Why Masonry?

On a recent Sunday morning, a preacher Kay and I heard was basing his sermon on a biblical text that reads, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”  It seems to me this passage applies to us, as Masons, if we translate it into the language we use when conferring and receiving degrees.  To paraphrase, “No one who puts his hand on the Bible and takes the Masonic vows and then goes back to his former ways is fit to reach the temple not built with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Our vows are taken with our right hand on the Volume of the Sacred Law and we promise in the name of God to strive to live up to those vows.  The preacher’s point was that a commitment is not subject to later revision, nor does it apply whenever and wherever we see fit to apply it.  Masonic vows are the same.  We are Masons night and day, wherever we might be and whatever we might be doing.  It is by living out our vows continually that we demonstrate to the world that we have become better men.

Masonic Education is an important element in our learning to become better men.  Ignorance or a scant knowledge of masonry will not accomplish our stated goal. Not long ago, I read a quip by late-night TV host, Jimmy Kimmel that said, “A recent study shows that the average child is more likely to own a cell phone than to own a book.  Maybe that’s why he is average.”  Masons are not made to be average.  We take our degrees for the purpose of being better men, not average men.  Masonic teaching is how we remain fresh and alert to what it is that we stand for and how we are to be.  One of the expectations Grand Lodge has for each lodge is that we will make an intentional and concerted effort to make Masonic education available to every brother, whether a brand new Mason or a 50-year honored brother.

With this in mind, your officers have decided to make a change in our Tuesday nights to open the door to Masonic teaching for one and all.  Our schedule for the remainder of the year will be to have Stated Meeting on the first Tuesday, as usual, confer a degree on the 2^nd and 3^rd Tuesday evenings, and have a Masonic Education night on the 4^th Tuesday.  If there is a 5^th Tuesday, we will confer degrees on the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th, and have our education night on the 5^th Tuesday (August is one such month).

It has been said that the job of Masonic lodges is to make Masons.  We regularly say that our goal is to make good men better men.  Our education nights should go a long way toward meeting that goal.  I hope to see many brothers here every Tuesday, not just those on which we confer degrees.  As good a man as some of us may be, we all need to work at becoming better men.  See you Tuesday!

At this past officer's meeting, the subject of Masonic education was again brought up as being a major concern for newly raised Master Masons and for those who have just been initiated and everybody in between.  It seems that there is a thirst for information on the subject as big as the thirst one would experience crossing the hot and arid Arizona desert in 115 degree temperatures.  I understand.  Everyone who attended the meeting understood and agreed about the need.  Be it known to you, my brothers, that your elected and appointed officers would not have the membership of Peoria Lodge #31 ignorant of Masonic knowledge.

       The first point I would like to make in this regard is that we are all grown men, not boys going to grammar school.  In grammar school, the teacher has a curriculum of information, a plan or schedule of imparting the knowledge, discusses the work to be done with supervisors, and finally teaches the children in a classroom setting.  The students are of two types:  Those who would rather not be in school and those who want to learn.  Those who want to learn generally have a goal in mind and are trying to prepare themselves for bigger and better things in their lives, so they pay close attention, attend class, earn extra credit, offer their time to get involved in the business of learning, and otherwise become involved in the process.  Then they go to college.

       In college, the teachers are called professors and they too go through the same procedure to teach students, but with one major difference.  It is expected that all the students in college want to be there, want to learn, and will apply themselves as best they can.  In grammar school the students are read the knowledge to be imparted, practice in class, and memorize facts on which they are later tested to insure that they have indeed learned the material.  In college, the student is told to read this book and that book outside of the classroom and to be prepared to discuss the knowledge when they attend class.  Questions are answered by the professor and a working knowledge of the information is debated.  Then there are tests to insure proper retention of the concepts involved.  In more advanced college classes, the students are told to pick a subject of interest in their major (to support the degree they are working toward) and write a thesis on what they choose approved by the professor.  The thesis is an essay or dissertation presented by the student showing evidence of knowledge supported by research on the subject.

       I bring this comparison to light to show the difference between children and adults and how they learn.  We are all adults in this lodge and we should be learning as adults learn.  You young Masons need to become involved in Masonry on the college level of learning.  Your officers are there to assist you in your walk in Masonry, but the education, the experiences, and the choice of study is your responsibility.  Involvement implies that you commit time, energy, and resources to occupy your attentions on the state of lodge affairs in your own major of Masonic education.  This is all of your own free will and accord.  Do you remember answering yes three times to the questions put to you during your initiation?  Therefore, your lodge anticipates your willing support and your study of Masonry as a life thesis.

       So, I put it to you, my brothers desiring more Masonic knowledge, pick your field of interest, read the many books on the subject from our own lodge library or yours, interview brothers who can impart knowledge, become a master of your own field of Masonic endeavor, and then submit your report to the lodge.  There is no better way for grown men to learn.

       By the way, these officer meetings that are held once a month are for officers to discuss things Masonic.  They are NOT only for officers, any one of you can attend and I hereby invite one and all to do so.  It is a great place to begin your Masonic Education.