THE MASONIC WORLD
All of us live in a plurality of worlds. Each of us inhabits his
world of the home, his world of business or profession, his world of
pleasure which may be anything from books to baseball. Freemasons
live also in the Masonic world, but, curiously enough and rather
pitifully, not one in a hundred adventures far into that land. For
the majority of Masons the Masonic world begins and ends at the doors
of their lodges.
The average Mason reads his lodge circular or Trestleboard, hears
occasionally of lodge charities, now and then attends a lodge
funeral. More rarely he may be attracted to some interlodge
gathering, as when a District Deputy pays a visit to two or more
lodges meeting under one roof, or an educational meeting in which
several lodges participate.
But unless he is an officer, and a very interested official, or a
Freemason with both curiosity and determination, he knows little of
the many “foreign countries” of the Masonic world, its broad
highways, its numerous bypaths, its beautiful vistas, its lovely
landscapes. Like him to whom “a primrose by the rivers brim, was
just a simple primrose - and nothing more,” many a Mason believes
the Masonic world to be an occasional evening at the lodge - and
nothing more.
Yet what a world it really is, and how far it reaches, curiously
intertwined with the social and civic worlds, avoiding or meeting
them at will. The Masonic world is usually non-existent to the
general public, except as the profane occasionally catches sight of
it in public ceremonies or newspaper notice of a meeting of Grand
Lodge. Which is as it should be since Freemasonry devotes herself to
her purposes silently, if not secretly, without ostentation or
advertising.
In Jurisdictions where Masters and Wardens Associations function in
Masonic Districts, the officers have an opportunity to envisage a
larger horizon of their Masonic world than in states where each lodge
is a little world unto itself, touching other little lodge worlds
only at Grand Lodge. Masters and Wardens Associations bring together
the principal officers of all lodges in a given area, affording an
opportunity for the exchange of ideas, the solution of puzzling
problems and often foster visits by lodge to lodge which makes for
broader horizons to all who take part.
The same may be said for those Jurisdictions which have Schools of
Instruction, either stationary in one place, traveling from District
to District, or held occasionally or periodically at prearranged
points which differ from year to year.
Cities afford the opportunity to belong to a Masonic Club, which
small towns do not. Masonic Clubs, in which Masons from many lodges,
governed by a common purpose, or occupation, meet in fraternal
intercourse, have grown by leaps and bounds during the last few
years. The employees of one great business may form a Masonic Club;
Physicians who are lodge members may form their club; clubs exist in
many cities which draw members almost wholly from a given trade. The
majority of such Masonic Clubs, which hold a national convention once
a year at which unified plans are discussed and furthered. Just now
Masonic Club emphasis is put upon education, in which field a noble
work has been and is being done.
Some Jurisdictions have looked with some disapproval on Masonic
Clubs, fearing that “the tail may try to wag the dog,” but in general
Masonic Clubs have been guided by the spirit of the League and have
been cooperative in worthy Masonic movements and avoided any conflict
with Grand Lodges, in which of course, they must inevitably lose.
The very hearts of the Masonic world are the Grand Lodge, and he
loses much who does not inform himself of the deliberations of these
august bodies. A Grand Secretary would be bewildered, and probably
greatly perturbed, if even one Mason in every ten should ask for a
copy of the “Proceedings” of the Grand Lodge, yet what a marvelous
out pouring of Masonic spirit might result if one Mason in ten did
read the annual “Proceedings.” For here is set forth the Alpha and
Omega of the Jurisdiction; the acts, the problems, the hopes and the
troubles of the Fraternity. Annually, in most states, quarterly in
two, here meet the Master and Wardens (in some States only the
Masters) sometimes the Past Masters, to legislate for the coming
year, discuss problems, appropriate funds for the Home or other Grand
Lodge Charity, admonish the lax lodge and praise the leaders, and in
general check up and take stock, plan and go forward for another
year.
It would be most interesting to learn how many Masons know whether
their Grand Lodge has a Masonic Library? How many know whether they
help support a Masonic home, and if so, where it is? How many know
whether their Grand Lodge engages in a program of Masonic education,
and if so, how many have made use of it? Yet these activities of
Grand Lodge touch every Mason, in his pocketbook if nowhere else.
It may be stated without fear of successful contradiction that no
matter how large the State, or how far from the Masonic Home a
brother lives, after visiting that Home he will agree that his time
and money were well spent. Yet of the multiplied thousands of Masons
who give cheerfully to the support of a Home where live the guests of
the Fraternity who can no longer fight their own battles; where the
orphans of Master Masons are brought up to be self-supporting, happy
and successful citizens, not one in hundred ever sees this inspiring
and ennobling sight - truly the Grand Canyon and the Yellowstone Park
of the Masonic world!
Now and then a Grand Lodge lays a Corner Stone or dedicates a Masonic
Temple; in some Jurisdictions the Grand Master empowers particular
lodges to perform these functions. As in funerals, the Masonic world
here touches the profane world, and as many non-Masons as Masons may
observe the ceremonies. But the informed Mason knows of an inner
meaning of the deposit of corn and the pouring of the wine and oil,
which makes these observances of peculiar significance. Not to have
seen them is to have missed one of the views of the Masonic world
which is both beautiful and informative.
