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jdeal View Drop Down
Quarryman
Quarryman


Joined: April/16/2014
Location: Maryland
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    Posted: September/09/2014 at 6:02pm
We have had two new brothers initiated and they have not returned to start work on there proficiency. We have reached out to them and no return. It is very disheartening to see a newly initiated brother. Not return after receiving there catechism book and some initial instruction. Sadly we ha a brother return his catechism book via mail with a letter stating he could not memorize and or learn the work. So we reached back out to him and he declined. Being on a few ICs I feel as though we should turkey mention there will be some learning/memorization work needed and I form them of the classes we conduct. Thoughts?
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Squeek49 View Drop Down
Quarryman
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squeek49 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2014 at 4:23am
Jdeal,
I agree completely. Advise all prospectives that an obligation must be memorized.   Unless a candidate has been involved in DeMolay or has had a relative in Masonry, they have no idea of the commitment involved to the memory work.  My lodge put four men through the EA last year and only one has been raised!
David Davis
Oriental Lodge #20
Mathews, Virginia

I 10/08/2013
P 07/17/2014
R 08/21/2014
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Adept? View Drop Down
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Joined: August/30/2013
Location: Maine
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Adept? Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2014 at 5:59am
Does your lodge use a coded sypher for candidates, or is it writen out so they can read and study it on their own? I have an FC brother and co-worker who was having trouble even reading his study material because it was in code, and no one told him he was suppose to be learning it with the assistance of his sponsor, or another member of his lodge. He was under the impression that he was suppose to try and decode it and learn it on his own. I showed him our grand lodge website, and some free pdf downloadable material that would help him study, and to his delight is writen in plain english...not sypher. I also told him to contact his sponsor and simply ask for some help. I mean honestly...how is a brother to study his assigned material if it is syphered and designed only to be read by those who already know what it says? Hell, sometimes i have trouble with something i havnt read in a while even knowing what it says.
"It is humanity that creates god, and men think that god has made them in his image, because they make him in theirs."
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Squeek49 View Drop Down
Quarryman
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Joined: September/09/2014
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squeek49 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2014 at 8:20am
Boy, I wish we had a cypher book!  Everything is mouth to ear in Virginia.  My teacher spent one hour a day for 90 days with me teaching the EA and FC obligations.  I must admit that the FC was much easier to learn after I had mastered the EA.

Dave
David Davis
Oriental Lodge #20
Mathews, Virginia

I 10/08/2013
P 07/17/2014
R 08/21/2014
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Warrior1256 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Warrior1256 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2014 at 9:52am
Luckily I went into Masonry knowing that there was quite a bit of memorization required so I was as prepared as possible. However, some potential candidates don't know this so they should be forewarned.
St. Matthews Lodge 906
Suburban Lodge 740
Shively-Lewis-Parkland 951
AASR, Orient of Kentucky, Valley of Louisville
King Solomon Chapter 5
Louisville Council 4
North Central York Rite College 116
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jdeal View Drop Down
Quarryman
Quarryman


Joined: April/16/2014
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jdeal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2014 at 7:47pm
It's from a cypher book. I as well knew there would be memory work and a initial time investment with plenty of time from the instructors and ALOT of patience it can be done as we all know. Just a thought me and another brother were talking about it as I was coaching him on his MM proficiency.
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Caution1010 View Drop Down
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Joined: November/16/2010
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Caution1010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2014 at 8:27am
These types of classes require mentors and teachers along with the candidates. If they are trying to figure it out themselves then of course expect them to get discouraged.
I: 10/1/10
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PHA-AL

"You can't trust those fellow-crafts...buncha rogues and murderers!"
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NewToLight84 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NewToLight84 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2014 at 1:45pm
In Nebraska there is a great booklet handed out. It contains information about the meanings of symbols for that degree only and history about Masonary. It also has the Q&A cyphered in it to help with being proved up. You get a seperate one for EA, FC and MM.
"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Mason some people will ever meet." -unknown
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote aogop Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2014 at 8:21pm
My first thought was whether or not these things were explained to them during their investigation,and knew from the beginning what demands would be made of them in order to advance.
JerryP.

PM- Shoreline Lodge#248 F&AM

Shoreline, WA.
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NewToLight84 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NewToLight84 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2014 at 8:38pm
Good question aogop..
"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Mason some people will ever meet." -unknown
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Squeek49 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squeek49 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2014 at 4:26am
Originally posted by NewToLight84 NewToLight84 wrote:

In Nebraska there is a great booklet handed out. It contains information about the meanings of symbols for that degree only and history about Masonary. It also has the Q&A cyphered in it to help with being proved up. You get a seperate one for EA, FC and MM.


We get the same books in Virginia but without the cyphers.  I just found my Dad's EA, FC and MM books from Anthony Lodge in Springfield, Ohio where he was raised in 1951..   They are the same as the ones in Virginia.
David Davis
Oriental Lodge #20
Mathews, Virginia

I 10/08/2013
P 07/17/2014
R 08/21/2014
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Warrior1256 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Warrior1256 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2014 at 5:08pm
Originally posted by aogop aogop wrote:

My first thought was whether or not these things were explained to them during their investigation,and knew from the beginning what demands would be made of them in order to advance.

Good point. If not it should be.
St. Matthews Lodge 906
Suburban Lodge 740
Shively-Lewis-Parkland 951
AASR, Orient of Kentucky, Valley of Louisville
King Solomon Chapter 5
Louisville Council 4
North Central York Rite College 116
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pscyclepath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 6:49pm
Everyone seeks the light at their own pace.   When I was initiated a couple of years ago, it was a double-header degree, with two candidates.  I went first, and wound up getting my master's degree 61 days later.   The other fellow was the Master's nephew, who came back once about three weeks later for a session of lecturing, and hasn't been seen since.  

And some of us may decide that Masonry isn't what they thought it was, for whatever reason, and may drop out somewhere along the rough and rocky road.  It is "of our own free will and accord" that we seek each degree.  The first one is essentially a "gimme," but all the others require a degree of effort and determination to achieve.  So, the process itself serves as a bit of winnowing for those who may not have the fortitude to see the road to its various checkpoints, much less its end.


Tom Ezell
Adoniram #288, F&AM
Mablevale, AR
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jdeal View Drop Down
Quarryman
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jdeal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 8:20pm
Well put.
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NobleShabba View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NobleShabba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2014 at 6:37am
Originally posted by Squeek49 Squeek49 wrote:

Boy, I wish we had a cypher book!  Everything is mouth to ear in Virginia.  My teacher spent one hour a day for 90 days with me teaching the EA and FC obligations.  I must admit that the FC was much easier to learn after I had mastered the EA.

Dave



And do you still have a bond with your teacher?
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DISCLAIMER: These are my comments, and mine alone - they do not necessarily apply to any group to which I belong!
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Squeek49 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squeek49 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2014 at 7:48am
NobleShabba said, "And do you still have a bond with your teacher?"

I see your point NobleShabba.  And a good point it is!

David Davis
Oriental Lodge #20
Mathews, Virginia

I 10/08/2013
P 07/17/2014
R 08/21/2014
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NobleShabba View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NobleShabba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2014 at 2:25pm
Originally posted by Squeek49 Squeek49 wrote:

NobleShabba said, "And do you still have a bond with your teacher?"

I see your point NobleShabba.  And a good point it is!


Glad you caught that, because we miss sometimes how good and how pleasant it can be when brothers build that kind of relationship. After all, great relationships are a key ingredient in promoting harmony in all institutions, especially this of ours.
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DISCLAIMER: These are my comments, and mine alone - they do not necessarily apply to any group to which I belong!
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