Inactivity

RmOlano

09Aug09

The problems with (our the) inactivity of our membership have more to do with what we do with our members after they are raised, not with how their degrees were conferred. --- PM

The statement gave me a pause, as at an impulse I would like to agree. Taking a Brother experience, there are Lodges who are sometimes little "aggressive" in filling up their empty officers line with "new blood" that sometimes backfired i.e. scared off the new guy once he found out the amount of work ahead. However, we can also agree that some "fresh meat" would accept the challenge. They would be honored for the consideration for an office, as that was a testament to confidence and hope. And indeed, there are some newly minted members whose conviction to the Fraternity is not yet fully developed would get "intimidated," may resent the pressure and disappear. There are those who see beyond the notion of good old boy system, knew what they are searching for therefore, disregarded the background noise and continue to seek the furtherance of his light. With or without office and title.

Although we can say that, the Fraternity is not about baby-sitting new members i.e., finding something for them to do, as there are so many things for them to do, the statement from WB from VA rings so true. However, instead of saying "we" I am looking more to the side of those who brought them in the first place. The way the "recruitment" work, is that someone sponsor and along X number of Brothers recommend a "well qualified" candidate. The signatures on a petition paper are not just dried ink on a parchment to satisfy a legal requirement. Those signed names are testament that some trusted Brothers gave their word that the petitioner has the potential of being someone worthy of being accepted into the Fraternity and be called--- a Brother. The question now is what happened to these sponsors who are suppose to nurture and teach the ropes to these new guys? This really a rhetorical question as we all know in today's quest for more members, the signatures on petition papers often times are just for formality. Many times the candidate did not even know who the signers are. So we are back to the chicken and the egg scenario. Signers do not feel the "ownership" of the nurturing of the new guy who don't know whom he could turn to for "up close and personal" guidance relative to Masonic issues. Most of the time these duty and responsibility falls into the lap of Master of the Lodge as if he does not have anything else to do. Granted there is a lesson about the EA proximity to the East but just like any other lessons in our Craft, those are not to be taken literally.

I agree in part with our WB in that there are more tasks to be done after each degree and I take the other view relative to how Masonic Degrees were conferred. Those with weak resolved could be weeded out or allowed not to continue after each degree. Only those willing to go through certain prescribed process should be permitted and partake the group journey like those "who have gone that way before." To reiterate my opinion in regards to one-day class;

"There are those who opposed this idea for its unfairness to those who will miss the very essence of the initiatory process. There are many small and invisible but valuable nuances that make up an experience, sitting on the chair and watching someone stumble on might be funny at a time but that is not what the Degree work is about." One Day Class.

Do not grade our Craft by action or inaction of individual Lodges or members, as they might not share Albert Pike vision of Freemasonry in 1888, "a system of morality veiled in allegories and illustrated by symbols." A light from same source passing through a prism would result in multitude of colors. If our Craft is a prism, who can say that someone is incorrectly or seeing less colors compare from someone else. Is it possible to see same light, same result, and same intensity from different perspectives? Who can truly see the darkness of my soul? Many Brethren doesn't even think of the quest hence, I congratulate those who found their question and bade good tidings in their personal search for that was lost. It would be pleasure to correlate what discoveries you have made----maybe sometime in the future.

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Higher Degrees

by RmOlano
30Dec05

“Higher degrees” are being work in “higher bodies” or more appropriately called, appendant bodies or Rites. Various Rites exists throughout the world, Scottish, York, Swedish, German, Egyptian, etc. Generally, any degrees after 3rd or Master Mason Degree are called or known as “higher degrees.” For lack of a better example which I hope that won’t offend other brothers who believed that they have already attained the Sublime Degree of Master Mason and all others are superfluous. The bottom line is that we can consider the Rite’s degrees as some sort of "college" level work after completing the Master Mason Degree.

