The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 10 - Conclusion 845
recalling a real theater promoted the growth of the dues-paying membership. To
say it metaphorically, Brockman puts it this way:
Although the rituals could not easily be changed without overhauling
the entire structure of the fraternity, they could be packaged more
effectively. In adopting its new theatrical mode, the Scottish Rite
decided to put its old wine into new bottles, so to speak. Fortunately for
the fraternity, the "new bottles" proved irresistible to many. 2073
Making the ritual more dramatic and interesting is one of the marketing
strategies we talked about in Section 8.2. Thus, mass initiations were introduced,
and with them, the active role of the candidate changed into a more passive one:
"As the rituals became dramatic spectacles, the role of the initiates shifted in
notable ways. The single initiate was increasingly replaced by multiple initiates,
all of whom were more or less passive. Fraternity members also became passive
spectators or, sometimes, actors or even stagehands." 2074
To stay in the second half of the 19 th century, the up-coming works or Rites
in America deserve a closer inspection, having caused a great uproar among the
brethren. One of the central figures was Thomas Smith Webb (1771 - 1819), a
Masonic pioneer ritualist and lecturer, who had made a venture to condense and
rearrange the work for practical use. As seen in the quotations above, the rituals
in use were "obscure and lengthy" and not very easy or pleasant to perform. In
1797, Thomas Webb had published his Freemasons' Monitor and Illustrations of
Freemasonry. His work is generally referred to as the Webb-Preston work, since
he was partial to the Prestonian lectures. He is even said to have gone to England
in order to familiarize himself with the there prevailing Prestonian work.
According to Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, William Preston was "the first, and
only one in the 18 th century, to attempt any organization or unification of the
rituals of the Craft degrees." 2075 In CME, Webb, of whom was said that his work
has "added nothing to Masonic literature," is thus defended:
It has been said that his Monitor contained nothing original, as if a
ritualist or lecturer should strive to regale us with innovations and
surprises! [...] Webb sought not to create but to embellish, abbreviate or
rearrange what was already the authorized working. [...] ... Webb gave
Preston full and exclusive credit for the rituals of the first three degrees.
He simply knew they were too long [...]. Webb claimed no original
contribution to the existing working but, as he said, abbreviated and
rearranged it to suit the custom that had grown up in America. 2076
2073 Ibid, p. 24.
2074 Brockman, p. 27.
2075 CME, p. 566.
2076 Ibid, p. 679, bold print added.