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More Light |
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THE SHORT TALK BULLETIN
The Masonic Service Association of the United States
VOL. 5 April 1927 NO. 4 |
... More Light ...
Goethe was one of the myriad-minded men of our race, and a devout member of our gentle Craft. When he lay dying, as the soft shadow began to fall over his mind, he said to a friend watching by his bed: "Open the window and let in more light!" The last request of a great poet-Mason is the first quest of every Mason.
If one were asked to sum up the meaning of Masonry in one word, the only word equal to the task is - Light! From its first lesson to its last lecture, in every degree and every symbol, the mission of Masonry is to bring the light of God into the life of man. It has no other aim, knowing that when the light shines the truth will be revealed.
A Lodge of Masons is a House of Light. Symbolically it has no roof but the sky, open to all the light of nature and of grace. As the sun rises in the East to open and rule the day, so the Master rises in the East to open and guide the Lodge, in its labor. All the work of the Lodge is done under the eye and in the name of God, obeying Him who made great lights, whose mercy endureth forever.
At the center of the Lodge, upon the Altar of Obligation, the Great Lights shine upon us, uniting the light of nature and the whiter light of revelation. Without them no Lodge is open in due form, and no business is valid. As the moon reflects the light of the sun, as the stars are seen only when the sun is hidden, so the lesser Lights follow dimly when the Greater Lights lead.
To the door of the Lodge comes the seeker after light, hoodwinked and groping his way--asking to be led out of shadows into realities; out of darkness into light. All initiation is "Bringing men to light," teaching them to see the moral order of the world in which they must learn their duty and find their true destiny. It is the most impressive drama on earth, a symbol of the divine education of man.
So through all its degrees, its slowly unfolding symbols, the ministry of Masonry is to make men "sons of light"--men of insight and understanding who know their way and can be of help to others who stumble in the dark. Ruskin was right: to see clearly is life, art, philosophy, and religion--all in one. When the light shines the way is plain, and the highest service to humanity is to lead men out of the confused life of the senses into the light of moral law and spiritual faith.
To that end Masonry opens upon its Altar the one great Book of Light, its pages aglow with "a light that never was on sea or land," shining through the tragedies of man and the tumults of time, showing us a path that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. From its first page to the last the key-word of the Bible is light, until, at the end, when the City of God is built, it has no need of the sun or the moon or the stars, for God is the light of it. Turning its pages we read.
And God said, let there be light; and there was light
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The entrance of Thy word giveth light.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear.
There is light for the righteous, gladness for the true.
The Lord shall be to thee an everlasting light.
To them that sat in darkness, light is sprung up.
He stumbleth not, because he seeth the light.
I am come a light into the world.
While ye have the light believe in the light.
Let your light shine before men.
To find the real origin of Masonry we must go far back into the past, back behind history. All the world over, at a certain stage of culture, men bowed down in worship of the sun, the moon, and the stars. In prehistoric graves the body was buried in a sitting posture, and always with the face toward the East, that the sleeper might be ready to spring up early to face the new and brighter day.
Such was the wonder of light and its power over man, and it is not strange that he rejoiced in its beauty, lifting up hands of praise. The Dawn was the first Altar in the old Light Religions of the race. Sunrise was an hour of prayer, and sunset, with its soft farewell fires, was the hour of sacrifice. After all, religion is a Divine Poetry, of which creeds are prose versions. Gleams of this old Light Religion shine all through Masonry, in its faith, in its symbols, and still more in its effort to organize the light of God in the soul of man.
Such a faith is in accord with all the poetries and pieties of the race. Light is the loveliest gift of God to man; it is the mother of beauty and the joy of the world. It tells man all that he knows, and it is no wonder that his speech about it is gladsome and grateful. Light is to mind what food is to the body; it brings the morning, when the shadows flee away, and the loveliness of the world is unveiled.
Also, there is a mystery in light. It is not matter, but a form of motion; it is not spirit, though it seems closely akin to it. Midway between the material and the spiritual, it is the gateway where matter and spirit pass and repass. Of all the glories of nature it the most resembles God in its gentleness, its benignity, its pity, falling with impartial benediction alike upon the just and the unjust, upon the splendor of wealth and the squalor of poverty.
