THEY LIED ON THEIR KNEES
by William A. Carpenter R. W. Grand Master of Pennsylvania
This Short Talk Bulletin has been adapted from an article appearing in the
August, 1984 issue of The Pennsylvania Freemason. It has been republished as a
Short Talk Bulletin because of the many readers who recommended its use.
Taking an oath and an obligation is a binding and serious thing. Accepting
and fulfilling an oath and an obligation is an honorable thing. Not adhering to
an oath and an obligation is disgraceful and dishonorable. During my first
months as Grand Master, it has been shocking and disturbing to learn of the
number of Masons who have lied on their knees.
Apparently there are Masons who having taken the oaths and obligations of the
three symbolic degrees, have not only lied on their knees but have evidenced a
total disregard for the Masonic advice spelled out in the Charges shared
following the degrees. Following the Entered Apprentice Mason's degree, the
Charge says: "In the State, a Freemason is to behave as a peaceable and dutiful
citizen, conforming cheerfully to the government under which he lives. " That
same Charge says: "Nothing can be more shocking to all faithful Freemasons than
to see any of their Brethren profane the sacred rules of Freemasons and such as
do, they wish had never been accepted into the Fraternity." In the Ancient
Charge delivered following the conferring of the Sublime Degree of a Master
Mason, we are admonished "You are bound by duty, honor and gratitude to be
faithful to your trust, to support the dignity of your character upon every
occasion and to enforce by precept and example, obedience to the tenets of
Freemasonry." Every Mason should at all times conform to and abide by the rules
and regulations of the Fraternity. These include the legislation and by-laws of
our "Blue Lodge," the Constitution of our "Blue Lodge," the Constitution and
Edicts of the Grand Lodge, and also those Ancient Customs, Usages and Landmarks
of the Craft that have been passed down to us through the ages. Thus we have a
set of rules and regulations that govern our conduct in our own Lodge, those
that govern our conduct in the outside world. All of these, taken together, set
the boundaries and should govern our conduct at all times.
Our "Blue Lodge," the Grand Lodge, and the Grand Master have ample authority
to enforce the rules, regulations and Edicts, even as they relate to violations
of civil law, over Pennsylvania Masons wherever they may be and also over all
Masons who live within our jurisdiction.
By far, the most important rules concerning our conduct are those governing
our actions toward the world outside Freemasonry. The offenses within our Lodges
and toward other Brethren and even the Grand Lodge can be handled without
adverse publicity, but when we forget the rules laid down for our behavior
toward non-Masons, we blacken the good name of every member of the Craft.
There is a tendency among many Masons to regard the Grand Lodge as some
obscure clique or mysterious group working behind the scenes to decide and
dictate the affairs of Freemasonry. Nothing could be further from the truth. The
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania is comprised of approximately 25,000 Living Past
Masters and Wardens of the more than 570 Symbolic Lodges in Pennsylvania.
Masonic trials are unpleasant affairs that consume both time and effort and
often impose a financial burden on a Lodge. Even the outright suspensions and
expulsions handed down by the Grand Master are distressing. Most if not all such
actions could be avoided by these steps:
(I) We should make certain that every Mason is educated Masonically so that
he knows what is expected of him as a Mason.
(2) When we find a Brother forgetting his Masonic teachings, we should
whisper good counsel in his ear, gently admonishing him of his errors, and
endeavor, in a friendly way, to bring about a true and lasting reformation.
(3) And, finally, we should guard our portals so that we accept only those
men who will be receptive to our teachings and will not find it difficult to
conduct themselves as Masons.
Too often, we have witnessed shocking examples of the irresponsibilities of
men in high places as well as in low places. As a man thinketh, so is he.
The good name of Freemasonry is not the result of what we do not do, it is
the result of practicing outside the Lodge those great moral lessons we are
taught within the Lodge. At no time in the history of our Nation has there been
a greater need to exercise the principles and moral teachings of Freemasonry
than now.
Freemasonry is one of the great moral forces remaining in the world today.
But if Freemasonry is to achieve its honorable purpose--that of building a
better world--it must first build better men to work at the task.
No man has any right to claim to be a Freemason unless he has endeavored to
put into practice the lessons received when he was Entered, Crafted and Raised.
A Mason should never entertain the thought that he must go to a Lodge Room to
practice his Masonry. Masonry must be practiced in daily life where human
kindness and helpfulness and honesty are so much needed. The surest way to make
Freemasonry useful, is to make use of Freemasonry. Every Mason is charged with
the responsibility of keeping the reputation of the Fraternity unsullied.
Masonry cannot condone the continued membership of those who bring disgrace,
dishonor, and discredit to our Ancient and Honorable Fraternity. Hence, my
Brethren, if and when you learn of a case or cases whereby the behavior of any
Mason or Masons borders on or actually results in a felony or another form of
unmasonic conduct, please make such a case or cases known to the Grand Master
through proper and expeditious channels.
