Grand Lodge Masonic Education Series
The Masonic Education Series gives lodges the tools to make a man a Mason and for individual
Masons to use in their pursuit of life long self-improvement. The Grand Master is also encouraging increased Masonic
Studies by our members on the values, history, and meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry.
What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry summons good men to be better men, and better men to be good. Freemasonry acknowledges that each man
and woman is a divine mixture of good and evil. The Great Architect of the Universe has endowed us with free will
to make moral and ethical choices. Freemasonry understands the frailties of human nature, and therefore the Fraternity
teaches us to circumscribe our desires and keep our passions and prejudices within due bounds toward all humankind.
It is important that we listen and pay attention to the words of the ritual. To those members who do so, Freemasonry
is like a "fire bell in the night" of the human condition. Words are not empty vessels to be defined
at will by those who write or speak them. Words have meaning. Ideas and thoughts have no external reality until
they are given form by the spoken or written word, and those ideas once expressed have consequences in thought
and deed for those who hear or read them.
The words of the Masonic ritual summon us to bring the tenets and virtues of Freemasonry proactively into our daily
lives-to practice Brotherly Love, to Relieve the distressed, to seek the Truth without hesitation, and to act with
Justice toward all humankind.
By the exercise of Brotherly Love we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family,
who, created by one Almighty Parent, are to aid support and protect each other. To "exercise Brotherly Love"
is to follow the Biblical injunction "to love thy neighbor as thyself." We have all been taught that
Freemasonry regards no man because of his worldly wealth or honors-it is the internal and not the external qualities
which recommend a man to be made a Mason. Freemasonry does not regard men because of their race, color, religion,
ethnic origins-it is only essential that a man be good and true. To be a good Mason, it simply does not matter
if a man is black or white, Hispanic or Asian, Christian, Jewish, Moslem, or Hindu.
To "exercise Brotherly Love" is to improve ourselves in Masonry by incorporating these
attitudes into how we view the world around us, and then acting on these beliefs in our everyday lives. To exercise
Brotherly Love is therefore to respect and accept that each man and woman is a unique fellow creature, created
by the Supreme Architect and Father of us all. By practicing Brotherly Love-respect and tolerance--in our everyday
lives, we seek to cause true friendship to exist among those who might otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance.
To the extent that we as Masons live by this still-revolutionary principle, we are a shining example to the society
around us that men can restrain and overcome their passions and prejudices, and work together for the benefit of
humankind.
To extend the helping hand of Relief to men and women in distress is the second great tenet of Freemasonry, and
it is a corollary to the exercise of Brotherly Love. As members of the human family, we are linked by an ever-growing
chain of affection-first for those nearest and dearest to us, and in an ever-widening circle to friends of friends,
and to their friends, and so on.
Our Entered Apprentice degree teaches us about Faith, Hope and Charity, and that the greatest
of these is Charity. "Charity" comes from the Latin word for "love." But charity can also be
understood as doing the right thing by assisting another person in distress. The Hebrew word for "Charity"
means justice and righteousness. Freemasonry teaches that Justice is "that standard or boundary of right which
enables us to render unto every man his just due, without distinction." Justice and righteousness are the
ethical qualities of the Great Architect of the Universe upon which all other ethical commandments rest. Central
to Freemasonry is the equitable treatment of individual men and women, so that every person receives their just
due "without distinction" as to rank or wealth or honors, or any other external qualifications. Justice
is therefore the very cement and support of civil society, for without Justice there can be no dignity and no freedom.
And so Freemasonry teaches us that we each have a responsibility and duty to aid and assist
men and women in physical and emotional distress. We assist others not only because we care for them, but also
because it is the right and just thing to do in our everyday lives.
Truth is the third great tenet of Freemasonry. This tenet is not emphasized when we speak of our gentle Craft,
but it, along with Justice, are the two most powerful ideals of Freemasonry. Yes, we say that Truth is a divine
attribute and the foundation of every virtue. We are taught that being honest and truthful and fair in dealing
with our fellow men and women is a virtue. We say that we as Masons are seeking Truth, but what does "seeking
Truth" imply? To seek the Truth is to ask questions, and to ask questions is to be skeptical of the assumptions
of conventional wisdom.
People who seek the Truth, and who dare speak the Truth to power, can be annoying and unpopular. Asking questions
can be a dangerous and risky business. Socrates sought Truth by asking questions, and was condemned to death because
people thought he threatened the social and political stability of Athens. Modern newspaper journalists, such as
Daniel Pearl, have been murdered because they sought the Truth. Robert Kennedy once said that some people asked
"Why?" He preferred to ask "Why not?"
The search for Truth is Freemasonry's most powerful weapon in the 21st century's quest to preserve
and expand freedom and the dignity of the individual in an ever-more impersonal, technological society. The practice
of Brotherly Love and the fight for Justice by individual Masons taking an active role in their communities can
have a tremendous impact on the future of our towns and cities, states, and nations.
Listen to the words of the ritual. The true secret of Freemasonry is that its ideas are revolutionary and dangerous
to those who would deny human dignity and promote injustice. Freemasonry as an institution is properly non-political
and must remain so. But as individuals, we can take action to apply the ideas of Freemasonry in everyday life.
Freemasonry teaches us to honor a constitutional, democratic, and orderly system of government that preserves and
protects our liberties. Freemasonry encourages us as individuals to become involved in our local communities, to
express our views to City Councils and Boards of Education, and even to hold office. Think about some of the ways
in which you can become involved in your communities:
As individuals:
1. Write letters to local newspapers about important issues
2. Volunteer as a member of neighborhood clean-up organizations
3. Volunteer at a local church's meals program
4. Register voters for your favorite political party
As a Lodge:
1. Organize tutoring programs for a local elementary school
2. Participate in local and state campaigns for school bond proposals
3. Sponsor Masonic and community youth programs
Listen to the words of the ritual and resolve to practice out of the Lodge those great moral duties, which are
inculcated in it. Only then can we each improve ourselves in Freemasonry, and in so doing improve the world around
us.
Freemasonry and Education
Traditionally, throughout its long history, Freemasonry has taken a leading role in the promotion of learning and
education. From its early beginnings, in the 18th century in England and Scotland, Masons were among the founders
of learned academies. Masons have been active in education at every level from grammar school through university.
The Charge of the Fellowcraft Degree reminds the candidate that the impressive ceremonies of the degree are calculated
to inculcate in his mind the importance of studying the liberal arts and sciences. He is particularly reminded
to study the noble science of Geometry, which forms the basis of Freemasonry. Not only does Geometry explain the
properties of nature, it demonstrates the more important truths of morality.
If Freemasonry is "about" anything, it is about the education of the individual to
become a knowledgeable, informed, and moral human being within society. Education is valued above ignorance. Seeking
further Light in Masonry means more than learning more about the Craft. It also means that Freemasons and non-Masons
alike must discipline themselves to seek knowledge through whatever means available-by studying at colleges and
universities or by self-directed reading and study.
Because Freemasonry places such great importance on education, we have become steadfast supporters
of the Public Schools. Horace Mann, the father of our present system of public schools, wrote that the object of
a free public schools system is "to give every child a free, straight, solid pathway by which he can walk
directly up from the ignorance of an infant to a knowledge of the primary duties of a man." The same can,
of course, be said about the progress of a candidate through the three Masonic Degrees, from Apprentice, to Fellowcraft,
to Master Mason.
Freemasonry and the public schools share several important values. Basic to each is the concept of the dignity
of the individual. Every man, in every condition, is great. The grandeur of each man's unique nature makes insignificant
all external distinctions. It is the internal and not the external qualifications that make a man who he is, and
entitles him to be treated with respect and dignity.
Respect for the dignity of the individual is essential in a free society. Human rights rest
on human dignity. Man's minimum needs must be met if he is to live at all, but men and women cannot live a human
life "unless they have the chance" to satisfy the needs of their rational and spiritual nature. Democracy
is the only form of government founded on the dignity of man. Equality and justice, so important to Freemasons,
are the two distinguishing characteristics of democracy. Democracy enables us to enjoy the freedom to live human
lives. We must be free in order to exercise those talents wherewith God has blessed us, as well to His glory as
to the welfare of our fellow creatures.
Freedom, security and well-being can only be attained in society through an educated population.
James Madison wrote that "Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors
must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives." And Thomas Jefferson said: "If a nation expects
to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
Our Founding Fathers, Freemason and non-Mason alike, understood that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.
And vigilance requires an educated population equipped with the skills to learn about and discuss the great issues.
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was one of the greatest accomplishments of the infant United States. Under its
regulations, Congress set aside a section in each township in the old Northwest Territory (Ohio, Indiana, etc)
for the support of public schools. This was the first time in history that a government had the foresight to plan
for the education of its people. Since that time, the individual States and now the Federal Government have supported
and developed our system of free public education.
