Meeting Calendar 2006

        Feb                  Mar              Apr                   May              Jun                    Jul                Aug              

   2 - OES #8     2 - OES #8   6 - OES #8    4 - OES #8     1 - OES #8   6 - OES #8    3 - OES #8 

11 - WM #3     11 - WM #3     8 - WM #3    13 - WM #3    10 - WM #3   8 - WM #3     12 - WM #3

Something to Think About

From time immemorial every candidate for the mysteries of Masonry has been required to declare that in petitioning for the degrees of Masonry he has not been influenced by improper solicitation of friends, that he is not influenced by mercenary motives, that he has a favorable opinion of the institution, and a desire of knowledge.

As the materials for the Temple of Solomon were prepared in the forests of Lebanon, the mountains and in the quarries before being assembled in Jerusalem, so should the candidate for the degrees of Masonry be prepared in his heart before he is permitted to enter the 'sacred precincts' of the Lodge Room.

"Like our Ancient Brethren, we are engaged in the building of a temple, not like theirs of wood and stone, but of immortal souls. Their temple was composed of perishable materials, ours of living stones. The material temple which they built has long since crumbled into dust, but ours shall endure when earth's proudest monumental piles shall have crumbled and their glory and greatness shall have been forgotten."

The lessons of Masonry are taught to Masons young and old in the craft. When we watch a degree the principal participant in the ceremony of whatever degree we observe is the candidate for the degree. We watch him as he progresses through the degree and notice that he is of sound body, but it is his mind, his intelligence, that we must rely on to learn what he needs to learn to be a worthy brother. "So the real candidate is the mind of the one going trough the initiation.iv"

The physical body does not learn a lesson, but it is required to be placed in certain positions, and to go through certain motions in order to impress upon the 'real candidate,' the mind, the particular lessons that are intended to be taught. "The candidate [we see] goes through all the initiations, and in them the body is used to impress certain truths upon his mind." Because of this the candidate's physical body is the principal symbol of each degree; his body is a symbol of what lies within.v

"The symbology does not take him as one single entity, except in the instance in which it regards him as symbolizing the mind." Every human being has two great subdivisions; the visible and the invisible. The candidate for the degrees has a visible body, but he also has an invisible part of him that we may refer to as the will, spirit, soul, and mind or possibly by another name we might be able to use. But it is the invisible part of him that learns the lessons and it is the visible part of him that is used to symbolize the lessons to be learned.vi

We have friends, brothers, and relatives who we love and respect. What we see and picture in our minds when we think of them is their appearance, the physical them, but we know it is not the physical body we love and respect; it is the character. The various traits and qualities of our loved ones; the invisible part of them is what we love, admire and respect. His kindness, helpfulness, intelligence, and compassion for others are the things we love - the invisible, they are not part of the physical body; the physical body is the tool of the mind to demonstrate the traits we admire.

So when we hear or think of these words: "On the mind all our knowledge must depend; what therefore can be a more proper subject for the investigation of Masons?" Possibly we ought to look into ourselves and use our mind to learn the lessons of Freemasonry and apply them to our own lives to improve ourselves and develop our character; those invisible qualities that make up the good and true man.

From the Great Light of Masonry: "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever."  2nd Chronicles 29:9 NIV
 

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