Instruction in the Ritual
Torence
to disseminate standardized ritual. The first follows largely our
current plan in Illinois with a Board of Grand Examiners or similar
committee conducting certifications and exhibitionary performances
with Local Lodges and in some cases Districts conducting schools
specifically for Local Lodge Officers. The second posts a singular
Grand Inspector assisted by a Deputy Grand Inspector class to
similarly propagate a static ritual. Both move ritual and make an
occasional change or omission. None introduces new work.
Is there any other methods that jurisidctions use to disseminate
ritual? Is the content of your ritual in your Grand Master's hands, a
committee's purview or to be decided by your Grand Lodge Congress?
Since 1913, our Illinois ritual has been, on paper, in the hands of
the Grand Lodge Congress to deicde; but in practice our Board of Grand
Examiners makes both decisions and changes.Who do you think should
call the shots regarding ritual work in your jurisdiction?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois
John W
use. Within a 50 mile radius of me in the same Province (West Wales) we
have Emulation, Oxfordshire and Sheffield workings. Those Lodges working
these rituals also have local variations within the workings, these
variations in the workings IMHO makes Freemasonry interesting rather
than hearing the same ritual repeated.
John
Neyland Lodge 990
Doug Freyburger
>
> � �As far as I can tell there are two approaches that Grand Lodges use
> to disseminate standardized ritual. The first follows largely our
> current plan in Illinois with a Board of Grand Examiners or similar
> committee conducting certifications and exhibitionary performances
> with Local Lodges and in some cases Districts conducting schools
> specifically for Local Lodge Officers. The second posts a singular
> Grand Inspector assisted by a Deputy Grand Inspector class to
> similarly propagate a static ritual. Both move ritual and make an
> occasional change or omission. None introduces new work.
> � �Is there any other methods that jurisidctions use to disseminate
> ritual? Is the content of your ritual in your Grand Master's hands, a
> committee's purview or to be decided by your Grand Lodge Congress?
> Since 1913, our Illinois ritual has been, on paper, in the hands of
> the Grand Lodge Congress to deicde; but in practice our Board of Grand
> Examiners makes both decisions and changes.Who do you think should
> call the shots regarding ritual work in your jurisdiction?
California answer -
California follows the US model of wanting a uniform ritual
across the jurisdiction. Lodges that wish to conduct extra
ritual are free to do so after the standard ritual is complete.
In remember one old timer who used to sing "Closer my God
to Thee" during a pause in the third degree who was incensed
at having to move to to after the lectures.
There is an elected grand lodge office tiled "Grand Lecturer".
His job is to act as the custodian of the existing ritual, train
deputies and conduct schools to teach the ritual. It is not in his
purview to change the ritual, but it is in his purview to remember
details of it differently from time to time so long as he calls such
changes corrections. California is currently a cypher state and
it is not in his power to change either the monitor that has parts
written out word for word or in the cypher that has a coded
version or in the parts of the cypher where the ritual is
represented by underlines for the modes of recognition.
What this means is details of the floor work changes over time
as there is very little stage direction in the cypher. Since the
cypher could be interpreted differently from time to time there
could be tiny word changes but that didn't happen during the
time I resided in California.
Should the Grand Lecturer wish to make a larger change in the
ritual he would have to propose legislation at an annual
communication. That happened while I was in the line
attending grand lodge. He asked to change a part of the opening
that contains a perambulation symbolically representing a
mystical separation of tiled spaces from the mundane world. He
wanted to put in its place a linear officer march like a grand
lodge opening that symbolically represents authority. I spoke
out against the proposal in open grand lodge. My first speech
before grand lodge and I was petrified inside.
At the area level are several Assistant Grand Lecturers. The
AGLs report to the GL for ritual issues and to the GM for
administrative and disiplinary issues. AGLs are appointed by
agreement between the GM and the Grand Lecturer. Since
numerous elected grand offices have been filled by AGLs over
the years this gives the Grand Lecturer a subtle long term
influence over grand lodge of the sort that brother Torrence
objects.
At the district level the office is call "Inspector" rather than
DDGM. The Inspector corps answers to the AGLs for both
ritual and adminstrative issues. The Inspector approves
pedistal officers for proficiency before installation. I recall
giving one of the degree lectures before a district school as
I progressed through the line with the Inspector there to
certify it.
At the lodge level there is an Officers Coach appointed by the
Inspector from among the PMs of the lodge. The Officers
Coach teaches ritual to the line. Effectively the Inspector
takes the OC's word on line proficiencies. I recall giving one
degree lecture before the OC as I progressed through the
line and the Inspector took his word for it. At a time when
it was hard to get any candidates even for degrees there was
intense incentive to allow any willing brother to progress
through the line so I don't know how forgiving this process
is, just that I did my best.
How fluid the ritual is - During the time I was in line a Spanish
translation was approved and demonstrated for the degrees
but not for the stated meetings. The pilot lodge was Maya
Lodge in my district so I attended at least one of their degrees
in Spanish. I can read Spanish well enough to make people
conclude I can speak it and I can understand Spanish better
than I let on when folks speak slowly enough. Knowing the
English version of the ritual I had no trouble following it. In
the time since I moved out of California the one French lodge
closed by consolidating with my own lodge so there's no
more French stated meeting in California. I don't think there's
been a French degree since the consolidation but they remain
auithorized. On a smaller scale there continue to be small
detail changes in the floor work.
