Page 17 - ASHLAR - April - June 2019

N A L G
I O
G E RAND LODGE
The Ashlar R Vol. XV Issue I
FREEMASONS AND CONTRIBUTION BEYOND CHARITY

PRESENTED BY W.BRO. ARCHIT PATEL OF LODGE FELLOWSHIP 140
Brethren, as we all know that beyond the three only for individual benefit but for the greater
basic principles of Freemasonry, Brotherly benefit of society in general.
Love, Relief and Truth; there is a very important Greater benefit to the society goes beyond
and strongly encoded objective which is to keep material charity which we do as that being our
on elevating oneself higher and higher. We may raison d'êtres. But that charity largely being a
summarise that Freemasonry overtly and collective institutional activity it leaves a large
covertly dictate to us to grow our self Spiritually, room for individual Masons, to look for the
Intellectually and Socially. avenues of giving back through one to one or
It is most aptly spoken as the charge after one to many contributions to the society,
initiation comes to its closure, family and most importantly, one's own
"And, as a last general recommendation, let me conscience.
exhort you to dedicate yourself to such pursuits We know that the progression from first to
as may at once enable you to be respectable in second and from second to third degree is a
life, useful to mankind, and an ornament to the very subtly laid out map of our life from birth to
society of which you have this day become a the day of our judgment. But although as we
member; to study more especially such of the progress in our Masonic journey and donned
liberal Arts and Sciences as may lie within the the apron of a Master Mason, but in life not
compass of your attainment, and, without many can become a Fellow craft who can turn
neglecting the ordinary duties of your station, to the roughness of own self by shedding the
endeavour to make a daily advancement in superfluous imperfection without damaging
Masonic knowledge." the inner core or soul; very few can become
We shall try to evaluate the current Masonic Masters of own self and in true sense Master
approach to personal and social betterment, by Masons, by drafting a true and inspiring path
considering the Craft's understanding of the for the misguided, determining the limits and
world and the individual. proportions between self and selflessness,
Few of the objectives of Freemasonry, are to and finally to align own self in the parallel and
'Afford opportunities for self-development and deep line of morality and virtues extending
returning back to the society'. Self-development beyond own belief or comfort.
is the growth of the individual person's abilities The process in the lodge are merely a
by the individual himself. Such development reminder or should we say reinforcement to
can of course be greatly influenced by the the acts and deeds we are to carry out in the
people and institutions with which the individual world outside the lodge extending to every
relates. Giving back to the society is the living being. It is rather a type of Neuro
essence of our fraternal congregation as we Linguistic Programming exercise in which you
make the good ones, better. condition your mind to act in a controlled
What defines "better" we may well ask? fashion under certain situation by "anchoring"
The operative stone Mason left the ranks of it to a mesmerising experience. We all
Apprentice and became a Fellow of the Craft remember the time when our blindfolds were
when he was able to demonstrate that he was a lifted, and we were given the gift of light. The
skilled workman who had Mastered the memory of that moment is a constant
requirements of his trade. With the reminder to us that we carry the obligation to
development of speculative Freemasonry, self- the society and people who are either
development was expanded to include a materially or intellectually under privileged.
broadening of the mind, intellect and talents in The four cardinal virtues Temperance,
general, through education and learning, not Fortitude, Prudence and Justice; and the

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