The Cycle Starts Again

This past week we did the EA degree for a young man that was looking to join the lodge a year ago but was deployed to Iraq. He has since separated and is now waiting to attend medical school. He has done every other facet of the medical profession the last being an RN in the Army. The degree went reasonably well, I was the Master of Ceremonies and did the charge.

I enjoy the EA degree; to me it’s like the first four weeks of boot camp. It is necessary preparation for the following degrees and helps teach the newly made Mason his obligations and the basic foundations of Masonry. In Texas the catechism for the EA is by far the most difficult as the candidate must recreate the esoteric parts of the ceremony and the lecture. The good part about this that I have learned later is that this is very useful when giving the lecture. I think I am going to jump to the lecture for the Masters degree, only two other active brothers in our lodge can give it, and it’s the most important of all three lectures.

I have plenty of time to learn the masters for this candidate, and really it would be an honor to give the Masters lecture to him.

Don’t Tell Me It’s Raining While You’re Pissing down My Back

I have no delusions of grander regarding this blog, I get on average 22 visitors a day, I know that I am by no means a staple of the Masonic on-line community. I don’t have a podcast, a following of people that love me or hate me. I am just me, and really when people make blogs or post in them they sometimes take an aspect of their personality that they are not comfortable with and amplify it, that really isn’t me or the point of this blog. This blog is a correct representation of who I am and my journey as a Mason from EA to MM and beyond. When I walk into a lodge other than my own and tell the brothers my time in Masonry, I am usually regarded as a “Newbie” and that’s fine, and really the truth.

That being said, I heard the latest Podcast from X-Oriente and I have to throw out the bullshit flag. Now I enjoy the show very much, but this last one left a bad taste in my mouth, mainly that Brother Eric quoted a politician who wrote a book about his opponents. I like Al Gore and believe that he has conviction in what he believes and honestly if Gore ran today, I would seriously consider voting for him. The problem is that today we have everyone on the left and the right writing books about how the other side is destroying our great nation. If you listen to the right, it’s the left and their lack of traditional values, high taxes and socialized government, if it’s the left you believe that the right is creating a police state, fighting wars that we have no business fighting, and destroying our environment, all while in bed with big corporations.

My point is that when someone who has a clear agenda and writes a book called “Assault on Reason” and then someone else presents it as an unbiased factual book, sticks in my craw. If you want to talk about critical thinking, then read from The Philosophy of Anything: Critical Thinking In Context or Critical Thinking: Basic Theory by Richard W. Paul published by the Foundation for Critical Thinking. Heck, if you want to get even more in the mud then talk about Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason or Critique of Judgment or Logic. But for the love of God don’t quote Al Gore, who has an agenda and an axe to grind as somehow a bastion of reason and critical thought.

If you want to make a political statement, than make it, don’t act like you aren’t making one when you are. By doing such you are violating one of the core concepts of Freemasonry that Dudley Wright put so eloquently “Freemasonry is a unifier, not a divider.” Masons can talk politics and Masons can disagree, but when people present a political argument then tell their audience not be upset by bringing up the subject, that is intellectual dishonesty and a dirty trick.

That being written, I don’t want people to think that I harbor any dislike towards Brother Eric, because he is a brother, and a Mason, I just believe his passions got the better of him.

I invite anyone who thinks that I am being over reactive to e-mail me or comment, but this is one of those things that I felt necessary to voice my opinion.

Application to the York Rite and Mastering Senior Deacon/Master of Ceremonies for the EA Degree

I underestimated the memorization work in the EA degree, the lecture Senior Deacon and Master of Ceremonies parts are much more difficult to recite in front of the brethren than in front of my mirror or in my truck. We have an EA to give next week, the brother was voted in last night. He petition our lodge two years ago was accepted received the EA degree then was deployed to Iraq for 18 months. His membership elapsed and he returned, starting the process all over again. While he has gone through the initiation once before, the majority is most likely lost.

For my memorization work, I have been working hard on the EA degree, because so much of it is wrapped up in our catechism that I figured it to be the easiest, but it turns out that it’s becoming a bigger challenge than I thought. I don’t know if I am biting off more than I can chew, but I want to contribute so much, I guess my eagerness is causing my frustration, nothing new in Freemasonry. My goal is to have the EA lecture and Master of Ceremonies/Senior Deacon down by end of October, I think that’s reasonable considering I started work on the EA Lecture in late June. I might be handicapping myself too much, but we will see.

