UNIVERSAL MASONRY

by RmOlano
16May06

In an article titled Universal Masonry, by the MW Brother Conrad Hahn, PGM, Deputy Executive Secretary of Masonic Service Association, he elucidated the rough and rugged road towards the realization of what he calls a Universal Masonry. In it, he gave us some of the historical facts related to the fraternal recognition practices between Grand Lodges and Grand Orients. The MW correctly stated that not all Freemasons are “free” to communicate with other brethren not” recognized” by their own governing body called Grand Lodge/Orients. Although the removal of the requirement for a belief in a Supreme Being was a popular excuse of withdrawing the “recognition” to other Masonic Lodges, the same old myopic excuse of racial bigotry is rarely mentioned. A student of the craft don’t have to seek far to be confronted with fraternal relationship issue with Prince Hall Lodges. The notion of Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God is somehow became a rhetorical quest for definition of Man and God.

Somewhat interesting is the silent response to the accolades bestowed to deeds committed by Freemasons whether “regular” or “clandestine.” It seems like that we Freemasons do not feel obligated to inform the general public of the difference. When the occasion for laurel wreath of victory to rest upon the head, or hang jewels to fit the diadem, we seems to forget the affiliation of famous black brother from Prince Hall Lodge or the Grand Orient Lodge membership of brother revolutionary General. Another case in point is the fact that Freemasons under the jurisdiction of Spanish Grand Orient initiated the Philippine Revolution. The “Masonically inspired and lead revolution,” Bro. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines was referring to was not due to the Freemasons under the jurisdiction of various Grand Lodges from United States. Grand Orient Lodges were already established in the Philippines before the creation of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines which calls Grand Lodge of California as its Mother Grand Lodge. Under the pretext of being "different" these proud (rightly so) Lodges were declared “clandestine.” All "regular" Masons are prohibited to engage in any Masonic communications with "irregular" Masons. The notion of Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God is somehow became a rhetorical quest for definition of “standard” Freemasonry.

MW Hahn exhorted the readers to continue dream of “a universal Masonry, a universal Brotherhood of Man, without undermining the one common and universal aspiration of the fraternity which has appealed to men in every age and climate. The Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God is the universal dream of men of good will everywhere who call themselves Masons. To abandon that dream is to abandon Freemasonry. To abolish those tenets is to abolish Freemasonry. A Mason must dream if he is to continue his speculative building. A universal Masonry? Keep dreaming and building; it's on its way!”

Our Craft was created by men who united by a common desire developed a method of study called Freemasonry which can be defined as a progressive moral science taught by degrees and as Bro Albert Pike written, "a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols." Freemasons came from the same stock of men who saddled with human weakness tend to slide back to the slippery slope of creature existence. The Craft is not perfect as it was and still is composed of men. Men who still struggle to find peace within him. Men who knew that someday when his "weary feet shall come to the end of his toilsome journey and from nerveless grasp shall drop forever the working tools of life" --- hope that the "record of his life and action shall be as pure and spotless" as his lambskin apron. Men who dreams to hear the welcome words, “Well done my faithful servant; enter thou to the joy of the Lord.” The spirit of Universal Masonry can also be found in a sociological entity called--- religion. The notion of Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God is now became a rhetorical quest for a question ---- a Universal religion?

*** printed in first publication of IGPI Journal, November 2008. ***

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