Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Darin A. Lahners

Last night I was honored to be a part of the Royal Arch Degree at Admiration Chapter No. 282 in Homer, Illinois. It was my first time playing a semi-important part as the Master of the 2nd veil. But as with all degrees I participate in, the night is never about me, it is about the candidates. Last night I met a brother, who was a companion by the time the night was over, who was so inspirational that I don’t think I’ll ever forget him. His name was Dale. Dale had a disability. He needed a walker to help him move from one point to another.

If you’ve been through the Royal Arch Degree, you know that there is a lot of walking, and obstacles to overcome in the degree. It’s difficult enough to go through with sight and being able-bodied. But for part of the degree, you are hoodwinked and attached to the other candidates. The 3 Masters of the Veil act as conductors. Since we only had 2 candidates, fellow Midnight Freemason Todd E. Creason acted as the third. Todd also acted as a guide for Dale who put his hands on Todd’s shoulders rather firmly, while I and Companion James Peplow, as Master of the 1st veil, were on each side of Dale firmly grabbing his arms. Slowly, we were guided by Companion Sean McBride who was acting as Principal Sojourner. Dale started walking without his walker, aided by his brothers.

Dale was a rock star. He didn’t complain although I could tell he was in some discomfort. He was relieved at every break in the action, when we stayed still, but he was back moving as soon as it was time. I can’t imagine the toll this took on him, but he desired to go through the degree like a non-disabled candidate would. He went over or through every obstacle presented to him. I was in awe of his willpower, stamina and grit.

How perfect is it that the triangle, which takes a prominent place in this Degree was formed by Todd, James and I around Dale. But I want to make no mistake, the real example, of how to act as a Mason, was Dale. By his actions, and uniquely dry sense of humor, he made us feel like he was helping us. In the second section especially, when Todd was acting as his sole guide, he still continued on stoically. My brothers, it was a sight to behold.

What I was reminded of, while Todd, James and Myself helped Dale and Dale in turn inspired us, was the 3 specific virtues upon which our Fraternity was built. Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. Brotherly Love is that virtue which admonishes us that we should treat all of mankind with the love and adoration that we have for our own family, and especially treat Brother Master Masons in this fashion. Relief is the virtue that reminds us of our oath in our obligations, to relieve the suffering of any Master Mason who is in dire need of it; but to also act charitably towards others in order to improve the common good. By Truth, we understand this to be the attribute of the Divine, and we are taught to be good and true. It reminds us that we must be in every action men who have honor and act accordingly.

However, we are not the only organization to stress the lesson of Brotherly Love. The Second Degree of the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows is the Degree of Brotherly Love. The degree tells the story of an Israelite, who is travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho. He is robbed and left for dead. He attempts to have several of his countrymen help him, but all pass him by. Only a Samaritan, who is his enemy, helps the weary traveler. The lessons are the same, that as an Odd Fellow, you are to provide Brotherly Love and Relief to all mankind.

So my brothers, I leave you with this Poem, which I think is fitting.

We are Two Brothers

By H. L. Haywood

Give me your hand 

You are rich I am poor 

Your wealth is your power, and by it you tread 

A wide open path where for me is a door 

That is locked and before it are worry and dread. 

We are sundered, are we, 

As two men can be 

But we are two brothers in Freemasonry 

So give me your hand.

Give me your hand 

You are great I'm unknown 

You travel with a permanent fame 

I go on a way unlauded, alone, 

With hardly a man to hear of my name: 

We are sundered, are we, 

As two men can be 

But we are two brothers in Freemasonry 

So give me your hand.

Give me your hand 

You are old I am young 

The years in your heart their wisdom have sown 

But knowledge speaks not by my faltering tongue, 

And small in the wisdom I claim as my own: 

We are sundered, are we, 

As two men can be 

But we are two brothers in Freemasonry 

So give me your hand. 

~DAL

WB Darin A. Lahners is the Worshipful Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of the new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. and is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also a member of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. When he’s not busy enjoying Masonic fellowship, Darin spends his time as a DM for his children’s D&D campaign, reading, golfing, watching movies and listening to music. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.

The Reports of My Death

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro Bill Hosler, PM

There is an old story (which may or not be true) about Brother Samuel Langhorne Clemens who is more commonly known by his pen name, Mark Twain. Clemens was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in Polar Star Lodge 79 in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1861. 

In May of 1897 Brother Mark Twain was approached by reporters in London. Twain was abroad on a world speaking tour and a rumor was started in the United States that the author had grown ill and had sadly passed away. It has been said that the rumor had grown to such proportion that a newspaper published Twain’s obituary.  

When reporters approached Brother Twain about the rumor and asked the humorist for a quote. Twain told the assembled group of reporters, “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

When I first asked a friend of mine for a petition to become a Freemason, I was invited to attend dinner with the Brethren of my future Mother Lodge. The members of the lodge were hosting the Brethren of our sister lodge in Canada. Each year the two lodges gathered together, one year in the United States and the next year in Canada, to spread the cement of Brotherly love. 

