Timothy Fleischer
Registered User
The following essay is by
By Terence Satchell
I found it on phoenixmasonry.org
The Late Brother Abi's Disenchantment with American Freemasonry
Here he lays, cold and mute, wrapped in the icy cloak of death. Our late Brother Abi, setting his working tools down for the last time. His long life in Masonry comes to such a lonely end after such auspicious beginnings. Brother Abi was there in the beginning, at the small meetings held in the back of a local tavern. The best and most noble men from the town would meet to feast on Cornish game hens, stuffed mushrooms, and tankards of ale. They would discuss the issues of the day and enjoy fellowship with their closest friends. These men were few in number, but had incredible prestige. Only men of the finest character were allowed to become members of the Royal Craft. Kings, generals, and philosophers had long been promoters of the craft, leveling themselves with common men who shared the same values. It was the most beautiful of societies, completely Utopian, in a world where men often were more interested in persecuting those with different opinions.
Brother Abi worked hard to learn his work, it was not always perfect, but he advanced through the chairs with a true effort. At that time, not everyone was deemed qualified to be Master of the Lodge. He memorized and retained the floor work, the opening and closing ceremonies, and a good share of the Masonic lectures. He even devoted himself to learning the Masonic funeral ritual and took the time to impart the same knowledge on his younger Brothers. The beauties of the lessons in the Masonic ritual were important to him and he took the time to make sure that he was able to communicate them properly. When he was not in Lodge he took the time to individually relieve his distressed Brethren. He would visit the ill, run errands for widows, and insure that no Mason in need of some brotherly love was left wanting. This was how Masonry was: a beautiful set of rituals designed to instill morality on the minds of good men and to promote brotherhood and individual charity.
Masonry changed throughout Brother Abi’s life, however, and developed into something different. The Brethren began to champion large numbers of members, regardless of the quality, and seemed to adopt the idea that no one was undeserving of Masonry. They allowed anyone through the west gate, often allowing men without a true love of Masonry’s tenets into the lodge. The Masons used these greater membership numbers to fund grand buildings and even grander charitable programs. This led to meetings consisting solely of business and Brothers bickering about the finances of the building. Philosophy, brotherhood, and even ritual were no longer important. It was perfectly acceptable to read the ritual and not understand it. Where Masons once were able to engage in the beautifully archaic language of proficiency, new Masons would respond with “Oh I didn’t know I needed to remember the grip.â€
This empty shell of the formerly grand society had to be filled. The unenlightened called for chili feeds, organized charities, and fund raisers. Perhaps if Masonry looked enough like the local Kiwanis or church group it would flourish. Men no longer helped out their fellow Brothers, Masons were too busy exploiting another charity in an attempt to gain new members and too busy putting on another dinner to beg for a few more cents from the public to keep their building open. It was no longer the job of the Masons to improve society, but rather the job of society to keep the Masons alive. Masonry had become an abstract portrait of what it once was.
Brother Abi lost interest. When he became bedridden, no Brothers came to comfort him. The majority of the membership didn’t know who he was. This man, who had spent so much time teaching his younger Brothers and working to be the best Mason he could be, a Mason who had carried the flame of the order for so long and had attempted to provide his Brothers with all the rights and benefits of the society has now shuffled off this mortal coil. There will be no Masonic funeral rights, because no one knows them. There will be no Brethren at his side, because they are too busy preparing for a spaghetti dinner to fund their lodge building.
Here lays the body of the late Brother Abi, SO MOTE IT BE!
By Terence Satchell
I found it on phoenixmasonry.org
The Late Brother Abi's Disenchantment with American Freemasonry
Here he lays, cold and mute, wrapped in the icy cloak of death. Our late Brother Abi, setting his working tools down for the last time. His long life in Masonry comes to such a lonely end after such auspicious beginnings. Brother Abi was there in the beginning, at the small meetings held in the back of a local tavern. The best and most noble men from the town would meet to feast on Cornish game hens, stuffed mushrooms, and tankards of ale. They would discuss the issues of the day and enjoy fellowship with their closest friends. These men were few in number, but had incredible prestige. Only men of the finest character were allowed to become members of the Royal Craft. Kings, generals, and philosophers had long been promoters of the craft, leveling themselves with common men who shared the same values. It was the most beautiful of societies, completely Utopian, in a world where men often were more interested in persecuting those with different opinions.
Brother Abi worked hard to learn his work, it was not always perfect, but he advanced through the chairs with a true effort. At that time, not everyone was deemed qualified to be Master of the Lodge. He memorized and retained the floor work, the opening and closing ceremonies, and a good share of the Masonic lectures. He even devoted himself to learning the Masonic funeral ritual and took the time to impart the same knowledge on his younger Brothers. The beauties of the lessons in the Masonic ritual were important to him and he took the time to make sure that he was able to communicate them properly. When he was not in Lodge he took the time to individually relieve his distressed Brethren. He would visit the ill, run errands for widows, and insure that no Mason in need of some brotherly love was left wanting. This was how Masonry was: a beautiful set of rituals designed to instill morality on the minds of good men and to promote brotherhood and individual charity.
Masonry changed throughout Brother Abi’s life, however, and developed into something different. The Brethren began to champion large numbers of members, regardless of the quality, and seemed to adopt the idea that no one was undeserving of Masonry. They allowed anyone through the west gate, often allowing men without a true love of Masonry’s tenets into the lodge. The Masons used these greater membership numbers to fund grand buildings and even grander charitable programs. This led to meetings consisting solely of business and Brothers bickering about the finances of the building. Philosophy, brotherhood, and even ritual were no longer important. It was perfectly acceptable to read the ritual and not understand it. Where Masons once were able to engage in the beautifully archaic language of proficiency, new Masons would respond with “Oh I didn’t know I needed to remember the grip.â€
This empty shell of the formerly grand society had to be filled. The unenlightened called for chili feeds, organized charities, and fund raisers. Perhaps if Masonry looked enough like the local Kiwanis or church group it would flourish. Men no longer helped out their fellow Brothers, Masons were too busy exploiting another charity in an attempt to gain new members and too busy putting on another dinner to beg for a few more cents from the public to keep their building open. It was no longer the job of the Masons to improve society, but rather the job of society to keep the Masons alive. Masonry had become an abstract portrait of what it once was.
Brother Abi lost interest. When he became bedridden, no Brothers came to comfort him. The majority of the membership didn’t know who he was. This man, who had spent so much time teaching his younger Brothers and working to be the best Mason he could be, a Mason who had carried the flame of the order for so long and had attempted to provide his Brothers with all the rights and benefits of the society has now shuffled off this mortal coil. There will be no Masonic funeral rights, because no one knows them. There will be no Brethren at his side, because they are too busy preparing for a spaghetti dinner to fund their lodge building.
Here lays the body of the late Brother Abi, SO MOTE IT BE!