A Brother Asks: Why only Murder & Treason?

“Treason and murder ever kept together,
As two yoke-devils sworn to either’s purpose”
(King Henry V, act 2, sc. 2)

A Brother Asks: Why are murder and treason exceptions to keeping our Brother’s secrets?

Coach: Because they clearly put forth the standard one should measure one’s liabilities in keeping one’s word to another.

Brother: But why just murder and treason?

Coach: As opposed to what?

Brother: What if it involves other illegal, immoral or unethical activities?

Coach: What about these?

Brother: Shouldn’t we not keep such activities to ourselves.

Coach: We shouldn’t.

Brother: But they’re not murder and treason!

Coach: Aren’t they?

Brother: Wait? Are you saying they are one in the same?

Coach: I’m saying you might want to look up the words before you come to erroneous conclusions.

Brother: But I have.

Coach: And what did you find?

Brother: Murder is “the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another”.

Coach: And treason?

Brother: It is “the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government”.

Coach: Thanks.  Do you want to delve into these?

Brother: You’re welcome and yes!

Coach: Good! Let’s start on the first one.

Brother: Okay.

Murder

Coach: The first one speaks to premeditation.

Brother: That’s where it is not a spontaneous act. It’s actually planned.

Coach: Are you seeing the connection to the ruffians?

Brother: Yes!  I am indeed. They plotted to extract the master’s word and were willing to do so even if it meant death to their victim.

Coach: Good!  Murder is a premeditated act where harm is involved.

Brother: Why do you say it that way?

Coach: Because this is a symbolic lodge.

Brother: And rather than take what was communicated literally, you’re trying to pull out the symbolic information to see how it applies to our lives?

Coach: Yes.  That’s how this Works. You take the general communications, boil down its essence and distill the lesson.

Brother: So the lesson here is to keep his secret unless it involves doing harm.

Coach: Yes. And if it does involve doing harm, then you are no longer obligated to keep his secret.

Brother: Wow!  I would have never gathered that by taking it literally.

Coach: Most Brothers don’t.  But does it have to be premeditated harm?

Brother: No. I see now that it doesn't.

Coach: How so?

Brother: Harm is harm whether it is planned for or after the fact.

Coach: Agreed!

Treason

Brother: What about Treason?

Coach: What about it?

Brother: Can you boil it down for me?

Coach: Yes, I could, but I think I’d rather walk you through it and let you do the Work.

Brother: Awesome! What’s first?

Coach: Look up the other definitions.

Brother: Okay. I get the following information. “the action of betraying someone or something”

Coach: What do you gather from that?

Brother: Well, it differs from the first definition in that the betrayal is now generalized to just betrayal…

Coach: As opposed to?

Brother: …one’s country.

Coach: Break it down.

Brother: It’s pretty straightforward.

Coach: How so?

Brother: It’s telling me that I’m not obligated to keep any secrets that betray anyone or anything.

One More Level

Coach: I get the same thing. Do you have any other definitions?

Brother: Yes… treason is “the crime of murdering someone to whom the murderer owed allegiance, such as a master or husband”

Coach: Wow!  Back to murder?

Brother: Yes. It appears that treason is linked to murder.

Coach: And in this instance you gather what?

Brother: Symbolically?

Coach: But of course!

Brother: Okay… symbolically treason is not just betrayal, which it is, but in this instance it is also harmful betrayal.

Coach: Does that sound familiar?

Brother: It sure does!

Coach: Of what does it remind you?

Brother: The ruffians once again!

Coach: It reminds me of them as well. Why?

Brother: Because they betrayed the Grand Master to whom they owed allegiance.

Coach: Exactly.  Do the definitions drive home some points as to what you need to be aware of when deciding whether or not you should keep another’s secrets?

Brother: They sure do.

Takeaways

Coach: On what points are you now clearer when it comes to the exception for murder or treason?

Brother: If there is any harm planned for or committed, I have an obligation to assure I inform the proper persons to guarantee that this harm will not occur, prevent it myself if within my power or assure that amends are made for harm that is done.

Coach: So, murder is symbolic for any harm planned or after the fact?

Brother: Yes! 

