Freemasonry, Building More Bridges And Less Walls

Freemasonry, Building More Bridges And Less Walls

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Years ago, I worked with some other Master Masons to create a Masonic Builders Group within the Freemasonry. We were going to start a local group, branch out to the whole state and then take the idea nationwide. The group was based upon Joseph Fort Newton’s Masonic Builders idea. This was an excellent plan, that had all the right people in place but for many reasons, never took off. As Brother Fort Newton said;

“Men build too many walls and not enough bridges.”

“Time is a river…and books are boats. Many volumes start down that stream, only to be wrecked and lost beyond recall in its sands. Only a few, a very few, endure the testings of time and live to bless the ages following.”~ Joseph Fort Newton

The Builders is one of the most important Masonic books ever written and every Master Mason should read it. It explains the allegorical nature of what it means to be a Master Mason and a good decent human being. Even though, this book was written in 1914 it still holds true today, maybe even more than ever. When Masons say’ “We take a good man and make him better” what we are talking about, is what Brother Fort Newton describes in this book.

“Man was not meant to be a cringing being, eaten up by anxiety, shut up a prisoner in silent loneliness, living in blind cruelty. He was meant for great adventures if he has the insight to see the laws of life and the key of kindness to unlock the doors; and in his quest for the best in others, he will discover something in himself not guessed before. For each of us, though we may not be clever or commanding, but only average and unknown, life can be winged and wonderful, full of meaning and music, if we have the faith to trust the God who made us, and the wisdom to live, love, and learn.”~ Joseph Fort Newton

I wish more people who harshly judge Freemasonry would read this book.

Brother Fort Newton believes that every man should be educated and has the right to a good education.

The idea for the Masonic Builders group was to create an online Masonic College of Classical Liberal Arts, Philosophy, Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, Geometry, Music, & Cosmology. We had Brothers with exceptional teaching skills that volunteered to create and teach online classes. I was going to be the webmaster. Hopefully, one day, in Masonry, we will stop building walls and start building more bridges. There is much hope with younger Master Masons. I have taken Rumi and Tolstoy advice.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”~ Rumi

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” ~ Leo Tolstoy

See my article;

The Importance of The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences

Joseph Fort Newton’s The Builders: A Story and Study of Masonry, should be required reading for anyone even wanting to become a Master Mason. This excellent book and its ideas would make a great Masonic Education topic. As a lodge and as a group, are we living up to what Brother Fort Newton’s vision of what Freemasonry is all about? If not, how can we? Isn’t life all about being better? This book would also make an excellent lodge Masonic Group Study.


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