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aedifico42| Masonic Factions

Posted at: 11:34 am

It is not too late to prevent the divide from getting larger.  There are factions growing in American Freemasonry, and we need to address the situation before it becomes a situation.

One faction is made of those who subscribe to the learn, think and “grow the Craft’s quality” brothers.  We (I admit that I disagree with the ‘other’ side only as a part of honest discourse…not that I am right or wrong, but taking sides and standing for what you believe in is the Truth part of Masonry that I like to practice) like to think of ourselves as carriers of that flickering torch of the Grand Design that Freemasonry’s philosopher kings created centuries ago.  We look to the western mysteries, to hermetics, gematria, philosophy…and we know what those words mean.

The other side is not interested in opening the books on the shelves…but they will, to their credit, admit that the books look nice.

Our side like tuxedos and dinners where papers and lectures are presented…whether or not we get to go to these things is a different story…but we would if we could.  We stay-up late reading blogs and books.  We write.  Sometimes we even write things that we submit for others to see.  We think, we meditate, we pray.  We know the difference between the three.

Sophistication is not a bad word for us.  We are Freemasons.

Our beloved brothers, on the other hand, are not interested in all that ’stuff’.  They take the ritual at face value.  Those moral lessons are quite enough for them, ‘thank you very much.’

They are no less Masonic than we are.  They are no less civilized than we are.  They are not less, as men, than we are.  But some of them are pointing fingers and raising a little ‘class warfare’ at the expense of men with whom they disagree.

We must be careful to do two things.  One, listen.  Two, think.  Without these two tools, we will be led down the path of conflict and division.  We are not at a point where we can afford to fight each other over petty differences.  We can agree to disagree, as mature adults.  We can work together on all of the things that unite us, which, by the way, far outnumber those things that would divide us.

It is not for me to say, and there are no clear lines being drawn at this time.  It is too alarmist to say that I fear division…let us simply say that I can see where the current road may lead us.

We must look to each other for leadership and guideance.  Talk to your brothers…especially the ‘others’ that you already know and love.  Make certain that you listen to their concerns, their fears, and their goals.  Find common ground.

United, we can return to the days when Masonry was a force for good in our communities.  But if we make the wrong decisions now, while things are heating-up, we will certainly fail.

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