# Should Codebooks Be Allowed



## Blake Bowden

Same as title


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## JTM

easy answer for me.  it's a crutch, through and through.  the ritual in "King Solomon's and His Followers" is 24 (date?) years old.  If you're going to use it, you're only going to mess yourself up anyway...

if you really want it, you'll probably have one regardless of the rules.  might as well have them say "no" so as to not encourage it.


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## rhitland

to me, a tool is a tool or help is help and I have gotten alot of help from little brother.


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## JTM

rhitland said:


> to me, a tool is a tool or help is help and I have gotten alot of help from little brother.



do you mind if i ask if you practice with it, use it when needed while teaching a candidate... how is it used?


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## rhitland

practice by myself, my mentor is usually very handy and resoursful but he is 91 yrs young and I do not call him after 7pm; I only pull it out as a last resort usually if I restart froma point I know I can remember what I thought I had forgot but sometime as hard as I try I cannot remeber and thats when I will refer to the cypher book.


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## TCShelton

I use it to refresh my memory before a degree or before teaching a new Brother, never during either.


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## JTM

this actually came up as a few brothers were visiting my house tonight.  we looked at his notes (that he wrote in the 1940's), and he had what it took for him for him to remember the charge.

was the charge esoteric at one point?


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## jonesvilletexas

It is the first step to doing away with the work completely.


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## Brother Secretary

I disagree. If you didn't have a working knowledge of the work to begin with, it wouldn't be much help. All the old guys have them, and they've had them for years. Masonry is doing just fine in jurisdictions where code books have been legal for years.


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## jonesvilletexas

This could be debated for every, the bottom line is if you won’t it you will have it.
But here is something to think about! When and who will rewrite the obligation we took at the altar?


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## Brother Secretary

I guess the answers would be: 

the committee on work

whenever they feel like it


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## Blake Bowden

Even though I still haven't ordered one, I think they should be allowed. Do you actually think if the GL changes it's mind, all those MM, WM, DDGMs, and every other title will run home and burn their copy..nah. I think in a way it maintains consistency.


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## rhitland

Actually the Grand Lodge is the only body tha can approve changes to the wording of the obligation and it has to be presented at GL and voted on so it would not be easy to do. Com. on Work can only change the foot work. So if you are a member of GL then you would be responsible for rewritting any aprt of the work.


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## Texas_Justice85

only as a memory guide


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## cpmorgan2

Someone made a comment that it had somewhere around 15 or 17 mistakes in it. If that be the case, I'd rather make those 15 or 17 mistakes and be corrected on them, than all 5000+ words being inaccurate and making those mistakes. 17 out of 5000 really isn't that bad. Now I know the work, you have to know the work to understand the codebook. When I see a mistake I over look it, I merely use it as a mind refresher.


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## scottmh59

just dont have it with you at lodge


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## luftx

cpmorgan2 said:


> Someone made a comment that it had somewhere around 15 or 17 mistakes in it. If that be the case, I'd rather make those 15 or 17 mistakes and be corrected on them, than all 5000+ words being inaccurate and making those mistakes. 17 out of 5000 really isn't that bad. Now I know the work, you have to know the work to understand the codebook. When I see a mistake I over look it, I merely use it as a mind refresher.



I just use mine as a refresher also.  When I'm working, I usually travel during the week, and just am tired and don't have time to make it to lodges where I'm at, so I just use it to try to get my lame brain to work right when I can't think of whatever I'm trying to review.

A good friend of mine here, who hold an A Certificate and really knows the work, said that there are three mistakes in the current version.  I've only found one, but then what do I know.

Robert


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## JEbeling

Don't see it being sold on the street... ! the only ones using it are masons.. ! 
Its always handy to run over something before a degree... ! 

Why would a non-mason want it.. ! he can't read it.. ! doesn't understand it.. ! wouldn't know the floorwork to go with it.. !