The California State public school system was started in the 1850's, and the first State Superintendent
of Public Instruction was John Swett, a transplanted Mason who had come west in the years following the Gold Rush.
The public schools have always been a special concern of California Masons. Charles Albert Adams, Grand Master
in 1920, wrote that as Masons "we subscribe to the belief that an enlightened citizenship is the first great
care of a progressive State." He believed that the future of our free democracy depended on the quality of
our public schools. His Proclamation of the first Public Schools Week in 1920 sounds eerily familiar when we consider
the conditions of our public schools in 2005. Here is what he had to say:
"A crisis is now confronting the Public School System in America. There is a dearth of
competent teachers; schools are being closed; children, particularly in the rural communities, are being denied
the education to which they are entitled and there is apparently a deplorable apathy concerning remedial measures
which have been proposed."
While the details may be different than they were 84 years ago, but the problems in our public schools still remain.
A crisis is confronting our public schools once again. And it is our Masonic responsibility to do something about
improving the conditions in our schools so that our children can receive a quality and useful education.
Under the California Masonic Code, matters concerning the public schools are the sole exception to our Lodges becoming
involved in political issues in our communities. The Lodge is a proper forum for discussing problems in the schools
in our local communities. It is proper for a Lodge or a group of Masons to act publicly in support of school bond
issues and similar matters before the electorate. And individual Masons are encouraged to assist their local schools
to make policy, by volunteering to serve on advisory committees or even seeking election as a member of the school
board. These are only a few of the ways Freemasons can influence public policy pertaining to our free public schools.
Freemasonry and education remain closely related in the world at large as well. The modern world is confronted
with poverty and its effects; religious and political fundamentalism; and overpopulation. The fight against bigotry
and fanaticism must be fought in the minds of men. Education is the key to the solution of the world's problems
in these present circumstances. An educated man learns to appreciate the wide range of opinions on any subject.
Freemasonry, in addition, allows men of many different professions and backgrounds to meet together in a spirit
of cooperation and understanding.
All of Freemasonry's principles and ideals are worthless, unless they are inculcated in the
minds of each Mason by education within our Lodges. Our fundamental principles are called "landmarks"
because they are signposts. They are not constraints. Freemasonry is not restricted to what goes on in the Lodge
room. It has to become a way of life in order for the new Mason to become a true and full-fledged Mason. The threefold
orientation of Masonic work for the candidate is toward himself, toward his Brethren, and toward the world at large.
A Mason cannot do Masonic work in isolation. He needs to be within the Lodge's framework. This
interaction with his fellow Masons will lead the suitably prepared and educated Mason to the practice of tolerance
himself, and spreading the message of tolerance everywhere.
How Freemasonry Came To California And Hawaii
Freemasonry came to California and Hawaii by land and sea. Adventurers who challenged the wilderness and mastered
it carried freemasonry overland. They trapped the beaver, lived on bear and buffalo, fought Indians and caroused
away their hard-earned wages. They were known as the Mountain Men.
When the American frontier moved swiftly from the Mississippi to the Pacific, these men were the leaders, guides,
scouts, soldiers and statesmen. They displayed pragmatic wisdom about morality and politics. Their morality did
not concentrate on abstract ideas or achieving an ideal virtue. They concentrated on human deeds and their consequences
for good and evil.
Most of the mountain men came from Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio. They
had a long tradition of Indian fighting and pioneering behind them. But in the Rocky Mountains everything in nature
was bigger and wilder than anything their fathers had experienced. The mountain men who survived the constant danger
and hardship were toughened to an extraordinary degree of courage, skill and physical fitness.
Among the earliest men to bring moral restraint, respect for law and justice and for the rights of each individual
human being, was Christopher "Kit" Carson. He had learned these attitudes toward other men at the altar
of Freemasonry. Carson arrived in California in 1829. He was made a Mason in Montezuma Lodge No. 109, New Mexico,
under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. Carson carried the first overland mail from Taos, New Mexico
to military headquarters at Monterey, California. He was with General John C. Fremont at the capture of Sonoma,
California, in 1846-ending the Bear Flag Revolt.
So far as can be determined the first Master Mason to establish permanent residence in California
was Abel Stearns, from Salem, Massachusetts. He settled and prospered in the "pueblo" of Los Angeles.
In 1842 he had the distinction of shipping the first gold mined in California to the Philadelphia Mint. Stearns
obtained the gold as payment for goods that he sold to the miners in Los Angeles County. It is interesting to note
that this discovery of gold in 1840 in amounts large enough to send back East, caused not a bit of interest except
in the local area. Yet, a few years later the discovery of a few flakes of gold at Sutter's Mill caused the mad
California Gold Rush.
The first American settler in the Napa Valley, famous today for its grapes and wines, was George Yount. Yount received
the degrees of Masonry in Benicia Lodge No. 5 and fro 1856 to 1864 served as Grand Bible Bearer of the Grand Lodge
of California.
The Reverend Saschel Woods, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister and a member of Wakanda Lodge
No. 52 of Carollton, Missouri, brought the first Masonic charter carried to California. The Charter was for Western
Star Lodge No. 98 of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, and was dated May 10, 1848. The Lodge was to be opened at Benton
City, California. Woods traveled to California with Peter Lassen, who was named Junior Warden in the Charter. In
1848 Peter Lassen was the leader of an immigrant train of twelve wagons, whose owners planned to settle on Deer
Creek in California. The route they followed was remote and impractical, and the party endured many trials until
they were finally rescued.
Between this first charter and 1850 some fifteen other charters and dispensations found their
way to California. The following were used to form Masonic Lodges:
1. California Lodge No. 13 (now No. 1), San Francisco. Chartered by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia,
November 9, 1848.
2. Pacific Lodge (now Sublime-Benicia Lodge No. 5), Benicia, dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Louisiana Ancient
York Masons, June 5, 1849.
3. Davy Crockett Lodge (later Davy Crockett No. 7 and San Francisco No. 7), San Francisco, dispensation from the
Grand Lodge of Louisiana Ancient York Masons, 1849. Charter revoked in the 1850s.
4. Connecticut Lodge No. 75 (now Tehama No. 3), Sacramento, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, January
31, 1849.
5. New Jersey Lodge (later Jennings Lodge No. 4), Sacramento, dispensation from the Grand Lodge of New Jersey,
March 1, 1849.
6. Sierra Nevada Lodge (now Madison No. 23 of Grass Valley), Centerville, dispensation from the Grand Lodge of
Indiana, May 1848.
7. Lavely Lodge (later Marysville No. 9 and Corinthian No. 9, now Corinthian-Hammonton No. 9), dispensation from
the Grand Lodge of Illinois, October 1849.
8. Pacific Lodge, Long's Bar, dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Illinois, October 1848.
9. Lafayette Lodge No. 29 (later Nevada Lodge No. 13), Nevada City, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin,
April 20, 1850.
10. Gregory Yale Lodge, Stockton, dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Florida, 1849.
Many of the outstanding leaders of early California came from Masonic ranks. Benjamin Wilson arrived in 1841 and
became the second Mayor of Los Angeles and a member of Los Angeles Lodge No. 42. Dr. Robert Semple came to California
in 1844 and affiliated with Benicia Lodge No. 5. He served as the President of the first California State Constitutional
Convention held in Monterey in 1849. Nine of the 48 delegates to that Convention were Master Masons. Their influence
far outweighed their numbers. They brought California into the Union as a free state, and they adopted a strong
public education platform.
The first Masons to reach California were seafaring men who traded along the coast from San
Diego in the south to the Russian settlements in the north. They were a hardy lot and feared neither man nor the
elements. Their trading and whaling took them as far as the Hawaiian Islands.
Captain M. LeTellier organized the first Masonic Lodge formed west of the Missouri River on
board the whaling ship Ajax in Honolulu harbor, on April 8, 1842. He held a commission from the Supreme Council
33o of France "to set up Lodges in the Pacific Ocean and elsewhere in his voyages; to issue warrants, to call
upon the Supreme Council for charters; to make Masons at sight…." The Lodge ritual was in French, and the
degrees were the first three degrees in the Scottish Rite. The Lodge was named Le Progres de l'Oceanie No. 124-it
is now under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Hawaii.
Among the charter members of this Lodge were John Meek and Henry Sea. Captain Meek had settled
in the Hawaiian Islands in 1809 only 31 years after the English Freemason Captain James Cook discovered them. Meek
was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts. He was the Captain of a ship engaged in otter hunting along the California
coast as early as 1812. He may have been the first Master Mason to visit California.
The first Mason to settle in California was a seafaring man named Robert Jonathan Elwell. Captain Elwell was raised
in Lodge St Andrew in Boston in 1823. In 1829 he married the daughter of the owner of a Spanish ranchero and settled
in Santa Barbara.
And so Freemasonry came to California and Hawaii by sea and by land. Men whose lives were influenced
by its teachings carried Freemasonry into the American frontier. They in turn were influential in the development
of the California and Hawaii we enjoy today.