Yes, God is light, and the mission of Masonry is to open the windows of the mind of man, letting the dim spark within us meet and blend with the light of God, in whom there is no darkness. there is "a light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world," as we learn in the Book of Holy Law; but too often it is made dim by evil, error, and ignorance, until it seems well nigh to have gone out.
Here now one of the most terrible words in the Bible: "Eyes they have, but they do not see." How many tragedies it explains, how many sorrows it accounts for. Most of our bigotries and brutalities are due to blindness. Most of the cruel wrongs we inflict upon each other are the blows and blunders of the sightless. Othello was blinded by jealousy, Macbeth by ambition, as we are apt to be blinded by passion prejudice, or greed.
With merciful charity Jesus saw that men do awful things without seeing what they do. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The pages of history are blacker then the hearts of the men that made history. Man is not as wicked as the wrongs he has done. Unless we see this fact, much of the history of man will read like the records of hell--remembering the atrocities of the Inquisition, the terrors of the French Revolution, and the red horror of Russia . It is all a hideous nightmare--man stumbling and striking in the dark.
No, Humanity is more blind than bad. In his play, St. Joan, Shaw makes one of his characters say: "If you only saw what you think about, you would think quite differently about it. It would give you a great shock. I am not cruel by nature, but I did a very cruel thing once because I did not know what cruelty was like. I have been a different man ever since." Alas, he did not see what he had done until the hoodwink had been taken off.
More and more some of us divide men into two classes--those who see and those who do not see. The whole quality and meaning of life lies in what men see or fail to see. And what we see depends on what we are. In the Book of Holy Law the verb "to see" is close akin to the verb "to be," which is to teach us that character is the secret and source of insight. Virtue is vision; vice is blindness. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they see God."
Thus our gentle Masonry, by seeking to "Bring men to light," not simply symbolically but morally and spiritually, is trying to lift the shadow of evil, ignorance and injustice off the life of man. It is a benign labor, to which we may well give the best that we are or hope to be, toiling to spread the skirts of light that we and all men may see what is true and do what is right.
What the sad world needs--what each of us needs--is more light, more love, more clarity of mind and more charity of heart; and this is what Masonry is trying to give us. Once we take it to heart, it will help us to see God in the face of our fellows, to see the power of a lie and its inherent weakness because it is false, to see the glory of truth and its final victory - to see these things is to be a Mason, to see these things is to be saved.
O Light that followeth all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That is thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
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Meaning of the word “hele”
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In old days, men fought, bled and died over arguments as to the proper name of Deity, and to win a discussion as to how many angels could dance together on the point of a needle!
Moderns do not go as far as bloodshed over the word "hele" (pronounced hail, but in spite of the determinations of philologists and Masonic authorities who may well be considered final, now and then some more or less learned Freemason wishes to change after the meaning of the word or its pronunciation, or its spelling, or any two, or all three!
Hele is almost invariable associated with the word "conceal" (as it should be) and "hele and conceal" may be translated by transposition -"conceal and hele". "Hele" is old Anglo-Saxon, meaning to conceal.
"Conceal" is Norman, and means to hide. Dr. Pease has well brought out, that in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries language in England was part Norman-French and part Anglo-Saxon and that early ritual writers, desiring to make sure that no misunderstanding was possible, often expressed ideas in word pairs, one word from each language. Hence such phrases as "hele (hail) and conceal", "parts or points", "Free will and accord", etc.
To the objections of those who contend that "hele" (hail) should be pronounced "heel" because it rhymes with "conceal and reveal" the answer is that in the early days of the language, our "conceal" was pronounced "consayle" and our "reveal" was pronounced "revayle".
The word "hele" (hail) (meaning to hide) has no connection with the word "heal", meaning to make whole again, or Masonically, make legitimate, nor with the word "heel", meaning part of the foot, or with the word "hale", meaning in good health, or the word "hail" meaning to call to, or greet.
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Holy Saints John |
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 “Erected to God and dedicated to the Holy Saints John” – these are familiar words known to every Freemason. The “Holy Saints John” are, as we know, John the Baptist (also known as “St. John the Precursor”) and John the Evangelist (sometimes known as “St. John the Divine”).
There is no proof, of course, that either of these men were ever functional Patrons of our Fraternity, and they most certainly were not Operative or Speculative Masons, but it is a fact that Freemasonry has adopted them as Patron Saints for several centuries. We know, for example, from the New Testament, that John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus, so tradition has set his birthday as June 24th. Legend has set December 27th as the Evangelist's “birthday”. These two men were exact opposites in temperament: The Baptist was an extrovert and man of action, while the Evangelist was an introvert and a man of thought, meditation, and vision.
