# Texas Codebooks



## Blake Bowden (Jan 24, 2009)

I finally picked up my Codebook today! Previously the only source I've known about was Brown Bookstore in Houston, but Barnes and Noble carries them:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/King-Solomon-and-His-Followers-25/G-A-Gavitt/e/9780880532594/?itm=2

You can actually see if a store near you has them in stock. If they do, you can have them hold a copy at the cash register. It's a little challenging to figure out what you're looking at. I have a pretty easy time on the Q&As, but the other stuff I have to think about and fill in the missing pieces.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Jan 24, 2009)

Depending on the Brother that you are conversing with you will receive either positive or negative feedback relating to these code books. After the "limited" approval of useage, it was amazing how many of us "all of a sudden" had one when they previously did not.

Personally I went through my degree-work after the legalization and I purchased my copy from Barnes & Nobel online. The book was a HUGE help to me while I was comming up through the degrees by allowing me additional review time when I wasn't conversing with a well informed Brother. It was difficult to locate a study partner close to where I was living at the time (Waxahachie), when I wasn't actually at the Lodge. After I completed my EA work, I was able to comprehend most of the coded text; and after my MM degree I am able to comprehend ALL of the text. Now I benefit from a brief "review" right before Lodge on our degree conferral nights, if I need it.


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## JEbeling (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks Blake.. ! have an EA I am teaching that wanted one..? now can just give him the website if he wants one.. !


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## nick1368 (Jan 24, 2009)

i have had one since the "approved" them.  when i went to Barnes & Nobles that next weekend after GL I had to ask where it was.  The clerk laughed and said I was about the 10th person that had asked for that book, she took me to where they were and they had about 1 copy left...a week later a Brother went and he said the had about 10 copies....i have used it to refresh my memory some but I honestly couldn't tell if its in my truck or desk at work this moment.....


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## Bill Lins (Jan 24, 2009)

Brethren, I would caution y'all that there are inaccuracies in all the books I've seen to date. Rather than accept as Gospel what is printed therein, I recommend you get with a DI or "A" certificate holder & identify where & what the mistakes are.


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 24, 2009)

Good advice!


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## RJS (Jan 24, 2009)

That is an interesting point you bring up.  I wonder how much this book will affect things later on down the line.  

When did Gonzales get a B&N?


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 24, 2009)

Haha I was in your neck of the woods! I think the codesbooks are godsend. For example, at my Lodge there are no practice nights at all, which stinks. We just had an EA degree and nobody had a clue who was going to teach him! There are a small amount of Brothers who could, but they live 30+ miles from the candidate. A Brother who lives near me can do it, but he's retired and has some health issues. We've had 4 EA's since December 2007, and I was the only one to complete the work. Sorry for the rant, but we complain about lack of membership, then when we get the guys in..we drop the ball. Our Secretary has been ill for awhile, but I was embarrassed that our shiney new EA didn't even get a dues card. Anyway, I have a codebook to teach me the questions so I can work with him.


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## RJS (Jan 24, 2009)

So y'all don't even meet once a week to do QA?


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## david918 (Jan 24, 2009)

It must be tough without practicing.A bunch of us meet every Tuesday in Wharton except for our stated meeting and every Thursday in El Campo except for our stated.Even with an expert teacher like brother Bill and practicing twice a week we still manage to use the Wharton/El Campo ritual at times instead of the Texas ritual.


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 24, 2009)

RJS said:


> So y'all don't even meet once a week to do QA?



Nope. We don't have any practice for Q&A or Degrees. Fortunately Brethren from Hardeman Lodge 179 in Luling 20 miles away hold practice every Wednesdays and come to our aid when degrees are needed.


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 25, 2009)

Brothers if you check with the GLL you will find that an EA, FC cannot have one or can you teach them with one. And by the way what code book did we (Grand Lodge Members) approve?
The answer is I believe no particular one


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## nick1368 (Jan 25, 2009)

from what I have heard...there are 3 mistakes in the code book


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 25, 2009)

Brother Nick, my friend has one and when I looked through it I found over 20 in just a short time.


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## Scotty32 (Jan 25, 2009)

I will not use the code book ever. By repeated use, no one will bother to learn it anymore. Our DI said the same happened in the York rite.


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 25, 2009)

That is right brother Scott; I was told the something and have seen it happen. I have thought all along that this same thing will happen to the Blue Lodge, and have been proved right in a short time that they have been approved. You cannot receive the same lessons out of the book as you can from a well learned brother. Yes you learn the words but there is more to it than just words. I know that there is good reasons for the book and will not debate them for they are right in there reasoning.


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## RJS (Jan 25, 2009)

nick1368 said:


> from what I have heard...there are 3 mistakes in the code book





jonesvilletexas said:


> Brother Nick, my friend has one and when I looked through it I found over 20 in just a short time.



I think that is a perfect example of how different each lodge is and how nice it would be to have something to keep all lodges on the same page.

Also everything that I have read about the code book resolution only states how they can be used but not by who.  Could some one post up the exact wording?


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 25, 2009)

Exact wording? How do you mean that?


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## Brother Secretary (Jan 25, 2009)

WHOA!!! hold the phone!!! JEbeling, I was under the impression that it was okay for MMs to have the book and they were *not* to be used in Lodge or with a candidate, certainly not to be handed to an EA. Once he figured out how to read it, what would keep him from just reading the FC & MM. I believe you'd be doing this EA a great disservice by encouraging him to buy it.

