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Top Heavy Degree Team

Hancock

Registered User
The night before last, I was raised. It's hard to find the words to describe it; I felt as if I were part of the greatest Shakespearean play ever produced. It was truely awe-inspiring.

The Grand Master, and the Grand Lecturer honored us by being present, and brought a degree team with them. It seemed as though they were as near to perfect as it gets, but as I have never seen a raising, I don't know.

What I experienced was the sincerity, brotherly love and purpose I hoped to find in Masonry. It gave me the desire to continue to search for more light.

The Grand Master presented my ring to me, and made a very powerful speech about it which brought tears to at least one brothers eyes. I complemented a brother's Masonic bolo tie, he gave it to me.

I almost walked away from Masonry based on one lodge; I was wrong. Without the encouragement to preserver from those of you here, I would have missed a great experience. Now, I need to find the right lodge.

Thank you all.
 

Kangabrother

Premium Member
The night before last, I was raised. It's hard to find the words to describe it; I felt as if I were part of the greatest Shakespearean play ever produced. It was truely awe-inspiring.

The Grand Master, and the Grand Lecturer honored us by being present, and brought a degree team with them. It seemed as though they were as near to perfect as it gets, but as I have never seen a raising, I don't know.

What I experienced was the sincerity, brotherly love and purpose I hoped to find in Masonry. It gave me the desire to continue to search for more light.

The Grand Master presented my ring to me, and made a very powerful speech about it which brought tears to at least one brothers eyes. I complemented a brother's Masonic bolo tie, he gave it to me.

I almost walked away from Masonry based on one lodge; I was wrong. Without the encouragement to preserver from those of you here, I would have missed a great experience. Now, I need to find the right lodge.

Thank you all.

Congratulations Brother! I’m also glad you hung in there and didn’t give up after one experience. I have been a Master Mason for 44 years, but the third Friday of every month still has me keen to arrive at Lodge. I hope you have many great years as a Freemason.


Sent from my iPad using My Freemasonry mobile app
 

David612

Registered User
Glad to hear your raising went so well brother-
I have to say mine was not as good-
We had people trying to fill parts minutes befor we opened and the 3 brothers I invited where no shows.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Congrats Bro Hancock - your Third Degree is just one of many steps forward I hope you will take in Freemasonry, and as a man.
 

Okla. MM

Registered User
Congratulations Brother !........I was raised over forty one years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

There were two of us being raised the same night and I was fortunate in that I was raised first and was able to sit in lodge and watch the other brother being raised.
 

Keith C

Registered User
Glad to hear your raising went so well brother-
I have to say mine was not as good-
We had people trying to fill parts minutes befor we opened and the 3 brothers I invited where no shows.

Sad to say we had a similar experience last week at an EA Degree Extra Meeting. Several Brothers who were to fill chairs had to miss at the last minute due to work commitments that were imposed on them at the last minute. We were just able to fill the chairs. Thankfully several of those filling in were PMs and knew the Duties and Business well, but it was mass confusion before we opened. Thankfully the Candidates were without and waiting, so likely had no knowledge of the chaos before the first Guide knocked.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
We had people trying to fill parts minutes befor we opened and the 3 brothers I invited where no shows.
Sad to say we had a similar experience last week at an EA Degree Extra Meeting. Several Brothers who were to fill chairs had to miss at the last minute due to work commitments that were imposed on them at the last minute.
Lol...also been there, done that.
 

hanzosbm

Premium Member
A few things come to mind here.

First, to the OP, congratulations on being raised to the sublime degree. I am truly happy to hear that your raising went so well and that you were able to see such a stark contrast to the work that had caused you such doubt.
Secondly, and this is to the OP and others who might read this; take this as a learning opportunity and motivation. My lodge is quite small, and it's not uncommon to have to shuffle chairs the night of a degree. While others have mentioned this as a sad state, I see it as a test. Our small lodge is made up of almost 100% Past Masters, and all the brothers are extremely proficient in their ritual work; it's something we view as a matter of pride. It's not desirable to have to make last second adjustments, but I think we should all challenge ourselves to be good enough ritualists that we can step into any chair without notice. See what kind of an impact excellent ritual can have? So challenge yourself to be the one capable of delivering that experience. If we all did that, every man who passed through the west gate would have the same amazing experience that the OP did.

I'll freely admit, I'm not quite there yet. So there are a few chairs for a few degrees I wouldn't feel comfortable filling, but I'm working on them. Imagine how much easier all of our lives would be if every brother was proficient in every chair.
 

Keith C

Registered User
FYI, No part is sung in any Craft Lodge Degree here in PA. You will find significant differences depending on jurisdiction.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
For the third degree, there is a portion which is sung. If that's the portion you're referring to, that is the norm for my jurisdiction.

In three jurisdictions I have now learned two different songs for that particular part of the third degree ritual.

There are parts that could be sung if a ritualist were so inclined. As the candidate is walked around early in a degree there are scripture readings. The stage directions in one of my jurisdictions says that part is to be "sung or spoken" but I have only heard it spoken.
 

Matt Ross

Registered User
I totally feel that. My home lodge does great degree work, don't get me wrong, but honestly it can be disheartening when folks don't know the ritual especially when they've been Masons for longer than I've been alive. When I was raised I had the privilege of having my MM degree in a lodge of men who not only knew the ritual top to bottom back to front, but also executed it in such a way to impart the utmost inner reflection, as the MM degree should.
 
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