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nking@freemasonry.org or nking@onramp.ca




          What Can We Tell Without Violating Our Obligation?
                       by John M. Boersma, MPS
     (Reprinted by permission of The Philalethes - October 1989)

     The  key sentence appears to be: I was taught to be cautious  and
it is this very sentence, which often proves all a Mason remembers  of
the Craft, long after he has ceased to attend Lodge.

     This sentence also serves as a perfect excuse to remain or become
a "fundamentalist" i.e. a Mason who strictly adheres to thou shall not
indent,  engrave, delineate etc. This of course re-enforces  "secrecy"
for the sake of isolationism.

     Following  is a hypothetical conversation between a  "Mason"  and
his "Mentor."

     Mason: I was taught to be cautious...could you elaborate?

     Mentor:  The word "Cautious" needs to be explained first.  It  is
here used in the sense of being "Watchful or Alert" when talking about
our  Order...by: examining probable effects and consequences  of  such
"talking"...with a view of avoiding danger and misfortune.

     Mason: You say..."avoiding danger?"

     Mentor: Yes: you see...one of the first definitions of danger  if
"Liability  to injury, pain, damage...insecurity." As "Masons" we  are
concerned  with the well-being of others. Take for example the  recent
"Ed  Needham"  show...Somebody  discovered a  skeleton  in  a  Masonic
closet..."many"  particularly  "women" called, in  utter  outrage  and
disbelief of such childish and despicable practices and one said:  "My
father  was a Mason, I am shocked and hurt." It takes much  more  than
"just  explaining that this skeleton is used to exemplify the  symbols
of mortality in a manner similar to the hermits of old (and today) who
contemplated  on  a  human  skull...and who  by  so  doing  discovered
immortality"...To  appreciate the effects of a particular  initiation,
one has to experience it, first-hand so to speak...

     Take another example..."Peter Pan" is balloted for admission into
Masonry...and...blackballed...if this type of information "Leaks"  out
of  a Lodge it may well cause pain to his non-masonic friends, to  his
relatives  etc. It might even cause damage to the Lodge, if one  chose
to make a legal case out of it. Talking out of a Lodgeroom could cause
damage to one's reputation...let's say for example, that the  Brethren
"vote"  on  whether  or not to use a certain printer,  for  the  Lodge
Summons  and  a  debate ensues...names are bandied  about,  costs  are
compared, service is discussed...and a lot of confidential information
may well be released, all good reasons to be cautious, because:

          Negative information may damage one's reputation:

     Mason: You stressed...Negative...

     Mentor:  Indeed...anything pertaining to our Order  that  through
lack  of understanding or otherwise may have a negative effect on  our
Order or on a party outside of our Order should not be discussed.

     Mason: What then may I discuss with my wife, family or friends?

     Mentor: It follows from the foregoing, that things which  reflect
favorably  on our Order and which are understandable to outsiders  may
be freely discussed.

     Mason: You say understandable?

     Mentor: Take for instance our signs, tokens and words or mode  of
preparation  as  well  as the exact wording of  our  obligations,  our
passwords and the peculiar aspects of our knocks...these are not items
that are understandable by themselves, they derive their very  meaning
in the context of and during the Ceremony of Initiation. Initiation is
a  very private ceremony, so why discuss with outsiders,  that  which,
even  to  the Initiate may take years or even a lifetime  to  properly
decipher.

     Mentor: Let me ask you a question: "What did you feel good  about
during your initiation?"

     Suggestion:  Have  the newly initiated Mason write a  report,  in
Lodge,   maybe   at   the   next   Committee   of   General   Purposes
Meeting...outlining what He felt good about and also what He felt  bad
about...a report which well be submitted only to the W. Master and the
Chairman  of the Mentors Committee, after which it will be  destroyed.
Assume  the above is done and the Mentor here referred to is  not  the
Chairman of the Mentor's Committee.

     Mason: You have not seen my written report?

     Mentor: No, after your initial discussion with the W. Master  and
the  Chairman of the Mentor's Committee it was destroyed! Remember  we
too  were  taught to be cautious and it would have been  imprudent  to
expose  your innermost feelings. Meanwhile my  question  stands...What
did you feel good about during your initiation?

     Mason:  Somehow, one of my first impressions was that  the  Lodge
"Prayed"  just  for me...in a moving, almost Ancient way. I  was  also
very  happy  to have somebody guide me...It was strange to  be  called
brother  yet  I  felt  honored.  A  surprising  amount  of  individual
attention  was  paid to me...all sorts  of  different  Brethren...with
different  aprons...gave  me a lecture  or  explanation...Finally  the
Master  himself presented me to the Lodge...with "How do  you  receive
our  newest Initiated Brother" and...I got on Ovation...Since this  is
positive, I assume I may tell my wife?

     Mentor: Yes, that is correct. By the way, how did you feel  about
the Darkness?

     Mason: I was nervous...was not everyone?
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