FINDING TIME TO BE AND TALK WITH YOUNGER BRETHREN by Nestor L. Andaliza, PM (#42) (photo of WB Nestor Andaliza) (The author of this short article is the immediate Past Master of Noli Me Tangere Lodge No. 42 and the President of its Council of Past Masters.) WHEN I WAS RELATIVELY NEW in the Fraternity, I was practically left alone to fend for myself. Hence, I pursued my Masonic journey practically without the voluntary guidance of the elders of the Lodge, who even tended to interfere with the prerogatives of the three Lights of our Lodge, although a few of them shared their wisdom with me when I consulted with them. That is why when I became an officer of my Mother Lodge and eventually the Master thereof, I made it a point to spend some time with younger brethren in order to help them understand and appreciate Masonry better. Now that I am a Past Master, I feel I am more bound than before by both honor and duty to sell Masonry as a “”quality product” to the younger members of my Lodge, both by precept and by example. During social fellowships I show them that I enjoy their camaraderie and that I am having fun in their company, singing with them during fellowships. Masonry is, at least in part, sharing things like time, talent and resources with one another in sincere love and fellowship. More importantly, I manage to find time to informally exchange ideas about Masonry with them; for one of the duties of a Past Master is to continue giving instructions to younger brethren. These words of the Installing Officer still ring clearly in my memory: “For a pattern of imitation, consider the great luminary of nature, which, rising in the East, regularly diffuses light and luster to all within its circle. In like manner, it is your province to spread and communicate light and instruction to the brethren of your Lodge. Forciby impress upon them the dignity and high importance of Masonry….” What I endeavor most earnestly to impress upon the minds and hearts of the younger members of our Lodge during such informal colloquia is that it is important for all of us brethren to meet on the level, to act by the plumb, and to part upon the square. Paraphrasing Bro. Robert Macoy’s definition of a true Mason, I emphatically tell younger brethren that a true Mason is one whose demeanor should be marked by the level of courtesy and kindness; one whose distinguishing characteristic should be uprightness of heart and integrity of action, as symbolized by the plumb; and one whose conduct should be squared by strict rectitude and justice toward his fellowmen, but particularly his brethren in Masonry. So, I ask them, “Why is it essentially necessary for us to attend the monthly stated meeting of our Mother Lodge?” The answer? We see in the Lodge hall the movable objects of Masonry, which teach us to descend the valley of life with joy and with the hope that we will be found by the Most High as worthy of admission into the Grand Lodge above, where He reigns supreme through the boundless ages of eternity. Another important lesson I share with younger brethren is that Masonry is a continuous pursuit of personal excellence, perfection, or self-mastery. For this purpose, aside from reminding them of the monitorial statements about the movable jewels of the Lodge, namely, the rough ashlar, the perfect ashlar, and the trestleboard, I urge them to weigh and consider this significant statement of MW Reynato S. Puno, PGM, GMH: “The ultimate aim of Masonry is to enthrone the sovereignty of selflessness over selfishness; for if there is one tyranny that has terrorized men, it is the tyranny of selfishness. If you come to think of it, selfishness created the worst of political, economic, and spiritual tyrants. It is for this reason that Masonry seeks to purge men of the sediments of selfishness in their hearts by subduing their sensual nature, by purifying their mental processes, and by losing their old imperfect lives in order to attain perfection….” Further, during informal conversations, I point out to younger brethren that our eminent Brother and great Russian writer, Count Leo Tolstoy, has emphatically said, “Instead of thinking of changing Masonry, we should rather think of changing ourselves.” In addition, I endeavor most earnestly to inculcate in the minds of younger brethren that, as phrased by the late Past Master A.E. Tatton, “Masonry is dedicated to rendering invaluable service to the preservation of human and humane civilization or to the improvement of the ‘human condition’. To help Masonry attain that noble goal, each Lodge must aim at making better Masons, and not at making more Masons; for the force and effectiveness of the Fraternity is in direct ratio with the quality and not with the quantity of its members.” In fine, I have noticed that younger Masons appreciate very much a Past Master’s kind gesture of spending time and sharing his knowledge about Masonry with them. But, of course, the most eloquent lesson a Past Master can share with younger brethren is the good example of consistently living his Masonry, specifically of consistently conducting himself amiably, discreetly, and virtuously both within and without the Craft, as well as adhering strictly with all his heart to the precious precepts and principles of Masonry and to its useful laws, rules, and regulations. Fellow Past Masters, we must not suffer the younger brethren of our respective Lodges to fend for themselves. Instead, we should apply the foot-to-foot point of fellowship by going out of our way to talk and share with them our personal and vicarious experiences in Masonry, voluntarily serving as mentors to them. If they see that we are genuinely interested in their advancement in the Craft, they will feel important and become actively involved in the affairs of the Lodge. In effect, they will extend to us their active assistance toward enhancing our Lodge’s honor, reputation, and usefulness.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 23:52:50 +0000
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