The premier Grand Lodge was formed in 1717 at the Goose and Gridiron Alehouse. What some forget, though, is that there were only two degrees worked at that time, the Entered Apprentice and the Fellow-Craft. It wasn’t until the 1720’s that we begin to see evidence of further degrees, in 1725 we have evidence that High Degree Masonry is introduced to the Craft in the form of the Master Mason degree. Throughout the next few decades, more and more Masonic degrees come and go, some are taken and adopted into the fold of Masonry and some are cast off. The Royal Arch, the Mark Master, Scotch Masters, Knight Templars, the Ancient and Honourable Order of Kilwinning, and many more were being developed and worked during this time. The Allied Masonic Degrees possess and offers many of these degrees for review and discussion to keep them alive. Other degrees developed into other bodies and orders. All have a lesson to share.During this period the degrees of Masonry were not codified in their ritual and progression. For example we have evidence that the Five Points of Fellowship were an element of the operative Fellow Craft degree, the Five Points of Fellow-ship, that at some point moved to the Master Mason Degree. Two of those elements of Masonry that were never answered for you during your three degrees but were answered during the degree in the Mark Masters Degree.
In the lecture of the Master Mason degree we are taught that there were employed in the construction of the Temple 70,000 Entered Apprentices, 80,000 Fellow-Crafts, 3,300 Masters, or Overseers of the Work, and three Grand Masters. Those 3,300 men have been a logical sticking point since time immemorial. If the intention of our three Grand Masters was that no one would be Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason until the construction of the Temple had been completed, how could there be 3,300 Masters? Who were these 3,300 brethren? The answer lies in the description of their duty, they were Overseers of the Craft. In the Mark Master’s Degree we witness three of those Overseers perform their duty. These were Fellow-Crafts taken from the ranks of their fellows on the merit of their work and were then tasked with the inspection of the work coming from the quarries. The Mark Master’s Degree explains why there are 3,300 Masters, or Overseers of the Work…they had not YET been made privy to the secrets of a Master Mason, BUT, because of their skills were able to oversee other workmen.
The situation in building the Temple was similar to the situation of humanity prior to the coming of Messiah. There were religious workmen, but there were no Master workmen, nor would there be any until the completion of the Temple–the permanent home for the worship of one’s God. Spoiler alert, as we look further ahead into the Knights Templar Orders we learn that the Master Overseer HAS been raised from death, restored to life, AND the Temple to God continues to be built. In life, all that is left for us to do is to progress from apprentices, to fellows of the Craft, and finally make of ourselves Master workmen.
Now, think about the opening and closing of every meeting that is held in your Lodge. The necessary officers go through a ritual in which they describe the duties of the office that they bear. The Senior Warden reminds us that he is “to pay the craft their wages if aught be due.” Who has ever seen the Senior Warden pay wages to the craftsmen? Wages are mentioned during the Fellow Craft Degree. Remember the Corn, Wine, and Oil? Was it paid by the Senior Warden? No? The Master you say? Remember that you were induced to become a Master Mason so that you could work and receive Master’s wages? Were those paid by the Senior Warden? No? So, we have at least two instances of wages being mentioned in the degrees of the Blue Lodge and never once are they presented by the officer whose duty it is to pay them.
In the Mark Master’s Degree, of course, you have the opportunity to see how to receive your wages from the Senior Warden. You’ve learned the unpleasant penalty of applying for wages when you don’t deserve them. You’ve learned that the laborer is worthy of his hire, that the true and faithful Craftsman need not fear to apply for wages, and that we will be paid according to agreement. The same concepts apply to the covenants that God has made with humanity.
Master Masons, upon being brought from darkness to light, are shown the Three Great Lights in Masonry and told that they had, or were about to receive, all of the Light in Masonry that could be conferred upon them in a Lodge of Master Masons, all of the light THIS LODGE could bestow. It was not all of the Light in Masonry, period. No, just in a Lodge of Master Masons.
The reality, is that there is further Light to be had for the craftsmen willing to search and work. Never forget that there is always further and more Light to be experienced in your Masonic quest. You will but have to travel to other Lodges and bodies in order to receive it in THAT lodge, asylum, conclave, chapel, or that body’s meeting place by whatever title.
Gentlemen, THAT is why we are called FREE Masons… WE are FREE to travel as we will, to whatever quarry or workshop that WE choose in order to become more experienced, and perhaps better, workmen as we work to craft OUR life for the duration of our corporeal existence on our way to living life as a Master Overseer.
No comments:
Post a Comment