Brother, They Said….
Anonymous
‘Brother,’ they said as they approached the Past Master.
‘Brother,’ they said, ‘we have concerns, we have questions, and we hope that maybe you might offer some thoughts.’
‘Oh,’ the Past Master groaned, ‘I always have thoughts, whether they are helpful or not remains to be seen. How may I help?’
‘Brother, as you know, we are Freemasons. We are directed to practice the Four Cardinal Virtues of Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice; we are called to use the tools of Logic and Reason to put our values of Brotherly Love, Relief, Truth, and Universality into practice towards fulfilling our various duties to our Creator, our Neighbors, and Ourselves,’ they said.
‘Yes,’ said the Past Master.
‘Furthermore, we are charged to be peaceable citizens outside the Lodge, and about the Lodge to erect a barrier against those things that divide people into sects or clans so that we may pursue Education, Justice, and Harmony, ’they said.
‘Yes, yes,’ said the Past Master.
‘Our concerns and questions are this: we live in a divided world. We live in a time where ideas have become tribal lines, where the focus is on grievances and differences, where there is open talk of disturbing the peace or encouraging violence. Regardless of our own personal beliefs, we know family, friends, neighbors, and, yes, even Brethren, who are incredibly aggrieved and seeking relief. What are we to do? If my father, my Brother, or my tribe raises an army and marches against my community, where do I stand? My clan or my community, where do I fall? Choosing one means losing the other and choosing neither means losing both. As Freemasons, we cannot remain passive and we must make a stand. Where? With whom? How?’ they pleaded.
The Past Master looked down in thought.
After a few moments, he quietly said, ‘I don’t know, have you tried Freemasonry?’
‘Freemasonry is not passive,’ the Past Master said, looking up at them, ’it is putting our values into action to fulfill our various duties to our Creator, our Neighbors, and Ourselves. In that battle between clan and community, where both are aggrieved and tempers are running high, what do they need? They need someone practicing Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice to erect a barrier against those things that divide people, to listen and question both using the tools of Logic and Reason with no other agenda than that of Brotherly Love, Relief, Truth, and Universality. They need someone pursuing Education, Justice, and Harmony; facilitating the changes necessary in both the clan and the community to make those things permanent. In short, a divided world needs Freemasonry. In the choice between clan and community, it is the only choice.’
He sighed, ‘I don’t know, Brethren, have you tried Freemasonry?’
They smiled and thanked the Past Master as he walked away, agreeing that maybe it might be time to try.
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