Welcome to the new age Masonic podcast a podcast dedicated to the new age magazine predecessor to the Scottish W journal on this podcast we take a deep dive into the articles of the history people and lessons of Freemasonry as written in the New Age magazine and their pertinence to both everyday
Personal and Masonic life hosted by Brothers Maynard Edwards 32nd degree KC Matt Bowers 32nd degree and Chris Ry 3 second degree kcch articles from The New Age magazine read by Matt Bowers and brought to you by the Supreme Council of the Scottish right Southern jurisdiction mother Supreme Council of the
World welcome to the new age Masonic podcast I’m mayor Edwards 32nd degree KC along with brother Chris Ry 32nd degree kcch historian for the valley of Washington DC and Matt Bowers now 302 degree Scottish Ray Mason he just became Master of the royal secret a couple of
Weeks ago so congrats to brother Matt on that in this podcast what we do is we take an article from The New Age magazine which was the predecessor to the Scottish right Journal we dust it off brother Chris has digitized all of those and we’re going to have brother
Matt read it for us just like he does with the Scottish right Journal podcast and then we’re going to talk about it because these things have been around in some cases for 40 50 60 years some even longer and this one today philosophy and the drama in Freemasonry by Brother
Francis h e odonnell th second degree KC brother Chris do you know when this one uh what era we’re looking at here on this one this is part of that first you know first couple years of the Pod of of the podcast of the uh of the magazine so
We’re talking what 1900s the SS or 1904 1905 so that’s what the era we’re looking at yeah and at that point um I guess what this is is one of the things that this touches on a little bit is how degree work is done because at that
Point a lot of Scottish Ray Cathedrals were starting to be built historically speaking and so going from performing degree work in a traditional lodro setting yeah to to a stage type setting which was a which was a c change I I yes and I and I I’m so glad you hit it right
On the nail so I found so I in order to just make this a little easier for people because it is kind of dense there’s a lot especially in the beginning there’s a the you know it’s not a it’s not a quick read not there’s
A lot in there I sort of boiled it down to three points which is odonald says Sight and Sound are important it’s important to the initiatic process it’s important to the entire thing so sight and and sound are important but it comes from this you know primitive you know
Grand scheme of it’s It’s there’s a religious you know connection to it um the second part is the people that are conferring the degree or the initiation the practitioner as he calls it the practitioners are super critical to this so it’s not just hey we want to
Make sure that your degree work is spoton it’s not it’s not going to be like word letter perfect but the practitioner has to really understand the values really understand what’s going on understand the degree to make it a better degree right and then the third part is yeah resources the space
That you do it the money that you have to do these things to to to perform these degrees or conferrals yeah it’s important but it’s not the be all end all you know and so those are the sort of the three spots the three themes that
I pulled sort of high level so maybe let’s uh have Matt go through it and then we can jump back in and talk about that more absolutely let’s dive into this one again the title of this is philosophy and the drama in Freemasonry by Brother Francis h e odonnell 32nd
Degree KC from around 1904 1905 in the Scottish right New Age magazine as read by Brother Matt Bowers 32nd degree philosophy and the drama in Freemasonry man is a trinity individually and collectively individually he is Spirit Mind Body collectively the family the nation Humanity the immortality of man is a
Masonic axom no atheist can ever be made a Mason the emphasis of the trinitarian character of man is requisite to a correct comprehension of the relative values of the philosophical inculcation and dramatic rendition of the several degrees of Freemasonry the Breath of Life vouch safe to some not all newborn babes
Endows the infant with the conscious ious of its own personality and stamps it with the immortality of a separate identity in the cosmos of created things the Consciousness or mind is given the same attribute as the physical form to wit the power to grow the thought or
Activity of the mind is stimulated by the physical senses and they in turn depend upon corporeal action for their education the consciousness of identity being essentially Divine in origin repels by the action of conscience the grosser thoughts of the physical entity and accepts and feeds solely upon the higher finer mental pabulum called
Wisdom thus proceedes the sole growth or evolution of the immortal spirit in man the physical mental and Immortal Parts interdependent upon each other to constitute the personality of the perfect man progress through the aons of Eternity to a part in the greater good for thus evolutionary progressively
Through his own emanations of the life principle even God grows the principle established that education through the physical sense pours into the electrolytic trough of mind and that the battery plates of Soul attract only the gold of wisdom to beautify and enrich The Immortal Spirit of man we are now
Ready to consider the ways and means to fulfill the Masonic obligation to Aid the development of the Divinity and Humanity the child first comes from the dark Ness of unconscious existence to the light of immortal conscious identity through the sense of sight there are the abnormalities of the congenital blind
But the discussion of that condition is not pertinent to the present subject the evolution of species proves the force of majority rule in nature equally as in Nations the crude impressions of infancy are received mostly via the eye time and patience gradually add the power of the
