August - September, 1949
Contents
THE MOUNTIES AND FREEMASONRY SECRECY IS WELL ADVISED
Value of Forgetting Symbolism of the Laurel
THE PHILALETHES SOCIETY NEWS MASONRY AND GOVERNMENT
JAMES FAIRBAIRN SMITH, F.P.S. OUR BOOK TABLE
PROFICIENCY HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE MASONIC RITUAL
By John Gordon Hanna, M.P.S., Montreal (Quebec), Canada
THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE. What magic in that name! Thus wrote an outstanding Canadian author and clergyman, Archdeacon H. A. Cody, of Saint John, New Brunswick, a member of that famed order of the Yukon, the Arctic Brotherhood, and on that note this writer, a former member of the "Mounted" and a "Sourdough" of the Yukon, is proud to begin.
The first beginnings of the Force are somewhat unusual for its roots are in the past and go deep into British history. On Friday, May 2, 1670, King Charles Il, of England, took time off from his avocations - not always commendable, and signed a momentous charter. This historic document granted to an association known as "The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay," the full sovereign rights in all the vast lands now comprised, not only in Western Canada, but also, what is perhaps not too generally known, the whole or parts of the three north-western states of the American union, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. This charter, far-reaching and sweeping in character as it was, imposed certain obligations as well as privileges. The most important of these was the obligation to maintain law and order, and civil rights throughout this extensive territory, stretching as it did from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.
In 1860 the Canadian government purchased from the Hudson Bay Company, by which name the organization was generally known, all this great empire with its rights and privileges and obligations for the sum of one million and five hundred thousand dollars in cash and certain land tenures in the Canadian West.
When the Canadian government obtained lordship over this great accession of territory, the problem of the enforcement of law and order was not immediately appreciated. However, complaints soon began to filter through to Ottawa. The Indians and half-breeds had become restless and were causing trouble. Bootleggers were selling liquor to the Indians in return for horses. Lawless whites were slaughtering the buffaloes with repeating rifles, and as these animals were the principal source of food for the Indians, starvation conditions began to appear. Then, to cap the climax, news was received that forty Lodges of Indians, practically an entire tribe, had been butchered in cold blood by a gang of buccaneers in the Cypress Hills.
The government at Ottawa took up the challenge and, in 1873, what was known as the "Mounted Police Act" was passed by the Canadian Parliaments and thus the Mounted Police came into existence.
In the fall of that year (1873), a body of 160 men was raised and dispatched to Winnipeg. These were joined in the following spring by a similar number raised in the east during the winter. The combined force, under Colonel French, the first Commissioner, concentrated at Fort Dufferin, Manitoba, and proceeding from thence by forced marches across the then uncharted prairies, arrived at what is now Macleod, Alberta, about the middle of September. A fort was hastily erected there, being named Fort Macleod, after Colonel Macleod, the second Commissioner of the Force.
This was the original headquarters, and from thence were launched the operations of restoring law and order. These were swiftly and relentlessly carried out by fast moving, well-armed and mounted patrols. And so successful were they that in the spring of 1875, Colonel Macleod found himself in a position to report to Ottawa that nothing more was to be feared from certain gangs of filibusters; that the illegal sale of liquor had been stamped out, and that the Indians were quiet and grateful for the protection afforded them by the police.
It is worth recording that during the march across the continent they reached the Cypress Hills on September 3 and saw for the first time the buffalo, an immense herd of which surged across their front. The sight of these great animals with their majestic heads, moving before him like a river at flood stage and extending as far as eye could reach, so impressed Colonel Macleod that, when some years later the question of an insignia for the Force came up, he could think of nothing more suitable than the buffalo head. And, as a result of his recommendation, the immutable, sphinx - like head of the buffalo, encircled by the proud motto "maintien la droit" (maintain the right), around which is entwined a chaplet of maple leaves, and bearing at the base the name "Royal Canadian Mounted Police," and at the apex the royal crown, was adopted and now forms the beautiful and distinctive badge of the corps, and is inscribed on all buttons, badges and equipment.
In 1882 the headquarters were moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, and here was established that great training depot, the cradle of what might well be termed a police college, which has proved such an outstanding feature in the life of the Force. The training and disciplinary methods adopted at Regina were based on those of the Royal Irish Constabulary, adapted to the requirements of a police organization working in a country such as western Canada. The system thus established is still retained in its essentials. And upon this sound foundation, and by progressive stages the present day modern establishment, replete with scientific laboratories, and the most up-to-date crime detection equipment has grown up.
The Force was first called the North-West Mounted Police; in 1905 the prefix 'Royal' was added. Then, around 1920, the name was changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in consequence of its jurisdiction having been established over all Canada.
Besides police work, the members of the Force were called upon for service for other departments of the government. As an example, this writer, who served in the Yukon for some six years, from 1901 to 1907, held at one and the same time a number of other appointments, such as Postmaster; Crown Tunber and Land agent; Mining Recorder; Commissioner for taking affidavits; Indian agent, and telegraph operator. Besides having on occasion to read the burial service over the dead.
Soon after the advent of the Mounted Police to Western Canada, settlers, emboldened by the presence of the police, began to pour in, many of them coming from south of the border. And within a short time civilization and settlement took the place of lawlessness and disorder. And in the performance of its duties to the people of Canada, the Mounted Police have seen the prairies ploughed up into farm lands; towns, villages, and cities spring into existence almost over-night; schools, churches, and industries of all kinds established; in fact, they have been present and indeed assisted in the founding of an empire. And during all those years. the settlers of the western plains have dwelt in peace; have raised and educated their families in comfort and security because of the ceaseless vigilance of the 'Mounted.'
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has always been somewhat of a cosmopolitan organization. Its members have been recruited from all classes of the community. And it is not too much to say that their great, abiding loyalty has always been to the Force itself, and its great traditions of service to the people of Canada. No man asks his comrade whether he is a Presbyterian, a Roman Catholic, or an Anglican. There are Freemasons, too, to be found within its ranks; just as there are Elks or Oddfellows, Knights of Columbus, or Knights of Pythias. And, as Rudyard Kipling has said in another connection: "It doesn't do no harm."
Since its inception there have been members of the Masonic Order serving in the Mounted Police, but they were scattered here and there throughout the vast distances of Western Canada, without cohesion, means of communication, or, indeed. knowledge of one and another.
When condition became more stable, however, a small number of the brethren, attached to the headquarters at Regina, got together and decided to form a Lodge.
