The Universal Search for Light

By: Jason E. Marshall

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                                                                                                                           Atrium- Guthrie SR Temple

In a world so often torn by religious division and strife, the Masonic fraternity stands as a beacon of universal love and brotherhood. The Masonic fraternity truly is a universal brotherhood of men under the fatherhood of God. However, the universal nature of our fraternity often makes it a peculiar institution to those outside of the fraternity, and sometimes even to those within the fraternity. The universality of our fraternity has often been the basis for various conspiracy theories and slanderous claims from outside groups and individuals, and the impetus for ill-informed and misguided power-grabs and exclusionary policies by those entrusted with positions of power within the fraternity. Masonry at its core depends on its universality, because the universality of our craft allows the Light from the myriad of religions and traditions practiced by the individual brethren to come together to further illuminate the paths of all of its initiates. Also, the search for Light that all Masonic initiates have professed to be seeking mirrors the journey that all initiates and true seekers have undertaken since time immemorial. Therefore, the universal search for Light allows for our fraternity to not only be beneficial to the individual member, regardless of his particular faith, but also to society as a whole.

While most Masons will agree that universality is essential to our craft, it is important to explore what allows for universality to exist. What is it about our fraternity that allows men of all races, creeds, and backgrounds to come together for the betterment of not only the individual member, but for the betterment of society as a whole? While most “religious people” wouldn’t dare step foot in another’s house of worship, nor engage in any meaningful conversation with someone of a different faith, what is it that allows Masons of all faiths to come together and meet on the level of equality, act according to the plumb of rectitude, and part upon the square of virtue and morality?

To begin with, the Ancient Landmarks of our fraternity explicitly allow for universality to not only occur, but prosper. The Landmarks of our fraternity, are intentionally vague as to what version of sacred law must be on the alter, and so long as the brother honestly believes in a supreme being, and can submit himself to the rules of our order, his particular creed is of no importance. In discussing the qualifications for membership in his 1856 work Jurisprudence of Freemasonry, Brother Albert Mackey stated,

“The Landmarks of Freemasonry are so perfect that they neither need nor will permit of the slightest amendment. Thus in the very instance here referred to, the fundamental law of Freemasonry requires only a belief in the Supreme Architect of the universe, and in a future life, while it says, with peculiar toleration, that in all other matters of religious belief, Freemasons are only expected to be of that religion in which all men agree, leaving their particular opinions to themselves. Under the shelter of this wise provision, the Christian and the Jew, the Mohammedan and the Brahmin, are permitted to unite around our common altar, and Freemasonry becomes, in practice as well as in theory, universal.” [1]

In this quote Brother Mackey explicitly states that, “Freemasons are only expected to be of that religion which all men agree”. However, given that there are over 22 major religions currently practiced in the world today, how can it be said that there is any religion to which all men agree? The answer to this question depends on one’s perspective. Many religious people take an “exclusive” view on religion, thus leading them to view their own particular religion as being superior to any other. This exclusive view is what has lead to the constant state of strife amongst many religious people throughout history. However, if one can set aside dogma, and take a step back in order to take an objective look at the teachings of the world religions, the various religions actually have a great deal more in common than they have differences. Therefore, the Masonic system takes an “inclusive” view of religion, and instead of focusing on the differences between particular creeds, it focuses on, and enhances, the universal truth contained in all world religions.

Too often, religious labels are used to create barriers between “us” and “them”, which naturally creates conflict. Also, when religious labels are used, prejudices of various forms can easily come to the surface. Furthermore, when an exclusive view of religion is taken, there can never be true harmony or cooperation, because the individual holding an exclusive view will always feel superior to someone of a different faith, thus creating a constant state of imbalance. Therefore, the Masonic fraternity doesn’t seek to attach religious labels to its initiates, nor does it seek to dissuade men of a particular faith from joining. This allows all Masons to truly meet on the level of equality, so rather than being a “Christian Mason”, a “Muslim Mason”, a “Buddhist Mason”, a “Wiccan Mason”, etc., we refer to one another by the simple yet sacred appellation “Brother”.

The Masonic teachings involving moral rectitude, virtue, brotherly love, and relief are universal in nature, and mirror the “Golden Rule” that is almost universally taught by all world religions. Since the moral teachings of our craft are mirrored in the religions of the world, each brother can subscribe to and emulate the teachings without any conflict to his particular faith. In fact, the teachings of our craft should reinforce the teachings of virtue and morality found in each member’s individual faith; and the particular teachings of one’s faith, should reinforce the teachings of the craft, all working together in order to bring about further illumination. When properly applied the teachings of our fraternity lead one to treat each brother, and all of mankind, with dignity, empathy, equality, respect, and love.

