Official Visit Unity Lodge #376 – February 10, 2009
By R.W. Bro. Terry M. Hornibrook, DDGM

The Ritual

You only get one chance to make a first impression. I doubt there is any one here who hasn't heard that statement thousands of times. It is one of the most important truisms for a Mason. Our success in keeping new initiates is predicated on the first impression they receive while being welcomed and initiated. Their first experience will determine future attitudes and contributions. Let's make sure that the experience is positive. A well orchestrated and professionally presented degree will pay untold dividends. Ritual is the key to our future.

The ritual is one of the traditional resource documents for Masonic education. Masonic education has the task of imparting the truths contained in the ritual with a particular focus on teaching a Masonic way of life and of building character.

The word ritual comes from the Latin word "ritualis" meaning a ceremonial form. Within the ceremonial forms of the ritual there is expressed a continuity of ideas. The ideas that are contained therein are not taught as newly discovered subjects but are there to reinforce the rational order of the good and the humane; good ritual work gives us the opportunity to affect our hearer. Delivery of the ritual is one of the most important parts of the ceremony; it is the catalyst for our knowledge of freemasonry. The greatest problem in understanding the ritual is the failure to educate the members in the understanding, the use and the application of the ritual and lessons involved. The ritual has been written for speaking not reading. There are two great dangers; one is regarding the ritual as routine memory work and the other for being overly dramatic. We must penetrate through the veil to grasp the lessons of the ritual for they come from the heart as a ray of light from the morning sun.

The purpose of the ritual is that it is a continuity of the ideas that strengthens the fundamental principles of the Order, it illustrates the drama in the life of a Mason- youth, manhood and old age, it is the guardian of tradition, it teaches men to live uprightly and do good in the community, it reminds us of the solemn duty to set the Craft to Work and it is our foundation.

Close and careful examination shows that the ritual properly understood and applied is an effective training document. It provides the framework for communicating the genuine tenets, principles and philosophy of the order. It starts at a lower level and moves upwards in three distinct steps.

The first step is to clear the mind of all worldly influences. It is intended to prepare the candidate to seek the principles of moral truth without interference from the outside world. He is told that he is the foundation stone upon which he can build a personal and satisfying character. It is the step that prepares him to see the world and his role in it from a new perspective. The second step leads the candidate to use his intellectual faculties to discover the truth and find a path to God. The third teaches him an awareness of our ultimate destiny.

The ritual as a teaching document starts with the basic information and moves on to the more complicated teaching. The basic teaching provides the framework that is needed to comprehend the whole, a beautiful system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. The ritual teaches us to open the mind to comprehend the moral, ethical and intellectual absolutes that are there to guide us on the journey of life. If we look at the meaning of the word "apprentice" we find that it comes from the Latin word "apprendre" "to grasp, to master a thing" hence to learn or become a learner.

The word apprentice implies that there is something for him to master. We as brethren lead him to the door of knowledge at his initiation but as an apprentice he must open that door for himself. The ritual is also a teaching document from the perspective that it is the duty of every Mason to assist the new candidate in his unsteady steps toward greater knowledge. It is not just a duty to teach but it is also an implied responsibility to encourage the new brother toward lifelong Masonic learning.

The benefits of knowing and understanding the Ritual:
1. What the ritual teaches is shown to be fundamental to society.
2. It helps us find the sacred in the ordinary things in life.
3. Success and achievement in Masonic life is not a destination but a continuous journey.
4. The ritual is a learning experience in the moral and intellectual areas of life.
5. It lays out a continuous journey for improvement and growth.
6. It is a path towards greater moral and spiritual understanding.
7. It helps the Mason take up the philosophic working tools of the Craft.
8. Each time the ritual is communicated effectively it should inspire every Mason to renew their dedication to the lofty ideals presented in the ceremonies.

Truth may be taught without ritual, but truth taught by ritual is taught as the original teachers desired and makes a lasting impression upon the mind of the learner. Ritual is a dramatization of belief, hope and spiritual dreams. It assists the imagination by giving form to what otherwise would remain formless; presenting vivid mental images which lend a reality-feeling to what is often abstract and unreal. It is a picture philosophy, truth visualized, at once expressing and confirming the faiths and visions of the mind.

The ritual is the key to our future. It is there for us to rely on and benefit from. Remember it is a privilege to present a piece of the ritual; we should always do our best. First impressions are the most important.