Fraternal Greetings Brethren<\/p>\n
In preparing this month’s edition I have been grappling with the length of the paper I have chosen to share with you, feeling it was rather long , however, I have come to the conclusion that to split it would lessen it’s message and impact on each and every one of us.\u00a0 As such, it is now presented in its entirety.<\/p>\n
The working tools in the Fellowcraft Degree, so it appears to me, the Square, the Level, and the Plumb-rule, are intimately related one with the other, and all concern themselves with one basic moral quality – honesty.\u00a0 In the field of activity of the operative builder, architect, or engineer, these three implements are also intimately related one to the other, and concern themselves with a single technical quality – namely, accuracy, precision, or truth.<\/p>\n
Lacking their aid it is not possible, so it seems to me, for the engineer to assemble a structure, or the builder to execute the design of his architect.\u00a0 Similarly, lacking these symbolic moral tools, and the standards of rectitude they represent, it is not possible for the Free and Accepted Mason to bring into reality in his life the great design laid down for us by the Grand Geometrician of the Universe.<\/p>\n
For, just as the physical instruments represent adherence to standards, the horizontal standard, the vertical standard, and the angle of ninety degrees contained between them, so the symbolic working tools of the Fellowcraft degree represents the inseparable moral standards of level steps, upright bearing, and square conduct, which we are enjoined to maintain.\u00a0 Let us, then, look at these tools individually.<\/p>\n
The Square, as we are taught, and as we all well know, is an instrument having an angle of ninety degrees – exactly ninety degrees, not \u201cabout\u201d ninety degrees, for no approximations are allowable in this instrument of precision.<\/p>\n
That which is not square is crooked, and that which is not honest is dishonest, for we cannot place our reliance upon a partially-honest man. The value of this basic instrument, the square, lies in its accuracy, and the value of our standard of honesty depends wholly upon uncompromising strictness in maintaining it.<\/p>\n
The level is, in some ways, the most interesting symbolic instrument of all.\u00a0 The modern operative builder thinks naturally of the level in terms of the spirit-level.\u00a0 But this is a device of quite modern introduction, not known to our Ancient brethren.<\/p>\n
In the tool which we see and handle in our Masonic work, the level surface of reference is derived from the plumb-rule, and the device itself is, in fact, a plumb-rule supported between two squares, and the level surface thus depends upon a combination of the infallible plumb-rule and the uncompromising accurate angle of ninety degrees, being the fourth-part of a circle.\u00a0 In this way are these three instruments of precision, symbols of uncompromising truth, intimately related to one another.\u00a0 The Level, derived from the Infallible Plumb rule and the Angle of Ninety Degrees.<\/p>\n
In that long and very beautiful lecture, the Plumb-rule is referred to as \u201cThe Infallible Plumb-Rule.\u201d\u00a0 Why \u201cinfallible\u201d?\u00a0 Infallible because the Laws of Nature are infallible, and immutable, and decree that a plumb-line, hanging free with its bob at rest, can take no other position than a true vertical position, and any other position, for a plumb-rule, is a distorted or false one.<\/p>\n
Thus, the standard of uprightness is, again, an uncompromising one, whether in a physical structure or a moral edifice.\u00a0 The man whose outlook is slanted, by expediency, as well as the man who \u201cleans over backward\u201d is not upright.\u00a0 There are no degrees of uprightness.<\/p>\n
The precepts laid down in the lecture accompanying the presentation of the Fellowcraft working tools, are of a somewhat general nature regarding the Square, enjoining truth and moral rectitude, and concerning the Level, exhorting the candidate to fairness, justice, and equality of treatment towards people in different stations of life.\u00a0 But their message is clear and unmistakable.\u00a0 For who that is human has not had to resist the temptation to bend, just a little, the exact truth\u00a0 of a statement or action, to present the facts a little more in his own favor?\u00a0 But our Masonic conscience says, \u201cNo, this is wrong”.\u00a0 The angle must be 90 degrees, not a little more or a little less!\u201d\u00a0 Or again, who has not felt the temptation to pander, or toady a little to those who are in some position of authority over us, or to adopt a slightly haughty or condescending attitude towards those who, for one reason or anther may be regarded as our subordinates.\u00a0 But, here again, our Masonic teaching tells us that such an attitude is tilted, and in adopting it we are not observing the principle of the Level.<\/p>\n
