Guadalupe/2004
Theme: From Theory to Practise
From Theory to Practice – Two Institutions in the service of freemasonry
Dear Sisters and Brethren,
As part of this year’s CLIPSAS theme, “From Theory to Practice”, I would like to present the results of how the theory is applied in practice in the Grand Orient of Austria (GOA).
In the last sentences of our ritual we have the appeal, “let humanity and brotherhood prevail within through the word as outside through the deed.”
The fundamental values of Masonic coexistence – humanity and brotherhood – should rule our lives through the word within Lodge, and in profane life outside through our deeds.
The Masonic idea should not just be a theoretical concept, but must be lived up to, always and everywhere. Masonic work does not stop at the threshold to the temple.
I would like to present to you two institutions working successfully on two different levels, trying to put our theory to practice; firstly the registered society Terra Hominibus and secondly the Lodge Perpetuum Mobile.
Terra Hominibus, “TH”, [the world for mankind] was founded more than 30 years ago with the aim of acting as an interface between the profane and Masonic worlds. It is a registered society sharing the management committee with the GOA.
TH was originally founded to give the then single Lodge the possibility of stepping out of its ivory tower and coming into contact with non-masons. In TH it is possible to speak about subjects that would not normally be raised at a WT and where experts coming from outside the society can be invited to speak. TH is firstly a registered society providing a protective outer shield while also acting as a pioneer organisation for the GOA. Meetings are held regularly every fortnight with the presentation of a theme followed by an organised discussion – altogether approximately 20 evenings per year.
This pioneer organisation of the GOA enables interesting lectures by profane or Masonic experts to be heard, thus encouraging the exchange of ideas between Masonic and non-Masonic participants. The aim is to bring both sides closer together for a better understanding of each other, as well as forming a meeting-point for prospective candidates. Here one can conduct interviews with potential candidates without having to give up one’s anonymity. At the same time the candidate can have a first glimpse of Masonic behaviour. Over several years, candidates were passed and vetted exclusively through this channel.
Since 1978, women have been allowed to attend the discussion evenings, and since 1985 we also have mixed lodges within the GOA.
TH not only constitutes a platform for discussions on given themes but also acts mainly as recruiting pool for candidates. Therefore participants are personally invited or come on the recommendation of a Sister or Brother, and the programme is purposely not openly published.
The person in charge of TH is the Grand Senior Warden, and he or she is supported by a team of lodge members of the various lodges. This team creates the setting, organising lecturers, looking after visitors and managing the kitchen and bar, etc.
Each year three invitations are printed and mailed, Autumn (September - December), Winter (January - Easter) and Spring (Easter - June). The programme has to be planned accordingly and lecturers as well as replacements or ad hoc speakers have to be arranged.
A visitors book is kept and all visitors are asked to sign. First-time visitors are asked to enter their name and address as well as who recommended them. This data is electronically processed. Every couple of years, visitors who have not been regular in their attendance are contacted and asked to confirm their continuing interest or be taken off the list. The Grand Secretary mails about 350 to 400 invitations to profane persons. In addition, every member of the GOA receives a TH invitation to pass on. The average number of visitors is around 35 to 50, with very well-known lecturers now numbering around 70 or more.
Subjects include contemporary problems ranging from aspects of education to witch-hunts, from understanding of democracy to the influence of mass media or from jazz to ethics, but we always keep mankind and human society as our centre of interest.
Often the lecturers come from our ranks, Sisters or Brethren from different obediences, occasionally a candidate will be asked to give a lecture, or a profane person, and sometimes even very well-known experts will be invited.
The evening is structured in the following manner; the club opens at 7 p.m. , drinks and food (snacks) are available at modest rates. Lodges are in charge of visitors’ welfare on a rotating basis. The lecture starts at 8 p.m. and lasts approximately half an hour, on rare occasions somewhat longer. Lecturer, chairman and TH organiser sit at one table and visitors on chairs in a semi-circle facing them. The guests are greeted and TH is introduced with the words; “TH is the name of a discussion group concerning itself with problems of our time. The aim of our discussion is not to present absolute solutions but to initiate ideas on solution concepts to take with you to incorporate into your own field of activities. The sole prerequisite is your willingness to listen to others and not to consider your own opinion as the only valid option.”
The organiser then presents the lecturer. After the lecture, the chairman asks for discussion contributions via hand signal and opens the floor to four or five contributions to which the lecturer may reply. The discussion ends around 9.30 p.m. with a final word from the lecturer or chairman. The TH organiser thanks all participants and announces the theme and date for the next TH evening. The club stays open till 11 p.m.
In the early stages, the club atmosphere was more informal, with the lecturer, organiser and chairman sitting on sofas and the participants on chairs.
We attach great value on the level of lecture and discussion contributions. Every speaker is allowed to finish his statement and will not be interrupted. We honour discipline and avoid interjections, ad hoc replies and private discussions between two participants. Controversial opinions are accepted and respected.