In consequence, in October 1894, the "North West Mounted Police" Lodge No. 11, A.F. & A.M., G.R.S., was instituted, the only one of its kind, I believe. There were fourteen charter members, and membership in the Mounted Police was a pre-requisite to membership in the Lodge. For the first years, the meetings were held in one of the barrack rooms at H.Q., but later the Lodge moved to the Masonic Temple in Regina, where it is at present located.
Masonic equipment was difficult to obtain in those early days, and, therefore, the brethren made their own Lodge furniture. The ashlars were cut by hand, and the altar and pedestals framed by the post carpenter. The E. of M. were brought down from the far North. All this furniture is still in use in the Masonic Temple at Regina.
The difficulties encountered and so well overcome by our brethren of the old North West Mounted Police Mother Lodge at Regina, puts one in mind of the lines so ably written by Brother Sir Rudyard Kiplin, the great Masonic poet and Fellow of the Philalethes Society, and he must have had something similar in mind when he wrote:
"We 'adn't good regalia
An' our Lodge was old and bare
But we knew the ancient Landmarks
An' we ken' 'em to a hair "
The first fifty-seven members of the Lodge were members of the Force. However, the transfers of men to the Yukon, in the days of the Gold Rush, and others joining up in the army for service in the South African war so depleted the membership that it became impossible to hold Lodge meetings. Faced with the prospect of losing their charter, the brethren had it amended to permit outsiders to affiliate.
Speaking of transfers to the Yukon in connection with the North West Mounted Police Lodge, this writer has before him a unique photograph taken at Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, on May 24, l905, showing a military band of the Third United States Infantry, heading a North West Mounted Police parade. What is particularly interesting from a Masonic point of view is that Inspector P. W. Pennefather, commanding the parade was a Freemason, and, it is thought, a member of the old North West Mounted Police Lodge. This writer was also in the parade, although not at that time a member of the Craft. This is a fine example of American and Canadian friendship in those early years.
The Lodge is still going strong, and full of vibrant Masonic life. The police membership is still large, perhaps more so than in the earlier days. It is at once popular, powerful and colorful, and the traditions of the old North West Mounted Police are cherished and revered. Membership in the Lodge is eagerly sought by persons in all walks of life, and members of the learned professions, such as judges, lawyers, clergymen, and doctors feel honored to have their names inscribed on its rolls.
To commemorate the memory of the old original North West Mounted Police Lodge, what are known as "Police Nights" - are held at intervals during each year, especially in October, the month of the formation of the Lodge. On such evenings the chairs are occupied by members of the Force, dressed in the blue, the scarlet and the gold of the Corps. On these occasions the Master Mason Degree is conferred, and. as a spectator has written: "the candidate had the rare honor of having been raised in this colorful scene intensified by the beautiful musical ritual."
The Past Master's Jewel is usually presented to the immediate Past Master on a "Police Night." This coveted jewel by special permission bears upon it the crest of the North West Mounted Police in gold and enamel.
Only a relatively small number of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police members of the Masonic Order belong to the Lodge at Regina. Members of the Force are to be found in numerous Lodges from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and at Dawson and White Horse in the Yukon. They are fairly strong at Ottawa, now the headquarters of the Force. In Dalhousie Lodge No. 52, A. F. & A. M., Ottawa, which celebrated its hundredth anniversary last spring (1948), quite a number of the brethren belong to the Force. In fact, the Master of the Lodge last year was a non-commissioned officer of the Mounted. Moreover, a number of the brethren in the Lodges at Ottawa have formed themselves into a degree team, and on various occasions have exemplified the Masonic Degrees clad in the full dress uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They have even had the honor of being invited to perform the ceremonial at several Lodges in the Ignited States.
And so throughout the years the influence of Freemasonry has been strong among the "scarlet riders of the plains." And there is no doubt that the principles of the square, the level and the plumb rule have been carried by its members throughout the length and breadth of this fair Dominion of Canada of ours, and has aided them in upholding that proud motto of the Force: "Maintien le Droit."
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By Murray M. Friedman, M.P.S. Tel-Aviv Israel
THE UNINITIATED in our Craft take Freemasonry for what it outwardly purports to be - a secret society. Man has a primeval fear of secret societies. This fear, mostly subconscious, is no doubt instilled by a knowledge of the power, often abused exercised by secret societies from primitive times throughout the ages. Putting this hidden fear aside, and trying to take a logical view of the matter, there is still something about the Craft which is repellent to the uninitiated. to the man in the street.
From what he sees and hears it is obvious to him that entry into the Craft can only be gained by the possession of a qualification (or more than one) which is hardly consistent with those very same virtues the Craft professes to admire. One must be a person of financial means, or be a member of an exalted class in the community, or have a certain standard of education. If Freemasonry is essentially good and it has something useful to teach all mankind, every line of reasoning points to the opening of the doors of Lodges to all and sundry. Secrecy should be unveiled so that all may benefit from what it has to offer to a still sorely distressed world. That is the argument of the man in the street who wants to understand, and the logic of the argument seems unanswerable. At any rate there is much truth in it.
I wonder if what I have to say is any reply to the argument of the man in the street. An argument made not just for the sake of debate, but made honestly and sincerely in the belief that the apparent secrecy about the Craft has done more good than harm in sustaining the high value we put upon those moral principles we endeavor to follow.
Every limited society or organization, whether secretive or otherwise, puts certain qualifications upon the admission of members. The qualification may be of class, race, the possession of a minimum amount of wealth. Whatever the qualification required as a pre-requisite for admission, viewed objectively it must be regarded as undemocratic, and the foregoing argument of the man in the street can be applied to it with equal force. Two wrongs do not make a right; but what is behind a specific requirement for admission to a special social group ? Is it not a psychological make-believe that those who possess the particular qualification, which is the outward. visible sign, must of necessity and by virtue of possession of that qualification, possess other qualities to which the particular society attaches importance? If one is rich, one has a certain standard of social education. If one belongs to a certain class of society, one possesses the attributes of that class. That is the make-believe reasoning, which only stands the test of a generalization.
Similarly in Freemasonry, the particular qualifications, the existence of which we can not deny and which differ in various Lodges, are merely the outward, visible signs, which to our human mind reasoning ensures the existence of certain other, more important, qualities on which the actual stress is laid. Discarding these outward trappings, what is the essential requirement or quality Freemasonry requires of those anxious of the privilege of being admitted to it? We all know the answer. Why then, do we not unceremoniously open our doors to all good and worthy men?
