MasonicMinute.com
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Posted at: 1:23 pm It’s probably the most challenging exercise I have encountered to date. Choosing the right design for my Past Master’s Apron. Some just go to the catalog and pick the one that suits them best. I have no problem with that. But to me, there is much more to picking the right design than just fixing your eye on the pre-designed pattern that suits your fancy at the moment. Again, while this type of selection process is plenty for some, it does not reflect the full exploration of the self that this episode can achieve. Who is the person wearing it? What does he want to reflect about himself in this aparel? Who is the audience, and what messages will be sent through the symbols thereon? The lengths you go through to make these decisions can help you to recognize a great deal about yourself. At one point I thought a plain white apron would suffice. Not using anything more than the apron presented to me at my Initiation would have sent a powerful message not only to those seeing it, but to myself each time I put it on. I also considered a black on black design (black leather with black felt and black embroidery). This stark contrast to the norm certainly would have made a statement, but is it the statement that I want to make about me? I also went through a phase (that I am exiting through this exercise) where I considered a large skull and crossbones instead of the typical square and rocker. Although the meaning would have been lost on many, those who knew the real Masonic significance of this symbol would have appreciated its message, and it would remind me always of one of the most basic teachings of our Craft. I have doodled hundreds of versions of using two broad tassles as columns, surmounted by globes; dividing the apron into the square and compass using the “v” of the flap as the square in the design. I have thought about colors, angles, fields, moods and motifs. It has been a wonderful education…trying to describe myself as a Past Master on a static apron from now to eternity. The challenge and the exercise has been worth it. In fact, I am still no closer to a final design than I was when I started. But I am closer to understanding me. That’s the important thing. Will I ever come-up with the perfect design for my Past Master’s Apron? No. Perfection is for that guy in the sky. I will, however, make the best effort to design something that speaks my language. Something unique but understandable. Something that continues to remind me of the lessons of my Craft, while communicating to others that yes, for a time, I did sit in the East. Maybe something checkered with gold fringe and red trim… |
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June 1, 2008
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Posted at: 4:53 pm The dificulty is making the decision. What’s best for the Lodge? Your friendship? How will the brothers react? Are your expectations too high? How did it get to this spot in the first place? Masonic leadership is not often challenged with very difficult decisions. Mostly, Lodges get along and make things happen. We may not always get to do everything we like, but generally the inertia of the fraternity makes things happen. But what about when you raise the bar? What happens when you discover that there may be some in your ranks who are really not cut-out for the job (I am speaking of being a pillar officer in your lodge)? What do you do when you are constantly preaching the highest performance and expectations, but one of your core officers is not meeting muster? You get rid of him. That’s right. The cold hard facts are that leadership must demand more from the members, and the membership must demand more from the leadership. This is the harsh reality we must deal with as we re-build our neglected craft. It is a reality that many would rather avoid because that’s the easy way-out. Just ignore the problem and wait-out that guy’s term in office…he will go away eventually. But at what cost? As the Master of my Lodge, I am currently in the middle of this type of situation. Our JW was not meeting up to our raised expectations. And while I am far from perfect, there was too great of a gap between where he was and where the Lodge expected him to be. He decided to do everyone a favor. He quit. I take responsibility for it, as I should. I write about this not to blow my horn or to try to impress. I am writing about this real-world experience because it is important to Freemasonry. For too long our leadership has not been corageous enough to put their foot-down. Grand Masters are afraid to close lodges that are nothing but a drag on the craft. Deputy Grand Masters and Deputy Grand Lecturers give a “pass” to too many where ritual requirements are concerned. We are not being vigilant in our own back-yard. Mediocrity has become normal, and the highest performers are somehow shuned as if they are fanatical weirdos. Leaders must make hard choices based on all the information they can get. The leader must seek wise counsel, and then execute a plan. Otherwise, the same thing keeps happening over and over again. We lost our Junior Warden almost two weeks ago. We will adjust. But in the end, it was the best thing for the Lodge and for our Fraternity. Are YOU in a place where your higher expectations are helping you clear the deck? Are YOUR leaders making tough choices, even if one or two men get their feelings hurt? (by the way, the split was very agreeable and mature…no hurt feelings were expressed - in case you were interested) This fraternity must raise the bar. We must clear-out the weeds and get back to our roots. Thinking men will agree. Courageous men will act. |
