MasonicMinute.com
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Posted at: 1:52 am Sometimes I wonder if my 13+ years as a Mason is enough. Being Master of a Lodge is a huge responsibility…if you are doing it right. But how do you know you are doing it right? More importantly, how do you know if you are ready? These are questions that many twenty and thirty-something pillar officers are asking themselves. Brothers, you can do the impossible. You can say ‘no’. If you are less than three years in Freemasonry, you should probably not be a Warden. Not that you can’t handle it…and not that you are not ‘ready’…but generally speaking, you can do your Lodge more good by saying ‘no’. I speak to the man who is raised one night and a week later is a Deacon. I speak to the man who is a three year Mason and sits in the Oriental Chair. I speak to my generation (in age, not Masonic experience) when I tell you that you can, and probably should, say ‘no’. If your Lodge is truly in an emergency, perhaps you should take the office. But if not, what’s the harm in waiting…soak it in a while…learn the language…just be a Mason. Empower yourself from the beginning, and gain some respect from the Lodge, by refusing an office. You need time to learn lessons, ritual, language and culture. Freemasonry is a completely separate society from the rest of the world. In all honesty…you are probably not ready. Are the Lodge members pushing you to take an office because they don’t want it? Is this the best thing for the Lodge? Would it be better if you said no for now, and made them do some real work instead of leaning on the new guy for leadership? These are some heavy considerations. Sometimes honesty with one’s self is the most difficult type. But don’t let peer pressure or guilt drive you to make a bad decision. Again, sometimes it is the best thing for you and the Lodge if you just jump right-in. But by maintaining control and self-discipline…not advancing until you truly believe you are ready…you are making a powerful statement about who is in control. That’s the type of real leadership we lack. Take control of yourself…just like the compasses require. And when your time comes…when the time is right…then you can step-up to the plate with confidence knowing that you are ready to lead and achieve. Maturity comes in all shapes and sizes my friends. Do you have what it takes to tell them ‘no’? |
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February 13, 2008
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Posted at: 1:07 pm …last night, and I saw something that confirmed for me the path Freemasonry is on…for the long term. Stated Meeting night and I walked in after taking care of some business right before calling the meeting to order. What I saw was a picture worth a thousand words [thankfully, I think I can describe it in less than 500 words]. Standing West of the Altar wer 6 men. All but one was wearing a tuxedo (the odd-man out was wearing a black suit with a very nice tie). Four of them were wearing white gloves. They were all wearing aprons. The average age of that group was about 37. Sitting along the sideline west of the JW chair were a similar size group of men…one was in a suit. The rest of them were dressed in jeans, some in nice pants. The one in the suit also wore a tie. Their average age was well-over 60. As I walked into the room and saw these men, I realized that a new day is dawning. There are no greivances between the groups…on the contrary…we all get along pretty well. The younger men often turn to the older men for advice, and the older men are not shy about taking one of the younger guys aside and sharing a lesson now-and-then. But the stark contrast in what they wore, where they stood (or sat) and how they interacted was severe. It plainly taught me that, as Master, I am in the middle of a perfect storm. I have the heavy responsibility, at this critical time, of balancing the youthful energy and exhuberance of our newer and younger brothers with the mellowed experience of the older members. We are all still brothers, and we all love our Lodge and our Craft. Divisions are not very aparent at this point, and many of our older members are quite excited to see the influx of energy that is waiving over our Lodge. It is a delicate balance. Our thought for this MasonicMinute, then, is the awful reality that there is a 20 year gap in the average age of our craft. The tuxedos and regular clothes do not make the men…but they illustrate a glaring situation which must be carefully guided for the benefit of the Craft. The picture was stark. It was hopeful. It could be interpreted through a negative and divisive lens. This should never be the case. Unity does not require uniformity. Strength through diversity, be it age, race, religion or social status, should be a goal clearly communicated and openly welcome. Together, we can harness the energy and wisely guide it to a bright future. Or we can simply call it division, and take the easy path to conflict and negativity. Where ARE we going? |
