VOLUME 6- MAY, 2009

Brethren,

Greetings from the East. Below is the first of four parts of an article I wrote in response to the Scottish
Rite leadership conference in 2006. I feel that the points made here are as valid today as they were
then. I welcome your comments and opinions.

What is Freemasonry?
What do we do as Freemasons?
Why do we have the attendance problems that we do?
How should we promote the fraternity in the public eye?
What is the ultimate goal of Freemasonry?
One phrase that we have all heard sums up what this fraternity is more than all others. “A beautiful
system of morality, VEILED in ALLEGORY, and illustrated by SYMBOLS.  Brethren, stop and think
about this statement for a moment. We pass through the degrees, we participate in the ritual, and we
commit large dialogs to memory. But do we really understand what it means to be a Mason? In
Ancient times free thought was suppressed, both by religious, and political tyrants. Dissenting
opinions on religion, talk of freedom, of democracy, etc. were serious crimes for which a man could be
tortured and executed. And this was often the case. These were extremely dangerous times when
political power was protected by religious and social dogma. Yet, some of the most brilliant
philosophers and greatest thinkers of history emerged from these times. How, you ask, did they
preserve this wisdom in these turbulent times?  They banded together, they took upon themselves
solemn obligations to support one and other, they concealed their knowledge in their SYMBOLS, and
then they passed this knowledge down in ALLEGORICAL parables. In a time when few outsiders
could be trusted, and when both the church and the state were trying to infiltrate these orders, they
survived. Why did they survive? Did they survive because they had huge numbers of members? NO.
did they survive because they had members in places of power that protected them? Probably not.
They survived because each and every member knew the importance of what he held in trust. They
survived because each member was charged with preserving this knowledge. These members did not
arrive in one day classes, to be handed all the secrets of the order at once. There were great trials and
tests whereby the initiate would first have to prove his fidelity. Then, and only then was he admitted
into the order. But then after that was he handed all this knowledge at once? Absolutely not. He was
taught a little at a time, and when he had reflected on it and understood its esoteric meaning, he was
then allowed to learn a little more. This system of instruction has been in place for as long as mankind
has pondered the mysteries of life. This is the only way to instruct someone in philosophy. This is
our heritage, this IS Freemasonry. What we learn in these degrees are not finite answers. The answers
that we seek lie with us as individuals, not in the fraternity as a whole. The “MYSTERIES” of
Freemasonry are not things that can be read or even spoken. What freemasonry gives us through its
ritual is a means to understand what we already know, a key and a light. With the key, we unlock the
riddles of life, and with the light, illuminate the darkest corners of truth. We live and work in a
dogmatic society. We are taught all through life that black is black, and white is white. We are taught in
life that for something to be true, it must be tangible. Yet, we are taught in our churches to be faithful.
In the great light we read in Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of
kings is to search out a matter” In Freemasonry we are taught from the very beginning to search out
knowledge, to find that which is lost. Brethren, the secret is equilibrium, or balance of faith and fact,
alluded to the in the alchemical saying “as above, so below”. The material kingdom of man, represented
by the square, and circumscribed by compasses of the celestial kingdom of God. We take great care to
promote harmony and equality at our meetings. Although we come from all walks of life, all faiths, the
rich, the poor, the powerful and the meek, we strive for equality here, and meet on the level. So too is
the world, through all the empires that have risen and fallen again, through all the wars, through all the
great achievements of mankind, The world struggles for Balance, and through Balance she hopes to find
harmony. This is represented by the greatest of ancient symbols the serpent Ouroboros biting his tail,
showing us that through Equilibrium, through this Balance of Faith and fact, our order will endure.  I
asked you what Freemasonry is. Well, for me, this is it, and this is what we do.

Part 2 to follow next month




Sincerely and Fraternally,




Jason D. Strucinski
Master, Balfour #188
(336) 824-2552
jstrucinski@uniquetool.net



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From the East - A Message from Wor.: Jason Strucinski
Balfour Lodge #188 AF & AM
Chartered December 2, 1856 - Grand Lodge of North Carolina
Balfour Masonic Temple
632 Sunset Ave.
Asheboro, NC  27203
(336) 625-5363
info@balfourlodge.com
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