A Brother Asks: Masonry's Beginnings - It's Not What You Think

 

A Brother Asks: Franklin states that masonry began with Nimrod and the tower of Babel instead of with King Solomon and Hiram Abiff. I have an original copy (this is a screenshot shown). Manly P Hall's book "Freemasonry of the Ancient Egyptians" also backs this theory of an older age.   

What can you tell me about this excerpt from JH Franklin's 1910 book called "The Rebuilding of King Solomon's Temple?"

Coach:  The problem that all Freemasons (and interested others) face is breaking through the veil of allegory offered by both the fraternity and authors who write about it.   

This author present his best thoughts as if it is a possible historical account.  It is presented this way but it is not the right focus.  You must get it into your head that what the author offers must be understood symbolically if it is to have any assistance to you as a aspiring Mason!

Let me emphasis this again. When you want to comprehend this passage in Franklin’s book (and MPH’s works as well) and do so within the context of Masonic Development, you MUST stop thinking linearly and historically! It's all symbolic!

Let me break it down for you.

1. Our Masonic Purpose (as stated in our first degree and written out in plain text in our monitors) is to erect a spiritual building and to do so agreeably to God’s rules & designs. This building is not the temple that must be completed that is referred to in the 3rd degree. It is an entirely different construction. The temple in the third degree is merely a necessary precursor to this second building.
   
   
2. To accomplish the spiritual building construction, you MUST understand God's Word (Our Master's Word!) Any and all Babel present within you will prevent this from occurring. Your Masonry begins with you understanding that Babel exists, that it is WITHIN YOU, and this Babel must be removed to accomplish your Masonic Purpose!
   
   
3. Your Work proceeds by committing to a Masonic Mission: Deconstruct your Tower of Babel and Build within you the Order you need to accomplish your Masonic Purpose!

This means...

1. Bringing Order to your Heart, and then
   
   
2. Bringing Order to your Mind.   

To accomplish this you must do the Work espoused by the first two degrees!

Once this Work is completed, you then will recognize TheMaster’s Word and seek to understand it so as to glean God’s rules & designs so that you can use them both to erect your spiritual building.

You cannot to this without dealing with your own personal Tower of Babel!  

Once recognized, your Masonic Work has begun!

 

 

A Brother Asks: What's your "Take" on Our Obligations

 

A Brother Asks: Coach!  I'd like to hear your take on the MM obligation, perhaps our obligations in general, and whether they mean as much as I think that it should to obligate myself to my brethren, or if it is simply antiquated ritual.

Coach: This is an outstanding request and kudos to you for wanting it responded to.  

My "Take", and some quick supporting thoughts: 

1) Freemasonry is a full-immersion role-playing theatrical-society with a moral purpose. 

a) It is an introduction to Masonry only 

b) It offers to its members a path to follow that will lead them to Masonry and its practices

c) It offers obligations that assist in committing to a Masonic way of being 

d) It is not in any way itself Masonry

2) Freemasonry offers morality plays for its initiates and members. 

3) The morality plays Freemasonic organizations offer are scripted allegories put forth that convey principles, ethics, concepts, and ideals relevant, significant, and pertinent to those experiencing them with the sole purpose of having that experience leverage moral change with them and for the better. They have within them a call to action to obligate oneself to improve and, as most all morality plays do directly or indirectly, often have this call put forth as obligations. 

4) In Freemasonic morality plays, these"Obligations" are burdens that members take on to: 

a) Improve themselves morally 

b) Support others as they themselves would expect to be supported 

c) Assure that do not ruin the experience for others by conveying information that has not yet been earned - usually in the form of confidentiality ("secrets" to be honored) 

5) Those experiencing these morality plays can use these experiences to: 

a) Claim that they have "been there and did that" to fit in 

b) Use them to claim "rights, lights, and benefits-privileges" barred from others who have not earned them 

c) Use them as a springboard-roadmap to improve-better themselves in ways that would otherwise be unattainable to them if no similar improving-bettering actions are not taken. 

d) Use them as a guide-roadmap to that improvement-betterment 

e) Disregard their significance as just scripts that are required to be experienced to become a member. 

f) Apply them figuratively and/or literally and in the spirit in which they were conveyed and to do so rigorously within the limits therein established by the length of your cable-tow and without fail.

The option(s) that each member exercise(s) can be seen overtly in his behavior, heard in his words, and felt through the impact of his choices and decisions. Literally, his very looks betray him, continuously. 

And those surrounding him should treat him accordingly.

Why do you ask?

Brother: I asked you this because the WM who brought me into the fraternity, downplayed these obligations as "just rituals" and seemed to not think much of them beyond this. He is also a brother that has proven to be one I feel that I cannot trust. 

Coach: He is dismissive, doesn't want to be responsible, and doesn't want to be held to account for his given words.  You see him for who and what he is. Treat him accordingly. But do not let on that you know who and what he is. He will resent you for what you reflect back to him and for being seen by you for what he is and chooses to be and he will treat you as a target thereafter. No one of his caliber needs to know that you see him for what he is.  These people cannot be trusted.

I hope this response provides to you my "take" on these obligations worthy of your consideration.

 (Hat tip to my Bro. for the inspiration for this post.)