THE LODGE SYSTEM OF MASONIC EDUCATION
THE LODGE SYSTEM OF MASONIC EDUCATIONPublished by the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina(under the direction of the Board of Custodians).The material herein presented is based largely on the pamphlets published by theBoard of General Activities of the Grand Lodge of New York and the Grand Lodge of theDistrict of Columbia, which have fraternally given permission for its use.The Lodge System of Masonic EducationFirst edition printed 1936Revised and printed 1949Revised and printed 1952Revised and printed 1960Fifth edition printed 1969Sixth edition printed 2010 with CODE references thru January 1, 2010ForewordThe LODGE SYSTEM OF MASONIC EDUCATION, including revisions through 1969,was originally prepared by the Board of Custodians of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Freeand Accepted Masons of North Carolina and authorized and promulgated by the GrandLodge. It was updated by the Masonic Ceremonies & Miscellaneous PublicationsCommittee in 2010 and is herewith set forth for use in the lodges of North Carolina.It is simple, practical, and employed under the direction and immediate authority of thelodge. It works where education is most needed and appreciated. The method, whenused consistently and intelligently, guarantees positive results.The Plan in BriefThe essentials of the LODGE SYSTEM OF MASONIC EDUCATION are:1. Name: The lodge, first and foremost, carries it on.2. Purpose: To guarantee each candidate is properly instructed in the fundamentals ofthe Craft which each newly-made Mason must know.3. Machinery & Methodology: Three members appointed by the Worshipful Master andany assistants deemed necessary. The candidate meets with the committee oncebefore receiving the First Degree; once after the First Degree; once after the SecondDegree; and twice after the Third Degree- five times in all.Rev 6.1 July 20101
The PurposeRealize that each candidate is a stranger to Freemasonry. He not only joins the lodgebut a Fraternity with over 4,000,000 members and 16,000 lodges nationwide; theworld’s oldest Fraternity stretching back centuries with a thoughtful system of laws,ideals and obligations; with the rights, privileges and duties which are his to preserve.Without informed guidance, no candidate can take his proper place in the work ofMasonry nor bring credit to himself or honor the Fraternity. Each candidate has the rightto expect proper instruction; without such, he may cease to attend regular meetings.By using the Lodge System as your guide, your candidates will profit and the lodge willbe strengthened. Such fully informed Brothers should be better prepared -- and morewilling -- to regularly participate in the activities of your lodge.Machinery & MethodologyThe machinery & methodology of the Lodge System of Masonic Education are:The Worshipful Master appoints a committee of three; these three may select suchassistants as they may deem necessary. (Regs. 61-7 & 61-10).After a petition has been favorably balloted upon, the petitioner is notified by theSecretary to meet with the committee at a specified time and place.At the first meeting, the committee will give the candidate such instruction as he needsto enable him to receive the First Degree in the proper spirit, and will furnish him suchinformation about the principles and teachings of Masonry as will give him a clearerunderstanding of the kind of society he is about to enter.The candidate, again instructed by the Secretary, will meet with this committee fourmore times, once each after the First and Second Degrees, and twice after the ThirdDegree. When he is ready to accept the responsibilities of membership, he can do sointelligently and with a clearer knowledge of “What it is all about”.The CommitteeThe committee should be composed of Master Masons of experience, knowledge, andtact who feel a genuine interest in their work and who can be trusted not to neglect it. Itwould be wise to have at least one Past Master in its membership. Some lodges haveonly Past Masters on this committee. The committee should have a chairman and avice-chairman but needs no other officers; if desired, the chairman can report to thelodge upon each candidate after the candidate has attended the last meeting.Rev 6.1 July 20102
The candidate meets the committee at the specified time and place and hears a fewwords of greeting from the chairman in explanation of the purpose of the meeting. Afterthat he listens while each member in turn reads (or recites) one of the papers herewithprinted under the heading, "Meeting No. 1." When the candidate has heard the subjectspresented, he can then be encouraged to ask questions and to take part in an informaldiscussion, the committee explaining any questions arising out of those subjects as faras it would be proper to make such explanation at the time. If ten minutes are allowedfor preliminaries, fifty for the subjects, and thirty for questions and discussion, the entiretime will be only one and one half hours.The candidate has nothing to do but listen; no books to read, no papers to write, nothingto memorize. His participation will not interfere with his