by RWB Nicholas H. Ives, Chairman of the CME
As the chairman of the Committee for Masonic Education I am always asked, “why don’t lodges have more Masonic Education as part of their program?” We all want more education in our lodges, yet sometimes it is hard to define exactly what we are educating ourselves of. To my mind, Masonry is not just a club but a life practice where our ritual calibrates all of us to a way of life which we then act upon its principles not only with each other but with the outside world as well. Being that Masonry is such a diverse, global art it is often viewed differently by different brothers; it can be a challenge to come to a common consensus on what Masonic Education is supposed to teach us. Let us take a look at some of these different definitions of Masonic Education, knowing that there are likely many more aspects we could focus on that would be equally valid points of view.
Masonry cannot exist without our ritual. One of the key areas of Masonic Education teaches us to perform the ritual in a meaningful manner whereby the tenets of Masonry are conveyed upon our new brothers in an unforgettable experience that through reflection will bring them to light in Masonry. This “nuts and bolts” approach is essential to preserving the traditions that we are now custodians of, from how we say the words, perform the grips or even just carry ourselves in lodge meetings. Our curious culture has longevity because our ancestors in the craft preserved a tradition that through its practice inculcated brotherly friendship and a sense of order among brothers of the craft. Lodge meeting education could go over simply part of a degree and how best to put it on, or perhaps why we do something in a specific way. I would recommend our ritual book or the officer’s manual that is available on Grand View that goes over a great deal of nuts and bolts information about what to do and when. There are years of content in there for those who seek it out.
Historians marvel at the nature of Masonry’s deep and rich documentation of its past. If there is one thing we have ever done well since 1717 it is to write down with regularity the state of affairs in our lodges. The debt owed to our past secretaries is immense. A walk through any of our records will show the interested reader a slice of history that cannot be found elsewhere. Furthermore, books have been written about some of our greatest members and how the fraternity has played a role in their lives. Through reflections on the past, we are able to learn more about our own journey, hearing the advice of those brethren who have walked before us. Not only is it a method of self-improvement, we show respect to the contributions our predecessors made and recognize their impact.
There is a branch of Masonic Education that appeals to many brothers throughout our jurisdiction, the esoteric part of our craft. There is a challenge to those of us trying to define it, as the discipline covers the more spiritual side of Masonry. While we are not a religion, the esoteric part of Masonry can brush up against it as it attempts to see a deeper message within the meaning of our rituals. While it has been criticized by some who see an occult influence over this wing of study, that perception is more informed by the history of occultists who have interpreted Masonic writings in their own context, rather than seeing the occult evidenced in our work. When working in this area, caution should be observed to ensure that the aims of this study are clearly identified as to not be misconstrued by brothers or the outside world as an occult influence, which we certainly are not. However, seeking light through deeper study is to be encouraged where appropriate and respectful of the Holy Bible upon Freemasonry’s altar.
While not explicitly delineated as part of Masonic life in our rituals, leadership and management are part of the Masonic education experience. Being an officer in a lodge, a committee leader or simply an engaged member teaches us a lot about ourselves and how we relate to each other as brothers. If we are to “make good men better” as the slogan is often quoted, we must equip them with the skills they need to develop and grow. As our Fellowcraft degree charges us to study the liberal arts and sciences, all of them point toward a world where we must produce the work of life – at home, work or in the lodge. Success for one brother will multiply to the success of many and thus the broader fraternity benefits overall.
More brothers could certainly add to this short list of areas where Masonic education would be beneficial for use in a lodge. For me, all of these areas made a dent in my personal practice as a Mason. If there was an area where I think we could do even better is in studying some of the great books of the world and identifying how the big universal ideas connect with our Masonic truths. Through them we could amplify the message of what we are trying to accomplish through deep reading and study.
Throughout the year the CME will be looking in some of these areas and sharing them to you so that you can use our materials in lodge. I promise a mixture of written papers, video talks and experiences that you can share with the brothers of your lodge will be posted at our new blog and website, pharos.institute culminating in a symposium next summer that will bring together all of the greatest thinkers of our district and beyond. I hope the material is meaningful to you and I promise to work diligently to see that everything we produce is of the highest quality and effort. Email me at nickives@ctfreemasons.net with feedback if you have it. The bottom line is that education is valuable to all of us and we will do everything we can to bring it to all of you.
The Pharos Institute 