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“Your name shall no longer be called Abram,
but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father
I made you out of peoples.”
Genesis 17:5
From the moment he is initiated as an entered apprentice, a Freemason is taught the importance of remaining free. The initiate quickly learns that freedom is a quality of life that takes the craft very seriously. Every Mason is informed early in his Masonic career that he must strive to be the sole Sovereign of his earthly destiny for the rest of his life. He also learns that from a political perspective, while Freemasonry refrains from general expressions of preference, Craft strongly advocates liberty, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, and free public education for all citizens.
In his books on Freemasonry, Albert Pike wrote that where two or more of these sovereignties come together, the state begins and requires each to relinquish some of their personal sovereignty. (Morals and dogma). But even in the act of renunciation, the individual wins, for he participates in the founding of an association whose ties will never be severed. This union is called brotherhood, a word that conveys both a definition of unity and an understanding of how human union can be achieved.
The Masonic meaning of fraternity is probably very different from the meaning you acquired while attending school. Colleges across the country have many fraternities on campus that provide male students with social acceptance, camaraderie, camaraderie, and a central place or home to sleep, study, and party. Women are not left out as most of these campuses offer the same environment to female students through a choice of sororities. Many who join Freemasonry were also formerly members of such fraternities as well as other social fraternal organizations such as the Moose or Elks Lodges. While certainly not denouncing or demeaning any of these fraternities, which render many valuable services to the societies in which their members live, the importance of fraternity to the craft is deeply philosophical.
Manly P. Hall lamented how communities of apparently good people could quickly turn into vicious, deadly armies, and wrote books on Freemasonry and on a new fraternal order that he hoped would eventually conquer the world. In his book Lectures on Ancient Philosophy, Hall called his new order the gospel of identity. The premise of his new gospel was that all life forms are the manifestations of one God. Using this premise, Hall expanded his thinking to include the notion that all human beings evolved into one identity, one government, and one new world order. Such thinking foretold a new age, and indeed the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite titled its publication The New Age. It foretold the fulfillment of a Masonic hope – a brotherhood of men under the fatherhood of God.
Denounced as imaginative thinking at best, or dangerous at worst when it comes to giving up individual liberties, Hall’s gospel of identity is relevant to each of us when viewed in light of the teachings of the Holy Bible. As a teaching stemming from the First Great Light of Freemasonry, its importance in shaping individual behavior must be carefully considered. In the book of Genesis, God calls Abram out of the crowds and, after pronouncing him worthy, changes his name and promises, “In you shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 17:5). This covenant was not made with many people for the benefit of many nations, but with one holy and worthy man for the benefit of all people.
The meaning of fraternity for Masons includes at the very least the idea that we, as members of the nations referred to in Scripture, are also heirs to the boons promised by God—…all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. But what does Freemasonry teach us about how to be blessed? What, if anything, should we do? Cain slew his brother Abel and, we are told, was doomed to wander the world. The sons of Jacob by their brother Joseph into a well and let him die. As a result, they suffered the ravages of starvation and death. On the contrary, the men described in the Scriptures who treated their brethren well were in turn treated well by God and nature. For us as Freemasons the lesson is obvious: treat your brother as you would like him to treat you and you will be blessed.
But the idea that one Abraham is the father of all nations also teaches us valuable lessons about how man should live, especially when compared to the lessons nature teaches us. As men, we believe that equality is the foundation of human freedom. But true equality in all things leads to chaos and disorder where jealousy and personal interests push aside justice, compassion and love. The equality taught to us in Freemasonry is that all people of all abilities should have equal opportunities in life. Freemasonry teaches tolerance of differing opinions – it does not teach that harmony and liberty will be achieved when the existence of all opposing opinions forces humanity into a moral standstill. If, as has been said, Hermeticism is the true philosophical ancestor of Freemasonry, then we must listen to the teachings of this creed – differing ideas and opinions must be drawn together into a coherent structure in which all people are free to pursue all equally Opportunity provided by Providence.
If you want to be wise, as King Solomon was, you must know the thoughts and desires of your brothers and the thoughts of your family members, your neighborhoods, your places of worship, and your workplaces. As humans, we are brought together first to be different, then to listen to the difference, and then to make a difference by unifying. It is sad that the word compromise has fallen out of favor in our world today. For some, compromising a position means sacrificing everything that is right in favor of everything that is wrong. The arrogance of such an assumption is obvious – no one has the right to assume that their point of view is right and yours is wrong. However, we have the right and even the duty as human beings to stand up for the position that we believe to be the most correct. But once the intercession ceases, we as a brotherhood of God’s children have an obligation to come to a peaceful agreement – to compromise – to adhere to the teachings of our Hermetic philosophy – to synthesize and harmonize.
Freemasonry does not absolve us as men from the responsibility of taking on the difficult task of finding the right path that will lead us from chaos to confusion. Suffice it to say that there is no silver bullet or magic potion that will ease the path. Balancing mutual rights and mutual wrongs is as difficult for us as it is for nations around the world who disagree on many things. Freemasonry teaches us that the difference lies in how we feel about the people we disagree with – and that is a feeling for others that needs to be learned, for we are by nature a very selfish people and enjoying it to indulge our own interests. How natural is it for a whole group of people to work diligently all their lives and then donate of that wealth so that crippled children can be healed at no cost to them? Isn’t it more natural to spend what you have earned on yourself and also to punish the poor for being poor? Freemasonry teaches us that fraternity is not about self-interest. Rather, it’s all about someone other than you – a lesson that could take a lifetime to learn, if indeed it’s ever truly learned.
If the truth should be told, people have an extremely difficult time trusting other people. When a doctor recommends a particular medical procedure, we typically want a second opinion. Before we hire any person to handle our money, let’s make sure he or she is ethical, honest and most importantly connected! Freemasonry does not ask us to leave our common sense at home – seeking a second opinion and seeking assurances of honesty are prudent behaviors. That we are forced to make them prudent behaviors proves the very truth about the difficulties we have in trusting others. Freemasonry provides you with the tools to enhance this faith through understanding and championing fraternity.
Not all fraternity works are benign and harmonious. Threats to freedom exist and are very real even in today’s society. Wherever light exists in the world, darkness lurks in the corner, waiting for its chance to absorb the light. Demagogy and despotism, two evils against which Freemasonry has fought for centuries, still demand the attention of the craft. Where they exist, the pen of Freemasonry is expected to bring them to light; to accuse them; to pursue them; and eliminate them as much as possible.
Man is cruel by nature. But brotherhood replaces cruelty with justice, compassion and love. Humans naturally enjoy seeing others suffer. The Brotherhood builds hospitals, retirement homes and clinics for children who need to learn to speak. History shows that man kills man for pleasure and political gain. Fraternity embraces all people – not just those who think or look like us – all people. Fraternity builds Freemasons by providing the network within which the gospel of identity can be preached and practiced. Masons build brotherhood by forging a brotherhood of men under the fatherhood of God – following in the footsteps of Abraham that all nations may be truly blessed.
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