The Five Step Program

Grand Lodge of Missouri

Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons

Dialogue:

Role-Playing the Five-Step

Program of

MASONIC EDUCATION

Prepared by the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education 2001 Grand Lodge of Missouri

Role-Playing the Five-Step Program

The dialogue suggested here is not meant to be read or used verbatim, but to give you an idea of how conversations can develop from the printed material. To read it at the Grand Lodge educational session would be deadly dull. If you read through this dialogue and are familiar "with the printed items in the educational packet, the role-playing presentation can be done from Key Words written down on note cards or highlighted in this text.

This program can be done by Three Master Masons, representing two members of a Masonic Education Team (Brothers A & B) and one candidate, John Henry Doe, who has just been elected to receive the degrees. When the Five-Step Masonic Education Program is presented to newly raised Master Masons, the dialogue format is highly recommended.

The benefits of this program are to keep the new Master Masons interested, enthusiastic, and active in the Fraternity, to give members an opportunity to become "well informed brethren," and to train our future leaders. By understanding the long and distinguished history and heritage of the Fraternity and what it means to be a Freemason, brethren will be proud of their membership and will exemplify its precepts in their lives.

1. The First Meeting: [The education of a Freemason begins when he receives his E.A. degree. It is strongly recommended that this first meeting be held in the home with the wife and other family members.]

Brother A to candidate, John Henry Doe: Hello, John. As I said on the phone, your petition was approved and you will receive a notice of this from the lodge secretary. We are here to give you some information that will answer any questions that you or your wife may have and help you participate comfortably in the initiation.

Brother B: That's exactly why we are here. We have some information for you and will answer your questions. When you are notified of the date of your initiation, you come to the Masonic Hall. We'll be there to welcome you and to be with you until the lodge is ready for your initiation. There are some preliminaries that the lodge does in opening and conducting routine business.

You have already talked with two or three other members of our Lodge, who served as an investigating committee. Since your petition has been approved, that means we have verified that you are a man of good character, who is interested in becoming an ever better person. They probably answered some of your questions, but you may have more by this time.

John Doe: They told me that I should not be nervous about the initiation, that it was serious and that I would not be embarrassed in any way.

Brother A: Good! We can assure you that our degree work is serious and there will be nothing at all that will cause you any discomfort or embarrassment. There will be no tricks or jokes played on you. For example, are you aware that you will be blindfolded for part of the ceremony?

John Doe: No, that wasn't mentioned. Maybe, I should be a little nervous after all.

Brother B: Not at all. At all times, you will be accompanied by two of our members, who will be with you through the ceremony and instruct you in what you are to do. There will be some questions and answers, but your guide will give all the answers for you.

Brother A: There will be one question that you will have to answer for yourself. I can't tell you exactly what that will be, but you have already answered it on your petition, so you will have not problem with it at all.

Brother A: Up to a certain point, you will have opportunities to stop the ceremony, if you think you do not wish to continue. I don't think you will find anything objectionable, but up until you take the obligation for the first degree, you could withdraw from the room without seeing any of the ceremony.

Brother B: Remember, every person there has been through the exact same ceremony. John Doe; that’s reassuring.

Brother A: You also need to know that for the initiation, you will change from your outer clothing into a ceremonial garment. You will be given privacy to change and there is nothing about these garments that will embarrass you. We want you to be totally at ease, comfortable, and secure at all times.

Brother B: We have a full program of Masonic Education planned for you. We may not know all the answers, but we have a packet of information for you to read. We will meet with you after each degree and then a final session when we'll review all three degrees.

We will give you parts of this packet at each session, and will discuss parts of it. You will end up with the entire collection of printed items.

New Member's Educational Kit

Brother A: John, the reason I asked you on the phone if you had a video tape player is that we have a short video to show you. It is "Focus on the Future,” and runs 12 minutes. It is not part of your packet, but you are welcome to borrow it and watch it again or show it to friends or members of the family. It's mainly a series of photographs about Masonic activities and discusses Masonic character building, brotherhood" and historically prominent American Freemasons.