Concerning the Plumb-rule, however, the lecture deals specifically and at length with the many kinds of departure from Masonic uprightness which we are directed to shun.\u00a0 Each denotes a \u201cslant\u201d of one kind or another.\u00a0 In the \u201centhusiast\u201d and the \u201cpersecutor\u201d, a slant towards bigotry; in the reviler of religion the very opposite, a slant towards atheism; in slander, malice, revenge, and contempt of our fellow creatures, a slant towards bitterness and hatred; and in envy, avarice and injustice, a slant towards greed and self-seeking.\u00a0 The Mason who does not \u201cslant\u201d in any of these directions is an upright Mason, and the lecture sums it up in a beautiful metaphor\u00a0 –\u00a0 \u201cto steer the bark of his life over the seas of passion, without quitting the course of Rectitude, is the highest perfection to which human nature can attain.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the lecture continues, \u201cAs the builder raises his column by the Level and the Plumb-Rule, so ought every Freemason to carry himself uprightly in this Life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thus, in the Fellowcraft Degree, we contemplate our great Masonic column, the Right-Hand Pillar, Jachin \u201cGod will Establish\u201d.\u00a0 To \u201cestablish\u201d means \u201cto render stable\u201d.\u00a0 The edifice whose columns are upright, whose foundations are level, and whose angles are square, is a stable edifice; the man whose bearing is upright, whose actions are square, and whose steps are level is a stable person,\u00a0 fit to be a Freemason; and our Craft will be, and will remain, the stabilizing influence in the community which we all desire, so long as we, its Craftsmen, are respected as upright citizens, square in their dealings, and strictly on the level.<\/p>\n
Let us, then, Brethren, pursue our good works with honesty softened by modesty but without \u201can angle\u201d, (unless it be the true angle of ninety degrees, the fourth part of a circle), so that none shall be justified in saying, concerning us\u00a0 –\u00a0 \u201cI fear the Greeks when they bring gifts!\u201d<\/p>\n
By: Bro. Phil J. Croft, King David Lodge No. 93, West Vancouver, B.C.;<\/p>\n
Published in MASONIC BULLETIN, B.C.R.; December, 1972 and January, 1973.<\/p>\n
COMMENT<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n On many occasions I feel it important to add comment to something that may be just a little unclear. In this instance I firmly believe that Bro. Croft’s words are perfectly clear and totally adequate.<\/p>\n FRIENDSHIP<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n “One is taught by experience to put a premium on those few people who can appreciate you for what you are.”\u00a0 Gail Godwin<\/p>\n “When a friend speaks his mind you fear not the “nay” in your own mind, nor do you withhold the “ay”.<\/p>\n And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart; for without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.<\/p>\n When you part from your friend, you grieve not; for that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain, to the climber, is clearer from the plain”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kahil Gibran.<\/p>\n IN CLOSING<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Thank you all, once again, for the privilege of allowing me the opportunity to share these papers and my research with you.\u00a0 I feel deeply privileged.<\/p>\n Have a wonderful day & God Bless You and Yours.<\/p>\n Norm.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fraternal Greetings Brethren In preparing this month’s edition I have been grappling with the length of the paper I have chosen to share with you, feeling it was rather long…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[77,130,62,73],"class_list":["post-162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-educator","tag-apprentice","tag-light","tag-mason","tag-masonic"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"MasterMason","author_link":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/author\/mastermason\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"The Educator<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Fraternal Greetings Brethren In preparing this month’s edition I have been grappling with the length of the paper I have chosen to share with you, feeling it was rather long…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=162"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}