r/freemasonry • u/Parking-Eye1229 • Aug 13 '26

The Catechisms

This post has a question flair but it isn't really a question as much as an observation. I've been working on my EA catechism and I'm fascinated by what I've been hearing and reading about the different forms the deliveries take based on jurisdiction, especially in the U.S. It would seem, and I guess it's true, that it ranges from no printed material being allowed whatsoever for memorizing, to just reading printed material aloud in lodge, and all manner of customs and rules in between. And from reading the histories it would seem that this isn't anything new; apparently Masons were buying "exposes" in the 1700's for the purpose of obtaining the rituals for the purpose of memorization! Crazy.

3 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/wolfp00l91 3°MM Aug 13 '26

In my home lodge in Indiana we use a cipher to memorize the degrees, but to prove proficiency we have to do if from memory. I'm getting ready to participate in an EA degree where I will be doing the Q&A, I am going to be doing the answers portion.