THE BUILDER APRIL 1917

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MAUNDY THURSDAY

BY BRO. FRANK B. GAULT, WASHINGTON

MASONIC observances and ceremonies are founded upon authentic
history or upon legends and traditions our race cherishes with
unremitting fervor. In our recurring commemorations of these
time-honored events we, in an appreciative way, reengage with those
ancient worthies in their notable contributions to human welfare.
Thus the Maundy Thursday feast reminds us of the closing scenes of
the earthly career of the Saviour of the world. Yea, more, for by
our recurring celebrations of this mystic banquet we perpetuate and
we accentuate the greatest world-lesson that ever fell upon the
ears of our common humanity for inspiration and guidance. The
outlying incidents may be briefly told.

Our Lord was reaching the culmination of his week of passion. A few
days before he had entered Jerusalem in triumph amid the waving of
palms and the glad acclaims of an expectant populace. The people
looked for a king. Our Lord was truly to found a kingdom but it was
to be a spiritual kingdom, investing man with a new worth and
dignity. Peace on earth, social equality, liberty of conscience,
and the worth of the common man were to be ruling virtues in this
new order of human affairs.

It was Thursday "Green Thursday," the Middle Ages called it.
Approaching night had thrown its lengthening shadows o'er the
Judean hills. The Son of Man, accompanied by the Twelve, leaving
the little city of Bethany, passed over "Olive's brow" to the upper
room in the city of David where, by prearrangement, the great
Jewish feast of the Passover was to be celebrated. It proved to be
the first Maundy Thursday feast, now so happily known as the
"Mystic Banquet."

In that land the host met his guests with a laver of water that
they might bathe their feet after laying aside their sandals, a
most welcome attention after travel upon the dusty roads. This
service was committed to slaves. Upon this occasion there being no
host, provision for this refreshing act had been omitted. Observing
this our Lord arose and in simple but gracious manner washed the
feet of his disciples not, however, without some earnest protests.

Thus was exemplified in unaffected sincerity and modest
condescension the most impressive lesson in human service and
social democracy the race ever received. In thus bestowing upon his
disciples this omitted act of hospitality, although the courtesy of
menials, the Lord gave mankind an object lesson for all time which
means that he who rules must himself serve. Let us in this festal
hour hearken unto this effective lesson, centuries old, though too
often neglected, that all must serve. It is not the obeisance of
the inferior to a superior; not a mercenary hope of reciprocal
gain; but the mercy that is unrestrained. Our civilization is based
upon this principle. Our firesides, our schools, our hospitals, our
neighborliness, our democracy itself, rest upon this law of human
relationship--we serve each other and together we are servants of
the common good. However humble that service, if it is needed, it
must be rendered freely and joyously.

This simple ceremony concluded, our Lord, turning to his disciples,
said, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one
another." Here is the motive of the service--love, good will to
men, sympathy, devotion to well being, lending a hand.

Of kindred origin with the word commandment is mandate, mandatory
and mandamus. These words, indeed, are identical. The day of the
command, the Thursday of the commandment, the mandate Thursday, and
we have Maundy Thursday.

The literal and formal observance of the washing of feet in a
public manner by church and state officials has long existed. The
emperor of Austria, the king of Bavaria, and the czar of Russia are
notable examples. Usually the twelve oldest men in the realm are
selected and the sovereign through servants, performs the ablution.
Sometimes prelates of the church select twelve very poor men for
the rite.

This incident and the new commandment afford many candid variances
of opinion as to important features, but these must not be obscured
by the imperative lesson,--our obligations to our fellow man
regardless of race, status or creed. The attitude toward humanity
exemplified at that Passover feast two thousand years ago is our
challenge. Democracy must be the ruling principle in the world, and
humanity our service, aristocracy, royalty, dynasty, imperialism,
undeserved privilege, and "man's inhumanity to man" must cease to
disturb and destroy. The sorrows, the distresses and the enmities
of today show that the incident and the commandment of that far-off
first Maundy Thursday feast can not too often be impressed upon a
chaotic and unhappy world.

The democracy of service and the service of democracy are the hope
of mankind.

THE WORK OF A MASON

The work of the Freemason is the important work of life. It
involves the development of his body so that he may be the better
enabled to support himself and family; the development of his mind
so that he may be enabled to think and act intelligently and
rationally; the development of his soul so that he may gradually
evolve into that more perfect condition--the Master.-- W. L. Sharp.
