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"Masons unite" proclaims
the Antient Charges, "with the virtuous of every
persuasion, in the firm and pleasing bound of fraternal
love : they are taught to view the errors of mankind
with compassion, and to strive by the purity of their
own conduct, to demonstrate the superior excel. Hence
of the faith they may profess. Thus Masonry is the centre
of union between good men and true and happy means of
concilliating friendship amongst those who must otherwise
have remained at a perpetual distance."
The fundamental aim of Masonry is to
make us all good men. The concept of goodness, however,
cannot be precisely and adequately defined, for it depends
upon one's own background, family, friends, education,
training, experience and so forth. These vary with each
individual; nevertheless certain broad basic concepts
of the benefit and well-being of mankind, and it is
on this basis that candidates have been and are admitted
to Freemasonry.
The teachings of Freemasonry have brought
a new and vital meaning to the concept of goodness,
for it is said that Masonry makes a good man better
not only is an individual but also as member of a universal
society. This is a basic and most important Masonic
concept. The good man is the very foundation and support
of our institution. For ages past it has been the food
men who have created and protected goodness can be manifested
only by the good acts that we as Masons perform to further
develop and protect those concepts with Masonry holds
dear.
Freemasonry has taught us from the
feginning the idea that the individual must seek a path
of self-improvement, of truth and greater understanding,
of truth and greater understanding, of deeper symathy
and benevolence, of genuine love of fellow men. And
as Masons we must always recognise the importance of
discharging our individual responsibilities to God,
to our neighbours and to ourselves.
To lives as a good man in the present
day world has become a great challenge. We live in an
ever more rapidly changing world, where humanity is
not only divided on racial and nationalistic lines,
but also where the younger generation, in their search
for the meaning of life, disagree with established beliefs
and concepts.
Masons, individually and collectively,
have much to offer to the world in helping to understand
and to find solutions for the ever-recurring complicated
problems of the modern day. This we cannot do unless
we realise the continuos need for self-knowledge, self-examination
and self-appraisal. The great challenges of life cannot
be solved until we have first understood ourselves.
Freemasonry's significant role is to stimulate this
understanding. Each Lodge is tremendously important
to the growth of Masonry. While the Lodge as a whole
is a source of inspiration to the members, bringing
them vision and understanding to spread the message
of Freemasonry, its members, individually and collectively,
have a positive role to play in promoting the Masonic
prosperity of the Lodge by ever reaching out to bring
good men and true into its fold.
As regular Masons all of us have taken
the three Degrees and attained the status of Master
Masons. the Symbolic Lodge has imparted to us all the
light it can. From this point onwards masonry becomes
a purely personal matter to each Brother, and can mean
much or little to him. It can rule and guide his life
and bring him happiness and memorable exceriences, or
it can be ignored and forgotten, decending on that individuals'
inclination and understanding. The teachings of Masonry
contain the seeds of honour, truth, morality, charity,
belief in a Supreme Being and Brotherly Love not only
for a Masonic brother but for all mankind. If these
seeds fall upon barren groudn of a selfish, shallow,
unthinking mird they will rot and disappear, but if
they fall on the rice soil of a receptive, throughtul
and intelligent mind and are watered and nourished by
love and attention, they will sprout and grow into a
wonderful tree "whose evergreen leaves will never
wither and fall off and the fragrance of its evarlasting
blossoms will fill his life with the greatest happiness
ever given to man".
The first requisite of a Mason is an
absolute balief in the existence of a Supreme Barng
who , from his High Place governs His Universe and infuses
it with his life. In Freemasonry He is depicted as The
Great Architect of the Universe, the Grand Geometrician
and the Most High. This is the Masonic conception of
the Trinity of the Deity as exe notified in the Masonic
rituals; His attributes are Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.
In these three words the goa of every Lodge of Freenasons
is expressed, namely, to build their Temple with Wisdom,
to stand together in Strength as columns supporting
that Temple, fortifying each other through the bond
of Unity and trus producing an ordered Beauty in all
relations, divine and human.
Freemasonry believes in immortality,
the Masons must rise after death into new life and other
spheres of being and of activity. "Through death
they arrive at the assurance that there is no death
but only lite Eternal." this belief in immbratalty
runs through the entire Masonic tradition and find its
culmination in the Third Dagree wherein the Truth as
to life and death is preserved.
The fundamental principles of the Order
of Freemasonry is Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
Its task is the perfecting of Humanity to the Glory
of The Great Architect of the Universe. This noble aim
necessarily includes the cultivation of the virtues
of kindliness, understanding, tolerance, patience and
all forms of practical help. The principles of morality
inclucated in Freemasonry are Universal. They are therefore
applicable to all religions end to all religions and
to all systems of thought which strive towards the Light.
they reinforce whatever religious beliefs one may hold
or stand in place of them where an individual has preferred
to serve the Creator in the abstract without being attached
to any particular creed. Because of his understanding
and wide tolerance, a mason can be a link, a reconciliation
bridging the gap which may tend to separate people of
varying beliefs. Freemasonry is therefore universal,
and hits is particularly borne out by its ceremonials
working.