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## LRG

How can GL or any other MM agree with correcting the ONE at issue. Whom ever created these violated  the obl. for which they took and to ask GL to create another would be in complete violation.

Lets just keep the ones we have know


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## ljlinson1206

As I've stated before and have made no secret about, I've had one for years and have found it to be beneficial in that when traveling in our lives as we sometimes do, we need a little help in keeping up with our work.  The cipher is only a tool, not a replacement.  

As a peace officer I can tell you first hand that if you do not practice what you have learned you WILL NOT retain it.  If you are not in a position to attend lodge for awhile then you will not retain the work.  

I'm just saying.........


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## Jamesb

If the GL would make one and sell it only to master masons; wouldn't solve a lot of the disparities between what is or is not correct?  Kind've a certified version.


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## Gerald.Harris

rhitland said:


> Actually the Grand Lodge is the only body tha can approve changes to the wording of the obligation and it has to be presented at GL and voted on so it would not be easy to do. Com. on Work can only change the foot work. So if you are a member of GL then you would be responsible for rewritting any aprt of the work.



 Good call there Brother Rhit. The C.O.W. would recommend any changes which would probably do away with certain parts and possibly add others, to the Grand Lodge , and the members of the Grand Lodge would have to vote to ratify it and make it become Law.


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## coljwm

I guess we'll have to see how the Grand Lodge vote turns out this year. Its on the ballot.


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## rhitland

yes it is on ballot but RUMOR is C.O.W. is not backing it and that is pretty much the nail in the coffin for any resolution, if that is true.


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## Bill Lins

It's no rumor.


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## Gerald.Harris

rhitland said:


> yes it is on ballot but RUMOR is C.O.W. is not backing it and that is pretty much the nail in the coffin for any resolution, if that is true.



 The C.O.W. did not back the resolution that made it legal to own a code book, and it passed. It will be an intresting to see how this and some other resolutions do during the 2009 session.


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## rhitland

Gerald.Harris said:


> The C.O.W. did not back the resolution that made it legal to own a code book, and it passed. It will be an intresting to see how this and some other resolutions do during the 2009 session.



Tuchue! This is true, and will make for a fun GL I hope.


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## Anson575

For what it's worth the codebook genie is out of the bottle. That being said, the proposal that will come before Grand Lodge this year is asking us to authorize Grand Lodge officers to violate their EA Obligation. Bad precedent in my huimble opinion.


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## JEbeling

Well the "Committe on Hope and Change" may just have to get on board.. !


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## TCShelton

JEbeling said:


> Well the "Committe on Hop and Change" may just have to get on board.. !



Bro. Ebeling, I believe the word is "hope," not "hop." .. !


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## TCShelton

This one goes on my long list of "don't really care one way or the other" resolutions.


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## ddreader

how will putting the esoteric work into print solve the problem. if want to learn the work you will. you have to want it in your heart. if you want it you will find a way to learn it. you will do what it takes to get it done. my fear is that if the c. o. w. breaks its obligations. and prints a codebook. it will find its way into the lodge room.  how proud would you be if you had to watch your officers open and close, or confer a degree. while they fumbled through the pages of a book. how do you develop the bonds of brotherhood. if you just pass out a book. i have made bonds with brothers that will last me a lifetime. by spending hours with them as i learned the work. we have talked about our views of life. what masonry means. and so many other topics that i can not list them all. teaching the work by word to mouth is a learning process for both teacher and student. and to me is what makes us so great. how do solve the problem of getting the bothers who want to learn, into the hands of those who want to teach. i do not know. i do know this. you could write a book in plan English, and it would not make them learn it any faster or better. it has to be in your heart. or it will not happen.


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## TCShelton

ddreader,
  I see your point, and do not disagree.  The book was all over the place before it was legal, and it will always be around.  I personally do not use it to "learn" from.  I use it to brush up before conferring a degree, or before teaching a new brother.  I am with you 100% about it not needing to be in the lodgeroom.  No debate there.

