Craft Saturation and Acceleration

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Dan Gentry

What a weird day and age to be in the craft, don’t you think? A lot of saturation of lodges within a relatively small area. No more following the path with only a few lamps and the light of the full moon as you work your wagon to get to the lodge a long distance away, now we have motor vehicles and at least 3 lodges within 30 min drives from our houses (in many areas). In some area’s you have 2 or even three lodges that meet at the same building just different days. Would that not just blow the mind of the brothers that were in lodge in 1776. Populate the state with so many lodges, each with 100 to 250 members, but cannot get 7 to open, stretching their coffers as thin as they can all the while saying they cannot raise dues because it will stop brothers from coming out to lodge, or god forbid cut their per diem. We often talk about things like which light bulbs to buy and how to pay the bills if raising dues should happen, and then there are other "logistical" issues sometimes discussed likeif someone’s religious beliefs make them a brother or not.

I remember when I petitioned a lodge for degrees, I had no idea what I was doing. “Hi I’m Daniel,” I said as I came into the lodge, man I think I signed a petition for degrees that night, and I think that two out of the three men that signed my petition knew me for a very long time, I mean years so I had that going for me. I was in lodge as-soon-as-can-be, learning verbiage and lines, memorizing catechisms and not really understanding a damn thing of what was going on. Whew! Before I knew it I was a Master Mason, and it was during my third degree that I realized I had missed a lot during my first and second degree. "Man, I wish I could go back and really learn what… wait what? You want me to sit in a chair with a title and special what nots? Ok sure but what about… ok yeah got it, burnt out past masters, ok yes doing it every other time between two guys, right but I need to learn… oh he almost lost his wife because of how much he was doing here, huh... I mean could we just go over… I mean yeah I could be the Intender but what about, you know what never mind." And here we are now, I have moved WAY out of my jurisdiction, and I am taking my time finding a new lodge here in the great State of Washington, why? Because I am done with the go fast do fast get home fast attitude. Now that I am a more seasoned Master Mason I can go to these lodges here and feel no pressure as long as I am paying my dues at my old lodge. Great part is, they don’t know me, I get to just sit on the sidelines and take it in, because apparently so far, the Midnight Freemasons is not such a big thing here in the Seattle, Washington area.

If you get anything out of this, I beg each and everyone of you, slow down. Take your time and if anyone says they need time, give them time. Be patient, and more importantly, if you are burnt out, the answer is not burning out the new guy coming in, very few three year Master Masons can be successful Past Masters. Also, get out and travel as Master Masons, it amazes me as I travelled to Indiana and Wisconsin lodges when I lived in Illinois to find out that more Master Masons do not get out of their own districts let alone their own lodges, what else did you become a Master Mason for if you do not travel?

~Doc

Brother Daniel "Doc" Gentry is a Brother Master Mason under the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Mason's of the State of Illinois, in the 1st Northeast district. His sign is Leo, and has been known to enjoy long walks in blizzards. He is stubborn and has no plans of joining the York or Scottish Rite anytime soon. Also in his spare time, he is a great DM for D&D games. Sacred Geometery! You can reach him by email at doc@midnightfreemasons.org

The Chamber of Reflection and Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Dan Gentry

In our craft, we have a very esoteric feature that is no longer widely used, which would cause one to have deep reflections before and after the degrees. It is under utilized and mostly non-existent in Blue Lodges, and this is of course, the Chamber of Reflection. It is an esoteric symbol that had been a requirement to move forward in the degrees before many states and jurisdictions decided to have it moved to an appendant body of Freemasonry, and away from the Blue Lodge. You see, in our beginnings we would require a candidate to meditate in the Chamber of Reflection before entering into the First Degree. "..who has long been in darkness...", does that ring a bell? My Brothers, just think how this would impact any candidate in the degrees today. I understand this is not a popular notion in this day and age, when we are trying to streamline the process and putting on one day classes, but hear me out. 

 
It is my belief that in Freemasonry, it is not what we perceive to be the end of the journey that matters, but it is the journey itself. Yes, the impact of the journey is the most important part of any Masonic endeavor. So lets take a journey, let's look at the Chamber of Reflection, from an Esoteric point of view.

It is no secret that a Chamber of Reflection has certain items within, and though they may vary, there are some things that, for the most part, stay the same. Either an image of a skull, sometimes with crossbones, or a physical representation of such. Those seeing this symbol would usually relate it to death, or mortality and this is not incorrect. It does though, have a deeper meaning to one who can study it along with the other items. There is an hourglass, which again on the surface represents time itself and the lack of abundance. There is either actual bread and water or a representation of such, and at a glance, this could represent nourishment or the need for such things. 

There is a representation of a rooster (hopefully not a real one running around, but hey, to each their own). Again, at a glance this would represent the beginning of things, as the rooster brings in the day. Also a lantern or candle representing the small amount of light that is shown into the world. A sickle or scythe which at first look would represent the reaping of the harvest or the things that will benefit us yet to come. There are usually the letters V.I.T.R.I.O.L or Visita Interiora Terrae, Rectifcandoque, Invenies Occultum Lapidem. Which means (or is sometimes written) "Visit the interior of the earth, and purifying it, you will find the hidden stone", which most of us would relate to the changes and acceptance of the changes that are to come. The final common item is either the room itself which is a representation of a cave, or in some cases, there is a physical piece of Earth, which at first look, may represent the very place in which we exist. 

Now what if we dive into esoterics here? To help you along, I will help by simply assigning alchemical symbols and esoteric values at their simpliest form to show you what may really be involved. First off, an esoteric mind will take the skull and crossbones, the dirt or the cave representation, and the hourglass together. In doing so, we see not only brevity, but the old saying Carpe Diam, or seize the day. Learn to live the life of a Mason and apply it to every second in every day, in every facet of our being, to gain the most experience. Now, top that with the sickle, and we learn to reap quickly what we harvest, or be good intenders or mentors to those that we are given into our care. We look at the cave and realize it can be assigned the Alchemical symbol of Earth, and we add that with the rooster or cockerel, which represents sulfur, and then VITRIOL comes in with a common meaning of learning to purify the earth, or in this case ourselves, so that the best possible harvest may come to bloom and we need to do this through hope and charity (Agape).

The main event in all this, is that once you study the Temple of King Solomon in what I believe to be it’s proper assignment in being built, and that is that of a representation of the human body as it is shown as the temple, or more specifically ourselves or the individual Mason. After you take your third degree, research this, and once you grasp the idea, even at it’s most basic level, take it into the Chamber of Reflection and meditate upon it, then the whole idea of Freemasonry, at least for me it did, will come to light.

~Doc

Brother Daniel "Doc" Gentry is a Brother Master Mason under the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Mason's of the State of Illinois, in the 1st Northeast district. His sign is Leo, and has been known to enjoy long walks in blizzards. He is stubborn and has no plans of joining the York or Scottish Rite anytime soon. Also in his spare time, he is a great DM for D&D games. Sacred Geometery! You can reach him by email at doc@midnightfreemasons.org