learning the degree catechisms.After the last meeting he will have heard sixteen fundamental subjects presented, alarger amount of carefully digested, useful, and connected information concerningMasonry than most Masons acquire in twenty years.The system is no great burden on the committee. It is no financial burden on the lodgeor on anyone. Each member of the committee familiarizes himself with the subjectsassigned to him and attends the meetings. It is essential that each member confinehimself to the material as it is presented herein; thus all candidates hear the samepapers, which have been authorized by the Grand Lodge. The chairman will see to itthat each member of the committee is thoroughly prepared to present in an effectiveand impressive manner the particular subject which has been assigned to him. Thepresentation may be read, or may be spoken after being committed to memory orrestated from notes made by the committee member; but it is imperative that eachmember stay within the time limit and subject matter allotted to him. A careful chairmanwill go over with each member all of the material assigned to him in order to assure theproper pronunciation of words and the effective reading or presentation of the material.It is important that every committee member confine himself to his subject as written.First, it guarantees that the member will take the same amount of time at every meeting;and not run on and on, transgressing on the time belonging to other members, as oftenhappens with extemporized talks. Second, it assures that all candidates hear the samepapers. Third, it enables the chairman to call in a substitute at a moment's notice if amember cannot attend. Fourth, since the papers have been approved by the Board ofCustodians of the Grand Lodge, each candidate hears only that which has beenauthorized and carries the weight and responsibility of the Grand Lodge.The candidate should understand clearly that what he hears is not the random opinionof an individual, but a statement sanctioned by the Craft, and therefore to be acceptedin all seriousness and acted upon.Rev 6.1 July 20103
Programs for the Five MeetingsTHE FIRST MEETING (Preceding the First Degree)(For the guidance of the committee only) The purpose is to introduce the candidate toFreemasonry. His teachers should impress upon him that becoming a Mason is not afrivolous undertaking; and that Initiation, Passing, and Raising are not perfunctory,mechanical ceremonies performed merely for the purpose of getting a degree, but thatthey are indispensable steps. He should be taught that Freemasonry is a life to be lived,not a set of hollow forms to be hypocritically observed; that he must first becomeprepared "in his heart." He should also learn that in the committee and in the officers ofthe lodge he has guides and friends to whom he may go at any time for counsel.For these purposes four papers on as many subjects are printed herewith for the use ofthe committee. These are:1. Introduction by the Chairman2. A Definition and a Short History of Freemasonry3. The Qualifications4. The Machinery and Organization of a LodgeTHE SECOND MEETING (Following the First Degree)(For the guidance of the committee only) The candidate is now an Entered Apprentice.His initiation has been an experience very different from what he expected. He feelssomewhat mystified by the strange ceremony. The language is strange, and thesymbols are unusual. He wonders what to do next, and what his duties and privilegesas an Entered Apprentice are. The object of this meeting is to give him an interpretationof the degree, to describe an Entered Apprentice, to explain briefly some of the symbolsand allegories, to give him a clearer concept of Masonic tenets and to prepare him forthe next step. To this end the following four subjects are herewith presented:1. The Meaning of the term Entered Apprentice2. An Interpretation of the Ritual of the First Degree3. The Principal Tenets4. Symbols of the First DegreeRev 6.1 July 20104
THE THIRD MEETING (Following the Second Degree)(For the guidance of the committee only) The degree of Fellow Craft seldom commandsthe interest it deserves. In truth, it is a very essential degree filled with importantlessons, and provides a magnificent opportunity to present all aspects of Freemasonry'sappeal to the intellect -- since education, symbolized by the liberal arts and sciences, isits foundation.The candidate is now midway on his journey. After meeting the committee twice andtaking part in two degrees, he begins to feel at home. If the committee has done its part,he has learned that Masonry has no "horseplay."The candidate, aided by the liberal arts and sciences and the five senses, may climb thesymbolic steps to a middle chamber where wisdom is found in the midst of culture andenlightenment.At the center of this degree, one of the finest and most beautiful in Masonry, we mayfind an impressive picture of the awakening and cultivation of the mind under theinfluences of Masonry.It is important that the committee emphasize the philosophy of Masonry, its greatteachings, and its message of education, enlightenment, and toleration. For thispurpose four subjects are herewith presented:1. Meaning of the Term Fellow Craft and the Duties and Privileges of a Fellow Craft2. Interpretation of the Ritual of the Fellow Craft Degree3. Symbols and Allegories of the Fellow Craft Degree4. The Teachings of the Fellow Craft DegreeRev 6.1 July 20105