John the Evangelist was a Galilean, and the cousin of Jesus. In his early years, he was impulsive, impetuous, and vindictive as evidenced by the time he wanted to call down fire from Heaven. During that period of his life, the Christian Master called him and his brother, James, the “Sons of Thunder”. In his later years, his disposition mellowed, and he became known as the Disciple of Love or, in Masonic terminology, “Brotherly Love.”
 It is known that John the Evangelist wrote one Gospel and three Epistles. For those that are members of the Eastern Star, it is interesting to note that his Epistles were written to an “Elect Lady” who later became Electa in our Eastern Star ritual. Many Masonic scholars hold that the Gospel of St. John is of vital importance to all Freemasons – not for its Christian theology -- but for the lessons of Brotherly Love that are contained therein.
The original reason for the choice of these particular Patron Saints has been obscured by the passage of time. We cannot determine exactly why our ancient Brethren chose them rather than St. Thomas, a stonemason.
An old Latin document of our Order deposited within a Lodge at Namur, France, includes a proclamation of the Masons of Europe assembled at Cologne in 1535. It declares that Masons were called, "Brethren dedicated to St. John, first among the stars of the morning.” It further tells us that prior to 1440, the Fraternity was called the “Joannite Brothers” (John’s Brethren). It was about at that same time that we began to be known by the name, “Free Masons”.
 There is a third St. John in Freemasonry, although he is not mentioned in our Missouri ritual. He is St. John the Almoner, to whom the Order of Knights Hospitalers was originally dedicated. He is included as a Patron Saint in several overseas Grand Jurisdictions. He was a native of the island of Cyprus, who in the year 608 became Patriarch of the wealthy Church of Alexandria. He caused a list of the poor of his See to be compiled, and his first official act was the distribution of 80,000 pieces of gold to the indigent and to various agencies for their betterment and relief. This was an immense sum, worth almost $30,000,000 in today's money. He continued this systematic giving until his death. His charity and beneficence won him universal admiration, and he was enrolled among the Saints of the Western as well as of the Eastern Church.
The Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity – normally represented as the top three rungs on Jacob’s Ladder in Christian religious art -- are mentioned in our catechisms. John the Baptist is represented by Faith, John the Evangelist by Hope, and John the Almoner by Charity.
Thomas Paine, a Freemason, wrote the following in his book entitled, “Origin of Freemasonry”: “The high festival of the Masons is on the day they call St. John's Day, but every enlightened Mason must know that holding their festival on this day has no reference to the person called St. John, and that it is only to disguise the true cause of holding it on this day that they call by that name. As there were Masons many centuries before the time of St. John, the holding their festival on this day refers to a cause totally unconnected with either of the Saints John.”
 Many of Freemasonry’s most knowledgeable scholars believe that the real explanation of Freemasonry's connection with the Holy Saints John Festival Days is not to be found in the history of the Craft – but, rather, in the history of ancient religions. These festival days are as old as the ancient systems of worship of fire and Sun. If we travel backward in time and imagination to an unknown date when the world of men was young, we would see a time when knowledge did not exist, and the primal urges of all humanity were divided between the satisfaction of bodily needs -- hunger, thirst, warmth, light, and the instincts of self-preservation, mating, and the love of children. The men of that far-off age did not understood why the wind blew, what made the rain, or from whence came lightning, thunder, cold, and warmth. They had no conception of why the Sun climbed the heavens in the morning and disappeared at night.
All primitive people tried to explain these “mysteries” in terms of their daily lives. When angry, their emotions resulted in loud shouts and a desire to kill. What could be more natural than to think thunder and lightning were the anger of an Unknown Deity who held very their lives and well-being in His hands? What would be more logical to these primitive people than to think that the wind, the rain, the cold, and all other elements were a manifestation of an angered Unseen Presence?
