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Ritual Cipher

Winter

Premium Member
From what I've been told, No.
From what I've been also told the cipher isn't even suppose to be on lodge property.
Interesting if that is the case. Do you have a copy of your GL laws and regulations? It should spell it out in there.

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Winter

Premium Member
I hadn't heard that about GLofTX. That's hardcore. Kudos to them.

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Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Because y'all asked...

Art. 508. Certain Other Masonic Disciplinary Violations. It shall also be a Masonic disciplinary violation for a Lodge, a committee or any combination of Masons, or an individual Mason:

24. To possess, or use a cipher/code book on a Lodge premises, or to use a cipher/code book or access a cipher/code book in any form, including electronic access, in the presence of a candidate when instructing the candidate in the esoteric work of a Masonic Degree. (Revised 2013)
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Because y'all asked...

Art. 508. Certain Other Masonic Disciplinary Violations. It shall also be a Masonic disciplinary violation for a Lodge, a committee or any combination of Masons, or an individual Mason:

24. To possess, or use a cipher/code book on a Lodge premises, or to use a cipher/code book or access a cipher/code book in any form, including electronic access, in the presence of a candidate when instructing the candidate in the esoteric work of a Masonic Degree. (Revised 2013)

Thanks, Bill!
 

Winter

Premium Member
I'm impressed. While I have no doubt that it limits the pool of instructors to those willing to commit the work to memory, I imagine it creates more personal instructive experience.
 

David Duke

Premium Member
I'm impressed. While I have no doubt that it limits the pool of instructors to those willing to commit the work to memory, I imagine it creates more personal instructive experience.

In my opinion the bonds created while teaching a fellow brother is one that cannot be duplicated. Everyone of us (GLoTX) members have been taught the same way and share that bond.

As you said the pool of instructors is limited to those of us who work diligently to keep the work committed to memory but ALL have memorized it before being advanced. I do have the cypher but only refer to it when I need to “brush up “ a particular portion of the work. To recite the work required to get an “A” certificate in the GLoTX which includes opening-closing all 4 lodges at all positions, questions and answers of all 3 degrees, conferring all 3 degrees at all positions, and all 3 lectures takes about 4 hours.

While it may seem daunting it really isn’t as difficult as it seems if you commit yourself to it. What I have found most beneficial is that by having the work committed to memory it allows me to continuously review it and reflect on the lessons contained within.


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Bloke

Premium Member
Because y'all asked...

Art. 508. Certain Other Masonic Disciplinary Violations. It shall also be a Masonic disciplinary violation for a Lodge, a committee or any combination of Masons, or an individual Mason:

24. To possess, or use a cipher/code book on a Lodge premises, or to use a cipher/code book or access a cipher/code book in any form, including electronic access, in the presence of a candidate when instructing the candidate in the esoteric work of a Masonic Degree. (Revised 2013)
A counter argument;
I am not a fan of this rule. One of the great aspects of a cipher (and indeed a Book of Workings which includes movements) is to use it as a reference when training. It resolved a lot of conflicting ideas and really empowers Master Masons and breaks down "information power" PMs often use to dominate a lodge.... and shows how few of them accurately remember the ceremonial..

Indeed - I will often have a "junior" member use a book and ask him to be "my policeman" at rehearsal and correct me. It engages them, shows all are fallible and empowers them and creates a culture of learning for all. (It also obviously works because he is not correcting me every 5 seconds LOL)
 

Keith C

Registered User
A counter argument;
I am not a fan of this rule. One of the great aspects of a cipher (and indeed a Book of Workings which includes movements) is to use it as a reference when training. It resolved a lot of conflicting ideas and really empowers Master Masons and breaks down "information power" PMs often use to dominate a lodge.... and shows how few of them accurately remember the ceremonial..

Indeed - I will often have a "junior" member use a book and ask him to be "my policeman" at rehearsal and correct me. It engages them, shows all are fallible and empowers them and creates a culture of learning for all. (It also obviously works because he is not correcting me every 5 seconds LOL)

I agree with you on this Bloke. When i was learning the EA Degree there were a couple Past Masters who offered to help, but they did not have Ritual Manuals and kept correcting me with wording from the Ritual that had changed since they learned it. I spent more time convincing them that I had it right than learning the parts I was struggling with! We always have our Ritual Manuals at hand on Ritual Instruction and District School nights.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I agree with you on this Bloke. When i was learning the EA Degree there were a couple Past Masters who offered to help, but they did not have Ritual Manuals and kept correcting me with wording from the Ritual that had changed since they learned it. I spent more time convincing them that I had it right than learning the parts I was struggling with! We always have our Ritual Manuals at hand on Ritual Instruction and District School nights.
Bro Keith - I have done that very thing at rehearsal - corrected a sitting master (which is my job) only to be shown the book had changed.. two PMs were with me on the wording, but the sitting master was able to show us his book which was now he learned it and not how we learned it. This is why we always have the most current book at hand and use it.
 
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