From Darkness to Light

by Shawn M. Gorley

From darkness to light is a term that is familiar to all Freemasons.  We all hear the words, “you have been brought from darkness to true Masonic Light” at a certain point in our in our journey to become a Brother in the fraternity of Freemasonry.  On that journey it is explained to us exactly what that term means, Masonically speaking.  In this article I would like to share with you an instance of rising from darkness to Masonic Light that has completely changed a man’s life as well as the lives of his family members.  This story has been told to some, and their responses to the story I heard things like; this is so inspirational, what an amazing story, a great example of a true Freemason rising from the darkness and one of my favorites from a very close Brother and friend in which he responded “Wow, I was extremely jealous of this guy, but now that I know the story behind it I see him as an inspiration not a man to be jealous of.  I have shared a part of this story in my new book “Freemasonry Defined, Using History to Understand the Fraternity.”  However I would like to share it with the readers of this magazine in the hope of helping a Brother out that may be in a similar situation as well as to show what a positive impact Freemasonry can have on a man and his family’s life.

The story begins some years ago when this man was waiting to be given the Entered Apprentice degree.  He was new to the town that the Lodge was located in but knew his recommender quite well and trusted him.  That first night and since the soon to be initiate had no idea where the Lodge in this town was located was told by his recommender to meet at his house and he could follow the recommender to the Lodge.  Well, the candidate waited and waited and the recommender never showed up at the agreed upon time.  Just as the candidate was about to give up and go home he tried one last time to get a hold of his recommender and to his surprise he succeeded.  The recommender flat out apologized and said that he had completely forgotten about meeting him at his house.  Needless to say the candidate was initiated after arriving thirty minutes late to the meeting.  He reluctantly continued on to be raised to the sublime degree in this particular Lodge were he felt and was treated as an outsider that was new and not “one of the boys.”  This man was raised in what I like to call a “Mason Mill” where there main focus is to initiate as many members as possible.  On each of the three nights he attended his was one of six degrees given on each occasion.  Upon receiving the title of Master Mason before this gentleman departed for home he asked one of the members of the Lodge if there were any books to read about Masonry and the response was “No there are no books, everything is strictly mouth to ear” the funny thing was this was well after Pennsylvania started printing their ritual.  Needless to say, because of the way he and the other new Brethren were treated he never returned to a Masonic Lodge until much later in this story.

A couple years later the man I speak of moved away from the area back to his hometown due to a job.  While working at his job he was involved in a very serious vehicular accident that almost killed one person and left himself in a perilous situation barely able to walk because of a seriously injured back and spinal cord.  This Brother faced years of recovery and surgery to repair his spine.  After the accident the Brother learned he had lost his job, between that and the realization that his life will never be the same and the worry of income for his family he fell into a very dark place emotionally speaking and it wasn’t helping that he was restrained to a bed for months on end because of the pain.  One day his wife who was very supportive suggested he find some activity to occupy his time and take his mind of the dooming situation and bought him a tablet with internet access in hopes that this would help.  One day he stumbled across the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s web site and was navigating his way around it, he came across a link for the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge.  To him this was great, he was not only a history enthusiast but he also learned that there indeed were books on Freemasonry.  He enrolled in the Academy and soon began reading books and learning about the Fraternity he was a part of but not necessarily impressed with.  The more he read and reported on his views and what he learned from these books the more he was amazed at what the Fraternity was actually about.  As he progressed through the Academy he realized the requirements got harder and he could no longer just read and report on books to keep progressing, he had to write Masonic articles suitable for publication, make presentations on Masonic topics and attend Academy meetings in able to finish and earn the status of Master Masonic scholar.  So, one of the first things he did to earn credit with the Academy was write an article and turn it in.  He got a full credit with the Academy for the article and was told by a board member of the institution how much he liked it and was impressed by it, so the Brother decided to submit said article to one of the monthly Masonic Magazines he came across and to his delight the article was published.This Brother continued to write many articles and to his surprise, every single one of them got published.  To put it lightly because of the Academy and his articles being published in the magazine, the Brothers life was looking up, he had a sparkle back in his eyes so to speak.  Moving on he knew he had to give Masonic presentations so once he was mobile enough to move around under his own power he began to look for Lodges to visit and hopefully one he could call home.  He made many visits to many Lodges only to discover that the meetings were nothing more than boring business meetings and cold shoulder because he was not familiar with any of the members.  This kept on for months, determined to find a Lodge that he liked and felt welcome in he kept on looking, because he knew in his heart that the Freemasonry he had read about surely had to exist somewhere.  One night he visited a Lodge and immediately knew that this was the one.  He was made feel welcome, every member went out of their way to talk to him and make him feel at home, it was very much like the Freemasonry he had read about.  For the next few months he returned to visit this Lodge getting the same wonderful reception every single time.  Shortly after he put in his papers to fully transfer to his new found Lodge from the “Mason mill” he was raised in.  He was finally in good spirits, at least mentally and emotionally, his body however was still in rough shape.

