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THE "GREAT MASON"
There is often too much ado made over
great men who are Masons and too little over Masons
who are actually great. Perhaps a better statement would
be, there is too much concern over fame and titles and
too little over real worth. Statesmen, Governors, Industrial
Tycoons - these excite our admiration and pride when
we find them listed as Masons, whether they know anything
of the work or perform any Masonic service. When one
of these men enters a lodge room he gets more attention
than the Grand Master.
Perhaps this can be better illustrated
by a story. A group of mountaineers had planned a coon
hunt. While waiting to start their dogs got into a big
fight. One man with a much smaller dog wanted his dog
to get into the fight. His neighbour insisted his dog
was not big enough to fight with the larger dogs. 'However,
he insisted that it was not the size of the dog in the
fight but the size of the fight in the dog that really
counted. So it is in Masonry : it is not the size of
the man in Masonry but the size of the Masonry in the
man.
Let us face facts: what is to be gained
from greedy, lustful, selfish living, except a few years
of vaunting power and swelling possessions, all of which
will soon slip from our grasp? Let us learn well the
lesson of prudence. It is not enough to have our names
merely listed on the membership roll, while either in
hidden or open ways we continue to seek undue power,
influence and wealth in a dark world lighted only by
the fireflies and glow worms of ambition, avarice'and
selfishness.
Greatness is something to acquire.
It brings lasting joy only when it comes as . a conquest
and not as a bequest. In the words of Rudyard Kipling,
"If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch .....
- you'll be a man, my son!".
It is nice to be important but it is
more important to be nice!
- Reproduced from The Texas Freemason.
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