Lemons to Haggis – A Hybrid Burns’ Night Supper

Jun 30, 2022 | Masonic Education

Lemons to Haggis: A Hybrid Burns’ Night Supper

A Lesson In Leadership from Joshua Lodge No. 890

On the morning of January 12, 2022, I received a text message from a Brother apologizing that he wouldn’t attend the meeting because his mother contracted COVID-19 and he was worried about the increasing number of cases in the city. Joshua Lodge No. 890 had its first communication of 2022 scheduled for that evening! I immediately conferred with the Wardens, Bros. Yatri Trivedi and Eldad Neumeier. They, too, had concerns about meeting amid spiking cases. We weighed the pros and cons and decided to switch to a Zoom meeting. While I am generally opposed to changing anything at the last minute, I had just recovered from the omicron variant myself and fully shared these concerns.

Throughout our deliberations, Bro. Eldad made the case for turning lemons into lemonade. This would be an opportunity, he said, to personally reach out to Brothers to communicate the last-minute change, to show that we are working diligently with their best interests in mind and to hold a meeting with greater attendance than we would have in-person. The decision turned out to be the right one – Brothers were thrilled that we switched to a virtual format, and we hosted a productive Zoom meeting attended by several guests.

I asked that we also decide on the status of the next meeting which was scheduled to be a Burns’ Night Supper. After all, it would not show competent leadership to switch to a virtual meeting out of concern and then hold a dinner two short weeks later! The overwhelming response was that we hold an in-person meeting if we could do so safely. R∴W∴ Daniel Eckman suggested passing an iPad around to give Brothers an opportunity to celebrate with us virtually – the idea for a hybrid Burns’ Night Supper was born.

Photo: R∴W∴ Daniel Eckman presents the haggis

I, again, conferred with the Wardens. We traded countless ideas, ranging from hand-delivering meals to postponing the event to March out of concern it would jeopardize the upcoming Entered Apprentice in a month. We paused to ask ourselves, “Why do we even hold an annual Burn’s Night Supper?” We do it to celebrate the life and works of world-renowned Scottish poet Bro. Robert Burns who was born on January 25. Would we celebrate a Thanksgiving feast in April? We turned our focus towards holding the event as scheduled on January 26 and brainstormed on ways to do it safely. This was another opportunity to turn lemons to lemonade. The Wardens and I got to work and were reminded along the way that we very much enjoyed our joint approach to confronting challenges.

First, we crafted a nonjudgmental environment. I thanked the anonymous Brother for texting me his concerns and encouraged everyone to do the same. He could’ve easily said, “Sorry, bro. Something came up”, but he openly expressed something that many had been quietly pondering. We understand that everyone has different needs and must make the choices that are right for them.

Next, Bro. Yatri released an anonymous poll to again gauge interest for in-person versus virtual with the understanding that some attendees might have changed their minds over the course of the week.

Photo: W∴ Asly Raymond comes bearing haggis

Then, we implemented an on-site testing requirement and even provided the testing kits. Attendees would agree to be tested and would only be admitted with a negative test. This turned out to be the biggest hassle. It was unreasonable to expect guests to obtain a same-day negative test in the middle of the week. It was also unreasonable to incorporate the costs of the tests into the ticket price. We received a small sliver of hope when the United States Postal Service announced that each U.S. residence would be eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. These did not turn up in time and we ultimately ended up purchasing and donating kits for the event. It was not cheap at $24 per pair, but it was well worth it.

Finally, R∴W∴ Daniel sourced the haggis and prepared cranachan from scratch, some of us donated bottles of Scotch to keep prices sensible, it was a beautifully awkward sight to see devices floating around so that our virtual guests could enjoy the festivities, and a great time was had by all!

Photo: Bro. Craig Wortherspoon, W∴ Greg Merritt and Bro. Charles Washington

I share this story as a brief lesson in leadership. I often encourage talented, young Brothers “to not just do, but to think”: Why am I doing this? Why is it important? Could it be improved? Will people benefit from this? Can more people benefit? At Joshua Lodge No. 890, we put a great deal of thought and effort into prioritizing the safety of our members while working to securely deliver a pleasant tradition that we all love and enjoy. As Masons, we are all builders. When we are not just mindlessly implementing a set of rules but are actively engaged and putting the needs of our members first, we can in fact build on truly remarkable and inventive solutions to modern problems.