I have also been approached to join the York Rite, which I think I will pursue. After research between the York and Scottish, I think the York just seems to fit better, a lot of the brethren in the lodge are York Rite members, and I won’t be alone as Bro Mahlako will be there with me, so that will be good.

Masonry has taken on so many forms since I first petitioned the lodge back in October, and I hope I continue to grow in it. Isaac Davidson wrote in his blog that as he is reading Masonic Blogs he sees that a lot of them are negative in nature. This is natural as blogs are a release for a lot of people, and sometimes that release is posting frustrations with ones lodge, or the brotherhood as a whole. My frustrations have been no different, but I am very happy with my choice to be made a Mason. I know it isn’t for everybody, and I can see how some brothers join and think “Shit, this isn’t for me”. Still, it’s for me and I feel that Freemasonry is very relevant in today’s modern society, I have unabashed optimism when it comes to Freemasonry and the 21st century, maybe that will wash away as the years go on, but I hope not.

My First Lodge Visit, Mesa Lodge #68

After being raised and passing my proficiency, I have become hungry for all things Masonic, even more so then researching the degrees while I was in the midst of my memorization work; I am learning the lecture for the EA degree and the Senior Deacon’s part.

Still I travel quite a bit, I would say that twice a month I am somewhere else than home and I miss my mother lodges stated meetings. In July I had the opportunity to visit a lodge in Chicago and have fellowship with brethren, but due to circumstances beyond my control I was unable to make it. This past week I had the opportunity to go to New Mexico, and found a lodge that was not only meeting during the time frame of my visit but was conferring the degree of Entered Apprentice, I was giddy. I e-mailed the secretary and announced my visit, not because I am that much of a pompous ass, but because I think they would like to know if a brother from out of state was planning on attending their degree, just so I wasn’t a complete surprise. The secretary e-mailed back and said they would be happy to have me and gave me his cell phone number. He then CC’d all of the lodge officers, to which the Worshipful Master e-mailed me their monthly newsletter. Honestly, that e-mail made me feel better about leaving my comfort zone and going to another lodge, in a different state.

I was nervous driving to their lodge because really, I didn’t know these brothers, and I was feeling comfy and cozy with my mother lodge, and the work preformed there. What if I get up at two gavels instead of three (which I did by the way)? What if I address the lodge Texas style and am mocked and laughed at? While these seem like silly things to worry about and in hindsight they were, it still consumed me. When I arrived at the lodge I came in with a brother who I later found out to be DDGM of the district who greeted me warmly. I was then given the nickel tour of the relatively new lodge building. It is a very spacious lodge that doubles as a Scottish Rite Learning Center for children with dyslexia. They have a room which they call the “Square Club” where they would meet afterwards to play cards, have a beer (which would be clandestine in Texas) or play a game of pool. At my lodge we hang around and talk but usually within 30 minutes it’s me and a couple of the younger brothers bullshiting while the bulk of the brethren split five minutes after the last gavel.

Their ceremony fascinated me, the differences from Texas while small in some areas, is huge in others. The main being that before the candidate is duly and truly prepared, the Senior Deacon goes in the anti-chamber and asks them as series of questions to make sure that they want to be made Masons. They then are asked again before their obligation by the Worshipful Master the same set of questions, it seemed almost overkill in my mind because of the central themes of the EA degree.

It was wonderful to be a part of; at the end of lodge I addressed the lodge as I was taught in Texas and told the newly made Masons that the first degree is the most difficult degree, but that the growing pains pay ten fold in the end, and thank them for their commitment to Freemasonry. Talked with the RWB and a member from a lodge in Lubbock Texas about the differences in the work, I even broached the subject of one day classes, which they refer to as “All the way” in one day. They are more liberal regarding their rules, they allow alcohol on Masonic property (my understanding is a big no-no in Texas, but that might just be my lodge), they don’t require their officers to wear a dark suit. They have ciphers something that my mentor absolutely hates, and have shorter degree memorization requirements.

I don’t want this to come across as me looking down on them because Texas is more hard noised, because that isn’t the case. These men are Masons just the same as me, and because they have ciphers, loosened dress code and alcohol on the premises shows me that Freemasonry is something that cannot be destroyed by such small things. Am I going to start lobbing for one day classes and ciphers? No, but they do serve a purpose, no matter how much some of the old timers despise them. This visit did bring to my attention that while I am fascinated and love the esoteric work, that we are still a brotherhood a fraternity of friends, and because of that we (being my lodge) need to loosen up and have more social events and take better care of the wives and widows. We need not be so consumed with the work, that we spend two hours of floor work to run out the door once it’s finished.

