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The Bible presentation is on page 89 of my monitor. A quick glance doesn't reveal any alternative presentations in my book.
Ugh. teach me not to look at my monitor more often!
The Bible presentation is on page 89 of my monitor. A quick glance doesn't reveal any alternative presentations in my book.
lighting (must remain on during the meetings and degrees, nothing can be turned off)
To answer the questions, yes, you can't play with the lights during the degree; we have a brother who liked to turn all of the lights off (with the exception of a couple) to create a more dramatic effect, after the forum it's not happening anymore.
Can you explain this further, as you understand it.
You have to have every light in the room on during a degree? Or once the degree is started you leave the switches alone? There is a big difference between the 2 and I just want to make sure I understand what you think you heard (this sounds like a horrible game of telephone).
Every light in the room on for the entire degree.. blind and headache from fluorescent. Can't turn them on/off during a degree, just fine.
To answer the questions, yes, you can't play with the lights during the degree; we have a brother who liked to turn all of the lights off (with the exception of a couple) to create a more dramatic effect, after the forum it's not happening anymore.
Can you explain this further, as you understand it.
You have to have every light in the room on during a degree? Or once the degree is started you leave the switches alone? There is a big difference between the 2 and I just want to make sure I understand what you think you heard (this sounds like a horrible game of telephone).
Every light in the room on for the entire degree.. blind and headache from fluorescent. Can't turn them on/off during a degree, just fine.
I've said this before, but I think it bears repeating. There are several important parts of our ceremonies that have become "optional" which, in my estimation, deserve more attention than ceremonies that have never been part of our work. I would be willing to bet that most of the brethren complaining that the Committee on Work won't let them put a skull in their preparation room don't give their candidates the lectures on the fixed and movable jewels, the ornaments of the lodge, the tenets of masonry, the importance of Geometry, the explanations of the orders of architecture, or the Master's Carpet. If you feel that you need to give your candidates "something extra" to enhance their initiatic experience, may I humbly suggest that you avail yourself of the material approved by the GLoT before you start looking for material from other jurisdictions?
Last night after lodge closed I had a discussion with the RW district ritual instructor about differences between California and Texas ritual. I quoted a couple of small bits that are present in California ritual that are absent in Texas ritual. He asked about other differences.
I pointed out that a huge part of the staircase lecture is done by the SD in all of the other jurisdictions where I've seen 2nd degrees. Look at the pillars, give that part, walk forward. Look at the number three, give that part, walk forward. Etc. The first time I attended a Texas 2nd degree I sat there with my mouth hanging open astonished that almost the entire second section had been deleted. But then the missing parts were delivered from the east instead of by the SD. Okay, I've seen parts moved to other officers so why not this one. But when it stopped there were still parts missing. The part about the rise and fall of civilizations and the arch of history is some of my favorite material in all of the degrees. It's why the second degree is my favorite. I quoted lines about numberless worlds to the RW district ritual instructor.
He smiled sadly and told me I had just quoted parts of the long form lecture of the second degree to him. They appear in the monitor but are rarely delivered in lodge these days. There are other long/short options. The long/short apron lecture option is present in all of the variations I've seen.
But back to the Chamber of Reflection. Don't think that because no one local remembers a time when it was used that it was never a part of the ritual. There are long forms that are now being lost because they are rarely used. There are also forms that were lost in the past for the same reason. The Chamber of Reflection is one of those lost forms. Long ago is not the same as never. Think about the wonderful variety of prayers at the opening and closing ceremonies in Texas. All but two are lost in Illinois. Just because something is lost in one jurisdiction doesn't mean it's lost in all jurisdictions either.
Chamber of Reflection is a restoration not an innovation. Taking a candidate directly from the Chamber to the inside of a tiled lodge screwed it up completely. That's the Chernobyl approach to it. It'll leave a bad reaction that folks will remember for many years. It took an idea that works when done correctly and did it totally wrong. And now people will view the entire thing as a disaster not just the part that was wrong.
I will assume with all the defense and support of the Chamber of Reflection we will see a resolution. I will look for it at Grand Lodge this year.
Granbury #392
Glen Rose # 525