W∴ Asly Raymond
Editor, Craftsmen Online
Joshua Lodge No. 890

The Great Secret of Masonic Education

Jun 20, 2022 | Masonic Education

The Great Secret of Masonic Education: Leave it Alone

Keys to teaching newly made Masons “The Work”

My favorite part after the first degree is when the newly made Brother is given their cipher. In my jurisdiction, it’s a little blue book that accounts for the experience of becoming an Entered Apprentice. Typically, it takes a new Brother a few months to learn how to read it, master the catechism, and commit it to memory. Newly-made Masons in New York State are required to display proficiency in Lodge to advance to the Fellowcraft degree. No matter how much they are prepared to do “The Work” of learning our ritual, I smile when a newly made Brother opens his cipher book for the first time, stare at the jumble before him, then looks up with a look of complete confusion and bewilderment.

“How am I supposed to learn this when I can’t read it?” they ask. “You’re not,” they are told. And so the schedule of Masonic Education begins.

In my mother Lodge, that meant meeting with the other Brothers from my class (there were 7 of us) at the office of our instructor on Monday nights after dinner. Each of us took a turn in reading a paragraph, passage, or page under his attentive ear until we worked up to the point when we no longer read from the pages but instead looked across the table, able to recite portions from memory. One by one, we stood up after a few weeks or months of work and were able to say it all. I still remember the cold sweat in the middle of my back the night I was tested. That was my experience. For the new Masons I work with now, these sessions happen before or after our Lodge meeting, in the study room of our temple, or on the phone on a weeknight where we both have an hour or so free to connect. This is their experience. How we meet is not relevant; what is essential is the lesson flow. The back and forth, learning through the ancient practice of mouth to ear. The student with their cipher book in hand, the Master prompting from memory, helping them form the words and learn the meanings. When I began my graduate studies, one thing that has always fascinated me as an adult learner is how things we do every day have a real name (some of which I will share in a few moments) and how quickly new knowledge can be implemented. Part of my Master’s degree work was focused on learning new methods; the other half was on practical applications. Through this experience, I have discovered three ways to teach Masonic Education to new members.

Performance vs Mastery

Cognitive Apprenticeship is a theory that implies we learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modeling. It would be best explained in the traditional sense of the teacher writing a math problem on a chalkboard along with the steps to solving the equation. The student would then solve a similar problem using the same method. This is how most of us learned that 2 + 2 equals 4 in grade school. Chances are you learned your multiplication tables this way, memorizing that 6 x 6 is 36, not understanding the operation performed by a pair of numbers to derive a third number, called a product. We learned our 6’s (6×1 through 6×10) to advance to 7’s on the multiplication table. Memorization isn’t wrong; the problem is that it doesn’t allow for true mastery of a subject.

In his TedTalk on self-paced learning, Salman Khan described the difference between memorization and mastery. As he said, “The first time that you are trying to get your brain around a concept is when another human asks, ‘do you understand this?'”

In the video, Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy, a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects.

Memorization creates a barrier to the student’s advancement. A traditional lesson plan is a routine of homework, lecture, homework, lecture, and snapshot exam. The class moves on to the next concept, whether the student passes or fails. Good students will struggle, despite the teacher or their ability.

Mastery is taking the time to “teach” the student the subject, its theory, and its principle – where the student is motivated by his ability to master a concept instead of getting a better test score. Think about the difference between a Brother you have heard who has memorized ritual versus a Brother who has mastered his role. There is a massive difference in their confidence and ability to articulate and convey the lesson’s point. Masters become good teachers who teach great students.

The great secret of a good teacher

I was surprised when I heard Itzhak Perlman as a guest on one of my favorite podcasts, “Here’s the Thing,” hosted by Alec Baldwin. I say surprised because Alec usually invites an eclectic lineup of guests on his program to discuss everything from art and culture, to public policy, to business. The last person I expected to hear on the stage was the world’s greatest violinist. Of course, Itzhak shared how his love of the sound of the violin on the radio led to his fantastic performance career. In the story, Alec focuses on his “discovery,” which is when Itzhak reveals that the great secret of a good teacher is “not only what to say but knowing what not to say.” Their exchange was brilliant.

