One of the goals of Freemasonry is to help our members learn more. Not necessarily about Masonry, but about the world as a whole. We should be holding education sessions within all of our meetings about topics that interest our members. Just recently, as the Lodge Education Officer, I have been asked by a few members that wanted to learn how to tie a bowtie. Other members want to learn more about financial planning. Others want to learn more about the esoteric aspects of Freemasonry.
I am one of those that loves to learn about the history and usages of symbols in Freemasonry. There are mountains of information available to our members. The Grand Lodge of Ohio has its library, and the libraries of the jurisdictions of the Scottish Rite are even more expansive. So where does a brother begin?
The Grand Lodge of Ohio has many opportunities for their members, one of which is fairly recent called the Royal Scofield that encourages members to travel and write papers about their experiences. There is also Freemason University. However, a great place to start is the Masonic Code Courses.
The Grand Lodge of Ohio code courses cover the Constitution, Bylaws and resolutions of our jurisdiction. There are five courses in total with 25 questions each. You have to have 19 answers correct in order to pass. The courses challenge you to read about the code that governs all Ohio lodges. As the Master of a Lodge, you must have a good understanding of the code. You don’t have to memorize it, however you must be familiar with the structure and how to find your answers. You will refer to it often as you govern your Lodge.
There is also a similar course for the Officer’s Manual, which is another tool for the elected officers of a Lodge to better understand the meaning behind the Grand Lodge Code and how to conduct business within the lodge. There is only one course for this manual with 25 questions and you must have 19 correct to pass. Personally, this was one of the easier tests to take. Maybe it was due to the fact that I have sat as the Master of my Lodge multiple times and experienced first hand the procedures of a lodge.
But the most interesting to me was the final course offered by the Grand Lodge of Ohio in this set of courses, The Ancient Charges of a Freemason. As the Master of a lodge, it is our charge to make sure the Ancient Charges are read as often as needed so that we understand the historical expectations of a Freemason and how we are to act to each other and to others in society. This is written in an older form of English, and some of the concepts seem to be a bit outdated. However, they are a good basis for how Masons should act. There is a reason why this fraternity has outlasted many others around the world, and that is because we continually remember our roots and improve upon them for the current society. I think this was the most interesting course to take and recommend to all Masons.
There are many other tools and educational websites out there. Contact your Lodge Education Officer to learn more. We are always willing to help you on your journey.