Every Grand Lodge has a committee on Foreign Correspondence. The
reviews of the Masonic worlds by the devoted brother known as the
Fraternal Correspondent are published yearly, usually as part of the
annual “Proceedings,” occasionally in a separate volume. The theory
of the Report of the Fraternal Correspondent is simple; it is
supposed that Grand Masters and other officers of the Grand Lodge are
too busy to read “Proceedings” which are published once each year in
each of the forty-nine Jurisdictions of continental United States,
and from ten to twenty-five “Proceedings” of foreign Jurisdictions.
The Fraternal Correspondent reads and digest them, then comments upon
the work of these Grand Lodges, giving a summary of their labors and
their accomplishments, noting that which is peculiar, new, different,
odd, interesting, that all who run may read.
Alas, these informative reports are read by far lass brethren than
would be interested, did they only know what they pass by! But
should that mythical one brother in every ten - aye, even one in
every hundred! - write to ask any Fraternal Correspondent for his
report, it is feared that he might suffer an attack of heart failure.
Yet no brother can really know his Masonic world who does not read
this yearly guide book to the “foreign countries” of other Grand
Lodges.
Some seventy-five journals in this country are devoted exclusively to
the Masonic world. Some are excellent reading for Masons anywhere;
some are local to one Jurisdiction, even to one city. Not to
subscribe to at least one is to miss much that is interesting and
informative. The Masonic world is very large; the brethren in one
Jurisdiction do and experience that which is unknown to the brethren
of another. The Masonic journal is the monthly record of that which
is worth knowing in the Masonic world and should be a part of the
equipment of every interested Freemason.
Several publishing houses are devoted entirely to the production of
Masonic books. The reading Mason knows a side of his Fraternal world
which the non-reader has never even heard of! Many splendid books
have been written of various facets of the jewel which is
Freemasonry; her history, her jurisprudence, her symbolism - hundreds
on this subject - her charities, her labors for mankind. Not dry,
difficult-to-read volumes, but books filled with real Masonic light,
to read which is a joy and an education. They are the glasses with
which the near-sighted can see the far horizons of freemasonry. Any
of these publishing houses will be happy to send literature about
these books to the interested. In many lodges “book clubs” are
formed, in which each of ten to twenty-five brethren buys a book, and
then passes it on to the next brother in the club. receiving his in
return. For the price of one book, the reading brother may thus dip
into as many volumes as there brethren in the club.
The Lodge of Research is just becoming well known in this country.
Three American Lodges of Research now function, and while they all
are new, much is expected of them. In England and Canada are Lodges
of Research which are well known, especially the great Quatuar
Coronati, No. 2076 (The Four Crowned Martyrs) of London, which has
nearly a century behind it.
The Lodge of Research is a regular constituted and Chartered Lodge,
but works no degrees, raises no brethren. It is devoted entirely to
research into Freemasonry, and the publication and dissemination of
papers and reports. A full set of the forty-one bound volumes of the
great London Lodge - Ars Quatuar Coronatorum, familiarly known to
Librarians as “A.Q.C.” - are all but priceless, comprising as they do
the result of the work of historians, antiquarians and Masonic
educators for many years. Any freemason may subscribe to the
publication, become a member of the Correspondence Circle of the
Lodge and receive the quarterly reports. He who either buys or
borrows volumes of the past will find therein a ticket to a new
frontier of Freemasonry, and travel in by-ways of the Masonic world
which without such a guide book are sealed mysteries.
The Masonic world includes several national movements.
All who attend Grand Lodge know of the great George Washington
Masonic National Memorial, erected by the Freemasons of the United
States at a cost of more than three million dollars. It is to be
dedicated on May 12th of this year. The Association meets yearly,
and from its labors has resulted this enormous structure which will
stand forever - it is built only of granite, marble and concrete; no
structural steel being used - as a monument at once to Washington,
Freemason, and to the Fraternity which honors itself in honoring him.
Coincident with the annual meeting of this Association, the
Conference of the Grand Masters meets in Washington, D.C., there to
discuss for a day the mutual problems which are common to all Grand
Lodges. The reports of these annual meetings are of intense
interest. Containing the deliberations of the premier leaders of the
Craft, they should be read by every interested Freemason.
The Grand Secretaries also hold a conference, for the discussion of
their peculiar problems, as do Masonic Librarians and Educators.
While more special than the reports of the Grand Masters Conference,
the wanderer in the Masonic world will find in them much of
informative interest.
This short sketch of the extent of the Masonic world, like any other
sketch, is intended only to be suggestive. The Masonic world has
hundreds of other ramifications too numerous even to catalog. But
perhaps enough has been said to give an idea of its size and variety.
He who will inform himself as here suggested will have no difficulty
in following these unnamed pathways into the quiet pastures, the
woods and streams of the world of Masonry, where are still waters and
cool shade, interest and inspiration, for all who will take the time
to travel therein.
back to top |