Coach: And you are obligated to prevent it if you can or assure proper amends?

Brother: Yes.

Coach: And what about treason?

Brother: Betrayal in any form, but more especially, betrayals that do harm.

Coach: And you’re equally obligated to prevent it if you can?

Brother: Yes.

One Step Further

Coach: What about how all this applies to one’s morals?

Brother: Interesting. Please continue.

Coach: Can you murder your own morals?

Brother: You mean, plot to cause them harm?

Coach: Yes.

Brother: I imagine trying to figure a way around something that is clearly illegal, unethical or immoral would be undermining one’s morals, thus causing them harm.

Coach: How about betrayal of your morals?

Brother: Yes. I can see where this could occur when one’s standards get biased toward anything or anyone that would require those standards to be “relaxed”.

Coach: I agree. What is worse, murder of one’s morals or betrayal of them?

Brother: I’d have to say that the Murder of one's Morals is only overshadowed by one's Betrayal of Them.

Coach: Why?

Brother: Because, in the extreme, murder kills them dead while the betrayal leaves them as festering reminders of the harm one consciously undertakes or undertook in the face of dishonor.

Coach: So, if you take Exception to Murder and Treason literally when keeping within your chest the unworthy Secrets of others, you have yet to practice Masonry.

Brother: Yes!  That brings it back to the Craft.

Coach: Thank you. I agree.

Brother: Would you consider the Work that it takes to come to these interpretations to be the practice of Masonry?

Coach: As in?

Brother:  If one takes a literal view of that issue, he has yet to practice Masonry.

Coach: Agreed!

Brother: Wouldn't the process of getting from taking things literally to figuratively be considered the practice of Masonry?

Coach: Yes! Absolutely! Masonry is a process for sure, and moving from the literal to the figurative is part of that.

Brother: Are you saying that one is not working masonically when one does keeps secrets for secrets' sake?

Coach: If I understand your question correctly, let me respond as follows: When you keep secrets that should not be kept, because you think it is more moral to keep them, even when what is shared should not be kept a secret especially because of the immorality that would unfold because of keeping it a secret, you are not practicing Masonry.

Brother:  This makes good sense.

Coach:  Thanks!

General Guideline

Brother: Do you have a general guideline on all this?

Coach: I do.

Brother: Would you share it with me… …I promise to keep it secret.

Coach: LOL!  Thanks!  No need to. Share it to your heart’s content.

Brother: And it is?

Coach: I keep confidential information sequestered that would harm if shared. Should that information cause harm if kept sequestered, then I have a moral obligation to share it.

Brother: Is it that cut and dried?

Coach: No. It takes a lot of soul searching and prayer at times so I make sure anyone who wishes to share secrets knows that I do not want anything shared with me that would cause me or others a moral bind.

Brother: What’s a moral bind?

Coach: Anything shared that creates a moral dilemma where conflicting standards exist to choose between and someone or something suffers no matter what.

Brother: Such as?

Coach: You’re enjoying this too much.

Brother: Yes… and?

Coach: Let’s make it personal.

Brother: Okay.

Coach: Situations where I’m told something that will cause harm if I share it, but will equally cause harm if I don’t. 

Brother: What do you do in such situations?

Coach: When it’s after the fact, and I am now holding on to the secret, I pray for the right insights into the situations, while I act in love, hope for the best and have faith in all involved.

Brother: I guess that’s all one can do in these situations.

Coach: I agree.

Brother: Wait a minute!

Coach: Ah!  An insight to share?

Brother: Yes! Is this why the twelve fellow craft recanted, albeit a bit too late?

Coach: What do you think?

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For Further Light:

 

A Brother Asks: Restrictions on Accepting Secrets

 
 
Brother: Coach, do you have any restrictions that you place on offered information when a Brother tells you that he wants to share something with you Chest to Chest.
 
Coach: Yes,  I certainly do.
 
Brother: What are they?
 
Coach: I have a two simple policies that help keep me legally, morally, ethically and spiritually safe.  Here they are in the form of bottom and top line behaviors:

1. Bottom Line (what to avoid) - Don't tell me anything that you know would get me in trouble or cause harm if I didn't share the information with the proper authorities or those who would be impacted negatively by withholding such information.
2. Top Line (what to shoot for) - Share with me only those things that you know I would have only good conscience keeping in my chest.

