Just moved to NM

[Ripcord22A]

I just mOved to New Mexico from Oregon. .. both are AF&AM, however I am surprised at how different the ritual is. Yet how similar it is. Any soujerners on here that have been to multiple jurisdictions that can speak on this?

 

[dfreybur]

Differences jurisdiction to jurisdiction are fun. Some scene that is added in one place, another scene that is deleted in another. Rod work ranges from complex and hard to learn in Illinois through ignored rods in Texas with examples everywhere in between. You name the section of ritual and we'll be able to find examples of local differences.
All variations of an easily recognized theme.

I have a slightly different cadence when reciting each of the rituals I've learned. If you hear my cadence change it means I lost my place and I'm reciting a different version. ;^)

 

[Brother JC]

Imagine visiting UGLE lodges, where there are more than fifty different rituals practiced! My own experience coming from NM to CA has been that the differences are subtle but striking.
Which lodge did you go to?

 

[Ripcord22A]

Cerillios 19 needed to confer an EA to earn the Master Builder Award and they did a mock degree and i volunteered to be the candidate. I went over my home degree prior and payed close attention during. There were alot of differences. The biggest thing i noticed was that here they didn't explain why both points were behind...other then that everything was there just worded differently and who said what changed a little. I also enjoyed their lecture here and the ante room lecture........i dont think I've revealed anything here that violates my obligation but if someone thinks i have let me know and i will delete the message

 

[Brother_Steve]

We have a Brother who was I/P and R in NY and now is an officer in my lodge. He did the apron presentation for us for fun and I like their version much better than the NJ version.

 

[Warrior1256]

I was raised in August and have visited several lodges in the area since then. I can tell you that there are differences between rituals, open and closing of lodge, etc of lodges in the same state.

 

[cemab4y]

I have visited lodges in 14 states, WashDC, and five foreign countries. I have witnessed degree work in Russian at a lodge in Moscow, and degree work in German at a lodge in Paris, France.

In the USA, generally ritual does not vary widely between jurisdictions. Example: Virginia freemasonry is very similar to Kentucky freemasonry. Kentucky was a district of Virginia, until 1792, when Kentucky got statehood, and then KY got its own Grand Lodge. Kentucky freemasonry is a "daughter Grand Lodge" of Virginia. And Kentucky chartered the first lodges in Alabama. Alabama Freemasonry is therefore a "daughter Grand Lodge" of Kentucky.

The ceremonial work between different states, has minor changes in wording and phrasing.