  As far as the COW, whole different story.  It would be highly convenient if all of those guys were always in agreeance on everything involving the ritual, but it is not uncommon for you to speak to a couple of them on one issue, and get several different answers.


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## Gerald.Harris

I think everyone here knows that I was dissapointed when code books were voted as not being illegal to own in Texas. I also agree with most of what Brother Reader says in his post. The only way to truly get the work in your head is by learning it mouth to ear. 
HOWEVER, I have not personally encounterd any problems with brothers using a code book to refresh their memories, except for one occasion when another DI asked me to run something for him, and he then informed me that the way I did it was not the way it was in the book! I quickly informed him that the book was wrong. That was the end of the discussion. Until the next time I suppose..
Therefore, I also do not have a problem with using a book as Brother Shelton says as a refresher before doing a degree or lecture, etc. I know that before 1930 something the ritual as we almost know it didn't even exist, I have been told that the little book didn't even appear or get copywrited until the 40s. I have also been told that the publisher of the little book was not a Mason! I do not know if this is factual or not. I am intrested in who will have to write a new one if the law changes. I am wondering if the COW would have to make some verbal recommendations in a year , or if they would just start writing?


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## ddreader

tc shelton  i have no problem with the way you us your book. you are tryiing to improve texas masonry. and thats a good thing for all of us. i just hope that the rest of the book owners will be as dedicated as you are.


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## Bill Lins

Anson575 said:


> the proposal that will come before Grand Lodge this year is asking us to authorize Grand Lodge officers to violate their EA Obligation. Bad precedent in my huimble opinion.



Those Committeemen I have talked with have stated that they will resign en masse should that resolution be voted in.


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## ddreader

can you blame them? read the ea charge real slow. think about it. then ask the question, if we do do this?. were do we go from here? what do we do now. we are no different from anybody else. do you really think we should go down that road?  if you knew that you could find out everything you wanted to about Texas masonry. just by reading a book ,would you have even bothered to join.  really? what about the people in the future, will they want to? there is more to it than just writing a book. its not just that simple. when you tell masons from others places how much we have to learn. their eyes bug out. what do you think when they tell you what they have to learn? we need to set the standard. not comply with what everybody else is doing.


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## rhitland

Question on C.O.W. how does one become a member and how long are they on that committee?

I really do not have a hard core opinion this one, I see many Grand Jurisdiction doing just fine while actually writing out the work in plain english. Ours being a cypher book you have to know how to cypher it so it is almost imposable to learn the work from it if you have never heard it. I certainly respect the way C.O.W. feels and do not feel this one will pass but as said before I did not feel the code book itself would pass in the first place but here we are.


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## Gerald.Harris

rhitland said:


> Question on C.O.W. how does one become a member and how long are they on that committee?
> 
> I really do not have a hard core opinion this one, I see many Grand Jurisdiction doing just fine while actually writing out the work in plain english. Ours being a cypher book you have to know how to cypher it so it is almost imposable to learn the work from it if you have never heard it. I certainly respect the way C.O.W. feels and do not feel this one will pass but as said before I did not feel the code book itself would pass in the first place but here we are.



 The COW is made up of 5 brothers who make themselves availabe to serve the GLOT for a period of 5 years. They are the only committee in GL that selects their own Chairman. There is also a requirement that they must make themselves familiar with the work.


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## rhitland

Gerald.Harris said:


> The COW is made up of 5 brothers who make themselves availabe to serve the GLOT for a period of 5 years. They are the only committee in GL that selects their own Chairman. There is also a requirement that they must make themselves familiar with the work.



So after 5 years is that it or can you run through it again for another 5? 

and what if more than one Brother makes himself available, do we vote?


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## scottmh59

dont have an opinon one way or the other...!


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## Bill Lins

rhitland said:


> So after 5 years is that it or can you run through it again for another 5?