The Masons who contributed to the founding of California were men of active and men of the world.
They did not keep their Masonry only in their Lodges-they practiced out of the Lodge the great ideas taught in
it. When writing the first California Constitution men such as Robert Semple applied the Masonic principles of
respect for law and justice and the rights of individuals by insisting that California be admitted to the Union
1850 as a free state-not allowing slavery to be part of the new State. Education was important to these Masons,
and so they created a good system of public education in California. John Swett, the first Superintendent of Public
Instruction in California, was an active Freemason.
Men today are pioneers still. The complexities of modern life require the same pragmatic wisdom
practiced by the mountain men and early sea captains. In raising our families, going about our jobs, participating
in civic affairs, we need all the courage and skill that our forefathers had. Freemasonry equips us with the attitudes
of moral restraint, consideration for the less fortunate, and understanding of human nature that will give us strength-like
our great-grandfathers-enabling us to leave our communities and state better than we found them. Applied Freemasonry
is the key.
NOTE: This paper is largely based on a paper by MW Eugene S. Hopp, Past Grand Master of Masons in California and
Hawaii, February 14, 1975, published in the April 1975 issue of The Philalethes Magazine
Freemasonry and Religion
Freemasonry does not pretend to take the place of religion or serve as a substitute for the religious beliefs of
its members. It does, however, require that each member believe in a Supreme Being, a future existence, and the
brotherhood of man. How he interprets or elaborates these fundamentals is left to the individual's private judgment
and religious faith. Freemasonry expects each person to follow his own faith, and "to place his duty to God…above
all other duties."
In the beginnings of Masonic ritual in the early 1700s, God was treated in Christian terms. In English and American
Freemasonry, Christian references were removed from the ritual to enable men of different faiths to take part without
compromising their own beliefs. This is practical tolerance. This tolerance is one of our great strengths because
it enables men of all faiths to meet in ordinary friendship. Without interfering in the way each Brother practices
his religion, it shows how much they have in common.
The requirement of a belief in the Supreme Being and the fact that Masonic ritual contains frequent
prayers, does not make Freemasonry a religion. Freemasonry offers no sacraments. Freemasonry does not deal with
the ultimate that religion offers: salvation. If a man wants spiritual peace, he must go to his house of worship.
If he wants salvation, he must seek it in practicing his religion. Freemasonry may teach or encourage men to do
better. But Freemasonry does not deal in religion. Religions have doctrines. Freemasons are forbidden to discuss
religion in their lodges; therefore no Masonic doctrinal system is possible. A belief in the Supreme Being is required,
but Masonry does not attempt to prescribe how the belief is to be exercised or practiced.
There is no Masonic God. A Freemason who prays to the Great Architect of the Universe knows
that his own belief will translate and direct that prayer to the God he worships. Prayer alone does not make a
religion.
In understanding the relationship between religion and Freemasonry, we must understand what we mean by religion.
One definition of religion is "a system of faith in and worship of a Divine Being." There are obligations
in religion, which are different from those of Freemasonry. These broader obligations are set by religious leaders
for their congregations: Their aim is to "impart knowledge of God and faith in his revealed will."
Freemasonry as defined in our ritual is very different from the obligations required of a religion.
We learn in the First Degree Charge that "Freemasonry is an institution having for its foundation the practice
of the social and moral virtues." The emphasis on morality is obvious, but so is the lack of a required system
of worship.
The relationship between Masonry and God and Masonry and Religion is clearly laid out several
times in Masonic ritual. For example, in the First Degree Master's Lecture, we are admonished to have faith in
God, hope of immortality, and charity for all mankind. We are charged to regard the Volume of the Sacred Law as
the great light in our profession and are told that in the Bible we will learn the duties we owe to God. In describing
those duties, the Masonic ritual does not prescribe a formal system of worship. In the Second Degree, we are taught
that through Speculative Masonry the contemplative Mason views with reverence and admiration the glorious works
of the Creation. But the ritual never requires the candidate to conform to a specific dogma.
The Brotherhood of Man is a fundamental tenet of Freemasonry. All the great religions of the
world teach the Brotherhood of Man as a basic tenet of faith, but the BASIS upon which they set it forth differs
for each religion and for Masonry.
Buddhism, for example, bases the doctrine of Brotherhood on the belief that all men are so entangled
in the sufferings of life that they must be Brothers out of sympathy-a Brotherhood of Understanding. Confucianism
based the doctrine of Brotherhood on the sense of common task in developing mankind-a Brotherhood of Service. Christianity
bases the truth of Brotherhood on the truth of the Fatherhood of God.
There is a deep and beautiful truth in each of these religions. Masonry has attempted to picture
the truth of the Brotherhood of Man by using a system of symbols and allegory that can unite men of every country,
sect, and opinion in fellowship and love. In doing this, Freemasonry is an example to others of what can be accomplished
when men and women put aside what might divide them in favor of what unites them in achieving a greater good.
James Anderson wrote the first Masonic Book of Constitutions, published in 1723, not long after the founding of
the Grand Lodge of England in 1717. His first principle on the relation of religion and Freemasonry illustrated
a change of attitude from previous years:
"A Mason is obliged by his Tenure to observe the Moral Law…and if he rightly understands
the Craft, he will never be a Stupid Atheist, nor an irreligious Libertine, nor act against conscience. In ancient
Times the Christian Masons were charged to comply with the Christian usages of each country where they traveled
or worked. But Masonry being found in all Nations, even of diverse Religions, they are now only charged to adhere
to that Religion in which all men agree (leaving each Brother to his own particular opinions); that is, to be Good
Men and True, Men of Honour and Honesty, by whatever Names, Religions, or Persuasions they may be distinguished."
Freemasonry teaches morality-it encourages men to try to be better, to discipline themselves,
and to consider their relations with others. Religions also encourage morality, but they refer questions of morality
and ethics to God. Freemasonry deals with morality at the ground level; religion takes it upwards.
Masonry does not seek to reform men. It seeks to bind better men, those who are already good
and true, in closer bonds of fellowship and love, and to perfect the work already begun in making those better
men into good men. The ancient Greeks taught that the goal of life was to achieve the Good-to live the good life,
to be good men. To be a good man was to be what a man is supposed to be and how he should live his daily life.
The ancient Greek philosophers had many answers for what is means to be a good man.
Freemasonry is our modern answer to this question. Freemasonry teaches that to be good men we
must first believe in a Supreme Being, for if there is no God then all things are permitted. Freemasonry teaches
men to be honest and honorable in dealing with other men and women, and not to act against what they know in their
hearts and minds to be the right thing to do. We obligate ourselves not to cheat or defraud another person in our
business dealings. Because all men are our brothers and members of the human family, we know that we can trust
each other with our innermost secrets and to keep them in confidence. We are taught to sympathize with the misfortunes
of others, to listen with a friendly ear to the hearts of the unhappy, and restore peace to the troubled minds
of our families and friends. And these are but a few of ways in which Freemasonry works to make better men good,
and good men even better.
Religion is a man's personal guide to living the good and moral life for himself and his family.
Freemasonry brings together men of all religions with those who simply believe in a Supreme Being, to work with
harmony to improve our local communities, our state and our nation. The tenets of Freemasonry reinforce and support
the Divine and Moral Laws taught in our churches and synagogues. Freemasonry is our modern working tool for each
of us to apply the principles of brotherly love, relief and truth to solving the problems that face us in today's
world-public education, homelessness, ethics in government, and the list goes on.
United in Freemasonry, men who might otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance are enabled
to work to change the world.
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Practicing Brotherly Love
From time to time we come across true stories that tell more about the meaning of living Freemasonry
than any degree lecture or visiting speaker can ever do.
The following story was originally published in October 2003, about a year after the telling
of the story to a California Mason. This story deserves to be shared with a wider audience.
A group of Masons were sitting around a hotel pool in following a banquet. They were discussing the various talks
they had heard during the day's conference.
It was when I saw tears forming in his eyes barely visible in the dim light and heard a tremor
in his voice that I began to pay closer attention to Mike. I'd never met him before this day. He seemed about to
open his soul and had selected me to be his attentive ear.
"I was a car salesman then," he said. "Wasn't a great salesman but earned enough
to provide for my wife and children. My wife was unable to work because of her health condition."
"One day Julius, my manager, handed me a commission check. I read the check and said I
could not accept it because I had not sold the car indicated in the paper accompanying the check. Julius said the
company made this kind of mistake occasionally and they'd never find out about it. Again I refused. He asked why
I could not take it. The check was good and made out in my name. Besides my family could probably use the extra
money. I said we could but I could not receive wages for work not done. He asked where I had come up with such
a notion. I told him it came from my Masonic teaching and also from the Holy Scriptures. He walked away shaking
his head in disbelief. Clearly he did not understand."
