ANCIENT SYMBOLIC PENALTIES
We want to thank Most Worshipful Brother Aldridge. PGM/Grand Secretary of
the Grand Lodge of Quebec for this provocative Short Talk Bulletin. The ancient
penalties in our obligations have been the source of much of the criticism
levelled at Freemasonry. Most Worshipful Brother Aldridge deals with this
criticism in a stimulating way.
The United Grand Lodge of England being in many respects the well-spring of
modern day Masonry is a valuable source of inspiration, education and philosophy
concerning what has come to be regarded as REGULAR FREEMASONRY. The recent
decision by the United Grand Lodge of England, followed by a number of American
Grand Lodges, to eliminate the Ancient Penalties from the obligation of each
degree has caused much discussion within the Masonic Fraternity.
The purpose of this article is to discuss an alternative approach to the
actual elimination of these Ancient Penalties.
Before proceeding further in this dissertation concerning the ANCIENT
PENALTIES it needs to be pointed out that these penalties were not the
brainchild of some distant Masonic ritualists. These or very similar variations
of them were in use in England among the oaths taken by mariners during the 15th
century and were also used in oaths assumed by those being admitted to the bar
in London, England during the 16th century.
If Freemasonry has erred in the choice of these penalties it was in the
reference to them as "ANCIENT PENALTIES" rather than what they really
were--"ANCIENT SYMBOLIC PENALTIES". As Shakespeare's Hamlet said, "...ah there's
the rub". These penalties were never included for the purpose of having an
enforceable violent penalty. They were included simply as a symbolic
representation of how seriously a postulant should view his oath.
Some would say if these are simply symbolic then remove them since they no
longer mean anything. That is somewhat misleading because so much of what we
have around us and which we hold so dear in this trouble some world is recorded
in symbols of all kinds. Symbolism is part of life and cannot be cast aside.
Mathematicians, geologists, in fact anyone whose discipline relies on the use of
numbers or numeric expressions, relies on symbols as an everyday experience. The
simple act, though not always simple, of driving a car depends on the use of
symbols to arrive safely at the intended destination. The numbers on the
speedometer are symbols, various designs on highway signs are symbols, the
little knobs on the dashboard all have different symbols. They are there to
ensure understanding regardless of the language of the operator. So it may be
concluded that symbols are an effective means of communication to ensure
accurate understanding regardless of language, education or intellect. In fact
your ability to read this paper is based on your understanding of the symbols or
letters used to express my thoughts.
"Oh yes", some may say ". . .but these are all symbols lacking any violent
origin". That may not be entirely accurate either. Many symbols in use today
depict a violent beginning and their design is intended to remind us of that
hazard. So it may be concluded violent symbols are effective communication links
to save us from harm. The simplest being the skull and crossbones as a symbol of
life threatening danger and of course the modern nuclear era has spawned untold
violent symbols especially designed to protect us from violent hazards.
Even the flags of many nations which certainly are revered and honored by
their nationals, and displayed in their places of worship, use red as a symbol
of the spilled blood which caused their nations to be born. The red poppy worn
so reverently in memory of our soldiers who died in battles to defend our
country is a symbol of the blood spilled in battle on Flanders Fields during
World War One. The buttons on the sleeve of a man's jacket and the little slit
under the buttons are symbols of the time a man's jacket unbuttoned all the way
to the shoulder so that he might have easy use of his sword. The vent at the
back of a man's jacket is a symbol of the time soldiers rode horseback. The vent
allowed their jackets to fall on either side of the riders' legs and so keep his
powder dry to more effectively kill his adversary. Quite a nice little symbol to
carry around with us when dressed in our Sunday best.
Now to get back to our ANCIENT SYMBOLIC PENALTIES. Why on earth should we
even consider relocating or removing them in the first place? "Oh because they
are offensive to some religious leaders". That begs the question as to which
religious leaders? Some of the greatest clergymen I have ever met, both the
pragmatic and the scholarly, have been members of the Masonic Order. Not a
single one of those extremely worldly wise reverend brothers ever dreamed of any
part of the ceremony being offensive in any manner whatever, INCLUDING the
penalties. Obviously no clergy outside of the craft should cause us any concern
because they really don't understand the context of the ceremony or the part the
penalties play in it. Now what does that leave us to contemplate? I believe it
points out in the clearest possible terms that the Masonic Order is a true
microcosm of the real world in which we live.
We have our own fair share of iconoclasts whose aim is to tear down rather
than to build constructively.
However, their arguments are not too compelling if analyzed. They suggest
that violence is an offense to God. Yet both Moses and Jesus had recourse to
violence in defending what they believed was an affront to God. Notwithstanding
that argument or counter-argument there is no violence in Masonry provided the
penalties are described as ANCIENT SYMBOLIC PENALTIES. Anything less than that
description is an offense to God and Masonry. It is not good enough to describe
them as ANCIENT PENALTIES since that implies that they are eligible and therein
we could be faulted from within and without this noble craft.
At a time when the Scandinavian Churches are seeing in Masonry no conflict
with their profession of faith, where leading clerics of the Church of Rome are
finding no incompatibility between Regular Freemasonry and their belief of
Christianity and those who malign us the most are being found to be guilty of
criminal and moral law breaking, we must be sure we stand by what we teach. We
must continue to conduct the affairs of Masonry in a manner well beyond
reproach.
We must not allow indiscriminate changes to be made. Once the start is made
where do we stop? Would we consider dropping the investigations of potential
candidates, would we discontinue the trial procedures, would we allow avowed
atheists to become part of our fraternity, would we allow and tolerate plots or
conspiracies of any kind? Certainly we would not do any of those things.
We are assembled to unify, in a God fearing brotherhood, wherein we can unite
in spirit to treat all of God's children as family. We cannot do that
effectively by allowing schisms to develop. We must be unified for the benefit,
not solely for our Order, but to better serve mankind in whatever manner God
leads us as individuals who have learned to recognize our duty to him and our
Brother. There will always be room for change in administrative practices but we
should not change that which has worked so well heretofore and for which there
is no substantive reason to consider change!
SO MOTE IT BE
It's that time of year again! We have been experiencing a large number of
returned mail marked "temporarily away." This does not tell us when to begin
mailing again to the address on file. If we receive two such returns, we
discontinue mailing until we are notified of the correct address. If you are
going to be away, PLEASE notify the M.S.A. of your proper mailing instructions:
when to stop, when to restart.
The Constitution Bicentennial still continues. For further information on
Bicentennial projects and the continuing commemoration, contact the Commission
at (202) USA-1787. All states and many communities have their own Bicentennial
commissions. To learn more about events in your area, call the State/Local
Affairs Division at (202) 653-9808. THE CONSTITUTION BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
CONTINUES
RATIFICATION/ENTRY INTO THE UNION
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December 18, 1787 Georgia, January 2, 1788 Connecticut, January 9, 1788
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1788 New Hampshire, June 21, 1788 Virginia, June 25, 1788 New York, July 26,
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Oregon, February 14, 1859 Kansas, January 29, 1861 West Virginia, June 20, 1863
Nevada, October 31, 1864 Nebraska, March 1, 1867 Colorado, August 1, 1867 North
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1889 Washington, November 11, 1889 Idaho, July 3, 1890 Wyoming, July 10, 1890
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