Grand Lodge of Texas Codebook

[curt]

Personally, as a disabled Vet, with some pretty substantial memory problems, Im kinda leaning towards the codebook. Some guys do need a little help and isnt that what we are about? helping our brothers?

 

[rev.jake]

I have seen both sides of this issue. A good Mason was not elected to the next office in chapter because of a memory problem. He had medical reasons for the problems. A past called in all the other pasts to do this. The bad part is that the one who started the mess used a book for his entire time in line in chapter and council and resigned as Commander because he could not learn the work.


Do we see a problem here?

 

[Bill Lins]

Do we see a problem here?

Without a doubt. :sad:

 

[Paul E. Wunsche]

I have read all 143 post and want to add my two cents. Knowing the Esoteric work does not make you a Mason, it is but a small part of being a Mason. Anyone can purchase "the book" learn the work, purchase a "ring" and call themself a Mason, but we who have experienced the fellowship of our Mentor, Instructor and Brethern know that it takes more than that to be a Mason. I have seen what the "book" can do when you lose your "SELF PRIDE" and refuse to learn your work. I have seen what it has done in the C&C, and I am always suprised of those Brothers who hold an "A" certificate in the Blue Lodge read their parts at a C&C meeting. The members of the Commandery still have pride and do not use a book (although they are in plain english) during stated Conclaves or at the conferall of the Orders. Perhaps because they are inspected once a year and know what is expected of them. It all comes down to "PRIDE". I beleive that the GL should have an "Official Version" of the work, make it available to those MM's who want one, make a nice profit, and expell anyone who uses it in violation of our laws. On a side note I have had my "A" certificate for 17 plus years, and in all of the Forums I have attended, and all of the exams I have taken, I have yet to see one letter perfect. We are all prone to mistakes. Again it's all about Pride and how much you have for our fraternity.

 

[kmfisher1]

Good post Paul. Couldn't agree with you more on every point.

 

[jwhoff]

Brother Paul,

I attended a called meeting with the Right Worshipful this morning and, as always, I considered it a pleasure. Each time he took my arm in the west I thought of how I would treasure that feeling all the years of my life. Love the old master very much.

And, I am truly impressed as to the competency on esoteric work displayed within the Wunsche family. You are all shining examples of masonry in the Houston area. I know you will keep up the good work.

Your thoughts on this matter carry much weight.

Thank you.

 

[RAY]

I am not for code books at all and have never seen a need for them. When entering into masonry there has always been and always will be the teachers,mentors who will take the time to teach a candidate his work.When the vote was taken in Grand Lodge to allow Master Masons to have possession of a code book the ground rules were set in place.Many master masons soon violated that trust and were teaching candidates out of it and are still doing it. I have seen code books in lodge but not in the lodge room and again a violation. Where is the pride in this? Grand Lodge has no intentions of publishing any code books and it has been discussed many times and publication cost are prohibitive and if it would be such a financial boom to Grand Lodge they would have already done it in the first place.Having taught in lodge and in the home on a face to face personal level for 25 or so years I wouldn't trade one second of my time holding a book and reading to a student.Reading your work may keep you fresh in your mind but it will never keep any one from making mistakes when your working in lodge . If you are having memory problem go see an elder or your lodge instructor. When attending a EA exam it only takes about 5 minutes to determine if he was taught out of a code book and the one teaching looses respect.The young Master Masons don't seem to care and to me it turns into a moral issue rather then a learning the work issue. Nothing will ever beat the personal contact of a teacher and his students.

 

[BryanMaloney]

I'm a molecular biologist. While there is a great deal of written material in my field, it is still ultimately a field of apprenticeship and direct personal teaching. This is because the techniques are intricate, delicate, and quite dangerous if not done properly. An incompetent worker in my field can kill a room full of people (including himself) quite by accident. If chemical and biological hazards still require apprenticeship style instruction in this age of manuals, protocols, and FAQs, I would think that something even more important--moral instruction--would require face-to-face teaching even more. I am not yet a Mason, but that is what I, lacking any light at all, would think.

