The Masonic
Approach to Self-Development
Past Influences, Future Role and Present Acknowledgment
by WBro Phillip Hellier, BCom, MBus, PhD, DipEd, Kellerman
Lecturer (Victoria, 2000)
Abstract
Referring to the Retrospect of the Third Degree (UGLV), this
paper briefly outlines the Masonic approach to individual development, past
influences on this approach and the contribution Freemasonry can make to an
ever-changing world. It is argued that the lack of community awareness and
acceptance of the Craft is partly due to an inadequate conceptual understanding
of Freemasonry by its membership in general, which has resulted in the failure
of the Craft to remain socially and culturally relevant. A conceptual model is
developed to help focus attention on the central attributes of the Craft and to
improve social relevance. The conceptual model also provides a coherent
framework for future Masonic research.
Introduction
One of the objectives of Freemasonry, as promoted by the United
Grand Lodge of Victoria (Appendix A), is to
'Provide opportunities for self development'.
Self-development is the growth of the individual person's
abilities by the individual himself. Such development can of course be greatly
influenced by the people and organisations with which the individual relates.
In previous periods of operative masonry, the craft guilds were
largely concerned with the development of the individual as a skilled craftsman.
The operative stone mason left the ranks of Apprentice and became a Fellow of
the Craft when he was able to demonstrate that he was a skilled workman who had
mastered the requirements of his trade. With the development of speculative
Freemasonry, self-development was expanded to include a broadening of the mind,
intellect and talents in general, through education and learning, not only for
individual benefit but for the greater benefit of society in general (Information
For Fellowcraft, UGLV).
This paper will examine the current Masonic approach to
self-development, by considering the Craft's understanding of the world and the
individual, some streams of thought that have influenced current Masonic views,
and future implications for the Craft.
Masonic view of the world
The state of the world and the individual's interpretation of it
greatly affect the range of opportunities for self-development. The unified view
that Freemasonry holds about the universe, and the individual's place within it,
is contained in the rituals of the first, second and third degrees, and is
summarised in the Retrospect of the Third Degree (Appendix
B).
Freemasonry perceives the universe to be composed of two
dimensions, material and spiritual. With regard to the spiritual dimension,
Freemasonry takes a monotheistic view. That is, one God is acknowledged, and is
believed to exist as a distinct being, who created the world and who works
through and in the world. God also being the ultimate basis for determining
moral and good human behaviour.
Referring to the first degree, the Retrospect says (from
line 20):
. . . above all, it taught you to bend with humility and
resignation to the will of the GAOTU, and to dedicate your heart, thus
purified from every baneful and malignant passion, fitted only for the
reception of truth and virtue, as well to His glory as the welfare of your
fellow-creatures.
As to the material world, Freemasonry exhorts the individual to
expand his knowledge and to develop his intellectual abilities to gain
understanding. As the Retrospect states (line 27):
. . . you were led in the second degree, to contemplate the
intellectual faculty . . .
The Retrospect provides a very useful outline of the Masonic
approach to the material world, as it contains guidelines for individual
behaviour and self-development. Masonic view of the individual
The Retrospect teaches the individual at least five great
truths concerning life:
Truth 1. That we all enter this world helpless and
dependent on others for our immediate survival and development.
Truth 2. That we also enter this world equal, not
in terms of physical attributes or mental abilities or material endowments, but
in terms of our mortal condition.
Your admission into Freemasonry in a state of helpless
indigence, was an emblematical representation of the entrance of all men on
this, their mortal existence. It inculcated the useful lessons of natural
equality and mutual dependence . . . [line 11]
Truth 3. That because human beings share a common
mortality and dependence upon each other, there is the need for charity and
support one another, particularly in times of trouble or distress.
. . . it instructed you in the active principles of universal
beneficence and charity, to seek the solace of our own distress by extending
relief and consolation to your fellow-creatures in the hour of their
affliction . . . [line 15]
Truth 4. That self-development is achieved by the
expansion of the intellect through the study of nature and science, and the
application of reason to the experiences of life.
