Have Freemasons Gone Mad?

Many of our Masonic brethren have forgotten the fundamental meaning of what it means to be a Freemason in their daily lives. If our brethren are taught nothing else in the course of becoming Masons, they are (or should be) taught the importance of civility, gentlemanly behavior, and brotherly love and affection extended to Masons and non-Masons alike. Judging by the conduct of certain individuals, they have brought within the Fraternity the querulous and litigious habits of modern society, poisoning the well of brotherly love.

We are taught to use the trowel as an instrument to spread the cement of brotherly love and affection, thereby uniting us into a sacred band or society of friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist, except that noble contention or rather emulation of who best can work and best agree. I am saddened to observe that certain men in Lodges all across
the country have turned this noble injunction on its head. Rather than using the trowel to spread the cement of brotherly love,
they are using it to stab their brothers in the back. At the slightest provocation, private piques and quarrels that were once settled by “whispering good counsel” in the ears of the parties now become the Lodge’s business. The threat of a Masonic trial, and the actual filing of a charge of unmasonic conduct, is now a common tactic used by both sides—with the only result being a rift in the peace and harmony of the Lodge.

In contrast, looking back 200 years, we should note that the concept and practice of civility and polite manners and behavior was the hallmark of our 18th century brethren. George Washington, even as a young man, is famous for having copied the 110 rules of civility for conduct with his fellowman. The Fraternity was concerned with promoting civility and was in its own way a school for how to be a gentleman in one’s interactions with men of all classes of society. They were taught to practice the domestic and public virtues, to be tactful in their conversations,
and to respect the opinions of others. In a politically and religiously contentious age, our early brethren adopted the wise custom of never discussing politics and religion within the Lodge. The rituals themselves emphasized how important it was to maintain the peace and good order of society; cooperation and compromise among men was the way to achieve the higher good. Lodges were meant to be exemplary for society—teaching men to come together as a sacred society of friends and brothers for improvement of human existence.

Where have we gone wrong? I do not claim to have a glib answer to that question, but it seems to me that each Lodge must put its house in order, and urgently study once again the fundamentals of Freemasonry as a guide for living, to be applied to daily life. Otherwise, we will destroy ourselves from within, and we will not “be there” for the next generation thirsting for what Freemasonry has to offer.

Reprinted by permission from
The Philalethes August, 2002
Author Joel Springer III, FPS