"Even though our discussion was supposed to remain private, word of my decision spread
quickly throughout the office. Salesmen with whom I had established good relations became cold and distant. Joe,
our head mechanic, was different. He became friendlier. He asked about my decision and the reasons behind it. After
giving him the story he said he'd heard about the Masons. He said if the organization taught such moral lessons
he'd like to become a member. For a long time he was afraid to ask believing that as a native American Indian he
would be disqualified. I assured him he wouldn't be. The next day I handed him a petition. I was happy to be his
first line signer. As a Past Master I was able to give him a better understanding of Freemasonry and my enjoyable
experience in the Lodge."
"Over the next few years his family and mine became close. We enjoyed many day trips and
evening dinners together."
"A couple of years later the dealership went through difficult financial times. I was not the only one to
be let go. Finding a job was nearly impossible. My savings were nearly depleted. After searching for several months
there were no options and no job. There was no way I could afford to keep my house."
"Joe remained close and knew my situation. He came to my house one day and suggested my
family move in with his. He said that they had room to spare. I tried to refuse but he insisted. He asked what
kind of a Mason would he be if he could not aid and friend and worthy Brother in need. My family stayed with Joe's
for nearly five months. During this time I was able to secure a job and move my family back into a decent home.
There was no way I could ever repay Joe and his family for their kindness."
"One day my daughter's car needed an oil change. I suggested she take it to Joe's son Jake.
He was a mechanic following in his Dad's footsteps. Late in the afternoon Joe came by for a chat. I asked if he
had seen my daughter. He said that Jake had finished the job early, after which the two of them decided to spend
an enjoyable drive in the country. Joe asked if I knew the two of them were seeing a lot of each other. I hadn't.
Three months later Jake asked permission for my daughter's hand in marriage. Jake is a fine young man. I could
not have been more proud and happy when the wedding day arrived."
"It was not long after the wedding that Jake petitioned the Lodge. As a Past Master I felt
privileged to take part in his degree. When it came to the part in the ritual where the candidate is destitute
I got rather emotional delivering the ritual."
"A year later Jake wanted to join the Royal Arch Chapter. I was High Priest that year and
was able to confer upon him the Royal Arch degree. Once more I got a little emotional when Jake again found himself
in a destitute condition. To symbolically give him a monetary token, no matter how small, was a confirmation of
my personal pledge to assist him whenever he had need of my assistance."
"God only knows where I would be today had Joe not extended a helping hand to raise a brother
who had fallen on difficult times."
This is the Freemasonry we are taught by the ritual to apply to our every day lives. One man
extends the helping hand of friendship and brotherly love to another in a demonstration of natural respect, no
questions asked or motives questioned. Joe was practicing applied Freemasonry.
And recall how Joe came to become a Mason-by observing Mike's practice of honesty and good dealings
with other men in the business world. Joe came to the Fraternity after forming a favorable opinion of the institution.
In turn, his son Jake became a Mason surely because of what he learned from his father and from Mike by precept
and example. Jake was a boy when Mike and his family came to live with Joe's family. Jake learned by example from
his father what it meant instinctively to do the right thing.
This story also contains an important lesson about how it is the internal and not the external
qualifications which make a Mason. Because Joe was a native American Indian he did not think he was qualified to
become a Mason. Mike, a practicing Mason, knew otherwise, and opened the door of Freemasonry to a man who might
otherwise never have thought to join. And his Lodge would have been the poorer if he had not joined.
It is by our exemplary conduct as Masons in raising our families and in our business and professional
relationships, that we will attract new men to our Fraternity. When we speak of the moral and ethical principles
of Freemasonry only within the Lodge, they can become stale and routine recitations of ritual. But when we begin
to live by these precepts and apply them in our dealings with our families, friends, and the society at large,
not only will we have an effect on those around us, but also we will attract new members and Masons to our Lodges.
Actions have always spoken louder than words. It is by our deeds that people will know us. And
when we practice true Brotherhood, as Mike and Joe and Jake did, the world will be a better place.
NOTE: The central story told here was related by William N. Wine, PM, in an article published in The Philalethes
Magazine.
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Lessons From the Second Degree
The three degrees of Symbolic Masonry-Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason-takes
us from a speculative new birth through "childhood" to youth, then manhood and old age, and ends with
immortality. Too many of us do not see the beauty, the antiquity, and the philosophy in the Fellowcraft degree.
Without the lessons taught in this degree there could be no Freemasonry. The degree is an important
part of a whole. We cannot jump from birth to old age and the end of life in one leap. There must be a middle stage,
called childhood and manhood.
The symbolism of the Fellowcraft Degree teaches a man to think, work, study and earn his wages.
He is taught to develop his own mind, to have his own thoughts, and to seek wisdom.
Our ritual lists the five senses of human nature: hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling and tasting.
Only God knows how these senses function. Researchers have learned more about them in recent years, but we still
do not have all the answers. We do certain things but it is only our brain that interprets the senses.
The Liberal Arts and Sciences discussed in our ritual were all that were known in the days of
our ancient brethren. A man who knew them was indeed intelligent. Just to mention them even today makes us realize
how little we know and how much there is to learn. The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences are the symbols of education,
learning and knowledge.
The pillars in the Lodge are symbols of the pillars that stood before the Temple constructed by King Solomon. When
a Fellowcraft passes between them, it is to signify that he is not to observe one at the expense of the other.
He has both control and power laid before, symbolized by the pillars, both of which are necessary for the completion
of a successful life.
The globes on top of the pillars represent universality. The terrestrial globe represents the
earth and all things therein contained, while the celestial globe represents nature and the universe of which our
world is but a tiny part. The ritual's description of the globes teach us lessons of hope, of wisdom, of love,
and of universality.
The working tools of a Fellowcraft-the plumb, square and level-have a significance that goes
much further than the ritual.
The great 20th century Masonic author Carl Claudy wrote:
"In a lodge all brethren meet on a level of exact equality, which is not concerned with
brains, or education, or wealth or position; men are equal in a lodge in manhood and in Masonic right and Masonic
character. 'We meet on the level' means just what it says. Masons trust each other, believe in each other, and
help each because they are, Masonically, level with each other.
"…Masons are to judge their fellow, if at all, by their fellow's plumb lines, not their
own. One brother must not condemn another by personal standards; only when a brother is false to his own standards
can he judge him.
"To 'part upon the square' signifies that while a square points in different directions, and men "part"
to go each his own way, it is a known way, not a devious way, a wrong way, a bad way, but a 'square' way…It is
the fundamental tool of the Speculative Mason; without square thoughts and actions, no spiritual building can stand."
The wages of corn, wine and oil was remuneration of great worth at the time of building the
Temple. For a man to receive all three he had to be an exceptional workman. An apprentice would receive his corn
[food] but not his wine, and especially his oil, until he had proved his worth. How significant it is that as a
Mason he does not receive "wages" when he is still an Entered Apprentice. He will receive "wages"
only after he reaches the Middle Chamber to become a Brother Fellowcraft.
Remember that we reach the Middle Chamber by climbing a flight of winding stairs. Early in Masonry
we are taught to have confidence in the fidelity of a Brother Mason. In the Fellowcraft Degree the winding stairs
emphasize that confidence again because a straight staircase could easily have served the purpose. It takes no
courage or imagination to travel straight ahead as we can see what lies before us. But a winding route does not
disclose that which we must face in our journey. It takes a man to face the unknown with trust, faith, and confidence.
At the end of the Fellowcraft Degree we are truthfully told that "light" has been
only partially received. There is much more to follow. The light that follows in the Master Mason degree would
be greatly dimmed without the lessons taught in the Second Degree.
In the Fellowcraft Degree we have the beginning of manhood, the middle stage of our lives between
childhood and old age. The Fellowcraft is encouraged to read, discuss, and think about matters not connected with
his daily routine. He becomes a more well-rounded individual and thus better able to act in the world.
During this middle stage of life we are our most productive: earning our wages, raising and
educating our families, participating in our communities as active citizens, and learning more about who we are
as individuals through our life experiences.
In this Middle Chamber of life, we as Freemasons are encouraged to make the world a better place
than we found it. How do we accomplish this? By putting into practice the writing, speaking and analytical skills
we have learned in the study of the arts of grammar, rhetoric and logic. Utilizing these skills, we apply the tools
of science to understand the universe, from the atoms to the stars. What we learn by scientific study we can then
transform into inventions and technology for improving the daily life of mankind. Automobiles, airplanes, television
and radio, heart pacemakers, hearing aids, Teflon cooking utensils, modern miracles of medicine, vaccines, and
the Internet are all the products of the minds of men and women.
We have been entertained and our lives enriched by Freemasons such as John Phillip Souza, George
M. Cohan and Mozart-all of whom studied the science of music. And Walt Disney, a Senior DeMolay, combined the arts
and sciences to create great films and fabulous amusement parks.
Charles Albert Adams PGM once said that "…there is no higher duty devolving upon us as
Masons than the duty we owe the State as citizens." One of highest duties of American citizens and Freemasons
is that we are required to concern ourselves with and take part in politics. By "politics" Brother Adams
meant that we should be concerned and involved in making sure that good candidates are elected to office, and just
laws and regulations govern California and the United States.