 

[Plustax]

If the code book is for sale and has been for many many years, then why shouldn't the GL get some if the profits? The dues keep increasing & many brothers are leaving cause of the high costs and our struggling economy, yet there might be some financial help IF the GL would start selling the code books with strict guidelines in its proper use. We all know that they continue to be used & will continue to do so. Why let the stores reap the full profit which should rightfully go to Texas masons and it's Grand Lodge. Just my opinion…

 

[Brother Mark]

I personal don't see a reason for the code book. I never have needed one. I study with other brothers in my lodge and with my district instructor to obtain my class a certificate. It's all bout learning the work properly

 

[Brent Heilman]

Oklahoma publishes their own. The good thing about this is that all the money earned from the sale goes to the GL. Another plus is that when practicing for a degree, opening a Lodge on whichever degree, or refreshing yourself on the cat lecture it is printed out the way the GL says it should be. There is no question on whether the Committee for Work says two different things between two different people. If the book says it is this way then that's the way it is. No questions need to be asked. The problem people bring up about it on Lodge premises in Texas is not really an issue with us here in Oklahoma. You can have on the premises and in the Lodge room for practice only. If it is a tyled meeting then it is not supposed to be in the Lodge room. The other good thing about having it is that when you are teaching someone their cat lecture we will all make mistakes. We teach someone wrong then they in turn teach the same error to the next and so on. With having one at your disposal to reference you have the official GL language and you can refer back to it and make sure you aren't in the wrong and pass the mistake on. As an EA I knew the book existed but it was available for me to get a hold of. The GL and the Lodge will not sell it to someone who isn't a MM.

The biggest problem I see in this whole deal is that it comes down to the question of whether it is better for the GL to publish it or a third party? Which would you rather have doing it? The GL would benefit from doing it themselves. Have the Committee for Work make a draft, hash out the problems, and then make it available. Then you have their official take on how it should be done. It would be set in stone and no one could argue whether they are right and someone else is wrong. If it is in there then that's how it is. There would be no more I will ask and get back to you stuff going on.

I personally have one and use it on occasion but it isn't something I rely on. It's just nice to have if I am curious if I'm wrong or not. Just my $.02 and opinion.

 

[free and accepted]

Question is brother how educated are some and what knowledge do they who claim they are intelegent posess

 

[Brent Heilman]

Question is brother how educated are some and what knowledge do they who claim they are intelegent posess

I guess I don't really understand the question but it sounds like to me that you are asking who made them the authority. Is that about right?

 

[jwhoff]

Oklahoma publishes their own. The good thing about this is that all the money earned from the sale goes to the GL.

Several years back the Grand Master of Oklahoma visited the GLoTX (ah, Baja Oklahoma) and quoted a number, I believe $600K, for monies brought in by that very code book of which you speak. And, my guess is, it doesn't contain four errors.

Still, I understand both sides of the argument and would be hard pressed to champion either.

 

[BryanMaloney]

Unless the book is encrypted in such a way that it cannot be decrypted without a great deal of effort or the use of computers, it might as well just be written in English. I can read simple substitution cyphers with just a little practice if I know the key--and breaking a simple substitution cypher is literally a child's game. I used to play it with friends in elementary school. If the "code" is really just a simple substitution cypher (e.g., "A" is always represented by the same symbol, "B" by a uniform, distinct symbol, etc.), then it's just English with a different alphabet--no challenge to any computer geek or D&D player. Other encryption methods are a bit more tricky, but unless they are complex enough to actually require a computer to encrypt and decrypt, the method has already been broken a long time ago, and only mere details would need to be worked out.

In short, publishing a "code book" that is a simple cypher or other simple encryption method, in this day and age, is identical to publishing it in plain English.

 

[jwhoff]

Agreed Brother Maloney. Still ... not sure anyone could write a code book on Texas esoteric work that could be written in plain English. Texas esoteric work is a combination of Shakespearean English and modern Texa-gun: or it surely seems :38: so. Of course, it never changes.

Morph me not "say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell." :glare:

 

[Bill Lins]

For Bro. Hoff:

O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke,
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from Heaven's yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about.

 

[macjames53]

We are being hypocritical. We all know that most active instructors have a code book to just refer to when they may get bound up on a phrase or 2.
But, in a group, we see older brothers doing the "Gottcha" thing when a brother says a phrase that is in the book but is not as the committee on work has it.
Standardize the book, keep the same restrictions on it and publish the thing.

 

[Star Mztyk]

Brothers....

I have done a lot of research in the GLofTexas museum and upon asking Barbara(librarian) if she had any books in the vault that were written in glyphs or code she said yes. I immediately surmised they were the item in question here. She told me that when an old Mason died that his wife would send his Masonic books and papers to the Library. I asked to look at these books upon my next visit so I could confirm or deny....they mysteriously could not be found.....and I was told they were artifacts and not in use...but by our LAW the very presence on Masonic property was in violation of GL Law.....no matter what the circumstance. Now, I have been told whether it is true or not that the Committee on Work will at times refer to the code book that was created by Allen Publishing for the state of Texas. Therefore it would seem that this issue has many many twists and turns and a vault full of hypocrisy.

Star

 

[Star Mztyk]

LOL...I should have known someone plagarized Shakespeare to write the Hokey Pokey......That is just too hilarious....and very well done at that!