# Chaos In The Quarries



## JJones (Jan 15, 2019)

It's been a while since I've made a post here!

Here is my latest blog post:

Chaos In The Quarries

I hope everyone enjoys it!


----------



## Bill Lins (Jan 15, 2019)

Excellent message. Every Lodge officer should have enough pride in himself & respect for his Brethren to learn his role to the point that it's automatic. Also, your point that an officer should not only know his own role, but should also be learning the role of the next office to which he aspires- he owes his Lodge no less.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (Jan 18, 2019)

You are right, of course. But the operative word is "should". Some states no longer require proficiency for advancing through the degrees or chairs. I believe this has removed the commitment to the craft. What you observed also made me wonder where the Grand Lecturer and Grand DDGM have been. I feel badly for that lodge. If the officers do not know their work who is going to teach those who will follow them?


----------



## Elexir (Jan 23, 2019)

Heres my take from another culture.

Here, many do memorize the ritual and work it fine.
However due to the fact that the rituals even specify how the words are pronounced it can be better if you have a "cheat sheet" so that the ritual can move on without any problems.


----------



## Bill Lins (Jan 23, 2019)

Elexir said:


> due to the fact that the rituals even specify how the words are pronounced it can be better if you have a "cheat sheet" so that the ritual can move on without any problems.


Not allowed in Lodge under our obedience.


----------



## CLewey44 (Jan 24, 2019)

JJones said:


> It's been a while since I've made a post here!
> 
> Here is my latest blog post:
> 
> ...


I had a very similar situation recently myself.


----------



## chrmc (Jan 24, 2019)

Totally agree with the points made. It's a pet peeve of mine that people cannot take the time to learn some simple lines. Obviously we all mess up at times, but you can clearly hear when it's due to a brainfart and when it's lack of practice. 

Perhaps if we started making moving up in the line less automatic, and kicked a couple of guys out it would improve...


----------



## Zack (Jan 24, 2019)

You can forgive mistakes, but not lack of preparation.


----------



## Bill Lins (Jan 24, 2019)

Rifleman1776 said:


> What you observed also made me wonder where the Grand Lecturer and Grand DDGM have been.


I'm presuming that your "Grand Lecturer" is the equivalent of our Committee on Work members & District Instructors. Here, we can go to Lodge as Instructors ONLY under one of two conditions: either when ordered to by the Committee or the Grand Master, OR when requested or invited by the Lodge in question. Otherwise, we CANNOT "impose" ourselves upon a Lodge.


----------



## Glen Cook (Jan 24, 2019)

chrmc said:


> Totally agree with the points made. It's a pet peeve of mine that people cannot take the time to learn some simple lines. Obviously we all mess up at times, but you can clearly hear when it's due to a brainfart and when it's lack of practice.
> 
> Perhaps if we started making moving up in the line less automatic, and kicked a couple of guys out it would improve...


I get your point, but “some simple lines” might be a bit of understatement. The PSoj and Z lines in SGChapt exaltation are fairly lengthy and not usually considered simple.


----------



## Glen Cook (Jan 24, 2019)

Bill Lins said:


> I'm presuming that your "Grand Lecturer" is the equivalent of our Committee on Work members & District Instructors. Here, we can go to Lodge as Instructors ONLY under one of two conditions: either when ordered to by the Committee or the Grand Master, OR when requested or invited by the Lodge in question. Otherwise, we CANNOT "impose" ourselves upon a Lodge.


In Utah, the G Lecturer can require the lodge to demonstrate proficiency, and will usually have a deputy assigned to the lodge.


----------



## Bill Lins (Jan 25, 2019)

Here the prospective officers need prove their proficiency only "to the satisfaction of their Lodge". No one has yet failed that "test".


----------



## chrmc (Jan 26, 2019)

Glen Cook said:


> I get your point, but “some simple lines” might be a bit of understatement. The PSoj and Z lines in SGChapt exaltation are fairly lengthy and not usually considered simple.



That I do agree on, but when the brother in his article referred to Stated Meetings, I took it to mainly mean the opening and closing of the lodge. And there should be nothing in there that one cannot handle. 

When we start getting into ritual, lectures and similar, it's certainly another matter.


----------



## Glen Cook (Jan 26, 2019)

chrmc said:


> That I do agree on, but when the brother in his article referred to Stated Meetings, I took it to mainly mean the opening and closing of the lodge. And there should be nothing in there that one cannot handle.
> 
> When we start getting into ritual, lectures and similar, it's certainly another matter.


Oh, I agree as to opening/closing.


----------



## JJones (Feb 2, 2019)

chrmc said:


> That I do agree on, but when the brother in his article referred to Stated Meetings, I took it to mainly mean the opening and closing of the lodge. And there should be nothing in there that one cannot handle.
> 
> When we start getting into ritual, lectures and similar, it's certainly another matter.




Yes, I was referring to opening and closing of the lodge but there was also a general inability to handle the business of the lodge as well, although I don't know if I mentioned that in the video.

There should be nothing in the opening/closing that one cannot handle, I agree, yet I've seen a complete inability to do so numerous times in the past 15 years that I've been a Freemason.


----------



## Zack (Feb 4, 2019)

Glen Cook said:


> In Utah, the G Lecturer can require the lodge to demonstrate proficiency, and will usually have a deputy assigned to the lodge.


How often is that done?


----------



## Glen Cook (Feb 4, 2019)

Zack said:


> How often is that done?


I’ve not seen it done. We usually just sit in the lodge and watch the ritual. In part, because this has become a position to run for JGW, if I’m to be candid. But I do know of many instances in which the master elect has been found not to be proficient, and not received the required certificate to be installed.


----------