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Posted at: 11:30 pm What exactly is the role of the Past Master? Mentor to members, counselor to current leaders and institutional memory. These qualities are what we expect from those who have “been there, done that.” But often we get interference, pettiness, jealousy and greed. There are men out there who have a hard time letting go of the mantle of leadership…sometimes manipulating the body politic from behind the curtian. There are, however, many Past Masters who quietly give counsel when asked…and support the current leadership among the current Craft. They know that new members (which include young men who are more than willing to learn from their own mistakes) will make decisions which may backfire. Instead of stopping the learning process, they wait and watch, and after the dust settles, they counsel with care. Not all Past Masters are mature enough to let go of the control they once had, but by the same token, not all Past Masters make an effort to manipulate their Lodge years after they have vacated the oriental chair. I have commented to my Senior Warden the following: “When I leave the East, I will not attend your first three stated meetings. You will only see me after you have established yourself as the leader of the Lodge.” It is a small token of respect, and a nod to his time in office. I have granted him a warning and a blessing. The blessing is obvious…there will be no me for folks to cry to when they don’t get their way under the new Master. The warning is also pretty clear…it’s going to be your show pal…plan well. This kind of love, harsh as it may seem, is far more respectful than the situation where a Past Master puts ’one of his guys’ in the line of officers, and tells him what to do through that man’s tenure in the East. There is no respect for the one being led by the nose. Mostly, these situations are very bad for Lodges, and can be the result of, or a warning of, some division or real factionalization in the Lodge. Strong leadership that remembers its place is essential. Letting the next man do his thing is a sign of respect and love. Putting yourself in the mix, without being asked, well…that’s just crappy. In defense of some of the Past Master interlopers, one can say ‘well, somebody has to tell that moron what to do!’ Balderdash. In that situation, the manipulator usually put his guy there so he could be controlled. The worst part is that by the end of the manipulee’s tenure, he has been ruined…by those who put him in office. Petty politics and influence peddling is not unusual in Masonic Lodges. We can, however, rid ourselves of this time-honored practice by being honest and open with each other. Tell the moron that he is being manipulated. Tell the Past Master that he is doing ill. Call on the other Past Masters, who are patiently waiting out the current storm, and ask them to have a word with the problem people. If we don’t take affirmative steps to solve problems when we see problems, we are just complicitors in the bad acts…and are equally culpable. Look to the good examples of Past Masters…find them, call them, visit them. They are the greatest and most underutilized resource that Lodges have. Many, if not most of them, will get involved again if you ask them. These are men who gave many many years of effort to the Craft to attain that title. Bring the Past Master back into Lodge, and watch the relationships between old and new enrich your Lodge. Sometimes it only takes a phone call. |
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Posted at: 10:43 pm Ok. So I tried and tried, but I could not find any connection between this link and Freemasonry. Except for the fact that Animal would make a great Jubelum, and the old guys in the balcony are regular sideliners at my Lodge. Enjoy a little early green beer while you watch this one. |
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Posted at: 5:59 pm There are three principal tenets in Freemasonry; Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. I have an opinion about the three, but before sharing any thoughts on the topic, I need to ask the following question. If you HAD to pick…which is the most important? No squirming on this one…you MUST pick the one that is more important than the other two. Now…don’t look to the results first. On this website, you must vote first, then you can see how you compare to the group. So…now that you know the rules, let me ask one more time. If you HAD to pick one of the following as the MOST IMPORTANT…which would it be? n
The Most Important of the Principal Tenets is...