“What then, is Brotherly Love? Manifestly, it means that we place on another man the highest possible valuation as a friend, a companion, an associate, a neighbor. ‘By the exercise of Brotherly Love, we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family.' We do not ask that, from our relationship, we shall achieve any selfish gain. Our relationship with a brother is its own justification, its own reward. Brotherly Love is one of the supreme values without which life is lonely, unhappy, and ugly. This is not a hope or dream, but a fact. Freemasonry builds on that fact, provides opportunity for us to have such fellowship, encourages us to understand and to practice it, and to make it one of the laws of our existence, one of our Principal Tenets." [2]

The teachings of universal love, morality, virtue, and charity, are all part of the Light that the Creator has bestowed upon mankind. Each initiate and seeker naturally seeks to gain an understanding of Light, and a true master uses the virtues learned to better not only himself, but all of mankind. The Masonic system gives its initiates a path to learn these virtues so that the individual member can better refine his spiritual ashlar, as well as reflect these virtues, true Light, back out into the world. Therefore, the Masonic fraternity welcomes seekers from all faiths, because in the end all seekers are in pursuit of Light, and the Masonic system serves to focus and add further illumination to aid its initiates on their path.

Masonry speaks to men of all races, creeds, and backgrounds, because the search for Light that is so essential to all Masons is also important to all religions and all true aspirants. The search for Light is the force that compels men of all creeds to begin and maintain their individual spiritual journeys. Therefore, Light is the force that compels the Masonic initiate to begin and maintain his Masonic journey. Finally, Light, and the brotherly love that it creates and supports, is the tie that unites seekers of all faiths into the sacred band of brothers that compose the Masonic Fraternity. Therefore, the true Mason joins his fellow initiates in the universal search for Light, whereby his single candle of insight and Light is joined with the collected Light of all of his brethren, and thereby the individual and the fraternity are enriched. According to Brother Manly P. Hall,

“The true Mason is not creed-bound. He realizes with the divine illumination of his lodge that as a Mason his religion must be universal: Christ, Buddha or Mohammed, the name means little, for he recognizes only the light and not the bearer. He worships at every shrine, bows before every altar, whether in temple, mosque or cathedral, realizing with his truer understanding the oneness of all spiritual truth.”[3]

The Masonic system also reinforces man’s search for Divine Light. To use a metaphor, the search for Divine Light is like a man confined to a dark room that is filled with beautiful and extremely valuable objects, there is a lit candle that has been constantly burning, but its light is obstructed, and there is also a key in the room that if found would allow him to escape. Without the light of the candle, the man is in perpetual darkness, and while he may know that there are beautiful objects in the room, he cannot see them or truly enjoy them, he can also never hope to find the key that will allow him to escape; instead, he can only grope and stumble about in the darkness. Now then, if the object obstructing the candle falls away, the man will naturally seek out the source of the light. Once the man discovers the candle, he can use it to explore the room, which will allow him to fully appreciate the beauty of its treasures. The man can also use the candle to light other candles to further illuminate the room, and eventually with enough light the man will discover the key that will allow him to escape the room entirely. In this metaphor, the man in darkness would represent an uninitiated man, stumbling through life in the darkness of ignorance. Ignorance is the object that obstructs the Light of the divine, and once the veil of ignorance is pierced, man naturally seeks out the source of Divine Light in order to reunite with his creator. The Masonic system provides a way to guide its initiates towards the Light of the Creator, so that they may not only discover the Light of the divine, but use that light to further illuminate the world and their fellow man, and when the time comes to leave this world, they can escape the bonds of sorrow and darkness entirely.

Conclusion:

The Masonic system does not discriminate, nor prefer, one religion over the other, because every religion contains the teachings of morality, love, and charity that form the cornerstone of Masonic teachings. To discriminate against a particular religion that teaches morality, love, and charity would create conflict where none should exist. Freemasonry doesn’t seek to convert anyone, nor does it replace one’s religion, it merely enhances one’s spiritual path. The craft is universally attractive to seekers from various faiths, because Masonry enhances the path that seekers from all faiths have undertaken since time immemorial. Every Mason benefits from the universality of the craft, because each member’s Light is added to the Light of his other brethren, which helps to illuminate all of the craft, as well as the world at large. Light added to Light.

Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit!

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End Notes:

[1] Mackey, Albert, Jurisprudence of Freemasonry, 1856, P. 58-59.

[2] Grand Lodge of California, The Masonic Scholar: A Manual of Masonic Education for Candidates, 2008.