. . . you were led in the second degree, to contemplate the
intellectual faculty, and to trace its development through the paths of
heavenly science . . . [line 27]
To your mind, thus modelled by virtue and science, nature, however, presents
one great and useful lesson more-she prepares you, by contemplation, for the
closing hour of your existence . . . [line 32]
Truth 5. That the active pursuit of reason and the
expansion of the intellectual faculty, subject to the will of God, will lead
ultimately to truth and virtue, that is, a totally fulfilled life.
Such, my brother, is the peculiar object of the third degree
in Freemasonry. It invites you to reflect on this awful subject, and teaches
you to feel that to the just and virtuous man death has no terrors equal to
the stain of falsehood and dishonour. Of this great truth the annals of
Freemasonry afford a glorious example in the unshaken fidelity and noble d--
of our GM HA . . . [line 39]
Hence we see that, while human mortality and universal charity
are emphasised, Freemasonry considers self-development largely in terms of the
expansion of reason and the human intellect. Freemasonry is part of a long
historical tradition which defines personal development in terms of the
intellectual faculty.
Past influences
Thinkers and writers up to the nineteenth century, with their
emphasis on reason and the intellect, the development of rational systems, and
the importance of experience and observation, can be seen to have had
considerable influence upon the Masonic view of self-development. This paper
shall briefly outline these three influences.
Reason and the Intellect
Reason, knowledge and the intellect, since at least the time of
the ancient Greeks, have been recognised as central to an understanding of life
and the universe.
Plato (c.427-c.347 BCE, The Republic) saw the soul as
being divided into three parts; the rational part or intellect, the will, and
the appetite or desire. He saw the ideal society, like the soul, also being
partitioned into three sections or classes, the philosopher kings, the
guardians, and the ordinary citizens. The philosopher kings were to lead the
people, for by reason and thought they came closest to an understanding of truth
and ultimate reality-what he called 'ideas' or 'forms'.
Aristotle (384-322 BCE, Metaphysics) did not speak of a
separate world of 'forms' or 'ideas'. He maintained that the world of the
senses, or the material world, is the real one. Aristotle sought to find, by
reason, cause-and-effect relationships between things in the world.
The early Christian writers tried to interpret Christianity and
to relate it to the philosophy of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
St Augustine (345-430, The City of God) taught that all
history is purposeful or directed by God. He is above everything, and human
beings and the world are God's creation. The supreme goal of human beings is a
mystical union with God.
St Thomas Aquinas (1265, Summa Theologica), who was
influenced by Aristotle, took religious philosophy a step further. He argued
that the universe was organised on the basis of reason, and that a knowledge of
it leads to God. He said that a person should use both faith and reason in
believing in God.
The views of these early philosophers, concerning the importance
of reason, and the intellect, for understanding the universe and for drawing
close to God, are echoed in the words of the Retrospect:
. . . you were led in the second degree, to contemplate the
intellectual faculty, and to trace its development through the paths of
heavenly science, even to the throne of God. The secrets of nature and the
principles of intellectual truth were then unveiled to your view. [line
27]
Freemasonry does not see a conflict between scientific endeavour
and a belief in God. It views knowledge about the universe as leading to a
better understanding of the creative laws of TGAOTU. As a consequence,
Freemasonry emphasises the importance of the intellect and reason in coming to
understand the universe and the place of human beings in it.
Rational Systems
By the use of their intellect, human beings have been slowly
able, through observation and reason, to develop an understanding of the
physical, emotional and spiritual environments, or systems, in which we operate.
A system is a mental image which assists us to understand a more
complex reality; for example, a river system, a legal system, or a number
system. It helps us to obtain an overview of the whole situation, and to
understand the important variables that affect the object being studied.
It was during the period of the European Renaissance
(1400-1600), that scientists used observation and reason to investigate the
physical characteristics of the earth and to develop the concept of a solar
system. Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo and Johannes Kepler saw themselves as
discovering physical truths through reason. They laid the foundation of
measurement, experiment and mathematics upon which Sir Isaac Newton (1687,
Principia Mathematica) built his great system of the world. Newton, in fact,
described the world as a giant machine, or system.
The systems view of understanding is clearly evident in Masonic
teaching, as seen from the answer given by the second degree candidate to
the question, What is Freemasonry? 'A peculiar system of morality, veiled in
allegory and illustrated by symbols' (Degree Ritual, UGLV 1991, p 51).
