“Where Masonry Happens” and the Value of Diversity and Tolerance of Thought and Belief in the Fraternity
By W.M. Jesse James Slater
There is a concerted effort in many lodges to jumpstart the educational aspect of our meetings, which is a great thing to see. These “official” educational events, such as guest speakers, presentations, and symposiums take a significant amount of planning and coordination to put on, and the value does show in the fruits of those labors.
It is interesting to consider, then, an aspect of Masonic education which is nearly defined by its spontaneity. That is, the fellowship and discussions which occur following the closing gavel. One of the aspects of going to lodge and Masonic events that I get the most enjoyment out of is this “afterglow”. One may even make the argument that this is “where Masonry happens”. The afterglow takes many forms, and may consist of small talk, committee planning, deep discussion or debate, or any combination of these and other types of fellowship. I have often called my wife after a meeting ends to let her know that I’ll be “out with the guys” for a certain length of time, adding, “You know that this is where the real work gets done.” With much of the lodge administration, that is indeed true.
But there are also the impromptu discussions which follow a meeting, many of which begin before one even leaves the lodge room. Regarding our mission for Truth, this is truly, I think, “where Masonry happens”. The formal education programming is training, the discussions are what you are training for. During the meeting there is an invocation of Truth and the Journey for it, leaving enthused brethren charged with a desire to pursue that journey.
The other night, I had the pleasure of attending Pontiac Lodge #294, A.F.&A.M. in Pontiac, Illinois. I know many of the brethren of Pontiac Lodge through the Scottish Rite, but I do not get to sit in lodge or fellowship with them on a regular basis. They were hosting Bro. Aaron Gardner for a presentation, and thus had some visiting brethren from further north that I get to see even less often.
After the meeting, discussion clusters broke off almost immediately. These clusters floated, combined, split off, and recombined as we talked on numerous topics. The whole process was entirely organic and without any forethought.
Early on, we talked about variations on the Hiramic legend in jurisdictions around the world. At other times, comparisons and contemplations on various religious traditions (past and present) was a predominant theme. These conversations have a similarity which I wish to expand on later.
We all know that talk of religion and politics are prohibited from the open lodge, as they are among the most divisive topics among men. This allows us to look to our similarities, not what divides us. While the rule does not technically extend to lodge dinners and similar events, I generally avoid speaking of them in those contexts as well as a courtesy. My rule of thumb is that such topics are best treated as a “consenting conversation”.
Here we were, though, brethren speaking freely and with the standards of Masonry in mind. We were not debating theology or having a “who’s right, who’s wrong” contest. We discussed the allegorical qualities of Greco-Roman myth. We compared the Christian view of Biblical Judaism with that of Judaism itself, as well as the cultural interaction and parallelisms between the Hebrew culture and the Ancient Near Eastern cultures which it interacted with. We discussed varieties of Gnosticism and the influence early Christian groups and writings had upon each other.
Masonic virtues bear fruit when employed. These can be seen specifically in the three facets of the Fraternity: Fellowship, Charity, and Truth. The more obvious fruit of diversity and tolerance is that of Fellowship – it allows for men who would otherwise be at a distance to come together in brotherhood. From this, we can see Charity in the work they accomplish together and for one another. For Truth, the fruit is in this exchange of ideas. As brothers, speaking on the level, we know that we are in a safe place to exchange ideas and share our thoughts, or even thoughts that we may not hold ourselves, but that we find interesting. I love discussing Masonry, its symbolism, and allegory with a brother of a different religious/spiritual background than mine. The same goes for the different perspective given by one who has had a different socio-economic background, or other factors of what develops our unique worldview. The insight a different lens provides gives us the chance to learn much from the varied personal interpretations and “Have you ever noticed…” musings that each of us holds.
It is in this even-handed, unprejudiced, academic discussion that we can see the similarity between the aforementioned discussion of Hiramic legends and these of religion and tradition. When hearing of elements foreign to our jurisdiction (such as those of South Wales, which a brother shared with us), the response is not “Well, that is wrong! It’s not how we do it,” but instead one of fascination, intrigue, and contemplation. Whether or not we, individually, choose to take this new information as a part of our own personal mosaic of thought, the knowledge of it has broadened our horizon and enriched our mind. We have gained knowledge. The same is true of gaining knowledge of the diversity of belief and thought, and the same method of learning is applied to the benefit of all involved.
Thus, brethren, remember not to run out of Lodge (or Chapter, or Consistory, etc.) as soon as the gavel drops. Often the best journeys are those which aren’t planned, and the same goes for journeys of thought.
W.M. Jesse James Slater is a member of Wade Barney Lodge No. 512, AF&AM, in Bloomington, IL, where he currently serves as Worshipful Master. He is also a member of the Valley of Bloomington, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, NMJ, and Bloomington Chapter #26, Royal Arch Masons. He is a founding member of the Veritas et Lucis Masonic Discussion Society, which promotes Masonic education in the Central Illinois region. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at Illinois State University.