Brother: Interesting... how did you arrive at these policies?
 
Coach: I derived them as a consequence of examining in depth the roles played out by those twelve remaining Fellow Crafts within the Hiramic Legend.
 
Brother: The twelve remaining Fellow Crafts?
 
Coach: Yes.  Those Fellow Craft who remained after the other three ruffians followed through on their collective conspiracy.
 
Brother: The other three ruffians?
 
Coach: Yes.  All the Fellow Crafts within the legend were Ruffians.  It was they who followed through on the collective conspiracy, not the other twelve.
 
Brother: You said "Collective Conspiracy"  What does that mean?
 
Coach: They were all involved in the conspiracy together.  It was only the three ruffians who followed through on the conspiracy who did the physical damage. 
 
Brother: Wow!  I had not thought of it that way.

Coach: Many do not.  Furthermore, it was the remaining twelve ruffians who came clean on their part and after they heard of the missing Grand Master. And this only when they feared something awful had happened to him.  Until that moment they were okay with keeping the conspiracy a secret.

Brother: You were careful to say "physical damage".  Was there other damage that was not physical?

Coach: Yes.  There was damage done to trust; the trust one should have between Brothers. 
 
Brother: They violated that trust by keeping the conspiracy a secret?

Coach: Indeed they did.  They knowingly kept secret an extortion plot that was intended to cause damage. 

Brother: Is this why King Solomon told them they they would be held to account for the Grand Master's death had they not found and brought the other three ruffians to justice?

Coach: What do you think?

Brother: I think it was.

Coach: Me as well.

Brother: Do you believe the Grand Master might have lived had they not kept the conspiracy within their chests?

Coach: Perhaps.  But that's not the point.  The Grand Master had to die because the allegory wouldn't work the way it does if he had lived.

Brother: That makes sense.  But how did you arrive at your insights?
 
Coach: It was precisely the fact that they kept information in their chests that harm was done to someone who would not have been harmed had they revealed the conspiracy appropriately and in a timely fashion. They had to do this for the point to be made!

Brother: So, that's the point?

Coach: Yes!  Don't keep things in your chest that could harm others if not known.  Furthermore, don't commit to keeping information secret that could and will harm when not shared.

Brother: What about your other policy? 

Coach: What about it?

Brother: How did you arrive at that?

Coach: It's a complement to the first.  The first is incomplete without it.

Brother: How so?

Coach: Well, if I don't want to know information that would be entrusted to me for all the wrong reasons, wouldn't I want to be entrusted with information that should be held in confidence for all the right reasons?

Brother: Well, sure.  That makes perfect sense.

Coach: Good.  There are two types of information shared as secrets: That which can harm myself or others if held back and that which can harm myself or others if let out.

Brother:  Ah! I get it!  The former is an unholy alliance; the latter is a sacred trust.

Coach: Indeed!  And I only want to be involved in the receiving end of the latter; the former simply doesn't sit well with me at all and for the right reasons too.
 
Brother: But what if holding back information prevents someone from facing the harm brought about by the consequences of their actions being known?

Coach: That falls under the heading of unholy alliance.

Brother: How so?

Coach: Someone who withholds information to aid others in outrunning accountability is engaging in either illegal, unethical, immoral or non-spiritual actions.

Brother: That makes sense.  The harm is self-inflicted and withholding information only draws things out and delays the inevitable.

Coach: Yes, and when others are involved, it delays proper justice, thus harming those involved who deserve justice.

Brother: There's a lot to this sharing secrets that I had not considered.

Coach: There sure is.  Talks like this help bring things to light and invite us to consider things more in depth.

Brother: Indeed!

A Brother Asks: Getting that Master's Word

How to Start

A Brother Asks: Coach, if I were to investigate the Master's Word, what questions would you suggest I ask myself to start the ball rolling?

Coach: I suggest you start with the particulars of "The Master's Word".

Brother: The particulars?

Coach: Yes. They're provided to everyone right there within the third degree ritual. 

