Unknown
Approximately one year ago this eve I was elected to the chair of and to assume the duties devolving upon the Right Worshipful Master of this lodge of P.M.'s and at the same time was informed that agreeable to a time honored and very imperative custom it would become necessary for me to create and deliver an essay or address upon some subject relating to Masons at the next annual meeting of this association of Past Masters. Upon receiving this information I very naturally cast my eyes about me to see those of my brethren before whom this exhibition of my ignorance in Masonic knowledge. And therefore my inability as a writer upon Masonic subjects was to be made bare. I am free to confess that when again I observed those of my brethren whose locks were streaked with gray and some whose heads were whitened and whose years of life only disclosed to my distracted brain the ripe experience which must be theirs on account of a well spent Masonic pilgrimage from which they could draw thoughts and material for a Masonic address. I very hastily came to the conclusion that my efforts would culminate in the fulfillment of the example sent me by my worthy predecessor. But after more leisure deliberations on the matter I concluded to try and conform with the time honored custom and decided to accept with all the grace possible the prerequisite of the office to which I had been elected and at once set my mind at work to try and determine which one of the manifold phases of Masonic law, rules, usage, customs of practices should form the basis of my efforts. I must again confess that the multiplicity of subjects that presented themselves only seemed to hinder rather than help me decide and I very soon found myself surrounded with and asking myself questions such as should it be this that or the other until I came face to face with the thought or rather question of which should it be. And this my brethren on a/c of the many questions which have presented themselves to my mind I have selected one and I come before you to night and announce as my subject: A Question

One of my first remembered and oft repeated proverbs is this, that a child can ask questions that the greatest sage cannot answer and how often in our experience has the truth of this proverb been proven when in the exercise of our boasted knowledge on such subjects as we think are our specialties we have been trying by argument to prove the rationality of our deductions. We have found that a little questioning which of itself would hardly be considered the logical outgrowth from the mind of a child yet it has caused us to falter stammer in our reply and finally to sit down and admit that in that which before we had considered quite an exhaustive explanation of our subject. This simple question had opened up a field or phase of our subject for elucidation of which before we had never thought and thus confronted only with a question we have been compelled to keep silent.

Thus in this short time I shall consume this evening I shall not attempt to answer the question which I shall ask. I shall only attempt to present one or two phases of the subject and let you answer the question each one for himself. For should I attempt an answer to the question I could state nothing only the conclusions of others and my brethren how many of us are there who have reached the age of manhood who dare assume the position and stand alone and let the world of the wonderful progress he has made in the depths of Philosophy in the study of the sciences or in helping to solve the great questions of Political economy which vex the great minds of today and does not find himself quoting this Philosopher or this scientist or some great statesman as the author of his conclusion and they in turn refer you to those who have precede them as their authority until we find that we really know in and of ourselves very little as in other and stronger language! Nothing! Only what he has been told or he has observed from the conduct and experiences of others. Therefore in what I shall have to say this eve and that conclusions I shall make are made with the help of my brethren in that their ideas their beliefs their opinions and the results these have had upon their lives judged from a standpoint of observation in regard to their outward deportment as far as that relates to the question which I ask you to consider with me this eve which is a question form among the many found in our lectures (viz.)

What makes you a Mason?

And methinks I you every one of you reply why that's easy. Or in the words of another that the lengthy introduction has only led us up to a point where the whole matter can be disposed of easily and all that remains to be said is that it is much ado about nothing or that the mountain has labored and brought forth a mouse. And I fancy that in asking the question I hear you each reply why my obligation. Of course but Brethren why do you answer thus you answer readily and apparently without much consideration and again I ask why. And for the want of better authority I refer you to my introductory remarks and assert that you answer thus because you were told thus to answer the question therefore your answer is not your own. But that of another you in your answer have only conformed with your instructions and done just as you have been told. But on account of yourself asserted reason why you are a Mason I ask you to consider with me the nature of an obligation.

