After labour is indeed refreshment. We are constantly reminded by the junior warden's duty to call the brethren from labour to refreshment and from refreshment to labour that profit and pleasure may be the results, to, once in a time, halt our crafty work and retire to the comfort of forks and knifes.
As the junior warden, which also means that I'm the chief steward of my lodge (Excelsior Lodge No. 7670 EC under the roll of the District Grand Lodge of Ghana in the register of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of England), I deem it necessary to educate Brethren of my lodge on some rules governing the use of fork and knife at refreshments. And as a Mason, it is only brotherly that I share this information beyond my lodge, the better to enable fellow Brethren to satisfy their general desire for knowledge.
I was as guilty as anyone may be in cutlery malpractices when I first joined Masonry. Some senior brethren corrected me. Sometimes it was embarrassing and other times it was intimidating. But I learned them anyway. And now I will beg you also to please step down to my class and let's do this on the level. Thank you.
I will use my experience to illustrate the lessons, so please don't get too angry when you read many 'I's than 'you's. I'm not that selfish. I hope you can smile now. (Two 'I's and counting....)
On the night of my initiation, just after the ceremony, the director of ceremony announced that there would be banquet downstairs and it was the Worshipful Master's singular honour to wine and dine with all brethren present. I said to myself that this must be a gentleman's society. But where we had the banquet wasn't that close to gentility. Let me save that for another day.
We got to the part when the WM proposed the toast to the initiate, and I was prompted to deliver a short speech, which I did with ease and with a poetic touch. There was a thundering sound upon completion of my speech. I still don't know the name of that auditory gesture but I suppose I can call it a Masonic Applause - the hitting of glasses against the dinning table and the tapping of shoes to produce not noise but sounds.
I felt too good. At least I have made a good first impression. Everybody's goal right? But something happened. Something insignificant to the Brethren but really affected my mood as a newbie.
The WM asked if I needed some more food and I thought he was only making sure I was satisfied. So I smiled and replied that I was okay. Then he retorted calmly that my cutlery shouldn't be in this position; I had left the fork face down somewhere on the plate and the knife was also somewhere behind the chicken thigh residue.
He then taught me these etiquette;
1. When you want to pause eating and attend to something else that needs your attention: place the fork face up and the knife meeting the fork at tip ends at 90 degrees at the north of the plate such that the handles of both cutlery are widely apart at the south. (See attached image)
2. When you are done with the meal on a plate and want some more or ready for the next plate: cross the cutlery on the plate with the fork on top and face up. (See attached image)
3. When you are done with your meal: place both fork and knife vertically side by side. Always remember that the fork must always face up. (See attached image)
4. When you don't like the food served, you don't have to scream at the steward or make your plea by shouting. All you have to do is: you insert the blade of the knife into the spiral openings of the fork and them in the position so described in number 1 (the Pause). (See attached image)
Brethren, our society is one of gentlemen and for gentlemen, for which reason we MUST continually act in conformity with all rules that govern gentility in its entirety. Such is the nature of our fraternity.
I Greet You Well.