We all value Freemasonry; we treasure it for what it has given us. In a sense Freemasonry gives us power, teaches us to conquer our baser instincts and forcibly directs the proper application of moral virtues for purely unselfish motives. The elation and uplifting we get from the Craft is a power. Let us not doubt this. It is a power that rises from within and spreads out and over the people with whom we come in contact. It often makes and impels us to do good, for the mere sake of doing good, without hope or thought of reward. The returns come in sooner or later, and they increase our moral and spiritual forces, and sometimes our material wealth. Is then such a treasure to be thrown about indiscriminately, left to be picked up by anyone? Is power, which can be abused and turned to selfish ends, and to throw discredit on the Craft, to be given to anyone? Obviously not!
The pre-admission qualification which a Lodge requires are merely a rough and ready test for a separation of the chaff from the wheat. This test is dictated by our way of life, in itself leaving much to be improved. The test is not infallible and can be improved. Perhaps in time a better test will be devised. But after all we are only human.
We want to see our privileges received by worthy men only. That is, surely, a logical view, which even the man in the street can not deny, though he may find fault with our test of worthiness. Under the circumstances it seems to me that secrecy is well advised. But we of the Craft know that we have no secrets. What we offer can be obtained only by the effort of good will to all. That, perhaps, is our only secret !
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If you want to add to your happiness and prolong your life, forget your brother's faults. Forget the slander you have heard; forget the temptations: forget the fault-finding, and give more thought to the cause that provoked it. Forget the peculiarities of your friends and only remember the good points that make you fond of them. Forget all personal quarrels or histories you may have heard 'by accident', and which, if repeated, would seem a thousand times worse than they are. Blot out as far as possible all the disagreeable things of life; they will prow larger when you remember them, and the constant thought of the acts or meanness, or, worse still, malice, will only tend to make you familiar with them. Obliterate everything disagreeable from yesterday: start each day with a clean sheet, and write upon it only the things which are lovely and lovable.
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The following is copied from "Myths of Greece and Rome," by H. A. Guerber. The story is interesting but the gist of the story will be found in the poem by Ovid.
Apollo encountered in a forest a beautiful nymph named Daphne, the daughter of the river God Peneus. Love at first sight was the immediate consequence on Apollo's part and he longed to speak to the maid and win her affections. He first tried to approach her gently, so as not to frighten her; but before he could reach her side, she fled and he pursued her flying footsteps. As he ran he called aloud to Daphne, entreating her to pause and that he would do her no harm.
The terrified girl paid no heed to his promises but sped on until her strength began to fail. Panting and trembling she rushed down to the edge of her father's stream, calling loudly for his protection. No sooner had she reached the waters edge, than her feet seemed rooted to the ground. A rough bark enclosed her quivering limbs while her trembling hands were filled with leaves. Her father had granted her prayer by changing her into a laurel tree. When the truth dawned on Apollo he declared that henceforth the laurel would be his favorite tree and that prizes awarded to poets, musicians, etc., should consist of a wreath of its glossy foliage.
"I espouse thee for my tree:
Be thou the prize of honor and renown;
The deathless poet, and the poem, crown;
Thou shalt the Roman festivals adorn,
And, after poets, be by victors worn."
- Ovid
The story of Apollo and Daphne was an illustration of the effect produced by the sun (Apollo) upon the dew (Daphne). The sun is captivated by its beauty and longs to view it more closely. The dew, afraid of its ardent lover, flies, and when its fiery breath touches it, vanishes, leaving nothing but verdure in the selfsame spot where a moment before it sparkled in all its purity.
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The grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M., has a world-wide reputation. It would not be too much to say that it stands in the very forefront of the English-speaking Masonic world in regard to its achievements from the intellectual and educational point of view. The Iowa Masonic Library, 815 First Avenue, S.E., Cedar Rapids, though it may have one or two equals, has no superior. Its resources have been put freely at the disposal of Masonic students the world over, and there is no reading Freemason anywhere who does not know of its fame. In conjunction with the educational work of the library a Bulletin has been issued monthly for many years, with the object of bringing the Masonic library, its resources and acquisitions to the knowledge of the brethren in its own Jurisdiction and elsewhere. The expense is met by the Grand Lodge and is considered as part of the Library work.
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True Masonry is true Charity, not only in giving alms but in giving love in every day life. When Freemasons live up to their ideals we shall better know who are most benefited by Freemasonry.
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New Members
George T. Bechervaise; New Carlisle, P.Q.; Canada
( Recommended by Charles E. Holmes, F.P.S.)
Dr. Nelson C. Bledsoe; Tucson, Arizona
(Recommended by James R. Malott, F.P.S.)
Joseph Butler; Detroit, Michigan
(Recommended by J. Fairbairn Smith, F.P.S.)
Lawrence A. Campbell; San Jose, California
(Recommended by Harney A. Miles, M.P.S.)
Moler A. Duff, Jr.; New London, Ohio
(Recommended by Allister J. McKowen, F.P.S.)
Walter J. Eichhorn; Detroit, Michigan
(Recommended by J. Fairbairn Smith, F.P.S.)
Joseph A. E. Ivey; Tucson, Arizona
(Recommended by James R. Malott, F.P.S.)
J. Campbell James; Flagstaff, Arizona
(Recommended by Ray F. Akin, M.P.S.)
Bliss Kelly; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
(Recommended by Schuyler E. Cronley, M.P.S.)
Harry H. Leavitt; Gardnerville, Nevada
(Recommended by Charles P. Barrett, M.P.S.)
Richard J. Meek; Whitehorse, Y. T.; Canada
(Vouched for by Brother D. S. Murray, Worshipful Master of Whitehorse Lodge No. 46, G.R.B.C.)
Norman Irvin Morris; Newark, New Jersey
(Recommended by Sherwood V. Westlake, M.P.S.)
Clifford W. Parkin; North Hatley, P. Q.; Canada
(Recommended by Charles E. Holmes, F.P.S.)
Rev. Paul W. Reigner; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(Recommended by Charles G. Reigner, F.P.S.)
Silas S. Salter; Mimico (Ont.); Canada
(Recommended by Frederick T. Parker. M.P.S.)
Walter Stover; Watertown, South Dakota
(Recommended by Wylie B. Wendt, M P.S.)
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Recent visitors at the home of President Waiter A. Quincke included: Chan L. Rogers, M.P.S., of Los Angeles, and Mrs. Rogers; I. S. Galindo, M.P.S., of Silver City, New Mexico, and Mrs. Galindo: Allister J. McKowen, F.P.S., of Los Angeles, Calif.; Charles P. Barrett, M.P.S., of Pasadena, Calif., and L. B. Blakemore, M.P.S., of Chicago, Illinois.