[3] Hall, Manly P., The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, 1923, P. 65

The Six Major Themes of the Scottish Rite

By: Robert G. Davis, 33*, Grand Cross

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We often get so wrapped up in the minutia of the lessons which are taught in the Scottish Rite Degrees that it is easy to overlook the over-riding themes which are presented in the Rite. Almost every Mason knows that the Degrees of Freemasonry represent the journey of a man’s life. For example, it is often said that the Entered Apprentice Degree represents the journey of youth; the passage a young man takes as he begins to consciously weigh the differences between right and wrong, ignorance and knowledge, good and evil, and starts to mold the character he will fashion for himself, using the influences of his life as his guide. He has, in a real sense, been initiated by the circumstances of his life; for good or bad. Freemasonry provides him a stable image for life building, and admonishes him to start over if his first attempt didn’t go so well.  

Likewise, we think of the passage of the Fellowcraft as one where the initiate takes stock of his progress in life; a kind of a review of what he knows, and doesn’t know, what has worked for him, and what still remains to be done. He makes an accounting of what he has learned from his experience, his upbringing, friends and acquaintances, education, culture, and community. If he is like most men, he reaches a point where he has studied just about everything in his life but himself. He becomes consciously aware that life is not just about outward appearances, tasks, money, and relationships. He feels a hunger for additional meaning. Masonry informs him that, to feel complete, he ultimately has to affirm himself. This requires a different kind of journey all together.

In Masonry, we think of this more intimate and deeply engaging step in the journey to manhood an important awakening for each man. In ritual terms, it is called “passing the outer door of the temple.”  As one of the oldest institutions serving men today, we also know this is a stage of the journey that four-fifths of the male population in the world will never choose to take.  Yet the consequences of not knowing oneself are staggering. One of the goals of Freemasonry is to help men take this most significant step forward with their own life. 

The journey to mature masculinity doesn’t stop for the rest of us just because some guys choose to exit the train.  For the man who sincerely sees Freemasonry as a transformative art, everything it suggests to, and instructs him from that point in his life where he consciously decides to work on himself, has to do with his awakening consciousness.

The Scottish Rite knows this aspect of a man’s journey well, as it is itself the product of the great movements in history which were all tied to the structure of consciousness. The point of awakening consciousness is precisely where the Scottish Rite joins each man’s journey. The experience of the aspirant through the degrees of the Rite is supposed to be his journey to a higher awareness. It is designed to carry him to a higher level of insight. It is a progressive system of awakening consciousness. Its power lies in its ability to integrate its lessons into the psyche of each individual, meeting him on the level of his own experience, and giving him an opportunity to be transformed by the path of his own life.  

For men, life needs to be seen as a journey. Freemasonry is built on the clear understanding that men need to be engaged in their own quest for self-improvement. The Scottish Rite facilitates this fundamental psychological need in men.

Here are the six major themes a Scottish Rite Mason encounters on his journey to an awakening consciousness:

The Perfect Elu Tradition

 A brother becomes an Elu in the first degree of Masonry when he receives the Apprentice’s prayer. Hands are laid upon his head and he is anointed as one of the “elected” or “elite” entering the Brotherhood of Man. He has been selected by his peers because they see his potential to rise among the best to become the small elite of enlightened minds. But even though he is chosen, he may not become enlightened. God has made men with different intellectual and spiritual motivations and capacities. The Elu Principle avows that, from the ranks of men who desire to improve themselves in Masonry, some will take on the pursuits and occupations of the initiate’s life. These will become the Perfect Elus, the continuators of Creation who will receive the highest levels of knowledge and insight. These will become the gifted and enlightened men.   

 Royal Arch, or Sacred Vault Tradition

 One of the great mysteries of life is that no man can know the principle of his own life. No single element of life has an intrinsic, essential reality of its own. The power and action of will, movement, of thought, memory and dreams are all mysteries. Yet we have a natural impulse to seek the unknown, to seek God in the mystery of our own being. The Royal Arch Tradition maintains that a man must gain access to the knowledge of the Divine truth only by seeking ever deeper within his inmost self, his soul. In Masonry, the crypt or vault is an inward symbol reminding us that it is the internal and not the external qualifications that make a Mason. A man’s soul is his spiritual dimension of the universe, the inmost part of his being where alone he may feel and realize the nature of God and find peace within himself. .

