
Hear Ye, Past Masters!
by George H.T. French


Some days ago a Brother invited me to visit his lodge and
speak on the Role of the Past Masters. Upon putting down the
telephone receiver I turned to a Past Master, who was sitting
by me, and asked him what he thought I should say to the
Past Masters. He promptly answered "Tell them not to inter-
fere with the current officers !"
    That is not going to be my message, and for three good
reasons. The first reason: such advice may provoke a violent
reaction on the part of my fellow past masters. Although I am
ready to meet my Maker, I don't want to meet him with a
rope around my neck and dangling from a tree!
    Second reason. Because negative commands are never as
constructive as positive instructions. A stern NO! to stop a
 child doing something wrong is less constructively effective
than an imaginative suggestion that will turn the child's atten-
tion to what could prove to be entertaining and instructive.
  Third. The problem of suffering from the absence of an
immediate purpose, or goal, or mission, is not a simple one,
and it cannot be remedied by one command, however per-
emptory.

NO BLUE PRINT

    Prince Charles of England was interviewed recently on
the occasion of his 30th birthday, and he made the statement
that there is no blue print for the position he holds at this mo-
ment. In the same way, there is no blue print for a Past Mas-
ter, and the role is what each Past Master makes of it by him-
self, for himself. For many years he has been so involved in
ritual and rubics, and in Grand Lodge Laws and Lodge By-
Laws, that he may have lacked the necessary time to ponder
on what Freemasonry is, and what Freemasonry is about.
    But now - oh beautiful day in June! - he need not worry
about Corporate Masonry, for the administration of the lodge
is in other hands, And he need not labor with Ceremonial Ma-
sonry, for he is thoroughly conversant with the ritual. His are
no longer the pomp nor the glory, but above all his are no
longer the problems of mastership. He is now gloriously free,
free to delve into the mysteries of Masonology, free to corn-
mune with Masonic scholars, past and present, as they pres-
ent themselves to him in their writings or personally in the
flesh. He now has the time to think about the doctrines, pre-
cepts, tenets, principles, history, jurisprudence of his beloved
Freemasonry. And to talk about it with his fellow Master Ma-
sons. And to let his mind roam freely and easily, pondering
Masonic subjects, when waiting for the red traffic light to turn
green.
    He has ceased to be a ruler, but he still has the opportu-
nity - perhaps even the duty - to use his knowledge, his ex-
perience and his enthusiasm for the welfare of his Fraternaity
and his Lodge. His future may be unknown, but it need not be
empty. Its emptiness or its fulness will be by his choice, and
his alone.
    As a Master it was his duty to employ and instruct his
brethren in Freemasonry. Unfortunately, all too frequently
this consisted of normal Ritual and such like, without any at-
tempt to encourage enquiries into the How, the Why, and the
Wherefore of the Craft.

THE NEW MASON

    Now comes his chance to do something about that lack.
Scotland, since the Schaw Statutes of 1598, has appointed
"Intenders," also called "Intendents," to instruct the new
Masons. The Grand Lodge of Indiana does something simi-
lar, but calls them "Mentors."
    Theoretically and ideally, the brother who signed the peti-
tion form recommending the applicant for the degrees, should
act as advisor, as preceptor, as teacher. The recommender
knows the petitioner, so who better indicated than he to act in
that friendly and instructional capacity throughout the new Ma-
son's fraternal life? It is unfortunate that among us the Recom-
meder feels that his duties terminate when he appends his sig-
nature to his friend's petition for the degrees, and most certainly
they do not continue "until death do us part."
    But if there is no intender, no mentor, no recommender,
who then could perform as counselor and nurture the newly
raised Master Mason? The obvious answer is the Past Master
who during his Mastership conferred, or caused to be con-
ferred, the degrees on this petitioner, and eloquently told him
that he was now entitled to receive all the Light the Lodge
could bestow. What a wonderful, fulfilling and useful role for
a Past Master to approach these new Masons and lead them
along the hallowed paths of Masonic knowledge and growth!
And what a responsibility! This alone would fill a Past Mas-
ter's Masonic life with immediate purpose without having to
go outside the lodge, to other groups or bodies, to find a pur-
poseful mission.
    This responsibility will compel him to study Masonology
and gain some doctrinal depth for his Masonry, for not other-
wise will he be able to orient and teach his young brothers, nor
satisfy the inquisitiveness of alert and curious minds. Thus,
both mentor and pupil will learn and grow.

MASONIC PROGRAMS IN LODGE

    Listening to the reading of the minutes and approving the
bills for payment are not matters exciting enough to entice
members to come to a stated meeting. But STATED MEET-
INGS WITH MASONIC PROGRAMS can and do attract
an audience, for the Masonic Lodge is the only place where
Masonic programs can be found. In no other place can a
Mason learn Masonology.
    A knowledgeable and willing Past Master can give much
sound advice and effective help in planning and organizing
such programs. This can be done by helping a receptive in-
cumbent Master, or better still by sitting down with enterpris-
ing Wardens when they are planning their respective Master-
ships. It baffles the imagination to speculate on what a
Masonic "Revival" would take place if every one of Texas' al-
most 1,000 Lodges dedicated at least 10 stated meetings every
year to bringing in a Masonic teacher and having a good pro-
gram that presented basic Masonology.
    There is still another way to teach good Masonic doctrine
to the members. This can be done by 6 or 7 minutes MA-
SONIC SHORT TALKS presented in lodge before the con-
ferral of degrees. A well planned Short Talk Program can
bring a wealth of Masonic knowledge to the members if ade-
quate subjects are selected. A Past Master can organize such
a program.

IN CONCLUSION

    Three opportunities for educational service have been
suggested, all of extreme usefulness to the healthy Masonic life
of a lodge and to the Masonic growth of the newly raised Mas-
mr Mason. One is oriented directly to the individual Mason,
to accomplish which the mentor could lead his pupil to and
study with him any one of three excellent introductory books:
The Newly-Made Mason, by H.L. Haywood; Introduction to Free-
masonry, by Carl H. Claudy; and A Comprehensive View of Free-
masonry, by Henry W. Coil. Catalogs can be obtained from
Macoy Publishing Co., P.O. Box 9759, Richmond, VA 23228,
and from Educational Bureau, Central Grand Chapter,
R.A.M., Box 259, Trenton, MO 64683.
    The other two opportunities are directed to the Master
Mason sitting in Lodge. The Short Talk Bulletins can be se-
lected from a catalog issued by the Masonic Service Associa-
tion of the U.S., 8120 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910,
or from 3-5-7 Minute Talks on Freemasonry, a book by our late
brother Elbert Bede.
    Talks in stated Meetings that present Freemasonry in
any of its multiple phases, preferably factual and concrete in
nature as opposed to only inspirational, must be worked out
with the Master who may have definite preferences for certain
Masonic speakers.
    Thus a very rewarding role for all Past Masters in the dif-
fusion of Masonology.
Published in The Texas Freemason
June 1979



