Candidate's reply

[scoops]

Hi all,

Having recently been balloted and accepted into the Craft I've been told that I will need to make a reply to a toast. I've spoken to my proposer and he's said he'll help me write it, making sure that I acknowledge the people present appropriately.

However, I was wondering if the good people here had any words of wisdom, amusing anecdotes, cautionary tales etc. regarding candidate's replies that they may have heard that I could take as words of advice (other than the ubiquitous "keep it short" ) to help me, and others in a similar position, craft a good response

Cheers

Richard

[admin]

say what you feel.

Listen to your proposer and above all trust the members of the Lodge to look after you.

[Richard George]

Actually, all anyone is expecting to hear is "thank you for accepting me and I'll try to live up to expectations"/

[jackal]

At my initiation, at the FB I replied with the usual opening and then I promise to try to make the members of the Lodge as proud of me as I am proud of being accepted into this family.

I then sat down to a massive round of applause.

Seriously, short really Is better on this occasion.

You will get plenty of chance to improve as you progress I guarantee it.

As someone whom has listened to a few hundred speeches, my advise would be stay away from jokes and stories, you are bound to offend someone unless your a professional story teller.

Assuming your lodge will be an evening meeting, most in the room will be wanting to get home by the time it comes to your reply to a toast so do them a favour.

The important t thing is YOU enjoy the work others will be doing and fretting about the reply to a toast should not be including in that enjoyment.

Good luck

J

[Richard George]

At my initiation, at the FB I replied with the usual opening and then I promise to try to make the members of the Lodge as proud of me as I am proud of being accepted into this family.

I then sat down to a massive round of applause.

Seriously, short really Is better on this occasion.

You will get plenty of chance to improve as you progress I guarantee it.

As someone whom has listened to a few hundred speeches, my advise would be stay away from jokes and stories, you are bound to offend someone unless your a professional story teller.

Assuming your lodge will be an evening meeting, most in the room will be wanting to get home by the time it comes to your reply to a toast so do them a favour.

The important t thing is YOU enjoy the work others will be doing and fretting about the reply to a toast should not be including in that enjoyment.

Good luck

J

Exactly.

[mindmagic]

Keep it short and leave out the "amusing anecdotes"!

[scoops]

Fantastic advice all, especially Jackal

Thank you one and all

Richard

[freemason]

No jokes, no amusing anecdotes.

At the dinner after my initiation, I was sitting near the WM and he wrote a line or two for me. It was very basic and took me 3 seconds to say.

[Nik ODwyer]

Nothing to add to what has already been covered, all very good advice and short and sweet is always best, but if I could add anything, its always good to include the fact that you have enjoyed it (the meeting), as there will have been a lot of people trying to make sure that it is as good as it can be, and a little thanks does go a long way.

Please do message back and let us all know how it went.

[Nik ODwyer]

Ah - I have just looked at the date of the original post and assume that the neeting went ok?