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WHOSO enters upon the course of instruction
given by Masonic ritual does so of his own free will and
accord, and for a definite and expressed purpose.
The instruction is philosophic and religious - philosophic
in that it teaches the postulant matters of the utmost
importance regarding himself, and religious in that it
gives him rules for guiding his conduct under all
circumstances, but particularly in his relations with his
fellow men.
The first step on the path toward wisdom is taken when the
neophyte learns his own identity, not as distinguishing
himself from others, but as knowing his own reality.
He is brought to the light of reason as an individual, and
instructed to stand uprightly as "I am I."
He stands as the personal pronoun I - as a man - as a
Mason. He should here, perhaps for the first time in
his life, fully realize that he is not the body nor the
brain
nor even the mind, but the Thinker - the "I" who
USES body, brain and mind. It was at his own wish
that he approached the door of knowledge, and it was his
own hand that caused the door to open. He is the Thinker,
and as a thinker he is the doer. Whoever may offer
to guide or direct, HE takes each step himself and for
himself.
That he may take each step wisely and toward the goal of
Master Workman he is given, in ceremonies and symbols,
full instructions as to how to control and direct his
powers.
The symbols of Freemasonry explain to the initiate what he
is himself, and what his environment, while the ritual
instructs how to so express himself that he may become
master of his environment.
The most comprehensive symbol of Freemasonry is the
"Square and Compasses," which every Mason is
entitled to wear as indicating his membership in the
Craft. The principles which this emblem symbolizes
are fundamental and universal and therefore every student
is entitled to knowledge concerning them. The
application of the principles to the Masonic life is the
particular care and privilege of students of the Mysteries
of Freemasonry.
The simplest form made by straight lines is the
equilateral triangle. In it all parts correspond to
each other. Each side is similar to each other side,
and the same is true of the angles within and the points
without.
Science at one time proposed to account for the origin and
development of the universe by the hypothesis of two
elements - force and matter, and that the action of force
on matter produced all the infinite variants of the whole
universe.
When the inquiring mind asked "Why does force act on
matter" and "why does the action repeatedly
produce the same results," there was no escape from
the answer "because force is directed."
We cannot here pursue the psychology of the question, nor
go further into the very interesting realm of metaphysics,
but let us add to the former scientific hypothesis one
other element - Will - or if you prefer, Consciousness, or
Spirit, or God. The name hardly matters if we
understand the principle. We shall then
have Will, Force and Matter as the elements of the
Universe. They are three and are symbolized by the
isosceles triangle, in which each side is an aspect of the
same thing.
In man we have the individual or thinking self which has
its three aspects - viz: Will, Soul, and Mind or Spirit,
Soul and Mind. Each is of equal importance, and the
WORD or expression of the MAN cannot be spoken unless all
three are present.
Among mystics of all ages the triangle has been taken as
the symbol of the ever-unmanifested spirit of the universe
and the corresponding spirit of man.
Now the compasses are the two sides of an isosceles
triangle, and may be corresponded to will and force in the
universe, and to spirit and soul in man. Bearing
this mystic meaning in mind let the workman recall the
successive changes in the use of the compasses, and he
will at once understand WHO is to be Master Builder and
how that high distinction is to be gained.
As to what he is to subdue in order to become Master we
shall speak when we consider the square and its meaning,
but the "Subduer," the "Conqueror,"
the "Master" is that in Universe, Lodge or Man
which is symbolized by the compasses. You may call
it the "Divine Spark," the "Spiritual
Nature," or what you choose only let us understand
that it is the Thinker - he
who says I am I. By expressing HIMSELF, exercising his own
will, man circumscribes and limits his lower nature,
controls his passions and transforms his desires into
aspiration.
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