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One Day Masonic Class/Journey

mrpierce17

KOP Council director / Lodge instructor
Premium Member
ImageUploadedByMy Freemasonry1420566147.527833.jpg
 

AndreAshlar

Registered User
There's something be said for the journey from entered to raised. The challenge of learning. The anticipation of proving oneself worthy of the subsequent degree. The contemplating that happens between degrees. The understanding that accompanies time spent learning and processing each step. The feeling of being one step closer with each advancement. I could go on. I think a brother loses out when the blue lodge degrees are received hastily. That being said, I'd respect a brother who went this path. I just feel like he's missing out...
 

MasterBulldawg

Registered User
I think a brother loses out when the blue lodge degrees are received hastily. That being said, I'd respect a brother who went this path. I just feel like he's missing out...

You may be right about missing something but you are more right on the respect aspect. A Brother is Brother and Masonry is all about the effort you put in to it.
 

AndreAshlar

Registered User
Indeed @MasterBulldawg , a brother IS a brother. Make no mistake about it. But, one day blue lodge degree conferrals is a controversial issue. Regarding the debate, I believe brothers are most likely to lean towards the experience that most closely resembles their own, providing that they view it as a positive one. That being said, of course there are exceptions. Here are a few interesting perspectives on one-day /G\ classes... http://web.mit.edu/dryfoo/Masonry/One-Day/
 
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Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Hmm. How about an analogy? In my mother jurisdiction, we have exacting requirements to become a Wordhipful Master, including the ability to open and close lodge in all three degrees, confer all three degrees, perform the lecture of a degree, do the "G" lecture, perform each of the officer positions in the second section of the Master Mason degree, and demonstrate familiarity with the trial code.

Other Grand Lodge may not have these requirements (UGLE, where I am also a PM, does not). Therefore, their worshipful masters are not really worshipful masters because they haven't met my GL standards, even though they have met the standards of their Grand Lodge. Their worshipful masters did not earn the right to be called worshipful master. They have missed out on the experience. They have not put the time in. They have not learned everything.

These are the arguments applied to those MMs who have met the degree time requirements of their own GL and ancient tradition, but have not met the time requirements of some other GLs.

A question: are there any GLs which do not require a Master to have served as a Warden?
 

crono782

Premium Member
Other Grand Lodge may not have these requirements (UGLE, where I am also a PM, does not). Therefore, their worshipful masters are not really worshipful masters because they haven't met my GL standards, even though they have met the standards of their Grand Lodge. Their worshipful masters did not earn the right to be called worshipful master. They have missed out on the experience. They have not put the time in. They have not learned everything.

I think a more accurate analogy based on what you said would be having the same requirements to be Worshipful Master, but instead of making them be met in reality, they were "symbolically met" by reading or ceremony and then they are all set to be WM (and achieved after the fact)

The length of the marathon and the accomplishment at the end do not change, just that some ran and others rode in a car.

Reminds me of the "virtual past master" degree here in order to "symbolically" be a PM in order to take the Royal Arch degree. I guess you could call me a hypocrite because I am a royal arch mason, but not a past master as was the requirement in the olden days. But it does make me curious if down the road 100 years, there will be no degrees or process at all, one is simply "made" a master mason and those of the day will look back in the minutes about our degrees being conferee over the course of time with only a passing interest..
 

MaineMason

Registered User
I think a more accurate analogy based on what you said would be having the same requirements to be Worshipful Master, but instead of making them be met in reality, they were "symbolically met" by reading or ceremony and then they are all set to be WM (and achieved after the fact)

The length of the marathon and the accomplishment at the end do not change, just that some ran and others rode in a car.

Reminds me of the "virtual past master" degree here in order to "symbolically" be a PM in order to take the Royal Arch degree. I guess you could call me a hypocrite because I am a royal arch mason, but not a past master as was the requirement in the olden days. But it does make me curious if down the road 100 years, there will be no degrees or process at all, one is simply "made" a master mason and those of the day will look back in the minutes about our degrees being conferee over the course of time with only a passing interest..
I am also a Royal Arch Mason.
 

perryel

Registered User
I think a more accurate analogy based on what you said would be having the same requirements to be Worshipful Master, but instead of making them be met in reality, they were "symbolically met" by reading or ceremony and then they are all set to be WM (and achieved after the fact)

The length of the marathon and the accomplishment at the end do not change, just that some ran and others rode in a car.

