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Grand Lodge of Washington
Gr and Lodg e of W ashingt on The material contained in a typical degree ritual may teach phi-
Masonic Tribune
Masonic T r ibune losophy, ethics, history, harmony, regularity, integrity, and much
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Vol Volume XCII No.1 - Summer Issue - Page 3e - Page 15 more. But one of the counterintuitive aspects of that teaching is
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who is taught, for indeed it is invariably the teacher who learns
most.
In the lecture of the Third Degree, mention is made of expla-
Deputies of the Grand Master nations that are “monitorial.” But what does this mean? Ac-
tually, it is an allusion to the “Monitorial System,” an educa-
tional method that became popular on a global scale during
REPORTS (CONTINUED) the early 19th century. This method was also known as
“mutual instruction” or the “Bell-Lancaster method” after the
(Continued from page 13) British educators, Drs. Andrew Bell and Joseph Lancaster, who
“Communicate” our principals to them, and we must “Educate” both independently developed it. The method was based on the
them in the ways of being a better man. abler pupils being used as “helpers” to the teacher, passing on
the information they had learned to other students – that in doing
In our Lodges we have a truly vast level of experience, in all this, they might better master the material themselves.
levels of life, experience that any young man, just starting out
in life, would greatly benefit from. As leaders of our Fraternity, Although this method was popularized during the 19th century,
we need to figure out how to “Communicate” that experience, it originated far, far earlier in ancient times – in 34 AD, in the
so as to”Educate” the young men who seek admission into our thoughts of a Roman philosopher known as Seneca the Young-
Lodges. er. It was in an epistle to Lucillus that Seneca noted “Docendo
If we can “Communicate” with, and Educate, the young men discimus” – he who teaches learns.
who seek us out, we not only help them, we ensure that we help When you memorize and present a Masonic lecture, a role in a
ourselves, because those young men will remain active mem- drama, a charge, or even a prayer, you are teaching, and you
bers of our Fraternity throughout their lives. are thereby learning yourself. And when the Worshipful Master
and his officers open or close a meeting, it is a Masonic ritual
If we fail to Communicate with and Educate our initiates, they will that they are performing; and so, they are teaching then, too.
drop out, demit or NPD. We will have lost something valuable, Thus, when the Senior Warden asserts that the reason he came
as will they. to Lodge is, to “subdue [his] passions and improve [himself] in
Let us help those less experienced than we are, let us help each Masonry,” he is asserting something that lies at the heart of Ma-
other. Let us “Communicate” to Educate. That is precisely what sonry. He is there to “improve [himself] in Masonry,” “To build
we are working to accomplish here in District 17. character.” And by teaching us this lesson, he learns. “Docendo
If you have occasion to visit our area, I hope that you will come discimus.”
and sit in Lodge with us, we would love to have you! That, my Brethren, is why we learn, memorize, and present ritu-
al work; and ritual work includes the ritual opening and closing of
VW Cameron M. Bailey the Lodge. He who digests, memorizes, and presents this ma-
Deputy of the Grand Master terial additionally fosters the development of his own character.
District No. 17 But how many Masons in our Jurisdiction practice and sharpen
their ritual skills in a conscious effort improve their character?
District No. 18 The answer may be found in the number of Masons who take
up the challenge to learn and master a lecture, a charge, or a
Communicate to Educate challenging bit of ritual. Increasingly, unschooled Masons are
unaware that their Fraternity has any such esoteric purpose.
reeMasonry’s raison d’etre – its reason for being – is phil- In a recent book, entitled, Freemasonry, The Esoteric Tradition,
osophical, not philanthropical. To be sure, Masons should its author, MWB Fabio Venzi, former Grand Master of Italy and
Fbe charitable, and indeed both our overall Fraternity and prolific author on Masonic philosophy, puts forth his conclusion
the individual Lodges which comprise it support many charities. that FreeMasonry has descended or degraded from an esoteric
But, at its inception the fundamental purpose of FreeMason- initiatic experience into a social and philanthropical society. He
ry was to build character among its votaries. This was at the explains at length what the word “esoteric” really means and
heart of the order, and for centuries comprised its very definition: suggests that a truly esoteric subject
“FreeMasonry is an organized society of men, symbolically ap- cannot be understood or even studied
plying the principles of Operative Masonry and architecture to by the uninitiated while the initiate sees
the science and art of character building.” (Mackey’s Encyclope- no need either to study it or to try ex-
dia of FreeMasonry, the Masonic Dictionary, et al.) plaining it to the uninitiated.
Why is an understanding of this fundamental tenet of FreeMa- So perhaps it’s time to communicate
sonry important? The answer is because it points to those char- and thereby educate our rank and file
acter-building things that Masonry fosters. An element of the Brethren with respect to the philosoph-
character-building process found in FreeMasonry is the mastery ical underpinnings of our ancient insti-
of Masonic ritual—its memorization and recitation—and espe- tution, and thus better instill in them the
cially the pursuit of excellence in the undertaking. If properly mo- motivation to master ritual work for their
tivated the undertaking requires and thereby fosters diligence, own self-improvement.
confidence, resourcefulness, and self-discipline—factors need-
ed to achieve one’s highest potential in any performance envi-
ronment, thus building aspects of character applicable not only VWB Doug Puckett
directly to the performance of quality Masonic ritual work, but Deputy of the Grand Master
also indirectly to greater success in one’s trade, career, and so- District No. 18
cietal undertakings. 15 Table of Contents