Knowing A Mason

by RmOlano

20Sep08

"How may we know a man to be a Mason?"-- a Brother asked

How do we may know indeed! On our way to qualification to the next level of illumination within the Craft, we are taught to commit to memory certain parts of the ritual. Some jurisdiction resorted to what is termed as short form thereby, allowing candidates to miss golden opportunities to digest many lessons contained within the long form. It seems that the popular stated reason to deviate from what was used to be the normal practice is about the inconvenience to the length of time a candidate to advance to the degree of Master Mason. For some reason, this writer does not comprehend the cause and impetus the rush to make someone a Master Mason as if we are engaged in a competitive race. We had witness instances where the lecturer would breeze through his spiel leaving the candidate with glazed look like a deer-looking-to-headlight and wonder what hit him. Compound this event with at least an hour of monologue without visual references and mixed it with archaic terminologies is a recipe of a sensory and memory overload.

It is something to watch and hear the candidate response to our elderly Brothers as to the candidate thought about the recently completed ceremony. It is normal expectation that most of the time a polite response will be given to an inquiry that touched majority of human emotion. Blindfolded therefore, darkness, the feeling helplessness, one’s dependency to unfamiliar person, fear to the unknown, feeling the cold sharp instrument and its implied promise of risk are some standard concern being played within the candidate mind which is the raison d'être of the ritual. It is mighty hard to answer such a question with detailed analysis on the spot. Most of us would simply blurt out something like, impressive, never been through that before or other superlative adjective that would reward the inquirer a smile in his face. A smile that usually meant, a confirmation that the night event was not a waste of time for someone did appreciate the labor of our Brethren. That same smile for some is a confirmation that the conferring team generated enough curiosity to this fellow that someday hopefully he will be a part of the tradition of inculcating others the ritual of the Craft. It is always a hope since time immemorial that out of many, few will carry on the work of the Craft, out of many, some would remain and understand what those archaic words, figures, and symbols intended. Understanding such mysteries signifies familiarity, contemplation, and testing that hypothesis is part of a process for illumination.

How may we know a man to be a Mason? The customary answer taken from the long form proficiency requirement would be about if someone knew the word, sign, token and posses personal virtues of a decent and moral man such temperance, fortitude, prudence and justice. The first three answers are the most popular and overused gateway in determining if a man is a Mason. The dues card, handshake, password, car decal, t-shirt and others like things are one interpretation of what is Freemasonry. There is nothing wrong with this understanding; it is within the definition of the Fraternity. In order to practice Brotherhood, members have to know his Brothers! To be a part of a group of society certain things have to be demanded and expected to be returned. Being one of them requires losing a part of me.

The last part of identity requirement is the often times skipped portion. This line of thinking subscribed to Brother Albert Pike’s 1888 definition of Freemasonry --- “a system of morality, veiled in allegories and illustrated by symbols.” Notwithstanding, the physiological terms e.g. throat, arms, hands and feet, to symbolize the cardinal virtues of a Mason, what makes man a Mason is his awareness to this litmus test. It is not only Mason’s mere understanding but of his daily attempt to restrain his passion from “allurements of vice,” of a his “steady purpose of mind” in face of expediency of the moment, of his virtue to live and act “to the dictates of reasons,” and adhering to “that standard or boundary of right which enables us to render unto every man his just due, without distinction.” Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice. Our appendages might convey friendly welcome but if certain sounds come from the bowels of our throat express otherwise, the embrace became a façade for the benefit of the crowd. Just as speech can be confirmed with body language, what makes real is the equilibrium of all body parts. What makes a man a Mason is finding the balance of what is expected and what can be humanly accomplished. There is no perfect Mason in this world and to those who claimed to be one --- “let him cast the first stone.” Asserting to be a Mason is not a hard endeavor, living to be one is always a challenge and knowing one is an art by itself.

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Degree Works-A Favor

a Paper for Sequoia Council No. 228 (AMD)by Rudy Olano
28May06

I am always amazed to watch any Brethren who can deliver any Masonic lectures from memory, period. Memorization is skill that you either have it or not. Ok, let me take that back. The ability to memorize materials which will require at least an hour of delivery with relative ease is a skill not everyone posses. I have meet number of brethren who can remember anything with one reading and be able to repeat it by memory. And I said this before and will say it again, I am awed. For others like me, memorization of anything is not an easy task. I will not use the excuse ---I am at the stage where my memories were not as good because even during high school days I know I am terrible in memorization department. I struggled through all three long form proficiency examinations. It took me a year to be brave enough to tell the Worshipful Master that yes, I could do my job as Senior Deacon to give the Fellow Craft Lecture. The first job was not pretty, I can tell you that.

Having a number of email exchanges with a very respected Brother on memorization issue, I was lamenting for not making long form examinations as mandatory and as optional. My view is that memorization makes people like me be "forced" to study the materials to know what a certain lines or paragraph means in order to aid me understand what I am talking about. Knowing the subject matter is for me a key element in retaining that information in my memory. The positive side of trying to understand the materials are the time to sit down and digest or in a plain word-- to literally study the Lessons of Freemasonry. An Illustrious Brother/Companion who holds Doctorate in Education degree, does not endorsed the memorization by rote since; according to him that method is not as effective. It makes us to memorize/concentrate on the words itself and tend not to understand what the material is all about. He did not say it and the following line is mine--- imagine a parrot who can "talk" with a perfect accent without knowing the beautiful melody its vocal cords played.

In this illustration, one don’t have to have a degree in education to grasp what the example means. However, my counter-argument was that I believe the majority (including myself) are not equipped with such talent and therefore, would compensate it with perseverance to commit to memory what is/are required. A brother who has the dedication will set aside time to do what needs to be done. We all can remember reading the little book everywhere, in the car, garage, break time, during watch, in the comfort room, you name it, mumbling something which drew stares from people nearby. Some of us even went beyond what we promise not to do-- recording, cheat sheet and slapping ourselves for missing or replacing words. I could imagine some of the Brethren, are smiling because they can relate to what has been described.

Let me conclude that those brilliant performances which we all can be proud of are the result of hard work. Our Brethren took their time to prepare for their part and this is very important lesson that our newly initiated Brothers MUST understand---each degree work is a gift. Each Brother in that lodge room, sideliners included, took their time from their immediate families and responsibilities, and exchanges it so that a degree can be bestowed to whom we thought to be worthy enough. Each degree work should be considered as a favor to be given and not as a requirement to fulfill. We should and must hands out favors sparingly, to give it to those we hope that will return the same favor to somebody else when we old-timers were gone and soon to be forgotten. To give away favors only to those who will take their time to study an ideal we know as Freemasonry and in doing so, hopefully comprehend that there is a reward for turning a good men to a better man.

What pains me is the fact that after all those preparations and works to confer degrees, even after magnificent efforts by those involved, the recipient does not even "return" the favor by showing to us his proficiency and often times disappear after 3rd Degree. We as Brethren of the Craft must be selective and demanding when dispensing favors not only to the good of the Order but also for honoring the countless hours expended by our talented and brilliant Brethren for the benefit of those who want to be among us---to be recognized and accepted as a Freemason.

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