 The greatest manifestation of nature known to our ancient ancestors was the Sun. It was always present during the day, and its near kin, fire, warmed and comforted them at night. Under its gentle rays, crops grew and rivers rose. The Sun kept away the wild beasts by its light. Sun worship and fire worship were just as natural for men just struggling into understanding, as was the breath they drew. Early man must have observed the Sun's slow movement from north to south during the year and back again as the seasons waxed and waned. Therefore, Midsummers’ Day, the longest in terms of Sunlight, became a festival; it was the harbinger of life, just as the Winter Solstice was significant of the end of the slow decline of the Sun.
Technically, we now know that the seasons of the year are caused by the 23.5º tilt of the Earth's axis. Because the earth is rotating like a top or gyroscope, it continuously points in a fixed direction toward a point in space near the North Star. However, the Earth is also revolving around the Sun at the same time. During half of the year, the Southern Hemisphere is closer to the Sun than is the Northern Hemisphere. During the rest of the year, the reverse is true. At noontime in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun appears high in the sky during Summer and low in the sky during Winter. These two extremes are referred to as a “solstice.” Primitive man did note the change in the Sun’s movement as evidenced by astronomical observatories, such as Stonehenge on the plains of southern England.
"Solstice" is derived from two Latin words: "Sol" meaning, “sun”, and "sistere" meaning, “to cause to stand still”. The lowest elevation occurs about December 21st and is the Winter Solstice -- the first day of winter when the nighttime hours (darkness) are at a maximum and the period of sunlight is at its minimum.
 In ancient Egypt, for example, the god Osiris died and was entombed on December 21st and reborn on December 25th. In the earliest days of Ancient Greece, a man was selected to be a representation of the god Dionysus during the Feast of Lenaea (Festival of the Wild Women). It was on that day of the Winter Solstice that Dionysus died and was then resurrected on December 25th. During the festival, the man being “honored” was literally torn to pieces, and the pieces were then eaten by the women.
By classical times in ancient Greece, the human sacrifice had been replaced by the killing of a goat. The goat later became the symbol for Capricorn. In Astrology, December 27th, St. John the Evangelist’s Festival Day falls under the zodiac sign of Capricorn (December 22nd – January 19th).
Capricorns are said to be practical, prudent, ambitious, disciplined, patient, careful, and humorous. These independent, rocklike characters have many sterling qualities.
Ancient Rome had dozens of gods for every purpose imaginable. By 300 BCE, the Roman Empire had combined the festivals for those gods under the name of “Dies Natalis Solis Invicti” ("Birthday of the Unconquered Sun"). This was a weeklong festival commencing on December 21st and ending on December 27th with the main feast day taking place on December 25th. It was a feast honoring the renewal of the Sun at the Winter Solstice. It included feasting, dancing, lighting bonfires, decorating homes with greens, and the giving of gifts – much like the traditions of our present-day Christmas season. Virtually all of the so-called ancient pagan religions included the nativity, death, and rebirth of a “man-god/savior”, and then the ascension of the resurrected to “heaven” where he watched over his flock while they were here on Earth. It was, in fact, the story of the nativity, death, and resurrection of the Christian Master – and it was thousands of years old before the birth of the Christian religion. This ancient legend can be traced back to at least 6500 BCE.
 The early Church wanted these pagan festivals stopped, but they were very popular with the people. The solution to the problem was simple; substitute Christian meanings and Saints for pagan gods on these holidays and continue to celebrate the same ceremonies on the same dates – but under a different name. The Church felt that including this holiday into Christian observances would eventually convert those who followed the “Olde Way”.The selection of December 25th as a Christian holiday was first recorded in scholarly texts in 325 AD, although the actual practice was first decreed in 274 A.D. by the Emperor Aurelian. Since non-Christians viewed this date as the rebirth of the Sun, it made perfect sense for the Church to also mark this period as the celebration of the nativity of Yeshua ben Nazareth (Jesus). If the Church could not replace pagan holidays and celebrations, it would simply adopt them and incorporate so-called pagan symbology into its own.
Therefore, the celebration of the Summer Solstice became the Festival of Saint John the Baptist and the celebration of the Winter Solstice became the Festival of Saint John the Evangelist. The High Festival Day of the Romans became the birth date of the Christian Master.
 However, it took centuries for the tradition of St. Johns’ Days and Christmas to catch on. For example, it was adopted in Ireland in the 5th century AD; the 7th century in Eastern Mediterranean countries; Austria, England and Switzerland adopted them in the 8th century; and the Slavic countries in the 9th and 10th centuries.