See my Great Uncle was a Mason and traveled a lot (he was a diamond salesman), he reflected once that being a Mason meant that he could travel with safety and know that most likely the town he was stopping in had a lodge. While in my youth I didn’t know what that meant, as a Mason now I do. In today’s world when we travel it’s easy to run around have dinner and drinks with clients/customers and not realize that right around the corner is a lodge room of brethren that you have never met, but most likely have much more in common with them than any customer or client, co-worker or long lost high school friend. This emphasizes to me that my generation is looking for something beyond the superfluities of life and that we are looking for better understanding of ourselves and of our fellow man. Not necessarily a religion or a church of thou shall, but good honest open communication about faith, hope and charity. This has become secondary and my parents generation where consumed by self indulgences and loathing attitude towards their parents, who they saw as stoic autocrats. Their children became Generation X, while has great hopes has become over medicated cry babies that worry about how many times Lohan has been in rehab, or who is pounding Paris Hilton this week. Who’s political discussion turn into vitriol rants of hate within two minutes regardless of political affiliation, and see charity as saving Dafur or some type of criminal punishment, nothing more. Still I see hope, I see it in the young men from all walks of life coming to that old lodge building and reaching out for more than a self help book or medication.

Before the Shrine, before the Scottish Rite or any other a pendent bodies we were free thinkers and invoked philosophical thought from the stable boy to the town mayor. Not drudging up the names of all the famous Masons, because to me a great Mason is a man that did the work with due diligence and because of his membership in Freemasonry made his community a little bit better, to me that man is just as great as any of the Freemasons I hear about every time I go into a Masonic museum.

So while I am sure the debates and rants about alcohol, ciphers, one day classes will continue in the future, I realize that these things are small potatoes compared to what Freemasonry brings us, better men.

The Lodge Bringing Me a Sense of Calm

It’s been entirely too long since I updated this blog, I think that is because I was traveling for work, then on vacation. Right when I was getting ready to get back into the swing of things I found out that a member from my National Guard Unit committed suicide while I was out. It was one of those sudden suicides that no one saw coming, no one knew of any personal problems and he seemed to get along very well with everyone. He worked with me on several occasions, and I always came away feeling good. I was distraught because I missed his service, something that is meaningful for me, that when a service member dies, the more people that show up in uniform where he touched their life, the bigger impact and show of support you give his family.

On Tuesday I was a frustrated mess at work, dealing with the questions and the prodding when my co-workers found out what happened, suicides are so frustrating, you really can’t put it into words. So @ 1645 I ran out going to lodge, half a mind to just go home, I figured that it had been a month since I last stepped inside my lodge and realized that I owed it to my brothers to show up (the DDGM was coming). When I drove up in the parking lot and entered the old building a sense of calm just washed over me. It wasn’t comforting or a relief per say, just a sense of calmness with everything. I met with Brother Garland and did some esoteric work in the 3rd degree. Attended the business meeting and then listened to the message from the Grand Master of Texas, Donny Broughton (which I will share in a later post), after the meeting we did some more work, and I came home not necessarily feeling better about life, but calmer, if that makes any sense.

I guess this post has no real point, beyond that the lodge provided something to me last night that I was expecting, cooling my jets and letting me just do my esoteric work. I knew that the questions, grief and frustrations would be waiting for me when I left, but I was there at that moment doing something that was contributing to the brotherhood, and it felt good.

Think I will end this post now, but wanted to get down on electrons, how it made me feel before I forget.

In Memoriam Past Grand Master Harry Cunningham

Harry Glen Cunningham, age 73, past Grand Master of Texas Masonry, died July 8, 2007.A true and dedicated Texan, Grand Master Harry Glen Cunningham was born on January 24, 1934, on a farm in the rural community of Oak Ridge near Ladonia in Fannin County, Texas. He attended two public schools, Bartley-Woods and Ladonia High School, where he graduated on June 1, 1951. He attended East Texas State Teachers College in 1952 previous to joining the United States Air Force. From June, 1953 to June, 1961, he served in the United States Air Force Security Service during the Korean and at the beginning of the Viet Nam Conflicts. He had two tours of duty overseas in Tripoli, Libya and Nord, Greenland.After being honorably discharged from the Air Force in 1961, he maintained his residence in San Antonio. He was employed immediately by Sears, Roebuck and Company, where he worked for 28 years in various managerial positions throughout San Antonio and South Texas. He retired from Sears on April 30, 1989. The highlight of Grand Master Cunningham's life is when he met Barbara Harn Davis at Lackland Baptist Church in 1966. They married on May 9, 1969. They have one daughter, Cye, and two sons, Sonny and Scott.