The systems view is also evident from the Retrospect:
But it is first my duty to call your attention to a retrospect
of those degrees through which you have already passed, that you may the
better be enabled to distinguish and appreciate the connection of our whole
system, and the relative dependence of its several parts. [line 5]
Experience and Observation
During the 1700s, influenced by Newton's work, philosophers
adopted a practical approach, and believed that experience and observation gave
rise to knowledge. For example, John Locke (1690, Essay Concerning Human
Understanding), spoke of the mind as a blank tablet upon which experience
writes. Experience acts on the mind through sensation and reflections and these
two processes give human beings their ideas and understandings. David Hume
(1739-1740, A Treatise of Human Nature) also argued that all our
knowledge is limited to what we experience; that the only things we can know are
objects and events of sense perception and experience.
Masonic teaching emphasises the importance of experience and
observation, not just visual observation but also mental observation or
contemplation. From the Retrospect we see the importance of experience
and the contemplation of that experience for gaining an understanding of
ourselves, life and death.
To your mind, thus modelled by virtue and science, nature,
however presents one great and useful lesson more-she prepares you, by
contemplation, for the closing hour of your existence, and when, by means of
that contemplation, she has conducted you through the intricate windings of
this mortal life, she finally instructs you how to die. Such, my brother, is
the peculiar object of the third degree in Freemasonry. [line 32]
The Masonic view of self-development has been influenced by past
philosophers, and particularly by the development of scientific method following
the European Renaissance. Freemasonry understands self-development in terms of
an increase in knowledge, acquired by observation, reasoning, experiment,
measurement and the construction of mental systems, to assist an understanding
of the world and the meaning of human life.
As a system of rational personal development, Freemasonry has an
important role to play, both now and in the future-although the world of the
mid-21st century will be substantially different from that of today.
Societal trends
The wonderful thing about the future is that it can be guessed
at. The future is not known, for the universe and human life are full of paradox
and surprise (Adams, 1992). Nevertheless, tomorrow is connected to yesterday via
today, and we can discern trends that are likely to become major characteristics
of future society which will substantially affect individual self-development.
These trends include an increase in personal freedom, an increase in scientific
discovery, and an increase in the rate of social change.
This paper shall briefly consider these trends and their
implication for personal development and the role of Freemasonry.
Increasing personal freedom
Since the mid 1700s there has been an expansion of theory and
practice supporting increased individual freedom, particularly in the areas of
the economy, government and society. For example, there has been the development
of national economic systems based largely on the theory of competitive markets,
in which individual freedom to make production and distribution decisions is
paramount.
In government, the fundamental individual liberties of
expression, religion, assembly and equity have been enshrined in Bills of
Rights, constitutions and laws. In society there has been the development of a
philosophical perspective (sometimes called existentialism) which encourages
social and behavioural experimentation, human life being seen basically as a
series of decisions that must be made with no way of knowing conclusively what
the correct choices are.
In a world of increasing personal options, individuals will have
greater freedom to make their own choices. But they will also be increasingly
made accountable for their choices.
Increasing scientific discovery
Many areas of science and intellectual endeavour are making
important contributions to our understanding of the world and self-development.
For example: in chemistry, with the development of polymers, synthetic fibres,
compounds and pharmaceutical drugs; in microelectronics, with the development of
the micro-chip, the computer, the visual display unit and communication
networks; in medicine, with the development of ultra-sound diagnosis, fibre
optics and laser beam surgery, organ replacement and repair operations; in
genetics, with the manipulation and evolution of the DNA code of animals,
vegetables, and bacteria; and in astronomy, with the use of satellites to help
discover the history of the universe.
The pace of scientific discovery is increasing over time and the
effects are having a profound impact on the way in which we understand and
interpret the world, and experience life.
Rapid social change
The effect of increasing personal freedom and increasing
scientific discovery is that the individual in the twenty-first century will
face a world characterised by an increasing rate of change. Such change can be
enormously beneficial, but the difficulty for the individual is one of adjusting
to an increasingly transient world. What Alvin Toffler (1972) called 'future
shock' will be suffered by many people. The failure to effectively adapt to
social change can result in the individual suffering a sense of insecurity,
disorientation, alienation, and ultimately a lack of meaning of self and of life
in general.
