"How Will You Be Tried"
By PM Kaleth Wright, #46
All too often, we as Master Masons become so wrapped up in the esoteric
side of Masonry that we have a tendency to forget about something as simple as
“etiquette”. We haplessly approach the Brother in the club or the exchange
wearing a Masonic hat, ring, or t-shirt and attempt to test his legitimacy as a
Master Mason by one or all of the following means:
1. Throwing him a sign and waiting for a response,
2. Shaking his handle in search of a “Token”,
3. Attempting to have him perform the Entered Apprentice lecture,
4. Asking for his dues card, or
Each of these are legitimate ways of finding out if he’s the man he
claims to be, and are probably taught to every up and coming Master Mason as
the correct way to “Try” a Brother. However, in some cases either of these
exchanges could result in a not so pleasant meeting or first impression due to
the over aggressiveness of the Brother doing the examining or the unwillingness
of the Brother to be tried in public.
Furthermore, in accordance with his Fellowcraft obligation the Brother
may feel that answering the sign would not be “in the square and angle of his
work”.
There are countless members of our society whose natural handshake
either closely resemble or are exact replicas of our sacred grip; never mind
the fact that the Center for Cult Research and Investigation has published all
of the signs, grips, and words of Ancient Craft Masonry on the internet,
complete with illustrations and explanations straight out of a Duncan's Ritual,
which can be purchased at your local bookstore.
The average age of most non-military Masonic Lodges is approximately
67.5 years old. I can guarantee you that a majority of these learned Brothers
could teach you an awful lot about Masonry but the EA, FC, or MM lectures have
probably been long forgotten. As a matter of fact, many young and newly Raised
Master Masons will have forgotten the details of the mini lectures.
“Mine for yours?” is normally the proper way to ask a Brother for his
dues card to see if he is current in his Blue Lodge. Sounds reasonable, but how
difficult could it be for someone to obtain a Masonic dues card? With the
amount of Masonic paraphernalia found in pawn shops who knows what these same
Brothers do with their membership cards. More importantly, just as we sometimes
lose or forget our drivers license, military identification, ATM, or club card
we might also be without our dues card at the time we are accosted by another
Brother.
“Who’s your Mother” is usually the most common way of asking a Brother
from what lodge he hails. Not all Master Masons are familiar with the 1001
Masonic catch phrases and some frankly are offended by their use and or abuse.
Does either of these situations fairly determine if a Brother is worthy
of the Light he is wearing?
While lawfully speaking each of these attempts are perfectly okay and
in no way considered out of line; there exists a better way of approaching and
greeting a fellow “Traveling Man”. Try this:
“ Excuse me my Brother, I see you have Traveled some; welcome to
Okinawa, I’m Brother Wright from Torii Lodge #46, Home of the Thoroughbreds out
of Okinawa Japan of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington
and Jurisdiction…from where do you hail?”
This warm welcome is likely to create a non-aggressive environment and
will result in friendly exchange of information, as the Brother is likely to
answer with his Mother Lodge and Jurisdiction. After which he may offer his
right hand in token of friendship and Brotherly love along with a token of a
Master Mason, start a conversation about the principles of Masonry and even
inquire about your meeting times. This type of practical and courteous exchange
will be much better received and will allow you obtain the exact same
information as the methods discussed above.
Ensure you exchange personal contact information with this Brother and
set up a time to meet and talk with him again before inviting him to your lodge
as a visitor. This is really the time when you may determine his genuiness by
holding further conversations about Masonic principles and doctrine, his
personal involvement with his Lodge, and his thoughts and feelings about the
state of Masonry in today’s society.
Be sure to inform him that as a visitor you will not be able to vouch
for him as you have never sat together in open lodge, but he will be required
to provide a current dues card and undergo an examination to include the signs,
grips, and words of the 3 degrees. If he is nonaffiliated explain to him the
proper procedures for being reinstated in his Mother lodge and if he so chooses
the procedures for demission (See last weeks lecture: Finding Your Way Home).
This approach will be successful in building a positive fraternal relationship
and allow the Brother to truly Travel in foreign countries while in search of
more light in Masonry.
Ultimately, a Master Masons worthiness is determined by his stature in
his community and his character as an upright man. With this in mind we should
ever strive to meet on the level, act by the plumb, part on the square and live
our lives in accordance with the Divine Guidance of the G.A.O.T.U who will
ultimately determine “How you will be Tried!”
“Remember that our cause is one and we must work together if we would
succeed.”
Kaleth O. Wright
PM, Torii Lodge #46
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