St. John the Evangelist teaches us to subdue our passions, one of the first lessons every new Freemason learns in Lodge. When we examine the writings of St. John the Evangelist, we see a major transformation of a young man. He goes from being a hot-tempered young radical to one who exhibits peace in his old age. He goes from being intolerant of others to working with others by sharing his theology of a “better way of life”. Above all things, John was loyal. He was the only Disciple to attend the trial of Jesus as well as being at the foot of the cross for the crucifixion. When he heard about the empty tomb on that eventful Sunday morning, he was the first Disciple to arrive. Moreover, it was he that took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his home and cared for her until her death.
 We know from the writings of St. John the Evangelist that his message is simple and straightforward -- that to know and love God is to obey His law, that the essential mark of grace is Brotherly Love, and that the ideal life is to live in fellowship with others.
It does not matter that there is no, nor never was, a Lodge of the Holy Saints John at Jerusalem. It does not matter whether the two Saints John were actually members of the Masonic Fraternity. They were selected as our Patron Saints because they exemplified the basic principles of our ancient Fraternity in their daily lives through their words and deeds. It is because Freemasonry regards the character and internal qualifications of a man that the two Saints John are fitting Patrons. Freemasonry honors them because they were living examples of the Golden Rule and their practice of love for their fellowmen, and their love of their Creator. |
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A Stanza: Faith, Hope and Charity |
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Faith, Hope and Charity
Each day we are taught
Learning and growing never stops
When we try, we will rise
With the faith that brings us confidence
Faith to believe we can make our nation great
With hard work and discipline
For excellence we will achieve
Together we will pledge
For loyalty, we stand up to defend
The hope to live, to give
The strength to love and forgive
Faith, Hope and Charity, is the way of life for me
Striving, achieving, helping others meet their needs
Together we will pledge
For loyalty, we stand up to defend
The hope to live, to give
The strength to love and forgive
Faith, Hope and Charity, is the key to harmony
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Lombard Lodge Ring |
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 Lombard Lodge Ring
  
Attention Brethren
The Lombard Lodge Ring is Here!
Well, if you've been waiting to get a masonic ring, but wanted to find that perfect ring before settling for something ordinary, you've waited long enough.
If you already have a masonic signet, but would like something different and special, it's time to look at the NEW Lombard Lodge ring.
This Beautiful, hand-crafted, solid 18k gold masonic signet is absolutely stunning. Designed by Brother Thomas D. Kleiner and handmade by the Wabash Diamond Company of Chicago, per his specifications, this ring is not only a piece of art, but a heirloom that can be passed from generation to generation. It is available exclusively to members and honorary members of Lombard Lodge No. 1098. The design will truly stand out on special occasions, such as degree work and installations. Best of all, the ring, whether traveling, visiting other lodges, or just out in the community, shows the brother's commitment and pride in Freemasonry and Lombard Lodge.
The Details:
- Signet ring style, precision cast
- Rings available from 6.5 to 14 ring sizes
- Multiple styles:
1) Standard Signet with the Square and Compass, and Lombard Lodge #1098 AF & AM embossed on the face. Hand-cut scroll work on sides; and your choice of personalized script engraved around the base of the face. Approximate weight in 18k gold: .85 ounces
2) Apothecary Ring (Shown Above) with the Square and Compass, and Lombard Lodge #1098 AF & AM embossed on the face. Face opens to reveal a 3/16" deep cavity (large enough to allow for 2 standard aspirin). Hand-cut scroll work on sides; and your choice of personalized script engraved around the base of the face. Approximate weight in 18k gold: 1.05 ounces
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Available in Silver, White Gold, Yellow Gold (18k only) and Rose-Croix (a custom alloy of 50% yellow + 50% rose gold). The ring shown is cast in 18k gold.
- Square and Compass and surrounding scroll work shown in "raised" detail on the face
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"Lombard Lodge #1098 AF & AM" around the bezel in "raised" capital letters
- Custom hand-cut leaf work on both sides of the ring
- Custom engraving available on the side of bezel on both rings ("virtus junxit mors non separabit" is enscribed on ring above). Custom engraving on interior of apothecary ring only ("Ordo ab Chao" enscribed on ring above). Additional engraving also possible within band, such as raised dates and names.
- Choice of Stones can be added to face or sides
- Comfort fit
- Can be "Antiqued" to allow for the Hand-cut work to really stand out.