Role for Freemasonry
In June 1992 the Weekend Australian produced a series of
articles under the general heading of 'Creating the Future'. This series brought
together the views of nearly one hundred of Australia's leading thinkers. In a
summary article at the end of the series, the newspaper columnist Philip Adams
made the point that our personal freedom, technologies, pace of human life and
inventions are out-distancing our philosophies, ethics and laws. He observed
that in every area of science we need to be better informed, but we must
remember that data is not information, information is not knowledge and
knowledge is not wisdom. He wrote: 'There's an awful lot of data around, and
information in unprecedented amounts. But wisdom? That's in short supply. Indeed
it may be becoming rarer, more elusive'. (Adams, 1992, p 18)
Here then, is a major role for Freemasonry in this age of
individualism, materialism, free choice and transience: to provide a moral basis
for wise decision-making and self-development. Freemasonry, through its
well-defined and stable authority structures, rituals and illuminating
allegories, provides an environment of peace and harmony in which the
intellectual faculty is encouraged to develop and in which moral values and
wisdom are fostered in the individual.
Freemasonry emphasises that self-development depends upon the
individual's improved knowledge and understanding of himself and the world about
him. Freemasonry reminds us that self-development is undertaken in a material
world, and that the development of the intellectual faculty occurs within a
mortal body. It uses the tools of operative masons and translates their use into
moral values and the building of the spirit. It leads the individual ultimately
to recognise that reverence and respect for God is wisdom, and that to shun evil
is understanding (Job 28:28).
Although Freemasonry is veiled by the mist of the past, it
points to God and eternity. It is concerned with the past, the present and the
future, and belongs to future ages. (Wiley Odell May, in Dewar, 1966, preface)
Freemasonry has an important role to play in providing responsible opportunities
for individual self-development, for its members and others, in a world which is
increasingly characterised by creative individualism, scientific discovery and
pervasive change.
Community acceptance
There remains an unanswered question. If Freemasonry has an
important role to play in providing responsible opportunities for
self-development for its members and others in the twenty-first century, why is
this not generally acknowledged by the community? It could be because
Freemasonry lacks an adequate understanding of itself, and because it lacks an
outlook recognised by the community as relevant to the twenty-first century.
Prior to undertaking the second degree ceremony, the candidate
is asked, 'What is Freemasonry?' and the required response is, 'A peculiar
system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols'. (Degree
Ritual, UGLV 1991, p 51). But this is only a partial truth. Freemasonry is
not simply a peculiar system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by
symbols. First and foremost it is a way of understanding the universe in which
we live and how we relate to it and to one another.
Before you can have a morality or morality system, you must have
understanding, a conceptual view of the world and humans within it.
Understanding precedes morality. Morality is simply acceptable motivation and
behaviour, based on a given understanding of the world. There is the need for a
new approach, a conceptual analysis of Freemasonry.
A Conceptual Model
The explanation of the Masonic approach to self-development
presented in this paper suggests the following conceptual model (Figure
1) of interrelated components.
Figure 1
This paper in fact provides and initial exploration of the
ritual, philosophy and self-development components of this model of Freemasonry.
The paper also implies that the significance of the model components may vary
over time. That is, the model is not static. A Dynamic Analysis
The important role that Freemasonry can play in the twenty-first
century is not generally acknowledged, because the community does not see
Freemasonry as relevant. Aspects of morality and charity have been effectively
passed from one generation of Craft brethren to the next via Masonic ritual.
However, there has been a failure to adequately spell out the philosophy, the
outlook and assumptions, underpinning Freemasonry, and a failure of the Masonic
approach to adequately respond to changing individual and community values.
Figure 2 provides a diagrammatic representation of
the problem.
Figure 2
Need For Relevance
A brief outline of the development of western values and
perspectives since 1600 will illustrate how Freemasonry has failed to remain
relevant in an ever changing world.
Recent historical research indicates that Freemasonry was very
much influenced by the English and French Enlightenment which began in the 1600s
and lasted till the late 1700s. The Enlightenment was characterised by the view
that knowledge and society is not advanced by habit or superstition, but by
reason, that is, by logic and the rational scientific approach to understanding.
The Enlightenment saw the continuing separation of the State from the Church,
with men and women increasingly putting their fate in their own hands rather
than in that of God or the Church.