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Posted at: 12:14 am It’s over. My time in the East as Worthy Patron ended this evening. The whole thing was very nice and made me believe that, although I am still a bit of a “blue nose” when it comes to Freemasonry, I think there certainly is a place for the Eastern Star and other appendant bodies for women (and men). Many of you will not understand the vernacular here. Let me explain for a moment. “Skirt Masonry” is not Freemasonry for women…that would be clandestine and bad. We don’t do that sort of thing. Skirt Masonry is the kind of organization that exists because the wives of some Masons want to actually be a part of their husband’s lives, and the husbands are ok with it. So, the White Shrine, Order of the Eastern Star, Amaranth and others fall into that group of organizations by the name you see here. Some hold these organizations in very low regard. They may even have wives who are members, but they are “Blue Nose” Masons who see no real reason for the existence of Skirt Masonry. Blue Nose Masons have no humility and are usually in bad marriages with nasty wives. Of course, I am painting with a broad brush. I don’t think there are any nasty Masonic wives out there at all. But you get the idea. Anyway, my year in the OES East is done. I am a Past Patron and will always have the right to attend any other Chapter I want and insist that they delay their business for just a minute or two while I get introduced. It will be fun! |
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Posted at: 6:29 pm Last night it happened again. The Lodge was not ready to perform a degree, and the WM decided to wait. Many Lodges would have done the degree. I wrote about this very same topic some months ago. The importance of the idea cannot be overstated. Do we do high quality degrees, or do we just do them because they are on the calendar? It is a theme that deserves attention…quality vs. quantity. I often hear the old addage “Masonic Lodges are in the business of making Masons” as a justification of just doing the work. But if your definition of a Mason is a man who has gone through the ceremonies of the 3 Blue Lodge degrees, you need to reconsider your affiliation with Freemasonry. Masons read, study, meditate and think. Masons discuss new ideas and explore concepts that might be totally foreign or offensive to them. We learn. High quality degree work is a result of many men paying particular attention to the task at hand and making good on their promise to be better and do better. Ritual is a small but important part of the major overhaul of Freemasonry that is happening today. The candidate will get a great degree…one day. It is precisely the reason that he deserves a great degree which forces the tough decision not to hold a sub-standard one. The candidate will know the difference…don’t pretend they are that stupid. If they were…why did you elect them to our membership in the first place? |
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Posted at: 6:08 pm We’ve all gotten them. Flags, eagles, crosses. Patriotic goo with a flair. Sometimes it’s a story that inspires hope in America, sometimes it’s just a simple story about a boy and his dog. Whatever it is, it’s not Masonic. Especially when one person keeps sending you the same crap all the time. Freemasons ought to know better than to send each other the junk that your Mother sends. It’s unbecoming and ought to be punishable by fine or some other minor inconvenience. The only qualification to my total ban on junk email should be the ones with the lewd content, or something really hillarious. Funny but not inspiring is great. Funny…cat falling off of a chair, unwelcome. To be sure, there is always room for the witty play on words or something that has some interesting historical significance. For example, I recently heard a story that had to do with beany-weenies and the Battle of the Bulge. The story-teller was a Mason, and he was telling the story about another Mason’s experience in WWII. I got a kick out of it, and off he went. No problem. But please stop with the flags and the eagles and the purple mountain majesty. I know how much I love my country. Stop trying to sell it to me. |