- Available only to Lombard Lodge members and honorary members.
The Cost: Contact Brother Kleiner at 773.841.6056
Ordering Your Ring: Contact Brother Kleiner at 773.841.6056
A deposit of 50% is required before the manufacture of your ring can begin. The deposit can be refunded, minus a $100 materials fee, if the order is cancelled BEFORE the ring is cast. No refunds are possible AFTER the ring production has begun. Delivery of your ring takes 2-3 weeks from the time you submit your deposit. The balance of your ring will be due upon delivery.
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From the South |
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To Our New Brothers:
There are many things for you to consider very seriously. You have not been made Masons because you were specimens of gravity, for that is often the cover to genteel stupidity or respectable dullness. Volatility and gaiety add nothing to one's chances, but greatly diminish them. In spite of them, you have been admitted, for beneath them, sterling principles of integrity are often found. If the committees have done their duty, you have been found to be men, physically, believers in God, of upright and moral character, and of good sound mind; you have been found fit material for some place in the Masonic edifice. This is no small complement to you. But all the while bear in mind that this does not prove you infallible or perfect. You may be found, upon inspection, unfit for the building, and you may be refused further progress, or be tolerated as a choice for evils.
If you follow Masonic teachings, you are to learn to subdue your passions. Gain complete mastery over yourself -- such mastery that the passions implanted in man for useful, beneficent and defensive purposes, may be at your command for good uses, and thoroughly submissive and obedient to your reason and good will. Let them have no dominion over you -- in solitude, among people, or under surprise -- but keep constant control over them.
You are also to improve yourself in Masonry. The meaning of this is both practical and symbolical. Practically, that you are to be so skilled in its arts and mysteries as to make yourself known as a Mason, while this skill acts as help to memory, order, system, and mental training. The Mason who has carefully observed our ceremonies, and studied Masonic principles, is much better qualified to preside over public assemblies, or to rule bodies of men, than another of equal natural ability who has enjoined no such advantages.
It is not the intention of Masonry to train you for a partisan in politics, religion, or anything else. There are certain things in politics and religion in "which all good men agree." As a Mason, and per consequence, a good man, you are so far partisan in reasonable moderation. Masonry does not debar you from partisanship. But it forbids the use of violent, corrupt, or unlawful means or measures; for these or any of them prove your cause to be weak, unworthy or wicked. Keep your garments unsoiled. The time will come when such a noble reputation will speak volumes in your favor. Commence honestly and honorably in all things, and keep on so, in prosperity and adversity, to the end. At the end of every canvass, and every contest, let Masons be able to take each other by the hand and say, "In all my partisanship, in all my business, in every battle of life, I have said no word and done no thing dishonorable or dishonest." Perfection is no man's lot. The principle of every invention is perfect; but no man ever promulgated an invention so perfect as to be incapable if improvement. You may err sometimes. Stand on no assumed dignity in case of error or wrong; you weaken yourself and your cause by so doing. Repair whatever error you may commit or wrong you may do, to the extent of your power. While you may suffer in your own self-respect, you will at least maintain your character for sincerity and honor, which is better than gold. And let all this be done manfully and above-board, and not abjectly or stealthily. But better that all this, let their be no occasion for it.
As a Mason, you are a counselor, an advocate, a judge. Strong measures are sometimes necessary and justifiable against a Brother; but in nine cases out of ten, there is a "more excellent way." Good counsel, tenderly and lovingly given, may prove to be "apples of gold in pictures of silver." Temper judgment with mercy, support the weak, reclaim the erring, and guide the stranger in the right way.
Bear in mind, young Brethren, that you are soon to be the rulers and governors of our noble Craft; also, that the young men are to be the citizens and rulers of this mighty Nation. And at this point you reach the Symbolical uses of Masonry. Study them in your Masonic bodies; study them from our written and oral teachings; study them from the great Book of Inspiration; study them from the volumes of nature; and from the good and bad lives of your fellow men. Respect and revere the religious teacher and religious teachings, but follow your own honest, well-matured convictions. Tolerate every man in his opinions, but resolutely maintain your own. Let every man worship in his own way, as he pleases; but agreeably to your professions, do you worship God, and Him only. Trust Him, rely on His promises, and keep His commandments, and you will not only be a just and upright Mason, but it will be well with you in the end.
