One Day to Masonry?

[mdonahue66]

GL of MN offers One Day to Masonry once or twice a year. I believe we have one coming in January. While I've not attended one, it's my understanding that there is one "primary" candidate for each degree with the others viewing. I'm sure the GL has it's reasons to support this, but it seems to me that we are taking a lot from a new candidate by presenting all of this in one day. Our Grand Chapter, Council, and Commandery also have one day "Festivals". Is this common in other jurisdictions, and how do you feel about it??
Mike

 

[PatrickWilliams]

Well, my feelings are mixed. I also feel that it takes a lot away from the candidates who are sidelined to watch. However, it also makes more Masons. While I do not have the stats at my fingertips, many GLs report that one day Masons are as dedicated to the craft as any and that they see a better 'participation rate' amongst them (the 1 days) than they do the brothers raised 'the old way'. I am an 'old way' Mason, myself.

 

[BG_TRBL]

I completely agree that we would be taking away from the experience and learning of the new candidates. I personally do not support the idea of the one day masons. There is so much information that the candidate loses by not experiencing it firsthand. Along with the lack of information and lack of personal contact with other masons, it ultimately only hurts the fraternity. It's my opinion that the true purpose of holding one day mason sessions is to increase numbers and revenue for the respective GL's. They have done it several times here in PA and have held them only about 20 miles away from me, but I refuse to attend, or support this activity. I've found that many of the individuals who actually go through the 3 degrees individually seem to attend lodge more regularly than those who do the one day. Individually, you get more interaction with the members and are more likely to attend. When PA put on their drive for 1 day masons, we had a few that petitioned our lodge through this, and were admitted, but have never been to my lodge. Disheartening to say the least.
These are just my opinions, and as I'm sure you've heard, they are like A--H---S, everyone has one, and most people think yours stinks!!!
LOL

 

[Laxguy38922]

Pa had one in October. I am for it and against it at the same time. I feel that the canadites for the one day class should be screened and have a legitamite reason on why to do 1 day versus standard 3 degrees. If it is something like they are away at college usually or military or something of that nature I think it is a great idea but for people to just to do it I hate the idea. I think it shows they really just want to get the degrees over with to say they are a mason and not really care about the craft and bonding with their brothers.

 

[Brother Liberty]

I am not sure how you can argue that the candidate misses some of the work by sitting on the sidelines. They probably retain more information than the one going through it because they can just sit and pay attention as opposed to worrying about following their conductor and whatnot. Do they miss out on the experience? Absolutely. But I disagree that they get less out of the ritual.

We do one day classes now and again in MA. Its extremely hard to get dispensation from GL to have one, but it does help get brothers through. This is especially the case with some of our brothers who are EMT's, Nurses, Police etc. We have found that they have had a tough time getting all the nights off for their degree and following Lodge of Instruction. The one day class makes it easier for them to get through and get involved.

 

[Brother Liberty]

Bg_Trbl, you mentioned that you have had a couple of 1 dayers go through and then not attend lodge...Have you not also had men go through the traditional way and not show up? For every five MMs we raise in my lodge we are luck if two attend regularly. That is a terrible retention rate and we are a very active and younger lodge. The bottom line is Grand Lodges must start to look at changing things if the fraternity is to survive. A one day class is one of those changes.

 

[BG_TRBL]

Bg_Trbl, you mentioned that you have had a couple of 1 dayers go through and then not attend lodge...Have you not also had men go through the traditional way and not show up? For every five MMs we raise in my lodge we are luck if two attend regularly. That is a terrible retention rate and we are a very active and younger lodge. The bottom line is Grand Lodges must start to look at changing things if the fraternity is to survive. A one day class is one of those changes.

Absolutely, we have had many that have received the traditional degree's and not attended. I cannot argue that point, but I have seen that those who attend the individual degrees show up to lodge more than those from the 1 day. Maybe it is regional, or maybe it is the nature of the individual, I'm just stating what I have seen in our lodge. There is one other part that I just can't get over is the inference of the same road. However the one day degree can't possibly allow all candidates to do this.