Ear hearing does much to originate and accelerate the development of the higher thought processes blind philosophers have been too numerous to name whilst the exception of the semi mute Dr kiddo they are practically unknown amongst the congenital deaf the mind of the child The Savage and the ignorant everywhere
Is best reached through the sense of sight but after the first stages of Education are passed and the mental pictures taken by the eye are ready to be developed printed and enlarged the ear becomes more attentive and greater strength is added to the knowledge which passes into the chambers of the Mind
Reason begins more to take the place of mere impression Scenic Perfection is not the ultimate thol of dramatic art the stage effects give a Visionary pleasure to the greater mental charm produced by the efforts of the ideal actor theatrical surroundings are but more or less crude attempts to depict striking phases of
Human activity they are wholly artificial A Midsummer Night stream is best rendered in a natural Woodland no stage setting can render truly the scenes of Shakespearean or other historical dramas The Genius of the great artist PS before the ability of the perfect impersonator it is the statue versus The Living form Tabo makes
Striking Impressions but are always open to misinterpretations the oratory of the Grecian philosophers ranked far ahead of the art of the Greek actors or the spectacles of the Olympian games the philosopher has lived for it pertained to the immortal part of man whilst the theaters are in Ruins and the games are
Almost forgotten the theaters and the games were the Recreations of the mental and physical temporality of the Greeks they served a purpose and passed away their existence was not useless they fulfilled a certain work in the education of their age just as the drama and Athletics of the 20th century have
Their proper place in the curriculum of Modern Life Freemasonry is a philosophical fraternity the Endeavors of so-called reconstructors to convert the order into an elmary almsgiving beneficiary society and in some countries to endow it with a political purpose are gross violations of the genuine Spirit of the ancient institution as a philosophical School
Masonry is educational at the ultra highest degree it is not a primary grammar or High School of Ethics but the Nay Plus Ultra College of the greatest culture known to man the mission of Freemasonry is to down the Demons of superstition that false education systems have created to enslave the body
Mind and soul of man masonry is iconoclastic of evil but the Divine architect of good masonry aims to make man fit finally to become a perfect part in the universe of God the great object of the order set forth clearly in every degree from the entrance Apprentice to
The prince of the royal secret demands the assiduous devotion and attention of every Earnest Freemason a dramatic presentation of the lessons of the degrees is permissible and preferable solely when the teachers are so impressed with the Divinity of their purpose as to feel the inspiration always divinely vouch safed if sincerely
Asked for such a moment every thought of self must be eliminated from their efforts the Masonic instructor who who poses with platitudes and stained glass attitudes principally to gain the Applause of his Brethren will never create a favorable impression upon intelligent novitiates it is a crime against masonry to willfully initiate other than
Deserving men of superior mind and mold of Life Freemasonry Works to create an army of exemplars Not actors soldiers of the light who by their everyday bearing in business society and the family un a iously depict the glory of the better life the moral manhood amongst men if Masonic work is to degenerate
Into miserable dramatic misrepresentations of divine truths enacted by self-conscious imitators of histrionic art then away with such trumpery the attentive ear can listen and learn always everywhere to the instructive tongue the glory of celestial being is as interesting and recognizable to the anxious eager Seeker after truth when communicated in the
Darkest recesses of a mountain cave as when surrounded by all the scenic effects and pictures of the finest Scottish W Cathedral to make a great Mason otherwise a truly good man but three things are absolutely requisite a reasoning intelligent mind a ready receptive ear and a patient faithful
Capable instructor all else is but flounces they may add ornament but do not enhance either the quality or utility of that spotless robe of whitest floss Freemasonry there is no intention to decry the dramatic presentation of realistic features of the degrees but rather to give a forward less the
Philosophies of the ancient Mysteries be subordinated to spectacular display the 3rd 6th 9th 15th 16th 21st 27th and 29th degrees are traditionally historic open to theatrical rendition the first second third largely and all the others are absolutely philosophical elegantly prepared Tableau and Scenic effects may serve to impress striking truths upon
Minds of coarser fiber but the truth itself burned in by the inspired words of the faithful teacher is what will ever most appeal to the finer mentality of the earnest Seeker for the light idolatry and Superstition follow quickly in the wake of ultra realistic display whitecliffe Knox Luther and Company had
To overturn the elaborate imagery up builded by a despotic priesthood to uncover the great light of Liberty call it religious liberty but religious liberty and human Liberty are synonymous religion is the bringing back to the law and the law the one true law not license is always true Liberty it is nonsensical
To talk of the mob man the ordinary unit of the Mass called mankind being able to distinguish the symbol from the thing symbolized he doesn’t do it he couldn’t do it he wouldn’t be the mob man if he could Liberty can only offer opportunity it cannot compel its acceptance hence
