Today was our first meeting back from being dark! We hope it was time well spent over the break! Today was an extra special meeting as this was VW Mark Williams’ last day with the lodge as he moves to Las Vegas, NV. It seems some of our brothers have found their way there. We wish him well on his next adventure with his wife, Jackie.
A lot of great business was discussed as well as some meaningful take-a-ways of understanding Masonic Retention. So we shall leave you with this!
Masonic Retention
Memorization without understanding will only take a person to the end of his memorized work…much like memorizing a geometric equation does not prove truly useful unless you understand its components. Example: If I asked you to tell me the equation to measure the area of a circle, the answer quickly coming from your lips may very well be Pi r² … and I would applaud your knowledge. But how useful is that knowledge if you do not know that:
Pi = the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle; approximately equal to 3.14159265358979323846…, or 3.1416 if you round it off.
r = Radius of the circle…the measurement from the center-point to its perimeter or boundary.
² (Squared) = the radius times itself.Therefore, your quick answer of Pi r² (the equation with which you may perform the task) was absolutely correct, but if you cannot understand each component of the equation, you cannot “do the math”, and therefore your journey ends. Memorization of ritual is important within Freemasonry, however without learning the biblical, symbolic and historical components within Freemasonry’s depths, your journey, too, will end without your actually finding Freemasonry’s true light.
True Masonic retention is obtained when both ritual and Masonic knowledge are balanced with one another. Masonic education is the only means with which the fraternity can both retain its current membership and produce new members to carry on Freemasonry’s proud traditions.