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The Philalethes - August-September, 1949; Volume 4, Number 6. - Walter A. Quincke, F.P.S., Editor-in-Chief. The official publication of The Philalethes Society, 274 South Burlington Avenue, Los Angeles 4, California, where all communications should be directed. - Publication schedule: Eight (8) issues per year or volume: January; February; March; May (April-May); July (June-July); September (August-September); November (October-November), and December. - Annual subscription, in the United States of America, $3.00; elsewhere, $4.00, payable in advance. - The columns of "The Philalethes" are reserved for the literary contributions of the Society's members and the material is selected for its quality and timeliness rather than upon name. All published articles, however, express the ideas and opinions of their contributors only, and in no way need they be the opinion of the Society. - Member-Editors of Craft magazines, here and abroad, are privileged to reprint, in part or in full, any articles first published in "The Philalethes," but are expected to give due credit to its source.
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By James R. Malott, F.P.S., Globe, Arizona
(Introductory Note. We are pleased to present hereunder the "masterpiece" submitted by our recently elected Fellow, Brother James Raymond Malott, a 33rd Degree Freemason of Tucson (Arizona) Consistory, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. A Past Master of White Mountain Lodge No. 3, F. & A.M., Globe, he has served as the presiding officer of the Grand Lodge, F. & A.M.; M.E. Grand Chapter, R.A.M., and the Grand Commandery, K.T., all of Arizona. A successful lawyer and an ardent student of Freemasonry, our Brother owes his promotion to the great zeal and devotion of which he has given evidence since he began to take an active interest in the affairs of our Society. Brother Malott's address is: Box 351, Globe, Arizona. - The Editors).
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MY PERSONAL interest in the relation between Masonry and Government was aroused by two coincidences. The first was the fact that the development of Speculative Masonry, which in 1717 crystalized in the organization of the Grand Lodge of England, coincided with the great movement which had for its objective human freedom from despotism. The second was that the American Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution, and the American Constitution were so largely the work of individual Masons.
At this time, when the world is torn by the conflict between two ideologies - that of democracy, so-called, against totalitarianis - many Masons have been wondering what position, if any, Masonry should take in the conflict.
Masons have seen that wherever totalitarianism in government has come to pass, its first move has been to abolish Masonry and banish Masons. On the other hand, Masons know that they must respect our ancient charges forbidding any discussion of politics within our doors and any action by Masons as a group in political matters. We face suggestions, and even demands, that Masonry take a direct and outstanding position in this conflict and that we revise our ancient charges, if necessary. as outdated.
In this dilemma it is proper for Masons to consider the issues between democracy and totalitarianism, and to study the history of Freemasonry, its organization, its teachings and its purposes, to determine what Masonry stands for and what Masonry can do today.
The outstanding feature of totalitarianism in government is that it attempts to force the political, economic and religious opinions of one group upon a whole nation or the world without scruple as to its methods or the effect upon individuals. Freedom of opinion and action is subordinated to the demands of the State; power is consolidated in the hands of the few.
Democracy, on the other hand, rests upon the theory that man can and will choose the good from the bad, the true from the false, if he is free to choose and if the consequences of his choice are presented to him in terms he can understand: that each individual has an obligation to recognize that every other individual possesses the same rights that he may possess and an obligation to protect the rights of his fellows as his own. Ultimate power is left in the hands of the people. The success of democracy rests on brotherhood, fair play, and the application of the Golden Rule.
As between these fundamental theories. the question is not "May Masonry take a stand?," but "Dare Masonry not take a stand ?" The problem is, how may it make its influence and teachings effective without adopting a course that will lead to dissension in its ranks?
Many of the profane believe that Masonry is a great and powerful society, international in character, selfishly working for its own interests and those of its members. The organization of Masonry, as every Mason knows, is entirely different. Instead of a world-wide organization, we have individual lodges operating under the jurisdiction of separate and independent Grand Lodges - in this country, an independent Grand Lodge for each State. There is no over-all organization, no unity except a common belief in certain fundamental principles and landmarks, and a universal recognition of our members. There has always been opposition to any suggestion that we unite our Grand Lodges into a supreme organization for fear that the control of such an organization might be seized and the fraternity committed to a particular program - political, religious or economic. Masonry realizes that since the dawn of history the acquisition of power by any institution. no matter how noble its purpose, leads sooner or later to intolerance and abuse. Masonry, therefore, as an organization avoids any action which would lead to power; hence the nature of its organization and the method and manner of its teachings.
As an organization, Masonry is a great school which deals with the individual. It presents to its initiates its symbols and fundamental and accepted principles which appeal to the highest ideals of men of all nationalities, races and creeds. As stated by Albert Pike: "It is for every individual Mason to discover the secrets of Masonry by reflection upon its symbols and a wise construction and analysis of what is done in the work." As a result. king and commoner; the rich and the poor; the scholar and the craftsman; the scientist and the minister may and do meet upon a common level and devote their time, their efforts and their substance to the advancement of its mission. This is both the strength and weakness of the organization; its strength, because it permits each member to follow the dictates of his own conscience without conflict among members in accord as to the fundamental and accepted principles of the fraternity; its weakness, because too often, through inertia or lack of knowledge of the basic principles of Freemasonry, its members, instead of acting as a unit, work at cross purposes.
Some Masons have taken the position that the ritual is the whole of Masonry and that the spiritual development of the individual is the whole purpose of our Fraternity. Too often ritualism is mistaken for Masonry, whereas it is merely the means through which the sublime truths of Freemasonry are presented to the hearts and minds of men to inspire them to action. In a wonderful address made by Albert Pike before the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, in 1858, he said: "Masonry is not speculative, but operative in its work. Good Masonry is to do the work of life. Its natural work is practical life. Its precepts are meant for practical use."
In applying the principles taught by Freemasonry, Masons in all times and ages have encountered the conflict between Masonic principles and the State. One of the greatest practical influences having to do with man's betterment is government. It may help or hinder man's progress, depending upon whether it makes possible or prevents equality of opportunity, freedom to think, and liberty to live and act according to the dictates of one's conscience without limitations other than those necessary to protect the rights of one's fellows.
The purpose of government or political science, as defined by Albert Pike, is to seek to determine how political and personal freedom may be secured and perpetuated - freedom of thought and opinion, freedom from despotism of every kind - and to this extent political science and Freemasonry have a mutual objective. Frederick the Great once said: "Freemasonry should have no other end than the perfection of society," which in turn, necessarily involves consideration of the governments under which men live. Masonry, the science, is engaged in the search after Divine truth. Justice is its application to human affairs. To the Mason, "in human affairs the justice of God must work by human means."