Brother: They are?

Coach: Yes, hidden in plain sight they are.

Brother: Good.  Then it should give me some very helpful clues.

Coach: Indeed.  Everything has been put there for you to figure it out. 

Brother: It has?

Coach: Yes. But only when you have done the preparatory Work.  When you have you should be able to discern quite nicely both the clues and to what they allude.

Brother: Nice!  So what should I ask first?

Coach: The first thing you should ask yourself is "What exactly were the three Ruffians looking for from the Grand Master?

Brother: Okay.  I see it would be important to understand what they were making effort to obtain in the first place.

Coach: Yes.  So many focus upon what the king says toward the end and not how what he says applies to the details.

Brother: I must be one of them. 

Coach: How so?

Brother: All I glean is that they wanted the secrets.

Coach: Yes.  But what specific secret were they looking for?

Brother: Ah!  Okay.  Got it.  They wanted his Word.


Desire

Coach: Yes.  Once you understand that, you should ask yourself the next obvious question.

Brother: What's that?

Coach: Why did they want it?

Brother: Is that answer found within ritual too?

Coach: It sure is.

Brother: You mean it's clearly stated therein?

Coach: It sure is.  Just ask the Senior Warden.

Brother: Why him?

Coach: Because he tells you those reasons every time he is asked, especially by the Worshipful Master.

Brother: Thanks.  I may have to listen to ritual more closely next time.

Coach: You'd do well to do this.

Brother: Wait... doesn't he let the Worshipful Master know this right in the beginning?

Coach: He sure does. 

Brother: Okay.  I know the answer.


Empowerment

Coach: Good!  So, let's say they get what they want.  What does it allow them to do?

Brother: Okay.  I see where this is going.  It would allow them to do exactly what the Senior Warden says when he answers the Worshipful Master's question.

Coach: Indeed and I shall add to this, if they got what they wanted, they could do all that masterfully.

Brother: I can see a lot of benefits from this.

Coach: Yes.  They would benefit tremendously from doing all those things masterfully.

Brother: Is that what they were indirectly seeking?

Coach: What's that?

Brother: The benefits of having what they sought?

Coach: Yes.  Why have something if you can't benefit from it?

Brother: You mean like being given something and not having it do anything for you, other than being able to say to others that you have it?

Coach: Exactly!  What good does having something if it provides to you no benefit along the lines of what it claims, especially if that is why you tried to get it in the first place?

Brother: Agreed. I've seen that occur more than once.

Coach: Me as well.  Yet I see so many feel like they accomplished something significant by obtaining something that has no influence upon the outside world.

Brother: You mean to say that I'm not alone in this?

Coach: I am.   So many members think that they can be given something and be empowered, yet when they receive something that truly doesn't empower them, they are still smugly satisfied.

Brother: You mean to say the Grand Master could have given them anything and they would have likely been smugly satisfied and let him live?


Substitutes

Coach: Yes.  Any substitute would have sufficed.  How would they ever know any difference?

Brother: Hold on now. Are you implying that's what's occurring anyway?

Coach: I was doing no such thing, but I'm glad that you're seeing the implications.

Brother: So why didn't The Grand Master just do to the ruffians what is done to all candidates?

Coach: You mean, just hand them over a substitute, and not tell them its true nature?

Brother: Yes, just like we already do to candidates.

Coach: Why do you think this is done this way?

Brother: Well, perhaps the ruffians are used within the story to communicate to the candidates their true nature - ruffians!

Coach: Why do you think this might be the case?

Brother: Okay, I'll pull a "coach" and ask you a question back.  Do most candidates finish their temples before they ask for the title of Master Mason?

Coach: I don't think most candidates know what the temple is much less finish it.

Brother: I think you're spot on with that assessment.


Requirements

Coach: Perhaps.  But we are missing something much more important here.

Brother: What's that?

Coach: Why couldn't the Grand Master just hand over what they claimed they wanted?

Brother: From what I understand, there were several reasons.

Coach: Such as?

Brother: What I had just said... they had not completed their temples.

Coach: And?

Brother: It couldn't be giving without specific presence and agreement.

Coach: So, what you're telling me is that specific requirements were not met, right?

