|
Apathy is indifference or lack of
interest. The reason for this may be analysed as follows
: -
1. An initial misconception about the
order leading to a disappointment subsequently.
2. Unimpressiveness of ceremonies and
rendering of the rituals.
3. A lack of opportunities for active
participation and advancement.
4. A feeling of neglect and unwantedness.
5. Disillusionment about precept and
practice.
Let us deal with these causes at length.
1. Many of the applications for admission
are based on an erroneous impression that the Lodges
is an organisation of the higher social strata, membership
of which will lead to openings for closer contacts for
social or material advantage in one's own profession
or calling. When the candidate finds that the activities
inside the Lodge are focused on moral and spiritual
elevation only, disappointment may set in according
to the individual's personal earlier notions and calculations.
To avoid this, it is necessary, even
at the time of consideration of the proposal, to make
it clear to the candidate in no uncertain terms what
exactly Masonry stands for and what his duties and obligations
will be as against the rights and privileges which will
ensue. Regularity. And punctuality of attendance emergencies
excepted, must be stressed. He must understand that
progress in Masonry must be from within and that while
the ceremonies are symbolic, it will be for the individual
to speculate and contemplate on their significance and
elevate himself to higher levels that no material personal
advantage is to be expected must be impressed on him
unequivocally.
These aspects will have to be borne
in mind by any Freemason who wishes to propose a candidate
for admission into his Lodge. Only the material which
is basically good and receptive. Will then volunteer
to join the order.
2. The ceremonies of the degrees are
full of symbolism and inner meaning. The passages in
the rituals like the Prayers, the charges, the Presentation
of the Working Tools and the explanations of the Tracing
Boards are replete with wisdom and enlightenment. The
ceremonies must be so conducted that the Candidate gets
are impression that they are specially arranged for
his benefit - an impression which any good working is
bound to create. The delivery of the Prayers, charges,
the presentation of the W. Ts and the explanation of
the T. Bs should be to thorough, well modulated and
sincere that their purpose is not lost on the Candidate.
All these require a thorough preparation and understanding
on the part of the Brother entrusted with this task.
A mechanical recitation of the passages can carry no
weight.
I have come across many candidates
who after an impressive ceremony have expressed themselves
so glowingly about the first impressions they had gained
and looked forward to further progress.
3. The interest of the Candidate so
kindled, must be utilised to advantage. He must be encouraged
to take up responsibilities in the working of the Lodge
in whatever capacity he can. To begin with, he can be
asked to deliver small pieces to the juniors. He can
be trained to act as a substitute for the I.G. or Deacons.
Once he has discharged such duties commendably, he will
lightimately aspire for more. With many Brethren so
enthused, there will be a feeling of healthy competition
among them to do one better than the other. There is
enough work in the Lodge to be apportioned by turns
to all those interested.
This approach will automatically create
a sense of personal involvement and ensure regular attendance
on the part of the Brethren which will become a habit
in due course. And the Lodge will have a wealth of trained
talent to support it at all time. We must not lose sight
of the fact that the traditions and responsibilities
of the Lodge must be transmitted from generation and
this is possible only by training every interested member
to shoulder responsibilities according to his merit
and abilities.
4. It follows that lack of opportunities
for personal involvement right from the beginning will
result in a feeling of neglect and unwantedness. None
would like to spend two or three hours in the Lodge
as a side bencher and subscribing spectator ! He feels
his time is wasted. He is not going to be missed in
any case and can afford to be absent. Absenteeism becomes
a habit. Such Masons, not having had the opportunity
to learn, participate in and put across the ritualistic
parts of Masonic teachings to others, cannot have anything
impressive to tell others about the Orders.
Very often, unintentionally though,
seniors tend to group together, leaving the juniors
to 'feel' comparatively inferior. I have come across
meetings of Permanent Committees of Lodges where the
non-members of the Committee present, have been asked
to keep out for the duration of the meeting, forgetting
that the nomination to the P.C. is derived from the
vote of the non-members ! Where the deliberations of
the P.Cs are routine matters, the non-member can be
invited to join, so that he knows what the responsibilities
of this unit of administration are.
It will be good practice for seniors
to seek out and speak to the juniors both in and outside
the Lodge and exchange notes as to the latter's progress
in the art. An uninhibited and readily accessible seniors
is loved and respected more. The younger Brethren will
invariably look up to him for guidance and advice. The
self consciously pompous senior who is conscious of
his Rank and position in the hierarchy, though outwardly
honoured is neither respected nor loved as an individual.
5. Masonry is not confined to the four
walls of the Temple. It is universal. Its tenets, principals
and teachings are to be practised in and outside the
Lodge. Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, Fortitude,
Temperance, Prudence and Justice, Benevolence and Charity,
meeting on the Level, acting on the Plumb, and parting
on the Square are not mere slogans. These qualities
are to be reflected in every Mason's daily conduct.
Most often we fail to reflect these
in our conduct both in and outside the Loge i.e. both
in matters of the Lodge and outside, though we may find
plausible justifications for our deviations. When we
cannot or do not follow in our actions what we preach
in the Lodge, the others are disappointed, disillusioned
and frustrated and some decide to keep themselves out
altogether.
From the above analysis, it will be
evident that the apathetic mason is mostly a creation
of circumstances. The factors contributory to creating
apathy in him must be eliminated, provided the material
introduced to Masonry is verified to be suitable at
the outset by a discreet enquiry into his background.
The performance and progress of Lodge is in direct proportion
to the quality of its membership and not its quantitative
strength.
As in life, there have been ups and
downs in the fortunes and progress of every Lodge depending
on the worth of those in charge of the ruling and governing
of the Lodge. There are dedicated individuals all over
who have made personal sacrifices even over a period
of decades to serve their Lodges. Given the proper guidance
and encouragement the talents and labour of most of
the Brethren can be harnessed to this purpose.