One for all, all for one,
Thomas D. Kleiner
Thomas D. Kleiner
adapted from the Committee on Education and Service of the Grand Lodge of Texas, A.F.&A.M. for distribution among Petitioners for Masonry, Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Masons.
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Law School Scholarship |
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Law School Scholarship offered for children of Illinois Masons
 
Article from the Spring/Summer 2005 issue of Illinois Freemasonry, page 9
The Darleen J. and Robert L. Walker Scholarship Fund is accepting applications at the Fund's website, www.walkerscholarship.org. The scholarship is funded by a gift from the estate of Bro. Robert L. Walker of Lombard, Ill. who passed away in 2004 and was a longtime courtrrm clerk in the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton.
"Bob thought very highly of lawyers, and he put his money where his heart was in planning his estate," said James Reichardt, Villa Park attorney, executor of Walker's estate and Fund director.
The Walker Scholarship Fund will provide financial assistance to students stufying law at the following law schools: Chicago-Kent, DePaul, John Marshall, Loyola Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Southern Iliinois, University of Illinois, University of Chicago, Marquette, St. Louis University and Washington University.
Under the terms of Walker's will, preference for the scholarship assistance is given to children of members of his home lodge, Lombard No. 1098, as well as to former residents of the Masonic Children's home at LaGrange. Relatives of members of other Illinois lodges are also eligible for consideration.
A scholarship recipient must be a student accepted and in good standing at one of the law schools listed. Apllicants must submit a completed application and demonstrate financial need. Scholarships may be renewed upon verification of continued financial need and ongoing good standing at the law school.
Applications may be submitted online, faxed or mailed, and are due in the Funds office by July 15th, 2005. Awards will be announced no later than August 12th, 2005.
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Station Definitions |
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Worshipful Master
Leaps tall buildings in a single bound, is more powerful than a locomotive is faster than a speeding bullet, also walks on water.
Senior Warden
Leaps short buildings in a single bound, is more powerful than a switch engine, is just as fast as a speeding bullet, walks on water if the sea is calm, and talks with God.
Junior Warden
Leaps short buildings with a running start and favorable winds, is almost as powerful as a switch engine, is faster than a speeding BB, walks on water in an indoor pool, and talks with God with special approval.
Deacons
Barely clears a Quonset hut, looses tug of war with a locomotive, can fire a speeding bullet, passes water, and is occasionally addressed by God.
Treasurer
Makes high marks on the wall when trying to leap over buildings, is run over by a locomotive, can sometimes handle a gun without inflicting self-injury, doggie paddles in water, and talks to animals.
Stewards
Falls over doorsteps when trying to enter buildings, says, "Look at the choo-choo," squirts self with water pistol, plays in mud puddles, and mutters to self.
Tiler
Runs into buildings, recognizes locomotives two out of three times, is not issued ammunition, can stay afloat with a life jacket, talks to walls.
Secretary
Lifts buildings and walks under them, kicks locomotives off the tracks, catches speeding bullets with his teeth and eats them, freezes water with a single glance, and answers only to God.
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Masonic Philosopher Wannabe |
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Seeking a path to the secrets of Freemasonry
- by Larry Jacobsen, 33°
(Originally appeared in The Nebraska Mason)
In my youth, philosophy ranked 113th on my list of 100 favorite things. After all, I was on a path to a profession (in my case, architecture), and I needed to know geometry, business, English, design, statistics, and strengths of materials. I had little use for the academia of philosophy.
If fact, I spent more time making fun of philosophy than studying it – “Philosophy is unintelligible answers to unsolvable problems” – or – “Philosophy is an orderly way of discussing subjects we don’t know anything about.”
Needless to say, I was not a good candidate for the local philosophical society. I joined Masonry while still in college. I participated in the rituals, went through the chairs, served as Master, and learned the Middle Chamber lecture.
It was all I could do to keep up with the memorization and presentation. What was lurking behind all those allegories, metaphors, and symbols was a mystery to me.
We had no formal Masonic education programs back then, no dialogues about what we were really doing every week in lodge.
Don’t get me wrong – the fellowship with the brethren was great, and the training in verbal presentations skills via the rituals helped me immensely in my professional career.
But I had yet to receive the “whack in the side of the head” as to the big picture of Masonry.
