We
want to thank Most Worshipful Brother Aldridge. PGM/Grand Secretary
of the Grand Lodge of Quebec, for this provocative Short Talk
Bulletin. The ancient penalties in our obligations have been the
source of much of the criticism levelled at Freemasonry. Most
Worshipful Brother Aldridge deals with this criticism in a
stimulating way.
The United Grand Lodge of England being in many respects the
well-spring of modern day Masonry is a valuable source of
inspiration, education and philosophy concerning what has come to be
regarded as REGULAR FREEMASONRY. The recent decision by the United
Grand Lodge of England, followed by a number of American Grand
Lodges, to eliminate the Ancient Penalties from the obligation of
each degree has caused much discussion within the Masonic
Fraternity.
The purpose of this article is to discuss an alternative approach to
the actual elimination of these Ancient Penalties.
Before proceeding further in this dissertation concerning the
ANCIENT PENALTIES it needs to be pointed out that these penalties
were not the brainchild of some distant Masonic ritualist. These or
very similar variations of them were in use in England among the
oaths taken by mariners during the 15th century and were also used
in oaths assumed by those being admitted to the bar in London,
England during the 16th century.
If Freemasonry has erred in the choice of these penalties it was in
the reference to them as "ANCIENT PENALTIES" rather than what they
really were--"ANCIENT SYMBOLIC PENALTIES". As Shakespeare's Hamlet
said, "...ah there's the rub". These penalties were never included
for the purpose of having an enforceable violent penalty. They were
included simply as s symbolic representation of how seriously a
postulant should view his oath.
Some would say if these are simple symbolic then remove them since
they no longer mean anything. That is somewhat misleading because so
much of what we have around us and which we hold dear in this
troublesome world is recorded in symbols of all kinds. Symbolism is
part of life and cannot be cast aside. Mathematicians, geologists,
in fact anyone whose discipline relies on the use of numbers or
numeric expressions, relies on symbols as an everyday experience.
The simple act, though not always simple of driving a car depends on
the use of symbols to arrive safely at the intended destination. The
numbers on the speedometer are symbols, various designs on highway
signs are symbols, the little knobs on the dashboard all have
different symbols. They are there to ensure understanding regardless
of the language of the operator. So it may be concluded that symbols
are an effective means of communication to ensure accurate
understanding regardless of language, education or intellect. In
fact your ability to read this paper is based on your understanding
of the symbols or letters used to express my thoughts.
"Oh yes", some may say"...but these are all symbols lacking any
violent origin". That may not be entirely accurate either. Many
symbols in use today depict a violent beginning and their design is
intended to remind us of that hazard. So it may be concluded violent
symbols are effective communication links to save us from harm. The
simplest being the skull and crossbones as a symbol of life
threatening danger and of course the modern nuclear era has spawned
untold violent symbols especially designed to protect us from
violent hazards.
Even the flags of many nations which certainly are revered and
honored by their nationals, and displayed in their places of
worship, use red as a symbol of the spilled blood which caused their
nations to be born. The red poppy worn so reverently in memory of
our soldiers who died in battles to defend our country is a symbol
of the blood spilled in battle on Flanders Fields during World War
One. The Buttons on the sleeve of a man's jacket and the little slit
under the buttons are symbols of the time a man's jacket unbuttoned
all the way to the shoulder so that he might have easy use of his
sword. The vent at the back of a man's jacket is a symbol of the
time soldiers rode horseback. The vent allowed their jackets to fall
on either side of the riders' legs and so keep his powder dry to
more effectively kill his adversary. Quite a nice little symbol to
carry around with us when dressed in our Sunday Best.
Now to get back to our ANCIENT SYMBOLIC PENALTIES. Why on earth
should we even consider relocating or removing then in the first
place? "Oh because they are offensive to some religious leaders".
That begs the question as to which religious leaders? Some of the
greatest clergymen I have ever met, both the pragmatic and the
scholarly, have been members of the Masonic Order. Not a single one
of those extremely worldly wise reverend brothers ever dreamed of
any part of the ceremony being offensive in any manner whatever,
INCLUDING the penalties. Obviously no clergy outside of the craft
should cause us any concern because they really don't understand the
context of the ceremony or the part the penalties play in it. Now
what does that leave us to contemplate? I believe it points out in
the clearest possible terms that the Masonic Order is a true
microcosm of the real world in which we live.
We have out own fair share of iconoclasts whose aim is to tear down
rather than to build constructively.
However, their arguments are not too compelling if analyzed. They
suggest that violence is an offense to God. Yet both Moses and Jesus
had recourse to violence in defending what they believed was an
affront to God. Notwithstanding that argument or counter-argument
there is no violence in Masonry provided the penalties are described
as ANCIENT SYMBOLIC PENALTIES. Anything less than that description
is an offense to God and Masonry. It is not good enough to describe
then as ANCIENT PENALTIES since that implies that they are exigible
and therein we could be faulted from within and without this noble
craft.
At a time when the Scandinavian Churches are seeing in Masonry no
conflict with their profession of faith, where leading clerics of
the Church of Rome are finding no incompatibility between Regular
Freemasonry and their belief of Christianity and those who malign us
the most are being found to be guilty of criminal and moral law
breaking, we must be sure we stand by what we teach. We must
continue to conduct the affairs of Masonry in a manner well beyond
reproach.
We must not allow indiscriminate changes to be made. Once the start
is made where do we stop? Would we consider dropping the
investigations of potential candidates, would we discontinue the
trial procedures, would we allow avowed atheists to become part of
our fraternity, would we allow and tolerate plots or conspiracies of
any kind? Certainly we would not do any of these things.
We are assembled to unify, in a God fearing brotherhood, wherein we
can unite in spirit to treat all of God's children as family. We
cannot do that effectively by allowing schisms to develop. We must
be unified for the benefit, not solely for our Order, but to better
serve mankind in whatever manner God leads us as individuals who
have learned to recognize our duty to him and our Brother. There
will always be room for change in administrative practices but we
should not change that which has worked so well heretofore and for
which has worked so well heretofore and for which there is no
substantive reason to consider change!
SO MOTE IT BE ! |