Today, we hear it said from time to time that our own Lodges are winking at
violations of our Masonic law. I ask the question: Are we growing that lax in
the enforcement of our penal code? If such be the case, then it is time serious
concern and consideration be given to this matter--this unfortunate circumstance
within our Craft. And, for the record, be it known that this Grand Master plans
to give the matter top priority in an effort to rid our rolls of any
undesirables.
Our priority emphasis will at all times cover the three types of Masonic
offenses: (I) violations of moral law; (2) violations of the laws of
Freemasonry; and (3) violations of the laws of the land including moral
turpitude.
We cannot deny that there are men on our membership rolls whose lives,
conduct, and character reflect no real credit on Freemasonry, whose ears seem to
turn from its beautiful lessons of morality, duty and honor, whose hearts seem
untouched by its soothing, manly influences of fraternal kindness, and whose
hands are not opened to aid in living deeds and charity. We express our grief as
we acknowledge this truth.
These men, though in our Temples, are not of our Temples in the true sense of
the word. They are among us, but they are not with us. They belong to our
household but they are not of our faith. We have sought to teach them, but they
have failed to heed the instruction; seeing, they have not perceived; hearing,
they have not understood, or prefer not to benefit by the symbolic language in
which our fraternal lessons of wisdom are communicated.
The fault is not with Freemasonry or with us, that we have not given, but
with them that they have not perceived or received. And, indeed, hard and unjust
would it be to censure the Masonic Fraternity because, partaking of the
infirmity or weakness of human wisdom and human means, it has been unable to
achieve the perfection desired for all who come within its environs. The denial
of a Peter, the doubting of a Thomas, or the betrayal of a Judas, should cast no
reproach on so grand, so long-established and honorable a fraternity as that of
Freemasonry. But misconduct and misdeeds do hurt our Craft and bring grief to
all worthy Freemasons.
Freemasonry prescribes no principles that are opposed to the sacred teachings
of the Divine Lawgiver, and sanctions no acts that are not consistent with the
sternest morality and the most faithful obedience to government and the laws.
And, while this continues to be its character, it cannot, without the most
atrocious injustice, be held responsible for the acts of unworthy members.
The fact is, it is no secret that the moral fiber of the people of our great
nation has broken down. It has been noticeable since the late 1940s. We often
hear of white collar crime, embezzlement, fraud, collusion in some of our
largest corporate board rooms, with guilty fines running in hundreds of
thousands of dollars, with our peers only seeing the wrong if the culprit got
caught.
These are not the lessons we are taught at the Altar of Freemasonry. Perhaps
it would be difficult to convince many Masons that we have Brethren guilty of
the quick fix and fast buck. But we have had them, we may still have them, and
with immediate and proper Masonic disciplinary action, we shall go to the nth
degree to eliminate such a curse from Freemasonry.
The young people of our Masonic affiliated youth organizations are always
watching us closely. These young people have a new sophistication and awareness
of what is right and what is wrong. They have their Masonic advisors whom they
naturally emulate, but to them, all Masons are the same and supposed to possess
honesty and integrity. These young people are the future of our communities and
also our Fraternity. We cannot afford to let them down, my Brethren.
What can Masons do to remedy this situation? We must begin at the first step
of recommending a petitioner. The mere possession of sufficient money to pay the
necessary fee does not qualify a man to be made a Mason. Before a member signs
his name to any petition for the degrees of Freemasonry, he must assure himself
beyond any question of doubt that the petitioner he recommends is, in a sense,
already a Mason in his heart, and that, if he is accepted, the member will never
have cause to regret his endorsement. That is the most important duty and
responsibility which a member owes to the Masonic fraternity, his "Blue Lodge,"
and himself.
And, my Brethren, thorough investigation of each and every petitioner to our
respective Lodges is not only the proper time but also the only time for
Freemasonry to safeguard against accepting anyone who could very well bring
disgrace, dishonor, or discredit to the Craft.
Oh, perhaps the galleries are full of critics relative to points covered by
this article. Those who criticize plan no ball. They fight no fights. They make
no mistakes because they attempt nothing. The real "doers" are down in the
arena. The man who makes no mistakes lacks boldness and the spirit of adventure.
He is the one who never tries anything. He is the brake on the wheel of
progress. And yet, it cannot be truly said that he makes no mistakes, because
the biggest mistake he makes is the very fact that he tries nothing, does
nothing, has absolutely no positive input into the cause of Freemasonry and just
seems to be his happy, useless self in criticizing those who are making an
attempt to do certain things.
We have learned to tolerate our critics. But when you have faith in your
plans, designs and convictions, you govern yourself accordingly. Methinks it was
Shakespeare who wrote: "Sweet are the uses of adversity." It has also been
proven that "Adversity causes some to break, others to break records." And, in
the words of Burke: "He who wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens
our skill."
My Brethren, it was once stated that the real purpose of Freemasonry is the
pursuit of excellence. I like that statement.
Every lesson in every degree of Freemasonry reiterates the idea that the
individual is committed to self-improvement, to the acceptance of
responsibility, to deeper sympathy and benevolence, to greater truth, to genuine
love of fellowmen.
So Mote It Always Be!
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