I have been working on what I call a Lodge project. I am currently working on what I would consider a program on "Exercises in Brotherhood" to bring before the Lodge for discussion, additions or subtractions, then an implementation of a program that would build our Brotherhood muscles. I played college football and other various recreational sports, and there were specific exercises for building any muscle in the body if one so desired. There are specific brain exercises to strengthen ones brain power. There are also meditative exercises, that once practiced, one becomes stronger/better at meditating/reflecting.
I firmly believe there are "exercises" that must build Brotherhood. I also believe that Dr Anderson and his cronies were concerned with building Brotherhood amongst all mankind. The Church and Crown had done such a wonderful job creating the Dark Ages and trying to perpetuate it into the future, that the common man had been ground down to dust. Too much guilt and degradation had destroyed any sense of a United Family/Brotherhood of Man and the concept that every human was special and beautiful, not evil. The early 1700's was the beginning of the movement of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. These tenets where what was going to heal Mankind. The founders of Organized Freemasonry I believe were trying to put down in a set of codes how to create Universal Brotherhood amongst Mankind, and remove the veil of superstition put in place by the Church and Crown. Man needed to be lifted up(raised) from being knocked down for centuries by our supposed annointed leaders.
Somewhere along the way, Freemasonry, at least in America, has lost its way from what Dr. Anderson and his cronies had in mind for what the purpose of Freemasonry was to be. We get a little "brotherhood" when performing ritual, but is not masonry supposed to be more? Is ritual the only thing that seperates us from other volunteer fraternal org's? Or should what we do once we tyle the Lodgeroom door determine our distinction? I feel that mining the past, what Anderson and his fellows were ultimately trying to accomplish by stamping the orgs charges and constitutions to paper, making it official that an order has become public, and has a purpose.
I believe that there are specific exercises that can be done in a Lodge of mason that build the bonds of brotherhood in the same way our tendons become stronger when we exercise our muscles. the bonds that tie us together will become stronger as we strengthen our Brotherhood muscle.
I will update this post frequently with results and information I come across with what could be considered "Brotherhood Building Exercises". Time to start stretching Brothers and limber up for a workout!
See you at Lodge.
Nemo me impune lacessit!
1 comment:
I like your line of thinking. 'Exercising' the bonds of fellowship is an interesting approach.
I think the memorization skills of Masonic Proficiency are far more valuable tools to exercise moral and mental muscles than they are given credit for. Lodges should be implementing more of these works rather than taking them away.
A great deal of the Masonic material, especially that of the Scottish and York Rites, focuses on a kind of stairway to heaven...a bridge to self empowerment and moral betterment. Simply being exposed to such efforts and teachings can condition the soul.
We need to give some real thought to soul conditioning...and free our minds from brain washing. Is there a difference? Perhaps we should devise ways to further draw that line.
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