The Secrets of Freemasonry!
Someone is always whispering stories or writing a book about
"The Secrets of Freemasonry!" As a young man I heard
these strange stories and wonder if indeed they were true? Was there a secret
society that had to be watched because they were trying to take over the world?
Well, I am here to inform you
that those stories are not true, and if we are a secret society, we are the poorest kept
secret in the world. If you still have questions concerning the "Secrets of
Freemasonry" you should attend the monthly meetings of the Masonic
Library Association. The library is opened on Tuesday and Thursday evenings
for those desiring more light & knowledge.
The Masonic Temple is located on the
corners of Fifth and Sycamore Streets, (downtown Cincinnati, Ohio),
where there are hundreds and hundreds of books containing "Masonic
Secrets."
These books are available for any mason seeking more
light and a better understanding of Freemasonry. You must be a Master Mason in good
standing in a Blue Lodge to check out books. For those who are not Freemasons you
will find most of the same books at the public library. Where all that is needed to
take a book home with you to read all those "Secrets of Freemasonry" is
a library card. The true secrets of Freemasonry are, Brotherly Love,
Relief and Truth, and must first be practiced in a man's
heart.
The Mason who keeps these sacred fires burning on the
altar of his heart will inevitably acquire a better understanding of the meaning of Life,
while developing a closer relationship with his GOD. Simply receiving the
degrees of Freemasonry does not truly make a person a Mason. There is much more to
"Freemasonry" than receiving the degree work. You have merely been pointed
in the direction and shown the way to provide an opportunity to receive More Light through
Masonic Education. The individual Mason must decide for himself whether or not he is
willing to continue the quest for more knowledge.
You can not merely belong to Masonry. You must
actively exercise your belief in the principle of Freemasonry and commit to laboring in
its Temples just as the master builder Hiram Abiff did. Learning that the stone,
which the builders rejected, is become the head stone of the corner. The Blue Lodge
is the Mother Lodge of Masonry, so a man's standing in his Blue Lodge controls his
standing in Freemasonry. If you lose your membership in your Symbolic Lodge
you lose your membership in all other appended bodies of Freemasonry.
After completion of the first three degrees in the
Symbolic Lodge you can travel one or both branches of Freemasonry, the Scottish Rite or
the York Rite. The Scottish Rite advances by numerical degrees beginning with the fourth
and ending with the thirty-second degree with a thirty-third degree that is honorary.
The York Rite Degrees continues with four Capitular
Degrees. This is the only place where a Freemason can learn the "Real
Word." The Council consists of two degrees and one extra or additional degree.
There are three Commandery orders the last one is "The Order of the
Temple". This is by far the most beautiful order I have ever seen. The
Degree work and Orders in all the bodies of Masonry are beautiful and generally leaves a
lasting impression on those who continue their Masonic Journey. Regardless of which
or how many paths you travel and the amount of Masonic Knowledge you may acquire, you can
never be more of a Mason than a Master Mason.
True there is little doubt that More Light through
education will enhance any journey. The proven value of Education is one's ability
to better comprehend his own thoughts and those of others with a far greater understanding
of his surroundings. Masonry, however, is like life, in that you can not get more
out of it than you put in. Each person must design for himself a road map selecting
carefully the pathway he chooses to travel, seeking divine guidance and assistance through
the power of prayer and GOD'S Teachings.
Fraternally,
John E. Ferguson
** Brother Ferguson is our first guest Sojourner. Here is a
little info about him.
John is a Member and Past Master of Yeatman-Mt. Washington Lodge #162. A Past High
Priest of Delta Chapter # 179. Past Illustrious Master- Hubert O. Auburn Council #
149 R & S M. Past Commander, Hanselmann Commandery No. 16 K.T. (hey! that's us!)
He is also a Knight York Cross of Honor (KYCH)
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