I joined the Scottish Rite, took part in a degree, and one of my speaking parts in presenting a whole series of signs, tokens, words and symbols was concluded with the following statement: “It remains for you to learn what meanings are involved in the legend and symbolism of this degree.”
My first reaction to this was – “Well thank you very much. – You just unloaded on me the whole of ancient esoteria, and now I need to figure it out myself?”
Calm reflection being a virtue, I said to myself – “Okay, I’ll take the bait. Let’s begin to get beneath the surface and find out what this is all about.”
This began my Masonic education. It around 1986, and I had already been a Mason for 20 years. I never said I was a fast learner.
The “whack in the side of the head” was yet to come.
Either I just woke up about 1990, or there seemed to be a general reawakening about Masonry going on then – new books examining its history, relevance, symbolism, and its philosophy.
Like assembling a 10,000 piece jigsaw puzzle, the connected pieces were beginning to make some sense.
I was hooked – and showing just how conniving Masonry can be, here I was, heaven forbid, studying the great philosophers – my 113th favorite topic.
But lo and behold, in the studying of these philosophers, I began to see some familiar Masonic overtones:
Pythagoras – geometry
Socrates – Know thyself
Plato – Creator = Architect of the Universe
Aristotle – the soul
Aquinas – a lot of Middle Chamber concepts here
Bruno – memory
Bacon – House of Solomon
Locke – civil government
Shaftsbury – harmony
Enyclopedie – knowledge
I even determined that perhaps I was wiser than Mark Twain who said, “The Ancient stole all our ideas from us.”
Masonry really is a compilation of some of the greatest ideas from the greatest philosophers in history.
However, as we all know, Masonry does not just put the oats down where the goats can get it.
Okay, maybe Albert Pike said it more eloquently; “Masonry does not inculcate her truths. She states them once, and briefly; or hints them, perhaps darkly; or interposes a cloud between them and the eyes that would be dazzled by them. ‘Seek and ye shall find’ knowledge and the truth.”
So here we are, full circle to the allegories, metaphors and symbols of Masonry – and yes, it does remain for you to learn what it means to you.
Perhaps by now I was getting close to the philosopher’s stone. If Harry Potter went after it, why not me.
By the way, this ‘philosopher’s stone’ stuff is a whole history in itself. Throughout history and up to nearly the 19th century, there were serious attempts at alchemy, an attempt to physically transmute base metals to gold.
Even Isaac Newton dabbled in this “science.” Gold was the most precious of materials then, and gold was the means to everything that could be bought.
Michael Miller, in an essay titled The Philosopher’s Stone, stated, “Their quest for the philosopher’s stone can be viewed as irrational silliness or the highest idealism.
“There was no reason to expect such a ‘stone’ to exist, but what alchemists hoped to gain by means of the philosopher’s stone is the sum of all human ambition.
“Transmutation of metals was the least of the stone’s supposed powers. Gold is a means to all wealth, but the philosopher’s stone is a means to all ends, a universal means. And it’s lying around for the taking. It’s everywhere.
“If you have the wit to merely recognize it and learn how to use it, then all ends are within your reach.
“We needn’t wonder why those who believed in the philosopher’s stone devoted their lives to finding it. What higher ideal could they seek? What better end could a man set himself than a universal means?”
Pardon the digression. The philosopher’s stone has, of course, no place in Masonic ritual, and I am certainly not equating this to some Harry Potter adventure. But I could not help but draw a parallel to our Masonic “secrets.”
Is it possible that the secret may not be what is important, but rather the search for the secret that matters? [enter “whack in the side of the head”] And the clues in that search are all around us.
Where, you ask? Listen closely the next time a brother speaks from the heart about our fraternity.
Read the sincerity of a fellow member as he coaches you in the ritual.
Listen and interpret what you hear the next time your lodge does the Middle Chamber lecture.
Read Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, listen to the Scottish Fantasy by Bruch, spend an evening in the mountains under full starlight, and countless other experiences that can take you on an ascent of inquiry.
Ah, the beauty of philosophy. Not because I discovered the “secret,” but that I’ve begun to find a path to that “secret” that works for me.
Others may not have a clue what my path is, but I know they have their own path.
I can see it in their eyes and in their deeds. Good Masons do not disguise themselves easily.
Well, there you have it – confessions of a Masonic philosopher wannabe, and the only thing I can state for a fact is that is this | | |
