{"id":2541,"date":"2015-11-21T09:41:21","date_gmt":"2015-11-21T17:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theeduca.mywhc.ca\/?p=2541"},"modified":"2015-11-21T09:41:21","modified_gmt":"2015-11-21T17:41:21","slug":"a-view-point-on-freemasonry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ashlarcollege.ca\/ashlar-archived\/a-view-point-on-freemasonry\/","title":{"rendered":"A View Point on Freemasonry"},"content":{"rendered":"

A View Point on Freemasonry,<\/span> <\/strong>
\nfrom an Individual Masons Perspective
\nAdapted by V.W. Bro. Norman McEvoy from a paper by
\nFrancis G. Paul 33* Northern Light, May 1990
\nReproduced from Masonic Bulletin October 1990, Vol. LIII No. 2<\/p>\n

The majority of our membership derives its satisfaction by simply belonging.
\nMost Masons do not feel a need to attend Lodge meetings or to be \u201cactive<\/span>\u201d in the life of our fraternity in order to reap the benefits of membership.
\nIt is easy to conclude that this type of passive participation is a serious problem.
\nWe lament the fact that so few seem interested enough to attend meetings, and even fewer are ready to take on leadership responsibilities.<\/p>\n

At the same time we must never lose sight of the fact that the primary goal of Freemasonry in making Master Masons is to challenge men to achieve moral and ethical excellence in life and start him on his own Personal Spiritual Journey<\/span>
\nThis is why the Ceremonies of the degrees of Symbolic Masonry are the bedrock of Freemasonry.
\nBy the time a man becomes a Master Mason, the vision and the expectations are (or should be) crystal clear!
\nAt that point, he is ushered to where he belongs \u2013 on the streets of life.
\nIt is there where his Masonry will make a difference.
\n\u201cIn the long run,<\/span>\u201d writes James Fallows, the author of More Like Us,
\n\u201ca society\u2019s strength depends on the way that ordinary people voluntarily behave.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

This has been the message of Freemasonry down through the centuries.
\nAnd it\u2019s our message to men today. It is what\u2019s inside a man that determines how he thinks and acts every day of his life, and that\u2019s what our fraternity is all about.<\/p>\n

We must never allow ourselves to forget that it is the Masonic message, planted deep within a man that makes him a Mason.
\nNot the attending of meetings; The holding of office ; Not having accolades piled upon him.
\nWe are concerned about how he lives on Main Street, not how many times he attends lodge meetings.
\nThe power of Freemasonry rests in the mysterious fact that once a man has received the Light, he can never forget what is expected of him by, most importantly, himself!!<\/p>\n

Of course we need to make our meetings more interesting & educational.
\nOf course we need to offer opportunities for Masonic service that make sense to our members.
\nOf course we need to foster more of a family atmosphere.
\nOf course we need to challenge men to shoulder the responsibilities of keeping our fraternity alive and active.
\nNevertheless, it is the Masonic spirit in a man\u2019s heart and life<\/span> that makes Masonry work.<\/p>\n

What does all this mean? Where is it taking us?
\nWe should be neither surprised not shocked that a majority of our members achieve satisfaction from \u201csimply belonging<\/span>\u201d to our fraternity. Their quiet pride and immense loyalty send a powerful message \u2013
\nMasonry is doing its work in their lives!<\/span>
\nAt the same time, our work is cut out and waiting for us:
\nTo make it possible for more men to discover the immense and profound mystery that is Freemasonry.<\/p>\n

Comment<\/strong><\/span>
\nI clearly recall being made a Mason in 1956, and, due to the fact that I sailed for Canada the following week, and then secured employment that had myself and my growing family transferred every three years, I had little or no opportunity to participate in organized Freemasonry until my final transfer in 1991 & ultimate retirement in 1998.<\/p>\n

Did this constant transfer make me less of a Freemason??, absolutely NOT, the lessons I learned & the obligations I had taken were imbedded in me and have remained within me to this day.<\/p>\n

Living the Life of a Master Mason does not in any way demand that the Brother to attend Lodge Meetings or make him a better or lesser of a man should he, for whatever reason not attend.
\nIt seems very obvious to me, that the very taking of my obligation made me a Mason for my Life & Beyond.<\/p>\n

How I have lived my life, raised my family, and make me the man that I am has undoubtedly been
\ninfluenced by my having been made a Brother at the age of 21.<\/p>\n

Having said all of that, I can never forget that every well managed body has expenses, without which they cannot operate. We, including myself, must accept a personal responsibility to financially contribute to those bodies on which we depend.<\/p>\n

Brethren ==There really is NO Free Lunch and we must all pull our own weight.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

ONCE A MASON ALWAYS A MASON.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Have a Wonderful Day & God Bless
\nNorm<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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