The Masonic Lodge is a mystical organization
in which the life side of all participants are set in
motion. Though masonry appears largely as a matter of
form, it is really an institution for the movement of
life. It not only stlmulates the life side of the Brothren
who constitute the Lodge, but also infuences them environmentally
through the equipments of the Lodge, the Regalia which
the Brethren wear, the jewels, the emblems and the symbols
with which the Lodge is adorned. The magnetism which
eminates from all the things inside the Lodge Room such
as the pedastals, the Volumas of Sacrad Law, the Columns,
the Tracing Boards, ins ome mystic manner exerts a profound
influence on the minds of the brethren.
The edifice of Masonry is built on
the foundations of the three Craft Degrees. The first
of these is the Degree of Entered Apprentice. Every
candidate for Freemasonry Becomes on his initiation
an E.A. To whom is his entered as an apsrentice ? Not
to the Lodge, not to the Master, but to the Greet Archtect
of the Universe himself. The 8 nim the true purpose
of Freemasonry, namely that he should be a true servant
of God, and that assisted by the teachings of Masonry
he should so mould and perfect his life and character
as to rellect the beauties of true Godliness in all
his thoqunts, words, and actions, to the honour and
Glory of the Grest A chitact.
Masonry is a training for life. The
Masonic ceremonies offer a most effective training for
the physical, emotional and mental facultries of the
individual. The considerable amount of physical action
involved in the ceremonlal work provides virtal training
for action in daily life, the significance of which
one may not realise in the beginning. The combination
of efficiency and grace which is needed for Masonic
work can give and extraordinary quality to life. The
Masonic rituals are a training in a synthesis of these
qualities.
In order that the work we do inside
the Lodge and the training we receive thereby may be
rendered purposeful, it is necessary to relate them
to our life outside the Lodge so that they may become
an undivided harmonious whole. Freemasonry has not only
spiritual, moral and philosophical purpose but a social
purpose as well. this is in accordance with the tradition
of the East. In India, for example, these two values
which are held to be loftiest and noblest by almost
all people. They are Satya, meaning Truth, and Dharma,
meaning Duty. Dharma also indicates the relationship
we own to all human beings, in fact to all forms of
life. It is a fraternal relationship we owe to all human
beings, in fact to all forms of life. It is a fraternal
relationship which recognizes the worth of every individual.
These correspond absolutely with the Grand principles
of the Order, namely, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth
and to various other virtues as well.
We carry out spiritual work when we
meet together in a Lodge and perform a Ceremony. The
Temple has a certain atmosphere. The moment we enter
the Temple we feel the sancitity attached to our work.
We leave behind our pre-occupations and throughts connected
with the self when we enter a Lodge which is tyled.
We feel around us a spirit of deep unity and aspiration.
This feeling is intersitied when the Lodge is opened
in the prescribed manner, and more especially when the
Volumas of Sacred Law are opened, for there-from shine
all the Light that exists and through them all knowledge
is reveated.
In Masonry there is no dogma. To libarate
mankind from dogma, personal prejudices and opinions
which are not based on fact or reality, is the high
aim of Freema sonry.
A candidate for initiation is compared
to a Rough Ahlar. It is the business of Masonry to transform
him into a Perfec-Ashiar which is a smooth and perfect
cube. But he is not the rough shapeless block of stone
brought from teh quarry. When he appears at the door
of the Lodge he has already acquired a certain shape,
for the tongue of good report that he is a man of good
character has been heard in his favour and before initiation
he affirms that his motives for entry into the Order
are not marcenary. The Rough Ashlar indicates the untrained
mind of the initiate, rough and undolished. He is supposed
to be in a state of darkness and ignorance. He is first
taught to clrb his intemperance towards his fellow-men
and to obey the commands of his conscience. The Gavel
represents the force of conscience which should keep
down all vain and unbecoming thoughts so that our feelings
and actions may be pure and unpolluted.
It is interesting to note that in the
process of transformation from the rough to the perfect
condition, the ashiar is being reduced in his weight
and dimensions when the superfluous knobs and excresences
are knocked off. The process leading to perfection is
therefore one of removing all the superffuous ugly material
from the block of stone untill the perfect form is revealed.
Nothing is added to the stone. From this is clear that
the rough Ashlar contains within itself the perfect
from. Similar is the case with human beings. There is
present in every human being that quality which can
be moulded into a perfect character. After the superfluous
knobs and excrescence have been removed by the Gavel,
the Chisel is employed to further smooth and prepare
the rough stone. The Chief points out that education
and perseverance are necessary to attain perfection,
and that the rude material of our natures receives its
polish and retirement from repeated efforts alone and
that nothing short of indefatigable exertion can enlighten
the mind. Purify the heart and develop the virtues.
