



                    Julian H. Cambridge, 32
                     4411 Louisiana Street
                  San Diego, California 92116



   As we contemplate the word ritual and its meanings, it becomes
difficult not to think of man, and when we think of man 
it becomes difficult not to think of ritual. From time
immemorial, man and rituals coexisted.
Man is, in fact, a ritual being. One
would then ask, what are these
ceremonial acts and why are they
an inherent part of our nature?

   Stated simply, rituals convey
meaningful symbolic and moral
lessons, lessons about our
strengths and weaknesses, high
aspirations and basic flaws. Rituals
arouse the inner nature of man
and afford him opportunities to
receive glimpses of his true self.
These ceremonial acts, therefore,
awaken within us emotions which
are usually dormant and insights
which are often shrouded.

   From the very early stages of
our realization of ourselves, we
become aware that there is some-
thing outside of us which is much
larger than ourselves. We realize
that there is a macrocosmic world
of which we are the microcosm
and from which we cannot sepa-
rate ourselves without hazarding
great damage to our spiritual
selves. In an attempt to connect
and understand these two worlds,
the macrocosmic and microcosmic,
and his relation to it, man from the
beginning of his existence has em-
ployed rituals.

   As we look around and observe
meaningful incidents, it becomes
quite evident that rituals are con-
stantly being used. There are ritu-
als for birth, growing up and as-
suming adult responsibilities, grad-
uation from schools, marriage, our
demise, and many other occasions.
Since rituals are such a necessary
and paramount part of us, they
must be accurately expressed. 

   To accomplish this, we use lan-
guage, gestures, acts, symbols, and
costumes. When these modes of
expression are effectively applied,
man's inner nature is aroused, and
he glimpses the immortal and
imperishable parts of his dual
nature. He discovers the strengths
which enable him to embark on the
hero's journey, not as a courageous
act, but as self-discovery. Through
ritual, man finds within himself
the sources of character to meet his
destiny.

   The origins of these ceremonial
acts, their development and evo-
lution, are difficult to discover and
define despite the fact that the use
of ritual is universal and immemo-
rial. There is little doubt, however,
that the earliest rituals evolved
around the cycles of
nature and man. They
sought to explain the
existence of the world,
the sequence of sea-
sons, the growth of
crops, the nature of
animals, human soci-
ety, and man himself. 

   Indeed, every cul-
ture, nation, and insti-
tution has developed
ritual forms to fit its
reason for existence, its microcosm,
into the larger macrocosm or rea-
son for all existence. Ultimately,
ritual provides a focus, a core, a
reason for being, and such is the
case with our own Fraternity, the
august and noble Order of Freema-
sons.

   Therefore, to think of Freema-
sonry is, forthwith, to contemplate
ritual. To think about Freemasonry
without at the same time thinking
about ritual is like thinking about
birds without wings or cars with-
out wheels. Wings allow birds to
fly; wheels enable cars to move.
And so rituals inspire and teach us
moral lessons and cause us to fly
above, move around, and pass
through the stale and negative
episodes which confront us each
day of our lives. Freemasonry
without proper, effective, and emo-
tionally moving rituals is not Free-
masonry at all. It is true that rituals
can become exoteric and dry. If
rituals merely remind us of the
opening and closing of Lodge or
other routine ceremonies, then we
have failed to grasp what rituals
communicate to us.

   What rituals rightly performed
and executed accomplish is to
resuscitate those dormant but di-
vine qualities which are within us,
thus enabling us to accomplish the
task to which the Great Architect
of the Universe has assigned us.
For ceremonial acts to be effective,
they must evoke within us the
utmost we are capable of accom-
plishing.

   It therefore behooves us to pay
very close attention to rituals and
what they teach us. More impor-
tantly, we must make a whole-
hearted effort to live a life in con-
gruence with our Masonic rituals
and the lessons they impart to us.
There are many concerns expressed
about the future of Freemasonry.
My answer to these concerns is:
more of us must make a true effort
to apply at every opportunity the
lessons we are continually taught
by Masonic rituals. If and when
we do, our non-Masonic friends
and other associates will see
Masonry's Light shining in us and
will ask to share in it.

   Man is ethical in potentiality
even if, unfortunately, not in actu-
ality. His capacity for ethical
judgementlike his capacity for
reason and the other unique char-
acteristics of the human beingis
based upon the consciousness
which rituals evoke within him. If
we practice the lessons of Freema-
sonry, I assure you our lives will
be resplendent and the future of
our Fraternity will be secured, for
the basic step in achieving inward
freedom is to apply the insights
imparted to us through our Ma-
sonic rituals. 










Julian Cambridge
was raised in King
Solomon's Seaport
Lodge No. 260, now
Starr King Lodge No.
344, San Francisco, on
September 7, 1977,
serving as Master in
1982. He is an active
member in San Diego
in the S. R. Bodies,
High-12 International
and Quetto Grotto, and
is a Life Member of the
Philalethes Society.


















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