This is more of a discussion piece than an educational paper. However, I believe to be important to address potentially faulty thinking and challenge inaccurate beliefs, and so I beg indulgence whilst I discuss a few firmly held but erroneous ideals, in order to allow us to think more deeply about what is important in Masonry.
Innovation and Stagnation in Masonry
Rt.Ven.Bro. Matt DA Fletcher KGC – Secretary, Peace Council No.224
The Ancient Charges of Masonry according to Preston state that a Master-Elect must accept and agree the following: ‘You admit that it is not in the power of any Man or Body of Men to make any Alteration or Innovation in the Body of Masonry’ [1] [2]. Mackey stated ‘The first great duty, not only of every lodge, but of every Mason, is to see that the landmarks of the Order shall never be impaired’ [3].
This is a very commonly held belief in Masonry; that nothing can be changed. It is a cause for dissent in lodges, and the root of many arguments between masons, both in lodge and the festive board, or increasingly, on the internet.
We all grow up in a particular masonic environment and are taught that what and we do our work is traditionally the only right way to do it.
I recall once seeing a visiting Past Master correct a sitting Master on a point of protocol in open lodge, different in each other’s lodges. That discussion did not do anything for either brother, and more especially cast a cloud over the remainder of the meeting.
IMAGE CREDIT: the square magazine digital collection
Why then do we insist on our own interpretation of the Masonry we have been taught, and demand compliance with it, rather than understand and accept that there are more variations than similarities in a lot of what goes on in a lodge room?
Social media permits us to associate with many brethren from even more jurisdictions than we can conceive, both regular and irregular (according to strict definitions), and realise that there is a great variation in ritual and occasional practice.
The variation between obligations and rituals from jurisdiction to jurisdiction are almost infinite. What is held dear within one may not be contemplated within another. It is interesting to see how rigid some individuals are on the subject, without understanding that all they know is in fact part of an evolving concept [4].
The rigidity of belief that a single ritual and expression of Masonry appears to come from the early Grand Lodges in the United States in the mid-1800s [5].
There is a strong undercurrent within North American Masonry that we need to return to the original ideals and motives that actuated our forebears, and get away from the assumptions and social conventions that have crept in over the last 3 centuries of Freemasonry [6]; for example, such as not permitting Entered Apprentices to be full voting members of a masonic lodge (a practice never accepted by the United Grand Lodge of England), unilaterally decided at the Baltimore Masonic Convention in 1843 [7].
What many Masons do not realise is that Masonry is an evolving philosophy and society. It is given to us in the strongest terms that masonry is a Progressive Science.
Progressive means ‘to move forward or to evolve’ [8]. This concept demands change… without it, there is no progress, only stagnation.
IMAGE CREDIT: the square magazine digital collection
Charles Darwin wrote ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.’ This is a salutary reflection, as we are faced with a decline in the numbers of new candidates, and we struggle to deal with the loss of interest and participation of our members.
There is a fundamental difference between supporting and championing the core values of what brought masonry into existence and the concepts that truly actuate it; and defending assumed traditions and regional practices that are not critical to the interpretation of the underlying philosophy [9].
Many Masons are unaware of how recent our concept of Masonry actually is. For example, in 1717 there were only two degrees, that of Entered Apprentice and Fellow of the Craft[10].
The Master Mason degree, and the Hiramic Legend did not enter the body of Masonry until the period 1723-30 [11] [12] [13].
The first 3rd degree appears to have been conferred in 1724, and the first mention of the Three Ruffians in the Constitutions of 1738 [14]. The rituals of Masonry were progressively built upon and expanded well into the first part of the 19th Century.
IMAGE CREDIT: the square magazine digital collection
The Royal Arch, justly designated the completion of a Master Mason did not come into existence until approximately 1730 [15].
We are dealing with relatively modern history here. The Shrine did not come into existence until 1872 [16]. Less than 150 years old! The Royal and Select Master series of degrees did not appear until the latter part of the 19th Century [17].
The 18th Century was a period of great change and innovation in Masonry; many things came into existence that had not heretofore been used; concepts such as the use of the Letter G are prime examples [18].
The letter G is not usually displaced in the lodgeroom, nor in the centre of the Square and Compasses in many jurisdictions.
IMAGE CREDIT: the square magazine digital collection
Original Masonic aprons followed a significantly different format to those which we current wear; with a longer fall and rounded corners. Is this not an innovation in Masonry? [19]
The simple fact that we now admit as Masons men with disabilities is against the original landmarks of Masonry. Society has evolved and advanced, we have become more enlightened, and have recognised that social standing and physical disability are not valid reasons to exclude a prospective candidate who is otherwise worthy.
