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Text Box: Whisper loudly, and be sure to laugh from time to time. If you are lucky, he will think you are laughing at him and be offended. Remember, if you treat the initiation as a beautiful and serious ceremony, he may, too! It is critical, therefore, that you loudly correct others if they make a mistake in the ritual work. If the man sitting next to you is wearing a hearing aid, ask him to turn it off, then shout at him about the weather, crops, anything at all to be distracting. If you can tell jokes involving animal sound effects, so much the better. 8. IF THE LODGE GATHERS FOR REFRESHMENTS AFTER THE DEGREE, IGNORE HIM COMPLETELY AND DO NOT SPEAK TO HIM, OR (BETTER BUT MORE DIFFICULT) SPEAK TO HIM IN SUCH A WHY THAT HE REALLY FEELS OUT OF PLACE. Remember he's still feeling a little uncertain--he's new at this. It's a good time to put him in his place, whatever that may be. Let him know that since you served on the Table Decoration Committee of the High Poo-Bah's party in 1908, you are far too exalted a personage to have-any interest in him. Dragging in all the Masonic jargon you possibly can is a good way to do this. You know that he has not had a chance to learn all the buzz-words, so use them, as many as possible in a sentence. This will not only allow you to show off, but it may discourage him enough that he will never return. 9. ABOVE ALL, NOW AT ALL TIMES, NEVER ANSWER A QUESTION!! If he asks you something you know, mumble a response, with an expression which says that he's an idiot for asking. If you don't know the answer, NEVER, NEVER BE HONEST AND SAY, “I DON’T KNOW, BUT I’LL FIND OUT.” Or, “I DON’T KNOW, BUT LETS GO ASK BROTHER SMITH.” Instead, look down on him and say, "You're not supposed to ask questions!" We live in dangerous times. If we are not careful, Masonry will become again the driving, exciting, vital force it once was. We can protect ourselves from that danger—continue our soft and comfortable glide to the grave--only by being constantly vigilant! EVERY BROTHER MUST WORK AND WORK HARD, AT TURING OFF PETITIONERS, DESTROYING RESPECT, AND CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF SUSPICION, SECRECY, AND CHILDISH DELAYED ADOLESCENCE. It will not be easy! But, working against each other, WE CAN DO IT!!! Tresner

Text Box: (continued from page 3) If he lights up a cigarette, look at him and say, in a cold voice. “Is that Marijuana? If he asks you a question about Masonry, say “You’ll know about that when you need to—right now we’re finding out about you.” Remember, he may not know that he isn't worth as much as the dirt under your feet--you may need to remind him of that by your attitude. 4. IF, IN SPITE OF YOUR BEST EFFORTS, THE LODGE VOTES TO ADMIT HIM, HOLD OFF LETTING HIM KNOW UNTIL THE LAST POSSIBLE DAY THE E.A. IS SET. DURING ALL THAT TIME, LIE TO HIM ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE INITIATION! This is good time to bring up the story about riding the goat. Make him feel that the Initiation is designed to embarrass him and humiliate him. Under no circumstances let him know that it is a beautiful and meaningful ritual, centuries old, which is designed to teach great truths of ethics and morality! Instead, build on memories of the sillier junior high and high school initiations, suggesting that this is even worse. If you work at it, you can convince him that Masons are nothing but high school adolescents who never grew up. You can make us seen revoltingly childish, with just a little effort. Sure, it's a grave Masonic offense to do these things, and you can get hauled up before a Masonic Tribunal, but it's worth some risk to make sure your Lodge dies with the others. 5. MAKE SURE NO ONE OFFERS TO GO TO HIS HOUSE, PICK HIM UP, AND BRING HIM TO THE LODGE ON THE NIGHT OF HIS FIRST DEGREE. 6. IF HE SHOWS UP ANYHOW, MAKE SURE EVERY ONE IGNORES HIM. Remind the Brothers who signed his Petition NOT to come to his Initiation. He might see a friendly face he knows. Tell the Brethren present to remember that they are to form small groups in the lobby and talk to each other, not to him. The only exception might be an old Brother who can feed him more lies about how scary the initiation is. EVEN WHEN HE ENTERS THE LODGE ROOM FOR THE E.A. DEGREE, IT IS STILL NOT TO LATE TO DRIVE HIM AWAY IF YOU REALLY WORK AT IT. WITH DILIGENT EFFORT, YOU CAN KEEP HIM FROM ADVANCING TO THE OTHER TWO DEGREES. CAREFULLY AVOID THE COURTESY OF BEING