They can run for as many terms as they wish.



rhitland said:


> and what if more than one Brother makes himself available, do we vote?



Yes, & we will have that happen this year. R:.W:. Bill Sessums, Sr. of Houston, who is finishing his first term on the Committee, is being challenged by Duane Anthony, a DI from the Beaumont area.


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## Gerald.Harris

rhitland said:


> So after 5 years is that it or can you run through it again for another 5?
> 
> and what if more than one Brother makes himself available, do we vote?



 Any member of COW can run again after 5 years, and any brother who fills the requirements, may run against the incumbent. This very scenerio is playing out this year as RW Sessums is making himself available again as an incumbent, and Brother D. Anthony is making himself available as well.


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## rhitland

How long have the current members of COW been on the committee particularly RW Sessums?


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## Gerald.Harris

rhitland said:


> How long have the current members of COW been on the committee particularly RW Sessums?



Brother Sessums has just completed his 5th year of his first term, and most of the others have served multiple terms. All of their terms end on staggered years so that we should never have to vote on more then one position during any GL session.


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## Dredd17

I believe yes and no lol.  I think for the initial learning of the work is should not be used.  I like the concept of masonic tradition of the training being passed from word of mouth to ear.  As far as we know, that is our roots in Masonry.  I feel a big part of the masonic passage is learning the work just like our forefathers did.  Because I learned it that way, the experience was more special to me and I had a feeling of great accomplishment.  Now with that being said, once the work is learned and time goes on, unless your are very active in the ritual and training in your lodge, you will get rusty.  I think the cypher books are a good tool to help those that have already put the time and work in to be able to refresh.


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## Bill Lins

I'm beginning to question my own stance on this issue. Tuesday evening I was visiting with a Brother (who will remain unnamed) from a Lodge in Central Texas (which will also remain unnamed) who told me that he was using the book in the presence of the EA to whom he is currently teaching the work. When I advised him that such was not allowed, he became defensive and asked "Well, how am I supposed to teach him, then?" and stated that the Secretary of his Lodge told him that it would be OK. How are we supposed to to deal with those Brethren who will not read or follow the Law?


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## HKTidwell

One of the people who taught me a couple of times used one.  He was available a couple of times when I needed help and used one.  Not saying it is right or wrong, considering Grand Lodge has made this determination but it does occur. I was appreciative for him helping but it was also a pain in the sense of him trying to make the right determination out of what the book was saying.  

If you do not know the work, then the code book can still be very inaccurate.  I was blessed with many good brothers who helped me during my time of learning and I was thankful to all who helped me.


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## z28_1969

hi brothers. first post here but i've been looking through the forum for a little while. as far as whether or not a cipher should be allowed here in texas, i am for it to a point. i guess you could say i've seen both sides of the coin since i was born in indiana and have many good friends in a lodge up there (where they have allowed code books as long as i can remember) and my grandfather and other family are masons in tennessee where ciphers still aren't allowed. for all of the men that owned code books in indiana, i have never known one to use them as a means of _learning_ the memory work. in fact, when i was first petitioning and joining, they all expressed how important the experience of learning in the lodge was to them and simply used the books as refreshers. on the other hand, i do understand why many brothers would be concerned that allowing the books might end up pushing new masons away from going to their lodges frequently and learning the material from more experienced brothers. while the new masons might have the best intentions and may end up turning to the books simply because they're excited about progressing through the degrees and learning as much as possible as quickly as possible, the time spent learning the material is also time spent becoming more closely acquainted with the brothers at your lodge (and where else would you learn the lessons between the lines that aren't included in the books?). all that being said, i've also see how code books make it easier for masons to transfer from one state to another. my father, having learned all of his degrees in indiana, was preparing to make the big switch over to a lodge in texas when i was about to petition and could have used a code book to work his way around some of the smaller differences between states, making the transition easier for him, had he been able to go through the process with me. (he made his trip up to the great architect just before i petitioned)
sorry for the longwinded post. just thought i'd give my two cents.


