The Real Secret of Freemasonry

Why did Freemasonry become one of the largest organizations in the world?

By WBr. Norm. Ryder

What is the real secret of Freemasonry? Is it a series of handshakes, hardly. There are books published with the pass grips on the cover. Maybe it's one of the words, no, once again all these are published in books available at the local book store. Then it's the ritual? No, that's not it variations of our rituals can be found in not only Mormon ceremonies but, also other fraternal and esoteric societies have portions of ritual or ritual that are substantially the same. These secrets only serve to identify a brother. How about an excuse for a night out with the boys?

Then what is the secret? Why do you find a lodge in virtually every country of the world? My opinion is that our organisation was built on fraternity, and by fraternity I do not mean a quick couple of words to each other before a meeting starts. Not even those conversations at the banquet table later. I mean a deeper care and concern for our brothers.

While preparing this paper I came across a pamphlet that I pick up in the Grand Lodge offices this summer. "What is the Biggest Mystery of Freemasonry" when the pamphlet is opened you first see the quote ".to relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent upon all Masons.". We have all heard those words before. Many of us have said them in at least one lecture.

We are a Fraternity -- Just what is a Fraternity?

My on computer's line thesaurus gives the following other words for fraternal;

• brotherly, devoted, friendly, congenial, intimate these words lead to others such as:

• kindly, charitable, compassionate, humane, forgiving, faithful, comradely.

Are these words familiar? You will find a number of these words in the various lectures that we so carefully give to new members.

I feel that the Secret of Freemasonry is combined in these words, and it is entirely possible that freemasonry is responsible for some of these word associations. Comradely is an example of one that may have actually developed because of the association of the words masonry and brother. One has only to look at Royal Arch to see how the word is further developed with in masonry.

Our society may have developed in part from some early esoteric studies, it certainly developed from the early trade union or guild philosophy of aiding and assisting their members. Before the advent of our modern Social Welfare System the unions were very responsible for not only wages and working conditions. They were also expected to aid and assist not only the widows and orphans of their fellow (brother) workers they where expected to be responsible for helping their work companions when one or another fell on tough times.

Why did they do this? "To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent upon all men but more especially upon Masons who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection. To soothe the unhappy, to sympathise with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries and to restore peace to their troubled minds is the great aim we have in view. On this basis we form our friendships and establish our connections."

At one time people wanted to join our fraternity because the example set by those that were members was there for all to see. The pillars of society were masons. By pillars of society I mean not only the financial pillars but, also the moral and spiritual pillars. They were pillars of society not because they were mason but, rather they were masons because they were morally and ethically pillars of society.

Masonry as we know it grew during the Industrial Revolution a time when society was changing. Changing drastically. During that period many left rural homes and family to go to new locations. Locations where their traditional support of family members did not exist. Masonry served several purposes then

1. A support group of new family members -- "brothers" to aid, assist, to be helped - we all want to be needed and help others at times.

2. The philosophy of don't change the land marks provided a link to the past.

3. The lodges provided a convenient place to meet travelling brothers, to receive news from home to send news to home.

When I look at the early minutes from Concord Lodge, I see that lodge members helped brother so and so build his house -- don't need to do that CMHC will back a loan. The lodge paid the funeral expenses of brothers that had passed to the Grand Lodge Above -- don't need to do that either CPP looks after that. The Real Secret was not that we did these things for a brother in need, the Secret was we were there for him when it was needed.

One of my concerns is that with the steady erosion of our Social Welfare System that more and more individuals will be left out in the cold, and in some cases I mean that literally. Masonry in years past protected its members and families from some of these trials and tribulations of life. In the last 50 years we have pulled back and now expect the state to do this.

Our society is once again changing at a rapid rate. Is masonry today fulfilling the need of society? What is the need of society? How can masonry change yet remain true to our ancient landmarks? If we change, can we change in a way that will attract new members. It is only by demonstrating that we are still relevant in today's society that we will survive. How do we demonstrate, not by big brass bands. How about by being there when needed not only for a brother but also a member of the public. Maybe it is to offer a helping hand, a supporting shoulder, friendly advice or ?

One might say that unfortunately masonry will be needed in the next 50 years than it was in the past 50 years. Can we make the changes to masonry needs to make to be relevant 50 years from now. I think so. Will these needed changes violate our ancient landmarks? I don't think so. The need to assist each other is still there, the desire to be linked to the past (whence came you) is as strong as ever. The need to see a friendly face from home is every bit as important to day as it was 200 years ago.

An example of the need to see a friendly face from home is:

recently in a Concord Grapevine news letter there was mention that one brother was working on a project in Indonesia. This brother reported back "I was surprised by another brother with the words "sojourning brother" eh? At that moment he tossed a piece of paper onto my desk. Upon closer observation it became clear to me that it was a copy of the grapevine. I said to him where did you get this from? He responded "with my notice in the mail". I then realised that he was a brother and a member of Concord Lodge."

This occurred in one of the few countries of the world that has banned freemasonry. (I received this information via email, yet with all our modern communications it was still important for the brother to write home that he had seen a "certain friendly face".)

If masonry is to flourish in the (well actually even survive) 21 st Century we have to provide a reason for "good men" to join. We have to actually compete for members. We can compete by returning to our roots and providing the required aid and assistance to "all distressed master masons where ever dispersed"

The nice thing about our Real Secret is that it can be told to the world, maybe it should be told to the world. By telling it, by demonstrating it, by living it we still don't give away that indissoluble chain of sincere affection. We build it stronger.