As I sat down to a wonderful meal of Hoosier style beef and noodles, one of the Brethren, an outspoken Past Master, piped up and said, “I don't know why you are joining the Masons. The Fraternity will be dead in five years anyway.” 

Of course, his statement shocked me. At that moment of my life, I knew absolutely nothing about the organization. For my entire adult life, I had seen the windowless high-rise building downtown, the one I was currently eating dinner in, and never given a moment of thought to the possibility that the organization may have had membership problems. I ignored the man’s declaration and progressed through the degrees to become a Master Mason. 

That dinner I attended is now thirteen years in the past, and our beloved Craft is still at labor many years after my Brother's prediction. Recently while reading social media I've seen many Brothers who, in their frustration with the direction of Masonry, have been making the same declaration: “Masonry is dead!”

As a member who has been fighting with the establishment since my raising, I truly understand the frustration these Brothers are laboring under; the slow progress of change (please pardon my use of that dirty word) can be quite frustrating. But I truly believe, as in the case of the reports of Brother Twain’s demise, the reports of our beloved fraternity’s death have been “greatly exaggerated”.

The year I became a Mason (2002), many lodges were merging with other lodges, or just surrendering their charters to their Grand Lodges.  Buildings were being sold to developers or given to local municipalities.  It was a sad time for our gentle Craft. There was one lodge in the Masonic Temple where my lodge met that had to call a Past Master of the lodge to come from his home to sign the book in order to have the minimum number of members to open a lodge in our jurisdiction. It was looking dim for the members of most lodges. 

Since those dark days, many young men have discovered Freemasonry through the writings of Dan Brown. Brown made us look cool and relevant, not just a bunch of old men arguing over fish fries and pancakes.

Even though I still get frustrated myself with the glacier-like slowness that our fraternity moves in, I can say without hesitation that even though the movement is slow, we are still moving. 

Today, more lodges are including Masonic Education into their meetings, and more Grand Lodges have voted to allow subordinate lodges to open on the Entered Apprentice degree. We have even seen some lodges vote to raise dues to common sense amounts (no elderly Brethren on fixed incomes were harmed during this staggeringly significant event). Although we still have a way to go, the fact is that we are making progress.

As long as we have men who are willing to stand their ground and not waiver in their beliefs in this institution, it will never die. This beloved group has, for three hundred years, withstood wars, economic depressions, anti-Masonic movements, and dictators who wished to erase it from the Earth. We stood our ground and we practiced our beliefs.  The only way we will see it cease is if we allow it to, through apathy, through hopelessness, and through quitting. 

I often wonder what would have happened if all of the Brothers who threw their hands up in frustration, picked up their apron and went home had instead stayed and, with other like-minded brethren, banded together and worked as a group to make Freemasonry what they wanted it to be?  I have a feeling that many of the issues these men were having with the craft would have gone away! 

We all have to work together Brethren. Instead of giving up, try finding Brothers who feel the same way you do and make a difference! With all of us working together, we will soon see Freemasonry awake from its slumber and rise to become vibrant again. None of us can do this alone. Come and help us show that the reports of Freemasonry’s death are greatly exaggerated! 

~BH

WB Bill Hosler was made a Master Mason in 2002 in Three Rivers Lodge #733 in Indiana. He served as Worshipful Master in 2007 and became a member of the internet committee for Indiana's Grand Lodge. Bill is currently a member of Roff Lodge No. 169 in Roff Oklahoma and Lebanon Lodge No. 837 in Frisco,Texas. Bill is also a member of the Valley of Fort Wayne Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Indiana. A typical active Freemason, Bill also served as the High Priest of Fort Wayne's Chapter of the York Rite No. 19 and was commander of of the Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4 of the Knight Templar. During all this he also served as the webmaster and magazine editor for the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne Indiana.

Brother Ozymandias

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

WB Seth Anthony

We have all met Brother Ozymandias. He is a member of every Lodge in every Jurisdiction. He has been a member of the Craft from time immemorial and a trusted advisor to many Masonic leaders. He tends to appear shortly before the time of installation and stays for a varying duration based on the leader’s program.

Brother Ozymandias is best known for the promise of the legacy he wishes to help each leader leave. He whispers into the ear of Masonic leaders and reminds them that their time in the East is short; that they need a grand design on the trestle board if they are to make an impact on their organization. He cultivates a desire in all to have their name engraved upon the hearts and minds of Brothers everywhere. In some ways, he motivates those in authority more than other, yet he is a fickle Brother. Just as a leader feels as if his legacy is secure, Brother Ozymandias leaves him to begin consulting with the next in line, promising a greater legacy to him than any that came before.

Yet, no matter how many legacies Brother Ozymandias orchestrates, Brother Time erases each with his ever passing nature; in time, “nothing beside remains.”

How much do you listen to the whispering of Brother Ozymandias?

Ozymandias

By Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land

Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear:

'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

~SA

WB Seth Anthony has been a member of the Fraternity for more than ten years. He is proud to serve Abraham C. Treichler Lodge No. 682 as an officer and as the Lodge Historian.