At the same time, seniors should guard
against developing an attitude of personal possesslyeness
or vested interest, to the exclusion of a majority view
within the limits of the Constitution and By-Law. Maturity
and experience in the right direction on the part of
seniors will always be valued if not imposed.
Ranks are conferred in recognition
of services. They are not to be flaunted but are meant
to adorn the individual who by his continued masonic
conduct should prove himself humbly worthy of the recognition.
There is nothing more unbecoming and more irritating
than a show of superiority sought to be attached to
such honours which should sit lightly on the recipients.
By Wor. Bro. T. JANARDHANAN NAIR, R.
B. Assst. T. G.
1. The causes that lead a Masson to
apathy can be enumerated as follows, for the purposes
of this article, that he was raised after having made
himself acquainted with the principles and practices
inculcated in the former two degrees.
2. A mason becomes apathetic because
:
First : He gets few opportunities to
participate in the conduct of the ceremonies.
Secondly : the Installed Masters of
the Lodge are not able to create any impression in his
mind either due to inefficiency of indifference ;
Thirdly : the excellences of Freemasonry
are either not grasped or are inadequately appreciated
;
And lastly : the lack of touch among
masons.
3. These and probably allied or similar
causes make a Freemason indifferent to the principles
of the Craft and even to the Craft itself, taking the
brotherhood as nothing more than an association of individuals
who aspire for regalia of various types. His attendance
at the Lodge meetings becomes few and far between and
ultimately he forgets even the Ss and the P.W. and the
P.G.
4. The modus operandi of conversion
depends upon the cause that occasioned this effect.
I am leaving out of discussion, for the time being,
him whom "the improper solicitations from friends
and the like" dragged into the fold and am concentrating
my attention only on those who came in "due to
a favourable opinion preconceived of the Order."
The latter is redhot iron and the former its opposite.
5.(i) Want of opporunities: A mason
generally loses interest in the Craft when he finds
that he has nothing to do except to sit and watch with
a mind, oftentimes, travelling outside the T. hall.
when left alone the mind, even as iron, gets rusty.
The W. M. would do well to pick out these unfortunates
and assign to them some function in the ceremonies that
call for concentration and application. Opportunities
make or mar man. The W. M. has also to assist the concerned
Mason by making him understand the importance and the
implications of the portion or portions so assigned.
This process would certainly improve the improvable.
A feeling of elation generated in consequence of the
participation in the ceremonies would turn out to be
a sense of responsibility later. In resorting to this
process an important aspect has to be born in mind by
the w. M. or any other installed master. A school master
method is to be eschewed. A feeling of equality that
is generated and the "assistance and instruction"
imparted must be so manipulatied as to make the mason
believe or feel that two friends are at work at a common
cause. There should be no air of superiority. "Courtesy
and affability" must be the first and last attitude.
(ii) The First impression has always
much to do in the relationship of the man with the thing
regarding which the impression arises. The initiation,
the passing and the raising must be done with such meticulous
precision and correctness as to attract the mind and
the imagination of the candidate. This is the first
step. At installed master, must therefore, get himself
posted with the rituals and then endeavour to be a "Purohit."
The "monomaniac" attitude must be shed and
a feeling of "studying together" must be created.
The candidate is free and of mature age. A short banquet
speech in a friendly and dispassionate manner would
add to the benefit. An unqualified or indolent physician
has to be told to "heal thyself first" to
avoid a state of "Yadha Raja Thatba Praja"
in the lodge. The next step in this regard is the inculcation
of the Grand Principles on which Freemasonry rests.
This is to be done more by examplethan by precept. It
all depends upon the dignity and the decorum with which
the meetings are conducted. The csual routine-like performance
must give way to a solemn and graceful display of every
item from start to finish. Every Master must insist
that the Wardens and himself enter the lodge in a procession
and in the prescribed manner. Ordinarily and "all
in" and then a gavel start the session. The Deacons
and the Director of Ceremonies must first be briefed
to perform their respective roles "to precision".
It is a trite saying that the Deacons and director of
Ceremonies make or mar the ceremony. In the R the Master's
voice that "masonry is free and requires a perfect
freedom of inclination in every candidate for its mysteries"
and later "let Prudence direct you, Temperance
chasten you, Fortitude support you and Justice be the
guide of all your actions" ought to reverberate
with emotion and vitality. It all depends upon the Installed
Master or Masters.
(iii) Defective appreciation: This,
as mentioned above, is the result of the first impression.
This evil ahs to be effaced by a lecture for about 8
minutes at every meeting on the excellences of Freemasonry
depicted by the symbolic expressions so freely found
in the rituals. The quality of the lecture counts. This
lecture must be printed and circulated to every member
of the lodge.
(iv) Want of touch among masons. A
time-honoured, nevertheless an unwritten, tradition
is that all masons have only one voice. This idea of
oneness is possible only if a mason has 'masonry' in
him, a feeling and an attitude that can be cultivated
by often time "coming together." The monthly
meetings prescribed apart, informal meetings in the
T buildings during leisure days sprinkled with a kind
of discussion would be more so when he realises that
membership in the Order invites sucour in cases of accident
or unforeseen caamily. If would, also , be worthwhile
to institute a system more or less analagous to the
duties of the V.DD of the O.S.M. that afford mutual
help, of need be, and understanding, two essential elements
underlying the ideals of the Order. A post 'Toast' speech
by the concerned 'Mason' would invite him to think about
the Order and his membership therein ultimately leading
him to believe that his zeal for the institution of
F.M. is the first step in every Mason's study of the
most interesting of all the subjects namely the Knowledge
of Yourself."
|