For many months this Brother continued to write and have his articles published, give education presentation to his new found Lodge and read about Freemasonry.  One day while on Facebook he saw a request for a Masonic library that also had an online publication asking if anyone was interested in reviewing and writing book reviews for the publication on all new books that came into the library.  The Brother responded to the request and sent along several samples of his previously published article for the library to review before making their decision, he figured what the heck, I like reading books on Freemasonry and enjoy writing, why not?  A few weeks later he got an email that said he had gotten the position of book review editor and was very pleased.  He continued writing, reading and giving presentations for the Academy and the publications and one day he received a Skype call from a gentleman asking if he would have any interest in presenting a video lecture that would be hosted online for the world of Freemasonry to view and he gladly accepted.  Not long after that he was staring down the need to find employment as his doctors told him this is about as your physically going to get, he was going to have back and spine issues the rest of his life along with the arthritis that had set in because of the injury, he slowly started going downhill wondering what he could do to support his family, as the articles, presentations and book reviews did not pay as well as the fact that due to his injuries he could never again continue the career he previously had because of the injuries.  He was at a loss with no idea what to do and getting rejected from job after job because of his limitations.  It all changed one day when he was on LinkedIn searching for some sort of opportunity when he stumbled across a representative of a Masonic book publisher that was looking for a freelance editor.  The Brother thought what the heck I’ll apply, the worst they will do to me is say no.  Surprisingly this person responded to him and asked for some examples of his writing and credentials.  By that time he had achieved Master Masonic Scholar status with the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge, had, numerous book reviews written as well as lectures and had the one lecture posted on a website.  This person from the publisher responded back and explained that they were looking for someone with a deep knowledge of Freemasonry and great writing skill and said that the Brother I speak of was perfect for the position.  The Brother was ecstatic, he finally had a way to earn money for his family.  Shortly after that the Brother finally got around to publishing a book that he had been working on for over a year and a half and his life was looking up.

Brethren, the man I have written about in this article is me, Shawn M. Gorley.  I did not share this story lightly nor am I looking for any special attention from it.  Those that know me realize I am a very humble man and I don’t go looking to be in the spotlight.  I am just a regular guy and Freemason that tries every single day to be the better man that Freemasonry is helping me become.  I titled this article, “From Darkness to Light” for a very simple reason and I hope you all realize that rising from darkness to true Masonic Light does not just happen when you are going through the degrees, it can happen every single day if you choose to rise from the darkness toward the light and be the best you can.  From the one single decision I made to enroll in the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge up to now the only thing I have done to better myself is stick to the lessons I have learned from this wonderful Fraternity and apply them as much as possible.  This Fraternity has truly changed my life along with the men associated with it.  Yes I have had a little luck along the way to get to where I am today but it never would have happened if I had not done what I did.  I hope that somewhere out there if there is a Brother in a bad spot in his life I truly hope he hears this story and realizes that if I can do it we all can!  After all, I am nothing special, just a man and Freemason like the millions of others out there.  I would like to offer a huge thank you to all of the Brothers and people associated with Freemasonry.  Lastly, this was my story, now it is time to move on and give another Brother the same as I have received from this Fraternity.

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Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit! If you enjoyed this piece, please feel free to share it on social media sites, or with your Lodge.

For more information on Bro. Shawn M. Gorley, please CLICK HERE

Secrecy and Freemasonry

by Shawn M. Gorley

We often hear there are no secrets in Freemasonry or that our biggest secret is there are no secrets.  This topic is probably the most commonly misunderstood and or misinterpreted subject in relation to the Craft of Freemasonry.  There are numerous books, shows and documentaries that all claim to reveal the secrets of the Freemasons.  Every Mason goes through the degrees of initiation hearing many times that once we become Master Masons that we will be privy to these ancient and mystical Secrets and truly how many of us walk away after the evening we were raised to a Master Mason with more questions than we had before we were initiated?  How many Brothers were let down by this and perhaps never returned to the lodge because all they ever saw of Freemasonry was just passing the bills the minutes and such, sort of like a boring work meeting.  To say that there are no secrets in Freemasonry or that a Mason learns no secrets as a result of being a Brother of the Craft, in my humble opinion is quite frankly a rip-off to not only freshly made Masons but also men that have been members for many years and have not realized what these secrets are.  Don’t give up, they are there!