The ignorant are enslaved everywhere even in the land of the freest of the free the mission of Freemasonry is to liberate from mental thraldom the minds of those who accept the opportunity and win the right to be called free men no series of theatrical performances could
Convey a right all the lessons of the mighty past necessary to a true comprehension of the lives of our ancestors a correct understanding of the relationships of bygone events in history can be attained only in the sanctum sanctorum of the student’s Den the cultivation of analytical thought needs the patient assiduity of the
Bookman the superb imitation of the apparel and a costly reproduction in Tinsel of the surroundings unquestionably present striking pictures of never to be forgotten events of the past capable actors to a limited degree resurrect for a brief period the characters who figured in those ancient scenes yet the whole is but a passing
Show almost forgotten when the curtain Falls the effects produced upon the minds of the audience have not the durability of the lessons inculcated by the professor from the Rostrum of the foreign fine acting is a high art productive of pleasing but evanescent results teaching true instruction is the outpouring of
Soul force it impregnates the very being of the pupil and never fails to add at least a modom of increase to his spiritual power the profanes who become Freemasons are supposed to become better men not for a moment but for all eternity therefore it is the par province of Masons to teach wisdom
Rather than to exemplify dramatic art the Fulfillment of this end will ever demand the preferment of a philosophical presentation of the degrees the Dramatical rendition no matter how excellently enacted must always be kept subordinate to the greater purpose the creation of the moral man of one more soldier of the truth is of
Vastly more importance than the production of a first class mimic Galileo and Gerta did more for the evolution of the human intellect than 10,000 grimaldis Plato lives whilst the god pan would be forgotten were it not for his pipes there is a happy medium is everything the picture living upon the
Stage or painted upon the wall is a useful accessory but not an indispensable adjunct to education the dramatic representation of some degrees is extremely desirable when well done but the philosophical significance must not be left to the imagination of the candidate the picture is the platter the philosophy is the
Preventor of the Feast of initiation into the ancient Mysteries the soul can live forever without a plate but perishes without the sustenance of the spiritual food godess is not godliness the super excellent vanities of a pontifical high mass in St Peter’s at Rome though constantly repeated through the
Centuries of the Christian era have not elevated the host the mass the mob of Italian citizens to a moral plain superior to the Heretics without the pales of the Roman Catholic communion to the contrary it has degraded them in the scale of civilized Nations Italian Freemasonry working secretly so secretly
In attics and back alleys without the commonest apperences of paraphenalia is the one great uplifting force that is slowly but surely raising Italy to the light and unfolding to her eyes the greatest glorious Banner on which Blaze the immortal words Liberty equality fraternity these words truthfully interpreted mean to every man the right
To a free conscience to equality of justice and opportunity and to recognition as a unit in the Brotherhood of humanity Italian masonry does the great work without stages and scene settings robes and regalas electric lights or pipe organs it sets in motion the almighty power of Reason in the
Inculcation of the true philosophy of Life Freemasonry the wealth and ease of a Nation are its greatest dangers unguarded Liberty then luxury and in its wake the demon license license is wedded to downfall and gives birth to despotism as the ages roll on this is the price
Mankind pays over and over again for its deification of the material its worship of the golden calf an exclusive surrender of masonic instruction to a dramatic presentation of the rights and ceremonies would be an absolutely certain Omen of the decadence of the order man shall not live by Meat alone
But by every word that cometh forth of the Oracles of true wisdom the pretty performance which please the eye and the ear must not be allowed to supplant the inculcation of the greater philosophies which expand the immortal part of the nature of man the scenic Beauties which moth and Russ
Can corrupt are not equivalent to the glory of the increased intellect the inner sanctuary of the Soul into which no thieves can break through and steal Freemasonry demands the emancipation of the human mind everywhere on Earth to this end it is very necessary to denounce and warn against ultr dramatic
Renditions of the ritual of the degrees to the exclusion and possibly eventual suppression from noxious dude of the wonderful philosophy let wisdom and strength be the Masters and Beauty the chaste handmaiden of the ceremonies let neither frivolous Innovations nor foolish vanities detract from The Majestic grander of the philosophical
Teachings of the rights let learning illumin and love uplift the minds of the novitiates to higher thoughts let no actar nor jangle jar the susceptibilities of the initiates let it be the aim of all Masonic teachers to give knowledge rather than to please by the performance of a theatrical part a
Masterful combination the very best possible of the Dramatical and philosophical features of the degrees is what is to be most desired in the work of initiation but this representation must be so affected that the philosophy remains always the Paramount purpose sacrifice the drama every time if necessary to the philosophy this
Principle firmly established in the bodies will accomplish in the highest sense The Splendid mission of Freemasonry and bring nearer the day when the universal Brotherhood of man shall enter into the Glorious peace of God which passeth all understanding a criticism in the April number of the New