Webster says that to obligate is to bring under obligation. To hold by a constraining motive. That we have all been obligated by strong and weighty ties is at this time a matter of history. Therefore we can not escape that position of the definition which claims that we not free but under an obligation which by its very existence and on a/c of being recognized by us as a fact in my mind constitutes the constraining force or motive by which as Masons we are held. Pronafit(?) states that the millions of mankind as one vast fraternity should feel obligated by a sense of duty and the impulse of affection to realize the equal right and to serve the best interests of each other more then if this statement is correct as applied to the relationship which exists between us and the whole human family as far as our desires to benefit our fellow man in general are concerned how much more my brethren are we under individual and plainly _______ obligations to those who have knelt at the same alter. Whose hands have been laid upon and whose lips as a token of their sincerity have kissed almost the same spot upon the sacred page as our own and who after having received further explanations of our mysteries we have pressed forward to grasp by the hand and of our free will and accord have addressed as our brother it does seem to me that immediately assume new relations with him on a/c of being a copartner with him in the execution of a bond with conditions annexed and a penalty attached for the non-fulfillment of the conditions therein contained. But are we Mason on a/c of this. We certainly have entered into a compact with our fellows and have placed ourselves under obligations. Yet I wish if possible to find some other reason why we are Masons let us try again and before we decided let us ascertain if possible how differently the same obligation affect different persons.

I remark in the first and you will please pardon the personal allusion. That as for my self I fail from the impressions made upon my life from the teachings of Masonry to feel at liberty to consider a brother Mason as an ordinary man one of whom I can form any opinion I choose relative to his character until by strict trial of the Plumb, level and square I am convinced of the motives which actuate his life and am certain that he is not exemplifying the great moral precepts of our institutions. Taking into consideration the conditions of life which he is compelled to contend with. That I think I would were I placed in the same circumstances and then if I am convinced by outward demonstrations that he has grown weary in well doing and that he is digressing from the path of rectitude and tiring.

Then I consider that on a/c of the nature of the obligation which you say is the reason we are both Mason. Then on a/c of a solemn promise I may not but must in the most tender manner remind him of his faults and endeavor to aid in his reformation there then is one of the lessons which my Masonic obligation has impressed upon my mind and consequently must influence upon my life. To a greater or less degree.

Once more I remark that every Mason has obligations which belong to his station we could not reasonably expect that the entered apprentice should take upon himself the responsibility which is destined to illumine his mind after he shall receive the lessons of succeeding degrees therefore we are compelled from the very nature of the difference that exists between us to consider him a lesser light as it were or in other words as one who is only removed one little step from the masses or great majority that in general terms we designate as the misinformed or if you please one who would not be able to comprehend the full import of the language you would feel at liberty to use in order to fully explain why it was that you considered yourself a Mason. Therefore with your kind permission we will leave the entered apprentice and fellow craft out of the question this eve and try only as Master Mason to define our position as such as why we call ourselves Masons for I think that you will agree with me that it is not until all mysteries have been explained not until after the consistent parts of the cement which unites us into one sacred Band or Society of friends and Brothers has been made known to us in its every detail are we prepared to make a proper use of the trowel in the spreading of this uniting force so as to convince our fellows that it is manipulated with the skill that denotes a Masters hand are we able to fully realize the importance of our work in explaining why we are Mason. Again we cite from the formula of a Masons obligation the work (secrecy) sacred in all that it implies to those who understand its import. That word which more than any other in our obligation or considered as an attribute of our institutions has brought us into disrepute with the worldly and uninformed yet how precious to us all to realize that when the heart is too full of its own trials so that it does and must run over too full that his secrets no matter of what nature are safe within a brother Mason's breast then from a standpoint of brotherly interests they together can devise means for the lifting of the leaden cloud that hangs between and obscures a Bro. happiness. And do you ask why is it that Masons can do this then I answer because of their obligations. Again we have all of us friends of whom we are proud because of some noble purpose they have in life the end of whose ambition is so high so far removed from the surging masses the attainment of which promises so much that they are ready to undergo any privation to endure every hardship to receive if needs be the disapproval of their friends in order to reach their ambitions and laudable goal these friends through our recommendations have become Masons. And where before we regarded them as worthy our respect we have since they became Masons learned to consider them almost with reverence on a/c of their lofty aspirations therefore because of the new relations on a/c of Masonic obligations where once we regarded and respected we now honor and revere therefore I conclude Masonic obligations tend to make us regard respect and reverence our Masonic superiors. Once more I notice that different temperaments receive the solemn obligations of Masonry in a greatly varied degree of comprehension that is some of the candidates at our sacred altar seem to drink in all of the obligation much as a hungry man devours food.; Hastily! Greedily! Without mastication until the whole lies on his stomach a conglomerated mass of something. He knows not what. While others receive it so cautiously almost daintily yet they instantly perceive those gems of light and truth that seem to just fit into their hearts and consciences. And they rise from the sacred altar their faces fairly beaming on a/c of the rich treasures the Masonic obligation has unfolded to their inner life. And I observe that to such a tender conscience a Masonic obligation is stronger than a prison bar.

