A Brother Asks: Are you a Freemason or a Mason?

 

A Brother Asks: Are you a Freemason or a Mason?

 

COACH: Let me both answer your question and also bring some clarify to the terms for anyone who might be reading this.

 

FREEMASONRY - I am a "member" in good standing of quite a few of the many recognized organizations known world wide as "The Free & Accepted Masons". I have done what was required (EA/FC/MM "proficiencies" - which amount to a bunch of memorization) by my jurisdiction to earn the title "MM" and I pay my "dues" as needed. There is absolutely nothing else that is required of me as a Freemason and no further actions, other than remaining moral, ethical, and legal in the eyes of all concerned. That makes me a "Freemason".

 

MASONRY - I am also one of a few members who actually applies, as in "does the Work" that Ritual points toward. That means ...

 

1. Bringing order to the chaos of my heart (EA Work), my mind (FC Work), & my spirit (MM Work),
2. Completing the temple (EA & FC Work), and
3. Studying the great books of nature and revelation to continue in my never ending efforts ...
4. TO BUILD a spiritual building, agreeable to God's designs (MM Work). 

These Work efforts and these Work efforts alone make me a "mason." There is no being a mason without doing this Work!  It is the Work pointed toward by Ritual that makes one a mason!

And before you object by saying that it is our obligation that makes us a mason, keep in mind that it is HONORING our obligation that makes us masons,  this means effectively doing the work listed in items 1 through 4!  As you might have gathered, being a mason is not some, "just say something that we ask you to say that implies a promise that requires no further actions on your part" kind of deal.

So, you can call yourself anything you want to call yourself.  Any label will suffice since it's just a label.  But until you engage in the process of Working upon your heart, head, and spirit, you're just a substitute for the real thing. Nothing but engaging in that Work will make you the real thing.

 

It is most unfortunately that some members and some jurisdictional bodies use the two terms interchangeably.They have failed to learn the lessons espoused by the first 8 steps of the FC staircase lecture.  It is in these steps and their review that drives home the important lesson that we must learn to differentiate and linguistically discriminate between the general and the specific.  It is in these lessons we are given examples of steps versus how each step is distinguished and thus differentiated from another.  Moreover, we learn that senses and columns can be distinguished from one another by using words to describe their differences.  Furthermore, the very pass itself points to this truth!

I, and quite a few of my Brothers, try extremely hard not to confuse the two terms since doing so gives others and ourselves false impressions as to what one is truly doing with their involvements in either Freemasonry or Masonry.

 

That's how I and many other of my Brothers see it. Your mileage may vary.

 (Hat tip to Bro. Poncho Scott Harvey!)

For Further Light:

Why the Distinction

The Distinction

 

A Blunt Primer 

 

 

-------

Some Brotherly Responses:

--- 1 ----

"Brother Nagy, I’ve never thought of it that way
but I am from now on. Like one man said
'I can not unsee it now that I have seen it'."

-- Bro. Neil Hayes

--- 2 ----

"Never saw it from that perspective
but I’m very glad you shared…
I will also share it with other Brothers
so they can view it in this way. Thank you"

-- Bro. Mike Cochran

--- 3 ----

"Thanks Brother John S Nagy for this post to share..
trying to live by it every day."

-- Bro. Kenneth Warner

--- 4 ----

Brother: Thanks. Good answer.
COACH: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
Brother: Yes, I did. It’s clear for me now. Thank you, brother.

-- Bro. Amine Mattar

--- 5 ----

I seek to live by the definition of a Mason,
but have never heard of the differentiation of the terms.
Since I have I will share this with others
and seek to bring them to this enlightened understanding as well.
Thanks Brother John!

-- Bro. Creighton Lovelace

--- 6 ----

John, this is an excellent explanation of the Craft!!

-- Bro. Marty Braen

--- 7 ----

 

BROTHER: Freemasonry is much more than a structured box of rules. This or that. It's a way of thinking and way of approaching light. It is also a unique experience and journey for each brother. The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences.

COACH: Yep, It also provides an excellent introduction to Masonry! At least, for those who take the time to actually follow its allegorically laid out maps.

BROTHER: Explain how that has worked on your journey and in your life so I can have a better understanding.

COACH: Sure...

My experience of Freemasonry is pretty much the same as millions of other Freemasons...

1) Submit a petition
2) Get investigated
3) Go through three degrees, memorizing stuff that no one understood much less could explain.
4) Asked to join in on the routine of repeating the process for others who petition to make more members who will do the same.