Age We published a letter from a Scottish wri Mason which discussed the use of the stage in conferring the degrees we have received the following letter with which as it is evidently intended for the instruction of the brethren we gladly print George F Moore editor the new age Washington
D.C Dear Sir a letter of much interest appears in the April number of the new age containing the views of codex regarding Innovations in the clothing of the Rose quad degrees misconceptions as to the symbolism of the chass and Beretta as used in the services of the
Roman Catholic Church are common as a matter of fact they have no historical religious meaning of any kind like that connected with a robe worn by the high Priests of the Israelites the casu or pinula from which the word chasable is derived was a larger outer garment worn
By the Romans when on Journeys to protect their usual clothing until the sixth or 7th Century Priests of the church wore the ordinary clothing of the country in which they lived and and how the chass came to find a place in the celebration of a mass originally the dismissal of the cumans
Is only a matter of conjecture the Rish church has ever been ready to adapt itself to the costume the customs and even some of the ceremonies and superstitions of the various Nations into which it has penetrated father Adam Shaw one of the early Jesuits in China is pictured in a Mandarin’s costume with
A compass in one hand a time piece in the other and on his breastplate the representation of an eagle the chass in the 18th degree is prescribed by the ritual and as it is a garment with no claim whatever to particular religious significance no valid objection could be
Rais to its use in Scottish masonry this applies equally to the Beretta the statement of codex that slowly and insidiously this jesuitism is cropping up again surely could not have referred to the sublime stage effects and the sublimer ritualism and ceremonial of our degrees these are bulwarks of our
Strength in the labor of Scottish masonry for the downfall of all tyranny temporal or spiritual we have more to fear from such carefully worded stories as the White Cross of Craig and the Holy Blood of Brugge in the April New Age here in truth lies some things Insidious
Let us not fall into the Absurd position of becoming too tolerant of the Intolerable BL tatman wise Master St Joseph chapter Number Four Knights Rose qua a very careful rereading of the story of the White Cross of Craig and the article the Holy Blood of Bru has failed to reveal the slightest
Foundation for this criticism made by Brother tatman editor Brother Francis H odonnell 32nd degree kcch and his thoughts on the philosophy and the drama in Freemasonry and you know Chris I think you you really hit it at the beginning when we were talking about this um this
Is not a quick read this one requires a little bit of uh of unpacking so to speak but I think he makes some good points um goes around the bar in a little way to make it but for me the the it’s sort of a look at um how important is it to
Deliver Masonic degree work in a powerful and dramatic fashion what you know what one is it’s one of the many points he makes but to me that’s that’s the thing that I kind hung up on and I I have I definitely have some some thoughts on the idea where are you with
This one yeah I mean he starts the he starts the article by basically saying you know there’s this religious you know there’s the spirit the mind the body we get it from the great architect the universe it manifests and and he says it manifests in the beginning through
Eyesight or through site and so as a young child you’re learning you’re educating yourself through sight and then he says over time as a as a a baby or an infant then you sort of evolve and touch and feel and and and hear are also part of the senses that you’re learning
It’s it’s a method by which you learn and educate and so what he’s saying is start from there right so from the idea of a drama or you’re setting up a drama or you’re setting up the degrees what’s the important thing it’s sight it’s what is the candidate seeing what is the
Candidate experiencing and so he says that’s really important but he also sort of flips it towards the towards halfway in the article and he’s like look who but who were and and so he uses this example of like the Grecian philosophers and he says yeah that site’s really
Important of course you can have uh you know a beautiful rendition of the Midsummer Night’s Dream that’s set up in this Woodland you know you know environment you can have a beautiful play by Shakespeare but what he’s also saying is yes that’s true but at the same time who were the more important
Figures in ancient Greek you know in ancient Greece for example so he’s saying the Grecian philosophers outranked the Greek actors and the greek olympians you know because yeah they were doing something physical but at the same time they were bringing philosophy into it and so we know more about the
Philosophers than we do you know you know we know about Plato we know about Socrates more than we do about who won the first Olympic Games he’s talking about the philosophy that stands and and sort of keeps um or or matures are indoors he then gets a little bit into
Well let’s take into consideration the physical space right and and you mentioned it before which was which was really good this idea of what’s the time frame that he’s writing this 1904 turn of the century you’re starting to see the Scottish Wright build Cathedrals build these larger spaces so what he’s
Talking about is he’s noticing a trend we’re moving away from we’re hanging out in taverns and and this guy who knows the ritual really well is going to sit there and perform it in front of you over a night and you know and he’s talking about we are putting on a
Production we are getting costumes we are building a large space to really bring this you know these stories out and to get more out of it and so he’s saying what are we losing is there anything that we are losing by doing this obviously we’re gaining a great