Again there are others whose part in life has always been far removed from the open meadows by the rivers side where all is sunshine clear and calm whose travels have been never in the beaten paths of ordinary life with nothing to buffet or overcome but whose line of duty have been through the trackless forests of doubt. Who have never recd only momentary glimpses of experienced transient realizations of logical reasoning until on a/c of their surroundings they feel obligated to consider life only as duty, something that must be accomplished at all hazards. And they have nobly and honorably accepted the situation as it appeared to them. And have buckled on their armor to do or to die. These noble ones have knelt at our altar. They have recd the obligations stoically and have arisen feeling a double load of (Duty) rolled upon them. And in their endeavors to do their duty have gone far beyond their requirements or conditions of their obligations in order do their full duty to themselves and to their brethren for they consider that their duties lie far beyond that to which they have simply been obligated.

Once more I remark that freemasonry is the grandest human institution that earth has ever seen. It towers far above the mountain top it is as broad as history and as deep as the ages. It's altars are indeed sacred yet they are hallowed only by the fealty of human ties and by fraternal love which prays for and receives the blessings of the eternal one. It is a crystallization of the truth of the Brotherhood of man sanctified by that other truth the fatherhood of God but it makes no atonement. It offers no sacrifice save that of Prayer & Praise it speaks of no mediation it makes no covenant with God for salvation it's teachings elevate and strengthen they impart the grandest lessons. They take of divine things and show them unto men. We build fires upon the altars of our little hearts which are ignited and fanned into flame from the influence of spirit life above. Yet I affirm that to be a Mason is to be only a part of that noblest of earthly institutions which at its very highest is only the handmaid of religion and I must conclude if I reason correctly that it is not on a/c of religion or your religious belief. Nor yet by virtue of character that you have formed on a/c of your religious beliefs-hopes or fears that you would give as a reason why you are a Mason.

What then my brethren is your conclusion you have affirmed that unbiased by the solicitation of friends and uninfluenced by mercenary motives you have freely and voluntarily offered yourself a candidate for the mystery of freemasonry and further than this you have declared that you were prompted to solicit the privileges of freemasonry by a favorable opinion conceived of the institution a desire for knowledge and a sincere wish of being serviceable to your fellow creatures. Yet you one and all affirm that your obligation makes you a Mason. I have tried to show that as Masons our obligation means a great deal to us all. The world says it is mysterious. We say it implies mystery without mischief. They say we are subjected to a great many conditions we say subjugation without servitude. They say it is pomp and regal splendor we say establishment without display. They say it is permanent on a/c of it's secrecy we reply it is secret yet not unknown. They say it is a claim to distinction from our fellows we reply it is aspiration without pretension. To one it means a constraining motive on a/c of co-partnership. To another it is simply a recognition of superiority. To another it means may not but must. To another a tender conscience is stronger than a prison bar. To another it reveals only duty stern relentless duty. What my brother does it mean to you? I return to my text and once more ask the question what makes you a Mason?

Author unknown
Year unknown