In the work of transformation from the rough state to
the finished stone, constant use has to be made of the
S., the L., and P.R., which are the W.T. of the F.C.,
save as the spiritual edifice, must constantly observe
the laws of square conduct, level steps and upright
intentions.
The Perfect Ashlar which is kept in
the Lodge room on the S. W.'s pedestal suspended from
its derrick, indicates the mystic conception that it
is hanging between heaven and earth. There is no indication
where in the Temple its final destination is to be,
and it is awaiting the pleasure of the Master Builder
to be lowered into its proper place. Similarly when
we reach the last moments of our life on earth and are
about to take flight to the Grand Lodge Above, we too
will remain suspended for a time between Heaven and
Earth awaiting the pleasure of T.G.A.O.T.U. to be placed
in the proper place in His Temple. The suspended Ashlar
therefore teaches us to bend with humility and resignation
to the Divine Will, content that He in his wisdom has
assigned to every approved stone its place in his everlasting
Temple and that what we have done earth towards the
attainment of perfection will find due reward in His
approbation.
Although in Masonry there are various
agrees and distinctions illustrating the versity of
nature, yet we are taught to do her work in a spirit
of equality and brotherless. This gives us a certain
training and aches us the spirit we should carry into
the her world. If we do so Masonry will come a much
more living reality that it be otherwise. It will extend
its influence of the world and be aperennial source
of piration to all with whom we come into infact, not
only in relation to Masons. Only can be called a real
Mason who displays is spirit of equality in spite of
social, functional and other distinctions and differences.
The purpose behind Freemasonry is both
various and sacred because it deals with the alities
of man's nature, the motives which inimate him, the
development of his inherent wers and the expansion of
his consciouscess. In recognition that Man is made in
nod's image the masonic ritual aims to make at statement
an acknowledged fact both or the individual and for
all mankind. Our lasonic science tells us of the onceasing
rork of the Great Architect and points cut at each of
us has the opportunity of conacrating our eforts towards
concious-co-peration with His Work. All our training
is bwards this end. This training begins as soon as
we are received into the Lodge as A., begins both in
the Lodge and in our ves, and is all the more effective
when here is understanding of the purpose of lite. We
are apprentices of God sent into His workshop to learn
the art of Creation, and with our thoughts and feelings
to hange the Universe from what it is to pmething jobler."
(C. Jinarajadas: The Divine Vision.)
The investiture of the E.A. with the
aadge of a Freemason forms the climax to he ceremony
of Initiation. The S. W. who nvests him, refers to the
Roman Eagle, the Golden Fleece and to Order of the Garter-all
titles of very great honour redolent with the roma of
the history and glories of arcient Rome and Creece and
the adventurous spirit if the knights of old.
The badge of Freemason is worn outside
all other garments, and is the outer and visible sign
of a member of the Craft; it is also an external representation
of the true nature of the man within. As representing
the purity, the inner reality and the innocence of brotherhood.
It is to be considered as the badge or symbol of all
those qualities. It has besides a personal significence
in the life of a Mason. It makes a definite stage in
his life, the taking of a step forward in evolutionary
progress and his entry into a new and higher life. He
became a Mason of his own free will and initiative;
it was something within himself that impelled him to
take that step. Others may place the light before him
but he himself has to see it and take the first as well
as the subsequent step towards it. He must be established
in his own strength and the lesson he is taught in the
Craft is that no one can stand on the Strength of another.
At the conclusion of the ceremony of
initiation, the candidate listens to a wonderful Charge
which he will not forget till the last breath passes
out of his body. It is a blueprint for living the ideal
Masonic life. It tells him about the ancient and honourable
institution of Freemasonry which has come down to us
from time immemorial, and that it conduces to make all
those who are obedient to its precepts also honourable,
for it rests on the foundation of the practice of every
moral and soclal virtue, and that monarchs themselves
have been promoters or the art. It recommends to his
most serious contemplation the V. of the S. L. charging
him to consider it as the unerring standard of truth
ard justice, and to regulate his actions by the divine
precepts it contains and to disciarge his duties to
God, to his neighbour and to himself accordingly. It
teaches him how to conduct himself as a citizen of the
world and as an individual; to practice every domestic
as well as public virtue with Prudence, Temperance,
Fortitude and Justice; and to maintain in their fullest
splendour the truly Masonic ornaments of Benevolence
and Charity. It reminds him of his duties of Masonry
and to preserve invoilate the Secrecy, the Fideilty
and the Obedience he owes to it. It exhorts him to dedicate
himself to such pursuits as will enable him to be respectable
in life, useful to mankind and an member. And finally
it exhorts him to study the Liberal Arts and Sciences
and without sacrificing his personal duties to endeavour
to make a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge.
Freemasonry doth verily play a vital
role in the personal life of every Mason.
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