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## JTM

z28_1969 said:


> hi brothers. first post here but i've been looking through the forum for a little while. as far as whether or not a cipher should be allowed here in texas, i am for it to a point. i guess you could say i've seen both sides of the coin since i was born in indiana and have many good friends in a lodge up there (where they have allowed code books as long as i can remember) and my grandfather and other family are masons in tennessee where ciphers still aren't allowed. for all of the men that owned code books in indiana, i have never known one to use them as a means of _learning_ the memory work. in fact, when i was first petitioning and joining, they all expressed how important the experience of learning in the lodge was to them and simply used the books as refreshers. on the other hand, i do understand why many brothers would be concerned that allowing the books might end up pushing new masons away from going to their lodges frequently and learning the material from more experienced brothers. while the new masons might have the best intentions and may end up turning to the books simply because they're excited about progressing through the degrees and learning as much as possible as quickly as possible, the time spent learning the material is also time spent becoming more closely acquainted with the brothers at your lodge (and where else would you learn the lessons between the lines that aren't included in the books?). all that being said, i've also see how code books make it easier for masons to transfer from one state to another. my father, having learned all of his degrees in indiana, was preparing to make the big switch over to a lodge in texas when i was about to petition and could have used a code book to work his way around some of the smaller differences between states, making the transition easier for him, had he been able to go through the process with me. (he made his trip up to the great architect just before i petitioned)
> sorry for the longwinded post. just thought i'd give my two cents.


 
great post.  along with the guys that talk about lodges without certified ritualists, this drives home the point of why codebooks are around and need to be.

sure, we have lodges like mine where you're the odd man out if you don't at least have an A certificate (almost, lol), but for other lodges, the demands of GL weren't meeting the needs of the lodges.  as with anything like this, it's GL that needs to change, not the constituents.  


oddly enough, this whole issue reminds me of the Catholic church and it's stance on genetically modified foods that was turned over a few years back.


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## MGM357

York Rite has the rituals that have all of the work printed, some of it is in code. Everyone I've talked to says that the rituals are the biggest crutch to get over. I know I have a harder time learning just reading the rituals. If I hear the work, I tend to remember it better. I hope I never see the day when we are reading from books while opening or closing a blue lodge.  At the present time in our C&C, we highly frown on reading from our rituals. We have one person prompting. Our goal is to learn opening and closing and try to start learning degree work, so we don't have to make someone wait until a festival comes around.


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## TexMass

I learned the EA mouth to ear.  After my proficiency my mentor gave me a code book and told me to start studying for the FC.  He worked with me 2-3 nights a week.  I told him I couldn't read it but he said since I knew the first degree then I can decipher the next section.  It actually helped me learn it better.  When we would meet for the next degree work I was not allowed to bring my book.  I think it's a good tool and keeps the ritual the same.  I had been to other lodges who always had several words different than the normal ritual because "that's the way their lodge does it".


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## Raven

_Greetings, Brethren!_
_  I'm new to the boards but would like to offer my 2 cents on this topic.  I was raised in a lodge located in the north Houston area only 10 years ago._
_The brothers were family to me and would do whatever possible to assist me in learning my esoteric work.  We had study sessions on tuesday and thursday nights and I would attend most of those nights eagerly.  The brother that was unofficially assigned to teach me would on occaision say "Let's take a smoke or coffee break").  Unbeknownst to me, my instructor was consulting other brothers or even go to his car to consult a code book if no one else was available.  We were well into my studies in the Fellowcraft degree, (when after a discussion between the officers), that my instructor indicated that there might be some help for me to brush up on what I had been taught up to that point.  This was my first knowledge of anything written pertaining to the esoteric work.  I was told not to try reading ahead of my instructions that I would only confuse myself... (I tried to read ahead and I became very confused).  My instructor could see that I was adding words that did not belong and was told to stop immediately!  I finally became acceptably proficient and progressed through the Master Mason's degree. I have since instructed and and assisted numerous "New Brothers" in their esoteric work.  I would never take it upon myself to offer a code book to anyone or even bring it to the lodge, period.  I do not condone open use of a code book but I see no harm in owning and using one with much discression to simply refresh a master mason's memory._
_Thanks for listening to "My 2 Cents Worth"_
_Peace and Harmony to all, Brethren!_