In our rituals we do not find the words "liberty" or "democracy." They are merely mechanical devices which are necessary if we are to attain the great objective of Freemasonry and the betterment of all mankind. The underlying purpose of our ritualistic teachings and the great moral lessons impressed upon our members is to inspire Masons to choose the good from the bad rather than that which may be to one's personal interest, whether good or bad. Masonry presents the ideals of equality and of justice. Masonry, when properly understood, stands openly for the natural rights of man; the right of man to be free; the right of man to secure justice; the right of man to equality of opportunity; his right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience: the right of individual man to fight spiritual tyranny and political dictatorship. It opposes intolerance, superstition, and bigotry. We are taught and we know that freedom follows fitness for freedom as the sequence follows the cause and that no people will be really free until they are fit to govern themselves. For that reason, forms of government as such may be considered to be in the realm of politics. Laws alone cannot bring about brotherhood between men.
But it is not politics for Masons to seek the application of the great principles which are taught by Freemasonry. Masonry does not attempt to solve the specific problems of the world, of a nation, of a state, or even of a community. Masons will and do differ as to the every day application of Masonic ideals and principles, but they cannot and should not differ as to those ideals and principles. When a theory of government is sought to be impressed upon a nation or upon a world, which would abolish these principles and ideals, and make it possible for men to achieve them, Masonic education is called for, that individual Masons may be inspired to act.
By millions of our friends throughout the world, and especially in this country, Masonry is regarded as a guardian of our liberties, but during the years of safety and peace in America, Masonic leaders lost this vision of Masonry. There were no dragons to slay. We sank into lethargy and most of us believed that Masonic work consisted of initiating candidates and nothing more. We were critical of our brethren in Spain and Italy, for example, where the leaders of the Craft, in attempting to protect and bring into being the high principles for which Masonry stands, fought for freedom because they were "engaging in politics." Such activities seemed to be unnecessary in our country. But as stated by an eminent lawyer a few years ago, "each generation has to fight to preserve the liberties that were secured and handed down to it by a previous generation."
If in this country today there was a political party which for its platform proposed the establishment of a state religion, or the abolishment of all religion, the withdrawal of the franchise, the prohibition of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, public education, and the right to trial by jury, would it be engaging in politics for Masons everywhere to oppose such a program? If Masons did not act under such conditions, the fraternity would be abolished and would deserve to be abolished. It would not be serving its purpose. Yet there is such a political movement, with such a platform and program, acting openly in some democratic countries and surreptitiously and underground in others, seeking to develop chaos and revolution in order to seize control of all power. The political philosophy of Freemasonry requires concerted and active opposition to such a program.
The adoption of the Grand Lodge Constitution of 1723, in which it was provided that Masons were obligated to "that religion in which all men agreed," reserving their particular opinions to themselves, instead of the former requirement that every Mason was obligated to be of the religion of his own country, was for its day and time a startling political expression to the effect that liberty of conscience was of greater importance than the union of church and state. It was a political theory in the sense that it opposed the then existing theory that kings ruled as God's representatives on earth and could do no wrong. It is interesting to note that the Masonic doctrine of freedom of religion was incorporated in the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States which provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Our situation today is not a new one. When the political theory of democracy conflicted with that of totalitarianism, known in that day as the Divine Right of Kings, the conflict culminated in the American Revolution. Trained to believe in the brotherhood of man, in freedom of conscience, in equality and liberty, in the ability of free men to govern themselves, the Masons of America were faced with the option of fighting for the establishment of our Masonic principles or of abandoning them. In their battle for the fundamental principles of Freemasonry, as distinguished from their fight for independence which grew out of that fundamental conflict, they had the support of thousands of English Masons.
Our ancient brethren were not greatly concerned with a ritual. They sat about the banquet table; they listened to able speakers, they argued; they considered questions of philosophy, political science and economics. They sought to learn - they sought the Truth. They were the leaders of the public opinion of their day. They did not hesitate, as Masons, to express the Masonic principles for which they stood. The high proportion of Masons who took part in signing the Declaration of Independence, in carrying on the American Revolution, in establishing a new Constitution for our country, in seeking to bring about public education so we would have the necessary basis for a true democracy, shows the result of real Masonic education and training. They remembered that Freemasonry "inculcates the duties of religion, loyalty and citizenship as duties of a personal character" and in their every day life applied the principles which they learned and believed in as Masons. We read complaints in the papers of that day, for example, that "the people who are the promoters of the free schools are Grand Masters and Wardens among the Freemasons, their very pillars."
Albert Pike stated that the real problem of any democracy is to find guides who will not seek to become tyrants and that "Masonry seeks to be this beneficent, unambitious, disinterested guide." In these words do we not find the real mission of Freemasonry ? Will not activity along this line answer those who feel Masonry is doing nothing, and also answer those who would make of our Fraternity a high pressure political organization ? We must remember that Freemasonry is a speculative science which is ever-growing, ever-seeking to attain a more perfect society; that it is not bound to any dogma or limited by the dead hands of the past. We must also remember that in the field of government, Masonry seeks nothing for itself or its members that it does not ask for all men of every class and creed.
The Masonic program can only be achieved through education and enlightenment of the individual. The great obligation of Masonic leadership today is to present the issues of today in the light of Masonic principles and ideals and in terms that the ordinary man can understand. I envision our Fraternity as once more taking the great position which it once held in the minds of the public, when every Masonic Lodge was the nucleus of thinking men of its community, interested in public affairs.
There are more than three million Masons in the United States. Most of them are not in positions of authority. Few of them pretend to be Masonic scholars or leaders. Yet each of them has his circle of influence wherein he is looked to for enlightenment. It may be only within the home. It may be in larger fields. Each one may and should contribute his part, large or small, toward the mission of Masonry by helping develop an honest, enlightened and unselfish public opinion, both within and without our ranks, to combat the propaganda of hatred, misrepresentation and vilification which is the weapon of totalitarianism.
Masonry, the organization, presents its working tools to its initiatives. It does not use them but, through the leadership of the Fraternity, the great bulk of our membership should and can be taught and inspired to use the working tools of Freemasonry so that each of us may better perform those duties which we owe to God, our country our neighbors, and ourselves.
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James Fairbairn Smith, whose portrait appeals on the cover page of this issue, was born at Hawick, a woolen manufacturing town in Scotland, 50 miles south of Edinburgh, January 30, 1902. His father was Andrew Smith, whose mother was a Johnson from the famed Gretna Green, where the English elopement wedding ceremonies were conducted by a blacksmith also named Johnson. His mother was Sarah Addison McNaughton, a descendant of Clan McNaughton, keepers of the Castle of Fraoch Eilean, which is situated on the shores of Loch Awe.