A believer of being active in community affairs, Grand Master Cunningham was very active in church, civic and community affairs in San Antonio since January, 1956. He served Lackland Baptist Church as a Sunday School Teacher, Usher, Member of Finance and Personnel Committees, and Chairman of the Long-Range Steering Committee, and trustee. The Grand Master was very community oriented. The citizens of his community elected him to the Board of Trustees of the Northside Independent School District located in Bexar, Medina and Bandera Counties. He served in this capacity for seven years. He was a former member of the National and State School Board Associations and the Greater San Antonio Builders Association. He was a Past Member and Director of the San Antonio Minority Development Council and Past President of the Parent-Teacher-Student Association of Jay High School in San Antonio. He was also a former\n member of the Valley-Hi Optimist Club, Heart Association, Boy Scouts of America and Building Committee of Northside Independent School District. Grand Master Cunningham petitioned Somerset Lodge No. 1205 in January, 1967, and was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on October 26, 1967. He served on many Lodge Committees throughout the years, serving as Worshipful Master during 1975-1976. He was honored with a Life Membership by the Lodge in 1978. He is also an Endowed Member of Henry Thomas Lodge No. 278 in Smithwick, Texas, and a member of the Texas Lodge of Research. He served as District Deputy Grand Master in 1979 for Grand Master W R Lamb and has also served on various Grand Lodge Committees. He was elected Grand Junior Warden in 1994, Grand Senior Warden in 1995, Deputy Grand Master in 1996 and was elected to the office of Grand Master in 1997. Grand Master Cunningham is an Endowed Member of the San Antonio Scottish Rite Bodies, serving as\n Venerable Master of the Consistory in 1990. He was invested a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 1981 and was coroneted a Thirty-Third Degree Inspector General Honorary in 1995. He served on the Board of Directors of the Scottish Rite Dormitory at the University of Texas in Austin since 1984. "

A believer of being active in community affairs, Grand Master Cunningham was very active in church, civic and community affairs in San Antonio since January, 1956. He served Lackland Baptist Church as a Sunday School Teacher, Usher, Member of Finance and Personnel Committees, and Chairman of the Long-Range Steering Committee, and trusteeThe Grand Master was very community oriented. The citizens of his community elected him to the Board of Trustees of the Northside Independent School District located in Bexar, Medina and Bandera Counties. He served in this capacity for seven years. He was a former member of the National and State School Board Associations and the Greater San Antonio Builders Association. He was a Past Member and Director of the San Antonio Minority Development Council and Past President of the Parent-Teacher-Student Association of Jay High School in San Antonio. He was also a former member of the Valley-Hi Optimist Club, Heart Association, Boy Scouts of America and Building Committee of Northside Independent School District. Grand Master Cunningham petitioned Somerset Lodge No. 1205 in January, 1967, and was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on October 26, 1967. He served on many Lodge Committees throughout the years, serving as Worshipful Master during 1975-1976. He was honored with a Life Membership by the Lodge in 1978. He is also an Endowed Member of Henry Thomas Lodge No. 278 in Smithwick, Texas, and a member of the Texas Lodge of Research. He served as District Deputy Grand Master in 1979 for Grand Master W R Lamb and has also served on various Grand Lodge Committees. He was elected Grand Junior Warden in 1994, Grand Senior Warden in 1995, Deputy Grand Master in 1996 and was elected to the office of Grand Master in 1997. Grand Master Cunningham is an Endowed Member of the San Antonio Scottish Rite Bodies, serving as Venerable Master of the Consistory in 1990. He was invested a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 1981 and was coroneted a Thirty-Third Degree Inspector General Honorary in 1995. He served on the Board of Directors of the Scottish Rite Dormitory at the University of Texas in Austin since 1984.

Grand Master Cunningham was a member of San Antonio Chapter No. 381, Royal Arch Masons, San Antonio Council No. 14, Royal and Select Masters, San Antonio Commandery No. 7, Knights Templar, Texian York Rite College No. 60, Saint Anthony Conclave Red Cross of Constantine, Texas College, and Societas Rosicruciana. He was also a member of Alzafar Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. of San Antonio, San Antonio Council No.261, Allied Masonic Degrees, Omala Grotto of San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston No. 17, National Sojourners and invested with an Honorary Legion of Honor, Albert Pike Chapter of DeMolay. Grand Master Cunningham and his wife, Barbara, were Members of Somerset Chapter No. 730, Order of the Eastern Star, in Somerset, Texas. They were also members of District 5, Section 7, Past Matrons and Past Patrons Association in San Antonio as well as District 5, Past Matrons and Past Patrons Association. The Grand Master served twice as Worthy Patron of Somerset Chapter No. 730. He served as Grand Sentinel (19861987), Associate Grand Patron (1987-1988) and as Worthy Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter of Texas (1988-1989).