The study of grammar, rhetoric and logic teaches men to communicate better with each other,
and to think clearly about the great issues facing us as individuals and citizens. There can be no better tools
in politics than the attentive ear, the instructive tongue, and the faithful breast. Talk with your friends, become
involved in your communities, and bring the influence of the plumb, square and level to play in your towns and
communities.
THE FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES:TEMPERANCE
In the Entered Apprentice Degree, we receive instruction about the Four Cardinal Virtues: Temperance,
Fortitude, Prudence and Justice.
What do we mean when we say that these are "cardinal virtues?" A virtue has been defined as a particular
moral excellence involving integrity of character in the performance of our duties to ourselves and to others in
our families and in society at large. The word "cardinal" means a "hinge." Doors turn on hinges
when they are opened or closed. Without the hinge, the door would be useless, and in fact would not even be a door.
The word "cardinal" therefore means that something is fundamentally important. These four virtues are
the principal or chief virtues according to which Freemasons should conduct their lives.
These four virtues are practical principles to leading our everyday lives and becoming good men and women. The
cardinal virtues are perfected or strengthened by habit. We became members of this Lodge to improve ourselves in
Masonry. The more we practice the piano or our golf game, the more we will acquire good habits of playing and become
more skilled at those games. The more we practice temperance, fortitude, prudence, and justice in daily life, the
better men and Freemasons we become.
Temperance, we are told in the First Degree, is that due restraint on the affections and passions which renders
the body tame and governable, and frees the mind from the allurements of vice. This virtue should be our constant
practice; it enables us to avoid excess or acquiring bad habits that might cause us to violate our obligation to
keep inviolate the secrets entrusted to our care. We would then be subject to the contempt of our Brothers and
to the severe symbolic penalty.
A temperate man practices moderation in all things. He does not allow himself to lose his balance in life, such
as by easily losing his temper when stuck in a traffic jam. He will not drink excessively, because he knows that
it will impair his judgment when driving or when attending a business meeting. The old-fashioned "three martini
lunch" did not encourage clear thinking or good health among the men who participated.
There are all kinds of passions-food, alcohol, love, and even our personal goals are among them. The temperate
man will not let his emotions or passions control him. He will not devote himself wholly to the pursuit of pleasure,
to the neglect of his duty to himself and to his family. He knows that being easily angered or excitable can affect
his physical health. He also knows that keeping his emotions too much under control can also affect his health.
This is why temperance requires a "due" or proper or measured restraint on the passions, and not complete
suppression of emotions. Practicing moderation in all things is difficult, but it is also necessary if the body
is to be fit and healthy and able to enjoy the blessings which God has given us.
Practicing temperance benefits the mind as well as the body. The mind is the thinking part of man, and everyday
men must be conscious that they have the choice between doing a good deed or action and temptations to engage in
vice. By vice our ritual does not mean only what we usually think it means. For Freemasonry, vice is anything that
can lead us astray from our efforts to become better men.
Vice (for example) includes greed, selfishness, hate, pride, and gluttony. Martha Stewart was not influenced by
the practice of temperance when she decided to sell that stock on an insider tip; otherwise her mind would have
been free of the temptation to make even more money.
We are not practicing temperance when we indulge our desire for pleasure to an extreme. It is very tempting to
eat an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream by yourself. A more serious example is the man who drinks alcohol
to excess. He not only harms himself, but also he may lose his job and be unable to support his family. The mind
must be disciplined by the practice of temperance, to prevent it from choosing to go to such an extreme that can
be harmful to your health and the well being of your family.
The ritual tells the candidate that by practicing temperance, he will avoid the contracting of "licentious
or vicious habits the indulgence in which might lead you to disclose" the secrets entrusted to his care. The
secrets entrusted to his care are more important than just the words and grips he will learn in the degree. The
secrets he is warned against disclosing are the confidences his Brothers, trusting in his discretion, have whispered
in his ear. The First Degree teaches us to trust our Brother Masons with our innermost secrets. But a man who is
intemperate and abuses drugs or alcohol may lose his judgment and relax his inhibitions to such an extent that
he will reveal what he has promised his Brother he would conceal.
Temperance also teaches us not to lose our tempers when dealing with our Brothers on lodge business. Far too many
Lodges have split down the middle over trivial issues when one side or the other has acted with intemperance. Hurtful
language has often caused individual Brothers never to return to their mother Lodges. And far too often have Masons
one side or the other of an issue threatened to bring a Brother up on charges of Unmasonic Conduct. Rather than
using the trowel to spread the cement of Brotherly Love and Affection, there are men in Freemasonry today who would
use the trowel to stab a Brother in the back.
Temperance is a foundation stone in Freemasonry. The Masons of the 18th century knew this fact. They saw the Lodges
as schools for gentlemen, who would learn civility and practice the domestic and public virtues. These are the
tools for getting along in relationships that overlap class and religious distinctions. The early English and American
Lodges consisted of men from the nobility and the middle class. The members were of many religions at a time when
not all denominations were recognized under English law. The members were also of varied political persuasions
that could have caused severe and violent divisions in a Lodge. This is why our 18th century Brethren decided early
on that politics and religion could not be discussed during a Lodge meeting, so that peace and harmony might not
be disturbed. This is also why Temperance is the first of the Four Cardinal Virtues.
If our earliest Brothers, such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, could be aware of the importance of
Temperance in a lodge and in the world, then so should we conduct our lives within our Lodges and in our every
day lives. As we are charged: This virtue should be your constant practice.
He Plucked Off His Shoe
In the Master's Lecture of the Entered Apprentice Degree, we learn that in ancient Israel it
was customary for a man to "pluck off his shoe and give it to his neighbor" in order "to confirm
all things." We further learn that as Masons we have adopted this custom, to demonstrate the "sincerity
of our intentions in the business in which we are engaged."
Why would plucking off of one's shoe be a confirmation of anything? We do it all the time. Many
of us have even given shoes to an unfortunate child, or given shoes to charitable organizations to help the destitute.
There is nothing really uncommon in the act of plucking off our shoes and giving them away. Or is there?
To us today, perhaps not. But it should.
The Book of Ruth in the Holy Bible is a thought-provoking story. Among the many lessons it contains is the story
of Boaz and Ruth. Boaz wanted to marry Ruth, the widow of Mahlon. Boaz wanted to purchase a piece of land in order
that he might wed Ruth. To confirm the land purchase, Boaz "plucked off his shoe."
Boaz then told the elders that they were witnesses to this purchase. "Moreover," he
told the elders, "Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the
name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from
the gate of his place."
Boaz then plucked off his shoe. This was a simple but significant act, because for a man to
give up his shoes in ancient Israel meant that he had to walk barefoot over hot, rough and rocky ground. It meant
that he was giving up an important portion of his creature comforts. To regain his shoe, he had to fulfill his
pledge.
In plucking off his shoe, Boaz was pledging his honor, just as until recent times a business
deal could be confirmed by a handshake. Some decades ago the extending of the right hand proved that a man came
in peace. So the extending and joining of right hands became a friendly gesture.
Every man who enters Freemasonry plucks off his shoe. In doing so, you made a solemn pledge
to keep all the obligations you assumed as you advanced in the Craft, one degree at a time.
Have you kept this pledge? Of course you haven't. Nor have I. No human being can. But the important
thing we have to ask ourselves is: "Have I tried? Have I plucked off my shoe since I was initiated?"
Let's look at some men who did pluck off their shoes as they worked as servants of Freemasonry.
President Harry S. Truman plucked off his shoe on many occasions for the Craft. Although his
biographers rarely mention his connection with the Craft, Truman often let the world know he was proud to be a
Freemason. He was prouder of his election to the office of Grand Master of Masons in Missouri than he was of any
elective political office he attained.
During World War II, the Masonic Service Association of the United States was raising funds
from the various Grand Lodges in order to support and assist servicemen and women at home and overseas. Harry S.
Truman, while Senator, Vice President, and later President of the Untied States, plucked off his shoe numerous
times in fund-raising efforts for the programs of the MSA. Twice President Truman used his influence to permit
a committee to travel overseas to help Freemasons in war torn countries. He often endorsed and praised the work
of the Masonic Service Association in its Hospital Visitation Program to Veterans Hospitals, and in its relief
of distressed Masons in Europe.
Another man who plucked off his shoe was the Reverend George Taft, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
During the anti-Masonic craze in the 1820's and 1830's, he stood by the Craft in its darkest hour. He openly avowed
his connection with the institution and traveled long distances to attend and read the funeral service for deceased
Masons. He built respect for the Craft, and at the time of his death the entire town was in mourning. He had proven
that a man who stands by his principles is the man who eventually will be honored and respected. The man who plucks
off his shoe and gives it to his neighbor is the man who learns and puts into practice the tenets of Freemasonry.
