MasonicMinute.com
|
|
|---|---|
|
Posted at: 11:22 pm It took years. The great schism has been avoided. The separation of Freemasonry and the Shrine is a thing of the past. We can all breathe a heavy sigh of relief. Years ago, a little Lodge in a remote Arizona town came under scrutiny. The historical details were distrubuted in a letter from the current Grand Master at a Special Communication yesterday. As requested, I will not go into details, nor will I opine personally regarding the exercise. Much was discussed, and parts of the discussion clearly struck nerves. It is enough for me to say that this catharsis was necessary…just like taking two twelve-year-old boys out behind the school gymnasium and letting them go at it. Sometimes you just gotta do it. Rules were established and followed. A vote was taken. The Grand Lodge - Past Masters, Masters and Wardens of Arizona Lodges - have spoken. The results are in. Again, I will not discuss any detail out of respect for those who attended and spoke. The bottom line is the same thing it’s always been. Masons are Masons first; Shriners, Yorkies, Eastern Star (etc. etc.) second. When in doubt, go to the Blue Lodge, which is the foundation for the Grand Lodge. The Grand Master is the supreme Masonic authority, and for a second time this year, the Craft has re-established this rule. (We continue to understand, however, that the Grand Lodge is the easiest target for criticizm due to the fact that they are omnipresent…and although they are usually to blame for everything, we must consider the slight possibilities that certain brethren who do not wear purple might bear at least a sliver of responsibility for the ills of our Craft…including you and me.) Now, this may be considered “spin” by some. It may be considered “brown-nosing” by others, but that’s ok. Masons invented the deliberative body back when we worshiped that Greek wine guy (read Morals and Dogma if you don’t get that reference). We are the purveyors of punditry…the sultans of speaking…the promoters of pomp and circumstance…the deacons of dialog. We -the Fraternity of Freemasons - made it OK to sit next to a man you might just as well kill in other circumstances. We tolerate what others of our own faith may consider heresy; because we are mature men willing to listen. This is the central core of our existence and the reason we are who we are. We listen. So the results are in. When you cannot agree and act harmoniously…you get your hand slapped. When you act like children and fuss so hard that the whole Masonic world looks at you with disgusted amusement…you lose your charter. And when you can’t put aside your petty differences and deal with each other like men, you lose the respect of your peers. The Shrine and Blue Lodge no longer need to worry about schism, because the Grand Lodge of Arizona has affirmed these principles…again. Whether or not I prefer a split is irrelevant. Shriners are my brothers, and I will support them if they ask. But the lessons we have learned - again - from this little episode should be hammered into the skulls of each one of our brothers. The results are in…and the results are: Masons must act like Men. |
|
|
|
October 28, 2007
4 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Main Menu
Masonry
 |
 |
 |
[…] MasonicMinute.com wrote a fantastic post today on “The Results are In…”Here’s ONLY a quick extract invented the deliberative body back when we worshiped that Greek wine guy (read Morals and Dogma if you […]
Pingback by The Results are In… · Wine Database — October 28, 2007 @ 11:55 pm
I think that your comments were well stated.
Masonry is for men to sit together, set aside their differences and act as men… with maturity and dignity toward eachother and toward society.
No need for “Spin” … A decision was made about a Masonic Lodge, by Masons, for the good of Masonry. This is the Case, unanimous agreement or not.
The thing to remember Brothers (and non-Brothers) is that in all groups and societies no matter the size, there will always be Factions or Cliques, or Friends that will in some way attempt to subvert the standard operations of the whole. Even if it be of the best intentions or for the most evil of causes.
Even in the most tempered groups that act on the Level, this occurs.
The lessons to be learned from this: For Masons… Read the Charges again. And remember the fairness and equality that we are taught to treat eachother with. For non-Masons… Remember to treat eachother as you wish to be treated and to treat your fellow man with fairness and equality.
If ever you find yourself plotting a scheme or aspiring to conspire against another. Consider your motives. Are they Brotherly?
In our stories we are taught us to aspire to the likeness of heroic and truthfull characters.
When we conspire against eachother we are acting more like the schemeing characters whom we are specifically taught not to be like.
It is when Brotherly Love is truely trespassed against that issues become insurmoutable problems where the cure leaves none walking away with his head held high.
-M JW @ #53
Comment by Matt — October 29, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
Me thinks we haven’t heard the end of it… Me fears we won’t for a very long time. But we were able to educate the current leaders of our Lodges and hence the Craft at large on some of the issues that seem to ever keep the Brotherly Love in that neck of the woods at a perpetual distance.
Comment by Makers Mark — November 3, 2007 @ 2:56 am
Hi, my name is disman-kl, i like your site and i ll be back
Comment by Ivan — November 29, 2007 @ 7:51 am