Tonight Goliath Lodge #5595 UGLE conducted a Raising to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason. Brother Sharma was the candidate, and I am Senior Deacon. For those who are not Masons, in the Second and Third Degree the Senior Deacon conducts the candidate around the Lodge during the ceremony, and is responsible for prompting him at points where he has to do or say things. The Worshipful Master, of course, has a very complicated and intricate part to learn and say during the ceremony, and W. Bro. John performed to perfection! A Grand Lodge officer who was present commended us all for the quality of our ritual. We are all chuffed to bits.
People say that Freemasonry is a cult, is against religion, is sinister. However, in my experience, Freemasonry brings out the best in the men who practice it. How many ordinary guys would you be able to get together in a room to perform an intricate ritual entirely learned by heart? Probably not many. Freemasonry all over the world does it consistently. In fact, they find it puzzling that priests always have the book in front of them when they celebrate the Eucharist. I explained that as consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ is so important, priests are very cautious and wish to do it right, in which case reading the words from the book is much more certain that trying to memorise them (although some priests do).
I shall be Junior Warden next year, and will be responsible for a good bit of the ritual, which I will have to memorise. Our first rehearsal is in two weeks’ time. I must get cracking on the books.
HWMBO had his last day with his current employer today: they gave him a lovely shoulder bag for a laptop and much else besides, and a very nice card. He is nostalgic, but only has four days in which to be nostalgic, as he’ll be working in the new office come Monday.
People say that Freemasonry is a cult, is against religion, is sinister.
Just another example of how people fear what they do not know.
I can definitely understand where you’re coming from on this. I’ve got to memorize my first group ritual for spring equinox!
During my stay in Panama, I reached the East. If British lodges are similar to what I experienced, the Junior Warden is responsible for refreshments as well as for his ritual performance. Every Brother who shows up must be served something, so it is a good idea to have something in reserve in case of a large turnout.
In a UGLE lodge, the Junior Warden is responsible for ensuring that the lodge is tyled, proofing visiting Brothers (if necessary), ensuring the correctness of the signs, and calling the brothers from labour to refreshment, and refreshment to labour. We have a Festive Board after each meeting, and the responsibility of the food and drink is the restaurant’s. Our Asst. Secretary liaises with the restaurant. So I won’t have to make sure that we have enough food and drink for everyone. There is also a very large part for the Junior Warden to play in the Third Degree ritual.
Well, good luck, brother! I find it useful to type the words into the computer again and again, then wipe them out. I never write any of the signs and words into the computer (as that is what we promise not to do).
Oh, indeed. The RCs are among the most fervent opponents of Freemasonry, I’m sad to say. However, we have several RCs in our Lodge.
Okay, there are a few differences. We had a team of Past Masters to follow the Ritual and check the correctness of signs. We had no assistant Secretary.
I am fully aware of the part the Junior Warden has in the Third Degree. Been there, done that, as they say. Same for Senior Warden and Master. One strangeness about our Lodges is that we were chartered by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and we had good relationships with Green Lodges and Prince Albert Lodges.
By “check the correctness of signs” I mean that when opening in the Second or Third Degrees, the JW relays the WM’s instructions to the members to prove themselves Craftsmen or Master Masons, and watches to ensure that they are such through the signs they make. About 90% of our time in Lodge is in the 1st Degree, so this only happens when we are about to pass or raise someone. (All business is transacted in the 1st Degree in a UGLE lodge).
I’ve never heard of a “Green Lodge”–what is that? And, “Prince Albert” lodge, do you mean “Prince Hall”? (African American lodge)
Yes, our Ritualist, who frequently sits at the Master’s right, can point out incorrect signs to the Master, usually to be acted upon at the following Lodge of Instruction which, in my Blue Lodge, were held on the third Monday of the month and opened on the First Degree. Business meetings, held on the first Monday, opened on the Third Degree. All degree work opened on the Third Degree then dropped to the level appropriate for the candidate.
A Blue Lodge is one whose ritual originated with the lodges centered around London while the Green Lodge has its origins in York. Most lodges in the United States are Blue while many lodges in the Caribbean are Green.
Yes, I did indeed mean Prince Hall. My mind often suffers word-substitution glitches.