The official explanation is that the additional degrees are not to be seen as a vertical progression but rather a horizontal expansion. It can be described as a trek to next the phase of travel or preparation prior to entrance to a door that offers promise of obtaining further light. The more portals one allowed to enter, the more unknowns could possibly be discovered. There are those brethren who subscribed to this concept and never joined the Rites and there are those who joined and understand that humility is a virtue. After all no one carries a college diploma in a wallet. It is usually left in the office or home. There are number of Brethren who still struggle to rationalize the notion of three is equal or not greater than 32. Unlike the Scottish Rite, the York Rite does not use numerical designation, but instead opted for a loosely organized structure. The final degree is called Knights Templar which requires that the candidate must be or be ready to defend Christian belief. Beyond that there are invitational bodies such as, Priory for KYCH of York Rite, AMD, honorary degrees such as 33rd of Scottish Rite, and others. I am not in a position to explain the prerequisites but the one thing that is common to all is that the Brethren don’t ask to be one but rather wait to get invited.

Masonry is a progressive moral science taught by degrees only; it is veiled in allegories and illustrated by symbols. In order to really appreciate the lessons or workings in York or Scottish Rites, a Master Mason must have a good foundation in his grade school before advancing into college works. It is a fact that majority of Masons believes that being a Master Mason or 3rd Degree is enough and contented thus missing what knowledge and opportunities that awaits them in the so-called appendant or higher bodies.

In the conclusion of The Higher Degrees’ Handbook by WB J.S.M. Ward, he wrote that, "... any man who has never gone beyond the Craft has still much to learn … Until he has taken them (Higher Degrees) he is in no position to form any kind of opinion, and after he has done so I feel sure that he will no longer speak slightingly of some of the greatest mysteries of this or any Age.”

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Degree Works-A Favor

a Paper for Sequoia Council No. 228 (AMD)by Rudy Olano
28May06

I am always amazed to watch any Brethren who can deliver any Masonic lectures from memory, period. Memorization is skill that you either have it or not. Ok, let me take that back. The ability to memorize materials which will require at least an hour of delivery with relative ease is a skill not everyone posses. I have meet number of brethren who can remember anything with one reading and be able to repeat it by memory. And I said this before and will say it again, I am awed. For others like me, memorization of anything is not an easy task. I will not use the excuse ---I am at the stage where my memories were not as good because even during high school days I know I am terrible in memorization department. I struggled through all three long form proficiency examinations. It took me a year to be brave enough to tell the Worshipful Master that yes, I could do my job as Senior Deacon to give the Fellow Craft Lecture. The first job was not pretty, I can tell you that.

Having a number of email exchanges with a very respected Brother on memorization issue, I was lamenting for not making long form examinations as mandatory and as optional. My view is that memorization makes people like me be "forced" to study the materials to know what a certain lines or paragraph means in order to aid me understand what I am talking about. Knowing the subject matter is for me a key element in retaining that information in my memory. The positive side of trying to understand the materials are the time to sit down and digest or in a plain word-- to literally study the Lessons of Freemasonry. An Illustrious Brother/Companion who holds Doctorate in Education degree, does not endorsed the memorization by rote since; according to him that method is not as effective. It makes us to memorize/concentrate on the words itself and tend not to understand what the material is all about. He did not say it and the following line is mine--- imagine a parrot who can "talk" with a perfect accent without knowing the beautiful melody its vocal cords played.

In this illustration, one don’t have to have a degree in education to grasp what the example means. However, my counter-argument was that I believe the majority (including myself) are not equipped with such talent and therefore, would compensate it with perseverance to commit to memory what is/are required. A brother who has the dedication will set aside time to do what needs to be done. We all can remember reading the little book everywhere, in the car, garage, break time, during watch, in the comfort room, you name it, mumbling something which drew stares from people nearby. Some of us even went beyond what we promise not to do-- recording, cheat sheet and slapping ourselves for missing or replacing words. I could imagine some of the Brethren, are smiling because they can relate to what has been described.

Let me conclude that those brilliant performances which we all can be proud of are the result of hard work. Our Brethren took their time to prepare for their part and this is very important lesson that our newly initiated Brothers MUST understand---each degree work is a gift. Each Brother in that lodge room, sideliners included, took their time from their immediate families and responsibilities, and exchanges it so that a degree can be bestowed to whom we thought to be worthy enough. Each degree work should be considered as a favor to be given and not as a requirement to fulfill. We should and must hands out favors sparingly, to give it to those we hope that will return the same favor to somebody else when we old-timers were gone and soon to be forgotten. To give away favors only to those who will take their time to study an ideal we know as Freemasonry and in doing so, hopefully comprehend that there is a reward for turning a good men to a better man.

