MM Topic The song remains the same...

[Gary]

As I sit at my kitchen table, I'm going through a pile of books looking for topics to write about. It seems that while reading, that some of the things that plague our fraternity today, have done so for a very very long time.

I'm reading Morals & Dogma, and Albert Pike's two lectures on Masonic Symbolism. Here is what Pike has to say about the state of Masonic Education in his time;

"Where in our Lodges are lectures habitually delivered for the real instruction of the brethren? Do not our sessions pass in the minor matters of business, the settlement of points of order and questions of mere administration, and the admission and advancement of Candidates, whom after their admission we take no pains to instruct?

In what Lodges are our ceremonies explained and elucidated; corrupted as they are by time, until their true features can scarcely be distinguished; and where are those great primitive truths of revelation taught, which Masonry has preserved to the world?

We have high dignities and sounding titles. Do their possessors qualify themselves to enlighten the world in respect to the aims and objects of Masonry? Descendants of those Initiates who governed empires, does your influence enter into practical life and operate efficiently in behalf of well-regulated and constitutional liberty?

Your debates should be but friendly conversations. You need concord, union, and peace. Why then do you retain among you men who excite rivalries and jealousies; why permit great and violent controversy and ambitious pretensions? How do your own words and acts agree? If your Masonry is a nullity, how can you exercise any influence on others?"


I ask you my Brothers; has anything changed? If so how?

I've got more to discuss, but I'm curious if anyone will jump in on this.

 

[Duncan1574]

No the issue has not changed for decades or more. I for one would prefer to have more ritual and less business meeting. We spent 15 minutes last meeting listening to the secretary read 4 new edicts from the MWGM of the Grand Lodge.

I find the opening and closings to be rote apeings of important words, gestures and SG&Ws.

On the upside, we had 1 petition and 2 Brothers who want to move their membership to our Lodge.

 

[Gary]

The problem has been with us for longer than just a few decades. Pike wrote about this 100 years ago or better.

I submit that he not only wanted more ritual, and less business... he wanted more Masons to take a vested interest in explanation of the ritual! Those that are new to the Craft need not only guidance in the every day operations of the Lodge, but they (read all of us) need to pay particular attention to what the ritual points to and share that with our Brethren.

It's odd how things haven't changed much over a century. Anyone else have anything to contribute? Regarding this thought, how have things changed for the better since Pike's time?

 

[Winter]

I read M&D years ago and I remember thinking that he could have written it yesterday.

It is endlessly frustrating that we KNOW what we need to do different for the betterment of Freemasonry, our Lodges, and ourselves and yet we, as a whole, keep doing the same thing.

 

[Gary]

I read M&D years ago and I remember thinking that he could have written it yesterday.

It is endlessly frustrating that we KNOW what we need to do different for the betterment of Freemasonry, our Lodges, and ourselves and yet we, as a whole, keep doing the same thing.

Good point Brother Winter. In your opinion, what have you seen change for the better in respect to this subject?

 

[Gary]

Another thought to perpend...

While we are on the subject, I found this statement curious;

"There is no sight under the sun more pitiful and ludicrous at once, than the spectacle of the Preston's and Webb's, not to mention the later incarnations of Dullness and Commonplace, undertaking to 'explain' the old symbols of Masonry, and adding to 'improving' them, or inventing new ones." (p.105)

From what I gather, Pike didn't care for the way ritual had evolved. For those familiar with the Preston Webb ritual, what do you think Pike found distasteful?

 

[Winter]

From Gary: Good point Brother Winter. In your opinion, what have you seen change for the better in respect to this subject?

The last ten years have seen the emergence of jurisdictions allowing Lodges to experiment with a traditional working. This is evidenced by the emergence of more Traditional Observance, European Concept, and Emulation Lodges. And in almost all cases, they are a resounding success.

The problem that many established Lodges see with these practices is:

1) These traditional workings do not allow for making several Masons quickly (my Lodge does a mere handful of degrees a year, often with only one MM) and the Lodges see this lack of growth as a failing. Instead of focusing on the quality of the initiates which will insure long-term health and stability.