There are many arguments regarding the continued exclusion of women from Masonry, and indeed female Masonic obediences have developed over the last 150 years, not to mention co-ed orders [20].
Whilst not recognised, more progressive Grand Lodges have at least publicly and openly stated that they are regular in their practices. Interestingly, the first female Freemason documented, Elizabeth Aldworth, was regularly initiated in c1711, long before the first Grand Lodge in North America was established in Virginia in 1778 [21].
Under the United Grand Lodge of England, of which I am a member, it is prohibited to outwardly display evidence of my membership of Masonry, nor to advertise that fact by framing my certificate, let alone wear a masonic ring or display the Square and Compasses on anything I wear or drive.
However, this is de rigeur in North America. In the UK I can approach someone I believe would make a good Mason, although that is frequently prohibited in North America.
These are all adopted customs based on our own collective interpretations of what our respective Jurisdictions’ ritual or rules teach us.
And yet, we do not focus on these historical facts, because what we see, what we do, and what we believe in are important to us.
In the end, that may be all that realistically matters. However, to make the claim that what we do has come down to us unaltered, unadulterated, and free of innovation is patently false.
We should learn to embrace our diversity, and recognise that this is what makes us stronger and truly descended from time immemorial.
Every Mason globally has evolved according to a slightly different path and pedigree, and who is any one individual or Jurisdiction to state that they are right and all else is wrong?
IMAGE CREDIT: the square magazine digital collection
Thus, should we continue to adhere to what we perceive to be our own form of unchangeable Masonry, or should we rather recognise that Masonry has been continuously evolving over the last 300 years, and recognise that in order for the movement to continue to be of the greatest benefit to mankind that we recognise that only certain facets are immutable in the society that we hold so dear?
Footnotes
References
[1] Doron D. Landmarks and Old Charges. Montofiore Lodge, 2002.
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/doron.html
[2] Jantz P. The Landmarks of Freemasonry. 2004.
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/landmarks.html
[3] Mackey AG. The Principles of Masonic Law. 1856.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12186
[4] Taylor JW. Freemasonry as a Sacred Retreat.
http://web.mit.edu/dryfoo/www/Masons/Essays/jtaylor-retreat.html
[5] Davis RG. Masonic Ritual is an Innovation. http://www.thelaudablepursuit.com/articles/2016/6/7/masonic-ritual-is-an-innovation
[6] Anon. A Laudable Pursuit. 2004. http://knightsofthenorth.com/documents/LaudablePursuitFinal.pdf
[7] Graeter RA. Reform Freemasonry? 2014. https://reformfreemasonry.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Reform-Freemasonry.pdf
[8] Cambridge English Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/progressive
[9] Graeter RA. How to preserve and stimulate Freemasonry. 2014. https://reformfreemasonry.com/home/preserve-stimulate/
[10] Foundation of the Premier Grand Lodge.
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/MADHAVAN_HiramicLegend.html
[11] Anderson J. Book of Constitutions. 1723.
[12] Prichard S. Masonry Dissected. 1730.
[13] Davis RG. Op. cit.
[14] Madhavan CS. The Hiramic Legend: Whence and wherefore. http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/MADHAVAN_HiramicLegend.html
[15] Davis RG. Op. cit.
[16] https://www.shrinersinternational.org/Shriners/History/Beginnings
[17] Fletcher MDA. The Cryptic Rite. The Architect, 2018. P117-120.
[18] Dwor M. The Letter G. http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/theletterg.html
[19] Anon. Innovations. http://www.themasonictrowel.com/masonic_talk/stb/stbs/40-09.htm
[20] Wisdahl S. Women and Masonry. Peace Council 11/4/19
[21] The Grand Lodge of Virginia. https://grandlodgeofvirginia.org/
Article by: Matt D.A. Fletcher
Matt DA Fletcher is the Sovereign Grand Master of the Allied Masonic Degrees of Canada; the Director-General of Studies of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia as well as Chief Adept for the SRIA Province of British Columbia & Yukon; is a past Grand Superintendent of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of British Columbia & Yukon; and is or has been a member of almost every regular masonic body in current existence.
Initiated into the Three Pillars Lodge No.4923 in London, and a mason for almost 30 years, he is a subscribing member of bodies in the UK, Canada, the US, Brazil, Belgium & France. He also holds senior positions in a number of Martinist orders and bodies, and is deeply involved in the esoteric avenues beyond regular Freemasonry.
His primary objective is to increase the academic content within Freemasonry, such that we can practically expand and apply the knowledge that we learn in the Craft, and engage with and assist our Brethren more fully on their own personal masonic journey.
In the mundane world, he is a practising orthopaedic surgeon in rural Canada with a strong background in surgical research, and has published and presented over 350 academic and esoteric papers, chapters, and books.
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