Lectures

What lectures do you do?

  • EA

    Votes: 5 22.7%
  • FC

    Votes: 3 13.6%
  • MM

    Votes: 3 13.6%
  • All three

    Votes: 11 50.0%

  • Total voters
    22
4

486

Guest
Yes, Staircase Lecture. I usually call it MC on the interwebz too, but slipped up. Those who give are said to "Wind the Stairs".

And Sparky, I get what you're saying, but just because the candidate won't know any different, in my mind, is not enough to cut corners. Having said that, in GA the lecture can be amended in nearly any way the lecturer wants. I've seen versions that hit all the same points, but totally different words and different emphasis on the various sections. Almost like being in a different jurisdiction.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
I have always thought the "Staircase lecture" or "Winding Staircase lecture " was more apt because we are not making a regular ascent up a flight of winding "Middle Chamber" after all .
 

Gary2112

Troll Stomper
Staff member
The Work taught(I assumed capital W meant the Work of the degree and little w would be work of ritual)
We have Master Mason's that have not done the Work of the EA. The FC degree is way out of their league. There would be some who would find the FC work intimidating, and totally fruitless because of their lack of EA Work.

You know what happens when you assume. A wise man once told me that "presume" is a better word to use... :1-wink-grin:
 

FF Sparky

Member
You know what happens when you assume. A wise man once told me that "presume" is a better word to use... :1-wink-grin:
'presume' I will remember that...lol. I am venturing into the world of the 7LA&S's. But I have no clue where to start. I read the 3 volume of Bro Nagy's builders series just to be more confused on that subject( the rest of the books I'm good with)
 

Gary2112

Troll Stomper
Staff member
'presume' I will remember that...lol. I am venturing into the world of the 7LA&S's. But I have no clue where to start. I read the 3 volume of Bro Nagy's builders series just to be more confused on that subject( the rest of the books I'm good with)
Get a handle on the Trivium before you move too far into the Quadrivium. Understand how one builds on the other helps. Bro. Nagy's books are great, but I have had to re-read sections several times to get a grasp on some of the things he talks about. The books literally teach you to think differently. Once you begin doing that, all of this stuff will come much more easily.

After a while, the light bulb comes on in your head. If you'd like, feel free to PM me, and we can talk privately about any questions you may have. Coach is also more than willing to answer questions too.
 

Kenobi

New Member
Greetings brethren, I am not clear on which lectures you mean...are you referring to the OB? Our WM often has brethren sign up to do work unless it is a special degree team. I have been doing the NE Angle charge for the 3 EAs we've had this year and I had the privilege of giving it to my younger brother when he was received into the craft last month at my fathers Lodge. I am not great at floor work either...so I agree with Bob, I like to stay in one place to do my work!
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
Greetings brethren, I am not clear on which lectures you mean...are you referring to the OB? Our WM often has brethren sign up to do work unless it is a special degree team. I have been doing the NE Angle charge for the 3 EAs we've had this year and I had the privilege of giving it to my younger brother when he was received into the craft last month at my fathers Lodge. I am not great at floor work either...so I agree with Bob, I like to stay in one place to do my work!
I believe I asked this question on page one or two , because there are MANY lectures in all three degrees and took it that the OP meant the catechisms .

As for floor work , I am a pacer , and when delivering long lectures such as the FC Staircase lecture , I move around and pace back in forth while I deliver it . I do not like standing directly in front of the candidates , I use my hands , I point , I raise my voice at certain parts and this is hard to do when standing still , nose to nose with candidates .
 

Terry S

New Member
I'll be giving my first lecture this Thursday... the NEC lecture. I've got most of it committed to memory, should be good to go by Thursday. They just dropped it on me 2 weeks ago so hopefully it will go smooth.
 

Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
I'll be giving my first lecture this Thursday... the NEC lecture. I've got most of it committed to memory, should be good to go by Thursday. They just dropped it on me 2 weeks ago so hopefully it will go smooth.
Practice, practice, practice, Brother Terry!
You have no idea how much different it will be to deliver it in front of the lodge.
I just gave the Lecture of the Master Masons Degree last Saturday morning, and still stumbled over a couple of places.

S&F
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
The only ones who do not stumble over lines , lose their place or forget a word or two are the ones who sit on the sidelines and never try .
 

Terry S

New Member
As far as the memorization, i now have that part licked. Every word is committed to memory with the exception of 1 (explained at the end of this post). i've been reciting it to myself while sitting in traffic and its even proven useful as a sleep aid to recite it when i cant sleep!

i just hope nerves dont get the better of me and i stumble.

The only part that worries me is near the end. Ours is printed except for one word near the end... "...as his ___ was in the holy of holies..." I was told by another brother that its not a secret word - i wont divulge that word on the internet just to be safe - but the lecture he quoted the word from was a little different from the one given to my by my lodge. I may have to try and learn that last word when i get to lodge tonight. Its in the last sentence so if thats the only stumble i have, it'll be ok.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
i just hope nerves dont get the better of me and i stumble.
If you do "stumble" , don't worry about it just keep on going . I have been conferring degrees for years and I can not count the times I have stumbled . There have been many times I have dropped a word or two , forgot a line or lost my place . Heck , just a month ago , when delivering the MC lecture , I skipped over three entire pages worth of lecture . I had my prompter scrambling . But he did the smart thing and left me alone and let me go on . The candidate (and most of the sideliners) will not know the difference .

Standing up in front of candidates and an entire lodge , by yourself delivering lectures is a lonely place and if someone expects you to be perfect , let them do it themselves .
 

Custer148

Masonic Traveler
I agree with Ashlar. I have been doing the MC lecture for several years now and I have only done it word perfect once, ------ and I have never done it as well since.
 

Terry S

New Member
I must have recited the NEC lecture 1000 times in two weeks i had to learn it. I know every word of it and was completely ready going in last night...

Then i sat there... and sat there... and sat there waiting for my turn to do the lecture. Nerves kept building and building. I kept telling myself theres no one here i need to impress and theres nothing to be nervous about. My time came... i did the first 2 paragraphs flawlessly... then my brain just shut off. I could not remember the first line of the 3rd paragraph. Someone whispered me the line and i continued on from there.

Then i started having this realization that my mouth felt like i had been chewing on a bale of cotton! The last two paragraphs were a fight to keep speaking but thankfully i only had 1 or 2 minor stumbles from the one forgotten line until the end.

Theres just no way to prepare yourself for that first moment. It was my first ever lecture in the lodge. Even though it was a struggle for me, i enjoyed the challenge. I look forward to the candidates being passed to fellowcraft and hope i have the opportunity to do another lecture.
 

Custer148

Masonic Traveler
Congratulations Terry S, on getting through your first lecture in open lodge. There is nothing like doing a lecture for the first time. Hopefully you have what is known in golfing as a "midget memory" --- you don't recall what happened on the last hole or during your last lecture.
 
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