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Posted at: 5:17 pm “Finally!” This was the cry of relief in my jurisdiction when the Grand Lodge decided to return (partly) to the requirement that a man cannot be Master unless he has memorized at least one degree lecture. The requirement had been three lectures, but that requirement went by the way-side. Then, about two years ago, the Grand Lodge brought back the requirement that made one lecture mandatory. Well, good! For in the ensuing years it was harder and harder to find men who knew the lectures. Some lodges got to the point where, without the requirement, and after the death of one or two key lecturers, they could not put on their own degrees! In fact, my Lodge was one of those. We did not have any men who were available to deliver the lectures…and we were glad to have the requirement installed. Many may say that this only proves men will rise to expectations, no matter who they are or how low the expectations may be. I believe this to be true. No matter how dedicated I happen to be as a Mason, it was this requirement that pushed me to learn a lecture. Now, sadly, there is rumor afoot that a proposition will be made to remove the requirement completely. The main reasoning behind this is that some Lodges will have to close because “it’s too hard to find men who know the Lectures.” Well, too bad. I learned a lecture because I had to…and because I wanted to. But I would have taken my sweet time to do it if being installed as Master did not depend on the requirement. It is goal setting and achieving…within time limits…that motivates men to do their best. I am no saint, and I am not (by any definition) the perfect Mason. But to remove this requirement is to remove the motivation - at least at some level. I cannot imagine why such short-sightedness still permeates our Craft. I cannot see why we still have one-day classes, as if raising a bunch of men at a time is some kind of achievement! Balderdash! Let us go back to the real old days; When men advanced only after spending a year as an apprentice, When Masters knew ALL the work before ascending to sit in the East, When Masons gave their time and effort (dare we call it the ‘work’ of a Mason) in order to improve themselves in Freemasonry. RAISE the expectations, and men will achieve those standards. Lower them, and men will meet those as well. Either way…the choice is ours. |
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Posted at: 4:53 pm I don’t know if anyone has ever written extensively on this fine point (actually, now that I read that line…it’s quite funny) Seriously though, which is it? Is it more proper that the apex point up or down? Hollywood’s ”DaVinci Code” gives a good explanation of the male and female differences of the up vs. the down. One could say that by pointing up, we are showing the symbol to aspire to heaven, but by pointing down with the open end up, are we not gathering all of the blessings and lessons that heaven would bestow? How about the geometry of it…no…never mind. Up and down in Geometry must be relative to something else. But wait, that having been said, the up square could be the form used to illustrate some kind of protection…you know…from the elements and grizzly bears and junk like that, while the down-pointing square could symbolize…well, you get the picture. So I ask the question…mostly out of curiosity, and partly because in my Lodge room there are squares which point up and squares which point down…and I have never had this explained to me. Anyway, I include the following poll for our mutual amusement. n n
Well...which is it?
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Posted at: 10:21 pm …or so argues a brother in a recent Research Lodge publication. According to this brother, a Grand Master’s Edict that prevents Masons from meeting in a certain place violates the ‘freedom of assembly’ guarantee in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. The brother making this argument goes so far as to quote the entire first amendment…and then qualifies his criticizm of that Grand Master by couching his “opinion” as his own. (neither of these men are in any office today, other than in their own local Lodge) First of all, there are other things at work here. To insinuate that an Edict from the Grand Oriental Chair somehow violates the Constitution is a pretty serious claim. Even if it is just one person’s opinion…if that person is a high-ranking individual, well-respected in the Craft…there are some serious implications. That kind of accusation will carry weight with many men in the jurisdiction, and if widely distributed, the opinion could sully the reputation of the accused. In fact, now that I think about it…that could be VERY serious business…but I digress… Second, it would be even more serious if the person making the accusation had any idea how the Constitution worked…then we’d be in real trouble. Thankfully, the man making the accusation never really read the first amendment that he quoted…otherwise he would have seen the first five words, “Congress shall make no law…” See, the Constitution is a limit on government power…not the power we have voluntarily surrendered to (like the Grand Master). Paying your dues puts you at the whim of your jurisdiction’s Masonic laws, rules and regulations. If you don’t like how you or somebody else is treated, and you don’t have the courage to go talk to the person you think is responsible…quit. But don’t go making false accusations about some decision being unconstitutional. That’s an uninformed and hurtful way to approach the Craft…and it’s a bit silly. Freemasonry is about knowledge and courage. We must know of what we speak before we present our opinions…especially to a research society. We must also have the courage to go up to a man, even if he is the Grand Master, and tell him what we think. I have told brothers that I thought they were wrong, unprepared, unattentive and lacking in follow-through. I have done-so in a manner that is appropriate for the situation. In this situation, since the accusations (which were, as we remember, silly and wrong-headed) were made in a public forum against a man I respect as a friend and brother, I believe they deserve public airing (but I’m not mentioning any names…that would go too far). So there you have it. We exercise our “right of the people to peaceably assemble” every time we pay our dues. And if the Master tells you to shut-up in Lodge, he is not “abridging the freedom of speech” because he is not Congress passing laws that will abridge something. He’s the Master, and he can do whatever he wants…you’re the one who paid dues to sit in that room…don’t go crying to mamma if you got your feelings hurt. Lastly, I know it sounds like I came down real hard on the guy who wrote that stuff about the Grand Master. He is also a good friend and a well respected member of our Craft. I also know him well-enough to know that I can give him this kind of grief without hurting his feelings. (so don’t any of you locals go tattle-tailing on me and get me in trouble…that guy will kick my butt.) If only we could find a place where men could learn about the US Constitution… Hmmm. Sounds like a good topic for some Masonic Education… |