 

[Laxguy38922]

Put it this way, with the 1 day class we had 300 at LuLu Temple become PA masons. Of those 300, 180 joined the Scottish Rite also(recieving the 4th and 32nd). They were told they were 32nd degree masons now but they still had to come back to 1 more meeting to get the 14, 16 and 18th degrees a week later. Of the 180 only 70 showed up!How is that a good thing for freemasonry? Like I said, I think 1 day classes should happen but it shouldn't be for people just looking to be able to say they are a mason.

 

[Gary]

No 1 day classes. If you can't be bothered to dedicate some time to learning, then you should re-think your reasons for joining.

I'm sorry, I don't buy into the reasoning for the one day classes. If you are in the Military, either join and put in the time before you get in, or wait until you are in a suitable position to continue your studies.

Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMS? I've worked this line of work for 20 years. I can't say that my schedule was that out of whack that I couldn't accomplish a goal like a catechism a month.

 

[Windrider]

I'm in agreement with Bro. Liberty. One day should only be done for a worthy Brother who's circumstances require it. I would have absolutely no issue with a One-Day for a soldier heading off to war. If the degree work interferes with your vacation plans... not so much.

I enjoyed the time between my degrees and put in the time to understand the lectures (from the ciphers) and to attend Stated Communications. The fellowship that grew for me cannot be done in a day. I have been told that my work and behavior make the other brothers happy to help me when I stumble (which is often). There are other candidates who consider the ciphers "too hard".

Not knowing the details on the one-day Mason, I wonder how proficiency in the prior degrees can possibly be shown? I'm not criticizing those who had to go that route, but I would think there would be an awful lot of work to do starting the day after they were Raised if they ever wanted to work their way into a Lodge.

 

[Custer148]

Often during the one day degrees, the proficiency is reduced to a learned few lines (very short form) which can be learned in the space of 15-30 minutes. I don't care for the one day degrees. It seems to me that the time spent with the brother is sacrificed in order to make Masons & then to stick a petition for YR or SR in that brother's hand to be returned for another 1 day festival. In the span of a 3 day weekend a man could be raised a MM then become a KT, and a Shriner. In my opinion, it is way too fast -- the brother has no time to absorb what he has been thru.

In my jurisdiction YR or SR is no longer necessary to become a Shriner. Is it that way nation-wide?

 

[Azpir8king]

To a MAN , the "one day" types I have spoken to (the ones you see again) have later regretted their decision. they are ill-equipped to function in the lodge ceremonies or grasp their deeper meaning.

One brother went thru the one day course, but his son did it the old fashioned way. Now the son has had a much more fulfilling and knowledgeable journey into freemasonry. He has some direction within th elodge and REALLy feels he EARNED his degrees, vs having them handed to him to fill in some dues shortages.
I am sorry, even though I considered it to expedite my raising, in the end THE candidate gets ripped off for their journey to MM and the lodge gets men Not ready to step in and fill the rolls. There has to be some middle ground.

 

[jason]

It is not required to be YR or SR here to be a Shriner.

We recently had a Brother get his FC on a Thursday and his MM on a Saturday. We had written permission from the GL to do this. The Brother was suffering from cancer and he was given a few months to live. I see no problem with that.

I personally feel there is a lot of information to be taken in, and that information is the foundation, for one day classes. Our SR Valley does the SR classes over two Saturdays. We did about 14 degrees during those two. And it is a lot to take in. I doubt I can remember 25% of the degree's. I'm told this is different from the "old" days when there was a degree per meeting.

The YR does theirs over a Fri/Sat from my understanding. Friday is 1/3, Saturday morning is another 1/3 and Saturday afternoon is the last 1/3. Again, this differs as I was told it was done in the "old" days.

Sort of like you read in the really old days, you may wait years between degrees in the BL.

Can a 1 day Mason be as good as a "traditional" Mason? Sure, they can. I learned more from watching the degree's over and over, then when I went through. I was so nervous and hoping I do make a fool out of myself, that it was hard to understand what was going on. We will always have those that are active, those that join and find it is not for them and drop out, those that join and are inactive in BL but active in other areas. Each person goes through for their own reasons, no matter if I like those reasons or not.

All that being said, and trying to be the "devils advocate". My personal opinion. I tell someone interested to stay away from it. The experience you go through cannot be replaced. It is a once in a life time sort of thing. I'm wishing for my MM they would have done the long version for me instead of the short. I've now learned to parts in the long form, and have watched in many of times. But I will still not have that experience of being a candidate for it.

