SeattleMason0613
Registered User
So we are starting a fireside discussion group for fellow craft masons at my lodge. I am just looking for any discussion ideas I could bring up and talk about?
My Freemasonry HD
My Freemasonry HD
My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Fireside discussion group
- Thread starter SeattleMason0613
- Start date
dfreybur
Premium Member
In my experience candidates itch to figure out what the degrees mean.
The first priority until you've been raised is to learn the proficiencies and if your lodge's mentoring program is not sufficient for that you've got your agenda - Trade your proficiencies back and forth until you all know the questions and answers.
What I've seen candidates wanting is to know what the degrees mean. Some mentors discuss that some don't so to me that would be the second priority. I've seen knowing what it means makes the memorization easier as well so it does feed back into the first priority.
In the first degree the lecture told you what the degree meant. Not so much in the second. The second degree was about pointing you towards topics to study and that does leave a gap in the "What did it mean" category. Go over the events of the obligation section in terms of what they meant in the first. Go over the staircase and middle chamber lectures as study plans and for the perspective they offer. Go over the wages, jewels and tools the way you did when learning what the events of the first degree meant.
One thing about symbols - They have a wide range of meanings. If every brother finds a different meaning in each symbol that's a good thing. The meanings found should form a spectrum that has limits - Do go out into left field just don't climb the left field fence and get lost int he stands!
The first priority until you've been raised is to learn the proficiencies and if your lodge's mentoring program is not sufficient for that you've got your agenda - Trade your proficiencies back and forth until you all know the questions and answers.
What I've seen candidates wanting is to know what the degrees mean. Some mentors discuss that some don't so to me that would be the second priority. I've seen knowing what it means makes the memorization easier as well so it does feed back into the first priority.
In the first degree the lecture told you what the degree meant. Not so much in the second. The second degree was about pointing you towards topics to study and that does leave a gap in the "What did it mean" category. Go over the events of the obligation section in terms of what they meant in the first. Go over the staircase and middle chamber lectures as study plans and for the perspective they offer. Go over the wages, jewels and tools the way you did when learning what the events of the first degree meant.
One thing about symbols - They have a wide range of meanings. If every brother finds a different meaning in each symbol that's a good thing. The meanings found should form a spectrum that has limits - Do go out into left field just don't climb the left field fence and get lost int he stands!
SeattleMason0613
Registered User
Great thanks brother for providing me with a direction, I don't think we go over the degrees itself enough. We seem to mainly be focused on being proficient in our memorization work in order to prove up
My Freemasonry HD
My Freemasonry HD
dfreybur
Premium Member
If you just described how your mentor works I challenge you to take up mentoring as soon as you can. Add to what you teach the meaning that you see and the idea that everyone should see their own meanings. Make it a part of the discussion for your candidates going forward.
Depending on your lodge it's likely you're now considered prepared to be a mentor in the first degree. Once you're presented your second proficiency for that degree as well and so on for the third. Other lodges expect a mentor to be an MM usually having presented his third proficiency. Which system depends on your lodge.
If you just described how your discussion group works I challenge you to add discussion about meanings and other topics as you posted. But more than that to continue taking in new candidates and roll it forward. One or more seasoned Masons (that's you by the way!) keeping the group going.
The young generation is itching for meaning. We need to teach it to them. We also need to point out that everyone is supposed to find their own meaning so the goal is to have an ever evolving library of meaning.
The Pillars, the Orders of Architecture, the Steps (all of them)... after you've got your proficiencies down, of course.