As a boy "Jim" Smith worked in a seed store for one dollar a week and later in a millwrighting establishment. He took special courses at the Rutherford Technical College, at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and the Royal Society of Arts, London. Then interest in music came to the fore and he entered the National College of Music, from which he graduated December 10, 1923.
Less than a month later, he set sail from Glasgow from St. Johns, N.B., Canada. His destination was Calgary, Alberta, where a job awaited him. However, he decided to "see" the United States and this led him to Detroit, where he made his home. For the next twelve years he taught music, became director of the Redford Branch, Detroit Conservatory of Music, and an associate instructor at the Detroit Foundation School. With other civic leaders he helped in the formation of the Brightmore Musical Festival and the Detroit Musicians' League.
He was married August 26, 1931, and has two sons, Glen McNaughton and James Fairbairn. His earlier church affiliations were with the Church of Scotland and the Church of England. At present he is a member of the Redford Avenue Presbyterian Church, where he taught Sunday School for many years.
Brother Smith's Masonic activities have been many and varied. He saw the light of Masonry at 18 in St. James Lodge, Border Union Royal Arch, No. 424, Hawick, Scotland, being a "Lewis Mason," receiving his Entered Apprentice Degree, October 21, 1920. He was passed to the Fellowcraft Degree January 8, 1921, and raised to the sublime Degree of a Master Mason February 26, 1921. On the same day he received the Mark Degree in this Symbolic Lodge.
Upon his arrival at Detroit he became Plural Member of Kilwinning Lodge No. 297, F. & A.M.; affiliated with King Cyrus Chapter No. 133. R.A.M., in 1925; Monroe Council No. 1, R. & S.M., in 1926, and was knighted in Detroit Commandery No. 1, K.T., November, 1926. In 1934 he received the Scottish Rite Degrees in Detroit Consistory, A.A.S.R., Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, and became a Noble of Moslem Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., in 1937.
He served as the High Priest of his Royal Arch Chapter, in 1934, and was made an honorary member of the Grand Council, O.H.P., for the State of Iowa. October, 1940. In 1945 he was elected Most Wise Master of Mt. Oliver Chapter Rose Croix, and in the same year served as Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter, R.A.M., of Michigan. On September 24, 1946, he was nominated for the Thirty-Third Degree at Pittsburgh, and crowned at Cincinnati, September 23, 1947. In May, 1946, he was elected for a three year term as Chancellor of Detroit Consistory, which will eventually lead to the office of Commander-in-Chief.
Presently he is serving as Junior Warden of Union Lodge of Strict Observance No. 3, and as second vice president of the Detroit Masonic Temple Association and during the ordinary course of events he will become president, January, 1951.
Our Brother is a member of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, Correspondence Circle, London; the Society of Blue Friars, No. 18, and the Grand Masters' Council, No. A, of the Allied Masonic Degrees; a Fellow of the Grand Lodge of Rites of the United States, and Fellow of the Grand Council of Rites, No. 170.
A prolific writer on Masonic subjects, he is the author of "Masonic Presidents of the United States of America"; the "History of Royal Arch Masonry in Michigan," and is currently working on the "History of Freemasonry in Michigan."
During 1934, he established "The Masonic World," and as the Editor-in-Chief of that widely-read Detroit publication he is doing an outstanding job in the field of Masonic journalism.
Successful and worthy, within the Fraternity and the world at large, we are proud, indeed, to present James Fairbairn Smith, Fellow of the Philalethes Society in Michigan, to our membership at large.
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JACHIN and BOAZ
Written by Brother Jewel P. Lightfoot, and published by the Committee on Masonic Education and Service, Grand Lodge of Texas, A.F. & A.M., this pamphlet presents the problem of rediscovering the Royal Cubit of Egypt and the Sacred Cubit of the Hebrews. So far at least as this reviewer is concerned Brother Lightfoot has found the solution.
In erecting the new Masonic Temple of the Grand Lodge of Texas, at Waco, it was necessary to know the exact dimensions of the two pillars. Insofar as all Biblical measurements are given in cubits and since nowhere was the Sacred Hebrew cubit defined, some clue had to be found to reduce this ancient cubit to English feet and inches. Brother Lightfoot used a triple square - 3 x 3: 9 x9: and 81 x 81 - as applied to a square and a circle within of certain dimensions.
Brother Lightfoot checks his solution by the dimensions of the Ark, the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, King Solomon's Temple and the sacred furniture therein, finding that each of these is built in certain ratios to the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Egypt.
No one can deny, without professional mathematical training, the main theme of this book. But I am inclined to disagree when Brother Lightfoot claims the secret dimensions of the Sacred Hebrew and Egyptian Cubit have been preserved in the rituals of Ancient Craft Masonry and in the Royal Master Degree of the Council. Our Ancient Craft rituals date not earlier than 1717 and the Royal Master ritual is much later a'borning. The Royal Arch dates from around 1737. How, then, after a lapse of many, many centuries, could these comparatively modern inventions have preserved so ancient a secret?
There are the innumerable 3's in the Ancient Craft, the triple triangle in Royal Arch and Cryptic Freemasonry, it is true. It is also quite probable that the ancients used the triple squares as a basic measurement in establishing the cubit. But no one can establish the unbroken succession from the ancient temple builders to our own Craft. Brother Lightfoot's thesis on this score seems to be a case of "post hoc ergo propter hoc."
The main part of the pamphlet is devoted to discovering the cubit. It is enlightening and well worth the time of any Freemason who wishes to know more in detail of that Temple wherein, traditionally, his Craft started - though not in fact. For this reason the pamphlet is highly recommended.
L.E. W.
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If Masonic Lodges were fulfilling their true mission and provided a distinctive cultural program that could not be obtained elsewhere, every society and fraternity connected with the fundamental organization would help rather than hinder its growth and influence.
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By William T. Corbusier, M.P.S.
Long Beach, California
PROFICIENCY is defined as 'well versed' - ‘adept.' Can it possibly refer to the mere memorizing of dogma or ritual ? Only in so far as the repetition impresses and activates the being into action.
If you have made the necessary proficiency in the preceding degree, you have lived it. If you have not lived it you do not come duly and truly prepared, nor are you worthy and well qualified, for without these there can be no 'passing,' - these are the pass, by whatever name they may be called. Whoever vouches for your adeptness has the pass word of confidence which you have instilled in him during your probationary period.
What you have learned in the ritual may represent a day or a life time in proportion to your understanding of "proficiency." You have made the necessary proficiency only when you have lived Honor, Truth and Charity. You are not asked if you have done these things, for only he who has felt the influence of them is qualified to answer for you.