Torence
>
> - Show quoted text -
I am of the same mind, Brother John. The members of most American
jurisdictions, such as ours here in Illinois, do not realize that the
ritual was never singular and static. Here, the various Grand Masters
who sought some immortality by making it so nearly acheived a standard
ritual for degree work, but not until 1914. Then, a Past Grand Master,
a book seller, "gifted" to us the copyright to our own work.
The ceremonial work was last proved up in 1928; but some of the old
versions can still be read in the old ciphers and in our Grand Lodge
Proceedings such as from 1915. Since we went to a written out Book of
Standard Work, in 1986, there have been many alterations to the floor
work (too many to list here). Some Local Lodges have already quietly
introduced material from foreign juridictions calling the work
"ceremonial" or "educational" rather than "ritual." I advocate
reintroducing some of our old work in addition to the occasional
material from neighboring jurisdictions in order to acheive exactly
the sort of variety that you enjoy. I see it as a logical trend,
similar to permitting Local Lodges to do business on the first degree,
that will infect American jurisdictions naturally in this century. It
is merely up to us whether we want to be the first or the last
jurisdiction to do this.
Torence
> It is not in his
> purview to change the ritual, but it is in his purview to remember
> details of it differently from time to time so long as he calls such
> changes corrections.
worked or spun, or puffed. It is important all by itself. Many a young
aspiring officer or even our candidates are directly told that the
work by their Mentors that what they are learning has been passed down
between generations without change. They are given it as a charge not
to make changes. Yet, once a little experience is had they realize
that alteration does occur often at the hands of those who are most
responsible to keep it. In some jurisdictions, the modifications are
actually quite frequent. Soon the speculative sorts extrapolate that
over decades these variations add up to making the experience of our
generation quite different from that enjoyed by our Grandfathers and
Great Grandfathers. If that is so, then, we must ask if what we are
doing is the best method or an inferior one? Think of the caliber of
the keepers and their capacity �to keep and perform the same.� Are
they the sort who equivocate, reservate or evade? What sort should we
put in the position as keepers for this century and who, ultimately,
should control its content?
> Since the
> cypher could be interpreted differently from time to time there
> could be tiny word changes but that didn't happen during the
> time I resided in California.
Masonic lifetimes? When I started out in the mid-1980s the Illinois
Board of Grand Examiners would not recognize that lodges occasionally
do multiple candidate degrees. The teaching insisted that the Standard
Work, written for a singular candidate, be adhered to despite how many
initiates were sharing the experience. I remember one candidate
quipping to me during a lecture, �Which of us are you talking to? If
it is him (pointing to the other candidate) then I would like to sit
down.�
> Should the Grand Lecturer wish to make a larger change in the
> ritual he would have to propose legislation at an annual
> communication.
Grand Master�s hands and put its control in the hands of the Grand
Lodge, the Grand Lodge soon realized that this procedure would not
work. The ritual is not a By-law or Constitutional Article capable fit
for arguement and the de facto conditions in lodges, at the time
Illinois permitted foreign languages with German being the most
prevalent, the work was just not something that lent itself to a
legislative process. Enough time was wasted in Local Lodges with Past
Masters quibbling over singular definite articles. The notion of
traveling from downstate to, at the time, Chicago to continue such
squabbling proved to be an unworthy distraction.
> He
> wanted to put in its place a linear officer march like a grand
> lodge opening that symbolically represents authority.
they decide matters of usage, sought similar alterations. For one year
in the early nineties, for instance, the Officers assembled in the
foyer at the start of every meeting and then paraded into the lodge
dropping off at their seats before the pledge was given. This is an
old working that actually, historically, began at my lodge, Auburn
Park No. 789. During World War I, the Officers entered lodge in this
manner followed by the colors being presented to the altar before
finding its place in the holder. The lodges rejected the innovation
then and that Grand Master left it up to the individual lodge to
decide what to do about the pledge and colors. Neither the pledge or
any presentation of the colors is part of Masonic Lodge work, though a
recent Grand Master, Noel Dicks, complained to me in a letter that my
assertion was incorrect because there is a notation in the 1986
Standard Work Book that �the pledge will be given.� Of course, I
responded with the details of the 1920 discussion on the matter.
> Since
> numerous elected grand offices have been filled by AGLs over
> the years this gives the Grand Lecturer a subtle long term
> influence over grand lodge of the sort that brother Torrence
> objects.
right with the control of all matters being firmly decided by the
sitting Principle Officers of the Lodges and no others. The rest can
continue employment as administrators; but their number needs to be
scrutinized and restored to a level consistent with our old standards.
> At the lodge level there is an Officers Coach appointed by the
> Inspector from among the PMs of the lodge.
sensibilities of us PMs.
> Effectively the Inspector
> takes the OC's word on line proficiencies.
requires.
> How fluid the ritual is - During the time I was in line a Spanish
> translation was approved and demonstrated for the degrees
> but not for the stated meetings.
the start of World War I is, IMHO, a barbaric bigotry. Naturally Local
Lodges in this century will reintroduce languages suitable to their
own members. So again, we have an issue here with which Illinois can
either be the first or the last to get on board.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon � Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 � Crete, Illinois
PM � Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 � Lansing, Illinois