THE FOURTH MEETING SPECIAL INSTRUCTION (Immediately after the ThirdDegree)(For the guidance of the committee only) We have been negligent in our duty to thebrother who has just received the Third Degree. We have expected him to find his wayas best he can. This is the most critical period in his Masonic career, and if the lodgegives him encouragement and a reasonable amount of instruction and guidance until hehas had time to form habits of interest, he should develop into a working Mason;otherwise he is apt to lapse into chronic indifference and be just another dues-payingmember.To neglect the proper instruction and guidance is a dereliction in Masonic duty to thefuture Masons in our state.Initiation, Passing, and Raising are only the beginning. The newly Raised brother needsto know and to understand his duties as a Master Mason, his rights, his privileges, andhis financial obligations; he should be taught how to visit a lodge; he needs facts aboutthe Grand Lodge, and the customs, landmarks, and jurisprudence of the Craft. Heshould be taught what NOT to do as well as what TO do. At no other time in his Masoniccareer will he be so eager to learn as in the impressionable period immediately followingthe Third Degree. In the fourth meeting the committee has the vital part of making acapable Masonic worker. To this end the following program of instruction is presented.The seven subjects should not require more than thirty minutes, and should bepresented immediately following the Raising of the brother; and before the officers andthe committee have dispersed, or as an educational program during the next statedcommunication. See page 38 for the list of subjects.THE FIFTH MEETING (Following the Third Degree)(For the guidance of the committee only) This meeting should be held within a veryshort time after the brother is Raised. The Third Degree is the climax of initiation in theSymbolic Lodge and the greatest, the most profound, and the most influential degree inMasonry. The time for the candidate to learn its meaning is while it remains fresh in hismemory and warm in his feelings. In this meeting the committee has an opportunity toput him into possession of that meaning, as well as to give him more generalinformation on those subjects presented in the oral instruction and those concerning thetraditions and work of the Craft. It is your opportunity to help one who has just become amember in name to become a Mason in fact, in the sense that throughout his Masoniccareer he will continue serving and working for the Craft. To this end the following foursubjects are herewith presented:1. Interpretation of the Ritual of the Third Degree2. Symbols, Emblems, and Allegories of the Third Degree3. The Laws of Freemasonry4. The Duties, Privileges, and Rights of a Master MasonRev 6.1 July 20106
SUMMARY:The Lodge System of Masonic Education is simple and effective. For best results:.1. The System should be put into effect by the Master.2. The Master appoints a committee of three, and the work of the lodge and thecommittee should be so arranged that perfect harmony and cooperation may beattained. The committee will select such assistants as may be necessary.3. A chairman and a vice-chairman are named, either by appointment by theMaster or by election by the committee.4. Each candidate is required to meet with this committee five times: once beforethe First Degree, once after the First Degree, once after the Second Degree, andtwice after the Third Degree.5. At every meeting except the fourth, a committee member reads frommanuscript or recites from memory one of the short papers herewith provided.6. At the fourth meeting the particular instruction must be given orally.(See page 38).7. The lectures should be followed by a period for appropriate questions anddiscussion.Rev 6.1 July 20107
INTRODUCTORY LECTURE (To be given by the chairman)Subject No. 1 - Meeting No. 1My Friend:As you are a candidate for membership in the Masonic Fraternity, having beenunanimously elected to receive the degrees, you will be given certain instruction beforereceiving each degree. This instruction, which begins prior to your initiation, willcontinue throughout the course of the three degrees. It will clarify some things, whichmay be obscure, emphasize the significance of much of what you will see and hear andgive you a sort of mental picture of the structure and purpose of Masonry.You and Freemasonry are strangers to each other, never having been introducedbefore. As you are a stranger and since you are going on a strange journey, it is thedefinite responsibility of the members of the Fraternity, who are your friends and whowill later on be your brothers, to point out the signposts and landmarks, which will guideyou in your journey.You should approach Masonry with a receptive mind, and as you progress through thedegrees, interpret for yourself, as