by Midnight Freemasons Contributor
WB Darin A. Lahners
I’m lucky enough to sit in lodge with two Midnight
Freemasons, Todd Creason and Greg Knott in both Ogden Lodge #754 and Homer
Lodge #199 here in Illinois, where I am a dual member. I am serving as Todd’s Junior Warden in
Homer this year. I was recently humbled
when WM Todd Creason, asked me to give a presentation and facilitate a
discussion about character for the next Homer lodge meeting. Both he and Greg have been amazing mentors
to me, and we’ve become great friends as well.
While doing my research for my presentation, I came to learn that the word
character comes from the Greek root word: kharakter for “engraved mark”,
“symbol or imprint on the soul”, and “instrument for marking”. This immediately made me think of the marks
that operative masons put on their work.
“In stonemasonry, regulations in Scotland in 1598 by James
VI’s Master of Works, William Schaw stated that upon admission to the guild,
every mason had to enter his name and his mark in a register. There were 3
types of marks used by stonemasons.
1. Banker marks were made on stones before they were sent to be used by the
walling masons. These marks served to
identify the banker mason who had prepared the stones to their paymaster. This system was employed only when the stone
was paid for by measure (ie: by the number of stones installed), instead of by time
worked. Banker marks make up the majority
of mason’s marks, and is generally what is accepted when the term is used.
2. Assembly marks were used to ensure the correct installation of important
pieces of stone work. IE: Stones marked with a numeral would identify the order
in which they should be installed.
3. Quarry stones were marked to identify the source of a stone, or the quality.”
The above should be familiar to any of you who have
undergone the degree of Mark Master in the York Rite. If you haven’t gone through York Rite, I
don’t want to give any of the degree away.
Like the Operative Masons, we Speculative Masons should also mark our
works in Masonry. How do we do this? My
answer is by our character.
I remember reading a booklet before joining called “Should I
Ask?” by the Supreme Council Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic
Jurisdiction. In it, they begin with a
chapter called, “The Masonic Commitment to Character”. It begins with a quote by Dr. Albert
Schweitzer, “It is not enough merely to exist….. Every man has to seek in his
own way to make his own self more noble and to realize his own true
worth.” It goes on to say this quote
captures the meaning of Freemasonry. It
explains that man’s most valued possession is his character. It states that the belief of Freemasons is
that the strength of the family, the church, the community and our country
rests with men of strong conviction, firm ethical and moral values and a
devotion to our democratic system of government. As Masons, it goes on to read, we help each
other identify through our devotion to these values. It goes on to mention that in this day and
age, where very few aspire to rise to become the best in life, that it’s good
to know there is a group where a man can work to really improve himself. Furthermore, in lodge meetings that there is
no talk of politics or religion, although every Mason must believe – to his own
understanding—in deity and devotion to his country. It states that Masons are concerned with
developing their minds and enlarging their scope of knowledge. Because every man’s personal desire to build
his own character is at the heart of being a Mason, that you must ask to
join. It finishes speaking about how men
from every walk of life belong to Masonic Lodges, and they share a belief in
brotherhood, country and the Masonic acts of charity and compassion.
We emphasize this in Speculative Masonry with the symbol of
the plumb. The plumb is a symbol of
rectitude of conduct, integrity, and upright moral character which makes a good
man. In Operative Masonry, the wall of a
structure is tested with the plumb. If
the wall is not exactly perpendicular, then it endangers the strength and
stability of the structure as a whole.
Just as we meet on the level, we must each build our character to
withstand the test of the plumb, or risk weakening the Fraternity we seek to
serve.
How does one define character? Character is shaped and influenced by our
upbringing, i.e.: where we grew up, our parent’s examples and our academic and
religious education. But the test of
character is whether one can hold to their morals, no matter how sorely tempted
or how painful the outcome of the situation.
Character is usually most tested in times of tragedy or emergency, but
it can be tested in every situation in one’s life. How you react to these situations, is how you
leave your mark as a Mason. This is how
your character is ultimately defined. If
you are able to rise above the situation and choose the outcome that is least
selfish and most disciplined, then you are well on your way to making that
rough ashlar a perfect one.
Why should one develop character? Choosing to live one’s life with character
often means living a disciplined and unselfish life. It means benefiting the whole community
before the individual. It grants us the
ability to master our surroundings, by choosing the correct ways to overcome
them. This offers us a sense of freedom, as it allows us to see what is right
and empowers us to do it. Lastly, as we
are molded by our companions, we can mold others by being exemplars for
them.
You see, much like the Operative Masons received their wages
by the number of stones that bore their mark, we as Speculative Masons will
receive our wages by the marks we leave on our fellow man. We all will eventually stand before that
ultimate paymaster who will judge if we are worthy of receiving our wages or
not. For the Speculative Mason, our hope
is that we are allowed to travel in the ultimate foreign country, where we can
continue to work and receive Master’s wages.
That is a wage well worth working towards.
~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.