Visual dramatic experience but is the candidate going to remember remember that if you stand there and the practitioner basically is reading off of a book now we can get into that of course but I’m gonna stop there because I see yeah I think that you you hit the
Nail again on the head as I said before to me this is a little bit of a um I don’t want to use the term cautionary Tale But it’s a it’s a it’s a point to Brothers to be aware to use the new tools at their disposal properly and
It’s not unlike the discussion that we have currently regarding masonry and let’s say social media uh because we recognize that we have this tool at our disposal but we also recognize not only the advantages of it but also the potential pitfalls that it may bring to
Us and so I think at at that time you know what he’s talking about is as lodges as as Scottish right valleys and as are are starting to transition from that Lodge room or that Pub room space into that more stage oriented space to Let’s accentuate the positive but be
Mindful of some of the negative things that it can it can bring and and I think that’s a great discussion for Scottish right masons in general we tend to you know there’s some Scottish right valleys that are just huge and have these very ornate theaters a lot of the ones in the
Midwest gotth three jumps to mind the theater in Nashville is extraordinary um the the the temple in St Louis is gorgeous I mean there’s so many out there um but there’s also something to be said for the power of these degrees in a very small space and I I come from a
Unique spot in that I belong to two valleys and perform the same degrees in both valleys and one Valley meets in a small Lodge and I mean by small Lodge I mean it’s a pretty small Lodge room you couldn’t Park more than two cars in the
Whole Lodge room and then I come from another Valley Baltimore has a beautiful large theater and it’s a classic um classic Roman style theater with a well and all of those things and and you know I’d love to see Shakespeare done there someday as a Shakespeare nerd but and
Doing the fourth degree in both of those places and doing the 14th degree in both of those spaces I understand the differences in the way the lessons are are received by the brothers I see there’s certain advantages and disadvantages to each but you know who has an even more unique perspective and
A more recent perspective as brother Matt because he just went through part of his degrees in Susana in a little tiny Valley and then went and saw the rest of them in Baltimore so and this was just as we’re recording this just last week so um looking at that Matt was
Did you like one more than the other was one more impactful to you than the other I mean I know sometimes reunion days can be a little long and and and Chris knows this too you have to endure the whole you know endure several hours of of that
That can be a little challenging but um uh you know what what were your thoughts on this because you’re I mean the Ink’s not drying your patent for real it’s not right I don’t think the grand Commander’s even signed it yet actually I think it well Ju Just from the from
The aspect of there’s so much to take in at one time you know it’s it’s a little bit of a sensory overload you know with in in the smaller Valley the much smaller Valley of Susana for the first two rounds of degrees um you you certainly didn’t have the the theatrical
End of things and Co and well you had some costumes but you didn’t have the grander scale of what was going on in Baltimore so I wouldn’t necessarily say I didn’t get as much out of the ones in Susana as in Baltimore they were just different
You know the the if the mess and it’s and oddly enough it it kind of coincides with another project that I’m doing right now um for the deay but reading a chapter out of uh out of high dad and they talk about you know the first time putting together their first set of
Degree work and all that and how they they realized that it h how it had to look and and you know the painstaking time that they took to make it look a certain way it I I I’m still I still feel like it was a little bit of sensory overload obviously Baltimore looked
Better it it it it was bigger it was grander it was it was more it was more theater but Susana still got its message across and they were they still were able to convey the message well enough that I wasn’t looking at my watch and falling asleep it
Was you know I’m sure next year when I go because I I’ve I’ve volunteered now to for for one of the degrees in Baltimore to to be a part of that so maybe you know my take on it next year or ra rather in the fall will be way
Different than the first time out because this time I’ll be a part of it so so that so Matt you actually bring up a good point which um in the article they mention and Donald is actually kind of a stickler about it what he’s saying is you as a practitioner so you said
That you know you got volunteer or you volunteered or you’re interested in in in participating in the next conferral what odonald is saying here is you may not be ready yet because you haven’t gone through the educational are you you know like you’re not you’re not
Fully in it or or you’re not experienced enough to go through it like a brother who has done it for 10 years or for five years who who has learned it now that might be just a criticism on Al Donald’s part maybe in the context of
You know back then in 1904 there were 200 guys and you know there was a the you know there were 50 guys who were interested in in performing it and you know they were looking for the more Adept or more experienced guys but what odonald is hearing saying is yeah you
Can do it but the best practitioners the best guys who are actually in the room doing the conferral work those are the guys who’ve done it for a while those guys who learned it who understand the rual ual who can who who obviously and this we’re talking about way past