A brief story will illustrate what we mean here. In a small town in mid-19th century America
a young man said to his wife, "Mary, you have a shawl you never use. May I have it?"
She was puzzled for a few moments, but got the shawl. He thanked her and left the house. She
was also suspicious, because several evenings during the past few months he had left after dinner without any explanation.
He was never gone long, and when he returned he seemed to have an inner peace about him. He said nothing, and neither
did she.
About a week later, Mary was shopping in the village when she saw her shawl again. She was shocked.
It was on the shoulders of a beautiful young lady. Angrily Mary followed the girl to a shabby shack. Mary knocked
on the door. The girl opened it and smiled when she saw the visitor. She held the door open and Mary stomped in.
As Mary looked around she saw and elderly lady propped up on a cot. The lady smiled and said: "How nice of
you to visit us."
Mary was stunned. She did not really know what to say. The girl asked if she could fix her a
cup of tea. Mary nodded and the girl turned to put a kettle on the stove.
While the water was heating, Mary said "I do not know exactly what to say, so I will tell
you the truth. I saw my shawl on your daughter and I was furious. Last week my husband asked me for it, but didn't
tell me why. I still don't understand how you have it."
The mother said "We have no idea who left it. We have no idea who has been doing some nice
things for us for the past several months. Perhaps now we can solve the mystery. It started soon after my husband
died. We had no money and I am unable to work. And Nancy couldn't find a job. We were desperate. We had no food
and no fuel. Then one morning when Nancy opened the door she found several packages of food, clothing and coal
on the doorstep. You have no idea what that meant to us.
"A short time later, along with more packages, Nancy found a note telling her to see Mr.
Tompkins, the lawyer, if she would like a job. She did and Mr. Tompkins hired her. He sent a doctor to see, who
has been coming regularly ever since. And he won't take any money. And we still find packages, but have no idea
where they come from."
They drank their tea and chatted pleasantly for some time. The mysterious packages were mentioned from time to
time. Suddenly Mary asked: "Was your husband a Mason?"
"Yes, he was," said the lady. "He loved his Lodge. I don't think he ever missed
a meeting." A short time later Mary left, promising to visit often.
After dinner that evening, Mary worked on a quilt she was making while her husband read. She
looked up from her work and said "I think I learned the great secret of Masonry today."
Her husband looked at her with alarm and asked, "And what is it?"
Mary answered, "To do good and not say anything about it."
The Masons of that small town had plucked off their shoes to help those in need. SHOULD WE DO
ANYTHING LESS?
Millions of great men have been and are members of the Craft. Many have become truly Master Masons. But more have
not. Actually, only a few Freemasons over the years literally plucked off a shoe and worked for the Fraternity.
Imagine what a wonderful difference it would make throughout the world if only those millions who have received
the Degrees would fulfill their obligations.
Will you ask yourself: "Have I sincerely plucked off my shoe in testimony of my fidelity
to Freemasonry"
If your answer is "No," will you consider plucking off your shoe? Will you work for your fellowman through
Freemasonry? If you will, you'll make a difference for the better in today's uncertain world.
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Relief
Freemasonry is founded on the moral and ethical doctrines of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.
These great Masonic tenets are not the starting point for abstract speculation. They are the basis for practical
action in the lives of Freemasons. Masons are taught that because all men and women are the children of God, they
are brothers and sisters, entitled to dignity, respect, and consideration of their feelings. Each person must learn
and practice self-control, to make sure that his or her spiritual nature, the requirement to "do good, and
avoid evil," guides him or her when dealing with other persons. Finally, Freemasonry emphasizes that it is
important to work to make this world better for all that live in it.
"Masonry teaches the importance of doing good, not because it assures a person's entrance into heaven-that's
a question for a religion, not a fraternity-but because we have a duty to all other men and women to make their
lives as fulfilling as they can be.
The Grand Lodge of California has defined Freemasonry as "kindness in the home, honesty in business, courtesy
in society, fairness in work, pity and concern for the unfortunate, resistance toward evil, help for the weak,
forgiveness for the penitent, love for one another" and reverence for God. These are not abstract tasks-while
not easy, any Mason adhering to the teachings of the Fraternity can practice them in his daily coming and goings
in this world.
Freemasonry teaches that by the "exercise of Brotherly Love" we are taught to regard
all people as the children of God, and therefore part of one great family uniting the rich and the poor, the exalted
and the common man. The members of this family are commanded to "aid, support, and protect each other"
and to treat each other with justice and kindness.
Standing behind this teaching is the Biblical injunction that "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"
(Leviticus 19:18).
These words mean that the honor and property of our fellowmen should be as dear to us as our
own. They are a comprehensive rule of conduct, "containing the essence of religion and applicable in every
human relation and towards all men." Genesis 5:1 proclaims, "This is the book of the generations of man.
In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him." As this verse teaches reverence for
the Divine image in man, it proclaims the unity of mankind, and the resulting doctrine of the brotherhood of man.
All men are created in the Divine image, and are therefore our fellowmen and entitled to human love.
Closely related to Brotherly Love is the Masonic principal of Relief for those in distress.
To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly on Masons. Freemasons are taught to
show compassion for their fellowmen, to treat all in a just and upright manner, and to commit random acts of lovingkindness.
Freemasonry enjoins us to render our neighbor "every kind office which justice or mercy
may require, by relieving his distresses and soothing his afflictions; and by doing to him as, in similar cases,
you would that he should do unto you." Masonry teaches, "…and as Justice in a great measure constitutes
the really good man, so should it be [his] invariable practice."
So how then are brothers to treat brothers? Freemasonry's answer is that we should treat our
fellow men with Justice and Charity. Masonry defines Justice as "that standard or boundary of right which
enables us to render unto every man his just due, without distinction." Justice and righteousness are the
major ethical qualities of God and man, upon which all other ethical commandments rest. The Masonic concept of
Justice emphasizes equality and the equitable treatment of individuals and peoples, so that every man receives
his just due "without distinction" as to rank or wealth or honors.
Because man is created in the image of God, each individual human life is sacred and of infinite worth and deserving
of being treated with dignity. Masonry teaches us to honor and respect each individual. It is important that we
treat each individual as a personality possessing the right to life, honor, and the fruits of his labor:
Justice is the awe-inspired respect for the personality of others, and their inalienable rights; even as injustice
is the most flagrant manifestation of disrespect for the personality of others.
But how is charity to be administered? When we as Masons act charitably, we must do so with kindness and tenderness,
so as not to shame the poor or put them in disgrace. The human dignity and personality of the recipients must not
be hurt or lowered. A wise man wrote in the 12th century:
Whoever gives charity to the poor with bad grace and downcast looks, though he bestows a thousand gold pieces,
all the merit of his action is lost. He must give with good grace, gladly, cheerfully, and with an abundance of
sympathy for the poor in his plight. It is the kind word, the gentle reception and sympathetic attitude that help
and encourage the poor and needy more than the giving of a coin.
The second highest level is when the one who gives is unaware of the recipient, and the recipient is unaware of
the giver. When Freemasons contribute to communal funds or to special charity funds, they are acting on this level
of generosity and caring. The Masonic Homes Endowment Fund in California is a classic example of a fund whose resources
give great benefits to many, but whose beneficiaries never know the countless donors to this charity.
The highest form of charity is to help sustain a person before he becomes impoverished, by offering a substantial
gift in a dignified manner or by extending a suitable loan, or by helping him find employment or establish himself
in business. Thus it will be unnecessary for him to become dependent upon others.
Freemasonry grants scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students, enabling them to enjoy
the benefits of an advanced education, and to become the teachers, doctors, scientists and philosophers for the
next generation, who in turn will have an impact on the lives of unknown numbers of people. Charity exercised on
the highest levels creates a ripple effect for the benefit of the brotherhood of man.
Masonic philanthropy is distinguished by the fact that with its rich tradition of sharing comes
the Masonic ideal of anonymous good works. Freemasonry has seldom or never broadcast its charitable activities
to the general public. The public may be aware of the Shrine Hospitals and Burn Centers for children, or perhaps
of a Grand Lodge scholarship program, but it knows little of the Masonic homes, and the extent and depth of community
support given freely by Masons, lodges, and Grand Lodges.
So private has been Masonic charity in thousands of small, personal examples, that even Masons
cannot fully list or tabulate the full extent of Masonic charity in the United States. This desire for privacy
for the recipient is basic to the exercise of the Masonic duty to "soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with
their misfortunes…and to restore peace to their troubled minds."
Freemasonry teaches us to respect the personality and sacredness of each individual, to extend
the hand of Brotherly Love and friendship to all men and women, and to honor and respect those in the greatest
need of material and spiritual support. On this basis we form our friendships and establish our connections.
