Address of R.W. Bro. James F. Kirk-White
On His Official Visit to Golden Rule Lodge, September, 2003

A Personal Take on Masonic Morals

Brethren, I decided that my first message as District Deputy Grand Master should reflect upon my personal Masonic values.  Which I am happy to say, coincides with our Grand Master's chosen themes of “Back to Basics” and “Masonic Education”.

At our regional DDGM orientation seminar in Huntsville, the Grand Master expanded on the Back to Basics theme:
He commented that he will continue to place emphasis upon the ‘practice’ of those basic virtues that are an integral part of the Back to Basics program - Honesty, Reliability, Loyalty, Fidelity, Brotherly Love, Charity and Forgiveness. He added that these should be an inherent part of every Mason’s life and should be practiced as a matter of course.

In explaining the inclusion of Masonic Education to that theme, he stated: The Basics will be supplemented with increased emphasis upon Masonic Education. He believes that Masonry and Education are synonymous terms and hopes that by “going back to school” we can create a greater awareness among our Brethren of the true meaning behind our ceremonies, particularly to those newer members.

As I said earlier, tonight I would like to reflect upon Masonic values that affect me personally. To do so, I did some research on MASONIC MORALS. My researches discovered a brief paper prepared By Rabbi H. Geffen; Entitled: PSYCHOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MASONIC MORALS.
(Brethren, I must tell you that it was his opening sentence which immediately caught my attention, I will explain this in a moment.) He stated...

"We can not understand Masonry, if we do not comprehend our spiritual strength."

I’ll repeat that... We can not understand Masonry, if we do not comprehend our spiritual strength. 
Let me explain why that particular sentence struck me so: For years I have been using a tag line on all my emails, I apologize as I have no idea who wrote it, but it goes like this:
'We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, but rather spiritual beings on a human journey.'
I’ve always liked that quote because deep-down I firmly believe that when one ‘prioritizes’ their spiritual being, one will spend more time and energy in strengthening that being. I read that quote many times a day.
Rabbi Geffen explains how to identify and strengthen the spiritual being -so let’s continue.

"How is it possible for us to obey the precept:  "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Might we not also ask, how is it possible to love our neighbour like our self?

There are contradictions in man's psychology; man possesses contradictory power of two different forces within him - fighting each other.  Spiritually he is on one with his Creator, and bodily, materially, he is like an animal, a beast.

Freemasonry urges the study of morals and ethics to improve the candidate, to uplift man's deeds and thoughts, to change them from evil to good.

Man will never commit a sin or do a noble deed without an innermost cause originated in the depths of his soul.  Man will never seek improvement, if he will not come to the realization that he is in need of it.  He sees himself always innocent, fine and good; even with the recognition of his defects- he magnifies his greatness and goodness. 
The Talmud says: "Man observes all the plagues save his own."

It is very difficult for man to stand such an examination; he will always excuse and justify himself, and will not recognize his own faults.  Not only to others, because he is ashamed, but even to himself, to his own conscience -he will not confess.  A spiritual blindness embraces him and he can not see.

But sometimes man comes to a moral awakening; he feels he is blind; he looks for light, is in search for knowledge and improvement.  (As I look around the room, I see we all identify with that statement.)
Freemasonry is a study of life.  Masonry is a world-psychology; it embraces life with all its forms and ways, all the possibilities of various men, nations, generations and epochs.  Its teachings are not limited by space and time.

Masonic teachings reveal to us the secret of creation of man. That he consists of two parts; that heaven and earth are anticipated in him -a soul of everlasting life -and the dust of the earth.  It is impossible for man to free himself from this combination.

The pious man can not cast off from himself the dust of the earth; neither can the wicked free himself completely from the ever living soul.

Masonry tries to root out pride and arrogance, by teaching the candidate lessons of humility; it strives to instill the teaching of equity and equality, that all men are brethren, that one chain links all our Craftsmen together, the chain of brotherly love and friendship. 

The Talmud says, when a man commits a sin he mutters "I wish nobody could see me doing it." It proves that in the depths of every man's soul, even the most sinful, there are some noble thoughts and strivings, a sense of shame.  The wicked is not willing that anyone should see him committing a crime -he feels a sense of self-condemnation.

Yet, in the heart-deep of the pious man, in spite of his good deeds, sprouts the sense of pride and boasting. Masonry teaches the lesson of secrecy in order to discourage arrogance and conceit.

Masonry psychology teaches that the Man should at all times examine himself. Consider the cause of his deeds and what motives prompted him to such acts. 

Thus he will bring his life under better control, become wiser from day to day, and reach a better self-recognition.
Thus he will become a Craftsman, gifted with Masonic wisdom, whose greatness of soul is akin to the divine."

Let’s combine his first sentence with his last sentence....
We can not understand Masonry, if we do not comprehend our spiritual strength. But when we do, we will become Craftsmen, gifted with Masonic wisdom, whose greatness of soul is akin to the divine.

The psychology and philosophy of Masonic morals benefits each Freemason for a lifetime, and thereafter as well. By practicing Back to Basics, by embracing those Masonic virtues, we will accelerate the strengthening of our spirituality thus making us better men.

Brethren, once again I would repeat my email tag line..  “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, but rather spiritual beings on a human journey.”
I like to think that every time I shake hands with a Mason, it is our spiritual beings that are communicating.

Now, let us take a moment to go beyond our selves. There is another Masonic virtue that is very compelling to me, and that is Brotherly Love.
Brotherly Love must be shared, and it is here where our lodge members collectively and individually have a job to do.

The following brief story is a great example of a brother doing that job. It was inserted in the Wilson South District notice by R.W. Bro. Ken Guiler, and it was adapted from a message presented by one of Ken's Minister friends. It is entitled:

"The Silent Message"
A member of a certain lodge, who previously had been attending meetings regularly, stopped going.  After a few months, the Master decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening.  The Master found the brother at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.  Guessing the reason for the Master's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The Master made himself at home -but said nothing.

In the grave silence, the Master contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs.  After some minutes, he took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone.  Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation.  As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more.  Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.  The Master glanced at his watch and chose this time to leave; he slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.  Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. 

As the Master reached the door to leave, his host said, with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for the fiery lecture.  I shall be back in lodge next meeting."

Brethren, we live in a world today which tries to say too much with too little.  Consequently, few listen.
Sometimes the best words are the ones left unspoken. And, sometimes actions speak louder then words.  But at all times the job is there
...waiting ....for each of us.

The Grand Master often quotes Mathew 5/16: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works..” Brethren, the Grand Master would like this to be the guiding principle for all Masons.

I would like to close with the motto of our Grand Lodge which is:
“Audi, Vide, Tace.”
Freely translated it means ...Listen ....See ....Be Silent.

And that's exactly what I now intend to do -be silent. So Brethren, for your warm hospitality, and for being so attentive, thank you very much.