Memorization this is like you know obviously they’re memorized all their parts but it’s they understand the ritual and so maybe in the context of the time maybe you wouldn’t have been a good candidate to be a practitioner because he says you got to get the best
People and you got to let them do it because you’re going to you’re going to minimize or or not really enhance the initiatic experience well how do you not know that you have the best people until you until people volunteer and get involved right and again we don’t know
The context of when he wrote this we don’t know if did was his Valley just like 20 guys or was it 150 guys who were every time there they had different parts you know they were alternating so we don’t really know the context there I think just to defend odonnell here a bit
I I don’t necessarily think it’s it’s an experience uh issue as much as it is an attitude ude and a a self education issue and he’s got a quote here two actually I want to mention Freemasonry Works to create an army of exemplars Not actors soldiers of the light who by
Their everyday bearing in business Society the family unen justly depict the glory of the better life the moral manhood amongst men so what he’s saying is we need this Army of actors but you can’t you’re not doing this as an actor you’re doing this to demonstrate to
Others in a confined space these lessons but then you need to go out and actually live those lessons in order to really fulfill that and it says the Masonic instructor who poses with platitudes and stained glass attitudes principally to gain the Applause of his Brethren will never create a favorable impression upon
Intelligent noviciate so what he’s again what he’s saying is this is not about acting if you’re doing this because you want to prove you’re the best actor you’re doing it wrong you have to do it because you have taken it upon yourself to incorporate these lessons and you now
Want to demonstrate them in this confined space I didn’t mean to interrupt you Chris but you you just you were right in that spot where I where I was yeah yeah that yeah absolutely now I’m more Curious to hear I mean Matt did you when you were going through the
Experience the initiatic experience could you have tell oh yeah these guys memorized it well that you can tell that they’ve done it a hundred times or was it just you know like your third degree or your first degree or or you know the blue Lodge degrees um or you really couldn’t tell you
Know well I thought the guy thought thought the the at least as far as the memorization and reciting work was done far better in the blue Lodge degrees at by at the lodge that mayard and I uh attend regularly um but maybe that but it’s something that they practice every
Week I don’t know what the the the brothers from Susan and Baltimore I don’t know how of they get together to do that or you know how or how often they’re having to switch out people because you know this person’s available for this but this person’s not Avail I
Mean for instance the I think it was the 25th degree which I volunteered for that wasn’t able to be done this past Saturday because brother died oh wow yeah so but if I if I were if I were to compare the the brothers that are blue
LOD they they knock it out of the park every time yeah I think I think there’s a ro and I’m using the term romance in the you sort of old school ter I think there’s this romance or this misconception of like we’re all in this tavern and everyone in this tavern is
Conferring this degree and and you know it’s part of this long traditional process of the 18th century that goes back to 15th and 16th century and you have this idea of like you know it’s it’s an intimate space and and what it really based on my research and
Certainly in the American context it was probably one or two guys that really knew the entire part you know not everyone in that old revolutionary or Colonial Masonic Lodge had it down packed it was there was one or two guys who served as the keepers of the of the ritual and then
They conferred it and they were assisting and and you know sitting down with the other guys and making sure that they get the ritual down we really don’t know how many people conferred all of those degrees and obviously it varies by state right which who is participating
In the degree conferral so and and in many of these cases especially in these Old Colonial lodges you’ve only got about 10 guys showing up three or four of those 10 guys are traveling they just got here to a different state they don’t know the ritual or they know their own
Version of the ritual so I I I think we’re we’re Masons have this Grand Vision of everyone was an expert on the ritual back then and they can do it you know perfectly and they used to travel and confer these degrees when in reality parts of the degrees were only given
Certain parts were given you know there’s a there’s a great in a diary of Benjamin B French in an old video that mayor you and I worked on you know even he this guy who conferred the degrees on you know the president of the United States Andrew Johnson he only read maybe
Three or four parts of three or four degrees he didn’t do the entire thing so for McDonald to say you know you you need to you need to really have these traditional the way that we used to do it in the past and now talking about how you need better practitioners I think
There I think that’s not correct it’s not accurate it’s not historically accurate but at the same time I think he is trying to push a vision of what he wants or what He suggests he wants the best acting the best experience by individuals who know the
Ritual for you know so many years and I think that’s a little unrealistic now is his intention to say here’s where we could be here’s the best part here’s where we should be striving to yes do I think it’s realistic who knows I don’t I I’m not really sure about that yeah he
He says in here he says there’s a happy medium in everything the picture living upon the stage or painted upon the wall is is a useful accessory but not indispensable to adjunct education so you know we need the scenery but not absolutely the dramatic representation of some of the degrees is extremely
