Proving Proficiency

It can be a profound experience

Here in Washington we require that proficiency be shown as a candidate moves through the Degrees, and that it be shown before a Master Mason can assume an office in the Lodge. But a Lodge determines its own proficiency, and the proficiency of its candidates.

Some Lodges might demand no more than a knowledge of the Obligations and the modes of recognition. Others might utilize a written text and tests. Some, perhaps most require the candidate to memorize the Posting Lecture or catechism. Occasionally a more unique path to proficiency might be determined for a specific man, for specific reasons.

The Lodges I’m most familiar with generally use memorization of the Posting Lecture, with its delivery before all in Open Lodge.

Photo by Jarl Schmidt on Unsplash

Normally the mentor and the candidate will stand West of the Altar at some point in a Stated Meeting and go through the lecture together.

But this past week, for a Brother soon to be made a Master Mason, we cranked this up about a dozen notches. Perhaps your Lodge would like to try something similar.

We did it outside of a Stated Meeting, on a night dedicated to it alone.

It began when the candidate entered a dim Masonic Temple. All lights were off, the only illumination was that which came through windows. He met a small number of Masons, all in costume.

He was directed through the preparation room, into a meditation room, painted all in black. Lacking any of the traditional Chamber of Reflection symbolism, it was instead decorated with a small number of Tarot Cards.

There were questions written for him to reflect upon, and answer, with paper and pen, the chamber very dimly illuminated by candles. Cards were relevant to the questions at hand, and other cards will make sense to him as he goes through his upcoming Degree.

He was directed to knock on the Lodge Room door, not the Preparation Room Door when he was finished.

The only light in the large Lodge room came from the G in the East, and the three burning tapers around the Altar.

The small number of Lodge members sat within the Lodge Room in complete silence.

Eventually the Candidate knocked.

The Deacon very loudly (so that the candidate would hear across the room and through the door) announced the alarm, including with strong knocks. He was directed, from the East to answer that alarm.

A bit of ritualistic language was used when the door was opened, then the Candidate was directed to wait, again going behind a closed door.

In time, the candidate was admitted to the Lodge room, and led West of the Altar.

There, alone he stood, looking towards the East.

Then the full Posting Lecture, or catechism was recited. Questions from the East, answers from the Candidate.

When that was finished, the ritual was closed with a Charge and a prayer.

To be clear, while this ritual was performed by Masons, none of it was done within an Open Lodge. There was no change to our Standard Work, as it was performed well outside of that Standard Work.

Our Craft is full of men seeking a spiritual, mystical Lodge Experience. And we are gaining more men like this each and every day. We do very well, in my view, to provide that experience to those men.