THE BUILDER September 1919

THE REAL SECRET OF MASONRY MUST BE LEARNED BY INITIATION

i believe that the real secret of the Fraternity is to be found in
the vital elements of the lessons of each degree, and the relations
which the lessons of the different degrees bear to one another.

It must be obvious to every brother, that there is one part of each
ceremony which is essentially secret, and no good can come from any
discussion round this point; I mean, the methods of recognition. In
every secret society there are means by which one member may know
another of the same degree or grade, and these secrets are held by
obligation. This, however, is far from the real secret of
Freemasonry.

Apart from this, there are three really good reasons for keeping
the rituals and legends of any arcane society as secret
possessions. These reasons are as follows:

(1) The knowledge might be dangerous to an uninitiated public.

(2) Secrecy has been the custom and tradition from former times.

(3) By having some previous knowledge of the ceremony, the effect
of initiation on the candidate might be reduced.

Let us consider each of these in turn. The first manifestly does
not apply to any Masonic organization. In the case of a society,
possessing powerful magical formulae, which would be dangerous to
those who had not been taught how to use them, we can see an
excellent reason for secrecy, but in Masonry, there is, happily, no
ceremonial magic (notwithstanding the declamations of certain anti-
Masonic publications). Our secrets are of a mystical nature, and
although it may be possible to trace hermetic references in some of
our ceremonies, Masonry and Magic are as poles apart.

The second reason carries, however, a great deal of weight. We are
proud that our society has come dozen to us as a secret
organization from the most remote antiquity. Although there may be
parts and points which we are not debarred from exposing to the
profane, sentimental reasons cause the proud member of a society
older than the Golden Fleece or the Roman Eagle or the Order of the
Garter, or, in fact any other Order in existence, to keep secret
every jot and tittle by which a hint of our teachings may reach
uninitiated ears. This will appeal to some, more than to others;
the majority will probably hold that, as Masonry has ever been a
secret science, it is our duty, as the present custodians, to hand
it on as we have received it. To my mind, this is one of the
strongest arguments in favour of absolute secrecy. I believe that
I am right in saying that the Grand Lodge of Ireland allows none of
its rituals to be printed, in cypher or otherwise, and I can only
deplore the fact that the same state of affairs does not exist
elsewhere. This does not, however, show us where the true secret of
Freemasonry is to be found.

In my opinion, the key to the real secret of the Order is the third
reason given above; that is to say, the effect on the candidate.
The work of the Order is to make better men. We do this by giving
them a graduated system of learning, and here I think we find the
real secret. It is not the tokens or signs; it is not the positions
of the officers of the lodge; it is not the thousand and one points
which may arise in the wording of the ritual; but it is the lessons
of the degrees in relation to each other and the method by which
those lessons are conveyed to the mind of the candidate.

It is of the utmost importance that the candidate for initiation
should have no previous knowledge of the lessons of the degrees;
otherwise, when his time comes, he will fail to learn aright those
of the Apprentice. The Entered Apprentice should have time and
opportunity to learn the lessons of that degree before proceeding
onwards; similarly in the case of the candidate for higher degrees.
The necessity for a period for study is realized by the Grand Lodge
of Italy, under whose jurisdiction an Entered Apprentice must wait
for three years before passing to the Second degree, when there is
a further wait of at least two years before he can be raised to the
Sublime Degree of a Master Mason.

The real secret of Masonry cannot be disclosed; it is
incommunicable and can only be learned by actual initiation. I
think that there is no harm in outlining some of the tenets of the
Craft to the profane, neither do I consider the interpretation of
Masonic symbols in the press as harmful, provided that both are
done with due caution.

C. C. Adams. England.