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## Papatom

ddreader said:


> how will putting the esoteric work into print solve the problem. if want to learn the work you will. you have to want it in your heart. if you want it you will find a way to learn it. you will do what it takes to get it done. my fear is that if the c. o. w. breaks its obligations. and prints a codebook. it will find its way into the lodge room.  how proud would you be if you had to watch your officers open and close, or confer a degree. while they fumbled through the pages of a book. how do you develop the bonds of brotherhood. if you just pass out a book. i have made bonds with brothers that will last me a lifetime. by spending hours with them as i learned the work. we have talked about our views of life. what masonry means. and so many other topics that i can not list them all. teaching the work by word to mouth is a learning process for both teacher and student. and to me is what makes us so great. how do solve the problem of getting the bothers who want to learn, into the hands of those who want to teach. i do not know. i do know this. you could write a book in plan English, and it would not make them learn it any faster or better. it has to be in your heart. or it will not happen.


True words of wisdom.


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## Bigmel

I ran across this on the net.  Pennsylvania Grand Lodge is trying to control the Their Ritual Book

Members May Learn Our Ritual From Printed Manuals That Will Be Monitored Closely And Never Used in Open Lodge

Now, for the first time, there is an absolute printed version of our ritual of the three degrees, so that never again will there be any question among our brethren as to the official authorized work. The ritual manuals will provide more brethren the opportunity to learn about and memorize our beautiful Pennsylvania Masonic ritual. A brother now may, in his spare time, work on the memorization of the ritual without having to make an appointment with another brother. 
If we truly believe in our professed Masonic values of loving our wives, our children, our family, our community, our country, and also keeping a good occupational work ethic, then we need to make it more convenient for a brother to learn our ritual without neglecting the aforementioned entities. A printed manual will require less time away from families by allowing our brethren to learn our beautiful ritual during their own precious free time instead of insisting that it be memorized by word of mouth. 
The ritual manual will be controlled by the Worshipful Master of the lodge, and he will be responsible for signing in and signing out the manuals to ensure an absolute audit of each manual. When signing out a manual, a brother will sign an agreement, on his Masonic word, that he will not permit photocopying or otherwise writing or printing of the ritual.
This convenient tool for brethren wishing to learn the ritual will dramatically enhance the way we perform our degree work. Use this manual to your benefit, respect the confidentiality of it, but most important of all, observe the restrictions placed upon its use.
Restrictions are as follows: 
This manual may not be used in an open meeting of the lodge. 
This manual may not be used for prompting during a degree. 
This manual may not be used to read from during any degree. 
The material in this manual may not be copied or photocopied in any way. 
No brother shall knowingly permit a non-Mason to look through this manual. 
The D.D.G.M. will audit the rituals during his official visitation to assure they are properly cared for. 
Penalties are as follows: 
Any lodge that is found to be in violation of any of the above restrictions will have its Warrant of Constitution forfeited to the Grand Lodge. 
Any brother found to be in violation of any of the above restrictions will be subject to Masonic discipline.


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## Bill Lins

IMHO, they are making a big mistake. One of the things that, to me, makes Masonry special is the bond a Brother forms with his instructor. I think it would be a shame to lose that sense of Brethren working together to accomplish something.  Further, a GOOD instructor explains the work as he teaches it- I've yet to see a code book with a concordance in it. I think our system, including not allowing Brethren to possess a book until they've turned in their MM work, is much better. The book is supposed to be an aid to the memory, not a replacement for it.