 Rose Croix Tradition

 Among the easiest of emblems to interpret, the rose and cross is one of the great combination symbols of Freemasonry, second perhaps only to the square and compasses. To the Christian Mason, the cross refers to Jesus Christ. But in a broader sense, it symbolizes self-sacrifice for the sake and redemption of mankind. The rose, being among the most beautiful of flowers, symbolizes perfection, and represents hope in a new awakening, renewal, a resurrection of life. The two together (Rose Croix) symbolize faith and hope in immortality won through sorrow and sacrifice. The Rose Croix Tradition informs us that the world is what it is, and we should focus on how to deal with it so that good and the law of love may prevail. This requires a constant fight within our self, and in society. Faith in God and mankind is Wisdom; hope in the victory of good over evil gives Strength, and charity towards all living creatures through respect of life, tolerance and selflessness is Beauty.    

Ancient Mysteries Tradition

The Ancient Mysteries tradition is one of those timeless checks and balances which remind us that our concept of Deity must be felt within because it cannot be wholly conceived intellectually. A society’s concept of God and the universe changes over time with its scientific development. The objective of the Mysteries was to cause a change in the initiate’s condition of mind wherein he could feel the common core, or universal truth, in all religious traditions. The methodology Masonry employs to treat topics that cannot be known or explained is to mystically inspire a feeling about these higher principles through the use and expression of symbolic images, emblems, and hieroglyphs. This was the way of the Mysteries. Rather than a prescribed routine of creed, the Mysteries invited their initiates to seek, feel, compare and judge in order to awaken the mind and develop its creativity. The Ancient Mysteries Tradition affirms that the gap often created by the insufficiency of popular religions and dogmas can be filled by reason and virtue.

Knighthood Tradition

Every man needs to possess at least some knightly energy. Being a knight is one of the essential archetypes of manhood. Freemasonry draws on the Knighthood tradition which dates back to the Crusades. Knights were expected to be the most gallant and virtuous of men. Such men dedicated themselves to the defense of right in the world. Their basic ideals were family unity, moral education, courage, honor and courtesy. A Mason is first and foremost a moralist, a philosopher, a symbolist and spiritualist; but he is also a soldier of honor, loyalty, duty and truth; actively engaged in the warfare of life. The Knighthood Tradition declares that the fight for the very best virtues against ignorance, tyranny and fanaticism is a constant engagement. Life is a battle for good and to fight that battle heroically and well is the great purpose of man’s existence. We all progress upward toward perfection through the same life struggle. Our goal is to live up to the promise of the Elus. This is the essence of true Masonic Knighthood.

Secret Tradition

There is no essential secret in Freemasonry since it is, above all, an aptitude and a state of mind. It is a virtual secret to the uninitiated much like literacy is to an illiterate. Secrecy in Masonry is synonymous with mystery. A mystery is a reality which has not yet been fully understood. The major goal of our lives, as Masters of the Royal Secret, is to unravel the mysteries of our own life. The Secret Tradition represents the quest for equilibrium in the universe, the harmony and unity of the whole, and its application to our personal lives. This is the ultimate quest of mankind, and teaches us above all else to reverence ourselves as divine immortal souls and to respect others as such, since we all share the same divine nature, intelligence and ordeals. This requires LOVE, which is the true word of a Master Mason, the Royal Secret and Holy Doctrine of the every true brotherhood.

Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit!

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Intentional Freemasonry

There is currently a great deal of hand-wringing going on in local Lodges and in Grand Lodges across the country regarding the current state of Freemasonry. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that our membership numbers are declining, and with the declining membership comes decreased revenue to fund our Lodges, charities, and appendant bodies. There have been numerous attempts to solve the problem of declining membership from increased public events to one day classes that take a man from profane to Master Mason in a single day. However, our numbers keep declining, and the active participation rate among the members is abysmal. This has left many Lodges in a conundrum of what to do to increase members on the roles, as well as the participation level of those members.  

Freemasonry isn’t alone in its declining membership, the American Political Scientist, Dr. Robert D. Putnam, explored this phenomena in his book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. In Bowling Alone, Dr. Putnam explores the fact that most civic organizations from local PTA’s and bowling leagues, to charitable and fraternal groups are experiencing massive declines in membership and in active participation. According to Dr. Putnam, the root cause of this is an overall decline in social capital, which is the social or economic benefit given to and derived from social activities. Basically, if a social group is not providing a meaningful and fulfilling experience, people will naturally invest their time and energy into something else, and when the people are no longer contributing to the group, the whole system collapses.