I have witnessed many times in multiple areas that when a Mason curiously asks a Brother Mason that has been of the Craft for a long time the most common response he receives is a mere wink and nod with a smirk.  In some cases this response has been given because the older more experienced Mason knows that a Man must work hard himself to attain them not just merely ask and receive, but sadly I fear that this response is given more often because the older more experienced Brother himself has no idea and it is easier to wink and nod than admit he doesn’t know, this statement isn’t merely one made by myself or in any way meant to be a sort of smart a$$ statement.  For several years I have been conflicted by this, and after much investigation and asking this question to hundreds of Brethren, sadly that bold statement I made seems to be true.

I am also quite active within Freemasonry and as a result I have the opportunity and pleasure to meet with many newly raised Masons and almost all of them ask about the “secrets” of Freemasonry.  As always, I enjoy wonderful conversations with many of them and to sum up what I always tell them, “any Brother that tells you there are no secrets in Freemasonry is full of bunk, or has not searched for them himself. Do not fall for it, there are most definitely secrets, they just may not be what you think they are but I guarantee you, when you find them it will be an amazing experience.”

I realize there are many Brothers out there that will disagree with me and the above statements, and that is fine, we all get different things from Freemasonry.  However I strongly feel that making the statement “there are no secrets in Freemasonry” merely to satisfy our foes or the general public to be more appealing to future prospective members is unjust.  Without giving anything away that is contained in the degrees, yes it is stated multiple times that you are now privileged to the secrets of Freemasonry, and yes 300 years ago and prior, secrecy was without a doubt the most solemn and serious of matters because of the fact that a secret meeting of men of various religions meeting together as well as educating each other was a serious offense in those dark times and men could literally be punished in a most painful and severe manner for going against the wishes of the church and state, and in certain parts of the world today this is still true.  However I am not saying that because we now do have the privilege to meet in freedom without fear of these punishments that the secrets have disappeared, they are there and always will be present, and privilege does not mean they will be given to you freely, you have to work to obtain them, and yes they are most likely different for every man.  Brethren, I challenge you to find out your own personal secrets that can be found from Freemasonry.  What I found to be my secrets were amazing and I am grateful every day to have discovered them as well as discovering more every day.

I will close up this article with one of my all-time favorite quotes from one of my favorite Masonic authors, Brother Joseph Fort Newton, “The secret of Masonry is like the secret of life. It can be known only to those who seek it, serve it, and live it. It cannot be uttered, only felt and acted. It is in fact, an open secret, and each man knows it according to his own quest and capacity. Like all other things worth knowing, no man can know it for another, and no man can know it alone.”  If you are curious of the “secrets” I ask you to think about the above quote and also to think and study the lessons contained within the degrees and the Lodge, with hard work you will find them.

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Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit! If you enjoyed this piece, please feel free to share it on social media sites, or with your Lodge.

For more information on Bro. Shawn M. Gorley, please CLICK HERE

An Exploration of Masonic Charity

by Jason E. Marshall

This article was originally published in the Sept 2012 edition of Living Stone Magazine

Charity is the first great lesson taught to newly made E.A.’s, as we awkwardly stand destitute before our brethren. Under the banner of this first great lesson venerable masonic institutions, programs, orphanages, retirement homes, and even hospitals and clinics have been formed and maintained. However, beyond a quick lesson at the alter, which unfortunately can be used as a point of levity for the brethren who have had to “endure” sitting through “another” E.A. degree, and promises to aid and assist in our oaths, there is very little discussion as to what charity is, why it is necessary, and how to properly implement it.

On its surface, charity provides a way for the fraternity to support its membership, and their families, as well as communities, in times of need. This has helped the fraternity to garner a publically favorable image as a charitable institution, which has undoubtedly allowed it to weather numerous anti-masonic storms, as well as attract numerous men to its ranks. However, Freemasonry’s purpose is not to be a charitable institution in the same way that the Lions Clubs and Rotary Clubs are, and the fraternity’s public acts of charity, and charitable acts that support its membership and youth groups, aren’t necessarily true masonic charity. While many brethren will undoubtedly become riled at my assertions, it is necessary to first understand what true charity is, before one can develop an accurate picture of what masonic charity is, and how it can be implemented.