After being labeled a musical genius at the age of 9, Alec started by asking him how he now teaches young prodigies. “Everyone has their own schedule of development,” Alec began. “But how do you work with those that have that great gift, that naturalness?” “You leave them alone,” Itzhak answered without thinking. “You leave them alone! You don’t want to hurt them. Let the talent develop. Usually, things get better as you grow older. When a teacher has such incredible talent in front of them, they want to give you their all, and they become too picky. Leave them alone! There are certain things you cannot teach.” Itzhak’s words were cemented in my mind the day after we made a new Brother at my Lodge. This Brother was unique in that, while I was doing my role in the Questions & Answers for his degree, I would have sworn that I saw him staring at the floor the entire time.
Now, we’ve all been in that spot during a degree, especially the first, when you have been exposed to so much that your brain is full. You have more questions in your mind than space to fill it. When he was handed his “little blue book” after his degree that night, he immediately asked me pointed questions about his experience. And these questions were beyond the typical decoration of the Lodge room. That evening, he was able to not only retrace his steps – but recall the exact words that were spoken to him, along with some of my part. I was floored! I asked him how he knew this. His answer, “I was memorizing what you were saying as you said it. Isn’t that what I was told to do?” When we work on his ritual proficiency over the phone, this Brother and I spend about an hour going over the lines and an additional hour of me answering his pointed questions. I thought of Itzhak when this Brother asked, “what books can I read now?” To others, I would have told them to focus on the cipher. For him, I wanted to say, “all of them.” Instead, I reminded him of what the Master told him about The Bible during the degree. Now he is texting Bible passages for the group chat to discuss.

Scaffolding

Of all the learning principles I have been exposed to, this one has a dual meaning—making it somewhat Masonic. Scaffolding is the process of supporting students in their learning. Just as construction work requires a raised support system for men to work, the same applies to how we learn. The teacher’s goal is to have more of a mentor/facilitator role rather than the traditional professor of ideas. Students share the responsibility of learning, taking ownership of the class’s success. Scaffolds can be small groups where individuals demonstrate their mastery of an area to other students – speaking to them in their language – fostering peer teaching and learning. For complicated or abstract material, scaffolding can help bring support through group learning to understand complex ideas. This method also allows the instructor to break the class into groups, which are smaller, more manageable teams, rather than trying to teach to the whole class. Masonically, we can adopt this practice in our ritual practices. One of my Brothers suggested the idea a few years ago of organizing our degree rehearsals like a theatre production: principles, backups, secondary performers, ensemble, and then we all meet for an entire cast run-through. Not only would this allow for time to focus on the individual roles in small groups off to the side, but as the cast is slowly integrated into the whole production, each participant would learn the flow of the ritual instead of just sitting in their spot, waiting for their time to speak. I often wonder of the Freemasons of years gone by, back when we still rode horses or walked to get from place to place. How in that time, when the printing press was in its infancy, and most Americans didn’t know how to read, “mouth to ear” learning was to learn. Now I can be on the phone in my living room, talking for an hour with a new Brother who is driving home from work. Interestingly, while the times and technology have changed over the centuries, “mouth to ear” is still the most valuable and rewarding form of learning. There isn’t a video series (yet) to teach our new Brothers this important Masonic Education. Knowledge is still passed from the Master who speaks to his apprentice who listens. As the old saying goes, “The word ‘listen’ contains the same letters as the word ‘silent.'”

Bro. Michael Arce Co-Founder, Craftsmen Online Mt. Vernon #3, Albany, New York St. John’s #11, Washington, DC

Masonic Reading Groups

Jun 12, 2022 | Masonic Education

Masonic Reading Groups

A Masonic reading group is the perfect way to stay connected with your Brothers during the summer months.

Staying connected with your Brothers during the dark season

I’m finally at the age where I look forward to summer again. As a kid, it was like counting down the days until Christmas. “No more teachers, no more books. No more teachers dirty looks.” I still remember those final days spent helping the teacher clean the classroom, watching movies, and enjoying the free air conditioning. Now that I’m firmly planted in my 40’s, my body enjoys these warm summer days a little more each year. Winter with her ice and snow does a good job of getting my mind past the memories of bugs that sting, sunburns, and humidity that makes the boards on my deck bend.