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Posted at: 10:44 am I got an email today from a brother who wanted me to send him two petitions for membership. I refused. As the Master of my Lodge, I want to meet these men first. I want to know who they are and learn about them. I want to know what they do and how they spend their free-time. I need these guys to meet and mingle with my brothers before they can presume to apply for membership in our brotherhood. I am demanding that the profane world come to grips with the fact that we are, and should be, an exclusive organization. We are closed to the outside. We welcome those WE CHOOSE to welcome. And this welcome is a group decision…not to be made by one random member. Some feel this is an attitude that does not treat all men “on the level.” Some feel that exclusivity is only for those who feel they are better or different than others. Some people, even our own brothers, feel like this attitude will shrink our fraternity. They are all correct, and I agree with them all. Freemasonry is not for everybody. It was never meant to be for every-man. Sure, we teach humility and treatment of our brothers as equals, but we also swear not to share certain ‘gems’ with the outside world. The benefits of our secret knowledge is not shared because we selfishly guard the real secrets. So it is, so it has been, and so should it be. So why is it, then, that we should not jealously guard the portal? Why should we not demand more from those attempting to become part of our sacred circle? Why should I allow any random Tom, Dick or Harry from off of the street to throw down a check and submit a petition? If that man is not willing to come to my Lodge, meet my brothers and present himself to my Craft as a genuine petitioner in the truest sense, then he does not even get to look at that sheet of paper. Simple. Until we get the guts to do the right things, for the right reasons, our Craft will continue to deteriorate. Guard well that which you have my brothers. Diluting your Lodge and allowing mediocrity at any stage of the game can only harm the Craft in full. Be strong enough to take the hard-line. Once we make-up our minds that, sometimes it’s ok to say ‘No’, then, miraculously, life in our Craft will become much, much better. |
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Posted at: 10:56 pm Our ancient brothers used a symbol that the profane world now sees as a harbinger of doom. I won’t mention it in name here, but the symbol is everywhere…and often misinterpreted. That’s one of the fun things about being a Mason…right? Having a secret knowledge about something that others don’t have? Well, that’s one of the frustrating things about being a Mason as well. We often hide things from ourselves. It’s our own chosen ignorance which keeps that great knowledge of the ages from us. We have no reason to know more, because we don’t think we need it. Take for example that symbol I am talking about. Those of you who understand the symbolic language of our Craft already know what it is. The rest of you…Masons included…have no idea what I am talking about. Yet, you still call yourselves Masons (and some of you will even dare to say that you are a Master Mason). It is sad, really. We do not meet on the level…all of us, that is. We are two different Crafts meeting in the same hall, eating at the same table, wearing the same Apron. Those who know, and those who choose not to know. It is so with many organizations, but most brilliant is the shining contrast in our own Lodges. The uninitiated run amok. They bring us all down. Now, to be fair, I do not claim to be one of the initiated. Truth be told, I am only recently becoming aware of the difference (although my mentor tells me otherwise…he thinks I fell into initiation long ago, and just never knew it). Be that as it may, I at least know there is a difference. And some of you do to. You, my brothers, are the frustrated super-minority of Masons, longing for a Craft worthy of your inquiry. Do not fall to dispair my brothers…the Craft is alive an well in your heart. Continue to read and learn and make a stron impression on the rest of them. Don’t over-burden their minds with esoterica or philosophy. Seek-out your like-minded cohort…they are out there waiting to be found. This is the true fraternity that we seek. We may try to legislate or force some shift to the light…but the choice to remain in the dark is supported by the great magnetism of sloth. Work diligently, and you will be recognized by other true seekers. They will know you as you will know them. They will look to our ancient symbol of the Level and feel as you do…energized and focused on moving forward. |
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Posted at: 11:12 am Not just this site…but Freemasonry as a whole. If our Lodge is any indication of the energy and forward movement of the Craft in general…then I’d say we are in great shape. Now, however, is not the time to revel in the increase in petittions…but rather to take the time to screen each man carefully. Now is not the time to welcome all with open arms, but to slowly and with certainty allow only those most qualified to join our ranks. Now is not the time to repeat the mistakes of past generations…artificially inflating our numbers and celebrating the false size of the true fraternity. No my brothers, now is the time to crack-down and build-up. Crack-down on letting guys into our Lodges because ‘they seem like a nice guy’. Crack-down on letting petittions into the hands of strangers in the first place. We must lead our Craft back into the position it was in not so long ago…an institution that, by its own frugality and careful screening, assured its own perseverence into the future. Yes my brothers, it is time to build-up our membership with men who we know will be dedicated. Test them before they get a petittion. Make them attend regularly for six months prior to giving them that document…and only after they have had a chance to sit-down with the Master or other competent brothers, may they then receive that petittion. Do not be shy about telling somebody that you don’t think they are ready. Our charge is