Page 32 - MFM Nov Dec 2021

This is a slur upon our Fraternity, my Brethren. It we lawyers are shameless when it comes to
is a way for those who would seek to lie to people plagiarizing. We steal shamelessly and never
about their purposes to use the good names of provide attribution. So, in the spirit of that
orders, in this case, one of our Appendant Bodies. misconduct, I would like to provide to you a few
This sort of thing my Brethren, I suggest, must be thoughts from these publications that I think are
vigorously contested and denounced by every particularly pertinent to the issue of “quality” in
Freemason. Our involvement in political life our Fraternity: in 1772, William Preston wrote,
should not have come to an end the way it has. “Were the privileges of Freemasonry to become
We have much to contribute. Regardless of your common, or indiscriminately bestowed, the
political philosophy, taking those Masonic values design of the institution would be subverted;
and principles, expressing them, and making for, being familiar, like many other important
sure people understand exactly what we stand matters, they would soon their value and sink into
for is more important today than ever before, disregard.” Put another way, Freemasonry is not
particularly when we have Mexican drug cartels for everyone, nor should we feel that it should be.
stealing our good name. But if one is going to pursue it, then there is no
way to avoid making time to do so and investing
I have often scandalized some people with genuine effort in the process. Talking about some
my reference to, “Freemasonry is not an of the Masonic principles – again, this comes
organization for the cheap, the lazy, and the from a man by the name of Norman Brooker:
stupid.” But I mean that Brethren, and I know “We know that Freemasonry was imported to our
it sounds harsh – but we have an organization shores from England by the early Founders of our
which is designed to contribute, and contribute country. They took the Masonic principles of love,
significantly, and it takes men of real quality, real Brotherhood, morality, honor, integrity, concern
character, real purpose in order to breathe life for others, all of these, and wove them into the
into our Obligations as an Entered Apprentice, a fabric of our government, our institutions, our
Fellowcraft, and a Master Mason. Recently the entire culture. Masons dominated the leadership
Secretary of my Lodge got some information for of our country in its founding years. Many of
me about the cost of the degrees from our first the signers of the Declaration of Independence
By-Laws in 1874. In 1874 if you wished to receive and the Constitution were Masons. We know of
the Degrees of Freemasonry in Cheyenne Lodge the reliance that Brother George Washington
#1, a deposit was required of $25. Adjusted for placed on the officers under his command who
inflation, that is $468.69. The Treasurer and were Masons. The cornerstones of our nation’s
Secretary’s Bond, in 1874, was $2,000. Adjusted Capitol, and the White House, were laid by the
for inflation today, that’s $37,495.11. To receive Masonic Fraternity. This country was conceived
the Entered Apprentice Degree in Cheyenne in the womb of Masonic principles, and this has
Lodge #1 in 1874, it was $25, and as I said, that created a form of government and a way of life
is $468.69. The Fellowcraft Degree was $15. that is the envy of the world.” Never were truer
Adjusting that for inflation today, it is $281.25. words spoken. As Freemasons today, we are
Finally, the Master Mason’s Degree was $10, which custodians of a bridge, the custodians of Masonic
is now $187.50 $1,000 to become a Freemason in principles which can help preserve freedom in
1874 – that was the value, my Brethren, that a lot the world. But principles, in and of themselves,
of Wyoming farmers and ranchers placed upon have no power to preserve anything; it takes
being a Freemason. It has not been that long people to put life and meaning into principles; it
since if you wanted to be successful in business takes people bonded together in fellowship. With
or government, it was necessary that you be a patriotism as a foundation of our principles, it’s
Freemason – those days have passed. Those days also been observed that many of our country’s
should not have passed, and we can recapture greatest patriots have been Masons. That’s why
those days and recapture our strength for good we say, “ No man can worthily serve in the ranks
in our communities if we again re-emphasize of Freemasonry unless his heart thrills to the
the importance of our Fraternity, and we do not sentiments of a lofty patriotism that will express
continue to undervalue or to cheapen it. itself in loyal obedience to his country’s laws, as
well as in defense of his country’s flag.”
Finally, my Brethren, I want to talk to you
about the importance of the Investigation of Finally, my Brethren, I wish to make a few
Candidates. I am a subscriber to the Short Talk comments about investigations. We have, for too
Bulletin, and, as all of the lawyers here know, long, simply gone through the formalities of an
Montana Freemason Page 32 Nov/Dec Volume 97 No.5