~ Grand Master's October 2009 Article ~
By Barry A. Rickman
Grand Master
My Brethren,
If you have ever visited and toured our Grand Lodge building, you have seen
the many Past Grand Master portraits on display. We have portraits from the
18th through the 21st centuries. There are, nevertheless, many portraits our
Grand Lodge does not have, yet a portrait or picture of the brother does
exist elsewhere. These portraits may be in a private collection, someone’s
home or office, a lodge, a museum, courthouse, statehouse or other location
in or even out of our state but it is possible to reproduce some of these
missing portraits. I would like us to expand our collection of portraits at
the Grand Lodge building and need your assistance. If you, your lodge,
separate group, district or Masonic organization would like to take on a
part of this project, please contact me and we will discuss what portraits
are in need and what plan of action to take. If you go to our Grand Lodge
website at www.scgrandlodgeafm.org
and click on Past Grand Masters, you will see a list telling you which
portraits are missing. You may know the location of one of these portraits.
You may know of a photograph of one of these brethren. Through your efforts
we could add to our collection. Even if we add only one portrait, that one
is important to our history.
Now, on to other matters. Candidates deserve the very best in everything
they are searching for in Freemasonry and they should receive it through the
conferral of our degrees. When conferring our degrees the South Carolina
ritual must always be used. No additions, no subtractions, no exceptions.
This means no special or additional charges, degree lectures, apron
lectures, Bible lectures, added phrases, prayers, songs, poems or anything
that is not a part of our ritual. Over the years, I have heard many
beautiful and moving pieces read or recited in our lodges and have seen
numerous well meaning innovations meant to enhance our ritual, nevertheless,
they are not a part of the South Carolina ritual and we must refrain from
using them. When we make use of foreign material we are watering down our
own ritual. Our Ahiman Rezon that governs us states in Section 246 of our
Code, in part, “it [the South Carolina ritual] is, therefore, recognized in
this Jurisdiction as the correct work, and must be adopted by the
Subordinate Lodges.” Furthermore, there should never be any comments,
laughter or noises coming from brethren on the side at any time during the
conferral of our degrees. Only the officers or cast have vocal ritualistic
parts.
Our ritual has been handed down to us through the ages. It was written
with solemnity and does not include levity or humor and therefore must not
to be used in the conferral of the degrees. So many times a candidate’s
favorable impression of our Honorable Institution is shattered by uninformed
as well as misinformed officers and brethren who have no idea what their
purpose is as a Mason. Degree work is done more often than not to impress
those on the side rather than being done in a manner that is meaningful to
the candidate and will change a man’s life for the better. The Entered
Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason degrees should exhibit such things
as dignity, reverence and beauty.
Proficiency in each degree by the candidate is to be learned and
presented from beginning to end. “Suitable proficiency in the preceding
degree” cannot be determined of a candidate by only learning and presenting
a partial amount of what is required. We do not cut short the conferral of
any degree and in like manner we are not to cut short the proficiency of any
degree. Suitable Proficiency can only be determined by the Worshipful Master
and then only after hearing the entire proficiency of the candidate in Open
Lodge. If a lodge should have more than one candidate, the proficiency may
be alternated among them but no part or parts may be done simultaneously by
the candidates.
So, what does all this mean? Quality! We should be seeking quality in our
degree work from beginning to end; from the opening gavel to the closing
gavel. Anything less and we are shortchanging our candidates. Anything more
and it is unacceptable to our Grand Jurisdiction. Remember, “Our Focus is on
Quality.” May God continue to bless America and our great
Fraternity and may the blessings of Heaven rest upon you and your families.
Fraternally,
Barry A. Rickman
Grand Master
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