to jealously protect our fraternity…not sell it to the lowest bidder. As for those who puroprt to wax poetic about our doom…let them cry in the wilderness, for they are the lost ones. Those nay-sayers are not capable of change and will stagnate until they petrify. We can try to help them out of their rut, but as men we must respect them for deciding to take the path of least resistance, and we must respect their choices to fade anonymously into the past. Brutal truths and harsh realities face us as we move forward into the re-awakening of our Craft. We must be vigilant, flexible and truly dedicated to spending great amounts of personal time with our newer brothers. (by the way…they are not members…they are our brothers) We must force ourselves out of our comfort-zone of mediocrity and increase our own expectations of ourselves. Only after we are ready, willing and (most importantly) ABLE to bring men into our Craft correctly, educating them out of the ignorance they naturally have upon approaching the portals, will be doing justice to the Craft. WE must raise OUR OWN standards. WE must raise OUR OWN expectations. WE must raise OURSELVES, as the Craft once raised us. Onward then…to that undiscovered country here on Earth. Where the ideals of Freemasonry are truly and sincerely practiced by each one of us. |
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Posted at: 3:26 pm To start off, I must say that it is incredible how certain minds seem to flow along the same lines of thought even when they are not in direct contact. I had an idea for this next blog when I saw that AEdifico had written his this morning and it turns out that the subject matter is very similar. Earlier today I was reading my usual internet sites (news, masonic blogs, etc) when I came to one of my most favorite sites on the internet. This site is basically a site with lists (most influential operas, greatest historical empires, worst natural disasters, etc) and it provides insight from the viewers in the comments section. Today there was a fantastic list called “10 Books that Changed America” and these were the author’s picks: 10 - Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman 9 - The Clansman by Thomas Dixon Jr. 8 - The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 7 - The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas by Frederick Douglas 6 - Silent Spring by Rachel Carson 5 - Native Son by Richard Wright 4 - A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft 3 - The Jungle by Upton Sinclair 2 - Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe 1 - Common Sense by Thomas Paine This list I thought was great, it was well rounded, it illustrated that the word “influential” also applies to negative influence and it provided the viewer with a few titles they may not have read yet. The Sad Truth of this list is that in the comments section for this entry, the first comment reads “Never heard of any of them…” This users name ended in the number ‘87′ which can usually mean one of two things; that the user is 87 years old or that they were born in 1987. I think they were born in 1987 which would make them either 20 or 21. For someone 20-21 years old to have never heard of these books is downright sad. This is a perfect example of how a poor education can lead to a full life of ignorance. It’s a good thing there are societies like Freemasonry that are around to combat these educational shortcomings, or is there? As you may already tell from my blogs “Suggested Reading List” and “In Case of Emergency Break Glass” that I am an avid reader and I understand that some people may not find the joy in reading the same way I do, but some things must be a given. For example, Freemasons should be familiar with their VSL, Anderson’s Constitutions, The Regius Manuscript, and Morals and Dogma at the very least. Some might say that these works are outdated, too cumbersome, too long, too uncomprehensible, etc. To them I say; so what? If you read a chapter in Morals and Dogma and don’t fully understand it the situation provides an excellent opportunity for discussion with your Brothers. I have heard too many times that Morals and Dogma is too hard of a read without giving it a chance. I lent out a copy of M&D once to a Brother who is not college educated, not an academic and not that well read. He is your all-around simple, good Mason. After he read a few bits of it he came back with an exceptional understanding of one of the chapters and we all had a great talk of it all. He was under the impression that he wouldn’t be able to understand it so he avoided it. Situations like these are too reminicient of the old salesman motto “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right”. This same attitude of “you can’t handle it” is the reason why schools ban books. Students can’t handle the N-Word, or rape, or teen angst, or their own primordial nature. So they shouldn’t read Huckleberry Finn, A Clockwork Orange, Catcher in the Rye or Lord of the Flies because they may just be a little too curious as to the nature of these books and put intructors on the spot and we can’t have that. And what do we get after all these pillars of literary genius are pushed out of normal curriculum? You get a 20-21 year old that has never heard of Common Sense. My point in all this is that if we as a fraternity, in the realm of knowledge and the search