2) The traditional style of working usually means that the dues are placed appropriately higher than many Lodges today; and many Masons see this practice as elitist and discriminatory.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but at least the proverbial foot is in the door. Now we just have to keep working at it.

 

[Winter]

While we are on the subject, I found this statement curious;

"There is no sight under the sun more pitiful and ludicrous at once, than the spectacle of the Preston's and Webb's, not to mention the later incarnations of Dullness and Commonplace, undertaking to 'explain' the old symbols of Masonry, and adding to 'improving' them, or inventing new ones." (p.105)

From what I gather, Pike didn't care for the way ritual had evolved. For those familiar with the Preston Webb ritual, what do you think Pike found distasteful?

I agree wholeheartedly with Pike that the Preston, Webb, and all derivatives of these rituals here in the US, are watered down, pale imitations of the ritual as it was originally envisioned. This is why my EC Lodge decided to work in the Emulation Rite. A beautiful ritual.

 

[Gary]

Hmmm... I'd like to read the ritual foundations before Preston got a hold of them.

Pike was notorious for publishing his books with the explicit insistence that they were limited printings. He felt that the masses would not be interested in the work, or wouldn't take the time to understand them.

Here is a blurb from the introduction of Pike's Lectures by Ill. Rex Hutchens;

"Whatever the case, Pike believed that the early Masons had intentionally concealed the real lessons and meanings of the symbols employed in the art of Freemasonry."

Quoting Pike from Morals and Dogma;

"Our Ancient Masons have concealed from us the most important part of this Divine Art, under hieroglyphical characters, which are but enigmas and parables, to all the Senseless, the Wicked, and the Ambitious." (p. 785)

'Pike clearly believed that such Masons existed in his time and that it was equally important to continue to conceal from them that for which they were not fit. He also found a continuing decline in the quality of the Masonic education received by Masons and decried the perpetuation of ignorance- common in his time, more common in ours. That led to the disrespect of the teachings of Freemasonry by intelligent and educated Brethren and the rest as well.'

Interesting how this opinion echoes today.

 

[Winter]

Hmmm... I'd like to read the ritual foundations before Preston got a hold of them. <snip>

I'd recommend the Emulation ritual as one of the oldest. It was the agreed upon ritual at union of the Moderns and Antients.

 

[Gary]

I'd like to get a hold of the Emulation ritual book...

In reading Pike's lectures (especially the introduction), I have been instantly reminded of Brothers who seem to feel the same way he did. No wonder he chose to say enough is enough, and limit the availability of his work.

It still rings true today. It would appear that many Freemasons don't care about Masonic education or ritual. They join the fraternity for other reasons. That may be the reason why the ritual here in the U.S. was rewritten and dare I say, dumbed down. That's not to say there aren't gems still available for those who seek them in the current ritual. I guess you just have to dig more to find them.

 

[Winter]

Here is the UGLE approved Emulation ritual used by my EC Lodge. Virtually unchanged for centuries.

Masonic Regalia & Accessories - Emulation Ritual (Pocket Edition)

 

[Gary]

-Thank you all for bearing with me while I cluster my thoughts on this.

The situation being what it is, do Mason's today feel that there are still reasons to continue to conceal the work? or have we come to the point that there are circles of Mason's who study and share this work among themselves and with other like minded Brethren? A guild within our fraternity per se...

What I'm getting at is this; Are we still fighting an uphill battle within the fraternity for acceptance of our rights and benefits?

 

[Winter]

-Thank you all for bearing with me while I cluster my thoughts on this.

The situation being what it is, do Mason's today feel that there are still reasons to continue to conceal the work? or have we come to the point that there are circles of Mason's who study and share this work among themselves and with other like minded Brethren?

What I'm getting at is this; Are we still fighting an uphill battle within the fraternity for acceptance of our rights and benefits?

Of course! I have long said that we need to go back into the shadows. This business of becoming mainstream and publicly acceptable has led to nothing more than us continually chipping away at the foundations of Masonry in order to make it "fit" polite society.

