lodge who was recently raised and was in his first meeting as JD. The District Deputy was there and as we opened the lodge, he worked over the JD "shift your rod, knock this way, cross your feet, etc.". The JD never came back.American Farmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06031755615897986647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-22776505323717339832015-10-26T08:19:19.267-05:002015-10-26T08:19:19.267-05:00Outsider observation: It would almost seem as tho...Outsider observation: It would almost seem as though anything less than a full and perfect spiritual possession regarding every detail is simply not quite satisfactory. It is all an acting/reenactment of something to be taken seriously, else why bother with all the fancy trappings, etc.? How would fans of Shakespeare react to anyone taking broad license to those noble works? <br /><br />I wonder though, how many of those hopefully constructive but often annoying and apparently rude critics are simply out to prove their knowledge or perhaps trying to reconstruct their own historic personal vision? Perhaps a dress rehearsal is a better time for such? Perhaps that side show is part of the bigger show? It does turn out that way, does it not? No, new members would not understand, at least not without some explanation. Critical thinking, it seems, is a lost art.Lloyd E. Hargrovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17690065965970589683noreply@blogger.com