The Enlightenment was also characterised by the notion that the
law should be based on natural and equal rights for all. That is, the right of
education, freedom of speech and religion. The period of the Enlightenment was
accompanied by the rise of British middle-class respectability and
semi-religious activities, and the establishment of gentlemen's studies,
libraries, galleries, clubs, societies-and Freemasonry.
The views of the Enlightenment generated the assumptions and
perspectives which underlie Freemasonry of the 1700s and 1800s. These Masonic
perspectives and assumptions included:
-
a belief in a single Supreme Being
-
the presence of an all-seeing eye and an invisible hand to
oversee human activities
-
a view that God created the world so that it could be
understood by the reasoning power of humans; and that the laws of nature can
be discovered by mathematics-in particular, geometry
-
an understanding that human nature and conduct is well ordered
and, like the physical universe, a science of human nature and society is
possible
-
that there is a link between scientific reasoning,
understanding and the discovery of truth
-
an acknowledgment of the importance of education, for it
teaches good methods of reasoning
-
the promotion of the value of labour, the work ethic, the
protection of trade skills
-
and the acceptability of secrecy in organisations to control
membership and standards.
These assumptions and perspectives still underlie much Masonic
ritual and practice. However, the philosophy, perspectives and assumptions
underlying current Freemasonry are substantially different from the prevailing
values, attitudes and understandings in the community today. For example,
prominent community perceptions include:
-
the separation of religion from everyday life
-
a quest to find sustainability rather than God
-
an awareness of the conflict of
The invisible hand is not seen to operate, and what is good for
the individual is not necessarily good for society: for example, the need to
reconcile individual liberty on the one hand, with equality on the other.
There is also the demand for confirmed historical accuracy, with
a general ignorance of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament. There is an
acceptance of the link between education, scientific reasoning and
understanding, but not necessarily between education and the discovery of truth.
It is acknowledged that there are few rational truths or absolutes. Statements
about the world or human behaviour are never certain, they are only probable at
best, and value systems are based largely upon situational ethics. There is the
declining importance of skilled physical labour and trade labour, and the
increasing requirement for organisational accountability and transparency.
Research directions
The conceptual model (Figures 1 and
2), by highlighting the key attributes of
Freemasonry, not only focuses attention on philosophical aspects of the Craft,
but also provides coherent direction for future Masonic research:
-
Firstly, more specific and precise definition of the model
components: for example, a more complete understanding of current theories of
knowledge formation and learning.
-
Secondly, more complete analysis of the key relationships
between the model components: for example, the link between philosophy (such
as Buddhism) and Masonic ritual.
-
Thirdly, the measurement and quantification of the model
components and the direction and strength of the key relationships between the
components: for example, the relationship of morality (such as beneficence) to
self-development.
-
Fourthly, the change in the model components and relationships
over time: for example, the impact of World War Two veterans upon the
development of Freemasonry.
-
>Lastly, the application of the conceptual model to the
analysis of organisational performance: for example, the divergent roles and
functions of Grand Lodge and warranted lodges.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that Freemasonry has a great deal to offer in
terms of wise decision-making in an increasingly transient world. Whether
Freemasonry will make a substantial positive contribution to future society will
ultimately depend upon reconciling the disparity between the philosophy, the
perspectives and assumptions of Freemasonry, and current community perceptions
and values.
The way forward is not to double our efforts on ritual, or to
increase our benevolence, or even to strive for new members. These will
necessarily follow if we rediscover the Masonic vision of the ritual-writers. To
go forward we must first understand the philosophy upon which our ritual is
based. Then we must reinterpret that philosophy in the light of a changed world.
For example, it is about developing a meaningful understanding
of God for all monotheistic believers. It is about uniting these believers into
a caring, peaceful and harmonious brotherhood, which transcends religious,
cultural, national, ethnic and locational boundaries and barriers. It is not
about secrecy and exclusion. It is about world community, expansive inclusion,
transparency and accountability.
It is not simply about benevolence shown to those in distress,
the aged, the sick, the poor, and disaster victims. It is equally about the
moral development of the young, through the removal of discrimination and
vilification and through such activities as drug-free sport and recreation. It
is about the development of the skill and intellectual levels of all humans to
ensure sustainable families, friendships, communities, and material lifestyles.