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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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Posted at: 4:08 am The rough and perfect ashlars are important elements in the Masonic philosophy and are sometimes neglected further thought and investigation concerning their purpose. I have so far come across three different views on the purpose and symbolism of the ashlars, two of which are not mentioned in the first degree lecture and one comes from a completely outside discipline. We all know (or at least should know) that many of our symbols, ornaments, furniture and other facets of the fraternity have many meanings, not just the ones revealed to us in the lectures. The constant study of the lectures provides the foundation of further investigation into the many meanings of the inner workings of the craft and it is prudent to continue the search for further light in the fraternity, not just stopping at the explanation given in our lectures. The ashlars were one of the first elemets of the Masonic lodge that I found alternative meanings for and upon learning of these other meanings it did nothing more than strengthen my ability to comprehend these simple stones. The first take on the ashlars is of course the explanation given to EA’s in the 1st degree lecture. Simply put, we are the rough ashlar; crude and imperfect striving to become the perfect ashlar through those qualities that make us honorable men. This is a great teaching tool because it provides both visual and mental illustrations of progress of thought and action with a goal to be obtained. Although beautiful in its explanation it is also horribly simplistic and as we all know nothing in Masonry is ever so blatantly simple. It must be looked into further. The second take on the ashlars comes from chapter one of Morals and Dogma by Albert Pike. In his explanation he uses the ashlars (in relation to the common gavel) as the State of the people. Not the mental state, but in a political/governmental state. The first part of chapter one talks about how tyranny and depotisms arise and how the people are within their own power to prevent it, if they keep their eyes and ears open. Contained in the eloquent yet sometimes cumbersome writing of Albert Pike in chapter one he describes the rough ashlar as the people in a state of a crude mass with no direction or even worse, direction without question or concern. The perfect ashlar is the people in an efficient, constitutional government with checks and balances and power given to those with the consent of the governed. He describes the gavel as the force of the people to shape the state (the ashlar) into a legitimate government. Simply put, in Pike’s mind the ashlars represent two types of government, and with the use of the gavel (the force of the people) prosperous societies can be built as long as the people utilize their capabilities. The third take on the ashlars I actually came across accidentally. While studying the writings of the early Taoists I came across a very important part of Taoist philosophy. This part of Taoist philosophy deals with “the two stones” and (you guessed it) one is rough and one is perfectly hewn. As I was reading about this I began to smirk as I anticipated the same old rough/perfect ashlar speech, but was taken by surprise when their explanation was completely opposite of the Masonic one. The Taoist philosophy regarding the ashlars is as follows: the two stones represent a dichotimy of the state of man. Part of the goal or work of the Toaist is to “become the unhewn stone”. In their eyes, the perfect ashlar is not a product of a good life but rather the product of outside, unnecessary, materialistic, evil, unhealthy and damaging elements that have corrupted the goodness of man’s natural state. We (Masons) say that the rough ashlar is man in its rude and natural state. To the Taoist the unhewn stone is perfect because God shaped it the way he shaped it and put it where he put it and because God is perfect, it is perfect just the way it is, as God created it. The Taoist believe that it is the manipulation by the hands of the imperfect man who cuts and shapes the stone into something unnatural, therefore, not perfect at all. They say that the vices and superfluities of life shape us into unnatural beings, and we have to “become the unhewn stone” and go back to a state of natural being free from materialism, envy, vice and all the other things that corrupt our existence. The message is the same regarding the Taoist/Masonic take on the ashlars, it just depends on which one you start from. Hopefully there are more interpretations of the ashlars to be found and I encourage you all to look carefully at our ritual and you will find many interesting things there that are not what they seem or at least were presented to you during your degree. I enjoy disecting the rituals and lectures of the Scottish Rite and York Rite degrees and they too have much to offer in personal enlightenment, but you may be surprised how much is contained within the writings of the first three degrees. Like the Toaist interpretation of the ashlars, sometimes being on the other side of the looking glass shows you a completely different perspective of the same picture, but is no less true. |
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