The Mason's Mark
A recent tour of England and Scotland included visits to the beautiful and stately Salisbury
Cathedral, York Minster, Westminster Abbey, and to Roslyn Chapel and Melrose Abbey. All had many "Mason's
Marks" carved in the stones and these can be found in many other buildings still standing in Europe and the
British Isles.
These old Mason's Marks help us to trace Freemasonry's story from its early operative days to
the present, when it is used in a symbolic sense in the first of the degrees of the York Rite.
We should put aside the legends from the old Gothic Constitutions continued in our present day
rituals, which purport to trace Masonry from the building of King Solomon's Temple to Noah's Flood. Masonic students
in the last century or so have been able to document fairly accurately the evolution of Freemasonry as far back
as the mid-fourteen century when the first attempt was made to organize the Mason's trade in England and to establish
work rules for its government.
Our modern Freemasonry is an outgrowth of those operative masons of the Middle Ages, the builders
of those ornate and beautiful examples of the Gothic school of architecture unsurpassed in the builders' art. The
mason's mark has been found on structures far older than these, however, some going back to 2500 B.C. Little attention
was paid to these carvings until 1841, when a British archeologist published an article on his studies. Masonic
students took an interest in the subject, and perceived the link formed between operative and speculative Masonry.
It is surprising how long a thing may remain unnoticed until it has first been discovered. When
a number of mason's marks were pointed out to an old priest, he remarked, "I have walked through this church
four times a day, twenty-eight times a week, and never noticed one of them. Now I cannot look anywhere but they
flit into my eyes."
The operative mason's mark was used for purely practical purposes. During the period when most
cathedrals, abbeys and monasteries were built, there were few who could read or write. When he became a Fellowcraft
or journeyman, each mason selected his mark or design which was his for life, and was never to be changed. The
mark thus served as a signature. He cut it into each stone he prepared, so that he might be given credit and receive
wages for his labor, and also be held responsible for the quality and proper execution of the work. The Mason's
Mark has a similar objective to a trademark by assigning responsibility for the quality of the work.
During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church dominated the religious scene in Europe and
Britain. Most of the work done by the operative masons of the day was construction of cathedrals for the church.
With the Protestant Reformation in 1517, however, the Roman Catholic Church lost much of its temporal power and
influence in England and some European countries, and the building of religious works fell off sharply.
The operative masons found themselves facing increased unemployment. Fewer apprentices were
accepted to learn the trade. Work for the masons left was limited largely to military construction and repair work
requiring lesser skills. This period of operative decline was the beginning of a gradual change from guilds of
builders to the moral and philosophical fraternity which today we call Speculative Masonry.
In 1634 an event took place which was to profoundly affect the future of the Craft. The minutes
of the Scottish Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) for July 1, 1634 notes that three noblemen were admitted members
of the Lodge. This is the earliest record of the admission of non-operatives into a Lodge in Scotland, and it turned
out to be the opening wedge in the transition from operative to speculative Masonry.
Following the admission of the three non-operative members, the practice spread rapidly. In
a period of operative decline, more and more non-operatives came to be accepted as members by many Lodges. The
character of Masonry underwent increasingly rapid change. By 1670, for example, the Lodge at Aberdeen shows minutes
signed by some 49 members, about three-quarters of whom were non-operatives. Noteworthy was the fact that all but
two had marks shown beside their names-indicating that the practice of choosing a mark was not restricted to the
operatives.
Our ritual for the three Craft Degrees is clearly based on the practices of operative Masonry,
with symbolic usage of the working tools, the ashlars, the trestleboard, lessons in architecture and many others.
Why the mason's mark, an operative practice from time immemorial should have been omitted is difficult to understand.
Our Mason's mark is the Masonic equivalent of our signature. It represents our name, our character,
our integrity and our skills. When we sign our name or apply our Mark to a document, letter, painting, or to a
stone for the building of a cathedral, we stand up to be counted. By it we say in effect "This is where I
stand, this is my work. I guarantee its quality, and am proud of the workmanship it shows."
In addition to our Mason's Mark, we have a responsibility in regard to that best known Mason's
Mark of them all, the Square and Compass. Almost all of us wear it or otherwise display it-thus identifying ourselves
as Masons to all we come in contact with. In doing so, we cannot help but project an image of Masonry to the public.
When we wear this Mason's Mark, the Square and Compass, the world will judge the Craft by our words and actions.
Should we feel unable to live up to the tenets and principles of Freemasonry stands for, we would be well-advised
to leave the Masonic ring or pin in the dresser drawer, rather than damage the good name of the Fraternity.
It seems to be human for us to want to leave some sort of a memorial that future generations
will know we passed this way. We find this in the graffiti scrawled on the walls of Pompeii, and on the subway
cars in modern cities.
We sometimes hear it said of a person, that "he left his mark," meaning he made a lasting impression
on some institution or field of endeavor. Yet there are varying kinds of marks left. George Washington and Thomas
Edison most certainly left their marks on our society and civilization.
All of us can't be Washingtons or Edisons, but we can contribute toward the building of a better
world. Our ancient operative ancestor in cutting his mark on a stone for Salisbury cathedral left a memorial which
says, "I had a part in building this beautiful house of God." By being better citizens, better husbands,
better fathers, we can leave our mark on society by discharging our responsibilities to god, to our country, to
our neighbor and to ourselves.
In our vocations, in our daily lives and in our dealings with our fellow man, let's do our best to leave our marks
only on "good work, true work, square work, just such work as is wanted for the building of the Temple."
NOTE: This paper an edited version of "The Mason's Mark," by Wallace M. Gage, PM, originally published
by the Maine Lodge of Research, reprinted in The Short Talk Bulletin, MSA, Volume 64, Number 11, November 1986
The Undivided Craft -
Freemasonry in the Civil War
In the years leading up to the Civil War, the United States was divided along political, economic
and social lines, far more than we are even today. The slavery question cast its shadow over all the other issues:
regional rivalries, trade, development of the country's natural resources, and settling the West. Important institutions
split over the slavery question. For example, the Democratic Party split along regional lines, and the Southern
Baptist Church and the Southern Methodist Church were founded.
Freemasonry was the one institution that did not suffer a split. The principles of the Craft
outweighed all other considerations in the hearts and minds of its members. This story is best told through a selection
of vignettes originally written by the great American Masonic student, Allen Roberts.
Joseph Fort Newton, D.D., was a leading Masonic writer and teacher, and the author of The Builders.
In his autobiography he wrote the following about his introduction to Freemasonry:
"My father had been a soldier in the Southern army…. He was made a Mason in a military
Lodge…. Taken prisoner at Arkansas Post, he was carried up the Mississippi river to Rock Island, Illinois…. My
father become desperately ill, and made himself known as a Mason to an officer of the camp. The officer took him
to his own home and nursed him back to life. When the war ended, he loaned Father money to pay his way back to
his Texas home and gave him a pearl-handled pistol to protect himself…. This experience of my father, when I learned
about it, had a very great influence upon my life; the fact that such a fraternity of men could exist, mitigating
the harshness of war, and remain unbroken when states and churches were torn in two, became a wonder; and it is
not strange that I tried for years to repay my debt to it." Dr. Newton became a Master Mason at the age of
21 in Friendship Lodge No. 7, Dixon, Illinois.
John W. Geary was made a Mason at Sight on January 4, 1847 in Pennsylvania, just before he left
with his troops to fight in the Mexican War. When in California, he was stationed in San Francisco, and served
as one its first Mayors. He caused the land that became Union Square to be set-aside as a park. Geary Street is
named for him. During the Civil War, he was the commanding Union general at the fall of Savannah, Georgia. He placed
Federal troops about the quarters of Solomon's Lodge No. 1 to save it from looting and damage. Later, while Geary
was governor of Pennsylvania, the Lodge sent him a resolution of thanks. He answered by claiming it was the principles
and tenets of Freemasonry that helped Reconstruction to be as successful as it finally turned out to be. In this
reply, he said: "…I feel again justified in referring to our beloved institution, by saying that to Freemasonry
the people of the country are indebted for many mitigations of the suffering caused by the direful passions of
war."
The Battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest day of fighting ever during the bitter Civil
War. Over 23,000 men were killed or wounded. During this horrible and bloody battle, numerous instances occurred
that showed the enduring nature of Brotherly Love and Relief in times of trouble. On the morning following the
battle, Confederate sharpshooters fired at anything that moved. A wounded Confederate handed a Union sentry a piece
of cloth on which the Square and Compass was crudely drawn in blood. The sentry carried it to a captain who recognized
the Masonic emblem. The captain told the Colonel that a wounded Confederate needed help. The Colonel asked for
volunteers and several Masons offered to help. At the risk of their lives they went to and carried the fallen Lieutenant
of the Alabama Volunteers to the 5th New Hampshire field hospital. The Lieutenant told them about another Mason
lying wounded in the cornfield. Back they went and carried him to join the other enemy soldier. Both men received
the same treatment, as did the Federal wounded from the camp surgeon, a Freemason, Dr. William Child. These were
men who truly remembered their obligation to never hesitate to go out of their way to raise a fallen Brother.
