By W Bro Ian Alexander Pace ADGM KwaZulu Natal
INTRODUCTION
I have been given the honour of being Lodge Mentor for Inanda Lodge 1192. I am fortunate to have been the depository for a great deal of Masonic literature over the years, in various forms and on a myriad of subjects. This was usually as the result of one of our Brethren being called to higher service in The Grand Lodge Above.
With so much literature at my disposal it would be a sin not to share it and thereby quench the thirst for knowledge by those who are Masonic “technicians” and like to debate ritual work, and those who love Masonic history, and perhaps just those who want to gain a greater understanding of our beloved Craft and how it can improve them as citizens of the world.
To sort out this considerable amount of data into various categories I would need far more time than is presently available therefore I have chosen to disseminate this information at random, as and when I find a topic that I feel will be of use and benefit to as many of you as possible.
One of the great beauties of Freemasonry and the interpretation of its many facets is that in many cases there are no absolutes with many plausible and variable explanations on many subjects. In the writings that follow I acknowledge the original author lest I am guilty of plagiarism, and from time to time express an opinion of my own with which all are free to agree or disagree – and I would welcome feedback with ideas and correction where I may strayed from the beaten track, or where I may have simply got it wrong.
Lastly, whilst I have been appointed Lodge Mentor of Inanda Lodge 1192, there is no earthly reason why these writings (typings !) could no be distributed to a wider audience and therefore I will send them far and wide, to anyone who wishes to read them.
W Bro Ian Pace ADGM
District Grand Lodge of KwaZulu-Natal
OUR CONDUCT AS MASONS
Much has been said in the Emulation ritual, or any other Craft ritual, that we use month in and month out, about our conduct in our public and private lives. An extract from the presentation of the Working Tools states that “…………our words and actions and recorded by the Almighty Architect to whom we must give an account of our conduct through life” and there are a number of other references to the behaviour expected of us as Masons.
A publication from the United Grand Lodge of England entitled MASONIC CONDUCT – A GUIDE TO INVESTIGATIONS (1996) has as its first section the following title: MASONIC STANDARDS – DUTIES OF FREEMASONS AND MASONIC AUTHORITIES. A short extract from this document says this:
Respect for Freemasonry, and the perception of Freemasons by the public at large, depends to a greater extent on the maintenance of high standards by all Brethren in both their public and private lives.
It is the responsibility of every Freemason at all times to uphold the dignity and high standing of the Craft. Any failure to maintain high personal standards may reflect adversely upon Freemasonry’s standing in the eyes of the public at large.
As a citizen every Freemason has a duty to comply with the law of the land. As a Freemason he has the additional duty of not engaging in activities which may bring Freemasonry into disrepute or reflect adversely upon it.
This does not mean that we must stop having fun with our Freemasonry – it means that we must not just “talk the talk”, but also “walk the walk”. It is vital that are aware of what we are doing and saying out there in the public domain. As we all know, Freemasonry has its detractors amongst the closed minds of the gullible and unenlightened who are not Masons. They exhibit a certain schadenfreude when one of us steps out of line a noticeable way – grist for their mill, of course.
This brings me to an incident which happened in front of me some years ago, which has never left my memory. After an evening at the Scottish Lodge at Hunt Rd., Glenwood, Durban I left the Lodge and drove to the intersection of Berea Road and Hunt Road to turn left and make my way home. Although it
was a little late (10pm – ish) there was a young African boy begging at the traffic light, as they do, but in this case he was literally on his knees – quite a dangerous thing to do when not only having a dark skin, but also wearing dark clothes on a relatively moonless night. He was kneeling next to the car in front of me which had a number of Masons as passengers (they had driven out of the Hunt Road facility in front of me). The driver of this vehicle then deliberately threw open the driver’s door in a violent manner which resulted in knocking this begging child backwards. I did not see this as an accident – there could have been no other reason for the driver to open the door, close it and drive off.
To say that I was horrified is an understatement. Had another vehicle come from the opposite direction at that precise moment that child would have been killed. As if this behaviour itself was not disgraceful enough, this vehicle had a very visible square and compasses decal on the boot to profess to the world that the owner of the car was a Freemason. Seriously ????
I have often thought what action I would have taken had this child been seriously injured or killed by an oncoming vehicle. There is no doubt that I would have chased the car, noted the registration number and reported the matter to the law thereby ensuring that the perpetrator face the full might of the law for this disgraceful behaviour. Would I have swept it under the carpet because he was a brother Freemason ? Absolutely not. In fact, I very much regret not making a note of the vehicle’s registration number to bring the incident to the attention of his District Grand Master.
I sincerely hope that I never see the like of this behaviour again.
In closing, Brethren, whilst we can become frustrated by seeking perfection in an imperfect world, we must at least strive for such perfection even if we know that it is unattainable this side of the grave. Remember that we are under constant scrutiny so please be careful never to disgrace your Craft.
SMIB.
Ian