In no time at all, I was frustrated, disheartened, and disgusted that all of the freemasonry I was provided with was focused on training our replacements for the degree mill and nothing was focused upon understanding what ritual meant, what it pointed members toward, and how ritual was really a map that, if recognized as such, understood as such, and followed as such, actually provided code that made a good man better.

Sure, as a MM I was "entitled" to all the secrets of a MM. But the only secrets I received were how to recognize other MMs. Not exactly what I thought I was signing up for.

I was not satisfied. 

 

I soon discovered to my great disappointment that there was absolutely NO ONE within the organization who actually KNEW anything about the Masonry hidden within Freemasonry's Ritual. Sure, there were a lot of members who claimed there were other secrets. But not one of them was able to discuss how to obtain them, much less apply them. Worse yet, I wanted to understand more about the Hiramic Legend, but was continually left cold with unfounded speculations that led no where.

So, I rolled up my sleeves and started to investigate what I have found was never truly investigated, ever.

And what I found was the code hidden within Ritual that points to Masonry. Something that would never be discussed by those who treat the terms Freemasonry and Masonry as synonymous.

In a nutshell, I found that Freemasonic Ritual is a ROAD MAP that helped anyone who understood and applied it to become a Masterful Mason. Meaning that they could actually ...

1) completed their Temple,
2) Travel, Work, Earn, Support, & Contribute Masterfully
3) "Get" the Master's Word!

Because I was instructed to treat the terms synonymously, Freemasonry had left me hanging. I was led to believe I would never be Masterful, never complete my temple, never get the Master's Word, and never truly measure up. Like millions before me, I had to settle for a substitute. My fellow members assured me that I would have to die before I would get anything that Freemasonry espoused.

As I combed through and followed what ritual pointed toward, I discovered the Masonry hidden within Freemasonry. My efforts told me how to complete my temple within a few years so I could enjoy its benefits long before I died. It told me how to obtain the secrets of a Master Mason and how to use them to obtain the Master's Word. It showed how to Travel, Work, Earn, Support, & Contribute Masterfully and how to do so with ample time to enjoy doing so.

That's how it worked for me.

Thanks for asking.

BROTHER: that is awesome and these experiences are what I really love to hear. You inspire thought and thinking for oneself so that others might find interest and want to become Freemasons. Some seek more knowledge and some don't. We get out of it what we put into it, right? Nothing more and nothing less. Anytime we ask challenging questions like you did we will get some interesting feedback. It makes people think. That's the goal. I'm still learning. Keep seeking the light my bother and TGAOTU will provide. He sure does for me and you are part of it. Love you brother and Happy New Year.

 

(Hat tip to Bro. Jimbo Bledsoe!)

 

--- 8 ----

 

BROTHER: John, I was asked by an old friend if he was still a Mason, if he had not paid his dues for years ?

COACH: This is a question that you have to understand what he is truly asking. Although he is using the word "mason" in his query, he is really asking this question.

1) Is he is still everything that he associates with being a member, even though he has not paid his dues and therefore not a member of any Freemasonic body?

The problem he must get past is this: Can he rightfully still claim to be a mason even though he no longer a dues paying member?

To do this, he must understand the difference between being a member and being a person whose very being exemplifies all that is masonry. If he believes paying dues is part of that, then he has made being a dues paying member one of the qualifications for being a mason. If he believes dues has nothing to do with being a mason, then paying dues is not a qualification.

re: I did not know how to answer , In other words once a Marine always a Marine? Can you help?

Ask him if he believes he still exemplifies masonry in his daily manner and that, as a traveling man, does he believe being a dues paying member of any lodge changes anything about his daily masonic manners.

(Keep in mind that masons of old only became a member of a "lodge" when there was work and wages involved. Otherwise they traveled to find that work and related wages.)

 

BROTHER: Thanks John, I’ll mention to him that he needs to go to a local Lodge and apply for reinstatement.

COACH: I caution you in doing this. You're assuming much in your intended actions.

I recommend that you explore his question with him first and foremost. Ask him why does he ask this question. Find out what is driving the question. Then support him toward whatever ends he feels is best for him.

He may very well want to consider himself a mason without being a member of a lodge.

BROTHER: Thanks!

(Hat tip to Bro. Terry Mcvittie!)

 

--- 9 ----

 

BROTHER: This definition seems to make room for a non-Freemason or even a clandestine/irregular Freemason to still be considered a Mason so long as he knows and does "The work"?

COACH: Yep. It sure does. And that will likely not settle well with those who use the terms interchangeably. However, as the terms are defined herein, not a problem.  However, if one  insists on calling members "masons", it'll invite problems regularly ;-)

(Hat tip to Bro. Warren Campbell)