Ritual and Education
Ritual and education are the two most important functions of a lodge. It is our duty to make sure that each and every candidate for any degree receives our best of both. Teaching one without the other will have a disastrous effect on out fraternity.
I have seen the degrees conferred in the most excellent manner, where the brothers congratulate each other on the good work, even though the explanatory lectures are omitted. This, my Brothers, is cheating. We have cheated our newly admitted Brother out of the education that he paid his fees to receive.
I believe that it is a thousand times better to read the lectures than to not give them at all. Surely, in every lodge there is someone who can read very well with a strong voice and with expression, so the candidate can understand what the degree is teaching.
How many times have coaches taught the ritual and had his candidate recite it word-perfectly, the entire lodge thinking that is great? Well my brothers, you can teach a parrot to recite the same words, and he, like our candidate, will not understand what is being said.
How many coaches take the time to teach their candidate the history of Masonry, the meaning of the degree he is coaching, or talk about the philosophies of Masonry?
Do you think we should have a program to teach the coaches how to teach ritual and how to educate? Would coaches be willing to be examined before becoming a coach?
I do not believe in short proficiencies or multiple degrees in one day. Let us give out candidates what they paid for.
Ralph Hastings,
Grand Orator, AF&AM of Wyoming
