Address of R.W. Bro. Michael Grima
on His Official Visit to Golden Rule Lodge No. 409,
September 13, 2010

 “In The Beginning"

I ought to begin this speech by stating that what follows is the fruit of my own personal research and that no brother is obliged to accept it. For that matter, you are not obliged to accept the findings of any other brother. As he is unable to say, that he himself has discovered the last word on the meaning of any symbol or allegory. For the threads I have found, which weave themselves through the tapestry of Freemasonry are so rich and so immense, that no one man's lifetime is long enough to comprehend all of it.

What we, as Masons would like to see, is an influx of new members by initiation, most of whom are young candidates who will take an interest in the craft and proceed through the chairs, and eventually become leaders in the craft. For this to happen, we have to ensure that these candidates are provided with information and knowledge. We should show and teach them by example as well as Masonic education. There is so much allegory and meaning in our ritual that the average mason cannot see the forest for the trees.

So, I thought I'd start at the beginning, our beginning, the beginning of our Masonic journey, and continue on from there.

At our initiation we were asked to approach the altar by three steps, we then take a sacred promise, and the W.M. asks us, “What, at the present moment, is the predominant wish of your heart?” Every Mason has heard the words that follow which can be found in the beginning of the VOTSL and with that in mind, it didn't take long to come up with the title of this speech, “In the Beginning”, for what I am going to talk about is “The First Degree” -where we first saw Masonic light.

Since my initiation, I've spent a lot of time researching Freemasonry. Time which was well spent in learning the meaning of certain words used in the lectures as I went through the chairs- words which are seldom or never used in this day and age. I believe I've learned a lot, but in reality, I've learned very little. I have a long way to go, and I hope I never stop learning. I am a Mason, and that is what Masonry is all about. A beautiful system of Morality, veiled in Allegory and illustrated by Symbols.

The meaning you get from reading a lecture in our little black book, or the VOTSL, can be quite different to what I may comprehend from those very same words. And that's fine. That is what Freemasonry is all about, searching your mind, but mostly your heart, the meaning of the allegory or parable we have read.

Our candidate enters the Lodge in darkness. This is not to hide anything from him. After all, once he has taken the necessary obligations, he will be shown everything. No, it is to impress upon him the idea that he is blind in spirit and that he is in a state of darkness -that he lacks knowledge. He enters the lodge in a state of darkness and through his continued attendance, research and understanding, he will find the light.

The item that we use to blindfold him is called a hoodwink. But a hoodwink means more than a simple blindfold. The Concise Oxford Dictionary (Which I have in my workshop) defines the verb “to hoodwink” as “to deceive”. Therefore the candidate's condition on entry is considered to be that of a man deceived. Deceived by ignorance.

From Masonry's point of view, ignorance is a sin. It is a sin because it promotes human unhappiness. It is responsible for most of the tension and unrest in the world today. Men fear what they don't know and they hate what they fear.

Any Mason who desires to understand the harmonious and beautiful proportions of Freemasonry, must read, study, reflect, digest and discriminate. The true Mason is an impassioned seeker after knowledge, and he knows that books and the antique symbols of Masonry are vessels which come down to us full-freighted with the intellectual riches of the past.

Throughout the ritual and work of Freemasonry, light is the symbol of knowledge. Masons are pledged to strive after more and more light as life goes on, and should seek above all things light eternal.

As an Entered Apprentice you are newly born. You must learn, brethren, and learn well, if you are to appreciate our heritage. That which is worth living, in this world, is worth working for; without labour, there can be no rest; without work there can be no vacation; without pain, there can be no pleasure; without sorrow, there is no joy. And equally true it is, that while men do receive the degrees of Masonry at the hands of their brethren, there is no Freemasonry in a man's heart if he has not been willing to sacrifice some time, give some effort, some study, ask some questions and digest some philosophy, to make it truly his own.

Nothing in Freemasonry is more beautiful in form, or more eloquent in meaning, than the First Degree. It is simplicity and dignity, a blend of solemnity and surprise, as well as beauty in moral truth -mark it as a little masterpiece.

What we get out of Freemasonry depends on our ability and capacity, followed by our response to its appeal. It is hard to see how any man can go through his initiation and leave the Lodge room quite the same man as when he entered it.

What memories come back to us when we think of the time when we took our first step in Freemasonry. We had been lead, perhaps, by the sly remarks of friends, to expect some kind of horseplay, or the riding of a goat; but how different it was in reality.

I for one, can't really remember most of my initiation, it's a bit of a blur really, but there are some parts which I vividly remember, and so I should; as it was given as a lesson to remember. For one impressive instant, in which many emotions mingle, the candidate is unable to grant the request for assistance. Here, the candidate is made to feel the bewilderment and humiliation of being incompetent, when unable to comply with the charity request asked of him.

Another part of my initiation which hit me pretty hard was the Obligation I took on the VOTSL. But again, it was meant to impress upon me the solemnity of the obligation which I swore to uphold. Never to reveal any part or parts, point or points of the secrets or mysteries of or belonging to Ancient Free Masonry.

Our Obligation alludes to two other excellences of character, namely fidelity and obedience. Fidelity to the constitution and ancient landmarks, and to the laws and regulations of the order. That's why every time we close the Lodge, together we rise and remind ourselves of that obligation.

We have the greatest Fraternity in the world, founded on the noblest of principles. But let us never forget, that it is not enough simply to make a man a member. Our Fraternity will grow as an influence for good, our Lodges will prosper, and our members will grow as good men and Masons, only if we focus our thoughts and efforts, and the thoughts and efforts of our candidates on Masonry as a way of thinking, and a way of living, in which brotherhood is the vehicle, the mission, and the goal.

We should ensure that the candidate visits another Lodge three times at least, as he progresses through his degrees, each time to witness the degree he has just taken. This will give him a better understanding of the degree he has just been through. It will also show him that he is part of a wider Fraternity, one that he can take with him wherever he goes. It goes without saying that he ought to be accompanied by his sponsor or Brothers he knows well.

If we want our newly raised candidates to take an active part in Lodge life, we need at least to give them an introduction to Masonry. Ritual alone, no matter how well performed, is not going to make a knowledgeable Mason, or an active Lodge member. If we want a man who believes in Masonry, a man who is an active Lodge member, we have to take the time to show, to teach, and to guide that new Mason to a clearer understanding of the tenets of his profession as a Mason.

Through Masonic education he will be taught the importance of charity, which was forcibly, and somewhat dramatically, impressed upon his mind. As a matter of fact, the method of his preparation, and the manner of his progression around the Lodge, was intended to impress this lesson on him at the very beginning of his advancement toward the light. This part of the ceremony teaches that you should never shut your ears unkindly to the cries of the distressed, particularly a brother Mason.

Remember brethren, a Mason's charity should know no bounds, save those of prudence. Charity does not necessarily mean monetary assistance, a helping hand when needed, or just taking the time to listen to some one -these also are forms of charity.

In conclusion, brethren, you should always remember, the pathway is before you. Whether you will travel blindly and in want, or eagerly and with joy, depends only and wholly upon you.

Brethren, for your kind attention, your warm hospitality, the fine banquet and your friendship, I thank you.