SHORT TALK BULLETIN - Vol.VII   September, 1929   No.9

SUGAR COATING MASONIC EDUCATION

by:  Unknown

However improper curiosity may be as a principal motive for applying 
for the degrees, it is probable that no man ever passed through the 
West Gate for his initiation as an Entered Apprentice without an 
eager desire to know "what will happen next?"

Immediately thereafter the candidate usually develops a healthy 
curiosity as to the "why" of that which "happened next."  Entered 
Apprentices and Fellowcrafts are generally hungry for explanations of 
the reasons and for the motives behind the words and acts of a 
degree.

Man is incurably curious; his desire to know and to understand is the 
mainspring of invention, discovery, civilization and progress; it is 
the driving force which leads men to learn.

Worshipful Masters can - and many of them do - make use of the desire 
to know, to make better Masons of the brethren of their lodges.  
Masters are charged with the duty of giving the Craft "good and 
wholesome instruction," or causing the same to be done.  But one of 
the principal methods developed by Masonic educators, the 
"educational meeting," is a method of instruction more injured than 
helped by its name!  For many brethren had boyish experiences with 
"education" which lead them to associate with that word a process 
which is dry, dull and uninteresting.

What is here called a "sugar coated" Masonic educational meeting is 
just the reverse; interesting, intriguing, alive, vital and 
satisfying a great curiosity.  Lodges which have tried any of the 
educational experiments here listed usually repeat them, and almost 
invariably the repetition is to a "packed house."

Here are some suggestions for "sugar coated" educational meetings; 
all of them have been tried, and all found successful methods of 
interesting the Craft in the various phases of Freemasonry.

1.	BREAKING RULES TO MEND THEM

Certain unwritten rules of Masonic conduct, as well as some specified 
by Grand Lodges, become so much a matter of custom in lodges that 
many brethren lose sight of the reasons therefore, if, indeed, they 
ever knew them.

The Worshipful Master may arrange a program in which a number of 
brethren, instructed beforehand, to deliberately commit or attempt to 
commit infractions of the rules.  When the error is made, the Master, 
or some previously instructed brother (a Past Master), explains the 
mistake and the reason for the rule.  For instance, in most 
Jurisdictions it is not considered courteous for a brother to pass 
between the Worshipful Master and the Alter (except when in the 
process of conferring a degree).  When the instructed brother crosses 
the lodge between the Altar and the East, the Master may admonish the 
"culprit" that it is not considered proper, and call upon some 
previously instructed Past Master to explain that, in theory, the 
Great light and the Square and Compasses on the Altar; are dedicated 
to God, the Master and the Craft; and, therefore at no time should 
his view of them be interrupted.  A brother who attempts to leave the 
room during a ballot may be corrected and the reason given; Grand 
Lodges usually hold that a ballot on a petition, interrupted by any 
one entering or leaving the room, is invalid, since such an action 
may interfere with the secrecy of said ballot.  Similarly, a brother 
balloting may object to the officer in charge of the ballot box 
standing so close to the altar that he might discover how a brother 
votes.  Either or both of these incidents provide an excellent 
opportunity for a little talk upon the sacredness and secrecy of the 
Masonic ballot, and its importance.  Others are: speaking more than 
twice to the same question, speaking without being recognized, 
speaking without rising, addressing an individual brother or the 
lodge instead of the Master, making a motion to appoint a committee 
with certain specified personnel, offering a resolution "to adjourn" 
or to "lay a motion on the table," are suggested infractions of 
Masonic law and custom, all of which may be corrected in an 
educational meeting in an interesting way.

2.	DISSECTING A DEGREE

Especially recommended for lodges which have little work to do is the 
dissection and explanation of the first section of any degree.  A 
dummy candidate is initiated, and the ceremony interrupted at each 
stage by some brother who offers a little explanation of the 
symbolism of that part of the degree; entry, circumambulation, rite 
of destitution, the antiquity of the Apron, origin of the Lesser 
Lights, etc.  Such dissection and exposition of parts of a degree 
require some little study by those who take part, but by giving each 
brother who offers an interruption only one subject, the work of 
preparation is minimized and the variety increased by having many 
take part.

It is suggested here that inquiry be first made of the District 
Deputy, or the Grand Master; in some Jurisdictions the practice of 
using a dummy candidate has been frowned upon, as derogatory to the 
dignity of our ceremonies.  When it is explained that the purpose of 
the idea is educational, however, it is probable that no difficulty 
will be experienced in obtaining cooperation from those in authority.

