textfiles/magazines/STB/stb-1932-03.txt

SHORT TALK BULLETIN - Vol.X   March, 1932   No.3

THE MASONIC WORLD

by: Unknown

All of us live in a plurality of worlds.  Each of us inhabits his 
world of the home, his world of business or profession, his world of 
pleasure which may be anything from books to baseball.  Freemasons 
live also in the Masonic world, but, curiously enough and rather 
pitifully, not one in a hundred adventures far into that land.  For 
the majority of Masons the Masonic world begins and ends at the doors 
of their lodges.
The average Mason reads his lodge circular or Trestleboard, hears 
occasionally of lodge charities, now and then attends a lodge 
funeral.  More rarely he may be attracted to some interlodge 
gathering, as when a District Deputy pays a visit to two or more 
lodges meeting under one roof, or an educational meeting in which 
several lodges participate.
But unless he is an officer, and a very interested official, or a 
Freemason with both curiosity and determination, he knows little of 
the many <20>foreign countries<65> of the Masonic world, its broad 
highways, its numerous bypaths, its beautiful vistas, its lovely 
landscapes.  Like him to whom <20>a primrose by the rivers brim, was 
just a simple primrose  - and nothing more,<2C> many a Mason believes 
the Masonic world to be an occasional evening at the lodge - and 
nothing more.
Yet what a world it really is, and how far it reaches, curiously 
intertwined with the social and civic worlds, avoiding or meeting 
them at will.  The Masonic world is usually non-existent to the 
general public, except as the profane occasionally catches sight of 
it in public ceremonies or newspaper notice of a meeting of Grand 
Lodge.  Which is as it should be since Freemasonry devotes herself to 
her purposes silently, if not secretly, without ostentation or 
advertising.
In Jurisdictions where Masters and Wardens Associations function in 
Masonic Districts, the officers have an opportunity to envisage a 
larger horizon of their Masonic world than in states where each lodge 
is a little world unto itself, touching other little lodge worlds 
only at Grand Lodge.  Masters and Wardens Associations bring together 
the principal officers of all lodges in a given area, affording an 
opportunity for the exchange of ideas, the solution of puzzling 
problems and often foster visits by lodge to lodge which makes for 
broader horizons to all who take part.
The same may be said for those Jurisdictions which have Schools of 
Instruction, either stationary in one place, traveling from District 
to District, or held occasionally or periodically at prearranged 
points which differ from year to year.
Cities afford the opportunity to belong to a Masonic Club, which 
small towns do not.  Masonic Clubs, in which Masons from many lodges, 
governed by a common purpose, or occupation, meet in fraternal 
intercourse, have grown by leaps and bounds during the last few 
years.  The employees of one great business may form a Masonic Club; 
Physicians who are lodge members may form their club; clubs exist in 
many cities which draw members almost wholly from a given trade.  The 
majority of such Masonic Clubs, which hold a national convention once 
a year at which unified plans are discussed and furthered.  Just now 
Masonic Club emphasis is put upon education, in which field a noble 
work has been and is being done.
Some Jurisdictions have looked with some disapproval on Masonic 
Clubs, fearing that <20>the tail may try to wag the dog,<2C> but in general 
Masonic Clubs have been guided by the spirit of the League and have 
been cooperative in worthy Masonic movements and avoided any conflict 
with Grand Lodges, in which of course, they must inevitably lose.
The very hearts of the Masonic world are the Grand Lodge, and he 
loses much who does not inform himself of the deliberations of these 
august bodies.  A Grand Secretary would be bewildered, and probably 
greatly perturbed, if even one Mason in every ten should ask for a 
copy of the <20>Proceedings<67> of the Grand Lodge, yet what a marvelous 
out pouring of Masonic spirit might result if one  Mason in ten did 
read the annual <20>Proceedings.<2E>  For here is set forth the Alpha and 
Omega of the Jurisdiction; the acts, the problems, the hopes and the 
troubles of the Fraternity.  Annually, in most states, quarterly in 
two, here meet the Master and Wardens (in some States only the 
Masters) sometimes the Past Masters, to legislate for the coming 
year, discuss problems, appropriate funds for the Home or other Grand 
Lodge Charity, admonish the lax lodge and praise the leaders, and in 
general check up and take stock, plan and go forward for another 
year.
It would be most interesting to learn how many Masons know whether 
their Grand Lodge has a Masonic Library?  How many know whether they 
help support a Masonic home, and if so, where it is?  How many know 
whether their Grand Lodge engages in a program of Masonic education, 
and if so, how many have made use of it?  Yet these activities of 
Grand Lodge touch every Mason, in his pocketbook if nowhere else.
It may be stated without fear of successful contradiction that no 
matter how large the State, or how far from the Masonic Home a 
brother lives, after visiting that Home he will agree that his time 
and money were well spent.  Yet of the multiplied thousands of Masons 
who give cheerfully to the support of a Home where live the guests of 
the Fraternity who can no longer fight their own battles; where the 
orphans of Master Masons are brought up to be self-supporting, happy 
and successful citizens, not one in hundred ever sees this inspiring 
and ennobling sight - truly the Grand Canyon and the Yellowstone Park 
of the Masonic world!
Now and then a Grand Lodge lays a Corner Stone or dedicates a Masonic 
Temple; in some Jurisdictions the Grand Master empowers particular 
lodges to perform these functions.  As in funerals, the Masonic world 
here touches the profane world, and as many non-Masons as Masons may 
observe the ceremonies.  But the informed Mason knows of an inner 
meaning of the deposit of corn and the pouring of the wine and oil, 
