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Prop 5

Gerald.Harris

Premium Member
Premium Member
Brothers,
It's always going to be a word or so different no matter how we do it. Knowing of the situation GM Brian Dodson removed the DI's in 2006 so things could regroup and get it together. It did help but no matter what system written or verbal words will be dropped or changed by accident. This is where the mass of your proficient Brothers come into play. Putting your heads together can and will make a difference in your lodge and this is a good place to start. Having regular study nights in your lodge on degrees and the rituals will increase every ones knowledge and also strengthens fellowship. I never tell a Brother he is wrong but inform him that's not the way I have it. How we handle situations also can increase fellowship with that all important Peace and Harmony.

Brother Ray, I for one do not see where RW Dodson's move made any diffrence. There are still some DI's out there who have problems with an A Certificate Exam. Being that the gross number of people who are even intrested in obtaining an A Certificate continues to dwindle each year it wont be too terribly long before there wont be anyone to keep each of our lodges even close to the way that the COW teaches it.
I also say that Practice for the sake of practice is counter productive and can do more harm than good. If the group is not practicing their work using the correct form and verbage, then guess what? Their work will most likely never be correct. They may get very proficient with their own ritual, but will it be the way that the Committee on Work teaches it? In the end we will have a multitude of stand alone little Grand Lodges of "anywhere " with their own ritual.
 

Chris_Ryland

Registered User
I don't believe that is entirely accurate. Most of these brothers were already studying and working on these items. I would venture to say that 7 of the 8, if not all 8, would have been proficient in opening and closing. This just made them work harder to get certified. I would have like for this particular Resolution to fail and to give this a chance to really take hold. I don't think one year is a good time frame to repeal something like this.
 

Gerald.Harris

Premium Member
Premium Member
A Mason's proficiency is performed to the satisfaction of his Lodge each step of the way. With that in mind, I believe his Lodge would also help him decide whether or not his work is up to par enough to be WM, or any other principal officer for that matter. Each member willing to put forth the time and effort it takes to help, lead, amd assist in his Lodge knows good work from bad and so do the rest of the members. I've also attended enough forums and workshops to know that much that goes on there is very subjective. Even many of the DI don't agree on certain things, how they're said, or performed in certain ways...this will be the case regardless.
This is one reason why I feel strongly that now that the code book has been recognized and that it exists with limitations. It's time that a correct one be kept that way, each time the work changes. That way, everyone would have a proper reference, which would overall lead to much better work.

I've listened to and seen many A & B cert holders that really weren't any better than some C, tell me how this really does our craft any good?
holders.

Brother Ken, I do not disagree with you on much of what you said, however a true Code Book has not been written in Texas and the chance of it happening was just voted down by the Grand West. With that in mind , what is our next step?
I have sat in a minimum of 4 to 6 forums and exams in the last 7 years ( ever since I became a DI.) I sat in 1 to 2 a year that were exclusively for DI's and or Examiners. I have not seen a great diffrence from any of the guys in the South East Texas area ( the same area that you reside in) and I frankly have not seen that big of a gap in each Instructors work. I wonder if we are mixing up the components of an A Certificate with the form that the COW also sets and teaches as a part of contention? Correct me if I am wrong, but to my knowledge , the requirements of an "A" Certificate is only to be able to verbalize the work .
 

Gerald.Harris

Premium Member
Premium Member
A Mason's proficiency is performed to the satisfaction of his Lodge each step of the way. With that in mind, I believe his Lodge would also help him decide whether or not his work is up to par enough to be WM, or any other principal officer for that matter. Each member willing to put forth the time and effort it takes to help, lead, amd assist in his Lodge knows good work from bad and so do the rest of the members. I've also attended enough forums and workshops to know that much that goes on there is very subjective. Even many of the DI don't agree on certain things, how they're said, or performed in certain ways...this will be the case regardless.
This is one reason why I feel strongly that now that the code book has been recognized and that it exists with limitations. It's time that a correct one be kept that way, each time the work changes. That way, everyone would have a proper reference, which would overall lead to much better work.

I've listened to and seen many A & B cert holders that really weren't any better than some C, tell me how this really does our craft any good?
holders.

Brother Ken, I for one do not see the necessity of having more then one certification. The premise of the B and C certificate was that it would promote more people to become certified, that it would help or encourage a brother to work towards getting an "A" certificate. I for one do not see that it has been successful, but this is my own opinion. I think it promotes complicity. What are your thoughts on this subject?
 
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