It's an aid to memory, not  a substitute for an instructor. 

Just one man's opinion.

Jonesville, GL approved: King Solomon and his Followers, an Aid to Memory, the Lone Star edition.


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## RJS (Jan 25, 2009)

The exact wording of the section pertaining to code/cipher books in the Rules and Regulations.


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 25, 2009)

As far as I know, you cannot teach a student out of the Codebook (as in his presence) nor can it be on Lodge property. With that said, what does the Bylaws say in regards to who can own one? Does it specifically state only Master Masons? I don't see what the fuss is all about if an EA has one. Heck, I'm still having a hard to reading it. It's a great tool to refresh your memory, not so much for finding out what lies ahead in the next degree.


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## RJS (Jan 25, 2009)

That is the answer I am looking for.  I don't think it specifies who can and can't own one.  I agree that it is no replacement for instruction, but it seems only natural that it would make a nice supplement to it.


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 25, 2009)

Brother David you are right brother Cecil B. Curry in his resolution no.8, he did mention those books, but in the actual law change no book or specific books was mentioned.

See the following LAWS.

Chapter 2 â€“ TITLE V
Masonic Disciplinary Violation

Art.505 
20. Possess, of use a cipher/code book anywhere on a Lodge premises, and to use a cipher/code book in the presence of a candidate when instructing the candidate in the esoteric work of a Masonic Degree. (Revised 2007).

Art. 650. Inquiry Into â€œCypher Workâ€ It shall be the duty of District Deputy Grand Masters to  strictly inquire into the use of any â€œcipher workâ€ in the possession of the Lodges or members thereof, and report the same to the Grand Master.


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 25, 2009)

Thank you for clearing that up Brother Jones.


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## Brother Secretary (Jan 25, 2009)

Not as a matter of law. I like the idea of GL not saying it's illegal for someone anyone to own any book. Bad things tend to happen when governing bodies tell those they govern that particular books are illegal. Even one as benevolent as ours.

I guess my point is akin to the advice I received in my petition process, "if you google the right words, you can find the ritual word by word and step by step. DON'T. It will mean more to you if you're seeing it for the first time in your degree."

If you're reasonably intelligent and you're taught the EA work up to the obligation, you have the keys to the cipher. You know enough to read that entire book. The next page after the end of the EA trail lecture is the opening of the FC Lodge and the FC Degree conferral.  

Imagine if as a candidate you knew exactly what was going to happen next in your degrees.


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## RJS (Jan 25, 2009)

jonesvilletexas said:


> Chapter 2 – TITLE V
> Masonic Disciplinary Violation
> 
> Art.505
> ...




The Articles make no reference as to who can own a code book.


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## jwardl (Jan 25, 2009)

Brother Secretary said:


> I guess my point is akin to the advice I received in my petition process, "if you google the right words, you can find the ritual word by word and step by step. DON'T. It will mean more to you if you're seeing it for the first time in your degree."


 
I understand this isn't your point, but I've never actually been able to find the precise wording of the TEXAS degrees, and am pretty good at finding what I want on the internet. Not saying it isn't there, but IME, it's not easy to find.

OTOH, it's probably not important that what one finds be specific to Texas when it comes to a candidate coming across it before passing through the degree. The essence of the experience would still be spoiled. Also, some find it harder to re-learn the correct wording than to learn it fresh in the first place.


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## Brother Secretary (Jan 25, 2009)

I was referring to the Eph511 site, yeah I know that it's AZ work & not TX, but when I say "know exactly what's coming next" I don't mean if it's an "and" or an "or" coming next.... I mean if it's a setting maul coming next.


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 25, 2009)

If the instructing brother can not use the cipher/code book in the presence of a candidate when instructing the candidate in the esoteric work of a Masonic Degrees then I would assume they, EA, FC and MM candidate can not have one.


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 25, 2009)

Brother Secretary said:


> I was referring to the Eph511 site, yeah I know that it's AZ work & not TX, but when I say "know exactly what's coming next" I don't mean if it's an "and" or an "or" coming next.... I mean if it's a setting maul coming next.



I purchased the ritual book that the Eph511 site uses, and it's quite a read. And no, as far as I know there are no Texas rituals available online. I would however love to have the codebook in pdf format..lol.


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## skicat1898 (Jan 26, 2009)

For a book that no Mason is suppose to have, the GL has many in storage.

The book is as stated inside the cover a valuable aid to the memory.

I have had one since '97 and refer to it often.

The mistakes are not as numerous as thought. What some believe to be mistakes are not.

Remember, our secrets are not our rituals, they can be found all over the internet or by simply watching the History Channel.


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## Brother Secretary (Jan 26, 2009)

you mean your wife had one from '97 to Dec '07


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## skicat1898 (Jan 26, 2009)

Yeah, she kept leaving it in my truck.

I was very lucky to have learned my work from a Life member.

Only reason i am infavor of the cipher books is because the smaller lodges such as mine, are very rapidly losing Senior members due to passing away. Not many younger members are as dedicated.


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## RJS (Jan 26, 2009)

brother secretary said:


> you mean your wife had one from '97 to dec '07 :d



lol!


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