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Cipher books

Don.riney

Premium Member
I think Bro Stewart said it best.

I have a cipher book for Texas and it is a crutch. I did not get one until I had passed all my proficiencies and was learning my lectures. once I had a book to reference I found myself referring to it more and more ( and the Monitor for the charges) and less upon my memory and what I had learned. I made a choice to use it only when I did not have a brother to study with. My knowledge and appreciation of the ritual has improved since I made that choice.

Don Riney
Jr Warden, Arlington 438
Worthy patron Arlington 249 OES
Sec/Treas Arlington Scottish Rite club
I also answer to "hey you"
 

Leo

Registered User
Why? According to your profile you aren't a Master Mason, so this knowledge will do you no good, only ruin the Journey.

I did not set anything on the profile I only got the application recently and started using it its not about ruining the journey it's about elevating myself to be prepared for what comes my path and knowing what steps must be taken


Freemason Connect HD
 

jleesmith1999

Registered User
I have never looked at the book I remember all three degrees in my head at one point I thought about it but why get it if you can't use it
 

MarkR

Premium Member
I've been looking into more of the teachings for the higher degrees
Like 32nd Scottish rites teachings, I know I'm rushing a lot but I need as much knowledge as possible


Freemason Connect HD
A Bridge to Light by Rex Hutchens; A Bridge Builder's Guide by Kyle Ferlemann.
 

relapse98

Registered User
I made a choice to use it only when I did not have a brother to study with.

And that's how I use it. I like the cipher because I can work on the degrees etc. when I'm walking, driving, bored at 2am. I can carry it in my pocket or car wherever I go.
 

Brother Maples

Registered User
Ok now I'm nervous, my mentor had me use the work lecture section of the cipher book (that is all) to help me learn my lecture. And I just found the oklahoma constitution where it says the cipher book is not to be made available to EA for learning their work. What do i do? Please oklahoma brothers help. I don't want my journey to end this soon nor do I want to get my mentor in trouble. Advice PLEASE!!!!


Freemason Connect HD
Learn your work mouth to ear my Brother. The EA is a long journey, it took me almost 4 months going pretty much every day. I hate to sound old school but pertaining to learning it and learning it right, mouth to ear with a knowledgeable brother is the only way. Congrats on your initiation!
 

Jericho2013

Premium Member
I've heard someone from another lodge talk about one of those books. It would be useful for floor work and conferring degrees considering we don't spend enough time in practice to memorize it properly. I would like to go through the chairs at some point. I was already approached about my interest in starting the chairs next masonic year.
 

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
I've heard someone from another lodge talk about one of those books. It would be useful for floor work and conferring degrees considering we don't spend enough time in practice to memorize it properly. I would like to go through the chairs at some point. I was already approached about my interest in starting the chairs next masonic year.

It's fine and great outside of the Lodge property. I will caution you though, what is recorded in the cypher is not 100% correct even being a "TX Edition". It is absolutely no substitution for the traditional learning process, and may further lead to incorrect floor work.

And as far as TX is concerned, illegal to possess or use while at Lodge and more especially to "teach" from anywhere in the State.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
The NM Cipher doesn't include "floor work," and the only way to learn it is to practice it. I haven't seen any other editions, so no idea if they have that info.
 

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
The NM Cipher doesn't include "floor work," and the only way to learn it is to practice it. I haven't seen any other editions, so no idea if they have that info.

My reference to "floor work" may be misinterpreted. I am saying any dialogue that would normally be conducted behind a safely tiled Lodge room door.

Sorry for the confusion.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
No problem, Stewart, though sometimes I wish we had a defined set of instructions for each Officer. The "No, hold it this way" arguments get really old. :001_rolleyes:
 

FlBrother324

Registered User
And that's how I use it. I like the cipher because I can work on the degrees etc. when I'm walking, driving, bored at 2am. I can carry it in my pocket or car wherever I go.

What kind of car do you drive Brother? ....
Because of I'm ever back in Tx I want to watch out for you while you're driving and reading your cipher book. You better hope God isn't just your "Co-Pilot", He better be sitting In your LAP! :)

Best of luck and God Bless.
 

MarkR

Premium Member
It's fine and great outside of the Lodge property. I will caution you though, what is recorded in the cypher is not 100% correct even being a "TX Edition". It is absolutely no substitution for the traditional learning process, and may further lead to incorrect floor work.
And "mouth to ear" is always 100% accurate? You never have a couple of PM's debating about a word or a movement?

Our cipher doesn't have all the floor work, either.
 

jvarnell

Premium Member
What kind of car do you drive Brother? ....
Because of I'm ever back in Tx I want to watch out for you while you're driving and reading your cipher book. You better hope God isn't just your "Co-Pilot", He better be sitting In your LAP! :)

Best of luck and God Bless.

I think stop lights are ok to read at and saying out load while in motions is ok right? Or is that what the Auto-pilot (cruse control) is for. LoL
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
The NM Cipher doesn't include "floor work," and the only way to learn it is to practice it. I haven't seen any other editions, so no idea if they have that info.

Illinois recently (2009 or so) published a floor work book that goes with our ritual book. In the case of Illinois I think that's a bad idea but not for the usual reasons expressed by Texas Masons. Being a member of a cipher jurisdiction and a written-out jurisdiction I don't object to ritual books in general. I've seen them in use and the problem has never been they get used as a crutch. The problem is lodges don't hold practice on their off weeks. Have the line (and degree team if you have one) show up every week whether there's a practice any week there's no stated meeting or degree. Then go out for a social event afterwards. The pattern of good work with practices plus social events versus bad work without is identical everywhere I've attended no matter what type of book or none. The book has zero effect of "More Masonry in men". Saying the book is a crutch is to me getting the direction of the arrow of effect and cause wrong. I've seen the pattern in my own lodges that if the men at practice don't go out for a social event afterwards the attendance drops and the degree work suffers. I've seen the pattern in my own lodges that if the men at practice do go out for a social event afterwards the attendance increases and the degree work improves. The book is symptom not cause.

My point in favor of a floor work book is that the ritual is supposed to be stable and the ritual is more than the words. In my lodges I have learned at least one change in the floor work literally every single year I've been a Mason. Round corners one year, square the next and similar. Little details in how and where we walk the floor have changed every year. Since the book came out that has continued to be true but the details are smaller. In the sense of making the floor work as stable as the ritual work it's almost working. But is the goal that ritual be unchanging or that ritual be stable?

My point against is particular to Illinois. The degree of pickiness in the floor work is excessive in Illinois. A brother is supposed to go through a year in each steward chair, a year in each deacon chair and by the time he's a Senior Steward conducting live candidates during degrees he's supposed to be proficient in how and where to walk during the degrees. Make the floor work so sloppy it can be learned in one year and I suggest candidates won't be impressed enough during their degrees because they will notice the sloppiness. Make the floor work so exacting even ritual experts have troubles and I suggest candidates won't be impressed enough during their degrees because they will notice the corrections. At some point in the past the floor work in Illinois got so exacting that even most certified instructors can't pull it off consistently. In Illinois the floor work needed to be loosened up considerably before it was stabilized. This is something I discussed with members of the board on ritual - Brothers who end up members of the board on ritual tended to be men who liked close order drill and so in that jurisdiction it gradually evolved tighter and tighter. Tight floor work is impressive but too much of a good thing is not always better.
 
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