far as possible, all that you hear and see.The desire to become a Freemason should be very seriously considered and carefullyanalyzed. No one should enter upon that undertaking hastily, unadvisedly, or because ofpersuasion by any person.If you are genuinely serious in your purpose when you cross the threshold of theMasonic lodge, then it should become a sacred place for you. In a very vital sense thelodge can become a home wherein you should be content to honor your God, to loveand serve your brethren, and to learn the many valuable lessons which Masonry willteach you.Before you enter the lodge, you should be careful to attend to these duties:First - You should be clear in mind. Your mental faculties should be free from distractingthoughts that would tend to divert you from the instruction you will receive; you shouldset aside all prejudgment and be free to accept and use the lessons of the degrees.Second - You should be pure in heart. Put away evil thoughts. If you have done wrongto anyone, seek honestly to make amends.Third - You should be clean in body. Let this be symbolic of the genuine purification ofyour heart and mind and of the integrity of your intentions.Fourth - You should be prayerful in spirit. Whether or not it is your daily habit to pray toyour God, pray on the eve of your Initiation for His blessing upon what you are about todo, for wisdom that will help you to understand, and for strength that will make yousteadfast.Fifth - You should be confident of your good intentions. Be certain that you still sincerelydesire to proceed in Masonry because there is no rightful place in the Fraternity forthose who are half-hearted, undecided, indifferent, or unstable.Rev 6.1 July 20108
The symbolism of Freemasonry deals with the intellectual, moral, and spiritual values oflife. I assure you there is nothing of a light or trifling character in the degrees ofMasonry. Any intimation or suggestion you may have had to the contrary is entirelyfalse. There is a profound significance in every step you will be caused to take. You willbe amply rewarded for your earnest study of those principles and for your faithfulapplication of them in your everyday life, as thousands of other men have beenrewarded in the past.The rights and privileges of Freemasonry impose corresponding duties andresponsibilities. Your duties and obligations as a member of the Fraternity will in nomanner conflict with those duties and obligations you have already assumed by virtue ofyour being a part of modern society. On the contrary, the Masonic fraternity reiterates,reinforces, and re-emphasizes those duties and obligations.Thus when you ask Masonry to share with you its past, present, and future, and theprivileges of its brotherhood, you must clearly bear in mind the fact that Masonry willrequire you to share a part of your time, your talent, your means, and yourself with it.You must understand that our obligations are mutual and reciprocal. When you expectyour brethren to fulfill their duties, they also expect you to fulfill your duties.Rev 6.1 July 20109
A DEFINITION AND A SHORT HISTORY OF FREEMASONRYSubject No. 2-Meeting No. 1My Friend:At the beginning of your instruction in Masonry it is proper to give to you, as best wecan, a short definition of Freemasonry.What is this mysterious art we call Freemasonry? There have been a great number ofdefinitions offered, but one of the simplest and most direct is used by our Englishbrethren:"Freemasonry is a beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated bysymbols." The idea of teaching by symbols and allegories is not new; all great teachershave more or less followed this system.Albert Pike, a great Masonic scholar and writer, says, "Freemasonry is the subjugationof the Human that is in man by the Divine; the conquest of the appetites and passionsby the moral sense and reason; a continued effort, struggle, and warfare of the spiritualagainst the material and sensual." Of course, these definitions need a great deal ofexplaining. Yet Masonry is, when clearly understood, a great worldwide system ofemancipation, in that it teaches its initiates to liberate themselves from the slavery of allforms of ancient superstitions, obsolete creeds, and beliefs that do violence to thereasoning faculties of every intelligent, enlightened, and untrammeled human mind.Freemasonry is a system of morality by the practice of which its members may advancetheir spirit
Freemasonry. His teachers should impress upon him that becoming a Mason is not a frivolous undertaking; and that Initiation, Passing, and Raising are not perfunctory, mechanical ceremonies performed merely for the purpose of getting a degree, but that they are indispensable steps. He should be taught that Freemasonry is a life to be lived,
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a. Knowledge of the Masonic Ritual. b. Objectivity and sincerity in judgment. c. Forthright in personal, business and Masonic dealings. d. Respect for his lodge and Masonic traditions 3. Have or develop ability to conduct lodge business. a. Memorize and deliver Masonic Ritual for opening and closing lodges. b. Preside over meetings.
