BROTHERLY LOVE IN THE LODGE

Lecture By WM Rick Cave

“By the exercise of Brotherly Love we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family...”

As Masons we often hear that we are all Brothers, who meet upon the Level, act upon the plumb, and part upon the Square. What does this mean? Is it that we are all the same? Of course not. Some of us are tall, others short. We are of every race upon earth, speak in different ways or even use different languages. Even more, some people are very smart, some dim, slow or downright stupid. Some like to gratify their senses, some are absorbed in mental pursuits. As we look around, we see some wearing very expensive shoes, others rocking the Rock-ports. In fact, Masonic Lodges are one of the few places in society where men of every social, economic, and educational status meet. This is one of the basic characteristics of our Masonic life. Most other forms of social interactions are discriminatory. This or that group are unwelcome, and in this way, groups define themselves. We all have known men who complain that their group, even Masonry, is being ruined by the inclusion of these or those kinds of human beings. Great care is usually taken to keep the different social groups apart so tensions will not develop. If anything, this trend is expanding.

We are taught that in Masonry we must try to exist with each other and to interact in harmony. Harmony, founded on Brotherly Love: that is the foundation. But how is this possible? By striving for balance. First, we must be balanced within ourselves, so our minds and bodies are in balance. This means we are in harmony with ourselves, in contact with our deep minds, able to iron out our tensions and rest in the certainty that we are focused and complete. If we are satisfied in our own selves, we are less likely to be dissatisfied by the actions of our Brothers. If, on the other hand, we are a boiling caldron of unsatisfied desires and stunted ambitions, it is sure we will be annoyed by all around us. Here’s the question - Is it us or our Brothers who is the problem? It is only too easy to project our own problems and emotions unto others and, by rejecting them, seek to distance ourselves from our problems. We attack the things in others we dislike in ourselves, and thus feel purged and purified. This is about as far from balanced as can be.

In the second sentence of the EA lecture, which I hope we all had to memorize, it says: “What come you here to do?” Here, being in our Lodge, means among our membership of Masons. The response is: “To learn to subdue my passions and improve myself in Masonry.” Now, why do we need to “subdue our passions” in order that we may improve ourselves in Masonry? To be in harmony with 15 to 30 other Brothers means, basically, to act in concert with them without regard to what we, as individuals, desire. Not to insist, to impose, to seek to dominate, but to act in harmony for the general good. This is to meet upon the Level and act upon the Plumb, by the Square. And to be in balance within ourselves, we must have had some success with subduing our passions. With body and mind filled by a parade of contenting emotions, we are contentious and cannot be in harmony with others.

Basically, Freemasonry forbids you to hate your Brother. You can disagree with your Brother’s thoughts, his statements, his initiatives, but you cannot wish to banish, diminish, silence or destroy you own Brother. To disagree with what a Brother says is human and is your right. But to hate and wish to destroy one who has been united with you in the bonds of Fellowship is to commit a severe Masonic error. It is not to be allowed, nor, if done, to be suffered to continue. This is what is mean by the Mystic Tie, or the Cement of the Lodge. To allow any compromise with this most basic of Masonic commitments is to be hacking away at the very foundation of Freemasonry.

Instead of improving ourselves in Masonry, we have been hastening in the other direction and finding in the Lodge only another battle ground to dispute our Ego against others. Such Masons have never listened to the words of our lectures and degrees, and have taken obligations which are, to them, only the mouthing of unconsidered words devoid of meaning. We all know such Masons, because unfortunately, our Lodges are full of them. They can be wonderful at Masonry, but as far as being Masons they have not gotten beyond the first sentence of the EA lecture, and have failed to subdue their passions. And in the process, they have failed to realize the very first Tenet of Freemasonry: Brotherly Love.

Now, what should we do about these men? How can we handle them without furthering the discord of the Lodge? In most cases, it is not by jumping down in the pit with them and screaming “you big idiot, you are supposed to love your Brothers!” A better approach is to have self-confidence within ourselves and do just as Jesus suggested, return love for hate. By doing so we demonstrate to them the true Masonic path, and some of them will slowly learn the unvoiced lesson we are giving. I do, however, recognize that not all of them will get the message, and, when in the gentlest manner reminded of their faults, will respond by calling names and boiling over with righteous anger. I have seen many good Brothers stop attending Lodge because of the actions of one or two members who feel it is within their rights to spread hatred and discord in the sacred halls of Masonry. I myself left my previous Lodge because of hatred towards me from a single Brother, who replaced the joy I felt in Masonry with depression. I think my story is a common one.

Speculative Masonry sets forth the magnificent idea that men of every race and creed, station in life and abilities, are equal before the sight of our Creator and stand as equals within the Lodge. Our first sign, the EA alludes to this equality. It is this mighty foundation stone that Freemasonry lays within the balance’s dish to counterweight the might of human Egotism that rests in the opposite pan. This wise Tenet is one of the main reasons our Institution has survived for over 400 years, while nations & governments have risen and fallen around us. It is why we are forbidden to discuss politics and party within our Lodges, and why although many of our customs are religious in nature, only the belief in a Deity supersedes the ideas of religious denominations.

Besides a search for harmony in a discordant world, however, there is a further reason for insistence upon Brotherly Love. Masonry is founded upon wisdom, but teaches mostly through symbols and seldom directly discusses this wisdom. This is because men vary in capacity for understanding, and it allows each Brother to take from our presentations whatever wisdom he is capable of. But we might ask: why is Love for all men so important? Why these injunctions to constantly combat Ego when we have seen what a mighty force it is? It is because Ego is an illusion and the prime barrier between ourselves and God. “Whatever a man may have gained upon earth, of title, wealth, or honor, can never serve him as a passport to the Grand Lodge above.” To have a true experience of Deity is Wisdom, and most cultures agree that experience comes to every person as a brilliant Light combined with an overwhelming feeling of loving and being loved. Mystics of every age and every culture affirm that this is so. The Light we so glibly mention in our ritual is not a symbol, but a real fact.

Our minds, our consciousness, are not ours, but God’s. That realization is the very spark of Divinity that lifts the cold clay and makes it alive. We have authority to do what we want with it, to fashion it into stumbling blocks and fortress walls, or towers towards the light, anthems of praise. That is free will. But there is essentially nothing we can do to change consciousness in any way. It is the visible hand of God. And I feel I must mention again that, with a Brother who insists on bringing disharmony into our midst and will not listen to good advice about his faults, stronger action is imperative. In such cases, the harmony of the Lodge, the foundation stone of Masonry, is endangered. I would urge then that this behavior be brought to the floor of the Lodge for discussion and that it be clearly pointed out to the difficult Brother that such attitudes are non-Masonic behavior.

I hope that this little examination into human nature and Masonry will aid us in protecting our groups from ourselves and serve to point out the way to control our passions and truly to improve ourselves in Masonry. Do we really need to dominate others to achieve excellence in ourselves? Is it impossible to accept that this old world is composed of many different types of men, each a proper light unto themselves? The Founders wisely laid upon us the rule of Equality in the Lodge as the exemplification of the basic Equality of Man. As children of God, why not learn to embrace each other as true Brothers, and in the spirit of Love? Only then will true harmony and Brotherly Love reign in our Lodge.