What pains me is the fact that after all those preparations and works to confer degrees, even after magnificent efforts by those involved, the recipient does not even "return" the favor by showing to us his proficiency and often times disappear after 3rd Degree. We as Brethren of the Craft must be selective and demanding when dispensing favors not only to the good of the Order but also for honoring the countless hours expended by our talented and brilliant Brethren for the benefit of those who want to be among us---to be recognized and accepted as a Freemason.

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Degrees in Freemasonry

by Rudy Olano
York Rite of CA

24Jun06

Where do we as today in the eyes of the world? Do we as a fraternity still matter in the world? How are we viewed? Are we destined to go the way of the dinosaur and become the thing of myths and legends? --- a young Brother inquiries

So many questions with infinite possible answers and possibly the real question is the relevancy of the Fraternity to the contemporary times. The recent issues as the one-day conferrals, formation of UGLA by “Young Free-Masons,” women interest to join and others are some of the modern day issues facing us today. To change or not to change. While traditionalists loathe deviations from the set practices, changes took over eventually. The Fraternity changed from being operative to speculative. Usage and meanings of the words evolved. But like symbols whose meanings and significance etched in our consciousness, the basic entity that makes what the Craft exist to this day remains the same--- flawed but still good men hoping to become a better man.

While cognizant to what the world thought about our Order is a nobler deed, as an individual acting alone is a kin to a voice in wilderness. A cog in a big scheme of things, unnoticeable and insignificant to the modern age we are living. Acting in unison, banded together as one, undistinguishable from another is utopian way of thinking. A possibility but rather unlikely. Freemasonry is composed of men although basically good men are still man saddled with usual baggage of everyday challenges. Men who tend to slide back to its original state of roughness--- an ashlar being polished to a state of neo-perfection. Men who hoped to reach the level flawlessness to enjoy the serenity of the calm harbor while standing on a solid deck of the anchored ship. Still mortals struggling to reach the next form of creation, not as an equal but to be worthy of being near to Him. A goal or could be expressed as the real substance of keeping the Faith.

Freemasonry gave us the science of charting our individual journey to our Faith. The search for that which was lost is the allegorical pattern of that journey. The travel is not for the benefit of the world but of the traveler. A voyage with a collateral product of making everything around the path better than the explorer originally found. We did not embarked on this passage thinking of what the general public thought about the notion. Permission was not asked nor demanded, the trip is of its “…own freewill and accord…” Perception could be unnecessary baggage to be best left ashore. There are things we can influence and events that we can not control. The Fraternity can not and should not get involved with public promotional schemes in order to influence the public perception. It is a wasteful and losing preposition. Support should be given to the Brethren and their Lodges and let their actions speak for themselves and the Craft we are so proud of. Without good men seeking to be a better man, Freemasonry will be another noise in the wilderness instead of being a “silver trumpet at the early dawn and eve of day, when the sun’s first and last rays gild the mountain tops…”

In 1882 book titled, The Symbolism of Freemasonry, Bro Albert Mackey concluded that “Freemasonry, viewed no longer, as too long it has been, as a merely social institution, has now assumed its original and undoubted position as a speculative science...” The Craft is about “building a temple not made of hands but eternal in Heaven.” Contrary to somewhat popular belief, the Fraternity is not about paid dues, community service oriented club, religious support group nor making children laugh entity, those are the by products of the students of an ancient and honorable institution which offers degrees in "system of morality veiled in allegories and illustrated in symbols." A man with a degree in Freemasonry has his diploma is deposited within the confines of his own temple. An achievement borne of his own discovery, veiled from the public but in the full view of the All-Seeing Eyes ---the object of the search of the Absolute Truth not of myths and legends. Our institution will continue to be relevant as long as good men have a heart to practice the science and art of erecting temple within him. And my Brother those are what the Degrees are all about.

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