If, in your desire to be letter-perfect, you have not fed the hungry in mind and body; if, in your ambition to pass a good examination, you have not clothed the naked; if, in a spirit of greed or slander or malice, you have weakened your fellowman; then you are not well versed in the requirements which constitute that proficiency necessary to pass you beyond the barriers where greater rewards lie.
Proficiency, as we use it, means clean living, nothing more !
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HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE MASONIC RITUAL
By Robert J. Meekren, F.P.S.; Stanstead, Quebec, Canada
(The author reserves the right to republish this article in whole or in part)
(Introductory Note. Brother Meekren, who for more than thirty years has made the Masonic Ritual his special study, will be happy to answer any questions that readers of "The Philalethes" may wish to ask. Too, anyone wishing to make further research upon this subject may receive valuable assistance by consulting our Brother. - The Editors.)
CHAPTER I.
IN THIS and some following chapters it is proposed to give a sketch of the history of the Masonic Ritual so far as the facts available may make it possible. The subject is a very extensive one and full treatment would require a lengthy and probably (except to specialists) a very dull treatise. It has therefore been a matter of some difficulty to decide upon the best way to present it to our readers, who, though educated and intelligent, can hardly be supposed to have special knowledge of the subject. Besides its own difficulties, springing inevitably from the nature of the subject, there is surrounding it a fog of mystifications, wild and fantastic hypotheses, and assumptions posing as proved facts makes it even more of a problem to know how to begin. Whether the plan adopted is the best or not I cannot say but I have been unable to think of a better one. I propose to begin by taking as a sort of textbook a work that probably every American Mason can refer to even if he does not himself possess it, that is "Mackey's Encyclopedia." I shall use the revised edition, published in 1929, under the editorship of my friend, the late Robert I. Clegg, F.P.S. In this edition, immediately after the Introduction, will be found a "Reader's Guide." In this again will be found a heading "Ritual" under which is listed a number of articles to be found in the body., of the work which are offered to the student as a groundwork for the study of the subject. There are nine of these articles: "Degrees"; "Initiation"; "Oral Instruction"; "Rite"; "Ritual"; "Secret Societies"; "Side Degrees," and "Symbolic Degrees." Unfortunately only two of these will be of any use for our present purpose, "Degrees" and "Ritual." However, these are not the only articles in the work in which ritual history is touched upon, and we may add tentatively the headings "Ancient" and "Innovation" as containing matter that will require some notice.
I shall treat these articles rather roughly I am afraid. Encyclopedists are human, and so liable to err. Mackey himself is not so much to blame for he based his conclusions upon the information that was available at the time he wrote, which is now a good many years ago; but I must say that I think his revisers, in the specified articles and elsewhere have been unduly timid in dealing with the sacred text. Many facts have been discovered since Mackey died, many points have been elucidated and a considerable number of significant documents have come to light, all of which were available to those who made the revision.
Taking the selected articles in alphabetic order we come first to that of the "Ancients." The revision here does do justice to the "Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons according to the Old Constitutions granted by Prince Edwin at York in the year of our Lord 926." This was the full official title of that organization which all the older writers stigmatized as rebels and schismatics. As it was far too lengthy for everyday use the abbreviations "Ancients," "Ancient Masons" and ''York Masons" were derived from it quite naturally. As used by themselves the "Ancients" had no intention of claiming that they had any connection with the old lodge at York, the extant minutes of which in 1712, five years before the founding of the London Grand Lodge, and these are other records of which prove that it was in existence in 1705, and by implication a good deal earlier still. But in spite of the fact that what the "Ancients" meant is perfectly clear, it has been said over and over again that they did claim to be derived from that time immemorial lodge at York, which continued its existence till the end of the 18th century, when it finally succumbed to the encroachment of its London rival. It follows that the designation "York Rite," commonly used in America, is perfectly legitimate historically, so long as the misapprehension, or mis-statement, that it implies a geographical connection is excluded. I suggest that the inquirer look up the article on "York" in the Encyclopedia and also (if he has it or can borrow it) Gould's Concise History of Freemasonry, consulting the index for the references. But what I wish to draw particular attention to in the article on "Ancient" with which we began, is the assertion, in two different places, that the arrangement, or sequence, of the names of certain architectural features of the Temple which is now universal all through the English-speaking Masonic world is the identical innovation adopted by the Grand Lodge of the "Moderns" somewhere about 1730 (the exact date is unknown) in order to detect false and irregular Masons. At the Union of the two Grand Lodges in England, in 1813, the Moderns surrendered completely, and tacitly admitted themselves to have been in the wrong. The Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland refused to acknowledge them otherwise.
In France, and other European countries, the "Modern" transposition still persists, and this is natural enough. Organized, that is, Grand Lodge Masonry as distinguished from that of the primitive form of organization, was apparently introduced into Europe under the auspices of the senior Grand Lodge in London, and of course its peculiarities would be likewise transmitted, among them this change in the order of the significant words. When shortly before the Union the "Moderns" admitted their error in changing or moving these landmarks, all official intercourse had come to an end with lodges in France owing to the prolonged Napoleonic wars. Consequently, French Masons naturally went on in the only way they had ever known, and maintained the "Modern" innovations, and with them the rest of European Masons.
There is another point in this article that may be touched upon. The confident statement of Dr. Oliver that the "division of the third degree and the fabrication" of the Royal Arch were the work of the "Ancients" is quoted with approval. I imagine that Mackey depended largely upon Oliver in this, but there was no need for the revisers to perpetuate the fallacy. The third degree was never divided, by anybody, anywhere or at any time. The Royal Arch is first heard of in Ireland, but where it originated there is no evidence to show. I would suggest that those interested refer to the article on the Royal Arch in the Encyclopedia, but they must use their own judgement what to accept in it.
We can now turn to the article headed "Degrees." Here in the first paragraph we find the amazing statement that in 1717 "the whole body of the Fraternity consisted only of Entered Apprentices." And in the last paragraph again it is said that as late as 1735 the Apprentice was "for all practical purposes a Freemason." The first of these assertions may perhaps be taken as an obscure elliptical reference to a theory that was in vogue when Mackey wrote (nor is it yet dead unfortunately) that primitive Masonry had no degrees as we understand the word, but that there was a single initiation corresponding to that of the first degree. As for the second, it is true that in the United States there has grown up in relatively recent years an idea that somehow an Entered Apprentice is not yet a Mason in spite of the plain statements in the ritual and the lectures to the contrary. It is quite possible that Mackey's works are largely responsible for this conception. The article has not been changed at all except that it has been broken up into paragraphs; otherwise it has been left as Mackey wrote it, though in a work of reference supposed to be authoritative it certainly called for revision. Since Mackey's day a great deal of fresh information has been accumulated and very fully discussed by Masonic scholars. In collaboration with my friend Brother A. L. Kress, I wrote a series of articles which were published in "The Builder," running consecutively from May 1928 to October 1929. In these articles every theory of the origin of degrees that has been advanced was collected, and the arguments in favor of each set forth. In the second part of the series all the available evidence (more has come to light since then) was fully discussed, and the following conclusions were reached:
1. That Freemasonry previous to the formation of the first Grand Lodge in 1717 consisted of two degrees, meaning by the word "degree" a status conferred in a secret ceremony in which certain secrets are communicated. That, in Scotland, these two degrees were called Entered 'Prentice and Fellow of Craft. In England it is generally supposed (but there is no evidence) that they were known as Apprentice and Fellow.