Brother B: I want to give you five items from the information packet, so that you will have them to read before your initiation.

1. The book" Handbook of Freemasonry, will be used throughout our educational program. You can read small sections of it before or after we meet with you each time. For now, just look at the section, "On the Threshold," and a separate pamphlet by the same title.

2. The "Missouri Masonic Information and Education Resource Guide is a valuable source of general information about Freemasonry and will assist the sponsor or coach in knowing how to answer questions.

3. "What's a Mason?" is a clear statement of the essentials of Freemasonry and includes a diagram of a Masonic Lodge room.

5. "Freemasonry Defined" accurately describes Freemasonry in today's terms in a clear, concise manner.

Brother A: You can share any of these printed items with your family members and friends, so that they will understand what you are becoming a part of. The more they understand the more support they will give you, whether or not they are members of the Fraternity.

Brother B: We want to share briefly with you what Freemasonry means to us. As for me, I had my father and two uncles that were Masons. My best friend is also a Freemason. I have a much closer relationships to them now, even though we were already close. Being a member has helped me a lot in sticking to ideals of "brotherly love, relief, and truth," which I already believed in.

Brother A: Brotherly love refers to the close friendship we have with brother Freemasons. We help each other. Wherever we go, we meet Freemasons who are immediately friendly and helpful. Although we are not a charity exactly, helping those who are in distress or in need, whether members or not, is a basic tenet of Freemasonry. Truth speaks for itself. It means we can always rely on the word of a Freemason. There's a lot more to it, but that's what Freemason means to me, in a few words.

Brother B: I have to tell you that I wasn't sure about becoming a Mason, because I didn't know much about the organization. I didn't even know how to ask about it. I don't have any family members or friends who are members. Well, I do now. It seems that every Mason that I meet is a friend. I asked someone how a person could join the Masons when he didn't know anything about it. This friend said, "You've just asked the right person. I'm a Mason, and I'll bring you a petition. I'll be glad to sign it and find someone else to sign it, too." I didn't even know this man was a Mason, but I have become a close friend of his and have made many new friends. I like the sense of belonging that it gives me.

John Doe: That sounds good to me. I'm ready to become a member, but I'll just have to wait till the date is set.

Brother A: Yes, you'll have to wait for the initiation, but there are still things you can do. The two lodges in town are having an Open House next Sunday afternoon. All are invited to see the Masonic building and the lodge room. Masonic information will be given and questions answered. You '11 see where your initiation will be done. Your wife and family can come with you.

II. The Second Meeting (after initiation as an E.A.) [Meet preferably somewhere in the lodge building]

John Doe: I was amazed at everything. How do all of you remember all of those words?

Brother A: Practice! We work on learning the words and get together to practice all the time. We have a regular practice session every Monday night. We can use The Cipher (code book for the ritual), but eventually we learn it by practicing together.

John Doe: I really appreciate all that was done. I thought I would remember at least what happened, but there was so much that I'm a little vague about some of it now.

Brother B: Yes, there is a lot to learn. But as you observe the initiation being put on for someone else, you'll begin to remember the same happening to you. The best thing you can do right now to review the experience is to attend lodge where an Entered Apprentice degree is being put on.

Brother A: There will be another first degree in our lodge next month. We've just received the petition. As you remember, you had to wait for a month after yours was turned in before we voted on it.

Brother B: I've heard that another lodge close-by is having an initiation next Tuesday night. If you can go, we'll take you with us, so that you'll have a chance to watch the same degree even sooner. You'll need us to vouch for you. However, even if we didn't go, Brother C from that lodge was present at your initiation, so he could vouch for you, too. But we won't leave you uncertain about this. We'll take you.

Freemasonry is a beautiful System of morals Veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.

