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Masons Who Read and Masons Who Do Not Read


       I believe there are many Masons who are ignorant of  admission or probably, in their view, this will facilitate their
     the principles of Freemasonry, just as  there are men of  business or advance their political prospects, or otherwise
     all classes who are subject to ignorance in their                bene  t them personally. At the beginning of a
     own profession.    ere is a watchmaker who does                  war, hundreds   ock to the shops hoping to get
                                                                      war, hundreds   ock to the shops hoping to get
     not know about the watchmaking elements, or a                    the “ mystical sign “ that will help them in time
     not know about the watchmaking elements, or a
     blacksmith who is not fully conversant with the                  of danger. Having your goal been achieved or
     red-hot iron property. Rising to the highest paths               not, these men become indi  erent and, in time,
     of science, I would be very surprised if I found                 fall into the category of irregular.    ere is no
     a lawyer who was ignorant of the elements of                     hope for those Masons; are dead trees with no
     a lawyer who was ignorant of the elements of
                                                                      promise of fruit. Let them pass as totally useless
     jurisprudence, or a doctor who has never read a
     jurisprudence, or a doctor who has never read a                  promise of fruit. Let them pass as totally useless
     treatise on a disease, or a clergyman who does not               and incapable of improvement.
     know anything theology. However, nothing is as
     common as   nding Masons who are in complete                        ere is a second class consisting of men who
     darkness about everything that relates to Freemasonry.
     darkness about everything that relates to Freemasonry.           are moral and masonic totally opposite the
        ey are ignorant of their history;    ey do not know    rst class.    ese make your application for admission,
     whether something is from ancient origin or comes from  accompanied, as the ritual requires “a favorable opinion
     ancient  times,  from  its origin.     ey  do not  understand  of the institution and a desire for knowledge.” Once you
     the esoteric meaning of the symbols or ceremonies and  are initiated, they see the ceremonies through which pass,
     hardly understand the modes of recognition. However it is  the decent philosophical signi  cance of research.    ey
     very common to   nd these “social” in possession of higher  are dedicated to this research. Get Masonic books, read
     degrees and sometimes being honored by senior members  Masonic newspapers, and talk to knowledgeable brothers.
     of the Order, being present at the meetings of chapters and     ey seek to become acquainted with the history of
     chapters, intruding on the procedures, taking an active part  Freemasonry; investigate its origin and its current format,
     in all discussions and persisting in maintaining heterodox  exploring the hidden meaning of its symbols and absorb
     opinions in opposition to the trial of brothers with much  their interpretation. Such Masons are always useful and
     greater knowledge.                                     honored members of the Order and often become their
                                                            brightest lights.    eir lamp is burning for the enlightenment
       Why such things happen? Why, to have the Freemasons  of others, and they are indebted to the institution by
     so much ignorance and presumption?  If  I ask a cobbler  whatever high position they have achieved. It is for them
     to make me a pair of boots, it tells me that only   xes and  that this article is written. But between these two classes it
     patches, and who has not learned the higher branches of  is described as an intermediate level, not as bad as the   rst,
     his o   ce, and then honestly deny the o  ered job. If I ask  but far below the second, which is unfortunately included
     a watchmaker to build an engine for my stopwatch, I have  in the set of the Brotherhood.
     replies that he can not do it because they never learned how
     to make engines and it belongs to a higher level of craft,      is third class consists of Masons who joined the
     but if I bring a ready spring, insert it on my watch, because  Freemasonry without objectives and perhaps with the best
     you know how. If I go to an artist to paint me a historical  of intentions. But they failed to carry out those intentions.
     framework, it will tell me that is beyond their capacity,     ey made a serious mistake: suppose that initiation is
     since never studied or practiced this kind of detail, limited  all  that  is  needed  to  make  them  Freemasons  and  that
     to the portrait painting. If he was dishonest or conceited,  further study is totally unnecessary; therefore, never read a
                                                            Masonic book. Tell them about the publications of the most
          is lack of modesty is exclusive to the Mason. He is  famous Masonic authors, and their response will be “do not
     quite apt to think queue commitment not only makes him  have time to read.” Show them to Masonic magazine and
     a Mason, but Mason Also a wise at the same team. Also he  con  rm the reputation and ask them to subscribe.    ey will
     imagines    at Often the mystical ceremonies    at Occur  say they can not a  ord, that time is hard and money scarce.
     in order are all that is Necessary to make him know his  And yet, what is missing is not the ambition Masonic many
     principles.    ere are some Christian sects believe    at    at  of these men. But his ambition is not in the right direction.
     baptism of the water washes all the sins of the past and the     ey have a thirst for knowledge, but a great thirst for
     future at once.    erefore, there are some who think    at  positions and degrees.    ey do not spend money or time
     Freemasons the simple act of initiation is at once Followed  to buy or read Masonic books but have enough of both to
     by the   ow of all Masonic knowledge; We do not need more  spend on the acquisition of Masonic degrees.
     study or research. Whatever    ey may want to know is
     received by an intuitive and laborious process.          It’s amazing how some Masons do not understand the
                                                            simplest notions of art and failed to understand the scope
          e great society of Masons can be divided into three  and signi  cance of symbolic Masonry, cling to the empty
     classes:                                               honors of high grades.    e Master Mason, who knows very
                                                            little of the degree of apprentice mason, want to be a Knight
          e   rst consists of those who have not joined with  Templar. He does not know anything and does not want
     a desire for knowledge, but for some other accidental  to know anything  about the  history  of the  Templars or
     reason, not always honored. Such men are driven to seek  how and why these Crusaders were incorporated into the
          Montana Freemason                                                                       Page 20                                                    July 2019    Volume 95 No. 5
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