which makes these observances of peculiar significance.  Not to have 
seen them is to have missed one of the views of the Masonic world 
which is both beautiful and informative.
Every Grand Lodge has a committee on Foreign Correspondence.  The 
reviews of the Masonic worlds by the devoted brother known as the 
Fraternal Correspondent are published yearly, usually as part of the 
annual <20>Proceedings,<2C> occasionally in a separate volume.  The theory 
of the Report of the Fraternal Correspondent is simple; it is 
supposed that Grand Masters and other officers of the Grand Lodge are 
too busy to read <20>Proceedings<67> which are published once each year in 
each of the forty-nine Jurisdictions of continental United States, 
and from ten to twenty-five <20>Proceedings<67> of foreign Jurisdictions.  
The Fraternal Correspondent reads and digest them, then comments upon 
the work of these Grand Lodges, giving a summary of their labors and 
their accomplishments, noting that which is peculiar, new, different, 
odd, interesting, that all who run may read.
Alas, these informative reports are read by far lass brethren than 
would be interested, did they only know what they pass by!  But 
should that mythical one brother in every ten - aye, even one in 
every hundred! - write to ask any Fraternal Correspondent for his 
report, it is feared that he might suffer an attack of heart failure.  
Yet no brother can really know his Masonic world who does not read 
this yearly guide book to the <20>foreign countries<65> of other Grand 
Lodges.
Some seventy-five journals in this country are devoted exclusively to 
the Masonic world.  Some are excellent reading for Masons anywhere; 
some are local to one Jurisdiction, even to one city.  Not to 
subscribe to at least one is to miss much that is interesting and 
informative.  The Masonic world is very large; the brethren in one 
Jurisdiction do and experience that which is unknown to the brethren 
of another.  The Masonic journal is the monthly record of that which 
is worth knowing in the Masonic world and should be a part of the 
equipment of every interested Freemason.
Several publishing houses are devoted entirely to the production of 
Masonic books.  The reading Mason knows a side of his Fraternal world 
which the non-reader has never even heard of!  Many splendid books 
have been written of various facets of the jewel which is 
Freemasonry; her history, her jurisprudence, her symbolism - hundreds 
on this subject - her charities, her labors for mankind.  Not dry, 
difficult-to-read volumes, but books filled with real Masonic light, 
to read which is a joy and an education.  They are the glasses with 
which the near-sighted can see the far horizons of freemasonry.  Any 
of these publishing houses will be happy to send literature about 
these books to the interested.  In many lodges <20>book clubs<62> are 
formed, in which each of ten to twenty-five brethren buys a book, and 
then passes it on to the next brother in the club. receiving his in 
return.  For the price of one book, the reading brother may thus dip 
into as many volumes as there brethren in the club.
The Lodge of Research is just becoming well known in this country.  
Three American Lodges of Research now function, and while they all 
are new, much is expected of them.  In England and Canada are Lodges 
of Research which are well known, especially the great Quatuar 
Coronati, No.  2076 (The Four Crowned Martyrs) of London, which has 
nearly a century behind it.
The Lodge of Research is a regular constituted and Chartered Lodge, 
but works no degrees, raises no brethren.  It is devoted  entirely to 
research into Freemasonry, and the publication and dissemination of 
papers and reports.  A full set of the forty-one bound volumes of the 
great London Lodge - Ars Quatuar Coronatorum, familiarly known to 
Librarians as <20>A.Q.C.<2E> - are all but priceless, comprising as they do 
the result of the work of historians, antiquarians and Masonic 
educators for many years.  Any freemason may subscribe to the 
publication, become a member of the Correspondence Circle of the 
Lodge and receive the quarterly reports.  He who either buys or 
borrows volumes of the past will find therein a ticket to a new 
frontier of Freemasonry, and travel in by-ways of the Masonic world 
which without such a guide book are sealed mysteries.
The Masonic world includes several national movements. 
All who attend Grand Lodge know of the great George Washington 
Masonic National Memorial, erected by the Freemasons of the United 
States at a cost of more than three million dollars.  It is to be 
dedicated on May 12th of this year.  The Association meets yearly, 
and from its labors has resulted this enormous structure which will 
stand forever - it is built only of granite, marble and concrete; no 
structural steel being used - as a monument at once to Washington, 
Freemason, and to the Fraternity which honors itself in honoring him.
Coincident with the annual meeting of this Association, the 
Conference of the Grand Masters meets in Washington, D.C., there to 
discuss for a day the mutual problems which are common to all Grand 
Lodges.  The reports of these annual meetings are of intense 
interest.  Containing the deliberations of the premier leaders of the 
Craft, they should be read by every interested Freemason.
The Grand Secretaries also hold a conference, for the discussion of 
their peculiar problems, as do Masonic Librarians and Educators.  
While more special than the reports of the Grand Masters Conference, 
the wanderer in the Masonic world will find    in them much of 
informative interest.
This short sketch of the extent of the Masonic world, like any other 
sketch, is intended only to be suggestive.  The Masonic world has 
hundreds of other ramifications too numerous even to catalog.  But 
perhaps enough has been said to give an idea of its size and variety.  
He who will inform himself as here suggested will have no difficulty 
in following these unnamed pathways into the quiet pastures, the 
woods and streams of the world of Masonry, where are still waters and 
cool shade, interest and inspiration, for all who will take the time 
to travel therein.