First, charity is obviously not a uniquely masonic concept, the concept of charity, and the call to be charitable, is present in every world religion. For example, one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith, in the form of the Zakat, is charity. The Zakat is a mandatory charitable contribution, based on excess monetary or property holdings, that all eligible Muslims must give in order to support the poor and needy, as well as Islam itself. In fact, in some Islamic countries the Zakat is collected by the government as a tax. Muslims believe that the Zakat is merely a way to give thanks to Allah, for the many gifts and blessings that he has given them, which allowed them to have the excess money or property that made them eligible for the Zakat to begin with. Muslim’s believe that since everything comes from Allah, the Zakat gives thanks to Allah, and merely redistributes his blessings to others. In the masonic context there are numerous groups and bodies that put a high emphasis on charity, and while giving to the charitable arms of those groups might not be required, it is certainly emphasized and encouraged. While the giving aspect is an obvious and important aspect of charity, because by its very nature charity requires that an individual or group give something to another person or group, the act of simply giving something is not all there is to true charity.

The first aspect of true charity, is that the gift must be voluntary, it shouldn’t be mandatory, coerced, or even expected. True charity should only be done at the impetus of the giver, out of an altruistic desire to alleviate a need or suffering that the receiver is experiencing.  If the charity is not voluntary the giver may eventually view the gift, or recurring gifts, as a burden, and even come to resent having to give, which obviously taints the entire charitable process. Also, even if the giver doesn’t resent the charity, unless the gift is of their own free will and accord, they will not be emotionally or spiritually vested in the charitable act, or the intended receiver, so the act of giving merely becomes a mundane transaction.

Another aspect of true charity is that it must be done out of love and compassion. You cannot have true charity unless love and compassion are present, because as soon as other motivation(s) are added or substituted, charity becomes corrupted. For example, if “charity” is given in order to receive public recognition or praise, the gift is no longer about charity, it is about public relations, advancing agendas, or elevating egos. If you are giving “charity” in order to receive a lofty title, or have your name engraved on a plaque, you aren’t performing true charity because your true motivation is personal gain and recognition, so you are merely attempting to buy prestige. Also, charity that is given for public show, or for the elevation of the giver over the receiver, is not charity at all; rather, it is a vile act, because the giver is in essence making a public show of their piety towards a person in need, which demeans the receiver. According to the book of Matthew, Jesus taught,

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:1-4

The final aspect of true charity, is that it must address an actual need. Charity that is given to support individuals or groups that are perfectly capable of supporting themselves, is not true charity. In the masonic context, there are many lodge’s that spend the majority of their charitable budget on the support of youth groups and other appendant bodies, or for charitable public relation efforts. This is not true masonic charity. Supporting a masonic, or quasi-masonic group that is perfectly capable of supporting itself is just that, “support”, not charity. Also, public relations efforts under the guise of charity, aren’t true charity because they aren’t done altruistically, they are being done for public relations and/or advertising purposes, and should be recognized as such. True masonic charity involves helping the poor, sick, and destitute, and upholding our vows to aid and assist our brethren, and their wives, widows, and orphans, in their times of need.

Finally, charity allows the individual brother to put the teachings of the fraternity into practice in a truly altruistic way. The true Mason should focus on not only his own personal and spiritual development, but the wellbeing of others, including his brethren, which is something that Masons have excelled at throughout history. In his book, The Better Angels of our Nature: Freemasonry in the American Civil War, Bro. Michael Halleran, points out that Freemasonry was unique among the many fraternal societies that were active during the American Civil War, because unlike groups like the Odd Fellows, which had systematic ways of getting charitable aid and relief to soldiers, and even across enemy lines, the Freemasons did not have any fraternally sanctioned system of accomplishing charity. However, there are numerous stories of charitable and compassionate acts among and between Freemasons on both sides during the war. Instead of relying on a systematic fraternal aid system, Freemasons came to each other’s aid and relief on a personal level, and through personal acts of charity and compassion, and they did so on an impressive scale. Today, the individual brethren should seek ways to be charitable both within and outside of the fraternity, and with today’s hyper-mobile society, and the plethora of digital payment options, being charitable is easier than ever to accomplish.

Masonic charity as a whole can be a powerful force for good when properly implemented. True masonic charity puts the teachings of the craft into action, and gives individual members the opportunity to put the teachings of the craft to work beyond their own personal paths. Through charity, the masonic fraternity can not only produce philosopher kings, but also better society as a whole, through its individual and collective works.

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If you enjoyed this piece, please feel free to share it on social media sites, or with your Lodge.

For more information on Bro. Jason E. Marshall, please CLICK HERE.