As a Master Mason, summer means no more Lodge meetings. In exchange, I would get back two weeknights for a few months. While I look forward to enjoying Monday night dinners with my lady on our deck this time of the year, it’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that I also won’t be enjoying fellowship after meetings with my Brothers. No more ritual, no more meetings… but also no more of those random conversations on history, the meaning of life, or just the craziness of our daily lives. This year, I found with each passing meeting I was dreading having to say, “see you in September,” to the most important guys in my life.

The promise of “this summer being different” started when I picked up a copy of “Born in Blood” for $5 at an Albany thrift shop. I’m sure that book was freshly donated from someone’s discarded book collection. When I got to the halfway point in the book where Robinson begins to tease his belief in a connection with The Templars and Freemasonry, I found myself snapping photos of the pages to share in a text message with a fellow Brother. That’s when it happened.

Wow! I always wanted to read that book too.

I know. This is amazing! I love authors who write research books like this; it gives me something to do with my free time.

You know, we should start a book club or something. It would be a cool way for us to get together still and talk about things this summer.

Really? A book club? Aren’t we a little too young for that?

Yeah. We should call it a “summer reading group” or something! Hahahahahaha!

😜

Within an hour I had texted my other chat groups. “Hit me up with a private message if you want details. We’re starting this week.” And that is how three Brothers from my Lodge and one from another – started our Summer Masonic Reading group chat. “We’ll meet on Wednesday night at my place. I’ll make dinner – you guys bring over whatever you like. Here’s the link to buy the first book. See you in two weeks.”

Before the end of the day, all three Brothers had ordered the title from Amazon. The other cool thing, our group chat started flowing that night with those discussions on morality, symbolism, and the deeper meanings of our ritual that I have me crossing off the days on the calendar until our next Lodge meeting.

Below are the books with links to order that my group read and discussed. We purposely kept the titles to topics that covered a wide array of Masonic ideas while not requiring too much time to read. Less than 100 pages and under $20 a book (in most cases you can find them for around $10 each), these titles make the perfect addition or starters for Masonic home library/collection. Enjoy!

Contemplating Craft Freemasonry: Working the Way of the Craftsman

by W. Kirk MacNulty

I recommend this as a “esoteric guide” for all newly obligated Masons. MacNulty brilliantly connects Masonic symbolism and degree lessons is easy to ready chapters that all contain discussion questions.
» Order on Amazon

The Lost Keys of Freemasonry: The Legend of Hiram Abiff

by Manly P. Hall

Consider this a “light read” of Hall’s work, as the re-print version is less than 60 pages. Inside, Hall takes you through his signature journey of the deeper meanings of the symbolism and steps in the Blue Lodge degrees.
» Order on Amazon

The Point Within The Circle: Freemasonry Veiled In Allegory And Illustrated By Symbols

by Albert Pike

This re-print is less than 30 pages. However, Pike’s encyclopedic knowledge covers the diverse history of ancient symbols.
» Order on GoodReads

Bro. Michael Arce
Co-Founder, Craftsmen Online
Mt. Vernon #3, Albany, New York
St. John’s #11, Washington, DC

Hiram’s Designs – Ideals and Virtues

Feb 17, 2022 | Masonic Education

MASONIC EDUCATION

Ideals and Virtues

SYMBOLISM IN MASONIC LODGES

Whenever he is in a Lodge, a Freemason of any standing cannot help but be conscious of the symbolism that is part and parcel of its fabric and furnishings. The Lodge is symbolic of the universe, with the sun blazing its importance for all to gaze and wonder at.

The decoration in the Tracing Boards for each degree and the symbolic meaning of each of the tools serve to remind the Mason of the purpose of the Craft ad the principles by which all Lodge members are exhorted to live.

The most arresting of these symbols, the ones that no one can fail to notice when entering a a Lodge, are the Three Pillars of Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. They serve to represent the omniscience and omnipotence of the Supreme Being and the perfect symmetry of His creating. Metaphorically, the represent the pillar officers of the Lodge — the Master, the Senior and Junior Warden. No Lodge can be opened without their presence.

It is open to all Masonic to strive to find the wisdom to see life simply and clearly, which is one of the most important gifts that the Craft can bestow on its members.

