On 2009 Independence Day

All rebellion has cause(s), right, wrong, justifiable, etc.. In that rebellion there are leaders who inspire others who felt the same way. Within that dynamics, a large group who is either afraid, indifferent or blind to the issue, just stand by the fence and watch where the winds blows---fence sitters. That description can be applied to any rebellion/revolution. The political upheavals we are witnessing is an obvious manifestation of lingering and dormant economic condition of the country. While the rest of the neighboring country made progress, the Philippines are very hard press to claim such achievement. Which comes first, the hen or the egg? Inept politicians or the people who select their representatives?

Freemasonry doesn't create or "lift up the condition of the country and our countrymen." The Craft is not about influencing society for "higher and noble" aspirations. Freemasonry is not about community service or Nation building. Its about building a temple hence, guiding an individual to make his choice, to follow his conscience and to do what is right---to be a moral man. What comes after is another choice.

No single person ever accomplishes that Nation building task anywhere. It requires leaders with vision and in Philippine History----individuals who happened to be Masons were the catalyst to the uprisings against Spain and United States. Brother Masons were also key players in the modern history of the country. Freemasons were on both sides of the fence and many others were neither. World History is full individuals known and unknown, who made a difference to their country and countrymen. They are not known as Masons but as people who happened to be Brothers of the Craft. Those are the people who during the course of their membership learned the lesson of Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice. Lessons about Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Let us not forget my dear Brethren that great many participants of revolutions, who equally endured hardships, lost their properties and lives were not Masons.

Rebels, Freemasons and History.

rmolano

Hanford Lodge No. 279

A Question on Friday the 13th of March

"A Mason is sometimes asked by a friend, a neighbor, or a business associate, "What do the Masons do?" The question may be worded more generally, "What are the Masons?"

The opening sentence of an article titled, What's Your Answer brought out a fundamental question that been asked since time immemorial --- Who are we? The unknown author's real question to the readers was that do we know what Freemasonry is really all about. For what purpose it exist?

Who Are We.

RmOlano
HL#279

Masonic Books

There are hundreds of books authored by hundreds of convincing and not-so convincing writers. What book to read will depend on what may interest the readers. As a historian, John J. Robinson's Born In Blood is akin to reading history book, Lomas and Knight's Hiram series has a good number of speculations, and Laurence Gardner's Shadow of Solomon's has more technical description. Chris Hodapp's Freemasonry for Dummies is easy to read, and then we have anti-masonic series like Stephen Knight 's The Brotherhood. Manly Hall's Lost Secret of Freemasonry was written before he became a Mason while Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma was his grand opus. John R. Heisner’s most recent Advanced Meditations on Masonic Symbolism is his interpretation of familiar symbols we heard and see inside the Lodge. Most readers find topics as the primary requirement and authors as secondary, some preferred the other way around. The bottom line is that the material should be interesting e.g. subject, author, etc., or else the book will be as good as a door stop.

Referring to the study of the Craft, Brother Jim Bantolo, PGM, recently wrote, “There is still so much to read, researched, and to be illumined. So much to digest. So much to understand. So much to feel and see what true Masonry. It is just too much more than simply being Monitorial.” Let us take heed of these words of wisdom. Freemasonry is more than a small group of elite beings who think they are some sort of special. The Craft is more than parroting of arcane ritual lines or participating in an amateurish drama play. It is also embarking on a journey that will take time and patience, of understanding that the travel not the destination is what will matter most. It is about explaining the spots on individual's lambskin apron.

I commend the Brother for his interest and obvious hunger for furthering his Masonic Light. I am glad to find Brothers who understand that Freemasonry is beyond dues card and rings.

*** originally posted at West to East Yahoogroup as response to Brother Erick Calica, Cavite Lodge No. 2, IGLPI.***

F/

RmOlano

Hanford Lodge No. 279