for truth, fail to investigate, examine, meditate and discuss the elements of Masonic philosophy then we lose what makes us Freemasons. Do not let the old tomes of Masonic past intimidate you, read them! Talk to your Brothers about them, encourage them to read them as well. If you follow blindly by what others tell you without question you are acting in a way that is the completely opposite of Masonic philosophy and you empower those who you follow instead of being empowered by your own intelligence. Think about the angry, fundamentalist Christian who has never read the Bible (yes, they are around and I have met a few), think about the atheist who has never read the Bible but still reject it, and think about the 20-21 year olds that have never HEARD of Common Sense. These are all examples of a sad truth that we hope to be above, using reason, logic, knowledge and intelligence to make us better people. Now think about the 33rd Degree Mason who is unable to explain a simple element of Scottish Rite philosophy, are they any different? No, and it is indeed sad. |
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Posted at: 12:41 am Yes it’s been forever since I posted. Moving a law office and life got in the way. But while preparing for my Masonic Education stuff at Lodge for April’s meeting, I started to write some ideas. What you will read here (it ain’t short…deal with it) was the result. Warning…I have not yet figured out how to get regular comments back on this site. Yes that sucks, and I will fix it when I get a chance. For now, just read and enjoy. Learning Like a Mason Introduction: Thus, we begin this journey on Learning Like a Mason. We have no future save that which we prepare for ourselves. When we read, we prepare ourselves to think different thoughts, and to decide for ourselves. Many of us will come across topics which will challenge our own thoughts and perceptions. We will encounter systems and facts which may make us uncomfortable, and which may confuse and befuddle us. This is the beginning of the future of our minds. Thinking about things which others may have told us is taboo…that is the beginning of being an independent and mentally strong Man. Taking the time to read books that profane society tells us are evil…this where maturity and self-control make us better than the average man. Even daring to meditate on the ancient wisdom of other cultures and other people is a step towards that Masonic enlightenment we all should seek. And so, without further ado, we will on this night tread away from the shore in our little boat with the sail full of excitement and the rudder firm in our hands. I will tonight show you the map. I will also attempt to explain to you how it is that Masons can capture that wind of excitement by using the sail. But first, I will attempt to explain to you how you can steer the rudder which is already in your hands. Part I: The Rudder What is it that separates us from the animals? Why is Man more special and more important than, say, a wolf or a whale, a snake or a spider? “Reason separates mankind from the other forms of life; it is a gift. The spider may spin a beautiful web but it is not an artist; the bee may dance its messages but that is not ballet; termites construct large dwellings but they are not engineers. Man alone possesses the divine spark of intellect and therefore, reason. The gift of reason is, however, no gift of ease and indulgence – it requires the greatest effort and thus is often dispensed with almost entirely. The great majority of mankind makes little or no use of this divine gift, choosing rather the simple life of physical labor occasionally punctuated by periods of time devoted to hobbies or passive recreation.”[Hutchens, Bridge to Light, p.146] It is by REASON, then that we can steer ourselves through the waters. It is this characteristic that allows us to recognize the difference between survival and achievement. We are the beneficiaries of the divine gift described above, and with it we can and should steer ourselves through the waters of life on our journey. Part II: The Map It would be too easy to give you a stack of books or a reading list and let you go-on and read what I think you ought to in order to be a well-informed Mason. This is insufficient, although the rudimentary necessity to getting our Craft back on the right track. The map to which I speak is more, however, than the Pike, Hall or Mackey. The map is all around you right here, right now. Part III: The Sail Without a sail, there will only be slow advancement dictated by the water right where you are. In fact, without the sail, you and the water where you are move together…and you never really get to see anything differently. The Masonic journey requires something more than mere presence. The Learning of a Mason must have some elemental appreciation for that which captures our imagination, our energy and directs it to a useful purpose. Conclusion: It is enough to say, at this point, that the rudder, the sail and the map are the external and vital tools in this metaphor. There are more, and you should contemplate them. But knowing that you have the authority to explore, more importantly, the encouragement of your brothers to explore the world of Freemasonry, you should now dispel any other hesitation you may have harbored. Thank you. |
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