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The Masonic Lodge: A Bastion of Hope for Masculinity |
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Monday, 28 November 2011 20:23 |
The Masonic Lodge: A Bastion of Hope for Masculinity
For a long time brothers, masculinity has been in a state of crisis. Many would say that this started as a result of the feminist movement back in the 1960’s. I would dare to say that it has been going on for more than a millennia. Unfortunately, masculinity has been poorly represented by men in power for many centuries now and because of the wonderful freedom that has been so dearly fought for in this country and around many other parts of the world, society has been able to break the nasty bonds that were laid down by the tyrannical patriarchies of the past. Because of this, society has almost entirely discarded the importance of mature men and their place in civilization and doesn’t support the development of boys that would move them into the maturity of manhood. As a result there has been a feminization of society and with good reason: It was the male driven patriarchy that threw the entire world into a dark age that spanned many hundreds of years in which knowledge was suppressed and countless people were killed.
It is truly unfortunate that masculinity has been so poorly represented by those in major positions of power over the last millennia, but it hasn’t been without hope. There are those who would protect the precious ideals and processes for which society was founded upon and it would soon come to light during the enlightenment period in Europe. During this period the populations of men in the western world were able to throw off their superstitions and begin to live “scientific lives”. This was wonderful in so many ways but to a fault. When people move from one psychological polarity to another, they often forget the benefits of the other side and that way of experiencing the world. During this period, popular science forgot the subjective man and how he experiences the world. Everything was defined by objectivity.
This, in and of itself, was an assault on both true masculinity and the feminine nature of the subjective way we experience the world. Initiation rites were forgotten and the individual was pushed aside. The next blow to masculinity wouldn’t be struck again until the 1960’s when the angry feminist movement came about. Somehow, masculinity was now the enemy and there was a push to make all things equal. This doesn’t just include feminists but also political ideals that sought to subdue great men from accomplishing great things. Because of this, men weren’t being created.
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Thursday, 27 October 2011 03:21 |
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I was born in antiquity, in the ancient days when men first dreamed of God.
I have been tried through the ages, and found true. The crossroads of the world bears the imprint of my feet. And the cathedrals of all nations mark the skill of my hands. I strive for beauty and for symmetry. In my heart are wisdom and strength and courage for those who ask. Upon my altars is the Book of Holy Writ and my prayers are to the OMNIPOTENT GOD.
My sons work and pray together, without rank or discord, in the public mart, and the inner chamber. By signs and symbols I teach the lessons of life and death, and relationship of man with God and man with man. My arms are widespread to receive those of lawful age and of good report, who seek me of their own quest for perfection, so much desired and so difficult to attain. I lift up the fallen and shelter the sick, hark to the orphan's cry, the widow's tears, the pain of the old and destitute. I am not church, nor party, nor school, yet my sons bear a full share of responsibility to God, to country, to neighbors and themselves. They are freemen; Tenacious of their liberties and alert to lurking danger.
At the end I commit them, as each one undertakes the journey beyond the vale into the glory of everlasting life. I ponder the sand within the glass and think: How small is a single life in the eternal Universe. Always have I taught immortality, and even as I raise men from darkness into light, I am a way of life.
Trenton Lodge No. 131,
Missouri
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Tuesday, 22 November 2011 17:42 |
Brothers and Sisters,
Thanksgiving is the day we give thanks to God for His blessing and the tradition dates back to 1621 when the Pilgrims celebrated in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It is meant to be spent with family and friends and if possible in service to others. It is one of the holidays I love the most. The smells from the kitchen, a fire burning in the fireplace, the Detroit Lions working up an appetite on TV and the Alka-Seltzer and its burps that tells me that I had too much fun. A couple of years ago Janie and I invited our friends Jon and Krystal to have Thanksgiving dinner with our family and they brought 2 orphans from the Tennyson Center to join us. It was a wonderful time and to see the joy on the faces of those kids was a true blessing. That kind of stuff gets me charged up. That is why I am so excited to tell you about what Joel and Tiffany Brunk are doing this year and it would be great if the Masonic community got involved. Here is the email I received from Joel:
Supper with Santa supports foster children at their level of need, on a human basis, unfettered by health or behavior issues. It bolsters the collaborative foster community of Arapahoe and Jefferson Counties by providing some of the intangible spirit of Christmas that often gets lost in the day to day bustle of appointments, therapy and normal daily activities like school. With the support of Brad Martin at the “The Santa Project” and the communities in which we live and work, we will help these kids make some great holiday memories. But we can’t do it alone.
We need the generosity of our members to help ensure this magical evening complete with a special dinner, crafts/activities, stockings/ornaments, presents and pictures with Santa is a huge success! We have opportunities for those who can give the gift of their time, in-kind donations like age-appropriate gifts, and finally monies for the Winter Wonderland decor are needed as well. All monies raised will go directly to hosting this event, and any surplus funds will be donated directly to the Arapahoe County foster program to cover other essentials for kids newly coming into the program this year who are scared and may have lost everything. They say it takes a village to raise a child…we are the village. Let’s work together and make this an evening these kids will never forget.
Please call or email me to find out how you can get involved. The more the merrier!
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How Far Back Does the Craft Go? |
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Thursday, 13 October 2011 15:20 |
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How Far Back Does the Craft Go
I'm always on the lookout to find masonic influences in society and if you are looking, more times than not, you will find the masonic fingerprint almost anywhere. One particular place I found masonic influence piqued my interest. Or perhaps I should say that masonry may very well have been influenced by what I found. It was any normal day and I was strolling through the Denver Natural History Museum with my youngest step daughter. We eventually made our way to the Egyptian display where they had several mummies on display. The focus of this particular part of Egyptian history was on the burial process and I came across a rather interesting picture:
Featured in this picture is the high priest dressed as Anubis, God of the underworld, while the two lower ranking priests mummify the body and ready it for the afterlife by removing the organs.
First, let's get the obvious out of the way and make some basic assumptions of this illustration. This was a picture on display showing a very well-known part of the Egyptian mummification process. I am assuming this because this is a basic display for the public and "introductory" in nature into the history of Egypt. What most people will not see, and rightly so (they are not masons) is the fact that the high priest is clearly displaying the due guard of the fellow craft and is in a rough position for the step of the fellow craft.
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