What Our Ritual Says About Education in Lodge
My previous article about how a Regular Meeting is not the place for Masonic Education has stirred up some robust discussion. Some Brethren have emailed me expressing their views, some have even said directly and vehemently that I am wrong, while others have politely disagreed.
(Ps, happy for anyone to disagree with me — please do, but have the decency to present the evidence as to why, afterall as Masons we are supposed to be in the pursuit of truth)
There must be an authority on this matter who settles the debate. Such an authority must not any Grand Lodge either, so therefore the only real authority on this matter must be the text of our degrees. In this edition of Daily Masonic Progress, we shall consider what our ritual says about Education on a Regular Meeting night.
But first, MW Bro Cameron M. Bailey who writes Emeth opened up a discussion about this topic as well. When I read the responses, some common themes emerged and basically everyone was in agreement about the importance of Education, but also that the best education sessions include discussion and have a social aspect.
But in this debate don’t fall into the trap of confusing “what” and “how” with “where” and “when”.
We all agree Masonic Education (what) is critically important. We all agree that discussion and socialization (how) are also critical to good Education as well as the experience of Education & Masonry.
What most are neglecting to acknowledge is a very explicit and specific nuance in my original article. The key point I am making is that Education is not for a Regular Meeting (where / when) but rather it should be done at a brother’s home (where) in a study group or at rehearsal (when).
In the discussion at Emeth, there are expressions of how all different kinds of Education topics have been enjoyed by many brethren at regular meetings. This is great to hear. This also proves another viewpoint that I hold, being that we spend time education about everything else, except understanding Freemasonry and our practices as defined in our ritual. If we did, this wouldn’t be a debate would it.
As I have said prior, our Degrees are two parts. Ceremony and Lecture, so what do they say?
To understand this, we need to start with what are the tools we use for Masonic Education. Our ceremonies define the Chisel as the symbol for Education, along with the Common Gavel being symbolic of refining our rough character. These two tools are used to turn the rough ashlar into the perfect ashlar. What are these two tools made from….. metal.
Our ceremonies say that the rough stone was shaped into the perfect in the quarries, transported to the building site of King Solomons temple and then placed into position by use of wooden mauls. We know our Lodges (especially when tyled) are symbolic representations of the building site of King Solomons Temple (which is still under construction in craft masonry). The Temple was built as an Altar to God, the Great Architect of the Universe. It’s why the Gavels or Mauls in the Lodge room are all wooden and not…metal!
All of these points are explained throughout the First-Degree Ceremony. But the additional explanation is given in the First-Degree Lecture, where it adds a Biblical citation as to why King Solomon had the stone made in the quarries far away, being stated in Exodus 20:23-26
23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
The key word here is “hewn” or “hewed” stone. But what is hewn stone?
HEW'ED, participle passive Cut and made smooth or even; chopped; hacked; shaped by cutting or by a chisel. - Websters 1828 Dictionary
Has the penny now dropped?
Masonic Education is symbolically represented by the Chisel (metal). We are the stone. The Common Gavel (metal) knocks of all superflous knobs and excrescenses from the rude material. The Regular Meeting is symbolic the construction site of King Solomons Temple where we can only use wooden tools (mauls) to place the stone into position. Rough stone is not hewed (cut / shaped) on the temple site, rather at another location being the quarries, otherwise if it was, it was considered to have polluted the altar, being King Solomons Temple itself.
Therefore, our ritual as well as the Volume of The Sacred Law clearly says that Education at a Regular Meeting is polluting the altar— King Solomons temple / The Lodge. It also tells us that King Solomon directed that all the stone be prepared in the Quarries, therefore King Solomon himself is directing us to purpose Education outside of our Regular Meetings.
Verse 26 of Exodus 20 also offers an explanation as to why we must cloth in our Aprons when in Lodge too!
Now, if you want to disagree — go for it, but you are either disagreeing with the Ritual and Volume of Sacred Law and saying they’re wrong, or you can disagree with my interpretation. If you disagree with my interpretation please justify it based upon the text provided.
Therefore, Regular Meetings are for Degree work (which is symbolic of placing the perfected stone on the temple) and Education is for other nights and other places.
Great article, always enjoy hearing others thoughts.
In our jurisdiction of Washington, we don’t have something called a “regular” meeting. We have Stated Meetings and Special Meetings.
Stated Meetings are held on nights according to our bylaw. Special Meetings are called at the will and pleasure of the WM. Special meetings are when we hold conferrals. Following the conferrals we have our Harmony, which is open discussion about the degree with our brothers. That is also very educational in nature, albeit less structured.
Stated Meetings are the only meetings when we can conduct business and vote on things. We also choose to conduct other types of Labor such as proficiency.
Masonic education is a core precept of our lodge.
We do this every Wednesday in an informal setting at our lodge. We also choose to have a Masonic presentation at each stated meeting. This includes presentations from our own brothers, local Masons and National speakers.
I applaud your focus on education and the prioritization of it. For our lodge, a stated meeting would essentially be a business meeting if it didn’t have a Masonic presentation as part of the night.