Whereas Terra Hominibus acts as interface between the profane and Masonic worlds, the Lodge Perpetuum Mobile (PM) acts as interface between different Lodges, different rituals, different obediences and offers facilities for further education in Masonic matters.
PM was founded in 1990 as reaction to the abolition of the Iron Curtain. Aims on its foundation included the formation of an itinerant, interdenominational Lodge working under the aegis of the GO of Austria without membership within the GOA. Ritual workings were held regularly in the Orients of Budapest, Prague and Vienna.
Towards the end of 1992, a considerable demand was perceived within the Lodges of individual PM members for Masonic education and training. Reacting to this situation, PM began to organise workshops alternately in Austria, (then still) Czechoslovakia and Hungary.
After establishing a curriculum the first seminar was held in Brno in March 1993.
Since 1995, PM is a Masters Lodge and registered society numbering approximately thirty members from seven Lodges belonging to 3 obediences.
Aims of PM today include enabling a platform for interdenominational exchange, providing assistance with the foundation of new Lodges, offering workshops and seminars on Masonic symbolism, rituals and history aimed at apprentices, accepted fellows and Master Masons as well as to bring Masonic communication up-to-date (quality management, tutorials, workshops etc., information can be found on the Website at www.perpetuum-mobile.at)
This Master Lodge meets for four to six ritual workings a year, some are also held in the 2nd and 3rd degree. Every year, another self-chosen classical ritual (Scottish, French, Schröder etc.) is worked. Workings are also scheduled during the summer period, the traditional holiday season, so that Sisters and Brethren on vacation can attend as guests.
For the past six years PM has regularly published and distributed a paper called Eckstein four times a year.
Let me present some more details of the workshops organised through PM to educate apprentices, accepted fellows, Masters and Lodge officers.
These workshops are held at weekends in bed and breakfast accommodation or seminar hotels in the countryside. They usually start on Friday evenings and end on Sunday afternoons. A seminar manager together with three to five tutors are responsible for organising the workshop. Only theoretical subjects and history are presented in lectures. All other subjects are worked on separately in small groups (4 to 6 participants) under the guidance of a tutor. In these small groups participants have to individually research and work on themes with the aid of a tutor but without lectures. Each workshop is split into five to six sessions. Each small group researches one priority area per session. The results of this process are presented in a summary meeting where participants of all the individual small groups can join in the resulting discussion.
On Friday evening, after the arrival and allocation of rooms to participants everyone meets for dinner, followed by an introductory round where every participant can present himself in order that they get to know each other, then the individual groups are arranged.
Saturday morning and afternoon sessions are split in two blocks each followed by a summary meeting. In the evening, after dinner everyone meets for a fireside discussion on a given Masonic theme.
Sunday’s session is one large block followed by a final summing-up of the seminar by each participant. In this large block session, varying according to the degree worked in a comparison of rituals is held. A feature especially liked by apprentices is a practical session where Lodge officers are appointed, a tapis (tracing board) is drawn, a lodge is set up, and a ritual working is simulated.
A full workshop cycle consist of six weekends: three apprentice workshops, one accepted fellow workshop and two Master Mason workshops. Four workshops are on offer each year, the sequence being: apprentice workshop 1 (L1), accepted fellow workshop (G), apprentice workshop 2 (L2), master workshop 1 (M1), L3, G, L1, M2, L2, G, etc.
The content of workshops aimed at apprentices is split into theory (history, texts, Masonic organisational structures) the officers of the Lodge, the first degree Lodge and the apprentice “Baustück, Bauriß, Zeichnung”, manners (dress code, addresses, etc.), the ritual of initiation, the symbols appertaining to the degree (Lodge, tools, the great lights, the tapis, the small lights, the Great Architect of the Universe).
The content of the accepted fellows’ workshop is theory (travel and craft guilds, Masonic literature, interdenominational relations), the ritual of passing to second degree and the comparison of different rituals, the symbolism of the degree, the second degree Lodge and the accepted fellow “Baustück” and manners.
The Master Masons’ workshop 1 also concentrates on history (Masonic roots, Hiram’s legend), the raising ritual, Masonic celebrations, the symbols of the degree and its traditions.
The master masons’ workshop 2 is concerned either with Lodge organisation (officers) and group dynamics within Lodge or with practical solution of problems.
Why workshops?
Firstly modern communication theories and training methods can be used in order to better impart contents and more questions arise.
In addition, there is more time in Lodge for other “Baustücke” when instruction is rescheduled outside ritual workings. The apprentice workshops add up to 3 times 11 hours, equalling a total of 33 hours which corresponds to 1.5 hours of instruction at 21 ritual workings a year!
Of greater importance to me are the social aspects of shared meals and relaxed discussions that encourage a closer personal relationship and understanding between Sisters and Brethren across all borders of Lodges and obediences.
And again, in this crossing of borders lies one of the most prominent duties of FM: to unite what is separated, which brings us in a circle back to our subject: from theory to practice.
Thank you.
Marc-Henri Hoffmann
ex-Grandmaster
Grand Orient of Austria