THE BUILDER NOVEMBER 1915

DEMOCRACY AND MASONRY

BY BRO. H. R. BEST, SOUTH DAKOTA

BEFORE I became a Mason I was often assured that Masonry had
nothing to do with religion, but with this statement I cannot
agree, as it seems to me that it has much to do with religion. Of
course, it does not deal specifically with orthodox creeds, but the
very vitals of religion are involved, woven and interwoven through
it all. A man must have religious convictions, who passes through
its sacred symbols, otherwise he would be a conscienceless
hypocrite. No man, who is morally impervious, can be a true Mason.

In the next place:--Since "We meet upon the Level and we part upon
the Square," it seems to me that the great Masonic Brotherhood has
before it a sublime mission at this particular time in the world's
conflict of ideas. In such an age as this, it is not difficult for
a man to speak on some phase of life; it is however a difficult
task, in an age so complex, to survey the field of life, weigh the
various forces of progress, compare the organizing ideals and
arrive at an accurate generalization of truth. Still, I believe
that thoughtful people will agree that the outstanding social fact
of our day is the democratization of life.

The history of the race reveals a constant tendency to Aristocracy.
Aristocracy always ends in the oppression of the weak. In the crude
stages of the race, we see the strong man by brute force assume the
leadership of his clan and wave the big stick. With the same
motive, later, he becomes a soldier and with his army he conquers
his fellows, going through slaughter to a throne. This is the
Aristocracy of Force. This vantage he passes on to his offspring
and thus we have the idea of "The Divine Right of Kings" and all
its pernicious results. This is the Aristocracy of Heredity. Later,
as men form larger ideas of culture, we have born the Aristocracy
of Culture and Learning. Here men feel that because they have
swallowed a college curriculum of classical heathenism, they are
lifted above their fellows and it is not consistent with learning
to bear the burdens of society. Then, as creative genius has
produced wealth, we have, especially in this country, built up an
Aristocracy of Wealth, which class has insisted on its right to
plunder the public and outrage decency "within the law," or in
spite of it, and claimed immunity from punishment due social
criminals.

Now, over against the philosophy of Aristocracy, of the privileged
few against the unprotected many, of selfishness against the public
weal, we have this modern uprising of the masses, the unfolding of
a new democracy. Look at Art. There was a time when painters, for
the most part, thought only of the gorgeous, the outstanding in
nature; now they find beauty everywhere, in some dull cut by the
way, some meadowbrook with its pastoral scenes or a peasant's hut
with parents and lusty off-spring about a simple board. These are
sufficient to inspire the genius of the modern painter. Again, look
at the field of Literature. Once the poem was inspired by the idle
luxury of the court and dedicated to some voluptuous queen. To-day,
we are inspired by everyday-flesh-and-blood people whom we can know
and love and serve. We are learning to "Live in a house by the side
of the road and be a friend to man." Then look at Fiction. Once the
heroes or heroines must always, in the end, turn out to belong to
the Aristocracy. Now, instead of princes in disguise and masked
knights and an endless procession of impossibles, we have a new
moral picture being drawn in modern books in which the heroes and
heroines are found among the men, who swelter at the forge or women
who stand behind counters. We are getting "Inside the Cup" and
cleaning out "the drains" even under the pulpits of "sacred evils."
We are finding the sources of a new life in helping folks who
wrestle with hunger in an empty bread tray. This same tendency may
be seen in education. The day when the educated man was defined as
the man who had swallowed all the heathen gods and goddesses has
gone as it ought to go. We are learning that education is not
stuffing people on the debris of ages, but awaking the potentials
of personality and turning a man loose in a world to create some
utility. The new education is culminating in The Kingdom of the
Commonplace. We are finding that every man and woman has in them
the elements of greatness, which should be developed to the maximum
of individuality. This individuality is finding its medium of
immortality through social service and thus:

"The common deeds of the common day 
Are ringing the bells in the far away."

We are ever in danger of hanging on to cast-off husks of truth and
losing sight of the vital organism that seeks a newer habiliment.
This evil is what I call social appendicitis and in the classic
phrase must be "cut out," else we endanger the whole social body.
Now in this new democracy, this kingdom of the common-place, we can
all have a part. It does not destroy individuality but creates it.
Altruism is the law of life and produces the maximum of
personality. It calls every man to live for public weal. It
enthrones every man as his own priest, prophet and king. Any
religion, politics or economy, that gives the destiny of people
into the hands of a few, is dangerous and must be resisted. The
man, who is emancipated from the slavery of selfishness, must stand
for the emancipation of all.

Now friends, in the light of these ideals, it seems to me that our
Fraternity, based as it is on ideals of equality, can be a mighty
factor in overcoming these ancient evils and enthroning the people.
With the regard for history and a proper use of ancient
foundations, we should build thereon the structure of "Liberty,
Equality and Fraternity," that shall truly bless the world. It is
this vision that thrills me; it is this hope that makes me join my
little mite to yours in order that we shape with true horizontals
and erect with correct perpendiculars the Temple of Life. If this
be the spirit that animates our brotherhood, we shall play well our
part in that drama of life.