It is about moral regeneration, in all aspects of life. And it
begins with the individual, the young and the family. We failed to capitalise on
the large Masonic memberships of the 1950s and 1960s because of excess secrecy,
habit and protocol. In effect, we locked our families out of Freemasonry.
The Masonic vision is about providing its members with a moral
basis for decision-making. It is about values and standards based on a VSL, not
upon professional association standards and situational ethics. To catch the
Masonic vision requires a return to the underlying principles and tenets, the
philosophy, upon which Freemasonry is founded. And having understood that
philosophy, to interpret and apply it to a radically changed world.
References
ADAMS, P: 'Choosing the Right Direction for Change' in the
Weekend Australian, 27/28 June 1992, p 18.
BEAGLEY, D: 'Enlightened Histories of Our Times' in
Freemasonry Victoria, Issue 83 February 2000, pp 14-15.
BREWER, J: The Pleasures Of The Imagination: English Culture
in the 18th Century, Harper Collins.
DEWAR, J: The Unlocked Secret: Freemasonry Examined,
William Kimber & Co, London 1966.
Holy Bible (1994) New International Version, Zondervan.
REES, J: 'Spirituality in Freemasonry', Canonbury Masonic
Research Centre, London March 2000.
ROCHE, D: France in The Enlightenment, trans A Goldhammer,
Harvard University Press.
TOFFLER, A: Future Shock, Pan Books 1972.
United Grand Lodge of Victoria: Degree Ritual (1st 2nd &
3rd Degrees) 1991.
--- Information for Fellow Crafts.
World Book Encyclopedia (1982) vol 1, pp 129-130; vol 15
pp 345-352.
THE AIM OF FREEMASONRY IS TO:
-
Practice universal charity
-
Provide opportunities for self development
-
Build friendships
-
Foster moral standards
-
Seek excellence in all pursuits
(Degree Ritual, UGLV, 1991, p 1)
Retrospect
|
Line Ref |
|
|
[1] |
Bro —, having taken the great and solemn obligation of a MM,
you have now a right to demand of me that last and greatest trial, by which
alone you can be admitted to a participation in the |
|
[5] |
mysterious s . . . ts of a MM. But it is first my duty to
call your attention to a retrospect of those degrees through which you have
already passed, that you may the better be enabled to distinguish and
appreciate the connection of our whole system, and the relative dependence
of its several parts. |
|
[11] |
Your admission into Freemasonry in a state of helpless
indigence was an emblematical representation of the entrance of all men on
this, their mortal existence. It inculcated the useful lessons |
|
[15] |
of natural equality and mutual dependence, it instructed you
in the active principles of universal beneficence and charity, to seek the
solace of your own distress by extending relief and consolation to your
fellow-creatures in the hour of their affliction; |
|
[20] |
above all, it taught you to bend with humility and
resignation to the will of the GAOTU, and to dedicate your heart, thus
purified from every baneful and malignant passion, fitted only for the
reception of truth and virtue, as well to His glory as the welfare of your
fellow-creatures. Proceeding onward, still guiding your steps by the
principles |
|
[27] |
of moral truth, you were led in the second degree, to
contemplate the intellectual faculty, and to trace its development through
the paths of heavenly science, even to the throne of God. The secrets of
nature and the principles of intellectual truth were |
|
[32] |
then unveiled to your view. To your mind, thus modelled by
virtue and science, nature, however, presents one great and useful lesson
more – she prepares you, by contemplation, for the closing hour of your
existence, and when, by means of that contemplation, she has conducted you
through the intricate windings of this mortal life, she finally |
|
[39] |
instructs you how to die. Such, my brother, is the peculiar
object of the third degree in Freemasonry. It invites you to reflect on this
awful subject, and teaches you to feel that to the just and virtuous man
death has no terrors equal to the stain of falsehood and dishonour. Of this
great truth the annals of Freemasonry afford a glorious example in the
unshaken fidelity and noble d . . . of our GM HA, who was s . . . just
before the completion of KST, at the construction of which he was, as |
|
[49] |
you are doubtless aware, the principal architect. |
(Degree Ritual, UGLV, 1991, pp 92-94)
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