AN ERRING BROTHER
Next to the word Mother, no word in our language has more meaning and music
in it than the word Brother. It is from above, and it reaches to the deep places
of the heart. It is religion on its human side; and in it lies the hope of
humanity. The highest dream of the prophets is of a time when men shall be
Brothers.
When used Masonically, the word Brother has a depth and tenderness all its
own, unique and is beautiful beyond words. It tells of a tie, mystical but
mighty, which Masonry spins and weaves between man and man, which no one can
define and few can resist. In time of sorrow it is a tether of sympathy and a
link of loyalty.
Of course, like all other words, it is common enough, and may be glibly used
without regard to its real meaning. Like the word God, it may be a coin worn
smooth, or a flower faded. But when its meaning is actually and fully felt, no
other word is needed among us, except on occasions of high Masonic Ceremony,
when we add the word Worshipful, or some other term of title or rank.
No other word has a finer import or a more ample echo, expressive of the
highest relationship in which dignity and devotion unite. If we are really
Brothers, all the rest may go by the board, save for sake of ceremony. If we are
not truly Brothers, all titles are empty and of no avail. For that reason, to
omit the word Brother when speaking Masonically is not only a lack of courtesy,
but shows a want of fineness of feeling.
What does the word Brother mean, Masonically? It means the adoption of a man
into an inner circle of friendship, by a moral and spiritual tie as close and
binding as the tie of common birth and blood between two brothers in a family.
Nothing else, nothing less; and this implies a different attitude the one to the
other - related not distant, united not opposed, natural and unrestrained -
wherein are revealed what the old writers used to call "The Happy and Beneficial
Effects of our Ancient and Honorable Institution."
Since this is so, surely we ought to exercise as much caution and judgment in
bringing a new member into the Lodge as we do in inviting an outsider into the
family circle. Carelessness here is the cause of most of our Masonic ills,
frictions and griefs. Unless we are assured beyond all reasonable doubt that a
man is a brotherly man to whom Masonry will appeal, and who will justify our
choice, we ought not to propose his name or admit him to our fellowship.
Still, no man is perfect; and the Lodge is a moral workshop in which the
rough Ashlar is to be polished for use and beauty. If the Lodge had been too
exacting, none of us would have gained admission. At best we must live together
in the Lodge, as elsewhere, by Faith, Hope and Charity; else Masonry will be a
failure. The Brotherly Life may be difficult, but it is none the less needful.
Our faith in another way may be repelled, or even shattered - what then?
Nothing in life is sadder than the pitiful moral breakdowns of good men,
their blunders and brutalities. Who knows his own heart, or what he might do
under terrible trial or temptation? Often enough qualities appear or emerge of
which neither man himself or his friends were aware, and there is a moral wreck.
Some "Defect of Will or Taint of Blood," some hidden yellow streak, some dark
sin shows itself, and there is disaster. A man highly respected and deeply loved
goes down suddenly like a tree in a storm, and we discover under the smooth bark
that the inside was rotten. What shall we do? Of course, in cases of awful crime
the way is plain, but we have in mind the erring Brother who does injury to
himself, his Brother or the Lodge. An old Stoic teacher gave a good rule,
showing us that much depends on the handle with which we take hold of the
matter. If we say, "My Brother has INJURED me," it will mean one thing. If we
say, "My BROTHER has injured Me," it will mean another; and that is what the
Brotherly Life means, if it means anything.
Every Master of a Lodge knows how often he is asked to arraign a Brother, try
him and expel him from the Fraternity. It is easy to be angry and equally easy
to be unjust. If he is a wise Master, he will make haste slowly. There is need
of tact, patience; and, above all sympathy - since all good men are a little
weak and a little strong, a little good and a little bad; and anyone may lose
his way, befogged by passion or bewitched by evil. It is a joy to record that
Masons, for the most part, are both gentle and wise in dealing with a Brother
who has stumbled along the way. Masonic charity is not a myth; it is one of the
finest things on earth.
What shall we do? If we see a Brother going wrong in Masonry, or in anything
else - "Spoiling his Work," as the old Masons used to say - well, we must take
him aside and talk to him gently, man to man, Brother to Brother; and show him
the right way. He may be ignorant, weak or even ugly of spirit - driven by some
blind devil as all of us are apt to be - and if so our tact and Brotherly
kindness may be tested and tried; but more often than otherwise we can win him
back to sanity.
Have you heard a tale about a Brother, a suggestion of a doubt, an innuendo
about his character, some hearsay story not to his credit? If so, did you stand
up for him, ask for proof, or invite suspension of judgment until the facts
could be heard; remembering that it is your duty as a Mason to defend a Brother
in his absence? Such things are seldom said in his presence. It is not fair to
tell him what is being said and learn his side of the tale? If we fail in our
duty in such matters we fail of being a true Brother.
When we have learned the truth and have to face the worst, what then? Long
ago we knew an old Mason, long since gone to the Great Lodge, who was chided by
a Brother for continuing to trust a man they both knew was taking advantage of
the kindness shown him. The old man replied:
"Yes, but you never know; I may touch the right chord in is heart yet. He is
not wholly bad, and some day, perhaps when I'm dead and gone, he will hear the
music and remember." And he did!
Hear the music? Ah, if we would hear it we must listen and wait, after we
have touched "the right chord." And if the right chord is "In Us" something in
him will respond, if he be not utterly dead of soul! If he does respond, then
you will have gained a friend who will stick closer than a Brother. If he does
not respond - and, alas, sometimes they do not - then we must admit, with a
heart bowed down, that we have done our best, and failed. Some inherent failing,
some blind spot, has led him astray, dividing him from us by a gulf we cannot
bridge.
So a Mason should treat his Brother who goes astray; not with bitterness, nor
yet with good-natured easiness, nor with worldly indifference, nor with
philosophic coldness; but with pity, patience and loving-kindness. A moral
collapse is a sickness, loss, dishonor in the immortal part of man. It is the
darkest disaster, worse than death, adding misery to guilt. We must deal
faithfully but tenderly, firmly but patiently with such tragedies.
It is facts such as these which show us what charity, in a far deeper sense
than monitory gifts, really means. It is as delicate as it is difficult in that
we are all men of like passions and temptations. We all have that within us
which, by a twist of perversion, might lead to awful ends. Perhaps we have done
acts, which, in proportion to the provocation, are less excusable than those of
a Brother who grieves us by his sin. "Judge not lest ye yourselves be judged."
Truly it was a wise saying, not less true today than when the old Greek uttered
it long ago, "Know Thyself." Because we do not know ourselves, it behooves us to
put ourselves under the spell of all the influences God is using for the making
of men, among which the Spirit of Masonry is one of the gentlest, wisest and
most benign. If we let it have its way with us it will build us up in virtue,
honor and charity; softening what is hard and strengthening what is weak.
If an erring Brother must be condemned, he must also be deeply pitied. God
pities him; Christ died for him; Heaven waits to welcome him back with joy. He
has done himself a far deeper injury than he has done anyone else. In pity,
prayer and pain let our hearts beat in harmony with all the powers God is using
for his recovery. "There remaineth Faith, Hope and Charity; but the greatest of
these is Charity."
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