One of the first lessons we learn in Freemasonry is that we are here to
“Learn to improve myself in Freemasonry.” We also say that we “take good men
and make them better.” If this is true, when does it stop? At what point have
we improved enough to consider that we have accomplished this task? Has Masonry
made you better, so you do not have any more to do?
Were you finished when you were Initiated, Passed and Raised? What is
the one thing that you learned that made you say,” Great! I am better! I am
done!?” When you were Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, the heavens
parted and the Great Architect of the Universe inspected you with the symbolic
Square, level and Plumb and declared you perfect? NO? Then it is possible that
you had/have more improvement to make? That you have more lessons to learn?
Our goal in Freemasonry is not to be better than others, but to be
better than ourselves. While I might be better than the self I was 5 years ago,
there is still room for me to be better than the self I was yesterday. Anything
that stops growing dies. I have presented Masonic Education to Brethren who
were in their 80s and were wise, but they wanted to learn more. Improvement
never ends, we should strive to continue to travel from the west toward the east,
in search of even more Masonic Light.
The first thing required for Freemasonry to help you improve yourself
is your presence. How can you improve yourself in Freemasonry if you are not
present? Not just physical presence, but active presence in the lessons of the
Ritual and the Fellowship with your Brethren. I know that you can learn much
about Freemasonry by reading the thoughts of others, but you can learn even
more by discussing those thoughts, and your own thoughts, with your Brethren in
a Corporate setting. Freemasonry was never meant to be a solitary event, men
organized themselves into groups to help each other and to learn from each
other. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17.
Another translation says, “Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the
minds of each other.” It is important to gather with your Brethren. The
Fellowship is important for many reasons, not the least of which is that you
learn to trust each other, so you are willing to listen when a Brother points
out an area where you many need to work on your continuous improvement. If I do
not know you well, I may be upset or hurt if you point out a fault, but I
should be able to accept this whisper of counsel and comfort from my Brother.
If you will be open to the lessons of the Craft and the thoughts of
your Brethren, you can improve yourself even during a boring business meeting.
How? By actively listening to the Ritual, by taking a part of the normal
opening and closing and pondering, “What does this mean to me?” It is much more
satisfying than pondering whether we should buy a new refrigerator for the
Lodge. I improve myself in Freemasonry every time I attend Lodge or Masonic
events. The idea for this article came to me while I was at the District Custodian’s
School of Instruction. It wasn’t that I was not paying attention to what was
being taught, but that I WAS paying attention and I heard things I needed to
hear. Even in the repetitious ritual we were practicing.
How can you improve yourself in Freemasonry? Read your books; listen to
the Ritual; learn from your Brethren.
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