Grand Master Cunningham was a member of San Antonio Chapter No. 381, Royal Arch Masons, San Antonio Council No. 14, Royal and Select Masters, San Antonio Commandery No. 7, Knights Templar, Texian York Rite College No. 60, Saint Anthony Conclave Red Cross of Constantine, Texas College, and Societas Rosicruciana. He was also a member of Alzafar Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. of San Antonio, San Antonio Council No.261, Allied Masonic Degrees, Omala Grotto of San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston No. 17, National Sojourners and invested with an Honorary Legion of Honor, Albert Pike Chapter of DeMolay. Grand Master Cunningham and his wife, Barbara, were Members of Somerset Chapter No. 730, Order of the Eastern Star, in Somerset, Texas. They were also members of District 5, Section 7, Past Matrons and Past Patrons Association in San Antonio as well as District 5, Past Matrons and Past Patrons Association. The Grand Master served twice as Worthy Patron of Somerset Chapter No. 730. He served as Grand Sentinel (19861987), Associate Grand Patron (1987-1988) and as Worthy Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter of Texas (1988-1989).

Doing My Part

I have been spending every spare moment I can trying to learn the Senior Deacon’s part of the EA and the lecture. I am told that while giving the lecture I sound like Jesse Jackson, and not so much of myself. While I have no idea what my brothers are talking about, I will take that as a compliment.

The EA lecture is by far the easiest out of the three to learn, as it is similar to the catechism, where as the FC and MM are not. The flow (at least to me) is a little bit more logical than the other two; Brother Thomas has started the FC and has been more frustrated than I have seen him in recent times. I enjoy learning/reciting the lecture as it brings a sense of familiarity and stability, and that is something that Masonry offers us in our day to day lives that isn’t easily achieved in today’s world. I have changed jobs 5 times in the last four years, and have moved into two different houses, and my wife has gone from making 55k a year to 30k. The lodge has been around since 1911, and isn’t going anywhere in the foreseeable future (regardless of the roof issue), it’s a fraternity of men that can be a cornerstone of a community of men’s lives. That is something that can be lost in today’s world and easily found again if one searches out for it. Its moral teachings, betterment of man and stability is what I think attracts younger men to the Craft today, and while every generation will have its different motivations for joining the Craft, we are all Masons, something that we all need to remember.

Sorry to go off on a tangent there, my point in learning the lectures of Freemasonry, I see as my duty as younger Mason. I am not the best memorizer, or orator, but as they say practice makes perfect, that and I have a very patient instructor, and for that I am very grateful.

A Restless Midnight Post

It’s time to dust off the thin layer of dust that has accumulated on this blog and give some explanation of what’s going on both in my personal life and my Masonic development. While I have stated from the beginning that this blog was not really about me and my day to day activities, to properly put into context my Masonic development.

My supervisor in an abrupt move has left and has left my branch in essence we have scrambling to cover for her being gone. I will have to cover part of her travel for at least the next six months, while we try to figure out who is going to take her place. A week before all of this the WM called me and asked if I could help out in the upcoming Masonic year, I explained to him that I could do what I could. Not really knowing the status of anything, and my work/travel schedule over taking my commitments, I didn’t give it much thought. I have been gone for the last two weeks out on the road, and really haven’t had a chance to think about it. Well I received an e-mail this past week with the installation ceremony participants, next thing I know I am listed as Senior Stewart?

This isn’t sitting well with me, as I feel like I am being plugged in as a warm body in the chair, and right now it looks like I will be at lodge 50% of the month, while Masonry is always on my mind, I don’t know if this is the year I should be sitting in any type of chair, even one as minor as the Senior Stewart. My other Masonic commitments have been towards learning the lectures, and not really wanting to sit a chair this year.

The future WM and I have been trading messages, but I hope to talk to him tomorrow before the installation ceremony, and see what comes of it. I still don’t know if either decision is the right one, going a head and sitting in a chair that I can’t really sit in, or if I am allowing outside pressures to put undo strain on helping my lodge.