In FL our GL has said no to one day classes. The next one may change it. Permission can always be given for extreme circumstances. If someone is a good Mason though, I will not bar any one day Masons from the Lodge, like I have heard some members saying. But then again, I hope to visit a P.H. Lodge in my lifetime. But that is a whole other can of worms.

 

[Winter]

Wisconsin also took part in the heyday of the one day Man to Mason classes in the mid to late 90's. Lordy do I remember those days! LOL Thankfully, Wisconsin has also said no to one day classes for the Craft degrees. But I'd never bar a good Brother from my Lodge because that was how he was raised.

 

[pcwardlaw]

I went through

The long way...And enjoyed every minute of it.Although I'm sure my mentor that helped me learn it would say some days he did not.

 

[Bob Franks]

All Degree Day

is what they called it in MI, when I attended one there last year. They took each candidate through each degree they needed. One started as a profane, one as an EA, one a FC.
I was attending for a variety of reasons (the lodge had the same name and # as mine!) and was troubled about the concept, but I felt better when I was told the man receiving all 3 degrees was being activated in his National Guard unit the following week.
I am still divided.
We should keep careful statistics in those jurisdictions that allow it (NC AF&AM doesn't), to follow how many Masons return (any part of) their catechisms, attend regularly and become officers. this should be compared to the traditional method we use...and even the methods of non-USA GLs, to see if we are bringing in more members...or more Masons.

I went through a short form boot camp in the Naval Reserves in 1970. It was 2 weeks. Years later, I heard that the Navy's stats on us showed we achieved similar success (I stayed in the Reserves/Guard to retire as an officer), but the old heads could not tolerate the idea we'd gotten in so easily and caused the program to be deep-sixed. [Navy jargon]

S&F

 

[cemab4y]

In my jurisdiction YR or SR is no longer necessary to become a Shriner. Is it that way nation-wide?

==The Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, does not have "jurisdictions" like Craft Masonry. The organization exists worldwide, there are Shrine centers in the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Panama. There are Shrine clubs in many foreign countries, and soon there will be Shrine Centers in foreign countries. (England will probably be first, but that is a guess).

The regulations to petition the Shrine, are the same, internationally. The requirement to be a Knights Templar (YR), or 32 Degree (SR) Mason were dropped in 2000.

You can petition the Shrine, immediately after becoming a Master Mason.

see

http://shrinershq.org/en/sitecore/content/ShrinersHQ/HomeLinks/~/media/ShrinersHQ/documents/Mem_ShrinerPrimer.pdf

 

[cemab4y]

Some Grand Lodges have One-Day Classes (ODC's). The Grand Lodge of Virginia permits each district to have one ODC per year, if there is interest. I live in Northern VA, and there have been ODC's for some years. The graduates of these classes, have gone on to be excellent Masons, some have dropped out.

I have never witnessed a ODC, but I would like to.

I feel that the kind of man, and how he serves the craft, is more important than the time it takes to become a Mason.

During WW2, many lodges, worked "around the clock", to make Masons quickly, when soldiers were deploying overseas.

 

[Laxguy38922]

==The Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, does not have "jurisdictions" like Craft Masonry. The organization exists worldwide, there are Shrine centers in the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Panama. There are Shrine clubs in many foreign countries, and soon there will be Shrine Centers in foreign countries. (England will probably be first, but that is a guess).

The regulations to petition the Shrine, are the same, internationally. The requirement to be a Knights Templar (YR), or 32 Degree (SR) Mason were dropped in 2000.

You can petition the Shrine, immediately after becoming a Master Mason.

see

http://shrinershq.org/en/sitecore/content/ShrinersHQ/HomeLinks/~/media/ShrinersHQ/documents/Mem_ShrinerPrimer.pdf

This year they gave temp warrants to groups in Germany and a few other places. So it is finally expanding!

 

[Winter]

While I can understand the rare circumstance where the process of a ODC or M2M would be considered (i.e. a soldier deploying on short notice) these should be the rare exception and not used for men who just can't make the time in their lives to go through the process. If they claim they are too busy to go through the degrees properly, how much time do they really have to devote to the Craft?

By cramming all three degrees into one day and going through the rituals just for forms sake it completely detroys the initiatic process that changes the individual man from the profane to a Freemason.