Brother: Yes.  I am saying just that.

Coach: And in the minds and hearts of the Ruffians, none of these mattered, right?

Brother: Yes.  They couldn't care less that the requirements were not met.  They wanted what they wanted when they wanted it.

Coach: Does it sound like they were using their minds and hearts maturely in there pursuit or that their minds and hearts were using them immaturely in their pursuit?

Brother: I'm erring toward the latter.  They would not have acted the way they did if it were the former. 

Coach: Why?

Brother: Their passions weren't circumscribed and subdued.  They were irrational and uncivil in their demands.  These are two blatant indicators that their hearts and their heads were in control of them and not the other way around.

Coach: Likewise they are also two indications that their temples were not completed.

Brother: And with their temples incomplete, what was present was in disagreement!

Coach: Yes.  I like the way you tied that together.


What's Missing

Brother: Thanks.  Are you telling me that the ruffians lacked specific qualities to be able to have what they wanted?

Coach: Yes I am.  What the ruffians wanted had itself specific qualities.  It, in return, required them to have specific qualities for them to have it.

Brother: Is that why it was impossible for the Grand Master to hand is over?

Coach: Yes.  No matter how you may try to force something to fit, you're only going to damage it when you don't have the skill and experience to put it into place.

Brother: Like using a setting maul to put a stone into place where it clearly doesn't fit?

Coach: Exactly!  All you do by trying to force it into place is ruin the stone and damage the surroundings.  The end result is rubbish!

Brother: Like they did by trying to force the Grand Master?

Coach: Yes.  Moreover, what they wanted from him had specific qualities that made it impossible to hand it over, to anyone. 

Brother: Are you saying what they wanted was impossible to hand over?

Coach: Yes.  Furthermore, I am also saying that who they were made it impossible for them to have what they wanted.


The Lie

Brother: Wow! All this means is that anyone claiming to be able to give it to you is lying.  It can't be done! It's impossible - even symbolically!

Coach: I like how you added this up and took it one step further.

Brother: So, this raises the next question!

Coach: What's that?

Brother:  What qualities must I possess for me to have it for myself?

Coach: You mean, such that you could benefit from having what they sought and do so without the aid of others?

Brother: You mean, like all by myself?  Wow!  You mean this is a solo situation?

Coach: Yes, all by yourself.  You can't possibly honestly believe that you must travel, work, and earn masterfully with others in tow can you?

Brother: Having others in tow doesn't make any sense at all.

Coach: Exactly!  So, let's expand upon your question.

Brother: Go for it Coach!

Coach:  What qualities must you possess such that you can travel, work and earn masterfully without saying or writing a word, and do so without the aid of others?


Mastery

Brother: I like it!  I'd have to have all the qualities of a Master.  Not just the title!

Coach: Okay, so your saying you'd have to be a man who has completed his temple?

Brother: Yes.  But how does one go about developing those qualities?

Coach: There's only one way Brother.  And it's not by dying either!

Brother: Wait!?  What's that?

Coach: What's what?

Brother: You're saying you can complete the Temple before you die?

Coach: Yes.  Many have done so.  How else do we have master's walking among us?

Brother: Okay.  Yes.  I get it.  So how do you do it?

Coach: Do the Work that establishes, develops and cultivates Experienced Masterful Skills.

Brother: Hold on!  Is that why is it impossible to say or write it?  It can only be expressed through being masterful?

Coach: Let me turn the questions around for you.  What can you possibly say or write that would communicate mastery so well that it would allow you to Travel, Work and Earn Masterfully?

Brother: You can't.  You have to live masterfully and that's an expression of who your are and what you chose to be.  That's the only way it can be communicated to others and for you to benefit both yourself and others.

Coach: Indeed.

Brother: Wait!  That's it!

Coach: What's it?

Brother: The Master's Word!

Coach: Are you sure?

Brother: To be masterful and reap the benefits of Mastery, you have to be true to your Word to BE the Master's Word.  That's why the ruffians couldn't have it.

Coach: Why?

Brother: They were not Masterful!  They hadn't completed their temples!

Coach: Really?

Brother: Yes!  Really!