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## Blake Bowden

MGM357 said:


> York Rite has the rituals that have all of the work printed, some of it is in code.


 
Yeah I've noticed the liberal use of codebooks within the York Rite. It's unfortunate.


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## Chuckfw

Anson575 said:


> That being said, the proposal that will come before Grand Lodge this year is asking us to authorize Grand Lodge officers to violate their EA Obligation. Bad precedent in my huimble opinion.


 
I assume that you mean their obligation will be "violated" if the members of the Grand Lodge were to write their own "official" codebook?  Does the meaning of "unlawfully obtained" come into play here?  Would it not be lawful if the governing body authorizes it and it's ownership is maintained?  Cypher is a code and while any code can be broken, I don't think it applies to the intent of the obligation.


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## thehibster

The book I have was first copyrighted in 1907, written by G.A. Gantt.  I walked in to a Barnes and Noble bookstore in 2009 and a clerk pulled one off the shelf and handed it to me.  Barnes and Noble doesn't stock books that don't sell, and I doubt anyone but a Mason buys this book, so it's a safe bet there were a few brothers who had gone that way before me.

I have found the cypher book to be a wonderful aid to my memory, and I believe the proper use of it is to help brothers remember "the work" and in turn produce degree work that is free from stuttering, stumbling, or error.  We owe that much to the initiates.

In his book "Symbolism of the Three Degrees" Oliver Street touches on the concept of confusing the thing with the idea, and I think that's where detractors of the use of cypher books have missed the mark.  I think Wilmshurst put it best from "The Meaning of Masonry" page 20 - "We meet in our Lodges regularly; we perform our ceremonial work and repeat our catechetical instruction-lectures night after night with a less or greater degree of intelligence and verbal perfection, and there our work ends, as though the ability to perform this work creditably were the be-all and the end-all of Masonic work."

In my opinion, the cypher book lends brothers the confidence to participate in the lodge, and it is that fellowship and spirit of fratenerity that is important, not the manner in which one memorizes the work.


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## jwhoff

Code books. 

There is a considerable difference when it comes to handing a man a code book to learn his work and giving him one to stay fresh on it after he has accomplished his journey to the master's degree. 

I have been a mason four years and have coached two brothers through to master and am currently instructing two more and helping out where I can on other's journey.  It would destroy much of the pleasure I have as an instructor if the code book was between us.  

Yes, I believe the bond formed between candidate and instructor is one of the basic building blocks of freemasonry.  It's the first signal of what brotherhood should mean and opens that important door to the candidate.  That said, I notice brothers setting around who would truly like to help but realize they don't know their work well enough to instruct eager candidates who start out hungry but loose interest when they aren't immediately matched up with an instructor.  

We've had nearly 20 EA degrees in my lodge this year.  We'd had six fellow craft and five master's degrees.  Only about five or six of the EA's are working regularly at this time.  I am currently serving as Sr. Deacon and it rips my heart out each night I walk a new candidate into the brotherhood.  Will we have enough brothers prepared to help his man through his journey?

I don't know the answer brothers.  We were caught woefully short by this new wave of interest in masonry.  I think we should take a hint from the business world.  We need to train the trainers.

I believe it is no longer acceptable to say this is a _good_ problem to have.  Does that entail code books?  at least to build a strong instructor corps?

Life is never simple.


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## RobertShaffer

If you are having to learn work in many different jurisdictions, a code book is about the only way to help. F&AM's are not the same as AF&FM's, and every grand lodge is different in their work, depending on which grand lodge originally chartered the grand lodge.

Robert D. Shaffer P.M.


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## jbolt

Is it good for Masonary? Is question I have to ask myself...If it is a crutch and replaces knowing the work--no it is not good for Masonary. If it is used by a brother who wants to become more active and teach or work in degrees more--yes it is good for Masonary (provided the aid is never shown to a candidate of brought to lodge or incouraged over our auditory method of teaching)


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