You'll notice many symbols in all the Masonic ritual. Everything is taught by symbols. The lodge is laid out from east to west, and these are the directions mentioned in the ritual. But you will notice that actually the East in our lodge room is toward the south. I don't know why they build the Masonic Hall that way, but we'll always refer to the Master's station as East.

There are other symbols, also: The Working Tools are implements used in the building trade (24-inch gauge or ruler and the common gavel, for shaping stones, and the apron). The universal symbol of Freemasonry is the square and compasses.

Brother B: The Obligation is what makes you a Freemason. You will find this stated any time the lodge is opened: What makes you a Freemason? My obligation. It's an impressive way of emphasizing the importance of keeping certain specific words and rituals secret from non-Masons. Notice that the Penalty says "NO LESS A PENALTY THAN..." It doesn't say those specific things are the penalty. The actual penalties of the Masonic Lodge are suspension from membership and expulsion from the fraternity,

Brother A: There is much to learn about all the symbols and there will be more for each degree, that’s why we give you some literature to read and then we can discuss any of these matters and answer any questions about them,

Here are the items from the educational packet for the Entered Apprentice degree:

Brother B: The Lodge has a short video on "The Entered Apprentice." You are welcome to borrow it and show to your family and friends, Return it when you are finished.

Brother A: When your degree was finished, you noticed that I moved over on the side where you sat down. Most of the brethren were sitting on the other side or farther down the row. I did this so that I could let you know to stand when the Master asked if you had anything to say. I knew he'd ask. Also, I could make sure you remember how to make the signs during the closing ritual.

John Doe: I was glad you did that. I would not know what to do when he asked me to make any comments.

Brother B: Let's look at that little pamphlet on "Lodge Courtesies.." We want to mention some of them, so that you will be comfortable the next time you are in a lodge meeting.

2. When giving the signs, stand when three raps are given, and face due South or North, depending on which side of the lodge room you are on. You do not turn toward the East, just look toward the East, standing straight in front of our chair.

3. If you leave the lodge while it is still open, go on the square to the altar, give the sign of the degree you are in, and proceed on the square to the outer door. As an E.A., you will leave when the Master begins to open on the F. C. degree; the Senior Deacon will meet you at the altar and escort you out. This happens in the F.C., also. Once you are a Master Mason, you leave the same way, but will not be escorted,

Brother A: Good question. This indicates that he is the presiding officer and he is the only one wearing a hat. Did you notice that a different brother wore the hat, when he was obligating you? Also, another man wore the hat when he gave you the degree lecture with slides. These brethren were taking the role of Master of the Lodge for the purposes of the degree. When each of these men had the hat on, the actual Master of the Lodge did not have a hat on.

Brother B: You are already a real Freemason! Remember, when you took the obligation of a Freemason, the Master called you "Brother Doe." After you put your regular clothes back on and were brought in to the NE corner, the Master said: "You there stand as a just and perfect Freemason." There are still two degrees to reach the highest degree, which is the Master Mason degree.

Brother B: The Master Mason degree is the highest degree in Freemasonry. There are affiliated organizations, with related degrees, some of which use higher numbers (such as Scottish Rite) and others used named degrees (such as York Rite). But they go in a horizontal direction, not higher up.

Brother A: There are many teachings in this degree. The same definition mentioned above continues as follows:

Brother A: John, you have now been passed to the degree of Fellow Craft. We will use the two main books for our study: "The Fellow Craft" sections in the Handbook of Freemasonry and in The Missouri Masonic Information and Education Resources Guide, which you already have.

John Doe: I've read some of the items you gave me last time about the first degree. I'm beginning to understand a lot of things about the initiation that I wasn't aware of at the time. I can see that I still need to learn more about it.

Brother B: Many symbols are used in the teachings of this degree. The main one is the Square, on the angle of which you were received into the Lodge of Fellow Crafts. It is an emblem of virtue and teaches you to square your actions by the square of virtue. Just as the square enables the stonemason to shape a rough stone into a square one that will fit into the building, so should you shape your actions in accordance with the "rightness" (right angle) of the square of virtue. It is one of the Working Tools of a Fellow Craft.

