The Spirit of Freemasonry

There is a philosophy ripe in Society that has dictated public thought for better, or for worse, throughout time. The philosophy that everything must modernize has brought us to the current achievements in medicine, science, technology, and psychiatry. It has helped us prolong life, fight diseases, understand physical and mental disabilities, reach faraway planets, and build fantastic material things. Modernization has allowed us to make the world smaller through direct means of communication, to collaborate with experts the globe over, and to share cultures. It has done a great deal of good, but it has also done a great deal of evil.

Not All Things Should be Modernized

I harbor hostile feelings towards the modernization movement primarily due to the influence it has had where such influence shouldn’t have been allowed. Just because the world is moving towards a particular trend does not mean that philosophy or belief should be altered to satiate the masses, or to redeem a political agenda. Some things should be left in their pristine and unadulterated state as they were the best that could be no matter the era of their birth.

I refer to areas that society has failed to respect such as God, Faith, Structure, Education, Charity, and Sacrifice. In truth, I refer to those things which are the tenets of the Spirit of Freemasonry, for should an individual honestly look at speculative Freemasonry and study the landmarks of our establishment, they would see all of those subjects mentioned before as mortar between the stones. We are an age-old, honorable fraternity with ceremonies that date back to Solomon’s time, beliefs that revolve around the Great Architect of the Universe’s teachings, and desire to do only that which is good through service, charity, sacrifice, and education. These philosophies that have stood the test of time, proven again and again to be effective in their base foundations, speculated upon by the likes of Emerson, Franklin, Socrates, and more; these philosophies have come under attack by special interest groups, lobbyists, lawyers, and government in the name of modernization.

The Spirit of America

Our great nation was founded by men who believed enough in the tenets practiced by our ancient and honorable fraternity, that many lost their lives defending and establishing it. Young men and women serve in our armed forces protecting these inalienable rights, spilling their blood on foreign soil in defense of our freedoms, and the universal liberties of humanity while at home the very things they are standing up for are being stripped away one by one. What’s even more sickening is that the beautifully-crafted documents of our forefathers are used as misinterpreted ammunition for the organizations seeking to undermine that which our great nation was founded.

The right and ability to worship as we please is attacked by making it a law that people cannot pray in school. Corporations are legally obligated to allow time for non-Christian faiths to practice their worship in the workplace. Special interest groups and lobbyists are continually putting before lawmakers the petition to remove “One nation under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance after having successfully made it against the law to recite the pledge in our schools. The teachings of Solomon are under scrutiny whether directly, or indirectly, and those people who are on the front lines of the fight for reform–for modernizing morals–are gaining ground while the landmarks and foundations of our country, even Freemasonry itself, are the subjects of their attacks.

What is the Spirit of Freemasonry in Modern Times?

One of the things that the modernization of technology has allowed for is a broader circulation of opinion. While this has afforded the sharing of many a good piece of information, it has also allowed for those who utilize rude, loud, and base behaviors to overpower the intelligent, calm, philosophical voice. The masses are receiving trash instead of nourishment, and they are eating it up because of its popularity. Because of this ravenous behavior, the Spirit of Freemasonry is being held captive within the halls of our tiled houses. It is being restricted to our meetings and get-togethers. It is slowly but assuredly suffocated.

The inherited image of a Masonic thinking man is changing to that of a secret man. The honorable charge to stand up for what’s right and carry on that many of our Order’s pedigree have fought against tyranny, and the obstruction of freedoms has declined to a whisper. The public image of Masonic brothers providing strong and trusted service to more than just our fellow brethren and their widows has become a shadow barely recognized in society today. Why? Because the Spirit of Freemasonry has become a victim of modernization.

It is no longer fashionable to be a steadfast follower of the Great Architect of the Universe, even God. It is no longer a badge of honor to be the one that stands up for venerable institutions in the face of public scrutiny. It is no longer socially acceptable to wave the banner of moral fiber in the faces of our immoral society. All of these things would have been rally points for our Freemason ancestry. They would have been caused to marshal under the mark of the apron to regress, and remove as an option of modernization, these landmarks and tenets we should so justly cherish. The Spirit of Freemasonry is to be a thinker and a doer; to step outside of our temples, from behind the tiled doors of our meeting houses, and to strike back against those who would harm our values. The Spirit of Freemasonry is to become socially aware, to act in the best interest of the practice of being the best man, brother, friend, husband, and father a man can be by following the teachings of Solomon who was guided and instructed by God. The Spirit of Freemasonry is not a business; it is an all-engulfing fire that burns within us as Masons. It should ignite us to action, to voice, to faith, and to knowledge.

Step out from the shadows society expects us to remain within brothers, and raise the banner against immorality, fight against losing that which we value, be vocal in our communities, online, and in the face of those that would speak out against us, God, and the landmarks that this great country was built upon. Release the Spirit of Freemasonry.