A few years ago, I was invited to address some of the senior boys and monks at a Catholic retreat a few miles from where I lived in the Northeast. I spoke for nearly an hour on Freemasonry, its symbols and its principles. I quoted passages from the charge after initiation, to give them as idea of what a candidate is taught in our rituals. I explained the working tools, and how we moralize their uses in building our Temple, “that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” I stressed that Freemasonry was just a system without dogma and doctrine, which leads us through its three ceremonies on a progressive path from ignorance to enlightenment. I pointed out the benefits of the psychological changes that happen to a man as he passes from being an Entered Apprentice through the various offices to the Master’s chair; how he develops his intellect, leadership qualities, self confidence, tolerance, temperance and above all, self awareness. By the time I had finished and taken questions, I left them in no doubt that Freemasonry is a force for the good in the world. Even the headmaster remarked how different my version of the Craft was, from what he had been led to believe.
The only way we, as Masons, are going to dispel ignorance is through education. If we all made the effort to explain Masonry to laymen in suitable terms, we could really make a difference to the way we are being perceived. Above all, we must stress how enjoyable it is. Our Brotherhood will surely come to an end, if it ceases to be fun. I have read many booklets that have been produced by various Grand Lodges, to explain Freemasonry to their candidates. So many of them, however, deal with the form and etiquette of the Craft and do not give any real explanation of its purpose and content. As a result, they convey knowledge, but do not inspire the reader to want to explore further. As Michael Walker, Past Grand Secretary of Ireland, said in his address to a Grand Lodge last year, “there is nothing wrong with the content of Freemasonry but there is definitely something wrong with the way we package our product.” We keep hearing the men today are searching for “spirituality” in their lives, free from dogma and doctrine. Freemasonry undoubtedly, has an answer to that search, because it is one of the reasons it was founded, but it fails to sell itself on the back of its excellent credentials.
The truth is that the packaging of our product has become, jaded. Society is very different to what it was even a generation ago, but Freemasonry has changed hardly at all. Is it any wonder that we appear irrelevant to our young candidates and so many of them subsequently leave us? I repeat my conviction that the time has come to talk openly and freely about our rituals with anyone who is interested, the only warning we must take heed to, is that we take care not to dilute the effect the ceremonies will have on future candidates. If, as a result, we inspire our members to make a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge and attract men to join us because of its exciting message, we will be slowly able to turn the craft in the direction upon which it was founded.
I would like to end by quoting some words I wrote as an after dinner speech at a recent function I attended.
“We are all Brothers on this same journey; a journey leading to self knowledge and ultimately perfection. The American poet Emerson described it as a journey of “ascending effort.” As we climb higher on the path, we are helped by those Brethren who are ahead of us and, in turn, encourage those, who are behind us. Freemasonry is a system without dogma or doctrine with signposts, through the interpretation of its symbols, the journey we must all make.”
The only way we, as Masons, are going to dispel ignorance is through education. If we all made the effort to explain Masonry to laymen in suitable terms, we could really make a difference to the way we are being perceived. Above all, we must stress how enjoyable it is. Our Brotherhood will surely come to an end, if it ceases to be fun. I have read many booklets that have been produced by various Grand Lodges, to explain Freemasonry to their candidates. So many of them, however, deal with the form and etiquette of the Craft and do not give any real explanation of its purpose and content. As a result, they convey knowledge, but do not inspire the reader to want to explore further. As Michael Walker, Past Grand Secretary of Ireland, said in his address to a Grand Lodge last year, “there is nothing wrong with the content of Freemasonry but there is definitely something wrong with the way we package our product.” We keep hearing the men today are searching for “spirituality” in their lives, free from dogma and doctrine. Freemasonry undoubtedly, has an answer to that search, because it is one of the reasons it was founded, but it fails to sell itself on the back of its excellent credentials.
The truth is that the packaging of our product has become, jaded. Society is very different to what it was even a generation ago, but Freemasonry has changed hardly at all. Is it any wonder that we appear irrelevant to our young candidates and so many of them subsequently leave us? I repeat my conviction that the time has come to talk openly and freely about our rituals with anyone who is interested, the only warning we must take heed to, is that we take care not to dilute the effect the ceremonies will have on future candidates. If, as a result, we inspire our members to make a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge and attract men to join us because of its exciting message, we will be slowly able to turn the craft in the direction upon which it was founded.
I would like to end by quoting some words I wrote as an after dinner speech at a recent function I attended.
“We are all Brothers on this same journey; a journey leading to self knowledge and ultimately perfection. The American poet Emerson described it as a journey of “ascending effort.” As we climb higher on the path, we are helped by those Brethren who are ahead of us and, in turn, encourage those, who are behind us. Freemasonry is a system without dogma or doctrine with signposts, through the interpretation of its symbols, the journey we must all make.”
It is a template for the evolution of human consciousness and as such is a progressive science of becoming, becoming something greater than we are now. It has various set stages for our development. A high moral code of ethical behavior is the essential condition on which our journey is founded and that included the need to be in control of our emotions, our passions, and desires. This is followed by the importance of education and the training of our reason and intellect, as a force for good in the world. When these conditions are fulfilled, and we are truly centered as human beings, our hearts open to the great potential, which is at once the birthright and destiny of the human race. For as we climb higher, we become wiser, and can see further, and more clearly, what the purpose of our life is, and what the Great Architect has planned for us. That is the great mystery of Freemasonry which all of us are destined to rediscover.
Hiram Abiff
The Widow’s Son
"No man has ever knelt at our altar of Obligation an arose the same man."
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Hiram Abiff
The Widow’s Son
"No man has ever knelt at our altar of Obligation an arose the same man."
************************ click comment tab below to leave one! ********************
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