3.	YOU MUST - YOU MUST NOT!

The average lodge member knows little about Masonic Law.  The very 
term "Jurisprudence" seems repellent.  Yet Masonic Law is intensely 
interesting, and may be made to appear so to the lodge by any brother 
who will devote a little time and attention to developing a talk on 
those parts of our legal system which most intimately touch the 
brethren.  Masonic Law is vastly different from civil law; most 
Masonic Law is a matter of "thou shalt" rather than "thou shalt not."  
A few salient points chosen for their interest to the average Mason, 
and explained; first, as to their origin; and second, as to their use 
or necessity will interest the lodge.  It is not at all an arduous 
task for a clever brother to arrange such a talk.  He may use any 
good book on Jurisprudence as a foundation, Mackey or Pound for 
choices, as both are complete and concise.

4.	COMPETITION IS THE LIFE OF - EDUCATION!

The more brethren that take part in an educational meeting, the 
greater the enjoyment.  No scheme for an educational meeting yet 
developed exceeds the lodge contest in this respect, since it gives 
everyone in the lodge room an opportunity to participate.	
The educational contest is conducted by a Master of Ceremonies asking 
a series of questions, carefully prepared in advance, the correct 
answers to which can be given in a word or two, a date or a name.  
Supplied with paper and pencils, the brethren write and number their 
answers to the questions, as they are asked.  Then they exchange 
papers, the correct answers are read, and the brethren mark the 
replies "right" or "wrong" according to the facts.  The winners, of 
course, are those who have the greatest number, the next greatest and 
the third greatest answered correctly.  Interest is such a contest is 
increased by offering prizes.  These may be very inexpensive; a good 
Masonic book, a subscription to a Masonic Magazine, a Masonic lapel 
pin are all appreciated.

The questions should not be complex; answers should be facts, not 
opinions.  For instance, "In what lodge was George Washington 
raised?"  "Who is the Grand Master in this state?"  "How old is this 
lodge?"  "How many lodges in our Grand Lodge Jurisdiction?"  These 
are the type of questions that need only a word or two for an answer 
with facts.  Such questions as "Do you think Masonry is a religion?" 
should not be included, since any answer must be an opinion, not a 
fact.  Questions like "Explain the part Freemasonry played in the 
Revolution" should not be asked, as it would require a lengthy reply.
In giving out the correct answers, a clever Master of Ceremonies will 
be able to offer some "good and wholesome instruction" of Masonic 
value; for instance, if the question is:  "How many landmarks are 
recognized in this Jurisdiction?"  If the correct answer is "twenty-
five",  the Master of Ceremonies may explain that some Jurisdictions 
have less, others more; that many Jurisdictions have adopted Mackey's 
list, while others have condensed Mackey's twenty-five into a lesser 
number; which, never the less contains all of Mackey's points, and so 
on.

A lodge debate will draw a crowd and keep it interested for the best 
part of an hour, with pleasure and profit to all.  Debating teams may 
be composed of two or more brethren on each side of the issue; two to 
a side usually produces a snappier debate than three.  Some questions 
of universal Masonic interest should be chosen; such as "Resolved, 
that dual membership is advantageous to the Fraternity," or 
"Resolved, that Masonic trials are better conducted by a Grand Lodge 
Commission than a particular lodge."

Such debates should be planned well in advance.  An impromptu debate 
often produces amusing results.  Two captains are chosen; each 
captain chooses six debaters.  The Master then announces the subject.   
Each debater is given two minutes and must sit down when the gong 
rings at the end if his time, even if in the middle of a sentence.  
The simpler the subject, the more lively the debate.  Such questions 
as "Resolved, that this lodge should start a library," or "Resolved, 
that the fees for the degrees are too low" (or too high!) will 
produce more debate than more abstruse questions, because brethren 
seldom argue well on difficult matters unless they have previously 
spent some time in preparation.

It is not suggested that these "sugar coated" methods of holding 
Masonic educational meetings should replace older, tried and true 
forms in which some learned brother delivers an address upon a 
Masonic subject, or presents an illustrated lecture.  The speaker and 
the lecturer we have always had with us; illustrated lectures on 
Masonic subjects will always be of interest to the Craft, as will the 
well conceived and delivered address.

But we tire of anything in too great qualities.  Quail is considered 
the best eating, yet it is a restauranteur's tradition that no man 
can eat a quail a day for a month!

The Masonic educational meeting conducted on new, different lines - 
of which the above list is only suggestive, not complete - will 
largely "take the curse off" the word "educational" meeting.  
Brethren who are provided with "sugar coated" education do not stay 
away on "educational nights" but come out in full force.  Once the 
lodge members begin thinking "I wonder what new idea the Master will 
spring tonight!" when an educational meeting is announced, and the 
Stewards will have to go to the basement after extra chairs.
Sugar coated pills do the same work as those more difficult to 
swallow - and they are much easier to take!