Desirable when well done but the philosophical significance must not be left to the imagination of the candidate so you know I think he’s pushing for a listen we’ve got to get guys that know the ritual pretty well and are experienced in it but also we can’t have
Guys that just don’t know how to act we got we got to have that we got to find that that space in the middle and I I think a lot of lodges do better at that now than perhaps they used to yeah yeah there there is a there’s a paragraph
Here that also struck me because outside of that context it’s sort of like a little again critical so he says Freemasonry is a a philosophical fraternity the Endeavors of so-called reconstructors to convert the order to msging a beneficiary society and in some countries to endow it with a political
Purpose are gross violations of the genuine Spirit of the ancient institution so he’s like we should be making Masons that’s a fight that rages now that’s what that’s what’s funny about the last article we worked on in this article is that there are so many things that you know you erase a couple
Of dates and and pop down into some more modern language and the issues are the same so right there are a lot of people who believe that you know charitable charitable Works which tend to be focus of of many lodges or are the focus of many lodges is not our main focus and
And that’s sort of a bastardization of Freemason re of itself that we are philosophers at heart and that’s what we should be we should as you said make more Masons right right go ahead I’d be curious to know how offputting his he he seems he seems to be setting a pretty
High standard for things and I wonder how off-putting he this article might have been taken back then because I mean the the drama end of things you have to get someone’s attention yeah and that’s and that’s where it it all stems from you and and again you you can’t you can’t absorb it
It’s like watching a movie you you don’t always absorb everything from a film you see the the first and only time you’ve seen it right so at least if you’ve got someone’s attention from the get-go with with the drama and the the stage and what have you that that’s that’s a good
Start right right yeah and and I think what he’s especially that last paragraph that we were just mentioning I think what he’s saying is if your ritual isn’t great or if the initiatic experience isn’t great then maybe you should be focusing on that instead of setting up committees for charitable events or
Outdoor activities to get people in the room because what he’s saying is you’re failing at what he thinks is the principal aspect of Freemasonry which is to make you know to go through and make Masons and to improve their lives through philosophy and all these principles and values so he’s like if
You can’t get that then you’re gonna have a tough time doing everything else do you remember the liveaction version of The Flintstones with John Goodman and sure Rosie O’Donnell and I forget who played Wilma I forgot it was and it was was it Rick Moranis as yeah Rick
Moranis was Barney Rubble Barney Rubble thank you so gen aers have just left the chat so go they have yes or or the M Millennials have left the chat gen aers are like Flintstones that’s a car that’s right um and the Baby Boomers but the thing about that film that that bugged
Me was that The Flintstones the cartooning of itself always had a good storyline and the dinosaurs and the TVs and the and the old tech for lack of a better term was just uh you know just was happened to be there whereas that movie the story was terrible and it was
All about look at all this cool stuff we build and made this cartoon come to life right and so it loses you so quickly just as you mentioned he that odonnell in this article talks about how uh we need to be making Masons and and that
Should be our Focus maybe we should get our ritual right before we start uh getting into charitable Endeavors he also I think is is telling a tale of before you get too excited building giant set pieces let’s make sure you’re getting the ritual right so I think
That’s that’s one of the central points of this is for sure is uh if you guys aren’t getting the ritual and teaching the lessons none of this other stuff matters at all right right right so I know it’s a strange analogy but it just jumped to mind about a movie where like
Look at all the cool stuff we built was that was that Flintstones movie yeah yeah well I guess in that way it’s sort of like if you watch a TV show or a movie and you’re like this this script is terrible or the writing or the plot is terrible and they’re spending all
Their time on the CGI or graph graic to have that brother be in the room and be like oh you know it was a terrible movie and then they go into the room and just read the Ritual from the book and it’s like hey don’t you see what you’re what
You’re trying to say here it’s it’s the same thing but you’re saying oh this movie is terrible because it’s not well written but then you decide well I don’t have time I’m just going to read this from the book what does the what does that candidate go through what experience do they
See so brother odonnell makes some great and interesting points um and uh we’d love for you to share if you have any thoughts with us you can always email us at podcast Scottish right.org uh final thoughts on this we let to start with brother Matt Bowers now 32nd degree
Scott TR Mason Casey no you’re not Casey no cut that out editor cut that out brother Matt Bowers now 32nd degree Master of the royal secret uh final thoughts on this one uh I didn’t well just personally speaking I didn’t didn’t like it as much as the
Previous article um I you know know I I think he sets pretty high standards for things uh and and again you you can’t get all you you don’t get the message the first time out you know if if you reel them in with with a good performance then then the next time