Reminds me of the "virtual past master" degree here in order to "symbolically" be a PM in order to take the Royal Arch degree. I guess you could call me a hypocrite because I am a royal arch mason, but not a past master as was the requirement in the olden days. But it does make me curious if down the road 100 years, there will be no degrees or process at all, one is simply "made" a master mason and those of the day will look back in the minutes about our degrees being conferee over the course of time with only a passing interest..

Nice analogy. If we extrapolate it a bit, the Virtual Past Master rank doesn't extend beyond the Chapter. My Blue Lodge won't let me occupy the WM's station after virtually passing the chair.
 

mrpierce17

KOP Council director / Lodge instructor
Premium Member
I agree that a brother is as much of a brother as I myself wether he choose the one day class or the traditional route though I wouldn't agree that he was a WELL INFORMED MASON until he has put in sufficient time studying each degree just my 15 cent
 

Chad Painter

Registered User
To share some perspective. I originally petitioned some 10 years ago and never passed to FC due to my life blowing up(job loss new baby etc). I had made a promise to myself that I would not do this half way. However at the time I did not have the time or focus to accomplish what I wanted to. Unfortunately there was a bit of hazing from some friends/brothers who knew me socially but not personally. That really soured me towards the fraternity for a long time.
So Fast forward to last year my life has become less complicated and manageable I petitioned again for another lodge where I live now. Great lodge and great group of guys however my mentor had some difficulties presented to him that made things rather difficult for us to practice or get together at all. Recently our GL offered an ODC and I jumped on the opportunity. It was an amazing experience and invigorated me to learn more. I know have a long journey ahead, but now I have more opportunities to be involved in the craft and learn the way that "I" learn best. I see the pros and con's and I know that traditions can dictate one way or another but who are we as brethren to say what is the correct path to enlightenment for any other brother? It is our duty to stand arm in arm with them and assist them if they falter and rejoice with them in their successes.

I thank you all for the enlightenment shared here and I look forward to my journey however it began.
 
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Bloke

Premium Member
I know this is necro posting - but I think it is good to go back, look at what was said and thought at a time, and how well those thoughts and words have served us. If we are supposed to examine ourselves for improvement, surely we should also examine our organisation as an Institution, and learn from our successes and failures ? We love to keep talking about the same problems for decades, applying the same solutions, some successful, but so many seem to be on a cycle of failure or lacking long term sustainability and replicable.

If there is one fault with the Leadership of Freemasonry, it that it often relies on its "gut" rather than facts and data, and even when it has data, we love to interpret it according to our own bias.

Things like this are qualitative https://vimeo.com/285343845 (and a great video) but is there any qualitative data on the effect of one day classes ? Can anyone point me to any significant data (not single stories like Bro Chris Hodapp's etc) on the benefits and downsides of one day classes ? I have commentaries on Blue Lightening against the MSANA membership figures (increases followed by drops) but not of it from authoritative source.

Can anyone help ?
 

dalinkou

Premium Member
I know this is necro posting ...Can anyone help ?

Well brother, the question is as valid as it was the first time I encountered it.

I have asked this question in every jurisdiction that I have visited outside Texas, and every brother that I have met who has experience with the ODC (one day class) says that the retention percentage is about the same as with the traditional time-honored path. If our goal is to place butts in chairs, then it follows that if we raise more we will have higher membership numbers.

The challenge that I see is that such performance metrics are like bikinis - they can show a lot but they do not show everything. They do not show the quality of the Masonic experience and they do not show the growth of the man in the experience. They also do not show what happens when the West Gate is not properly guarded.

With that said, it is good to seek improvement in ourselves as well as in the craft itself. However, I would suggest that rather than propping the door open with ODC programs, we might define what makes Masonry worth while and then focus upon developing that.

Kind Regards -
 
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