                      Criticism and Change
                     by Thomas E. Weir, MPS
      (Reprinted by permission of the Philalethes Society)

     The  Philalethes Society met at Richmond, Virginia,  October 
1,  1988. The meeting was begun by Most Worshipful Henry G.  Law, 
Past  Grand  Master  of  Delaware,  who  quoted  Francis  Bacon's 
contention that truth consisted of inquiry, knowledge and  belief 
(Essays  1,  "Of Truth"). To Bacon's observation, PGM  Law  added 
that the aim of the Philalethes Society is not just the enjoyment 
of truth, but the sharing of it.

     This  essay  hopes  not only to follow  Bacon's  concept  of 
Truth's  "Law", but also to express a personal perception of  the 
truth, thus fulfilling the demand of Law's "Truth", namely to  be 
shared.

     The able speakers did not extol the virtues of Masonry, but, 
in order (a) cited the public confusion generated by one man  who 
apparently presumed to speak for all Masons, (b) Masonic mistakes 
of ritual and administration, (c) the need for communication with 
the  public  and  within  the Craft, (d) the  need  to  adapt  to 
contemporary times (as did our Founders), (e) how to react to the 
criticism  now  bombarding us, (f) the need for  change  and  (g) 
personal Masonic irritations.

     It seems that all these themes are cut from the same  cloth. 
The  fact  is that Freemasonry was dynamic and  increasing  until 
1968,  then began to decline. What the public thinks of us  might 
be  summed up, "I don't know anything about the Masons, but  they 
make  good  jars."  As Cabell F. Cobbs, Deputy  Grand  Master  of 
Virginia explained with conviction, something has to be done.

     INTERNAL DECAY

     Why is Masonry retreating? We are not attracting younger men 
to  ask for membership. Unless this changes, the simple  fact  is 
that Masonry as we know it, with Masonic Halls and great services 
and  functions by Grand Lodges and appendant bodies will  perish, 
possibly  by  the  end of the century. If  the  most  pessimistic 
predictions prove true, a person who, this year, takes the bottom 
position in an eleven position progressive line will find nothing 
when he gets to the East.

     The  International President of the Philalethes Society  set 
the  stage  for Brother Cobb's promise of change.  In  contending 
that  Masonry will either evolve by its own determination  or  be 
driven to extinction by the internal and external forces  working 
against it. The Masonry we practice, he contends, was designed to 
meet the needs of the early 18th century and performed  admirably 
until the mid-nineteenth century.

     EXTERNAL AGGRESSION

     In  the  debate on the topic, "Freemasonry Must  Answer  Its 
Critics",  what  was not said made more of an impact on  me  than 
what  was  said.  For one thing, I was  surprised  (when  I  went 
digging after the debate) that neither affirmative speaker quoted 
our  friend Francis Bacon: "Silence is the virtue of fools".  (De 
Auugmentis Scientarum 1,6)

     Serious  exception  is taken to the fact that, of  the  four 
speakers, not one asked or stated what criticism the profane make 
of  Masonry. Are all criticisms dismissed as invalid or  are  all 
considered equally valid, so that all must be treated equally? Is 
it possible to have different responses to different  criticisms? 
There is a real need to be specific and explicit about  criticism 
of Freemasonry. Here are examples I have recently heard.

     1. Masonry has corrupted the Police.

     2. Masonic association abuses inside information, to wit:
        (a)   Masons  use  favoritism  to  gain   employment   or 
advancement.
        (b) Masons betray privileged information to other Masons, 
both personal and commercial.

     3. Masonry has corrupted the Courts.

     4.  Masonry  has  corrupted  local,  regional  and  national 
governments.

     5. Masonry amounts to devil worship.

     6. Masonry is segregated.

     These  criticisms have been put forth at length  in  popular 
publications,  and Masonry has been accused and convicted of  the 
charges  on  the  floors of some of  the  most  respected  church 
organizations  in  the world. Personally, as one  whose  life  is 
wrapped up in the Church, I wish that in the case of Masonry,  as 
in  the  cases  of Joan of Arc  and  other  non-conformists,  the 
churches  involved  had shown more light than  heat.  Perhaps  we 
should remember the words of the ubiquitous Francis Bacon:  "What 
is Truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay an Answer." (Of 
Truth)

     WHY DO PEOPLE NOT KNOW WHAT MASONS ARE? One Masonic wise guy 
says that it is because we don't do anything. There is more  than 
a  germ  of truth in this aphorism. However, I once  visited  the 
office of a Shrine Temple Recorder. A mother and child were shown 
in.  Shortly,  another Mason arrived. The child needed  help  the 
family could not pay for. The case was not suitable for treatment 
at  the Shriner's Hospitals. The unidentified Mason simply  wrote 
out a personal check and gave it to the mother.

     Publicity  in such a case is unwanted, but we can do  things
that attract favorable attention.

     CAN MASONRY CHANGE?

     No  Worshipful  Master,  nor anyone  who  has  attended  the 
installation  of  one, need be told that no man or  body  of  men 
(internal  or  external) can change the Body of Masonry.  We  are 
not,  however,  told what the Body of Masonry?  Journeymen  stone 
masons cannot change the Body of Operative Masonry. Masons  can't 
build an enduring bad building, an ugly one perhaps but not a bad 
one.  The laws (or Body) of Operative Masonry will bring  down  a 
bad building, the victim of its own defects.

     Would  it  be  heresy to say that the  Body  of  Speculative 
Masonry is:

     Belief in God
     Truth
     Friendship
     Brotherly love
     Charity
     Morality

     If such is the Body of Masonry, then anything else could  be 
changed.  Personally,  I  would  oppose a  change  in  the  rules 
governing  the secrets of our degrees. However, we  can  honestly 
say  that the secrecy incidental to the means of recognition  and 
method  of  instruction in modern Freemasonry  is  an  historical 
accident,  left  over from the days when  Free  (i.e.,  qualified 
operative)  Masons  roamed  Europe in quest  of  work  and  later 
adapted  by  the  Founders of Grand Lodge  Masonry  to  suit  the 
interests of the 18th century.

     The  challenge is great, as we all understand. The  need  to 
attract new personnel resources, the need to respond effectively, 
even  if silently, to our critics and to have within  the  Lodge, 
Grand Lodge and other bodies, the best demonstration of  devotion 
to God, morality, the Brotherhood of Man and charity to all, in a 
manner  understood by all, will give the leaders and  workers  of 
Masonry the opportunity to welcome the 21st century as an era  of 
more light for Masonry.

