Cornerstone Blog ~ The Masonic Book Club

The Masonic Book Club

By Michael R. Poll

Recently, I spoke with a Mason who said that while he understands and believes in the value of quality Masonic education, it is sometimes tough for him to do meaningful study. He said it reminds him of "school homework" as he studies Masonic books alone in the evening. Sure, his lodge holds ritual workshops, but nothing deeper. He also said that he has no real plan for personal study. He mostly reads a book that may present a number of different points and then moves on to another book. He does little more than skim over what could be important points. He said that, like "school homework" from the past, he retains very little of what he reads in his studies.

I asked the brother if others in his lodge also do similar types of study. He said that there were a few of them and he knows some from other lodges. I told him that he may find a Masonic book club of use and value. It's not just about studying, it's about enjoying and practically applying Masonic education. It's easy and, for many, far more realistic for Masonic education.

The idea is simple. Gather a group of Masons (how many depends on how many you can find). But to be practical, you need at least four or five. All of them buy the same Masonic book. Read a chapter or two and then gather to talk about what was contained in the chapter(s). The leader of the group can guide the sessions with pre-determined questions or points of interest. Each member talks about what they found of value, agreed with, disagreed with, and questions that came because of the reading. As a group, they discuss the book, and exchange ideas that they may not have reached alone. This shared learning experience fosters a sense of community and camaraderie, making the study sessions more interesting and memorable than individual study.

Cornerstone Book Publishers can significantly help Masonic book club study groups by providing excellent Masonic education books at sizable discounts designed for these groups. Email us at 1cornerstonebooks@gmail.com for details.