Hence, I am writing this @ 3 in the morning.

Lightfoot

Today my mentor lent me his copy of Lightfoot’s Manual of the Lodge – TEXAS. This is like most monitors, but this one at the end has commentary where most don’t have that. This book was written in 1934, which immediately perked my ears up. For those that don’t realize that, I really enjoy reading Masonic books pre-WW II. While I don’t mind current authors, I am not into exposes on Masonry; I want to read more about the symbolism. It talks about such great topics as Speculative vs. Operative Masonry and Dedication of the Lodge to the Holy St. John’s. So be expecting some more posts on that.

Our lodge tomorrow night is having officer elections, I am very happy to attend as it will be my first stated meeting as a Master Mason, next week I will be giving my catechism. I have already started to learn the EA Lecture, I enjoy the learning the lectures, I have no idea why. Most of the brothers run the other direction, but the words with the pictures make me feel centered. Bro Sean and I are trying to learn as much as we can, we are like sponges, and I enjoy our mentor’s enthusiasm.

Time for bed, but more later...

The Day I Became a Master Mason

Tuesday was a peculiar day; coming off of a three/four day weekend is hell. You have a mountain of e-mails to catch up on, add to the fact that I was out of town all last week, and you have for one busy Tuesday. At lunch it dawned on me that “Tonight you will be raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason.” I then didn’t think about it for the rest of the day, entrenched in research and government politics (two things that never go together). Around 1600, everything was starting to wind down, people starting to go home for the day, and I started to think more and more about what was in store for me that evening, the preparation that I had done up to this point, and wondering if I was properly prepared.

Around 1715 I got in my truck and I drove out to the lodge, trying to keep calm. I found myself to be as nervous as I was when I first drove to the lodge back in October. When I arrived, I made my rounds to the various brothers. I was asked many times if I was ready or nervous, both being answered in the affirmative. After while I talked to Brother Sean, he had a friend who had submitted an application, I had lost sight on that status and asked him about it. He got this look on his face as if I kicked him in the gut and he told me that the guy went and discussed being made a Mason with his Minister who told him that once he became a Master Mason he wouldn’t be considered a Christian anymore. He e-mailed Sean last Tuesday and told him that he was withdrawing his application to be made a Mason. Sean had a sense of frustration, this is reasonable considering how much interest the guy seem to have at first, but that’s the way the “cookie crumbles”.

During dinner they made light hearted comments about Goats/Sheeps and the usual rubs, it annoyed me a little, while I understand the sophomoric humor, it was a situation I was taking pretty seriously, but again everyone has different perceptions. Also, given the military nature of our lodge it isn’t unreasonable for there to be this attitude, as when you are new in the military it is customary to make you the brunt of a lot of torment. I remember being a 2Lt and having to do the Superman, a thing to this day I cringe at the thought of it, but that’s another story. Normally I wait downstairs for them to do lodge business before conferring the degree, which is usually a good 40 minute wait. This time in less than five minutes they called for me. I went into the antechamber as before and changed into a similar yet different outfit. The Senior Deacon came out fixed the “mistakes” that the Master of Ceremonies made and then proceeded to start the degree.

During the ceremony when being lead around, I could feel a difference in the tone of the ritual, it was much more solemn and a strange feel. The obligation seems to be the majority of the first part, it was also asking me to be willing to give up my safety and comfort to aid a brother, something that I take seriously.

At a later point in the ceremony I was directed to go to the alter and pray, at that moment everything got personal and the ritual took on a whole different meaning, and it became something completely different. During my journey of the last six months I have stayed away from exposes, internet articles, anything that dealt with the ritual. I did this to keep the ritual as a complete surprise to me, and I know that there are men who read this blog in hopes of getting a little insight as they to start their journey of Masonry, what to expect, etc. To them I say stay away from books, media and other works that delve directly into the ritual, I don’t know what my experience would have been like if I had done that, but I have a feeling it wouldn’t of been as powerful, so no I didn’t peep behind the curtain.

During the ceremony, you learn the inevitable meaning of when evil overtakes good. This experience is something that all grown men have gone through in their life (at least from their perception of being good), and from that experience takes on a whole new level of symbolism and teaching. During the ritual, I enjoyed being the candidate for once, and not trying to capture every word uttered or phrase spoken, there will be plenty of time for that.

After the ritual and I received my lambskin apron, I realized that my journey while coming a long way is still in it’s infancy, and that is the most beautiful part.

Here is to exploring the 3rd degree and receiving further light in masonry.