Through hopefully that they attend they get more of the information out of or they you know they look up the information in in any of the the books that are out there I I I uh I understand what you’re saying I I don’t dislike the article and
I don’t disagree with per se much of what brother O’Donnell says in the article I I feel a little like he’s looking down his the bridge of his nose at us like he’s lowering his glasses and and kind of uh giving us a warning without trying he’s got that old pmas
Vibe about it is is what it amounts to you know his his arms are crossed and saying Hey kid make sure you you put a that where it doesn’t belong in the ritual make sure so there’s a little bit of that to it which can always rub me
The wrong way but um I can’t argue with it and what fascinates me about this as in a lot of the other readings that we’ve done is how the problems have not changed the language has changed but overall the problems remain you know where is our Focus are we you know is it
Should we focus more on ritual or more on charitable stuff should we focus more on making sure we deliver these things word for word or delivering them in a powerful Manner and so it fascinates me how the problems don’t change they just roll right along and and is that just
Because that’s just the way life is or are we uh repeatedly not learning a lesson or or or what is it but it’s very very uh very fascinating to me brother Chris R you get the last word on this one yeah I I I selected this article for
Our discussion because uh just like you said out of context or out of time you can place this in 1950 you can place this in 1850 and and the and the theories and the and the topic is just that um I hope it it brings up more interesting conversations with your
Masonic body so if you’re if you’re listening to this consider sharing it with others and see what they think about it I think um I think the best types of Articles especially through the new age and in that earlier generation in the new age are questions that are
Not yes or no answers they’re sort of allow you to sit back and go well wait a minute as a past master of my Lodge I’ve had XYZ or as a new guy here’s what I think uh it allows you to have deeper discussion and to find ways where you
Can either come together or improve your Lodge so with that I’ll give it back to you rich amen Amen to that and I think that if you’d like to use this and a piece of Lodge education one suggestion is you know mail email a link to a bunch
Of the brothers in your Lodge and then that night you know maybe uh repeat a little bit of it and uh and then have that discussion in open Lodge don’t be afraid of those discussions as long as your Grand Lodge allows that type of thing and uh and and really enjoy the
Discussion with your brothers because I think one of the things and and I know we were trying to wrap but um and I think Chris will agree with me on this I know Matt will you know lodges have their own culture and one of the best
Things your Lodge can do to grow and whether we’re talking about a lodge or a valley and a lodge Perfection or chapter Rose Cory whatever the body is you’re talking about is if you come to understand what the particular culture of your Lodge is and what you guys
Really want to be focused on when you find that out and you can all start rowing in the same direction your Lodge is just going grow in energy and spirit very very quickly because people will want to be a part of that that energy becomes very um in infectious and so you
Know take this in have that discussion what’s more important to your Lodge doing these charitable things in the community or hey no we need to get this ritual right and your Lodge culture May lean one way or another and if you can figure out what that is and you’re part
Of the team helping to to make that develop and grow I think that it really could uh you know help lead to a a much more fruitful Lodge experience for a lot of people I I don’t know if you agree or disagree with the idea of Lodge culture
There Chris but I really think it’s a big deal I think Lodge culture saves or breaks lodges if if if the lodge can’t come together as a group of people to to figure out what its goals are then I think there are some there are some big
Issues there and and and having a lot of different opinions a lot of people from different backgrounds I think the more diverse you can make it to make sure that you get all points involved I think the better that kind of log culture uh becomes Matt now you get the last word
On this one and then then we wrap up I promise the true last word true last word not just lodes anything your business your your your relationship with with anything if if there’s no solid it’s a if the culture is not solid it’s a back breaker you will never get
Anything accomplished um you’ll spend more time arguing than you will solving love for you to share your thoughts with us if you’re listening podcast at scott.org is the easiest way to email us also uh in YouTube or Spotify comments however you listen to it and please make sure you check out
All of our other offerings on YouTube you’ll find myself and brother Chris quite often uh kicking things around and we’ve also got uh the Scottish right Journal podcast that brother Matt voices each and every week and it’s uh it’s quick and uh who has time to read
Sometimes I I know with the with kids and job and LW and reading’s tough but you know you got to drive places you got to mow the lawn so uh listen to it then uh just like you’re listening to this podcast now and we do hope that you will
Uh share with some of our brothers and uh share your ideas and Thoughts with us and we keep digging into that new age which is the predecessor to the scat right Journal which was so artfully digitized by brother uh Chris Ry and allows us to have these discussions so
Uh thank you all for listening brother Chris thank you so much thank you and brother Matt thank you thank you thank you we’ll catch you next time here on the new age Masonic podcast
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