Page 37 - MFM MARCH 2015
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Montana Freemason  March 2015                              Volume 91 Number 1

Mason. In accordance, we are given our tools of            your accountability. At this stage of development,
accountability in self-management, duties to another       a Fellowcraft is taught about responsibility to his
brother, and responsibility to the morals of the world     lodge and fellows. A Fellowcraft swears to respond
around us.                                                 to all lodge communications, especially those
As a Master Mason, what truly are your passions and        making a specific request of him. A Fellowcraft
are you working diligently to subdue them. As a Master     swears to support his brother and not defoul,
Mason, are you free of alcoholism, womanizing,             denounce or sabotage any of his activities or
bigotry, lying, politics, poor moral character, envy, and  efforts to improve himself. This also applies to one
/or defaming another brother? The effort to find such      lodge not supporting the efforts of another lodge
a Mason would be as difficult a task as that undertaken    and attempt to prevent their prosperity due to the
by Diogenes. However, the attempt to be accountable        competition of materialistic gain. It is in this degree
is what must be sought after and reflects the work         that the question could be raised that if we are truly
in subduing those passions. As a Master Mason,             Fellowcrafts, why would we not all work and labor
have you ever found yourself in lodge meeting and          under the same lights of one lodge in an individual
been involved in a discussion about who will be in         city or township. However, we are not able to work
the chair next? Have you ever disobeyed an order of        together or eliminate our personal interest and
the worshipful master and created lengthy discussion       become no different than the proverbial church
in the lodge? How accurate are you in executing the        on every corner. As an accountable Fellowcraft, do
rituals of opening and closing your lodge and setting      you support your brothers of all lodges fundraisers,
examples for newly raised sublime Master Masons?           programs and activities?
How many times has a brother been in distress and          As a Fellowcraft, do you wrought in the quarry of
could not rely on the same Masonic members for             life on a daily basis? How do you present your work
support that leaves the lodge only to head to the          for inspection? As a Fellowcraft, what actions are
nearest lounge or pub for refreshment? And with the        you taking to improve the Masonic order in which
same, a brother coming before the altar and declaring      you are an obligated member. On several occasions,
need that is actually not there? Is there trust and faith  brothers look to other lodges and compare to their
in your lodge within the length of your cabletow?          own. However, the work in quarry helps provide the
Are you an accountable Mason? As a Mason, are              items needed to build a grand edifice to be proud
you prepared to truly list your passions and create a      of. The work in quarry ensures that brothers are
personal action plan with corrective actions and due       proficient in their work. The work in the quarry acts
dates?                                                     as a viable attraction to draw others to participate
Accountable Entered Apprentice                             and seek membership in which strength lies. An
So let’s begin with the entered apprentice’s               accountable Fellowcraft is one who does all he can
accountability. An Entered Apprentice Mason is             to improve the overall condition of Masonry and is a
taught to divide his time in order to equally contribute   beacon of morality that acts as a guide for the world
to the fulfillment of himself mentally and physically,     to see. So as an accountable Fellowcraft, do you take
the world around him by being a practitioner of            the time to observe who is observing you? Are you
morality. How much time each day do you set aside          conscious of your appearance when you step out
to exercise the body physically? Many of the illnesses     of your vehicle adorned with emblems throughout?
we suffer on a daily basis are because we do not take      Can you explain to an uninitiated person the purpose
the time to perform preventive maintenance on our          and background of every emblem you display in
temples. How about your mind? Do you take, if only a       order to provide proper education? Are you truly
moment, to glance at some Masonic information daily        accountable? If you are accountable, you have no
to ensure you constantly strive to be a better man and     problem submitting your work for inspection but
Master Mason? Every Master Mason should challenge          not by the SW but by the Grand Architect of the
himself to identify which actions he takes daily and       Universe. I would truly hate to be at that apartment
under which division of the 24”inch gauge that action      and be declared an “Imposter”.
resides.                                                   Accountable Master Mason
Accountable Fellowcraft                                    What is a master? A Master as defined by Webster
As a Fellowcraft Mason, the accountability begins with     is one having authority over another; a worker or
the “furthermores”. If you do not understand this          artisan qualified to teach apprentices or a presiding
concept, you may want to refer back to you obligation      officer in an institution or a society. All these
as a Fellowcraft as this encompasses the bulk of           definitions can apply to our craft and as well have
                                                           applicable parallels to accountability as a Mason.
                                                           Therefore one could say a Master Mason is a

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