Confederate Masons no less than their Union counterparts remembered the obligations of the Craft
in the midst of war. The Federal gunboat USS Albatross, under the command of John Hart hurled shell after shell
into the village of St. Francisville, Louisiana. Later, the crew sent a small boat under a flag of truce to the
shore. The executive officer asked for a Mason. The Senior Warden of Feliciana Lodge No. 31, W. W. Leake, answered
the call. When informed that Captain Hart, who was a Freemason, was dead, Brother Leake immediately offered to
open his Lodge and bury Hart with Masonic rites.
Over the years the United Daughters of the Confederacy kept his grave fresh and green. In 1972
the Grand Lodge of Louisiana replaced the simple headstone with a monument that covered Hart's entire grave. The
monument was engraved: "This monument is dedicated in loving tribute to the universality of Freemasonry."
An interesting story of Masonic unity in the face of political conflict occurred in Denver Lodge
No. 5. The members appeared to be evenly divided in their affinity for the opposing sides in the war. This appeared
to be problem that couldn't be overcome, so the Lodge recommended to the Grand Lodge of Colorado that a charter
be granted for the formation of Union Lodge. It was granted. But not a single member of Denver Lodge demitted to
affiliate with the new one! They had learned it is not necessary for all Freemasons to think alike to remain friends
and Brothers.
When Richmond, Virginia, fell to the Union soldiers in April 1865, mobs burned warehouses, blew
up ships, and generally set fire to the property along the James River. Masons' Hall, built in 1785 was close to
this area. The Federal Provost Marshal, A. H. Stevens, a member of Putnam Lodge in Massachusetts, placed a guard
around the building, plus the homes of several members of the Lodge. Shortly thereafter, Federal and Confederate
members of the Craft met in harmony in the same building.
Finally, an instance of true friendship extending beyond the barriers of war is that of General
Lewis A. Armistead, of Alexandria Washington Lodge No. 22 and Colonel (later General) Henry H. Bingham. General
Armistead was among the Confederate generals leading the ill-fated Pickett's Charge storming the hills in the Battle
of Gettysburg. General Armistead was mortally wounded when he reached the top of the ridge. Colonel Bingham was
sent by General Hancock to assist their Masonic Brother. A monument commissioned and dedicated by the Grand Lodge
of Pennsylvania in 1993 at the National Cemetery Annex at Gettysburg commemorates this selfless act of Brotherly
Love. The monument is inscribed simply:
"Friend to Friend-A Brotherhood Undivided"
When the shooting war ended, the division between the North and South remained. If anything, the antagonism was
more bitter than ever. But it was Freemasonry that was most directly responsible for easing the pangs of hatred.
Kindness shown by former foes that were Masons became the links in the chain of unity.
These lessons of the past are most important for us to remember. Our Brethren of the Civil War
could have been forgiven if they had turned their backs on those in distress-but they did not! They helped the
Mason and non-Mason whenever and wherever they could-and were better men and Freemasons for it-and our Fraternity
and the world are better because of them.
Unfortunately the past is far too often forgotten. Countless people consider freemasonry's First
Tenet, Brotherly Love, as just so much sentimentality. Group is fighting group, section is antagonizing section,
and competing ideologies and political opinions are running rampant.
I will leave you with this challenge: Would you as Masons today act as our Civil War brethren,
and put aside political and personal differences for the sake of another Brother known only to you as a Mason?
The Way to Truth
The first lesson we are taught in Freemasonry is to be good and true. For the stonemasons of
old, it was necessary that the stones used in the building be made good and true. The stones had to be perfectly
cut and polished so that they would fit together with precision and strength. If the stones were not good and true,
the building would crumble and fall.
The rough ashlar is the stone as taken from the quarry in its rude and natural state. The fellowcraft or journeyman
Mason used his working tools to square off the edges of the rough ashlar so that it would be a true perfect ashlar
that would fit well with the other stones and support the building's superstructure. The workmen had to complete
"good work and true work" in order to receive their wages in the Middle Chamber.
Freemasons today are not engaged in building castles and cathedrals. They are engaged in building
their own minds and characters, guided by the morals and ethics taught by the Craft. Men who are truthful, sincere,
and honest in their dealings with other men are like the "good and true" stones-they provide the strength
and integrity that brings harmony to everyday life.
The hypocrisy, cheating, and deceit we see today in political campaigns, government officials,
corporation executives, among teachers and students, and even in our family lives have developed in our society
in the last 40 years or so. There is a lack of trust in modern society. You can all think of examples from the
mass media. The virtue of telling the truth and dealing honestly and openly with others should not be limited to
our Brothers in the Craft. It is one of those great moral duties inculcated in the Lodge that we should practice
out of the Lodge. We should always think twice before acting, so that our actions in life can measure up to our
Masonic standards and we can be "good and true" men.
The meaning of Truth for Freemasons is not limited to being truthful. It also means that we should be searching
for the Truth. Searching for the Truth is a journey; the destination of absolute Truth is always receding in the
distance.
Man has searched for truth throughout the ages. Freedom and liberty for the individual, as embodied in the democratic
and Masonic concepts of life, accelerate the great search today in this unsettled period of terrorism and political
and social change.
Among the valiant champions of free and open discussion as an instrument for gaining truth has
been John Stuart Mill, the 19th century English thinker and economist. He strongly defended the individual's right
to think and act for himself.
Now is a good time to examine Mill's words. We live in a time when the safest course for many appears to be "security
through conformity" and many people believe that our liberties are being threatened by large corporations
or the government.
Mill avidly supported free and open debate. He believed that we should nothing for granted or
at face value. He noted that all societies had traditions and stories full of general observations on what life
is and how we should conduct ourselves in life. Everyone knows and repeats these observations. When we hear them
spoken, we simply accept them uncritically. These ideas are never discussed because they are the "accepted"
opinion of mankind. Today, we would call this "conventional wisdom." On the whole, we do not challenge
the conventional wisdom even when we do not understand it.
Mill wrote that the "fatal tendency of mankind to leave off thinking about a thing when
it is no longer doubtful, is the cause of half their errors." Mill believes that we would understand more
about what we believe to be true, and therefore make better decisions on how to act, if we were able to hear the
"conventional wisdom" argued pro and con by people who do understand the issues involved.
As Freemasons and seekers of truth, we should always be prepared to seek further and more complete
information on such issues as the Public Schools than what we read in the mass media or on the Internet. Just because
something appears in print or on the World Wide Web does not make it true. We should always be ready to seek further
Light when making decisions that affect our families, our communities, and ourselves.
Well-informed Freemasons are well-informed citizens. We are charged to be exemplary in the discharge
of our civil duties. Because we Freemasons are taught to challenge the "conventional wisdom," and most
people are not, a Freemason seeking truth can have great influence for good in the world by applying what he has
learned in the Craft to his job, his family, and to how he evaluates issues and candidates when he goes the polls.
Mill was also concerned about the quality of debate and public discussion. In our era of negative
political advertising, talk radio, and attack journalism, we could take many lessons from what Mill described as
the real morality of public discussion.
Mill believed that the outcome of a discussion should be determined by the circumstances of
the individual case. We should not deliberately misrepresent the views of the other side. We should condemn all
participants in a discussion, no matter what side they are on, who use half-truths, falsehoods, and accusations
of bigotry and intolerance to attack the other side. These tactics only cloud the issues and confuse both the debaters
and their listeners. In fact, we should have the calmness to see and the honesty to state what our opponents' opinions
really are. We should not exaggerate their opinions to their discredit. And in fairness and courtesy, we should
not withhold information that might support our opponents' position.
These are the ground rules for a proper and civilized discussion. When these rules are followed
in the "marketplace of ideas," the only result can be further Light, as we come closer to Truth. These
rules can be applied in the Halls of Congress, at City Council meetings, or even at a Lodge's Stated Meeting! How
many arguments and divisions in our Lodges could be avoided simply by a courteous and fair-minded search for the
truth? Just think about the many State and local propositions we had to consider at the last election, and the
political campaigns seeking to convince us how to vote. Try to imagine how different the campaigns and speeches
would have been if the advocates on all sides had gone by Mill's standard.
Our ritual teaches us that when guided by Truth, "hypocrisy and deceit are unknown among
us, sincerity and plain-dealing distinguish us, and with heart and tongue we join in promoting each other's welfare
and rejoice in each other's prosperity." In other words, in a society governed by truthfulness, integrity,
and civility in the search for Truth, individuals will come together to work to improve the quality of life for
each other and their children. And they will be glad to see the success and achievements of each other as well,
because the community is improved by each person's individual success.
Truth creates harmony; Deceit creates discord and confusion. As Freemasons we have the responsibility
to practice truth among ourselves, and with those in the society at large. Men join Masonry because of a favorable
opinion conceived of the institution. It is up to us to set the example by how we act in our own dealings with
family, friends, and strangers.
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