THE BUILDER MAY 1929

Why Are You a Mason?

By BRO. HERBERT HUNGERFORD

A Personal Challenge From the Campaign Manager of the Masonic Study
Club Movement to Every Brother Who Really Relieves in Practicing
the Art of Freemasonry.

YOU might regard this as sort of an inaugural address in
appreciation of my appointment as Campaign Manager of the Masonic
Study Club Movement and chairman of the Masonic Study Club Forum of
THE BUILDER. At any rate, you may rest assured that, after this
opening address, it is my intention to devote most of the space
allotted to this department to contributions from those who may
offer ideas, suggestions and experiences for the practical
advancement of Masonic education through Study Clubs.

It is fitting and proper, however, that I should, in accepting the
responsibility of leadership in such an important endeavor, make
some statement of my personal views as to the purpose, plans and
possible programs of the work in which we are mutually engaging.

Even as I accept this appointment as a personal challenge for me to
employ my abilities and experience on behalf of the betterment of
Freemasonry through the encouragement and extension of Masonic
education, so I am passing along to you the challenge of this
service as your individual opportunity to do your bit in furthering
the Masonic Study Club Movement.

In putting up to you personally the question, Why are you a Mason?
I do not wish to be considered impertinent, but simply desirous of
bringing this matter to you as a personal responsibility. Your
reasons for joining the Masonic Fraternity, probably, will
determine your attitude towards the Craft.

WHY EVERY MASON SHOULD STUDY MASONRY

My question might have been put even more bluntly by asking, What
kind of a Mason are you ? or, I might have toned it down more
politely by inquiring, What does your Masonry mean to you? But, all
I am driving at is to stimulate a little self-inquiry on your part
as to whether and to what extent you really believe in personally
practicing the art of Freemasonry.

If your Masonry means something more than a passing impulse or
fancy on your part, you certainly must be interested in any
endeavor which promises to aid you "to improve yourself in
Masonry."

Without reservations, I claim that the Masonic Study Club Movement
affords every member of the Craft who sincerely desires to improve
himself in Masonry one of the most certain and fruitful means of
individual improvement and general Masonic advancement.

You are well aware of the fact that, in order to become a Mason,
you were obliged to study to prepare yourself for the initiatory
rites of the order. If you observed those rites carefully, you must
also be aware of the fact that it was by no means the intention of
the founders of the Fraternity that your study of the purposes and
principles of the Order should cease as soon as you were admitted
to the inner fold. On the contrary, since nearly every admonition
you received during your advancement through the Degrees of Masonry
impressed the fact that you were engaging yourself into an art to
be practiced, you surely could not overlook the direct implication
that this must mean that your Masonic study ought to be continued
even more diligently after you assumed the obligations and
responsibilities of membership in the Craft.

However, I would not have you consider your relations to the
Masonic Study Club Movement merely from the standpoint of your
personal obligation or responsibility. Rather, I would have you
regard the opportunity you are offered of organizing, acting as
leader, or simply enrolling as a member of a Masonic Study Club as
one of the choicest privileges that you may possibly gain from your
membership in our great Fraternity.

PLEASURE AND PROFIT TO BE GAINED

To really appreciate Freemasonry, you should supplement the
knowledge you gain through its impressive ceremonials by some study
of the origin and development of these ceremonials and their
symbolic meaning. Likewise, to gain a clear conception of what
Freemasonry stands for and how it is related to all the problems of
life, you should study something of the great historical background
and the inspiring achievements that Masonry has made during its
long and honorable career.

The consensus of opinion among thoughtful observers is that
character, influence and happiness which, when properly combined,
constitute the best achievement of success in life, can be gained
only through the discovery and development of a personal philosophy
of life. To build character, wield influence and enjoy happiness
you must develop a fairly clear conception of the meaning of life
and your relations to your world.

I mention this in order that I may offer personal testimony to the
fact that, through my study of Freemasonry, I have discovered and
developed a most inspiring and soul-satisfying philosophy. Also, I
may add that a number of other brethren with whom I have discussed
these intimate matters, have told me that their Masonic studies
have brought to them an understanding of life's real values and
meanings similar to those I have discovered. Accordingly, I would
recommend this as one of the highest personal benefits to be
derived from your Masonic Study Club.

MASONIC STUDY IN ANTIQUITY

You understand, of course, that we are proposing nothing new or
unique in advising that every Mason should belong to a Study Club.
Among our ancient brethren, the study of the principles and the
formulation of the practices of Freemasonry, doubtless, was a
fairly universal activity of the Craft. Likewise, there have been
groups of Freemasons since time immemorial who have met together
regularly or occasionally to study the teachings of the Order.

One of the principal objectives for which the National Masonic
Research Society was chartered fifteen years ago was the promotion
of Masonic education and the encouragement of Masonic Study Clubs.
During ail these years, this particular endeavor of the N.M.R.S.
has been carried forward with steadily increasing success. Each
year there has been a greater advance in the number of Study Clubs
as well as marked improvement in the programs of these clubs.

In accepting this appointment to help organize and conduct a
campaign for the further extension of this Study Club Movement, let
me sincerely acknowledge my personal gratitude for the excellent
foundations that have been so firmly established as well as for the
good work that already has been accomplished.

Let me frankly confess that my chief qualifications for undertaking
the direction of this campaign is my keen enthusiasm for the work
that is already being done. Possibly, another qualification may be
the fact that my natural disposition is that of a "booster,"
although some of our high-brow brethren may not regard this
admission with much favor.

No iron-clad rules and regulations and no cut-and-dried formulas
are required in forming and conducting a Masonic Study Club. Of
course, all new Clubs may wisely profit by the experience of their
predecessors, but there is the widest possible latitude in the
plans of organization as well as in the programs. Some of the most
successful clubs are conducted with the least possible formality,
while others equally successful adopt regular rules of government,
elect regular officers, and conduct all activities in accordance
with regular schedules and carefully planned programs.

The N.M.R.S. stands ready and is duly prepared to aid all types and
classes of Masonic Study Clubs having really serious aims. The size
of the club is of far less import than the earnestness of its
intentions.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Finally, brethren, if you believe in the importance and value of
Masonic study, let me earnestly appeal for your cooperation and
support in this undertaking. I am not outlining any particular
plans or procedure and my only policy, as the director of this
campaign, will be sincere effort to give all possible encouragement
to everyone who feels in any way inclined to participate in the
project; also to give fair consideration and due credit for every
idea, suggestion or plan proposed by any interested brother.

I am not a "desk hound," but spend most of my time out in the
field, so I may not always be able to answer my correspondents
promptly. But, I assure you that every letter containing a
question, suggestion, criticism or comment of any sort will, in due
course of time, receive my careful attention and personal, reply.
Meantime, the boys in my office will promptly attend to all
requests for bulletins and data regarding the campaign and will
promptly forward your letters to me for my personal attention
wherever I may be out in the field.

I hope, therefore, that every brother who has a word to offer on
this matter of stimulating more widespread interest and encouraging
the organization of more Masonic Study Clubs, will respond to this
Macedonian call. Address Herbert Hungerford, Harrisonburg,
Virginia.