One of the refrains that I constantly hear from brethren around the country is that Lodges are doing plenty of Entered Apprentice degrees, but nobody shows back up to finish the degrees, and those that do manage to finish never stay around to become officers. I’m often shocked by the lack of soul searching, when I ask the simple question, "what is the purpose of your lodge?", and there is either no defined answer, or the generic "to make good men better" line is hesitantly given. Simply put, a Lodge that has no defined purpose or a membership intentionally working to fulfill that purpose is doomed to fail, because it not only lacks a path and direction for its current members, but it also gives nothing for new members to buy into and strive for.

The intent of the brethren, especially the Lodge officers, makes the difference between a fulfilling Masonic experience and a mere social gathering. Intent also separates a true craftsman from a mere dues cardholder. Simply put, the various Masonic Lodge, bodies, rites, and groups must have the intent to spread Light in order to aid the brethren on their Masonic journeys, and a true craftsman must have the intent to truly labor in the quarries of the various bodies, rites, and groups.

There are three basic types of intention: intention for the future, 2) intention that compels action, and 3) intentional action. [1] These types of intention don’t have to depend on one another, because we can have an intention do something in the future that is never acted upon, and we can certainly undertake an action without giving it any forethought; however, in order for someone or a group to fulfill an end goal, with minimum unintended consequences, all three types of intention should be properly utilized. Intention and intentional planning in Freemasonry is vital because our intention will shape what our fraternity is today, as well as what it will be in the future. To utilize the philosophical definition of intent, if we are to maintain or restore the true purpose of Freemasonry and its various bodies and groups, which is to spread Light and facilitate the transformative process, then we must utilize the three types of intention. We must utilize the intention for the future by formulating what we want our lodges, rites, and bodies to be in the future. Where is _______ going to be in 5 years, 10 years, or 25 years? By utilizing intention that compels action, we must begin to research and lay the groundwork for our vision, and clearly define what our intentions are, and we must not be content with the status quo, or mediocrity, or with burying our heads in the sand when it comes to facing issues. Finally, intentional action must take place, where we must intentionally and purposefully undertake the necessary work to see our vision to completion. This requires true leaders stepping-up and working for the good of the current craft and the craft of the future, from local Lodges all the way to Grand Lodges.

Since our fraternity is composed of and crafted exclusively by its members, we as individual craftsman must have the intent to become the best man and Freemason that we can be, because only then can the fraternity reach its true potential. As craftsman we must not be content with mediocrity, and superfluous titles. Throughout the Masonic system we are given various working tools, and told to put them to use in our life. We are told to use these tools for their more noble and glorious purposes, which are to refine our actions, faculties, and above all our inner soul. While many may believe that the working tools are to be used to hack away at the various unsavory aspects of our character, we must remember that the work of a true Master Mason is refinement not wholesale destruction; therefore, as we go through life we must examine and chisel away carefully, because oftentimes the vices and superfluities that we would rather simply hack off of our ashlar and leave to the side, actually provide important lessons that when properly utilized can lead to further refinement and a greater understanding of our true nature.

In the end, intentional Freemasonry requires that we not become complacent, we must not become satisfied with mediocrity or with illusions of knowledge within ourselves or when it comes to issues facing our fraternity. The need for intentional Freemasonry transcends the petty squabbles that too often take center stage when discussing the future and purpose of our craft. Too often people get bogged down in passionate arguments regarding Traditional Observance lodges, blue collar lodge, affinity lodges, social activity centered lodges, etc. However, when we move past the bickering and turf wars, we can all agree that what we are each looking for is a fulfilling masonic experience; otherwise, we wouldn’t take time away from our families and busy lives to attend meetings and functions. In order to create a fulfilling experience, we must intentionally create the fraternity that we want at the local and then the state levels, and on a personal level we must labor in the quarries to become the best man and Freemason that we can possibly be. The structure and tools are already present within the fraternity; however, we must intentionally utilize them so that the Fraternity, and we as craftsman, can reach our full potential. We must suck the marrow out of Freemasonry with voracity.

I’ll close by simply offering my Lodge’s mission statement, which is something that has defined the purpose of my Lodge and has given its members, new and old, an ideal to intentionally strive for.

"We, the men of Lodge Veritas, in our endeavor to better ourselves in virtue, intellect, wisdom, and historical understanding, to explore a curiosity for mystery that all men hold, to promote the cause of liberty for all mankind, to guide other men into manhood through an initiatic ritual and tradition, and to strengthen our fraternal bonds and our compassion for the world, have established our lodge as a light added to light, thereby giving glory to our Creator."

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                                                                                         Lodge Veritas No. 556- 2014- Photo Credit: Wor. Matthew D. Anthony

[1] McDowell, John, Philosophy of Action: An Anthology, 2015, Wiley-Blackwell. P. 145-147.

Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit!

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

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