2. That the secrets communicated to the Fellow, or Fellow of Craft, were not known to the Apprentice.
3. That the Fellow, or Fellow of Craft, was equivalent to our Master Mason. The Fellow was entitled to employ other Masons and to take Apprentices. Whether he actually became a Master Mason depended on his economic circumstances, his ambition or his business ability.
4. That the Entered Apprentice was not merely a bound Apprentice, for when he was "made" or "entered" he had either served his time or was nearly at the end of it, and consequently to all intents and purposes he was a journeyman.
5. That at some time between 1700 (or possibly earlier) and 1725, or 1730, a system of three degrees was evolved out of the original two grades, and that this was effected by the division of the original initiation, or "entering," into two parts and calling these respectively "Entered Apprentice" and "Fellowcraft," while the old grade of "Fellow" was re-named "Master Mason."
These conclusions in the main are now, I have reason to believe, very generally accepted by the foremost Masonic students.
We come now to "Innovations." Here we find a recurrence to the subject of the differences between the "Ancients" and "Moderns." Unfortunately outside the bare fact that the latter (by their own confession) did make and adopt certain innovations there is in the article scarcely a statement or intimation that can be accepted in the two paragraphs that particularly concern us. For instance, it is said that the "Moderns" made changes in the modes of recognition in order to exclude "Ancient" Masons. Whereas it is a well-known fact that the changes were made at least twenty-five years before the "Ancient" Grand Lodge came into existence; and it was these changes themselves that were alleged in the accusations of the "Ancients" to justify their action.
In the paragraph about the Royal Arch the myth of the division of the original Master's degree is again brought forward, with the alternative that this degree was invented by the Chevalier Ramsay. There is absolutely no evidence for this, and the known facts of Ramsay's life made it highly improbable that he ever meddled at all in matters of Masonic ritual. As for Dermott it is now known that he was "exalted" before he ever left Ireland to go to England.
In the brief reference to the Lectures the statement that they have been subjected to repeated modifications may be accepted, but whether such modifications are really innovations is quite an open question. However, we need not go into that here as the subject will have to be considered later. Those who have the Encyclopedia in hand may well look up the article on the Lectures, though I do not endorse all that is there said any more than I do in the article on the Royal Arch, to which the serious-minded inquirer has already been referred.
Turning now to the article on "Ritual," the last of those selected for this preliminary survey of the problems that surround our subject. Here Mackey's original paragraph has been considerably extended in the revision. A good many references to paper and articles upon the subject are given, nearly all of which are well worth reading by those interested in the subject - if they can lay their hands on them. There are in addition some interesting accounts of non-Masonic ritual, which, however, are not relevant to our present purpose.
In Mackey's original article, which is the first paragraph in the revised article, he notes that "much of the ritual is esoteric." What is not esoteric is presumably the monitorial passages. He says further that the ritual "comprises the mode of opening and closing a lodge, of conferring degrees, of installation and other duties." He says that the ritual varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but that as the "Ritual is only the external and extrinsic form'' while the "doctrine of Freemasonry is everywhere the same" we can console ourselves in regard to this.
But why should a rigid uniformity be so much desired? Is not variety the spice of life? Is it well enough for modern imitative societies to have a uniform ritual? In their case it is something deliberately composed, written down and printed and distributed officially to those concerned. But the Masonic ritual grew. It has been slowly evolving for centuries, its variations are one of the chief marks of its antiquity. It embodies forms, customs and ideas of many generations, and they remain, fossilized as it were, for the discerning eye to observe and interpret. To reduce them all to a monotonous uniformity inevitably means the discarding of many things that should be our pride.
As for the practical advantages referred to in the article, the only real one is that of facilitating visitation. Here I can only say that in my own experience I have found that a Mason who is well grounded in the work of his oven lodge will never be denied wherever he may travel. In illustration I may perhaps be permitted an anecdote in point. A young man was initiated in my own lodge (Golden Rule No. 5, A.F. & A.M., Standstead, Quebec, Can.) and in due course passed and raised. Shortly after he was sent by his employers to Saskatchewan. My lodge, though in Quebec, follows an old recension of the York rite; most Canadian lodges work the same type of ritual as is used in England and the British Empire generally. Being enthusiastic in his Masonry our young brother presented himself at the local lodge and two elderly and grave Past Masters were sent out to examine him. His account of the incident was to this effect: "They asked me a lot of questions that were absolutely new to me, all I could do was to give the answers that seemed more or less fit. They took me through all the three degrees, and I couldn't tell whether I was getting anywhere or not. Finally one of them turned to the other and said: "Say, Bill, did you ever hear anything like this before?" "No, I didn't," Bill responded, "but it sounds like good Masonry to me." "So it does to me," said the other "and I guess we had better let him in." So they took him in and introduced him to the Master and brethren as "a Master Mason, well skilled in the work of his lodge - which is totally different from ours."
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The greatest healer in the world is time. For time is another name for God, the cosmic process, destiny, that power not of ourselves that eventually has its way with us and with all men. - Dr. Frank Crane.
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No man ever traveled the road to fame on a pass.
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All the forces at man's disposal or under man's control, or subject to man's influence, are his working tools. The friendship and sympathy that knit heart to heart are a force like the attraction of cohesion, by which the sandy particles became the solid rock. If this law of attraction or cohesion were taken away, the material worlds and suns would dissolve in an instant into thin invisible vapor. If the ties of friendship, affection and love were annulled, mankind would become a raging multitude of wild savage beasts of prey.
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If Freemasons would study such subjects as the existence of Masonry prior to 1717, the work of the Grand Lodges since then, the rise of the "Antient" Grand Lodge and its reason, the Union of the two English Grand Lodges in 1813 and who won, and the development of the three degrees, there would be a most fascinating and interesting study for some time to come, as those can testify who have made such a study.