The symbols found throughout our Lodges in in our ritual reaffirm an important lesson in Freemasonry: we all make mistakes. The meaning in these objects reinforce Masonic wisdom which encourages us not to just learn from errors, but to judge our performance in every aspect of our lives against certain standards —adjust and move forward— having learned to compare our performance and our actions against a higher standards.

Bro. Jim Simpson, Schenectady Lodge #1174, Schenectady, New York
Sigman Bodies Ancient Accept Scottish Rite, Scotia, New York
St. George’s Chapter #157, Schenectady, New York
St. George’s Council #74, Schenectady, New York
St. George’s Commandry #37, Schenectady, New York
Charles H. Copestake #69 AMD, Schenectady, New York

7C6E6106-2BBD-42F4-A174-10768DD918C3_1_201_a

MASONIC EDUCATION

Masonic Books You
Should Read

LINKS TO MASONIC BOOKS
FROM OUR GRAND HISTORIAN

Many moons if one wanted to find or read a Masonic Book or magazine, you had to find, then go to a Masonic Library to peruse their titles. I also haunted many used bookstores in my region, most of which are no longer in business. We had a very fine Library in Syracuse, but when the Syracuse Temple closed down in 1984 that library became the seed for the Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington, MA, and the Greenland Collection now housed in the Utica Branch of the Robert R. Livingston Library. Soon after I was Raised, I went in search of More and Further Light in my Lodge only to find a small bookcase. I was looking for more, so I began with making inquiries, and by 1995 had acquired enough books to found the Onondaga Masonic Districts Historical Society (OMDHS), to be followed in 1998 by the Oswego Society. This was pretty much B.C. (Before Computers). Now our OMDHS Libraries in Liverpool and Phoenix now have over twenty bookcases filled with books, magazines, papers, and artifacts.

Thanks to the internet a new, vast resource is available. The only catch is sometimes the resource appears and in a relatively short amount of time, may no longer appear on the internet. This prompted me to begin capturing various resources of Masonic interests, and filing them on my hard drive and/or posting them on my Masonic Library website. In addition to sharing these resources on my website, a thumb drive of about 95GB of files has been forwarded for safekeeping to the Chancellor Robert R Livingston Library at the Grand Lodge of New York.

Who buildeth the Door upon which you must Knock?
What is you find when all Seas have been Crossed?

Needless to say there are tens of thousands of books and articles one could read or consult in one’s search for More and Further Light, so where does one begin or conduct one’s journey?’ In our recent Reading Room meeting, we shared a discussion on Wilmshurst’s, The Meaning of Masonry. That evening, it was noted that Wilsmhurst points to the hidden secrets in our Craft:

“Our teaching is purposely veiled in allegory and symbol and its deeper import does not appear upon the surface of the ritual itself. This is partly in correspondence with human life itself and the world we live in, which are themselves but allegories and symbols of another life and the veils of another world; and partly intentional also, so that only those who have reverent and understanding minds may penetrate into the more hidden meaning of the doctrine of the Craft. The deeper secrets in Masonry, like the deeper secrets of life, are heavily veiled; are closely hidden.
“They exist concealed beneath a great reservation; but whoso knows anything of them knows also that they are “many and valuable,” and that they are disclosed only to those who act upon the hint given in our lectures,
“Seek and ye shall find; ask and ye shall have; knock and it shall be opened unto you.”

Aside from Masonic books, there is a limitless resource of additional books, experiences, and insights available to the Seeker of Light. It is well for one to become mindful and aware of what transpires in each Here and Now of one’s journey. In doing so, one does not have to concern himself about what book to read or what experience to have, for they will slowly reveal themselves in due Order. From among the limitless resources, a small sampling of which may be seen at the OMDHS website, one may select one or more to which one may be drawn. Be sure to not always accept what you find as “absolute truth” but take it within you for that “truth therein you may find.” And slowly the diversity, the Duality, will shift toward the Unity to be found that rests wordlessly within.

Written by: R∴W∴ Gary L. Heinmiller, Grand Historian
Member of Liverpool Lodge #525, Liverpool, NY
Riverside Chapter RAM 260
Central City Council, Cryptic Masons 13
Trustee, The Chancellor Robert R Livingston Library of Grand Lodge
Founder & Archivist, Onondaga Masonic Districts Historical Society
Scottish Rite Research Society
American Lodge of Research
Finger Lakes Council, AMD