 

[Gary]

Of course! I have long said that we need to go back into the shadows. This business of becoming mainstream and publicly acceptable has led to nothing more than us continually chipping away at the foundations of Masonry in order to make it "fit" polite society.

It makes me wonder if we don't already have a group that has done that already. How many have already become frustrated with the current situation, and have either become recluse in their study of our "divine Art" as Pike put it, or have found their own circles to share their work outside of the Lodge (Emulation/T.O. Lodges excluded of course!)

 

[removed12612]

This is a good read...very interesting but as one that has not read much of Pikes words, I dont know how to respond. I would want to ponder if Pike didnt like Preston or Webb.... was it a personal beef...... Pike was known to have a flare for the dramatic..... and some of Pikes words have found to be written under the guidance of artistic freedom and lacked at time to be based on fact....... I wonder if Pike was so right how the majority of the USA could have drifted away from his thinking???

 

[Gary]

This is a good read...very interesting but as one that has not read much of Pikes words, I dont know how to respond. I would want to ponder if Pike didnt like Preston or Webb.... was it a personal beef...... Pike was known to have a flare for the dramatic..... and some of Pikes words have found to be written under the guidance of artistic freedom and lacked at time to be based on fact....... I wonder if Pike was so right how the majority of the USA could have drifted away from his thinking???

True, Pike took artistic license with some of his writing. I don't think his beef was personal in that he didn't care for the men, I think he had a problem with the way they (and those who followed) wrote the ritual.

Morals & Dogma for instance, wasn't entirely a work of his own . He used many other sources to put his book together. Plagiarism is when you take one authors work and use it. It's research when you 'borrow' from many sources...LOL

Some of his opinions were misguided, if not for his own bias and also for his limitations on getting accurate information in his time. I think for the most part he blazed a trail for Masonic education.

 

[removed12612]

True, Pike took artistic license with some of his writing. I don't think his beef was personal in that he didn't care for the men, I think he had a problem with the way they (and those who followed) wrote the ritual.

Morals & Dogma for instance, wasn't entirely a work of his own . He used many other sources to put his book together. Plagiarism is when you take one authors work and use it. It's research when you 'borrow' from many sources...LOL

Some of his opinions were misguided, if not for his own bias and also for his limitations on getting accurate information in his time. I think for the most part he blazed a trail for Masonic education.

So.....the original version is which???

I dont disagree that he favored masonic education but just wonder why his ideology on the ritual didnt become the norm??? As for the different rituals.... I have read the EC MM ritual and found it to be the same general concept but just different wording.... I am not a ritual scholar but maybe P/W did exactly with their ritual as Pike did with his work.... and write it based on the information available at the time..... BUT I also wonder why the P/W became the norm or a very close version throughout America given the fact that many immigrants may have been raised under the EC ritual prior to their arrival to America.....

This does make a person say hmmmmmmm

 

[Gary]

Pikes work? probably a little of both!

I'm not familiar enough with either ritual to comment intelligently on the matter.

Pike was tasked to re-write the SR ritual, not those for the Craft Lodge. Brother Winter, or another scholarly Brother could better answer that question. Which is a very interesting question BTW-

I do have access to some colonial era ritual that was written in around 1752 or so... I may dig that up and see if I can't add to the discussion tomorrow.

 

[removed12612]

Pikes work? probably a little of both!

I'm not familiar enough with either ritual to comment intelligently on the matter.

Pike was tasked to re-write the SR ritual, not those for the Craft Lodge. Brother Winter, or another scholarly Brother could better answer that question. Which is a very interesting question BTW-

I do have access to some colonial era ritual that was written in around 1752 or so... I may dig that up and see if I can't add to the discussion tomorrow.

P/W style ritual is close to that time frame ...isnt it???

Pike is definitely one that keeps many a discussion going and maybe that was his thought process..... pose somewhat provocative thoughts for the sake of making a Brother use his brain and think a little.....