Brother A: The other Working Tools are the Plumb and Level, symbolic of walking uprightly and remembering that all men are equal in the Masonic Lodge, no matter what their station is in life.

Brother B: The Fellow Craft degree teaches us about the three precious jewels: the attentive ear, the instructive tongue, and the faithful breast. These are the ways we learn about Freemasonry (from mouth to ear) and remain faithful to our word.

Brother A: The Winding Stairway lecture encourages the study of the "liberal" arts---that means the knowledge that is useful to a free man and demonstrates the progressive nature of all knowledge.

John Doe: I noticed a big G in front of the Master. There was a talk about it in the degree.

Brother B: The letter G, which is suspended above the Master's station, is highlighted when the lodge is open (at labor). Some lodges have a light shining on it and in others the letter has a light in it that is turned on. The letter G is explained at the end of this lecture as the symbol for Geometry, the basis of our symbolism and of deity. In Missouri the letter G is included in the middle of the primary Masonic symbol, the Square and Compasses.

Brother A: There is much more to learn about the second degree. Read the sections in the two booklets and the pamphlets for get a better understanding of it. The best way of course is to observe another candidate being passed to the degree of Fellow Craft. If we can find out about one that's being done, we'l1 take you to see it.

Brother A: Well, Brother Doe, I'm sure you had a quite different experience in the Master Mason degree compared to the others.

John Doe: I thought for a while that it was very much like the others and thought we were finished. Then I was in for a surprise.

Brother A: You are now a Master Mason, and there is no higher degree in Freemasonry. But of course there are many other degrees in affiliated organizations, but they are parallel to this one and not higher.

Brother B: Your study is only beginning. If you are interested in "improving yourself in Masonic knowledge, you will always find" well-informed brethren who wi1l be always as ready to give, as you wi11 be to receive, instruction." That's quoted from the first-degree Charge.

Brother A: We have some information for you on the meaning of the third degree. And our next and final session will be a review of all the degrees. But that should not be the end of your study of Freemasonry. There are many books on every imaginable aspect of Freemasonry.

C. Missouri Masonic Manual. This contains the prayers and the plain English portions of the lectures and charges, including many illustrations of Masonic symbols and emblems that are explained in the degrees. It also has the Masonic Funeral Service and the ceremony for the Reception of Distinguished Guests. The Test Oath for the examination of visiting brethren is at the end of the book. This is used to examine you when you visit another lodge in which no one is present to can vouch for you. In order to vouch for you, he must have sat in lodge with you.

Read "The Master Mason" sections in the Handbook of Freemasonry, and in The Missouri Masonic Information and Education Resources Guide, which you already have.

Brother A: When you were received into a Lodge of Master Masons, you were received on the same instrument used in the first degree, the compasses. Then, it was "the point of a sharp instrument," which was one of the points of the compasses. In this degree both points were used, and demonstrated the "most excellent tenets" of Freemasonry, which are Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.

Brother B: No, a compass is an instrument for finding directions (pointing to magnetic north). The plural form, compasses, which is always used in Masonic work, is an instrument for drawing a circle. Symbolically, we draw a circle to "circumscribe our desires and keep our passions in due bounds, with all mankind, especially with a brother Freemason.

Brother A: The specific Working Tool of this degree is the trowel, but the Master Mason has available "all the implements of masonry." The trowel is symbolic of the Masonic ties that bind Freemasons to each other.

Brother B: A special word that Freemasons use to refer to their work is "travel." "That I might travel in foreign countries..." is part of the opening ritual. Keeping the references to the building trade, Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts are restricted in their movements and can work only where there is a Master Mason to oversee the work. A Master Mason can be that overseer and is thus able to travel anywhere and find work.